As Christmas Approaches...

On Saturday Pauly turned 6 months old and it got me thinking of all that's happened in the past year. It feels like he has always been a part of my life and to remember a time that he wasn't sleeping in my arms is like a dream. It's hard to believe that at this time last year I was telling my family about my pregnancy. And for this, Christmas will always hold a special place in my heart.

The holidays have always brought me memories of my childhood but my journey has changed course. It will now be about the memories I will leave with my son. Of traditions I will share with him and ones we will start. I know it will be some time before he can remember these Christmas' but there will be lots of pictures to reminisce about.

All the presents are bought and wrapped. They are just waiting to be enjoyed. I would have loved to place them under the tree but the thought of our dog chewing them has led me to do the untraditional. They are perched upon the table next to the tree.

And every day that passes leads to a growing excitement of Paul's First Christmas. What a joy it will be.

Shopping

I was out with my mom today doing some shopping and saw this awesome full length mirror.

I wanted it. And I knew exactly where I was going to put it.

Then I looked at the price tag...sigh.

It was $299.99

Not in my budget.

I had to leave it behind.

I am now sulking but, I'll get over it soon.

Hopefully...

What The Heck Is Happening??

I've always been told I was lucky to have a son who started sleeping through the night at 4 weeks old. First it was 5 hours and by the time he was 2 months old, he'd made his snooze last 10 hours. Of course there were the odd nights where he would give me a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, but they were so few and far between that it wasn't worth mentioning. I think my good luck has just run out. For the last week Paul has been waking up twice a night, like clockwork.
He goes to bed at 9pm.
Wakes up at 12am.
Goes back to sleep at 12:15am.
Wakes up at 4am.
Doesn't want to go back to sleep.
Mommy struggles to either stay awake or rock him to sleep.
Finally at 7am we're up for the day.
He's still napping at 10am and 2pm...or should I say we're napping but, it's just not fair.
I'm soooo tired.
And so over the course of the week, I've been trying different things in order to get Paul sleeping through the night again.

1. Warm up the room a little.
It's getting a little colder at night so I decided to turn the heater on in his room and warm it up by 2 degrees.
It didn't work.

2. Shut off the night light.
I thought that maybe if it was dark in his room, he might fall back asleep.
It didn't work.

3. Put him to bed earlier.
I can't remember which expert said this but sometimes when you put a child to bed earlier, they'll sleep later.
It didn't work.

4. Keep him up later.
Maybe if he was so tired he couldn't stay awake he might sleep through the night.
It didn't work.

5. White Noise.
I turned on his sound machine really low so he could have some background noise while he slept.
It didn't work.

6. Finally...Give him 9oz of milk in a bottle right before bed.
Although Paul always had one last feeding before bed, I guess he would just fall asleep and use my nipple as a souther instead of filling his tummy.
He would even nurse when he woke up during the night but I must be too comfortable for him because it just put him to sleep.
Now he fills up and for the last two nights he hasn't woken up (keep your fingers crossed).

Yippy!!!

Now I don't know how long this will last, and I'm hoping this is just one of those growth spurts because I only have enough frozen milk to do this for 5 more nights. Of course I'm still pumping but, he can drink a bottle faster than I can fill it. So I guess I'm in for a surprise a week from now. Until then, I'm going to get as much shut eye as I can.

Halloween

Before I saw this costume I really didn't think I'd be taking Pauly out for halloween. And then the clouds cleared and the joyous sunshine came through. How could I not trot around with this cheeky monkey! We didn't go trick or treating in the traditional sense but, our family sure did get a treat out of seeing the little man.

Pauly and Vavô

Pauly and Vavó

Mommy's Cheeky Monkey

Bananas are a monkeys best friend

I can share...

Pauly and cousin Logan AKA The Cat in the Hat

4 Months

A little less than a week ago Pauly got his first round of vaccines. He was a trooper. The first needle went in and he didn't even flinch. He was looking all confused and curious when the doctor stuck him with it. "What a good boy you are." she said. "But I know you'll cry for the next one. They all do."

And I don't blame them. This was no ordinary needle. It looked like something out of a sci-fi flick. Ok so I may be exaggerating a little. Anyway, he cried for a whole 20 seconds and then mommy's hugs and kisses made it all better.

