I want to be a cowboy!

Tia Ana gave James the cutest outfit and cowboy boots for Christmas. I just had to try them on him and have a mini photo shoot. To complete the look, we found the Wells Fargo pony that Grandma Rosie gave us. Too cute! (The boots are too big for him still but the outfit fits now. We'll have to find some other cowboy wear later :)

James and Daddy Jim had the greatest time last night. Jim was playing with James and making faces, sticking out his tongue, and talking to him. James started to mimic his Daddy! He repeatedly stuck out his tongue and we would laugh. He loved the attention and praise and so he kept doing it. It was truly the cutest thing I've ever seen- Daddy and son playing :) I almost cried!

TMI alert- James had another day without poop, and just a little bit of fussiness last night, so we brought out the thermometer again. It did the trick. I don't know what else to do if he's constipated. I have some research to do.

Our NYE plans: We are going to relax and enjoy our little family. We have steaks to grill, wine to drink, and a beautiful son to spend time with. We will be happy and content to stay at home! 2007 will be a great year with Baby James!

New: More pictures in Baby Album "Week Eight".

Poor James

Poor Baby James! He has been fussy for the last day or so. He cried continuously for 3+ hours last night. He wasn't happy laying in my arms, on his back, in his bassinet, etc. The only way he would stop crying is to be held upright, against my chest. We've ruled out ear infections, colic, and a fever. I thought it might be gas so Jim went to buy a medication for infant gas relief. I can't tell if that's made it better or if the following did. I took James' rectal temp! I dreaded having to do this EVER but I knew I needed to see if he was sick. Turns out he isn't. But I did stimulate quite a bit of poop when I took his temperature! Maybe he was backed up? Poor James!!

So that was last night, early evening. He's slept fine since then and I can hear him stirring now. Daddy Jim woke up both times with James last night.

New pictures in Baby Album "Week Eight". Our James is a cutie! There are also pictures of James and his Tia Kristina. They said goodbye yesterday because Tia is going back to Iowa/Virginia. We'll miss you Kristina!

Also, a new video "Happy Baby". James was in a great mood this morning!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Tired

Picture: I caught James smiling- for real! I have a confession: the Christmas card picture that we've sent out was a fake. I don't think James was really smiling for the camera. I think I caught him as he was smiling in his sleep or he had gas! Yesterday James was smiling and cooing so I took pictures. It was hard to catch the smile because of the flash timing. There's a series of pictures in the Baby Album, Week Eight.

I'm tired. James was pretty fussy last night, in the early evening- crying a lot and not really content. Jim ended up feeding him an extra bottle because that seemed to be the problem. James has a bottomless pit for a stomach!

Oh, but I'm tired not because of the fussiness but because I woke up as normal for the 3am feeding and James just wouldn't sleep afterwards! I can't complain that he was fussy because he was actually really smiley and happy- he just wasn't tired. So I stayed up with him for a while, rocking him and all that but nothing worked. I finally came downstairs to the living room and put him in the swing. It worked for a bit and then I was able to nap for 20 minutes. Then the 6am feeding arrived. James is now in his bassinet, fighting sleep and crying out occasionally. Really, I can only hold him for so long and its not really recommended anyway.

I'm up for the day now though (7am) because James and I are going over to my sister Ana's house to say goodbye to my Mom and sister Kristina. They are headed back to Iowa.

Yesterday I spent a bit of time in James' room organizing his clothes and things. He has now outgrown some of his clothes! I'm putting them away in storage. I'm glad that he did wear everything at least a couple of times. He now has a fresh set of 3-6 month sized clothing to wear- and he has plenty! I don't think we need to buy new clothes for James for a long time. (Yes, Mom, I did put aside his newborn/first outfit for his chest :)

I'm sure you'll see fewer pictures starting next week. I go back to work and I think in the evening I'll be busy taking care of James and organizing for the next day. I actually thought of withholding pictures because I'm finding it diminishes the surprise when we give gifts of pictures, but my Mom would kill me if I didn't update this babysite with new pictures often. I don't know what happens to the pictures that I upload to this site- I know some family members save the pictures and make prints for themselves of the ones they like- so I don't want to take that away. But you can only have so many pictures in frames! We have plenty now :)

Well, James is now sleeping in his swing again. Jim is making me breakfast and I'll be drinking lots of coffee. Off I go!

Shocking!

I missed a day yesterday! I have been (happily) busy with my family. My sister and Mom are still here visiting but they're at my other sister's house now. Jim and I have a funeral service to attend today :( Great Great Uncle Don passed away on Christmas day.

I have a feeling this entry will be short. James is crying out a bit in his sleep and I know he'll be waking up very soon.

Christmas was such a happy, fun time for all of us. James received a lot of generous gifts from his grandparents, aunts, and uncles. One of Jim's favorite gifts is his coffee mug with James' poker picture on it, my favorite gifts are James' first shoes (penguin Robeez & cowboy boots!) and TMX Elmo.

We had a Mexican Christmas (our new tradition for my family) and we had lots of good eats- carnitas, mole, rice & beans, tortillas, tamales... We also had a crazy good drink that Ana made- agua loca. Translation: crazy water!

James did so well with all of the family commotion. He slept peacefully despite the noise and hustle and bustle of many people. I think a couple of times we even wore him out because he slept for longer periods of time twice. One night he even made it to 4 1/2 hours between feedings! This doesn't seem like much, but to Jim & I it was a welcome break. My Mom and sisters were great about helping with James' feedings and diaper changes (well, Grandma Rosie was the only one who really tackled the diapers :)

Oh, crying baby! I have a lot to do this morning. I have to bathe James and get myself presentable for Jim's family. James and I aren't attending the services but we're going to the family gathering/luncheon.

A Mexican Family Christmas

See new pictures in Baby Album!

James is very loved! We had a great day on Christmas- Santa was very generous :)

Lots to do today, so not much of an update. Sorry!

A Tauer Family Christmas

See pictures in Baby Album!

The Tauers were at our house for Christmas Eve. James was able to visit with his Grandpa Roger, Grandma Laura, Uncle Joe, and Aunt Kathy. He received many great gifts! (We all did!)

James was a little fussy last night. He also was hungry at our dinner time, so poor Jim had to feed James while the rest of us ate our turkey dinner. I guess its a Daddy duty!

Todays's plans: My family (Grandma Rosie, Grandpa Larry, Aunt Ana, Uncle Rich, Aunt Kristina) are coming over for our Mexican Christmas celebration! Look out- here comes the Agua Loca!

Merry Christmas (Eve)!

Its been a long (but productive) morning! We've had a change of plans for Christmas Eve and Jim's family gathering. We are now hosting Jim's family for Christmas Eve because Great Great Uncle Don is in the hospital. Please send happy thoughts (or prayers) his way!

We didn't want Grandma Laura to worry about hosting Christmas Eve so the change of plans was made. We picked up the makings for dinner and I premade a lot of the food so that we can spend time together. And of course Christmas cookies were made earlier in the week!

Last night: Jim and I had our "date night" (dinner & movie) while Grandma Rose and Grandpa Larry babysat. I asked my Mom to take pictures of Larry & James because I knew we didn't have any yet but she failed to do this with MY camera. So I don't have any pictures to share today. Oh well! I did come home and James was wearing his "JLT Loves Grandma Rosie" shirt so I know my Mom changed him, posed him, and was camera happy. She is a very excited Grandma.

So, going out wasn't as stressful as I thought. I knew James was in good hands with his Grandma Rosie and so I didn't worry. I think I would worry if I wasn't confident in the babysitter. I would leave him with very few people.

It was very strange to be out and without James. I know *I* was thinking of him the whole time- wondering what he was doing and whether he missed me. I'm not sure if he missed me but I missed him- even if it was just five hours!

Family Fun

My Mom and sister Kristina spent a lovely day at our house and we went shopping. James behaved beautifully (we don't expect any less now!) and later that evening Tia Ana and Crazy Uncle Rich came over to visit. We ended up having a small Mexican feast of enchilada casserole. That Ana is a chef!

I know James enjoys the attentions of his aunts and Grandma. He was happy and made his happy noises- the coos, smiles, and babbles are just priceless :) We love our Sweet Baby James!

Today's plans: Grandma stayed over night so that she could help care for James while I finish baking Christmas cookies. I'm sure James will have a fun day playing with Grandma Rose! And later tonight Jim and I are going on a "date" as Grandma Rose and Grandpa Larry babysit.

