Finding Time

Just so you know, it's 12:21 a.m. at the post start... And go!

I'm not sure how I found the time to blog so often (ha ha ha)... Seriously, though, my little guy is awake soooo much now, so I of course don't want to be blogging while he's laying in the floor looking at me like, "Uh, mom, here I am, so play with me!"

He's 4 months old now... W O W! Time flies was just a phrase I always heard and never believed... Until 4 months ago. I swear I blinked and here it is. He's 13 pounds, 7 ounces and 25 inches long now! That's almost an 8 pound and 5 inch gain since birth! WOO HOO!! He's a big guy and super healthy.

Right now, he's loving rattles and a lamb that plays music. Most days, I walk around singing 'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,' and 'Old MacDonald'... It's ok though, because it's just Kriegh and I during the day, so he thinks I'm pretty cool :)

I'm back to work now - just 2 days a week. Some days it's pretty tough. Some days, it's a nice break. He hangs with my mom and mother in law - one of them each day. Thank goodness for them - I don't think I could work otherwise!

It's now 12:26 a.m., and I am insanely sleep deprived. SO -  time to wake Mitch up (sleeping on the couch while I sit here and blog) so we can go to sleep. Hoping for a better day tomorrow - Kriegh was a little fussy today :) (I guess I really mean a better "today" since it's after midnite!)

God Bless!

Run 1

FINALLY!!! One of my resolutions was to get back to running, and I was finally able to do it today! Even better - My hubby got to go with me! Thank goodness for grandparents - my mom sat with Kriegh, after we begged, ya know :)


So... I haven't gone for a run since the NutriRun 5 miler in March of 2011. Needless to say, this "new beginning" was a little tough, but oh so worth it! I think I expected a little more of myself, but while running I realized that I'm doing something a lot of people can't or won't do, so I should be proud of whatever it is that I accomplish during each run.


BEFORE we started running...
I'd thought Mitch and I would go from home to the end of the greenway and back - 4 miles. HHHAAAA!!! No. About 13 minutes into the run, I turned to him and said, "Maybe we should just go for a half hour today." He agreed, although he's one of those who doesn't have to train - he could have taken off from home, run the entire greenway and back, and not been out of breath. (Ridiculous, right?)


The Weather...
It was pretty decent outside - cold, but it's January in Indiana. The sun was wonderful, and I was perfectly comfortable in my capris, Vibram toe shoes, and "running" (for lack of the more technical term) shirt and jacket. Side note : My jacket has thumb holes, and I really think I'd like to hug whoever thought those incredible little deals up!


The Mental Part...
There were definitely some times during this half hour-ish run that I thought to myself, "What the heck am I thinking? I cannot do this!" I quickly tried to remind myself that I hadn't run in almost a year - unless it was to the bathroom while Kriegh was kicking my bladder. Mitch had some tunes on his phone that helped a little, but they definitely weren't your typical running songs. Example? Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy by Big & Rich, and Broken by Seether & Amy Lee, and Alcohol  by Brad Paisley. Music, nonetheless.


The Run...
We did the 2:2 intervals, and I made it through most of them! I did have to walk through 3 run intervals, but I'm still proud!
I have no idea the distance we went - It's Mitch's job to figure that out today. We ran for 30m 46s. Good enough time for my "first" run!


The Rewards!
I'm now enjoying the heat of my home, the stares from my dog, the company of my husband, and the cuddling of my oh-so-sweet, almost-6-week-old little boy :)


Run 1 : Complete!

I'm not sure what that bright thing in the sky is, but it was there while we were running so I took it's picture :)

A little bit of our running view. The Wabash is definitely nothing special, but it was a gorgeous day worth noting! Notice : It is JANUARY in INDIANA. There is no snow. BONUS!

New Goals for a New Year

I can't believe it's 2012 already! Time flew in 2011, but it was a good year - the most life changing thus far. Having our little man toward the end of it made it that much sweeter!


For 2012, I've gone with the majority and set a resolution... I've never been much for the silly things, because let's face it - not many people keep them. I'm hoping that I'm not one of "those" people come March or April! I think my goal(s) are realistic and do-able.

What are they?