When we got home I took his temperature and monitored it for the rest of the day. Nothing. He was as normal as could be. That evening as I was changing his diaper, I accidentally pressed on the spot where the needle went in and he started crying so loud. Oops...I guess he was sore. He was cranky for a few hours before bed so I gave him some Tylenol and he seemed to be more comfortable.

The next day, he was himself. Laughing and playing with his feet.

A few days ago I noticed that his dry skin was starting to get a little reddish. I thought it may have been a reaction to the vaccines but on closer inspection and after some researching on the internet, I think he may have eczema. I've seen it on my nephew and niece and this looks pretty similar. I tried calling the paediatrician to book an appointment but the office was closed. I'll have it try again tomorrow.

He doesn't seem to be bothered by it so maybe I can nip it in the bum.

Here's some recent pictures of my 4 month old angel....

Ouch!

Alright...my baby is getting his first round of vaccinations tomorrow :(

I wonder how that will go.

Hopefully better than I expect.

But, I am prepared. The non-recalled Infant Tylenol is on-hand. As well as all the cuddles & kisses he'll need.

Time...Where Are You?

I can't believe how fast Paul is growing. Not just in size but in strength and actions. Last week carried a few firsts for my little man. He had his first bath in the "big boy" tub. With mommy of course. In the baby tub he really hated being held with one hand while I tried to bathe him. He'd made it loud and clear by crying, and pushing against the bottom of the little tub with his feet. This not only caused him to be extra slippery, but his noggin banged against the back. So out of the small tub and into the big one. I am glade to report that I haven't had a crying baby in the bath for a few days! He seems to enjoy floating in the water and if he gets anxious, I just bring him close and he feels safe again.


He has also officially discovered his hands. In the past few weeks he has slowly learned how to put his hands in his mouth but, now he reaches for his toys...and puts them in his mouth. He enjoys lying on the floor with me while I offer him toys. He examines them with his eyes, reaches for them, and tries to eat them. It's sooooo much fun. And it's not just toys he tries to grab. Diaper changes have become a little more challenging. He now tries to grab his ummm....his diaper area. It's hilarious. At first I thought he was going for his feet but his hands haven't made it that far yet. Or his feet haven't made it that far up.


Paul can now also roll from his back. He's still perfecting it but, he rolls onto his side. Not as cute as the junk grab but I'm happy to see him move about.


And finally, Paul can now be propped up in the corner of the couch. He loves it! I've tried his Bumbo a few times but his head is still a little wobbly and I'm afraid he's going to lunge back and hurt himself. But I'm sure he'll grow into it soon.

Getting Bigger

Yesterday Pauly turned 3 months old. Yippee! We celebrated by taking him to the Fall Fair and he had such a good time. He watched the parade, ate, slept and saw animals. Hey, what do you expect from the little guy! Oh, and his parents had a wonderful time too.

A Child of God

Last Sunday was Pauyl's baptism.


It was even more special than I thought because our little boy was the only child to be baptized that day. I loved it! A little selfish I know... It comes with living in a small town. I'm so used to having a bunch of kids being baptized at one time that when I found out he was going to be the only star of the day, I kinda jumped for joy...on the inside.



And to make things even better, Fr. Bob is an amazing priest. His "sermon" was from the heart and cheerful. And the cherry on top... he encouraged everyone to take as many photos as they wanted. The only caveat was "make sure everyone can see whats going on".


Pauly was in a great mood and I know he enjoyed every minute. He never fussed when he was anointed with oil and when he was baptized with water he smiled! I couldn't have asked for a better day.





Afterwards, we had lunch at the Mill St. Crossing followed by dessert at our place. It was really nice to have all our close family there to celebrate. Hurray!

2 Months

Paul is 2 months old today. TWO MONTHS!!!! He also had his last visit with the Guelph Midwives, which went well.

Paul weighs 12 pounds and is above average in all other measurements. His reflexes are excellent and the midwife was especially impressed with his walking reflex. I'm so proud of him and happy that he is healthy.

On the other hand, I'm sad that a midwife couldn't be the permanent medical professional for our family but, I understand. They really added to my great pregnancy & labour experience and I couldn't have imagined doing it without their support. They were kind and always gave us options and time to think it through. I will miss them.
Because Paul and I really trust them, we are going to see a pediatrician that they recommended. Hopefully we'll be able to trust her as much as the midwives.

