Nathan - 4 months old

To my little man,

I can't believe it! You are 4 months old today!!

This months has brought on more joys and challenges, the biggest of which has been your sleep. You are still sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's bedroom and are still waking us up throughout the night to nurse (although sometimes I think you just want to play!). We have been very busy with guests and all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season so I think after the new year we will start transitioning you into your nursery full time for naps and for sleeping at night. I know that I will probably have a pretty difficult time with it but I know that's what is best for you. Hopefully that will help you sleep longer at night because Mommy needs her sleep too!

You have finally discovered that your hands are quite useful for holding onto things and grabbing toys! By the end of the month anything that we held in front of you went from your hands to your mouth in about 5 seconds flat. You haven't started chewing on your feet yet but I know thats coming up next.

We had a 4 month check up with the doctor and here are your numbers!

Length: 25 inches

Weight: 13lbs 12oz

Head Circumference 42.5cm

The doctor is happy with how your growing and tells us to keep up the good work! You got some vaccines but you only cried for a minute and was all smiles by the time you left the office

We are so proud to be your parents. We can't wait to see what next month will bring

With love to the moon and back,

Mommy & Daddy

Nathan's First Christmas!

Ever since I started dreaming about having kids of my own I would think of how much more fun Christmas would be with small children in the house. Kyle and I are such huge fans of Christmas anyway and we know that every year with Nathan is going to become more magical and more enjoyable. 

Since he was still so little this Christmas he didn't really realize quite what was going on but I still think he enjoyed the bright lights and the constant Christmas music in the house and the candlelight service in church on Christmas Eve. At least I know that I enjoyed seeing him look around with a sense of wonder (I know I know he's 4 months old he looks at EVERYTHING with a sense of wonder!)

Kyle's brother was able to travel again up from Los Angeles to spend Christmas with us which was really nice. Dealing with the normal stress of Christmas is hard enough but adding a newborn into the mix made it even more chaotic!

At the beginning of the month our good friend Jared came up from San Diego with his girlfriend Megan to spend the weekend with us; what a wonderful way to kick off the christmas season! They brought a lot of great gifts for Nathan (the favorite being his Finding Nemo fleece jammies!) Jared has a really nice eye for photos and was able to get a pic of us in front of the tree for our christmas card!

nice right!?

I made the traditional Christmas spread: Ham, mashed potatoes and carrots. I love Christmas dinner because it is one of the few times during the year that we get to use our wedding china! 

Here are a few more pics from the Christmas season. I hope everyone had a happy and healthy Christmas and Holiday Season!

Christmas Morning

Christmas Hymn Sing at Church

Santa Jammies!!

All worn out after opening gifts

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Nathan's First Winter

Even though we are in California and we don't really get a "winter" we still had to do a first winter picture for little Nathan. Hope everyone is getting ready for Christmas! It's just around the corner!!!

Nathan's eyes are still the same color....I love starting into those baby blues!

Nathan's First Thanksgiving

Our first Thanksgiving with Nathan was really fun!

We ended up spending the holiday with Kyle's brother and his girlfriend who were up visiting from Los Angeles. Nathan enjoyed having lots of people in the house and relished the extra attention. It was really nice to have family around during the holidays as well; Kyle and I haven't had an opportunity to spend a holiday back in Rhode Island since we graduated from college back in 2008. 

Nathan and Cassandra having fun!

Nathan's first Turkey Day!!

We ended up spending the day with one of Kyle's old co-workers from San Diego Liz, who was a fellow officer on one of Kyle's previous ships. When Kyle re-signed for an additional time commitment last year Liz decided to transition out of the Navy and pursue other job opportunities. Ironically enough she ended up in the same place as us because her boyfriend (and now fiancee) was attending the same graduate school as Kyle! It was really nice to see her again! It certainly seems that the longer we are in the Navy the more likely you'll see a familiar face no matter where you go! 

It was really nice of her to invite us to spend Thanksgiving with them. The food was good and I only had to cook side dishes!!! Wooo Hooo!!

Nathan - Three Months Old

To my little man,

You are three months old today!!!!