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Tia is here!

My sister Kristina and my Mom are here! They arrived yesterday afternoon, very determined through the storm. Kristina and James have met at last and all is well!

We had a quiet evening at home, caring for James and watching TV. James was very loved and enjoyed the attention from both his Grandma and Tia. Its hard to admit that we probably don't hold James as much as he was held last night. We are usually pretty tired, and then happy if James is sleeping well and/or content on his own. We love him!

The lunch on Wednesday with my coworkers went well. It was James' first restaurant visit. He was sleeping peacefully for most of the time, except for when I brought him out of his carseat so others could hold him. My friend Athena especially loved holding him :) There are a couple of pictures in the Baby Album "Week Seven"- I wish I had taken more!

Today's plans: more family fun! I think we're taking James and ourselves to the mall to finish Christmas shopping.

Hello!

Busy busy today.

Very quickly, for my coworkers, there are a couple of new pictures in Baby Album "Week Seven" from yesterday's lunch.

James is crying! Have a great holiday break!

Going out!

James is continuing to make his cute baby sounds. He's laying beside me and making happy noises. He's becoming an interesting little boy! He's not just sleeping anymore :)

James and I are going out to lunch today! My coworkers are meeting for a holiday lunch and we're joining them. It will be James' first restaurant visit! I hope he can make it. I'm fully prepared to leave early (and without eating) if he's too fussy. I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm going to make sure he's fed right before we leave and I think that should help. It should be an interesting group of people for James- my coworkers are characters!

Getting close!

Christmas is getting close! I think we're almost done with our Christmas shopping. But we have lots of gift wrapping to do!

Today's plans: I'm going to make cookies (the doughs, at least) and run some errands with James. I think that will take care of the last of our Christmas shopping!

Yesterday I had my doctor's appointment and was able to leave James with Jim, while Jim worked. The nurses and staff at the clinic were so upset that I didn't bring James- they wanted to see him! I didn't know it was customary to bring your baby... My appointment went well. I am healthy and back to normal. No signs of Gestational Diabetes. Well, they didn't test me but said it should be gone. I get tested in April (my annual exam) for GD again. I'll need to fast for 12 hours again and get my blood drawn like last time. Yuck.

We're noticing that James has discovered his voice. He's now yelling out a little (not really crying) and is babbling just a little. Mostly one syllable babbles. Its really cute! Its not too often but we'll hear him and smile :) Maybe soon I'll be lucky enough to catch it on video.

Well, I have another busy day ahead of me. I have a long to-do list!

Thanks for reading this!

New pictures in Baby Album "Week Seven". Jim put up our new curtains last night as he was watching Monday night football. James helped by being cooperative in his swing.

Monday is here!

Only a couple of days until my sister Kristina is here to visit!

James and I have big plans for today. I have to get going very soon to fit everything in. James needs a bath, I need a shower, I have a doctor's appointment (standard 6 wk after baby appointment), and we MIGHT be going out to lunch with my coworkers. I'm not sure if we can fit everything in since I slept in until 8am! I was really surprised James lasted that long in his crib (usually he's up for the day before then) and I took advantage of the opportunity.

There are a couple of new pictures in the Baby Album "Week Seven". This means James is six weeks old!! Jim and I have been commenting all weekend on how much James has grown. He seems HUGE all of a sudden. I've been thinking he's getting a little chubby but its also that he's getting long. His smaller clothes are almost too short for him now or will be very soon. He's already up to the Size 1 diapers now, outgrowing the Newborn size. He's a very healthy boy!!

Oh, in the pictures James is wearing a very colorful outfit :) I thought it was one of the cutest outfits yet. He's also wearing one of the knit hats from Tia Ana. It fits! It is one of the larger hats that she has made. We're so lucky to have an auntie who loves James so much :)

Its almost 2pm!

...and I'm just updating this babysite now. I'm later than usual. I was up at the usual time of 6am but I've been finishing up some Christmas shopping online (I wonder for who?) and then cleaning our house. My family is coming later this week and I'd like the house to be halfway decent.

My Mom has promised not to look for dust bunnies or to bring her white glove for inspection, but I'm cleaning still. When I was a kid my Mom had us clean the house every week- on Tuesdays. We each were given a particular room and a checklist. I usually did the kitchen. Shhhh... don't tell my Mom... but I never followed the checklist. I did surface cleaning only :) I bring this up because we've been joking that James will be helping us with dishes, mowing the lawn, sweeping floors, etc. I guess I'd better get my checklists ready and laminated for him!

James news: he's wearing one of his cute, new outfits from the CRMS baby shower. (Thanks Sara Z.!) Of course, there are no new pictures because this babysite is "down for maintenance". Believe me, he is a cutie!

So James has been pretty cooperative. He's been napping the whole time I cleaned the kitchen. Thanks James for cooperating with Mommy!

Oh, I spoke too soon. He is now crying and awake. Adios.

James loves to shop!

I took James on several errands yesterday (Walmart, Kohls, bank) and he was so good! He slept peacefully in his stroller. He didn't cry until we were almost home, as we were driving. I think this was only because it was time for his bottle.

I'm trying to think of what else to write! No news is good news, right?

This picture is from a couple of weeks ago but its one of my favorites. How can anyone sleep like that- with arms straight up in the air? Only our James :)

He smiled at me!

Special note: To our biggest fans, we apologize for any delays this upcoming weekend. Jim just informed me that the babysite will be "down for maintenance" over the weekend and I can still write journal entries but I won't be able to upload any new pictures! So no new pictures of James until Sunday night. I hope you can make it :)

James smiled at me this morning! I've been feeling bad because James has been smiling at Jim every once in a while but not at me. This morning I was sitting with him on my lap, in his nursery, and he smiled. It was beautiful :) Now if we could get him to smile for pictures that would be great then everyone else can see!

I think I actually had a good night's sleep. Jim and I traded off on the wake-ups last night and I think I got the better end of the stick- I had the 3am and 7:30am feedings. Maybe this will mean more energy and I can get some errands done!

James news: I snapped two pictures this morning of James on his play mat. He actually seemed to enjoy it this morning and seemed interested in the animal toys. We hope that this will keep him happy and amused in the future. Oh, and in the pictures you can see James wearing his first sweat pants! He looks like a mini relaxed version of Daddy! (Thanks Grandma Laura for the cute outfit!)

James is currently looking at himself in the mirror. This is his latest way of keeping himself amused.

Thanks for reading this!

Feeling the love at CRMS!

Yesterday I had a baby shower at CRMS and much love was felt! James and I had a great time with the wonderful ladies at the shower. A big thank you to Jessica, Sara and others who organized the event- we enjoyed seeing everyone, getting out of the house and James enjoyed the attention I'm sure! We received some wonderful books (who would have thunk it, from educators!?), clothing, toys, etc. James was already a well dressed little boy- wait til you see him in his new gear!

Thank you, CRMS ladies, for a good time! Thank you to those who came in to say hi to James and myself too!

8am: I think James slept okay overall but I was a bit sleepless last night. After his 2:30am feeding he was wide awake. No amount of rocking, pacifier love, or mommy love could get him to sleep. Finally something worked and he did sleep. 45 minutes later- his next feeding. And then he was up early at 6am. I guess he just couldn't wait to start his day :)

Today's plans: Well, I'm going to nap. But then James and I are going to visit some friends at the school's district office. They are anxious to meet James!

Update from Daddy:
I just wanted to thank all of Lisa's co-workers for giving James' shower yesterday. He was in a good mood when he got home, so I could tell he enjoyed himself. Since he can only drink formula now, I had to have his piece of cake for him, but it was REALLY good - thanks!! Also, thanks for all the wonderful gifts and cards - lots of fun stuff, we really appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity!

Happy Holidays,
James Sr.

Wednesday is here!

8 am: I had to think twice about what day it was. The days are kind of blending together :)

James was a great baby yesterday. Very few fussy moments.

I've noticed that James likes to look at his own reflection. This morning it was how I got him to settle down (Calmate!) after his bottle. He was squirmy with everything else- me holding him, sitting upright, laying flat, etc- until I put him in the bassinet with his mirror by his head. He even spit out the pacifier and then was fine. I think we need to invest in some more mirrors! I've read that at this age FACES are visually interesting. I guess he likes his own pretty face :)

Jim had a nightmare last night. One small detail of it was that a lady was force feeding James lollipops made of formula. WEIRD! The other parts were pretty unpleasant and Jim's story to tell.