As for life... it goes on. And I'm loving every minute of it.

Not So Little Anymore

Today I had a little bit of a shock. I knew it was coming but I didn't think I would be so sensitive about it. Paul has grown out of his first pair of jammies!

Last week I had noticed that there were a few pairs of pyjamas and onesies that were starting to get a little snug on Paul. I was proud that he was growing and when we got home from the cottage, I took a look in his closet to see if he would fit into any of the larger clothes he had. Everything was still a little too big. As I was getting him ready for bed tonight, I randomly pulled out a pair of pyjamas for him. It was the kind that has a zipper on one leg only. To my surprise, I couldn't easily get his leg into the one side without the zipper. I couldn't believe it at first, and tried zipping up the sleeper. It did zip up easily but Paul couldn't stretch out his legs, and his toes were all curled up in the feet.

I stared at him for a few seconds and then went and got another sleeper. As I dressed him again all I could think of was "My boy is growing up so fast". Now I know it's only been 7 weeks but I can't help but wonder where the time went. I like to think about the day he was born and sometimes I wonder if I'll remember every detail 5 years from now. There are two moments I know I will never forget though.
The first is what it felt like the moment he was born, when the midwife caught him. I'm thankful I wasn't numbed by the epidural because missing out on that moment would have been horrible. It's hard to explain but there was a sense of relief followed by a rush of emotion and lots of crying. The oxytocin was definitely working.
The second moment was when Paul was given to me. I know it's normal for mom's not to feel that immediate bond but that wasn't me. I saw him coming towards me and I started crying all over again. All I wanted to do was hold him and not let go. I finally had my family. And every time I think of that moment my eyes start to tear up.

There are lots of people who say that you forget how painful labour is once you are holding your child. I have to disagree a little. You'll never forget the pain but holding that little angel in your arms makes it all worth while.

First Vacation

Last week was Paul's first vacation. At 6 weeks old, we spent a week with my in-laws at a cottage in Blue Mountain. And I must admit, it was tones of fun. We went hiking and shopping and we visited family that lives in the area. The weather was mostly good except for one scorching hot day and one rainy day. Fortunately we were able to beat the heat poolside and the rain was only around on the day we had to leave.

All in all, it went really well considering how Paul has been acting in the last few weeks. For the first 3 weeks of his life, Paul was a great baby. He only cried when he was hungry, when we changed his diaper, and the first few times he had a bath. Once he was in his fourth week, things changed. He started crying more often and for what appeared to be no reason. It wasn't colic but either way a crying infant is no fun to deal with. It took me a while but I finally found a routine that kept him settled, if not completely quiet. Taking him out of this routine made me a little uneasy because I didn't know how he would take it. I decided to go and, I knew my in-laws would be there to help out if Paul was being too fussy. It all went so well that I would do it again in a heartbeat.




Now that I'm back, the old routine has kicked in. The difference...I can't play hot potato with Paul anymore! I also took some pictures with my mother-in-laws camera that I'd like to share. I just have to wait until she sends them to me.

Happy Birthday Pauly!!!

So I know it's been a while since I've posted an entry but, I've got a good reason for it.
I'M A MOMMY!!!

Here's my story...

Now I can't be sure but I think things started on Monday June 14th. I was confident that I'd lost my mucus plug and for two days I'd been experiencing inconsistent back pain but, I never put two and two together. Since I had reached 40 weeks I knew the midwives would be expecting me to form some sort of idea on what I'd want to do if I needed to be induced. Then, on Wednesday I went to see the midwives. We talked about induction and came up with a plan... just in case. She checked my vitals and I was happy to know that everything was still good. Then came the million dollar question... "did you want us to check you?" Before my due date I hadn't wanted to know my progress but since I was a couple of days overdue, I changed my mind.

To my surprise I was already 2cm dilated and about 40% effaced. At that moment I was so happy and wanted to celebrate! I know that sounds a little weird but I really didn't want to be the woman who needed to be induced. It would have been so much more stressful for me if things hadn't progressed naturally. Anyways, I went home happy that day and decided to email Jody so she'd be updated on my progress.