1) Get back to running!! A friend of mine persuaded me in early 2011 to give running a try, even if I wasn't that great at it. I did, and I actually kind of like it! (Thanks, Lisa!!!) It's a great feeling to know that I'm bettering my health. I don't have to be fast or finish first. I just want to be healthy enough to run around and play with my son (when he's big enough!) and not feel out of breath, tired, sluggish, etc. I do have one goal for this resolution - to start and FINISH the St. Jude Half Marathon in December of 2012. Wanna join me? Check it out! I have a year to prepare - Here's to it!

2) Daily devotions... This is an area I've ALWAYS struggled with! I've been a Christian since early childhood, and my walk with God has been like everyone else's - up and down. 2011 seemed to be a constant reminder that all I need to do is put my faith and trust in Christ, and He'll get me where I need to be. Easier said than done, right? I'm human. I struggle, stumble, and surely fall, but I'm sure of one thing - I have a Savior who will be there to pick me up, dust me off, and help me get back on that path I so badly need to be on! Devoting time to Him and His word daily is a necessity!

3) De-clutter! 

Ok, ok, ok. This is one of the most popular resolutions. But seriously. I keep everything! When it comes to Kriegh, I don't think I'll succeed here - I already want to keep every item we own if it deals with him! Think I'm kidding? There are mints from my baby shower in his keepsake box. Yes, every item :) For Mitch and I, though, I really want to go through stuff and get rid of some junk that we don't really need. Example : My psychology notes//books//papers from my first 2 years of college. It's been 7 years!

I'm sticking to just 3 for now. If I feel like I'm doing pretty well on them, I'll consider adding a "halfway through 2012" resolution. So here's to a happy, healthy, fun-filled 2012!

Praise God for the memories that will be made and the times that will be shared with good friends, great family, and everyone in between!

A Healthy Porker

So today is Kriegh's official "one month" celebration! How'd we celebrate? With a doctor's appointment!

I was really dreading it - every time we've been to his doctor's office, they've not given us the information or encouragement we wanted. The first visit resulted in Kriegh being admitted to the hospital at 5 days old. The second visit lead to 5 additional days of a "bili blanket" and a not-so-great report as far as the jaundice went.

I was nervous for today. BUT - it went really well! He's a HEALTHY 8lbs 2oz and 21.5" long! He's only in the 10th percentile for weight, 50th for height, but they say that's all okay. Doc says his color is just fine, and his lungs are sounding great! He even pooped while the dr was doing his exam - guess that's what he thought of all that mess!

I'm still in awe of this little person. I'm reminded daily that he and his life are completely reliant on me. I love that! At 2 a.m., it's hard to remember to cherish the moment, but I still try. I may be sleep deprived, but I will always enjoy those sweet, quiet times!

In just one short month, I've come to this conclusion : I'm ok with this change. I've traded cute hair do's for a pony tale that may not have been brushed the entire day. I've given up my 6-8 hours of sleep for a lucky 4 or 5. I've been puked on, pooped on, peed on, and drooled on. I spend some days in their entirety in my pajamas. I'm lucky to have a shower that lasts more than 5 minutes. I may wash and dry the laundry, but rarely are the clothes folded and never put away. The dishes may be clean, but their new home is the dish washer. I don't have the cleanest house, the cutest clothes, or the best hairdo, but I do have something that's worth far more. My baby boy. I'd give all of this up for the rest of my life if it meant he'd be happy!

I'm pretty smitten by this little one, and I'm so thankful that God has once again heard and answered my prayers for a healthy report! So here's to one month and many, MANY more to come!

4 Weeks Today!

Tonight will be a much shorter post than last night. Thankfully, right? :)

Kriegh is 4 weeks old today!! It's amazing how fast time really does fly... He's starting to make some wonderful faces and those sweet little sounds. I "kiss" him all the time and he LOVES it!

He's starting to really love playing with Daddy. They play spaceship and airplane and lots of other fun games that Mitch has named... I'm not sure how to play those games, but Daddy's great at it!

He met some more extended family this evening, after spending a big part of the day shopping with Mommy and his Mimi (my mom). He does great shopping. We used my new Ring Sling found here and Kriegh did awesome in it! He gets to lay on my chest while I'm upright, walking, and using my arms. Apparently, it's pretty comfy :)

I'm still learning to cherish each moment, especially since he's growing so fast and coming up on the "cute" stage. We've been showing him some of his Christmas toys, and he seems to enjoy those, too. He's smiling a little more and holding his head up a lot. All these things that I didn't think would come for a long time - they're here!

