Fun Fest 2009

This past Saturday, Eric, B, and I headed to FUN FEST - our annual weekend in Baltimore. Eric and I met during school in DC and we went to Baltimore for a weekend for our 1 yr anniversary. We stumbled on the Fell's Point Fun Fest, which is held the 1st weekend of October every year. It is basically a big food festival and street fair. We have gone every year for 9 years. I did not want to go at all this year- I tought it would be horrible. It was a much different experience with a baby in tow- but it was still great. The weather was perfect and B was an angel. Happy in his stroller, lots of smiles, good naps. I am so glad Eric pushed it- just because we have a baby doesn't mean we need to stop doing the fun things we enjoy.

on our way to the festival



With mom and Dad at the Gazebo where a band was playing


Do you see the Eddie Munster hairline my little guy is growing??? So stinking cute that his hair is filling in center first.




Daddy dressed him again





Mommy carried him for a while- he stared at everything and passed out


Back at the hotel he started to get cranky- so we wanted to stick to routine as much as possible. We stuck him in the sink so he could get bathtime!





After a good night's sleep (9-4:40, 5-8) we woke up and had breakfast outside



Daddy walked Brooks around to explore the grounds while Mommy ate oatmeal.

utohhhh a crab!




and a stork (or a pelican?)

over the hump

knock on wood and please don't let this jinx me- but it seems as though we are on the way out of the funk B has been in. He is napping and sleeping much much better, and I am on my way to being halfway human again.

It has been a very, very busy week. Monday was Yom Kippur- so we went to have dinner with Eric's family as they celebrated Break the Fast. On our way there I saw the most beautiful, gorgeous rainbow I have ever seen in my life. I was driving or I would have taken a picture. Never in my life have I seen a rainbow like a child draws- it was the full arch coming up from one side of a field and landing in the other- anytime I have seen a rainbow it has been a streak in the sky. Anyway- it was gorgeous.
B screamed for over an hour at the holiday dinner. He finally did calm down which was good, as I don't want E's family to think we have a miserable baby, he really isn't. In laws of course once again annoyed me telling me things like- don't shake him like that, he's too hot, let me take him, etc. The one that really really pissed me off was once he was calm, as he was sitting with FIL, I was told- see, they calm down if your calm, when you're not calm they won't calm down. Ummmm yeah, maybe if all of you would back the f off and let me soothe my child I would be calm. but whatever.
Tuesday B and I went to north Jersey to stay with my parents. It was heaven- he slept 8 hrs and I had 2 glasses of wine and went in the hot tub. Wednesday my mother, B, and I drove to New York to meet my sister and go outlet shopping. I bought him 2 adorable Christmas sweaters and some PJ's. I didn't get much for myself, 2 shirts and a sweater- but it was fun. We drove back to Philly Wed night. Thursday we had a playdate with new friends from my breastfeeding group. The 2 women both have sons B's age (our boys bdays are 6/6, 6/17, 6/18). It was so exciting to go out with new people and make new friends- so hard to do. Today, Friday, B and I went to the high school I teach at for the homecoming pep rally. I debated not going since it has been such a busy week- but it really is the only day of the school year where my teacher friends and favorite students would all be in the same spot so I could show him off to everyone in a short amount of time. He was great- amazingly so considering the students, band, screaming, etc.
Tomorrow we go to Baltimore for our annual anniversary trip. Eric and I have gone every year for the past 9 years. I was really not into going, but Eric didn't want to stop and now I am glad he pushed for it (ask me on Monday if I still feel this way- we will see how the boy does).

So yeah- busy as heck around here, but it is going well. Last night B slept 8.5 hrs, was up for 20 mins, then slept another 2.5, I needed that as much as him- I was like a new person.

In news of my little guy- he is super serious. He does smile and play, but sometimes you have to work for those smiles as he is observing and taking in everything and everyone. He is trying to roll over, I think that will be any day now, and he really is just a lot of fun to be around.

Random question- what kind of nickname is there for Brooks. I know that nicknames tend to form on their own, and we already have a few. And I know kids don't need nicknames- but the thing is people, myself included, are tending to say Brooksy. And I don't like that- and I say it too, but it makes me feel like we need a good nickname. I call him B, which my mother told me is a bad nickname because it's a woman's name. I told her no one would ever think B like Bea Arthur fi I call him B- what do you think? That never even crossed my mind.

OK- so now that I wrote a novel, how about some pictures? :)


umm- I think he definitely got his Daddy's mouth huh?


Munching on Sophie- I think teething is about to begin- he is chewing everything (sophie, chairs, toys, pillows, blankets, etc) and is a drool king!


Making a great attempt to roll over- he really almost had it- I think the white bear was in his way


I just think this picture is funny








Loving the bumbo for about 5 minutes at a time- and such a big boy in his 3-6 mo. stuff from baby Gap (I bought a whole bunch of shirts and pants to mix and match... so cute!)