 I can't believe how fast time has gone by! We have already had you home and in our lives for three months and what a three months they have been! You seem to be growing and changing every day and we love how much you seem to love life. Many people have told us that you are a very thoughtful little guy and I have noticed how seriously you look at the toys hanging down from your activity gym when we lay you on it. You haven't started reaching for things yet but I know that's coming!

We are well into the night-time routine of bath, jammies, book and bed and you seem to be enjoying it. Right now your favorite book is Goodnight Moon and Mommy and Daddy both like how you seem to be looking at the pictures as we read to you cuddled on the rocker.

You are such a little giggle monster and love to laugh and smile at mommy and daddy. You are still a little shy when we go out though, so not many other people has seen your smile yet. We still take you to physical therapy for your neck and the doctor says you are doing well. We have been trying to put you on your tummy as much as possible and you are actually starting to tolerate it more. 

It makes mommy sad how fast you are growing, you are nearly out of your newborn clothes and into 0-3 and even a few 3-6 month items! You are still nursing like a champ and even though mommy is quite bleary eyed when you wake for night feedings, I have been trying to savor the moments at night when the world is quiet and you fall asleep snuggled in my arms. I know I will blink and that time will be over...

Mommy loves you little man. 

We can't wait to see what next month will bring!

With love to the moon and back,

Mommy & Daddy

Kids in the House: The Ultimate Parenting Resource

I was reading over some blog posts in my feedly reader this morning and fit bottomed mamas posted a video link from this resource website Kids in the House. It was a short clip from Elizabeth Pantley, one of the parenting experts who has several short videos up on the Kids in the House website. I really enjoyed the clip and decided to visit the website's homepage and I have to say I was very impressed. This site is full of little one to three minute videos from dozens of doctors, social workers, parenting experts and OTHER REAL PARENTS!

At least for me who is a first time parent and haven't navigated the murky waters known as raising children it was nice for me to watch a few videos (which are SHORT! score!) to get a few ideas on certain things and to get some additional reinforcement that I am not alone on this road of parenting.

Here is a screenshot of the homepage

I spent most of my time looking over the first year videos on sleep and sleep training (we still aren't doing very well on the sleep front in our house) and did get some good tips. 

As for any advise I have been given, read about, looked up, googled or otherwise received I take it with the proverbial grain of salt. I listen to it, then do what is best for me (and I suggest you do the same)

Check out the website if you're a parent, I think you'll be pleased! 

Oh it's also completely free, didn't I mention that?

Reedy-ness

Today was full of productivity and getting things done!

I have my clarinet lesson every other week now and today was the day; so naturally I felt completely unprepared and was panicking last night. I asked Kyle to watch the little guy this morning so I could get some last minute playing time in so I wouldn't have to sight read the etude I was "supposed" to be working on. Getting time to practice when it's just me and Nathan at home is next to impossible! Much to my surprise it was so easy to play for a solid hour when someone else is watching the baby! I think I'm going to try and get up earlier most weekend mornings so I can get some extended practice time while Kyle is home. During the week it's usually only in 5 minute intervals that I can actually get my butt in the chair. 

At my lesson we went over some reed strengths and my teacher showed me how to clip a clarinet reed to make it stronger. She has this crazy reed clipper that looks like a cross between a nail clipper and a medieval torture device

better not get your finger caught in there!

We are spending a few minutes at the beginning of each lesson to focus on sight reading. I have always found sight reading to be very intimidating so the more exposure I get the better in my opinion! Then on to scales and etudes/band music. 

I feel like the thing I am finding most difficult at the moment is tension in my hands. My finger speed is just O.K and I realize that the one thing that really is holding me back in that regard is I can't relax my hands. My teacher said that working on my scales, really focusing on absolute perfection (solid embouchure, lots of air, and RELAXED hands); played S-L-O-W-L-Y will help with that. Ok, got it; let's get to work!

I moved onto the next etude and I'm starting a new solo piece this cycle. This time I get three weeks to practice since we're skipping the week of Thanksgiving. 

In my mind I tell myself, "am I better now than I was at my last lesson, last rehearsal, yesterday, last practice session, 5 min ago?" Hopefully most days the answer to that question is 

Hell yeah!

I am so thankful for my music; it keeps me grounded and (I think) make me a better mother. 