I began journaling for him today. My parents got me a journal for Christmas, and in it I've started writing Kriegh's birth story. I plan to write to him every day, and someday when he's old enough to appreciate all of it, I'll give it to him to read on his own. I hope it means as much to him as it does to me!

Anyway, just wanted to blog about how blessed we are - again. He's truly a miracle and teaches me something new every single day!

God is surely good.

My New & Improved Life

It's been a couple of months... Again.

This time, I really DO have an excuse. His name is Kriegh, and he was born November 28.

What about the rest of September, October, and November? It's called being pregnant. WHEW! That's not for wimps, I tell ya. After a few bouts of bed rest, lots of swelling, and an earlier than expected delivery, I've finally decided to get back to my blog.

I really have no point for this post, other than to say I'm back. I guess I could mention the "specs" on Kriegh...

Like I said, he was born November 28 at 5:08 a.m., after 17.5 hours of labor. He weighed 5lbs 15.5oz and measured 20.5 inches. We (my husband and I) weren't expecting baby Kriegh quite this early, so we were a bit unprepared... Unprepared meaning we hadn't yet completed ANY childbirth classes, the blinds weren't hung in the nursery, and I technically still had a week left of work. God had other plans, obviously :)

After Kriegh was born, the NICU nurses (NICU because he was 3 weeks early and it's typical protocol) began "beating" him on the back because he wasn't crying the way they wanted him to. Most babies wail - Kriegh was "singing." In other words, his lungs were working, but not like the doctor would have liked. SO - off to the Neonatal ICU he went :( Talk about being scared!! We obviously weren't prepared for this part at all, and it was tough to say the very least.

Born at 5:08 a.m., and I only got to touch my little boy for approximately 2 seconds and kiss him one time before he was whisked away. We were moved to our more permanent room to wait on a call from the NICU so we could finally meet our little man. Something around 5-7hours after he was born, Mitch and I FINALLY got to take a ride on the elevator to the next floor up and say hello to our little miracle. Seeing him hooked up to tubes and wires with a tiny little IV in his left arm was pretty overwhelming. There's no feeling that compares to being helpless in regards to your children. Let me also back up and say that we couldn't "touch" Kriegh, either. Since he was admitted to the NICU, he had to be tested for MRSA, so we had to wear gloves and gowns until the MRSA test came back negative - a little over 24 hours. THAT, my friends, was tough. That was my little boy laying there, and I couldn't stroke his cheek with my fingers, couldn't hold his little body next to mine. It brings tears to my eyes to even think about it. For me, the gloves only lasted a little while, because they graciously gave me the opportunity to nurse my little boy. Words cannot describe my feelings when the nurse called and asked if I could come and feed him!

Daddy got to hold Kriegh, gown, gloves and all, as soon as I did. We got to participate in our little guy's first diaper change (we - I changed, Mitch watched) and watch as Kriegh got his hair washed for the first time. He. Loved. It. Seriously, if he could've talked, I swear he'd have said "Ahhhh..."

Anyway, Kriegh was in the NICU from birth (Monday morning) until late Tuesday evening. We were FINALLY able to have him come to our room right before our "Congratulations" dinner, which seemed pretty appropriate :) Wednesday morning we had to release our sweet man to the nurses and doctors once again, this time for a more "normal" little boy procedure... Side note : When I asked the nurse how he did, her very uncomforting response was, "He did ok." :-/ Just ok?? :: Ok, back to story.

We were cleared to leave Dupont Hospital Wednesday afternoon, and we could not have been happier to be headed home! Of course we spent the night and the next day loving our new life and our new addition.

Unfortunately, we weren't home long. Friday was Kriegh's first check up - for jaundice and weight. After leaving the doctor, we headed to Logan's for what we thought would be our first family outing. Ha. My cell phone rang shortly after we ordered our drinks. It was our doctor's office saying Kriegh's bilirubin levels were extremely high and he would need to be admitted to the hospital. Really?  Admitted? Ugh. So, back to the hospital we went. I, of course, was hysterical - hormones maybe? - and went through probably a half a box of tissues by the time he was admitted.