On Thursday the back pain was still there but there was no pattern to it yet. That all changed in the evening. At around 6pm I started to notice that the pain was coming more often and it did seem to last for a short while and then go away. I thought it might be contractions but wasn't sure. Either way, I started to pay attention to it and by 10pm I was sure I was in early labor. It didn't hurt but I was getting more uncomfortable and, a pattern was definitely forming. I didn't want to worry Paul so I decided to wait for him to get home to tell him.

An hour later, I felt the pain. It wasn't bad but, I was beginning to be more than just uncomfortable. I realized that I hadn't eaten anything since lunchtime and since I really wasn't in the cooking mood, I quickly came up with a plan. I waited until 11:15pm and then called Paul on his cell. I asked him if he could do me a favour before he came home and he agreed. I told him, in detail, what he had to do. "You need to go to the bank and get some money. Then go to Tim Hortons and buy me a Chicken Salad Sandwich because I haven't eaten since lunch and this baby is on his way." I can't remember what he said but he did exactly what I'd asked him to do.

At about 1am Paul started timing the contractions just to be sure, and they weren't anywhere near 5 minutes apart. I decided to take a bath to help with the pain and to relax a little. Paul called Jody to let her know how things were going. At about 2:30am (I think) things were starting to escalate and the contractions were hurting. I'd been sick and knew it wasn't going to be good having an empty stomach but I didn't feel like eating anything. I needed Jody there. So Paul made the phone call and I decided it was time to try another bath. As I made my way into the bathroom I had a sneaking suspicion that my bag of waters was leaking. I wanted Paul to call the midwives and ask them if we needed to go to the hospital or if we could stay home. After describing the situation the midwife told us it was OK to stay because she didn't think it was my water. We found out later that it actually was amniotic fluid leaking from a small tear.

When Jody got here she suggested that I try to sleep, or at least rest between contractions. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I really thought things were going well. It really hurt but I seemed to be handling it well. Breathing and the quietness of the house was really helping. Until 6am that is. Thats when the contractions were getting pretty strong and I couldn't sleep through them anymore. I couldn't find a comfortable position and finally decided to get up. I left Paul sleeping and joined Jody in the living room. As I sat there breathing through my contractions, things started to get worse. Jody suggested getting back in the tub, which I did. The pain didn't pass as well as before but any relief was better than none.

Paul awoke shortly after and then the real work started. The back labour was starting to get really bad and the only thing I was concentrating on was getting through the contractions. Things start to blur at this point. I don't know how long it was before Paul called the midwives again but when I talked to them, I had a hard time speaking through the contractions. They asked if I wanted them to come to the house to check me but, I figured that I was going to end up at the hospital eventually and decided to meet them there. So, we put all our stuff into the truck and headed for Guelph General.

The hospital is about 20 minutes from our house and I can honestly say the last 10 hours of labour was nothing compared to the ride to the hospital. The worst part of it was not being able to move around because of the seatbelt. But, life goes on and we eventually pulled into emergency and went in. Once we got to the Family Birthing Unit, Cindy was waiting to assess me. I was about 4-5cm dilated and during the exam my bag of waters accidentally broke. She found that there was meconium in the fluid but it was nothing to worry about just then. Once we got to our room I found it most comfortable to sit on the edge of the bed. I can't really remember what was going on around me but I do remember thinking that my birthing plan wasn't going as I had hoped. I knew things might not go as planned but the one thing I had really hoped for was to use the Jacuzzi for pain relief. Now that my water was broken, that wasn't going to happen. Instead I relied on Paul's counter pressure and breathing to get through the contractions. That worked for a while but the back labour was really getting to me. It was so painful and of course I was tired and hadn't eaten anything since the day before.

At about 1:30pm I asked for an epidural. It started working pretty fast but the pain wasn't completely gone. It was bearable. I was trying to get some sleep, but couldn't. I had gotten the shakes and between that and what I could feel of the contractions, I was only able to rest. For the next four hours I enjoyed the conversations I was having and the rest I was getting. Then at 5:30pm it was time to push.

It didn't take long before the midwife asked to have the epidural drip turned down. The reason behind it was that they suspected the baby was turned sideways instead of the usual anterior position and I needed to be able to feel the contractions in order to push effectively. Well... they could have just turned it off because I felt everything from then on. And it still didn't hurt as bad as the back labour. The epidural wore off pretty fast and after 3 hours of pushing, Paul James Romanelli was born.