Nathan does enjoy listening to me every so often!

How's Things?

Things seem to be pretty, well, awake!

Nathan has kept me guessing CONSTANTLY with his sleeping habits. Just when I think I have him figured out he completely changes his routine. Does that mean he doesn't have a routine? Well I guess complete and total randomness, if consistent, is a pattern itself right? Sure.

He's 11 weeks old now (by the way I'm not too proud to admit that I actually had to count on the calendar to get the actual weeks, after we hit the second month I just tell people "he's two months old." Does that make me wrong? Frankly I'm too tired to care...) anyway he started sleeping for longer stretches at around 6 weeks. By that I mean I put him down when we go to sleep around 10 and he sleeps until around 3, is up to nurse then back down until around 6am. 

I have been in L-O-V-E with this night pattern which has been ::knock on wood:: consistent for the last few weeks, but during the day? Oh Lordy during the day this kid just doesn't want to sleep. We're lucky to get a mini nap during the day and an afternoon nap is pretty much non existent. This seems to be the norm then every so often he seems to have a day where all he does is sleep (then mama gets a lot done!) I hear other mothers talk about the "routine" and the "schedule" and I think "man I have NO IDEA when my kid naps or eats during the day"...when he's hungry I feed him and when he's tired I rock him to sleep. 

Is that wrong? Did I mention that I'm too tired to give a hoot?  

The other aspects of my life are pretty much business as usual. I have been working on the Rose Etude # 13 and my band music has been keeping me pretty busy. My playing routine has basically been turned on it's head since Nathan was born. After some trial and error I have started to bookend my day with my clarinet; meaning I put it together first thing in the morning and take it apart before I go to bed. When it's set up and easily accessible I can almost get in 10 whole minutes of playing a day! After a while I just stopped watching the clock. If I sat in the chair and played AT ALL I considered it a win.

I'm about 5 pounds away from my pre pregnancy weight and I'm feeling really good. I started going back to spin class at about 8 weeks postpartum; I go to class about once a week and on the in between days I run or work out with my Jillian Michaels DVDs at home. Lately I've been considering starting a cycle of p90x in December. Am I insane? Probably....

Life is pretty much a repeating cycle of Nathan, Laundry, Nathan, Cooking, Nathan, Working out, Nathan, Playing Clarinet, Nathan & Kyle too!!!!!

It's ok, frankly I wouldn't want it any other way....

Nathan's First Autumn

I am attempting to play catch up with all of my back posts from November and December, starting with Nathan's first seasonal picture. Enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!!

We had a very enjoyable first Halloween with the little man. We dressed him up as BATMAN!!!!!!!





I still had to go to band rehearsal that night so I wasn't able to stay and hand out candy but Kyle and Nathan did a fine job with all of the (cough cough only 4) trick or treaters we had. I suppose most of the kiddos in our neighborhood stuck to the "nicer" houses up the hill. Hey kids! Just because we live in the older town homes doesn't mean I don't buy brand name candy! Hey more kit-kats for me I guess.



We did some lovely first Halloween pictures too. Please enjoy them....

 

Did you enjoy them.....I know you did!

Nathan - Two Months Old

To my little man,

You are two months old today!

You are more and more alert every day and are constantly melting mommy and daddy's heart with your giggles and smiles. October was a busy month for us. You got to meet your Grandma and Grandpa Fullerton at the beginning of the month and boy did they enjoy getting to know you! It seems that anyone that spends any time with you instantly falls in love! We had a couple of hard nights at the beginning of the month and just as it seemed that sleep would become a distant memory in our household, you started sleeping 4-5 hours at a time; only waking once to nurse, and you started to smile!

Now I have lived for over a quarter of a century. I've seen the canals of Venice and the Eiffel tower; I've danced with my father on my wedding day; I've literally saved lives though my work as a nurse and I can tell you right now that I didn't know what happiness was until you looked right into my eyes and; recognizing who I was; smiled right at me. 

That little smile of recognition and love is worth all the lost sleep, all the diaper changes, all the poop and pee and crying and stress. I can spend hours and hours just looking into your eyes and seeing that little smirk; and when you started giggling at around 8 weeks? I melted just like a puddle when I herd that. 