They put him in a clear little box with blue lights overhead and a blue "blanket" for him to lay on. The blue lights help to flush the bilirubin out of them faster. So, again, we couldn't hold our little guy except to nurse him, and even then we had to hold the "blanket" on him. That was awkward, but I was willing to do whatever it took to get him better and HOME again! Friday night, long story short, he was stuck (yep, with needles) at least 7 times. I lost count after that, most probably because I was so mad I could barely think anymore. 7 times. A baby. SEVEN TIMES!!! Obviously you are not doing something right if you have to stick my son SEVEN times!! So, that story will wait for another day. Just know there is no worse feeling than knowing your child, your own flesh and blood is in pain and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it...

Saturday night around 9 p.m. we were finally allowed to leave the hospital. Again. With a bili blanket - one that wrapped around him so that he would continue to flush the bili out faster. Five LLLOONNNGGGG days of a bili light and daily heel sticks later, he was allowed off of the light because his level had dropped to 12.1. To begin it was 23.9. Another side note : a level of 25 can cause brain damage...

So Saturday, December 3, our little guy was finished with his hospital visits! It's now Christmas day, and tomorrow, Monday, December 26, Kriegh will be 4 weeks old. Time has surely flown!

I've learned A LOT in 4 weeks. Some of them?? :
- Take nothing for granted.
- God hears our prayers, and He DOES answer them - in His own time and way.
- It really is possible to love someone enough to lay down your life for them.
- A person can, in fact, survive on 2 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period :)
- The sound of a my son sucking on his "binky" is music to my ears
- It takes 4 times as long to get ready to go somewhere
- One little, tiny person requires a lot of "stuff"
- It's okay to ask for help. It's also okay to LET people help.
- Cherish every single second. Take lots of pictures.
- Love unconditionally.
- BE THANKFUL!!

I've learned that I am blessed in every sense of the word. I have an incredible husband that I watched become Daddy in an instant, and he's the best at it! I have a beautiful little boy who, despite a few small issues, is healthy and HERE! I have wonderful parents and awesome in-laws that love me, Mitch, and Kriegh more than we ever knew. Most of all? I have a God who heard my prayers, held me close, and got me through some tough stuff. HE blessed me with all of this, and to Him ALL praise is due!

Football. FINALLY!

So I'm almost a week late in this, but hey... The Packers won!!

Obviously, this is common knowledge now, but it's a big deal in our household. Packers games are severely important. You think I'm kidding... I am not!

For instance :
Thursday, opening day of football this year, was also our latest baby doc appt. Of course we were excited for the appointment with Baby, but I have to say, we were extremely concerned about the game. Our plan? Appointment at 2:45 (which, as we all know, really means 3:15), grab some lunch, get home in time to take a short nap, then GAME T.I.M.E. Yes, we really planned a nap in there. The game lasted until midnight, people!!
Anyway, it paid off, because the Pack came out on top, and it was an exciting start to the season. We wore our Packers get up - and by we, I mean myself, hubby, and the dog :)

The point of this post... it's coming, really.
Ready?
Ok.
Lately, hubby and I have been getting the "you can't have fun once you have a baby" speech from some people. It's super frustrating and incredibly annoying. I mean, this is all I've ever wanted out of life, so I can't imagine thinking that this baby would RUIN any fun we'd have. As a matter of fact, Baby is already set on Packers gear so that we can watch the games - AS A FAMILY! Anyway, this all being said - I'm not sure how to handle the situation. Some of the people have been clients of mine, and I don't feel like I can be "rude" by telling them that they're wrong. Some have been friends of ours who, ironically, also have child/ren. One (hubby's best friend) swears that M will never be able to work on his cars again. I mean, really? Are kids that bad? Maybe you should've thought about that before you went and had one... Am I being insensitive? Or rude? Or should I be more forceful when I tell people I respectfully disagree? Any input would be welcomed, as long as you don't tell me my child is going to take the fun out of life...

So, my post for the night? A rant. If you don't have anything nice to say (you facebook readers who refuse to sign up for a blog :-D), do as your mother said and don't say anything at all!

End rant.