The paediatricians checked him out and after a few minutes I finally got to meet my son. He was beautiful. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect little boy.


And that is how my pregnancy ended, and a new journey begins. I'm really enjoying being a mom and although my labour wasn't what I had expected, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. It's totally worth it.

40 Weeks

What a shitty weekend. I'll start with the worst news which happened on Friday but actually started Thursday night.
Chloe and Kane were making their way up from the basement but, when Kane got to the stairs he didn't want to climb them. It was a baffling situation but after some treats and encouragement, Paul and I got him upstairs. The rest of the night was fine but in the morning Kane had a little trouble getting down the deck stairs and then he wouldn't come up. And this time there was no amount of treats or coaxing that would get him up. In the end, Paul had to walk him through the gate and in the side door. He struggled up the few steps leading into the kitchen and then wouldn't sit. We knew something was wrong and since Paul was leaving for work we'd have to take him to the emergency vet later on.

What happened was worse than we could have imagined. Soon after Paul left I tried to get Kane to sit, but he wouldn't. I got really worried and started to massage and feel around his back legs and spine. He didn't cry out in pain or give any sign that he was uncomfortable. I kept trying to get him to sit and this time he did but, halfway down his legs gave out and his but hit the pillow. He sat for a few seconds and then laid down. I scratched behind his ears, told him he was a good boy and started folding the laundry.

The two dogs slept side by side for hours, which is very normal. At 6:00pm the neighbour came home and that's the exact moment I knew something was very wrong. Both dogs perked up and started barking but, it was only Chloe that ran for the door. I went to Kane and spent the next 10 - 15 minutes trying to get him to stand, but of course he wouldn't. When I tried to move his back legs, it was just dead weight. It really freaked my out and I didn't know what to do. Paul called just then, wanting to know how Kane was doing. I explained everything and he got really worried too. I spent most of the evening on the floor with Kane but eventually got up to eat. I had only been gone for 10 minutes before he started whining. I tried feeding him his food but he wouldn't take it. I thought maybe he was tired of lying on that side so I got some treats and tried to get him to sit up. He did, but you could see it was a major struggle. I helped keep him steady and quickly shifted his back legs so he could lie on the other side of his body. He was calm until I finished dinner and then started to whine again. Paul was going to be home in 1.5 hours so I went back to the floor. I put his head in my lap and was scratching behind his ears. I gave him belly rubs and was talking to him most of the time. When Paul got home he looked Kane over and, as quickly as possible, got Kane into the backseat of the truck. We drove to the vet in brampton and hoped for the best. No such luck.

After a physical exam, a shot of morphine and x-rays, the vet told us the bad news. For some reason, the disc in one of Kane's vertebrae had moved out of place and it was pinching his spinal cord. Until this was corrected, he wouldn't have the use of his legs and even then, there was no guarantee that is was correctable. The three available options for us were:
1-Keep him on a mild dose of morphine. Confine him to a crate for 6-8 weeks so as not to disturb his vertebrae and hope the disc would go back. The problem with this was that he would be soiling his crate, and it was unlikely he would get better.
2-Have an MRI done to determine the exact reason behind the disc moving out and then operate to place it back in. There was also no guarantee that this would make things better and of course it would cost us anywhere between $5000 - $15000. That was money we didn't have.
3-Relieve his suffering and put him down.
I can tell you it wasn't an easy decision and because we were expecting our lil' bean at any moment, we really didn't have a choice. Sadly, Kane died on June 12 at 2:30am. As sad as it was, Paul & I knew it was the best we could have done for him.

And since this post is already so long I'll just make note of the other things that have happened.

I went to the Safety Superstore to buy my stroller but apparently the kiwi colour is a special order. So now my Peg Perego Pliko P3 is on it's way.

To keep our minds off of Kane's death, we went out to car dealerships to visually look at the SUV's we'd been searching on-line. It was fun and daunting at the same time. The good thing about it is that I think we've settled on buying a Honda CR-V.

The nursery is finally complete. Paul finished painting the doors and they have been hung. Everything looks really great.

I've started to have more back pain and it may be because the lil' bean is dropping more. Other than that, I'm still feeling pretty good. Getting a little impatient but what can I do. He'll come when he's ready.