Mommy and Daddy have been trying to work together to make sure you are fed and changed, well rested and loved, and I think you know that whenever you are in our arms, you're well cared for!

At your one month checkup the doctor was concerned about your neck development and suggested we get you to physical therapy to strengthen the left side of your neck. We have been going twice a week for about three weeks and you are really getting strong! Now during tummy time you can really lift your head up and turn your head to your shoulder both ways! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you! You will be sitting up before we know it!

 

We love you more than words can say my sweet baby. Don't grow up too fast. 

We can't wait to see what next month will bring...

With love to the moon and back,

Mommy and Daddy

More Pics of the Little Guy!

I finally got my tie stickers in the mail (I ordered them late) and I got my one month (6 weeks actually) shots of Nathan.

I have always loved the idea of posing your baby next to a large stuffed animal each month so you can clearly see how much they grow over time.

This little guy's personality is starting to come out!

There are no words to describe the cuteness!

Enjoy!

Mama loves you little guy!

Nathan - One month Old

To my little man,

I can't believe you are one month old already!!

The past 30 days have been a whirlwind of late nights, long exhausting days and lots and lots of love. I remember people telling me that you never know how much you can love someone until you become a mother and I never really believed them, until I met you. When you were born I looked into your little face and I knew in that instant that I just met someone that I was going to love for the rest of my life! You looked up at me with those steel blue eyes and I just knew that you knew who I was, that I was your mother, and that I would take care of you.

The first few days in the hospital were very tiring. The nurses helped us learn to breastfeed and by the time we left when you were three days old you were a good little nurser and I was getting used to your hunger cues and following your lead. Now one month later you are still nursing like a champ and taking a bottle easily from Daddy too! Nice job! Some babies have a hard time switching from bottle to breast but you seem to take most things in stride (you take after your dad that way!)

You love to snuggle with us and like falling asleep on our chests at night time the best. Unfortunately for you your daddy and I live in perpetual fear of rolling over and smooshing you in our sleep so you sleep in your little co-sleeper bassinet right next to mommy at night.  Unfortunately for us you hate being in it unless you are REALLY asleep when we put you in there. That leads to several dances of "is Nathan asleep? I think so let's put him in the bassinet" to which you wake up and realize where you are and are not a happy camper! When you were almost three weeks old we finally realized that you sleep better at night when you are swaddled really tight and since then you have been sleeping better (but you still don't like sleeping alone!)

Every day we learn something new about you, you are constantly growing and changing. Your daddy and I love to watch your little face as you study the world around you. Your little brow furrows as you look into and study our faces. Your little arms and legs flail and your little hands grasp on to our pinky fingers. Your little face is so expressive! When you smile (I know now it's only gas) it's melts mommy's heart. All you are focused on is feeding and growing and we are helping you along and trying to provide for you in every way we can. Everything about you is a miracle, our little miracle.

Your name Nathan means HIS gift
you truly are a gift from GOD
we are so proud to call ourselves your parents
and we can't wait to see what next month will bring...

We love you always

Mommy & Daddy


-we will take official one month photos soon but until then here is a little slideshow full of pics from the last month!

BABY NATHAN IS HERE!!!!!!!!

Hey Everyone! I'm A MOMMY!!!!

Baby Nathan David Fullerton was born on Tuesday August 27th 2013 at 5:49pm

(38 weeks +3 days gestation)

He weighed 8lbs 2oz and was 20 inches long at birth.

When I looked into his face I instantly knew I was going to love him for the rest of my life...

Everyone is doing great!

We are getting used to the little third member of our family and enjoying every minute of it!

I will be writing a separate post about my labor story. We were discharged from the hospital on Thursday and are just taking it one day at a time, we're happy to say that Nathan seems to be a pretty patient baby so far!

So excited for the wild ride ahead!

Bump it: 37 Weeks

Hey everyone! I'm 37 weeks along!

OFFICIALLY FULL TERM!!!!!

I can't believe that I'm full term with this pregnancy. I feel like I have been waiting to say that for...well..9 months! Now this baby is pretty much fully cooked and just waiting to greet the world when he's ready. We are so excited to meet him!