Today's plans: We're visiting my school again today! The wonderful ladies at my school are having a small baby shower for James.

NEW: A few pictures in Baby Album "Week Six"

11am: OMG! Jim just weighed himself and then weighed himself with James in his arms to estimate James' weight. (Thanks Christa for this suggestion!) James could be weighing 11-12 pounds!! Jim weighed himself with James a couple of times to be sure. We're thinking this can't be right but even if its only off by a pound- James is a P.I.G.!

Poop Monster

Updated 12:30pm- Added pictures in Week Six album.

7am- We had an uneventful day yesterday. I caught up on some sleep by taking naps when James was napping. I guess that's how its supposed to be done!

My pain is gone! My body feels almost normal.

So James was a poop monster this morning. I told Jim that HIS son went through not just one diaper at one wake-up, not two, but THREE. I changed his diaper immediately when he woke up because I could smell him before I could see him. Yuck! Then he ate. Then I smelled poop so I changed him. He also tried to pee on me but I caught it with a cloth. Just as I was putting the clean diaper beneath him, an explosion of poop came out! I caught most of it with the clean diaper but some ended up on me. UGH! And then he tried to pee on me again! I didn't catch all of that so I had to change his clothing. So now he's all clean but I'm traumatized.

I guess there was a major happening yesterday. Jim says that James LAUGHED for the first time yesterday! He then also smiled at Jim five times. James loves his Daddy :)
(Ummm, I have yet to have James smile at me.)

Late Start

Sorry for my late start this morning- I usually add a journal entry before noon! I took a nap this morning with James after a long night. James was fine- he slept and ate like usual but *I* was sleepless due to more pain. I'm weaning and not pumping at all now- it hurts like hell.

James is especially beautiful this morning. His skin is clearing up (he's had baby acne and dry skin) and he looks beautiful in blue. He really needs a bath though! I do too- a relaxing bubble bath would be nice :)

I don't think anything else is new. Sometimes it feels like we're in that movie Groundhog's Day where Bill Murray lives the same day over and over and over and over... Haha.

The homepage picture is our beautiful boy this morning! He was calm and alert so I took his picture.

I added a new video yesterday, More Pacifier Love.

Sunday morning

James makes this hilarious sound when he's desperately in love with his pacifier or frustrated, one of the two. We captured it on video this morning when Jim was playing with James on the floor. Its not as desperate as he usually sounds but he's making the definite "oy oy" sound we've come to love (and laugh at)!

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We had a fairly peaceful night with James. He had his feedings at 8pm, 11:30pm, 3:30am, and then at 6am. He went a little longer between feedings than normal but I'm learning not to get used to it. He changes things up often to keep us on our toes, I think!

A new thing (Jim says) is James crying/yelling out in his sleep as if he is in pain or gassy. I think he's always done this but just not as loud as now. Its leading to a lot of false alarms, where we think he's waking up and we get out of bed to go to him, but then when we get to him he's fine and back to sleep! Again, he's trying to keep us on our toes!!

Tia Ana was here for a visit yesterday. She loves James :)

Plans for today: just the usual weekend stuff- Jim is going grocery shopping, and we'll both do stuff around the house.

Its the weekend!

I'm up a little earlier than I expected because James didn't take all of his bottle this morning and I expect he'll be up in the next few minutes, crying and wanting the rest of it. I also couldn't go back to sleep with the upcoming excitement of our first trip to the mall! We're leaving this morning to do some Christmas shopping.

Last night Uncle Joe and Aunt Kathy came to visit. Joe gave James his bottle and watched my diaper demonstration. Next time he'll be able to do it :)

James has decided to go back to his 2 1/2 hour schedule. I knew I was speaking too soon when I was bragging about his maturity!

We have our Christmas plans set now. We're spending Christmas Eve with Jim's family, Christmas Day with mine. On Christmas Eve we're going over to Grandma Laura's (over the river and through the snow...!) I'm sure it will be a wonderful, memorable Christmas! James won't remember it but I'll be sure to document it with pictures and video (we have a new camcorder from Grandpa Frank & Grandma Julie). Yay!

Well, I'm going to take advantage of the quiet morning (James and Jim are sleeping) and do some things around the house.

Thanks for reading this!

Pacifier Love

Last night James loved his pacifier. He loved it so much he wouldn't sleep between feedings. I couldn't figure out the source of his frustration- I changed his diaper, carried him in the Bjorn, fed him, held him, everything. I did give him his pacifier too but he spit it out. Finally he took the pacifier and was happy. It was a very difficult four hours though! But as my Mom told me, I should be and am thankful for every breath he takes, every burp, every cry, and every smile. He is a wonderful, handsome baby.

This is a short video called Pacifier Love. Its from this morning though.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Not too much else happening. Mommy (me!) is taking a short break later today to get a haircut. I also have to buy more formula because we're not sure if James is loving the current one. He's been spitting up more than usual and has been irritable. James was probably just missing Daddy who was at Pool last night. Or missing Grandma Rose because she isn't here to visit (this was my Mom's suggestion for his unhappiness last night :)

Thanks for visiting our Babysite! Please sign our guestbook so we know you were here!

**Did you know you can click and save to your computer most of the pictures in the Baby Albums? If you can't figure out how, let me know.**
lisa_tauer@yahoo.com

Am I smiling now?

The picture on the homepage is from this morning. I think James is giving us real smiles now! Jim swears that his "first smile" was a couple of days ago- James was wide awake and looking up at Jim. I guess this makes sense since I always smile when I look at Jim too :)

Please see the guestbook entry from Daddy Jimmy. I was pleasantly suprised to see that Jim had written something and then I laughed when I read it. Jim did have an early morning today- waking up at 3am with James and then he was unable to get back to bed. Jim then took the 6am feeding and cared for James until I woke up at a lazy 8am. Super Dad!

With James' mature age of 1 month, we've had a change! He has put himself on a 3 hour schedule now. He has his bottle every 3 hours now, instead of the old 2 1/2 hour schedule. This means just a little bit more sleep for us at night :)

Oh, and a funny story that I forgot to share from my school visit. I was feeding James his bottle in the middle of a group of kids. One of my students, Tope (pronounced Toe-pay), tugged my arm and said, "Ms. Lisa, you must be distracted. You're feeding him with the bottle at the wrong angle. He'll get air bubbles." It was hilarious because it was a 12 year old telling me I was doing something wrong! But she was right. I looked down and saw that the bottle was horizontal and not at the right angle like she said. She told me that she works at her church's nursery with all the babies and is a "pro". In the same breath she told me that she would love to babysit.

Well, we don't have much on our schedule today. We'll just enjoy James today- as always! :)

Happy One Month Birthday!

James is one month old today!!! I can't believe that this month has gone by so fast! Looking back on the pictures, he really has changed a lot :)

I made a visit to my school CRMS yesterday to visit with the staff and students. James was a HUGE hit- he had many admirers. The kids were disappointed I wouldn't let them hold James, but there were really just too many of them. James did do really well with the crowd, it was a group of 70+ multicultural kids- a lot of color in that room!

I found out that I'm missing out on NBC Nightly News visiting my school on Tuesday to do a story on how we're closing the achievement gap at my school. Its pretty exciting to be recognized like that!

Oh, my solo outing with James was a success. I had no problems with the carseat or carrying his stuff. He wasn't at all fussy (except when he wanted his bottle). Actually, giving him a bottle was the best thing because that was in the middle of all those kids and I'm sure it was pretty calming for him.

Why didn't I take pictures?!!

Speaking of pictures, I added more Christmas pictures to the Christmas Sneak Peek Album and then to the Week Five album. Enjoy! We only picked ONE for our Christmas cards but I didn't include that one. You'll see that hardly any of the pictures have James with his eyes open. He wasn't the most cooperative subject! But he is pretty darn cute!!!!!

First solo outing

Today I'm taking James to CRMS to visit my other kids (and the staff)! I don't want to attempt going out to dinner with them (honor roll celebration) but I agreed to come and visit for half an hour or so. I'm nervous about taking James out by myself (I've never maneuvered the carseat into the base or carried it) and then about the cold. Also, will he cry a lot? Will I have a fussy baby?