Activity mat fun


And Ming got a haircut :)

Eagles tailgating- isn't my 16 yr old brother handsome?

Weary

I am having such a rough time of motherhood lately. Everyone says that at the 3 month mark things get easier- I feel like that is the standard answer to when life falls into place and you are functional again. Well 2 months old was much easier for me than 3 months.
The Good:
Every day is more fun than the last. My little guy's personality is emerging and he is a sponge soaking up everything he can see and trying something new every day. It is amazing to see him grow stronger and smarter daily. It is amazing to look at him and know he grew inside of me. His smiles and laughs melt my heart.

The Bad:
I don't know if I was spoiled by sleep- but for the past 6 weeks B has slept from 8:30 - 7:30 only waking once between 3-4 am to eat. I was a human, I was functioning, I was pleasant to be around. Now he is sleeping from 8:30-7:30 and waking sometimes at 11ish, and nightly at 1:30 and 4:30. I am miserable. I keep questioning everything. Is it because we dropped the swaddle? I dont think so because he had 3 nights of 8 hr stretches since then. Is it an ear infection because he just got over a cold? Is it a growth spurt- but do they really last 9 nights and counting?
Is he really hungry? He seems to be ravenous- but then people tell me I am screwing myself and he is going to get used to eating at these times and will never sleep. And that babies always eat (I would think if he wasn't hungry he would comfort nurse and pass out in 5 minutes- but what do I know)
Am I screwing myself by feeding him? I don't try rocking him first- it is just so much easier to nurse and put him right back down than to try soothing him without, but am I screwing myself so that the only way he will go back to sleep is to nurse? But he really is eating. sigh- it is a vicious cycle with no frigging answer.
I want to look presentable every day (more than just a brush through the hair and a fleece)
I want to cook dinner every night
I want to sleep
I wanr to feel like I know what I'm doing
I want to function again...

My big boy

not the most exciting of videos, but i love it just to see him growing into this little person. A week ago all he would dois sit and stare in this thing, it is amazing how fast he is growing developmentally to want to play




I was going to write a whole post about B quitting sleep- seriously he was sleeping like a newborn (up every 2-3 hrs) for the past week after consistently only waking once around 3-4am. Last night he was back to normal, woke at 4, so here's hoping that was a growth spurt and is over now.

Happy 3 monthday Brooks!

"HOORAY, I'm 3 months old!!"


There is no 3 month Dr. appt so we are on our own for stats. We measured his head at 16.5", his length at 25" (WOW) and I will get his weight on Monday when I go to my moms group at the hospital because there is a baby scale there. He is definitely so much bigger. He has become a baby baby rather than a newborn. People don't make comments about how new he is anymore, just about how huge and gorgeous his eyes are :)

Here are the monthly shots

This one I envision him saying "This guy again mom?!?!"



The obligatory chair shot (which is now also on the side of the page)



Very happy and excited about being 3 months old :)




And just to show how big he really has become- look at him compared to the monkey in the following shots, 1 month vs. 3 month





And in other news- We are getting ready for his Baptism. I ordered his outfit which is a little nontraditional, but I love. I will post pics once it arrives and I do his little photo shoot (I figure I better get some good pictures of him in it and I can't count on that for day of). My invitations just went out for it- it is only going to be our immediate family and local aunts/uncles.
The outer edge is a baby blue


TOYS WE LOVE

He looooves his puppy blanket


The infamous Sophie the giraffe, which to me looks more like a glorified dog toy but is worshiped all along the bump, so when I returned something to Gap and they had it there (weird?) I figured why not.


His hands count as a toy

And this is a new toy that he loves and I would highly recommend to other moms because he can actually get a grip on it so that he can put it right in his mouth

well that was depressing

Thank you Shan and Mary for the comments on B's name- I really needed the reassurance (even though I love it, I just don't want him to hate us)

The boy is doing well. We just made it through our first illness- Eric got a cold, B caught it, then me. Low fevers, awful congestion, and no sleep- but we made it through and the little guy is better now. I cannot tell you how exhausting it is to be sick, take care of a sick child, BF, and not be able to take good meds b/c you are BF'ing... WOW

In other news- last night B slept 8.25 hrs!!! And that was unswaddled- we broke it and he is doing well YAY!!!

I have book club on Thursday- I am sooo excited to go, have some wine, and just have a night off. I am very nervous about how my boys will do doing the whole bedtime routine without me. I know Eric can handle B and they will do great, but he has always nursed right before sleep and we have a routine, and I have control issues- so naturally I am nervous.

We just came in from a walk to the dog store, post office, and maybe a milkshake. I skipped my boob group today because even though we are both better today, B was sleepign (a 3 hr nap!) and I wanted him to have one more day of rest before being exposed to other kiddos (and before exposing other kiddos to him).

And last but not least- some pictures of my favorite boy.

BFF's