He still is moving constantly and getting the hiccups daily. I was told by my buddy who delivered a few weeks ago that her son had hiccups in-utero a lot and now her little two week old still gets hiccups all the time. I think this little man will be the same way. 

Kyle and I have settled on a name and we are excited to let you all know what it is.....after the baby is born of course!

I have still been feeling pretty good but the exhaustion is finally kicking in. I have been **gasp** actually taking naps in the afternoon. On Friday I actually slept for almost three hours before dinner (anyone who knows me knows how weird and uncommon that is for me)

Well I do have some interesting news to share....

My doctor did my first cervical check this week at my regular appointment and.......

I'm already 4cm dilated and 100% effaced!!!

When he told me that I almost fainted from surprise! I seriously couldn't believe it especially since I have had ZERO contractions (even brackston hicks "practice" contractions, none, seriously!!) and no pain really at all! I almost didn't believe him and he had to repeat it a few times to get it to sink in. He's guessing that I won't make it to my due date of the 6th, which frankly is OK with me because I am ready to meet this baby!

My doctor was out of town this weekend so I took it really easy and didn't listen to any of my hypnosis tracks because I was nervous about going into active labor without him here (even though I have herd a lot of good things about the MD who covers him) so far so good...

I'll keep you guys posted, this baby could come at any time!

Bump it: 36 Weeks

Hey Everyone! I'm 36 Weeks along!

We are getting down to the wire now!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH

I'm constantly oscillating between feeling so excited and anxious to meet my son and feeling terrified about motherhood. Despite all of these crazy constantly changing feelings I am actually feeling somewhat ok about the labor. I am working hard on my hypnobabies training every day and that has helped me to feel a lot calmer going into this experience. I have no idea how I am going to feel when it's actually happening but I do feel like the hypnobabies tracks are helping me relax. 

The baby is getting so big that I don't feel "kicks" at all any more, I only feel him switching positions or moving from side to side. I guess he doesn't really have enough room to really kick me anymore. ;-) The little man weighs in at about 6 lbs and is about 18 inches long. He's pretty much fully "cooked" and is now working on gaining weight (at the rate of about one ounce a day) and finishing up the final details of his lung development. My total weight gain to date is 28lbs and I'm feeling OK about that. It's all for the baby after all...

We pretty much have everything together for the baby. I went on a huge target run for baby wipes and last min supplies and I ordered my diaper bag! I had settled on a ju-ju-be bag months ago but I wanted to wait until this week to order it because the fall patterns were coming out and I wanted to see them first before I decided which one to get. I decided to go with cobalt blossoms

I really love the pattern! I am so addicted to purses and I haven't gotten a new bag in almost a year. (hello withdrawal!) so since I needed to get a diaper bag anyway I figured I would splurge.

Had another doctors appointment this week, the first of my weekly visits. We're all pretty much just marking time until the baby comes. Patiently waiting (well sort of!)...

One more week until I'm term and then three weeks until my due date!! 

Bump it: 35 Weeks

Hey Everyone! I'm 35 Weeks Along!

I have been getting sooooo TIRED lately it's not even funny. I have totally lapsed on my workouts and I actually have been taking naps in the afternoon. I am slowly turning into "really pregnant lady" and it's getting pretty difficult for me to be ok with her. I feel guilty every day I go without a workout and every day I feel like I get nothing accomplished. What I need to do is stop listening to the little voice in my head making me feel guilty and instead listen to every other person on the planet who is practically screaming at me to REST!!! ENJOY THESE LAST FEW WEEKS!!!! PUT YOUR FEET UP FOR GOODNESS SAKES!!!!

I have been noticing that the baby has been getting hiccups practically every night. For awhile I thought it was just him punching me in the pelvis since I can only feel it on the lower right side of my hip but it was so quick and rhythmic that I'm guessing its hiccups (which apparently is pretty common, who knew?) 

We installed the car seat bases in the car this week and I started my cloth diaper stash. I am planning on doing a 80/20 hybrid system with the diapering (80% cloth and 20% disposable when traveling etc) and we'll see how it goes. I'll probably write another separate post on that soon because just getting ready for this has been quite the process. 

Only 2 weeks until I am full term!

Your favorite happy mama!