I'd better get moving this morning. I want to give James a bath after his next feeding at 10:30 so that he's a beautiful, clean baby :)

I don't think I have any other James news. I did take 100+ pictures yesterday for our Christmas cards. I put a couple more teaser pics in the Baby Album. My plan is to use one or more for Christmas cards. I know the Grandmas are probably wanting to see all of the pictures but I'm going to torture them a little by holding out :)

Off I go!

It snowed!

JAMES IS FOUR WEEKS OLD TODAY!!

It snowed and I tried to show it to James but he wasn't interested. He hasn't been as interested in his bottle either so I don't know what to think. I think he had a growth spurt last week (explaining his P-I-G ways) and now its over. He doesn't seem to be as hungry or desperate for food. We're also thinking that maybe we're overfeeding him, mistaking his cries for hunger too often. We're quick to give him a bottle and maybe we should try other distractions first. I do love a chubby baby though!

Please see the Baby Album "Christmas Sneak Peek" for some new pictures. I'm taking pictures for our Christmas cards. These are not the best pics- you'll have to wait for those!

Also, there is a new short video. This is how James lets us know he is awake, needs a diaper change, or is hungry. This video was taken at 8am this morning. Good morning Sunshine!

Some changes

So we've had some changes! James is now drinking formula. We've noticed some changes in his mood- he seems to be calmer. And he's sleeping well and immediately after his feeding- no fuss. I hope I don't jinx ourselves by writing this :) Jim and I were up every 2 1/2 hours still, but the feedings seem to be faster and easier. Oh, and another not so pleasant change- uh, the poopy diapers. They smell now. TMI?

We had a visitor this last week and I didn't mention it or take a picture. What was I thinking?! My friend Anna came over to see Baby James and she did NOT take him :) She had told me that he was so cute she'd steal him. I'll have to snap some pictures next time.

And we have great news! Tia Kristina is coming to visit over Christmas!!!!!!! I'm so excited for James to meet his Auntie (Tia). Kristina's husband, Gilbert (Tio), is overseas and she's able to leave her work for a while. This will be the first Christmas in a long, long time that the three sisters will be together. I'm beyond thrilled. (And can you imagine my Mom's happiness?!?!!)

Today's plans: Jim is at his Great Aunt's this morning to set up her computer/internet. I'm on Mom duty for the morning but James is napping so maybe I'll get something done from my to-do list. Later, the only thing planned is a nap (for me) and a bath for James.

Picture: I only seem to remember to take pictures when James is peaceful and sleeping. Here is a picture from this morning (Sunday).

Guestbook: Let us know you were here! Sign our guestbook with a message for James. :)

Oh what a night

Early A.M.
Jim and I are much too tired to write an entry today. We will be catching up on our sleep all day today so there won't be anything worth blogging about :)

James had some sleep issues last night and early this morning. I think I've been up since his 1am feeding, but partly because I'm having some other issues too. The milk supply situation is not going well. I am in pain!! I think we might be going to formula very soon.

James is wide awake and says hello!

Oh what a night

Early A.M.
Jim and I are much too tired to write an entry today. We will be catching up on our sleep all day today so there won't be anything worth blogging about :)

James had some sleep issues last night and early this morning. I think I've been up since his 1am feeding, but partly because I'm having some other issues too. The milk supply situation is not going well. I am in pain!! I think we might be going to formula very soon.

James is wide awake and says hello!

Initiation

I am officially a Mom. James spit/vomited on me twice last night. I was in my third shirt of the night when Jim came home from pool. I tried feeding James at 9pm but he wouldn't fall asleep and seemed to have some stomach issues. Finally we put him in our room until his 11:30pm feeding because he wanted his pacifier. I had him next to our bed so I could keep replacing it.

After that, it was back to normal. He feeds really well. At night, by keeping the lights dim and interaction to a minimum, he's able to fall asleep immediately after his diaper change and feeding. He's still up every 2 1/2 hours though. Jim got up at 3am (as I was finishing his 2:30 feeding) because he couldn't sleep. Poor Jim ended up staying up and he took over the next feeding. I was able to sleep four hours straight! I got up at 7am to relieve Jim again.

I think Jim is downstairs in the basement napping.

I was going to take James on some errands but now I don't feel up to it. I haven't ventured out with him (alone) yet and I need to practice. I hope to become a pro this weekend :)

New pics: Grandma Julie made James a knit hat! Tia Ana gave knitting lessons and this is her first project. She did real good! :) See pics in Baby Album "James-Week Four"

Poor Jim

I disrupted his busiest work day (Thursdays) by asking him to take the 4:30am feeding, meaning he would also be up at 7:30am too. I wanted the extra couple of hours of sleep. I woke up and poor Jim was juggling his work, a cranky, runny-nosed James, several poopy diapers in an hour, and an upcoming feeding. I quickly took James so that Jim could get back to work. It was just bad timing that all this was going on at once for Jim. He should have woke my lazy butt up!

Early morning experiment: We tried out the Baby Bjorn again! (Yesterday was only for 5 minutes.) I put James in the Bjorn hoping that I could get some breakfast for myself. It worked. He was asleep in the Bjorn up until I started moving around too much. The only thing I'm worried about is James' breathing space in the Bjorn. He's so close to my body that I'm constantly looking down to make sure I'm not smothering him.

Oh that reminds me! It was an awful scary moment last night when the monitor alarm went off! Our baby monitor not only transmits his cries/noises but it also sounds an alarm when it doesn't sense movement (breathing). The alarm went off and I leapt out of bed and ran to the nursery. James has been breathing funny (really heavy, nasally) so I truly was worried that something was wrong. So I got to his crib and all was quiet. I quickly touched him so I could see him breathe and move. He was fine. I still don't know if something was wrong or the monitor is just really sensitive. In any case, I'm glad we have the monitor. Better to be safe!

James is still really cranky!
See new pictures!

Another long night!

James' schedule was off last night because he woke up every 2 to 2.5 hours! I'd be up with him for 45-60 minutes each time, meaning I would get to lie down and sleep for an hour before he'd wake up again. I'm feeling fine because Jim took over early this morning and I slept in until 8am. Woohoo!

My first experiment for today is letting James sleep in his crib without any white/background noise. We don't like that we leave the standing fan on all night and so I'm hoping he can get used to sleeping in silence. So far, so good. He's been napping for more than an hour. I hope he stays down for the 45 more minutes before his next feeding. This Mom would like to eat some lunch!

Hello to my work friends! I've been hearing from a couple of people today, wondering when I can bring James in to visit. I'm thinking early next week? CRMS will see me Tuesday afternoon before the students head out to the quarterly SHAPE dinner. I'm thinking of bringing James to say hello since I can't really attend the dinner this time. I think I'll need to put in another visit on another day too. I have to experiment again with travelling with James by myself. I have yet to operate the carseat myself (Jim has always handled this) and I wonder if I can carry the carseat AND a diaper bag? I might need to take a trip to Target or something as a test run. I also probably need to get out of the house :)

Off to eat lunch.

NEW: Short video in My Baby Video Clips, "Sleeping James" and one new picture in Baby Album "James-Week Four".

Sleepy Tuesday

I think the last couple of weeks are catching up with me. I also think that Baby James is aware of my frustration because he seems to be cooperating more with Jim :( Jim has had to feed him twice today because I've needed a break or needed to go upstairs, and James has fed well and then promptly went to sleep. I can't get James to sleep when he's with me! He's been fussy, making noises for his pacifier or whatever.

I tried to follow the advice of sleep when the baby is sleeping BUT when I tried that this morning, James wouldn't sleep for more than three minutes and his pacifier would fall out. I was napping with the bassinet right by my head so I could easily reach him. It was very frustrating.

I'm sure my family is reading this and wondering how I could be so frustrated when James is such a good baby! He IS a good baby. He seems to do very well with visitors and constant activity. When its been just Jim and myself, he's a bit different. He's not as sound of a sleeper, he cries a bit more, etc. It probably doesn't seem like a lot of work when a baby seems to sleep for 3 hours at a time, but there's always something to be done!

With all this said, we love James very much. I know that these first few months are going to be rough. I can't wait for the "fun" months when he's smiling, his personality is shining through, and he's actually able to play with us.