And at 40 weeks there's not much to report about. My lil' bean should weigh about 7.5 pounds, the size of a small pumpkin. And he should be approximately 20 inches long. I'll just have to sit back and be patient.

39 Weeks

Almost there! I can't believe I'm going to be a mommy soon. I thought I'd be a little nervous or anxious this close to my due date but I'm actually quite relaxed. I'm sure not being at work has lots to do with it! I think most people would rather keep their minds on work at a time like this but not me. I'm actually happy thinking about what loose ends I can tie up at home. And there really isn't much. Not anything too important anyways. The nursery is finished but Paul still needs to paint and hang the doors. I did all the laundry for the lil' bean this week and put it all away. He's got a great variety of sizes and I guess I'll just buy more as I need it. I've got his bag all packed and I started working on mine. I've got some lists from the midwives that I'll have to review but the most important stuff is ready to go.

This week at my midwife appointment I got two pieces of good news. The first is that I'm GBS negative! Woohoo. I was hoping for no IV and so far so good. The second is that my lil' bean is engaged. Now I know that he could be this way for a while, but it still means that he's getting ready for the big day. Otherwise, all things are normal and looking good. What else could I ask for at this time?

I also picked up my carrier this week. I had been looking at a few different styles and Paul & I decided on a BabyHawk. It's great and I hope we get good use out of it. I'm planning on using it for the first little while instead of a stroller. Not to mention that baby wearing is supposed to be a great thing for your infant. If you'd like to hear more about it you can listen to, or watch this PregTASTIC episode.

This week my lil' bean is probably 20 inches long and weighs a little over 7 pounds, about the size of a mini watermelon. There's not much to report other than he's still growing and the top layer of skin is sloughing off as new skin forms underneath. The dead skin will be swallowed and become part of the meconium building in his bowels. One more week to go!

38 Weeks

This has been another good week, in many different ways. I'll start with work and the "surprise" baby shower. A few weeks ago I found out that Gail had put together a small baby shower for me. I wasn't expecting anything fancy, and it was simple. What I didn't expect was how generous everyone was. I thought I'd receive a few small gifts but instead I got a gift card with a substantial balance. Not to mention a delicious cake. Of the 6 years I've been working at SGS, I have been the only pregnant employee. And I've been one of three who have had children. I wasn't expecting so much and really appreciated what they did for me.

The day after that was my last day of work. I was supposed to go back for another week but since my feet were swelling so much I decided to start my vacation a week sooner than planned. It wasn't a problem with HR and was such a relief for me. My last day was uneventful, boring and ended at 10pm instead of 11:30pm. It was kind of surreal, having to clean out my locker knowing that I wasn't going to be back for a whole year. After I drove away from the building, things really started to settle in. It wasn't a bad thing at all but only different. It didn't feel like an ending, but more like someone hit a giant pause button in my life. It didn't take me long to get back to normal though. By the time I got home, I was feeling happy, and quite elated.

I started my first two weeks of vacation by celebrating Damien's 30th birthday. His wife, Karan held a surprise party for him now because they're going to be in BC for his actual birthday. It had been a while since we had all hung out and was a welcoming change. The day was nice & sunny but not too hot and the food was great. It was a great way to spend my Saturday afternoon.

Then on Sunday was my baby shower. Another day of festivities with good food and great people. It was fun seeing all the kids playing together and I couldn't help but think that my lil' bean would become part of it soon. I also received so many gifts that it took me a few days to organize it all. I'm well equipped and have tones of laundry to do!

Not to worry though, I had lots of time to catch up since I didn't have to go back to work on Monday. It was great. I got up late and made coffee for Paul & I. After Paul left for work I sat down in front of the TV (with my feet up) and watched a few episodes of Gilmore Girls. That's right...I said it. I'm addicted to Gilmore Girls. After that I had a nap then had an early dinner or late lunch, which ever suits you better. Thought about laundry but didn't do it. Read for a while and before I knew it Paul was home. I know everyday won't be like this but I'm still lovin' the time off.

I bet my lil' bean is lovin' it too. All this relaxing is great and what's good for mama is good for baby. Right now he's about as long as a leek - 19.5 inches, and should weigh just under 7 pounds. My little man is growing quickly and I can feel it! There's not much else to report as he is fully formed and full term.