There's really not too much James news today. Its been the same as every day. He's very beautiful and behaving like a normal baby :)

I think I added some new pictures yesterday? The homepage picture is from the other day when James and I napped side by side. I should try this again today :)

Back to work!

NEW: Pictures in Baby Albums "James-Week Four", "James-Week Three", & "Mom & James". Just a couple :)

Jim is officially back at work. And James is officially three weeks old today!

I don't know where the time goes. I woke up at a decent hour (8am) after 2 nighttime wake-up calls from James. I ate breakfast, fed him again, and now I'm doing laundry and updating this blog. Its already 11am! With his next feeding I plan on giving him a bath afterwards. Wish me luck. It will be my first solo attempt.

I can hear James on the monitor and he's fussing. I thought I had successfully put him down in his crib without his pacifier. UGH. Off I go!

Later: James had a bath! It was very awkward doing it alone but I wanted to try. It was also awkward doing it in the normal tub (baby tub inside normal tub). I didn't have enough hands to wash and then rinse him. He was very squirmy but I think he liked being in the warm water. Usually we've just washed him with wash cloths, not actually submerging him in water.

I'm taking a rest right now. James is in his bassinet next to me and I'm replacing his pacifier every 3-5 minutes.

I feel like I've done nothing today but I'm already tired!

Lazy Sunday

Isn't every Sunday supposed to be restful?

I'm especially tired today despite a pretty good night's sleep. The timing of James' feedings put us at 9pm, 12pm, 4:30am and 7:45am. Jim took the 4:30am feeding, meaning we each only had to get up once during the night.

We're having a constant struggle with the pacifier. I hate that thing! He cries for the darn thing- comfort sucking, I know. There's no good reason NOT to give him the pacifier but I'm selfish in thinking that it disrupts MY sleep. If it falls out of his mouth (which it does very often) I will have to get out of bed, go down the hallway to his nursery, and replace it in his mouth. Doing this several times an hour will be tiring and frustrating. He doesn't seem to fall into a deep sleep with the pacifier in his mouth either. Last night I was able to distract him with a tight swaddle instead of the pacifier. He actually slept for a record 4 1/2 hours from 12pm to 4:30am!

Yesterday: My Mom & Larry babysat James while we went Christmas tree shopping. They left soon after that. Later that day my sister Ana, Rich, my Dad & Julie came over with the makings for dinner! We're so lucky to have people bringing us food :) Really, everyone has been so helpful and considerate of our new parenthood :) Thanks familia!

Hopefully we'll be giving James a bath tonight. Jim is going grocery shopping after dinner. He starts back at work tomorrow- I know he's not too excited about that. We'll see how it goes with Jim working and just me taking care of James. Of course Jim will be able to help out during the work day, but we'll have to see what our new routine will be.

Thanks for reading this!
New pictures in Baby Album "James-Week Three" and "Mom & James". Week four begins tomorrow! James will be a full THREE WEEKS OLD!

Weekend

My family came to visit yesterday- it was a day full of poker, food, knitting (Tia Ana was giving lessons), and James. James was the star! Every three hours he would wake up and he had several grandparents willing to fuss over him. Grandma Rosie couldn't keep her hands off of him! I think because of all the daytime activity, James slept fairly well last night. He even slept for 4.5 hours between feedings! Jim was lucky that this was during his shift :) He was able to wake up at 6am instead of 4:30am!

Here to visit yesterday: Tia Ana & Crazy Uncle Rich, Grandma Rosie & Grandpa Larry, Grandpa Frank & Grandma Julie, Grandma Laura.

There are a couple of new pictures in the Baby Album "James-Week Three". They are just random pictures of James sleeping, Grandma Rosie and James, and the beloved Sock Monkey! Grandma Julie made this monkey for James but I think several people have their eye on it. I will have to safeguard it for James :)

I still have to figure out the video clip thing from the new camcorder.

Plans today: No idea! Jim wants to go get a Christmas tree, leaving Grandma Rosie to babysit for an hour or so. I'm sure she'll be willing to do this.

Thanksgiving hangover

Not really. I had some pumpkin pie this morning for breakfast! Yum-o.

Thanksgiving dinner at Tia Ana's was FANTASTIC! Ana is always the best hostess but she outdid herself with her Martha-like skills. My favorite was the homemade green bean casserole and the "m" turkey.

James was very well-behaved for the day. He was fed a bit before dinner and didn't interrupt us at all. Just peacefully slept in his bassinet. Actually, he pretty much slept the whole day.

I don't have any new pictures because we have the new camcorder and I haven't figured out how to transfer the pictures to this computer. We have mostly video now but the camcorder does take still pictures. I just figured out how to take pictures just now. I hope to figure out the transfer today when I have plenty of babysitters in the house.

My family will be invading, err visiting today. My Dad & Julie, Ana & Rich, my Mom & Larry. I think they're planning a poker tournament and grilling for dinner. FFF! (Tia Kristina knows what this means.)

Seriously, I'm so glad that my family is excited and happy that James is here :)

T-day!

I'm so excited for turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie! Now that I'm off my diabetic diet- watch out!

Short entry today. I really have to rush and get ready, pack for our day trip, and then relax before James wakes up for his next feeding.

My Dad and Julie were here yesterday and they got to see James! He slept all day and wasn't too active, but every three hours he did come alive for feedings :) They also came bearing great gifts- Levis for James, a homemade sock monkey (!), and a camcorder!

We're going over to Tia Ana's house for Tday dinner. I can't wait! Grandma Rosie will be joining us for dessert and then staying for the weekend. I know she's so excited to see James again!

Up at the crack

James had his last feeding at 6am and it was my turn to get up with him. I gladly got up, feeling it was time to start the day anyway. Its amazing how non-lazy I feel now that I have James- before I would sleep til noon if I could!

We did have another peaceful night of sleep, James in the nursery with us listening to the monitor in our bedroom. So far, so good. While I had hoped he would sleep for longer during the nighttime, he is getting up every three hours for food and diaper changes. I guess this might change as he gets older, maybe he'll go for a 6 hour stretch? Cross your fingers.

We had a nice visit with Great Great Uncle Don & Aunt Betty in St. Paul. It was James' first trip to the "big city", as Jim said. On our way home we stopped at Cinnabon for Daddy Jimmy. He will be very happy this morning to have his breakfast :)

Today's plans include having my Dad and Julie over for a visit! I hope they are as excited to see James as I am. I already dressed him in a cute outfit for today.

Well I'm off to make sure our house is presentable to guests. It really is, Jim has been great with cleaning and staying busy!

No new pictures added this morning but there were a couple yesterday, see Baby Album "James-Week Three" and "Mom & James".

Sweet relief!

Jim purchased a baby monitor yesterday and it works! James was fed at 8pm, put down at 9pm, and woke himself up at midnight. We didn't hear a peep from him until he woke himself up and was hungry. The monitor probably did pick up his fussing but it wasn't loud enough for us to hear (which is good). We definitely did hear his cries though.

The monitor is really cool because it does have a movement sensor on it. It picks up the slightest movement like his heartbeat. If something were terribly wrong and he wasn't moving, an alarm would sound.

So after his midnight feeding, he was out until 4:30am and Daddy Jimmy took over. I was able to sleep in but I did have to wake up early to address my milk supply. (I can't go more than 5 hours.) So now I'm up at 6am but I feel so much more well-rested.

New: some pictures in Baby Album "Mom & James" and a short video in My Baby Video Clips, "Fussy Baby". I don't think too many people have seen Baby James fussy... he's usually sleeping when we have visitors. And this isn't James at his fussiest!

I took some self-portraits of James and I laying on the floor. We had just finished a tummy time session and I was trying to keep him awake (during the day). It was fun :)

Today's plans: we're visiting Great Aunt Betty & Uncle Don in St. Paul.

I should be tired.

TWO WEEKS OLD TODAY! See Doctor update below.

James was up every hour after 1am. I tried everything- diaper change, feeding, rocking to sleep, changing his clothing, burping. He would seem fine and then pretend to sleep. I would get into bed and hope for 3 hours of peace but then he'd fuss and cry. I think he's trying to challenge my authority!

Today we have a doctor's appointment where I hope she'll tell us that he's gaining weight properly. He should be because he is a P.I.G.! We're going to ask about the short frenulum (tongue-tied) and hope that the procedure can be done fairly soon. I still think its affecting his breastfeeding and actually, his bottle feeding. He has a hard time with the bottle nipple and where it should be in his mouth.

See new pictures in both albums, Week Two and Week Three. Week Two is from last night's bath. He looked so cute after we combed and parted his hair. Just like Daddy! The Week Three picture is from right now (7am). He's finally sleeping! Of course after I've given up for the morning and made coffee.

Check back later for an update after the doctor.

Later: Dr. Kuku said James is PERFECT! He has gained lot of weight! He is now at 7 lbs 2 ozs, gaining 11 oz in a week! They would have been happy with a weight gain of 2 oz, putting him at his birth weight, but he went above and beyond that :) He is a great eater so I shouldn't have had any doubts that he's doing well.

The doctor disagreed with the lactation consultants that James is "tongue-tied". She said they are always quick to say this. She showed us that his tongue is not attached at the tip but right where it should be. I'm still going to bring it up again at his 2 month or 4 month appointment to see if there is any change.

What else? His dry, flaky skin is normal for a newborn.

And also the doctor said she's "old school" in her thinking that babies shouldn't be visiting other locations, like family and friends. She recommended that he NOT be passed around much from person to person and we should hold off on any trips. I guess this makes it hard with Thanksgiving coming up, but Jim and I have decided that we won't take James to the store or the mall for at least his first month.

The other big development is that the doctor has encouraged us to start James sleeping in his own big boy crib. Jim is actually out getting a monitor right now! He's a topsy turvy baby, confusing night and day. During the day he sleeps great, but at night... yikes. So we have to get him started in the crib, wake him up often in the day, and keep him up for longer periods during the day. This will probably tire him out for night sleeping.

I think that's all!

Upcoming: Tomorrow we're visiting Don & Betty (Jim's great aunt and uncle), and I have some friends coming to visit in the afternoon after work. I'm excited for them to see James! And on Wednesday Grandpa Frank and Grandma Julie are coming from California!

Super Dad

I wanted to publicly thank Daddy Jimmy for waking up with James last night. I got some much needed rest! I feel "normal"!

Oh, I should also add that Jim is becoming a pro with those poopy diapers!

So now I'm up before 7am and I have breakfast in the works, I went out into the freezing morning for the newspaper, and I'm about to start a wake-up with James. I want Jim to wake up and relax right away. He needs his energy for football all day! I'm sure James will join him.

We don't have any plans today except Grandpa Roger is coming over this afternoon/tonight.

More later when "things" start to happen!

There's a few new pictures in the "James-Week Two" Baby Album. I caught a few bonding moments between Jim and James :)

Later: Grandpa Roger did visit. It was cute seeing him hold James and to see how proud he is of him. Uncle Joe & Aunt Kathy also came to visit. Both were lucky enough to see James in a great mood :) See the pictures in the Baby Album, "James-Week Two".

Bad Mommy!

I bragged a little too early (yesterday) about being able to get James into a deep sleep. Last night was not a good night! James is still a good baby, but it was very frustrating because he wouldn't sleep or settle down. I was up with him for two hours at 12:30am trying to get him to go back to sleep- wanting to sleep myself!

At 5am Jim got up with James, feeling sorry for me. I did end up getting out of bed too only because I had to attend to breastfeeding anyway. I think I ended up giving James too much milk at the earlier feeding because poor Jim had to deal with a very, very wet James. He had soaked through his clothing and receiving blanket. Poor Jim- James always screams when we change his clothing, especially if the clothing goes over his head.

Jim treated us to Caribou mochas this morning and I made breakfast. We're a great team :)

We're expecting a visit from Tia Ana this morning! I hope James is well behaved...

Sleep routines

I think I'm getting the hang of how to put James into a deep sleep. For a while it was hard to put him down and expect him to stay down. This made nighttime a little difficult for myself and Jim (who has invested in some earplugs- hey, they're recommended by my baby book to muffle the grunts and farts!)

Now I've learned that I should start to feed James first, then address the diaper (because it's inevitable that he poops during the feeding!), play or do something "active", get him ready for bed (mittens, hat, blanket), and then give him a few more sips of milk. He then starts to fall asleep in my arms.

I guess everyone knew I couldn't keep up the pace with the constant pictures and blog entries. I did slow down yesterday because I was hit with a brief period of exhaustion. I ended up taking a nap or two and felt better afterwards. I'll probably nap this afternoon too. The nighttime wake-ups haven't been bad. Last night I woke up with James from 1am-2am, 4:30am-5:30am, and then again at 7am. I don't know why he woke up at 7am again...

So there are three new pictures in the Baby Album, "James- Week Two". Just some pictures after we changed his outfit and had a massage with baby lotion.

I'm back at my starting weight! I've lost all 18 pounds now.

Maybe an update later?

Plans for today: Not too much! Jim and I did some cleaning around the house (Jim more than me), some laundry, a good lunch, and a really good nap later!

Darth Vader

Picture: I came downstairs yesterday to find Jim showing James how to play online poker! More pics in Baby Album.

Jim said that James sounded like Darth Vader last night. I was pretty worried because he was breathing so heavily, sometimes it seemed like he was gasping for air! I kept waking up and checking to make sure he was okay and he always was. When I would wake him for his feeding/diapering, he would always return to normal. I looked this up and I guess its normal but it seemed to have happened all of a sudden. Now during his daytime naps, he is fine. Hmmm.

Today I'm just resting and organizing myself. I'm waiting for James next feeding and then I'm going to run an errand at Target. James has been a little fussy this morning but its nothing that Daddy Jimmy can't handle!

More later if something exciting happens!
New: Some pics in Baby Album "James- Week Two" and video called "Hiccups".

Laundry day

Picture: Added at 6pm- I came downstairs to find Jim teaching James how to play poker online! See other pictures in the Baby Album "James Week Two". It turns out that James helped Jim win $5...

Today is laundry day for all of the Tauers, of course James' laundry got first priority. Its amazing how many little outfits, burp cloths, receiving blankets, washcloths, diaper change pads, etc... that a baby goes through!

I guess its just a productive day. Jim put together the stroller, I cleaned up James' room, made a grocery list (Jim is out at the store right now), and now I'm just waiting for James' next round of diapering and feeding. He's been really well behaved since last night. No fussing. He even has let me swaddle his arms down for the last two naps- I think its letting him sleep more soundly. He doesn't scratch himself or jolt himself out of his nap.

I can't believe how handsome he is :) I see a lot of Jim in him. He just has my dark hair and nose, supposedly. He's still so tiny and its such fun to look at his cute little toes and belly!

Today's plans: Take a long shower, organize the kitchen a little (bottles everywhere), and give James a bath.

Tuesday News

Last night James was at his fussiest. We just couldn't figure out what was wrong! He always seems to be a little fussy at night, as if he knows we're going to turn off the lights. He was extra hungry last night so we did let him feed as much as he wanted. I guess he must have had an upset stomach because when I had my hand on his belly, I could feel the rumbling. After a bit of time consoling him, and hearing him scream and scream (totally breaks my heart!), I was able to rock him to sleep in my arms.
And then all was well! He slept soundly and didn't fuss even for that darn pacifier. (I hate it because he doesn't keep it in his mouth well and at night I have to keep getting up to replace it.)

This morning we had a little Tummy Time. Please see the video of this in "My Baby Videos". I really thought he would start crying again when we did this but he didn't. I've read that its really important to start doing this so that he can develop his neck muscles. You start with a minute at a time and then gradually increase the time. Today he tolerated it pretty well but didn't attempt to lift his head. Maybe next time!

I'm resting before we have our 2nd outing into the world. I have a Lactation Consultant appointment at 12:30. I'm kind of dreading it. I know that breastfeeding isn't working for me and I need the help, but I'm not prepared to deny James the extra formula that we're currently giving him. Or denying him ANY bottle (breastmilk or not). I've read (yeah, I read a lot) that you should just let your baby go hungry and eventually he'll work out the breastfeeding, if he's desperate enough. I can't do this, it seems cruel.

So I'm hoping the appointment goes well and she doesn't tell me to do anything I'm not willing to do. Check back later because I'm sure I'll update this in the afternoon with the results!

Oh the other big news is that I'm only up 3 pounds from my starting weight! I have lost about 15 pounds since having James! I did end up gaining a bit of weight towards the end, totaling 18 pounds. So I'm pleased that its naturally coming off. I'm sure I'll lose some other weight with the breastfeeding too.

More later!

LATER: We had our lactation consultant appointment at the hospital today where we were greeted by not just one consultant but THREE! All were older ladies, very talkative, and very hands on. Apparently two of them were being trained in some paperwork/computer procedures so they joined our appointment. The ladies were quite amusing- very passionate about what they do.

Well, to be short, they figured out that James has a short frenulum (tongue-tied) and this makes breastfeeding a little more difficult. We did successfully breastfeed and since I've been home, I've had some progress too. We're getting the hang of it!

So now I just have to adapt to the EVERY TWO HOURS schedule of breastfeeding (up to four hours at night). This is until he reaches his birth weight at least. After that I believe I can switch to every three hours during the day. So we'll see how it goes. Jim is a tremendous help! He's willing to help out in any way he can. Tomorrow I'm sending him grocery shopping. :)

Oh, and about the tongue tied issue... there is a simple procedure that the doctor can perform at the clinic. I guess its not something doctors look for at the usual check-ups, or its not something they're concerned with. The lactation consultants think otherwise. They told me that if the doctor didn't want to perform the procedure to make sure to get a referral to the Ears, Throat, and Mouth specialists.

I put a link to a related article in the "My Favorite Links" area of this babysite.

Cuckoo for Dr. Kuku

James is one week old today! The week has gone by fast...

We had our first doctor's appointment today to check on James' progress. He didn't fuss and didn't mind the car ride or the carseat. What a good baby :) Dr. Kuku has proclaimed James to be perfect (okay, these might be MY words)! She checked his heart, his weight, his ears, eyes, belly button, circumsicion, etc. Everything is all good! He is down 2 ozs from his original birth weight, but when we left the hospital he was down 4 ozs already (normal)- so really, he's gained 2 oz in the last couple of days. He should be at his birth weight or heavier by his second week appointment.

Dr. Kuku answered our many questions. We are feeding him well and often enough, and starting pretty soon I don't have to wake him up for feedings every 3-4 hours. He'll let ME know when he's hungry. This was the first time for Jim meeting Dr. Kuku and he has agreed with me that she seems really nice and loving. That was important to me. You can see that she truly likes babies/children when she was examining James. So yes, we are cuckoo for Dr. Kuku. (I believe she's from Jamaica.) There is a pictures of Dr. Kuku and James in the Baby Album, "First Doctor's appointment".

We are having a relaxing day at home today. I did James' laundry yesterday, the house is still clean from my Mom's hustle & bustle, we are eating one of our frozen meals tonight, and just enjoying James. I think its the first day with just the three of us.

James is still napping. He ate quickly when we got home and seemed exhausted.

James' First Vikings Game and another "happening"

Yes, this is a huge milestone in our house. Jim has been anxiously awaiting this moment- someone to watch football with! Really, James just dressed for the game. He didn't really watch much because he needed a nap after all the excitement BUT think of the many hours of fun the Tauer men will have in the future!

The Men's Den may be off limits to me in the future. Uh oh.

Please see the Baby Album for more Vikings game pictures!

Grandma Rosie left today :( We'll be happy to see her at Thanksgiving though. We'll also be seeing my Dad and Julie! They are coming to visit from California during that week. I'm glad that with all these visitors, James has a Thanksgiving outfit all planned out :)

Definitely check back tomorrow (Monday) afternoon for another journal entry. James has his 1 week doctor's appointment at 10am and I'm sure we'll have an update!

-Lisa

Addition: I just wanted to add, especially for my Mom who jokingly laughed that it would happen soon enough, that James gave me my first pee shower during a diaper change. Luckily I was quick to put my hand down to stop the stream so nothing other than the clean diaper beneath him and his onesie had a few spots. I didn't get anything on ME!
Hope this wasn't TMI.

First Bath

Okay, well, James really had his first bath at the hospital with the nurses but it was OUR first baby bath. We reviewed the instruction sheet (haha) that the baby class gave us and we organized our supplies first. My Mom took pictures and offered advice as we proceeded with this little experiment. Overall, I think we did well. James has that wonderful baby smell now. Baby powder and sweetness. Please see our pictures in the Baby Album.

I hope you don't think I'm going overboard with pictures and journal entries. I'm just so thankful that I have the time to update this often (James sleeps LOTS) and that I feel up to it. And as Grandma Laura said, all this new camera/computer technology makes it so easy to upload pictures and type out a journal entry for the world to celebrate James' arrival and day-to-day happenings. Yay!

More tomorrow probably!

Day Four

Just a quick update to let you know that there are some new pictures in the Baby Album (and we'll be adding as we take them!) and a short video clip in the Video Library. Be patient as the video clip loads, it might take a while.

We've had James home now for two nights. He is a perfect sleeper by day, and a little fussier at night but nothing too bad. Last night we turned out the lights at 11pm and James took a while to really stay asleep. He insisted on having a pacifier but then wouldn't keep it in his mouth. He'd cry each time it fell out, every half an hour until his next feeding at 2:30am. After that he slept well and without too much trouble. I think he had a hard time adjusting to the dark and quiet (he's usually sleeping by day with the tv on, people talking, etc.), or maybe it was the poopy diaper that I didn't notice until 2am! Its all a learning experience, or experiment, whichever way you look at it :)

James has an obsession with his hands. He refuses to be swaddled with his hands down. I leave his hands free but have to cover them with mittens/socks so that he doesn't scratch himself. I think James will be a thumb sucker because he does love to suck on his hands and/or have them by his face.

I'm still having some problems with breastfeeding. I've had some progress though and have to keep reminding myself its only been a few days. The other concern is that my ankles have swollen to about three times their normal size. The swelling has gone down a little and I've called my doctor/clinic. Their advice: elevating my feet, rest, lots of water, and no salt. I'm resting right now as my Mom is super-grandma, cleaning the house.

Grandma Laura is coming over for lunch and to see Baby James in action. I think by lunch time he'll be up from his nap and it will be play time and the whole routine of diapering and feeding. When Laura was here yesterday it was during his nap time and she didn't see him alert and bright-eyed. I hope James will be in a pleasant mood and active!

Really, James is a great baby. He rarely cries and if he does its because he has to communicate a need- like a wet diaper or he's hungry. Everyone has told me how lucky we are that he is non-fussy and quiet. Right now he's content and happily sleeping in his swing (thanks Uncle Joe & Aunt Kathy!)

Please check back often. I really enjoy updating this journal and adding pictures and will do so often.

Baby James says hi!

James has been born!

I was scheduled to be induced on Sunday night but when I went in they found out that I was a bit more dilated than they thought (only 3cm) but too much for the procedure they wanted to do (to ready me for the Pitocin induction). Rather than spend the night and wait for the induction on Monday morning, Jim and I chose to go home to sleep in our own bed. (They had warned us that if we stayed, they would still have to monitor my vital signs every 2-3 hours, waking us up often.)

We arrived at the hospital on Monday at 6am for the induction. They immediately started me on the Pitocin IV and I started my first contractions at approximately 7:15am. They were tolerable but felt like bad cramping for a long time. I chose to have a light medicine to "take the edge off" rather than the full epidural. I did choose the epidural later when I was at 6 1/2 cm dilation at about 2:45/3:00. I guess I progressed pretty fast because they were amazed that I had a high pain tolerance for that dilation. An hour later I was 8 cm, and then very soon after that the contractions were near unbearable. That's when they discovered he was very close to being born- the contractions I was feeling were actually James making his way down. Well, I pushed for about half an hour, total. It was an hour process though because we had to stop pushing and wait for the doctor- who hadn't arrived yet! It was very frustrating but everything turned out well.

James was born at 5:52, weighing 6 lbs 9 oz and 19 1/4 inches long. He cried immediately but doesn't cry often- just when he's hungry or his diaper is being changed. He's a very quiet, sweet baby. Right now he's sleeping 3-4 hours, waking up just enough to have a diaper change, a feeding attempt, a small bottle, and a few minutes to gaze at us with his beautiful, dark steel blue/gray eyes. (He has Jim's eyes- long eyelashes too! They may change to brown?)

The only challenge is breastfeeding but that's something that will work itself out, I hope.

We are very happy and content to spend this time with James. Jim is doing great as a new Dad. Its so sweet to hear Jim explaining things to James and telling him that he loves him. I caught a moment like this with the camera and its in the Baby Album. I think I'm doing well with James too. Right now it just seems like we're getting used to the routine and pattern of sleep, diaper, eat, repeat. It is a good time :)

Thank you for reading this!

SUNDAY!

This is one of my most important journal entries and I can't believe I waited this long to post it! My Thursday doctor's appointment was postponed because the doctor was busy delivering another woman's baby. So I went in on Friday morning for my 39th week appointment.

I am just barely 1 cm dilated but 50% effaced (if that means anything to you!) but she scheduled my induction for Sunday night! I'm to call at 6pm to see if a bed is open, and then go to the hospital at 7pm. If all goes well, I should deliver James on Monday morning/afternoon. If it doesn't work, I may need to go home and wait. We're thinking positively that James will be as cooperative as he always is.

My Mom is driving from Iowa early on Monday morning to join us at the hospital. Jim's Mom will be with us too.

We are taking our laptop computer and our camera so that we can upload pictures right away to this babysite or so that we'll be able to email an announcement when possible.

Sunday update: Jim found James' horoscope in the Sunday paper. We found it pretty amusing!

"Scorpio: Stress is caused by resisting where you are because you want to be somewhere else. Therefore, stress can be eliminated by accepting where you are. You're not behind or ahead. You're in the perfect place for this time."

I hope this doesn't mean that James will resist coming out into the world because he's happy where he is!

39 week Doctor appointment postponed!

I was so disappointed because the doctor wasn't there today- she was delivering a baby. So my doctor can't see me until tomorrow morning. I guess its soon enough but I'm anxious to get my questions answered!

When will she induce me?!

Last Tuesday appointment

I had my last Tuesday appointment at the hospital this morning (that is, if I am induced next week!)

All is well. James is still measuring ahead by a week, at 8 lbs 5 ozs. He was sound asleep for the ultrasound so they asked me to get up, move around, walk, or use the restroom to get him awake. I was concerned because it was the first time he really had been uncooperative for that part of the hospital visit. He did wake up quickly and was then cooperative. He received perfect scores (as always) from the ultrasound tech, Gina. (Note to self: I really have to remember to send Gina a thank you card or gift, she was great all of these weeks!)

The next part was uneventful. James cooperated by kicking and moving around, fully cooperating before they were done with the paperwork. I was out of the hospital by 9:15.

I am NOT having contractions. The monitors would have detected that.

I will have to wait until Thursday to see if I am progressing in any other ways! Just think- James will be here by this time next week!

Weird pain this a.m.

I was getting ready for the day, thinking I'd like to get some shopping done. Still getting ready for baby! So I had this cramping, pain in my back and belly. It took my breath away and I could hardly stand. It didn't last long and I tried to call for Jimmy. He was too far away (in the garage) and when I heard him re-enter the house I used the intercom system on the phone to get his attention. I just wanted to let him know I had a weird pain and was going to lie down to see if it went away. Of course, it did. I was able to walk 10 minutes later and I went shopping.

Its all real! I REALLY could go into labor any day!

Ana: I got my chonies!

38 week appointment

I think my pregnancy hormones have kicked in because my doctor made me cry today- twice! She didn't have bad news or anything for me, she just made me wait for almost an hour for my appointment, I was hungry and a little sick to my stomach, and then she was rushed and kind of short with me. I guess I just wasn't in a good mood today. I had a short list of questions for her that I didn't get answered because she was in and out of the room in about 4 minutes.

Everything is fine with me and with James. Good heartbeat, good measurements, etc. I am only slightly dilated though. She did say that she would like to induce me at 39 weeks!! This is where the confusion started. 39 weeks is next week but she wouldn't tell me which day. She said to keep my normal appointment for next Thursday. So I have no clue when this induction would actually take place. I guess I barely turn 39 weeks next Thursday, so maybe she's thinking early the next week? November 6th? Of course, its all up to what my body naturally does on its own. If I go into labor before then, there's no induction confusion.

Poor Jim. I called him immediately after that appointment and started to cry on the phone. He wanted to call the clinic so I could talk to someone else. I just figure that I can talk to the nurses on Tuesday, who are the nicest and who will have more time. I should have used those pregnancy hormones today and got all high maintenance, demanding answers but frankly, I didn't have the energy. I feel much better now after I ate lunch but I'm still emotionally exhausted. I may go home to relax. I'm not very productive at work today anyway.

Well, sorry if this is a weird update. The news that wanted to share the most is that an end is in sight! I may be induced very soon! We are ready!

Only one week ahead!

I had my Tuesday hospital appointment today and everything is well. James was cooperative and we are both healthy. He is measuring at a little under one week ahead, putting him at an estimated 7 lbs 7 ozs. I asked if it was normal for a baby to be three weeks ahead, then two weeks, and now one week. The nurse said yes because babies go through growth spurts and then will progress normally. I guess James went through his growth spurt a little early and now he's near "normal".

I'm writing this from work. I'm determined to be productive this week because I think it will be my last REAL week of work. Next week I plan on taking it easy and playing the waiting game!

Tuesday hospital appt, 36+ wks

Today's appointment was LONG. James was cooperative and moving around at the beginning (ultrasound) but then must have fallen asleep because they weren't able to record his movements/heartrate accelerations very easily. It took a long time and I almost fell asleep from boredom! I'm not convinced they got the results they needed, but they let me go after an hour of lying there.

The ultrasound tech was a different person and didn't tell me much. The only useful thing he told me was that James is measuring at 37wks, 2 days. Which is only 4 days ahead. He said it wasn't his weight, but his actual body measurements. So James could still be on the chunky side!

36 week doctor appointment

My Thursday appointment was postponed because Dr. Alexander had to leave for a delivery. I had my appointment on Friday instead. I didn't mind the postponement, thinking it could be me delivering next month!

First, I was weighed. According to their scale I lost 6 pounds since my last appointment. Ummm, no. I haven't gained or lost any weight. I think their scale is seriously screwed up because last week they told me I gained 7 pounds. I weigh myself at home and I'm pretty consistent day to day.

Then, they tell me they're going to test me for the Strep B test. I had to remind them that they already did that last week. They didn't believe me until they found some missing papers and my test results. (Negative- yay!)

Next, my doctor takes her sweet time getting to the appointment. I sat waiting, half-naked, for 25 minutes. Finally she comes in, flustered, and asking "The results of your MRI/CAT scan aren't here. From your hospital results you need them." I was so confused! I knew my hospital visits were going great and I had no idea what MRI tests she was talking about. I thought something was wrong. I told her that I hadn't heard about needing them... ? She looked at my charts more closely and realized that someone else's records were in my file, but with my name on them. THANK GOD. But poor pregnant girl who needs to get those tests, whoever she is. The doctor was glad she didn't divulge too much information and "scare me". Ha!

So then she does the regular examination and I'm great. Just a "fingertip dilated" which is normal. She then tells me that after the ultrasound we can figure out if she needs to induce me next week. WHAT?! I had to remind her that I'm only 36 weeks and she said that would happen at 39 weeks. Oh, her mistake. She thought I was further along.

I've always thought the doctor was a little scatterbrained, but maybe she was sleep deprived yesterday too? She just seriously didn't seem on the ball. I hope everything goes okay with her in the future. She's very nice. But I'm glad I know my weight, what tests I've taken, how far along I am, and what procedures come when!

I'm not blogging about this to worry anyone. I'm sticking with this doctor but it was an eventful appointment and something to write about! All is well and that's what counts, right?

Weekend plans: Not too much! We're celebrating Laura and Kathy's birthdays tomorrow morning with Sunday brunch. Happy Birthday to them!

Next week: M-O-M is coming to visit! Jim said this morning, "Wouldn't your Mom be thrilled if the baby came next weekend when she's here?" Oh yeah! I'd be full term but we can wait a couple of weeks :)

Tuesday hospital appointment

I was out of the hospital this morning in a record ONE HOUR and 10 minutes! James was VERY cooperative and moving lots. The ultrasound only took minutes, and then the movement and heartbeat acceleration monitoring took about 15 minutes too. The nurse hadn't even finished her paperwork in the hospital room before James had kicked his required number of kicks. He has been moving around LOTS lately. He has normally been an evening baby, moving around the most around 9pm, but lately its during all moments of the day.

So the ultrasound revealed that James is still measuring 2 weeks ahead, at a healthy 6 lbs and 11 ozs. No worries!

James arrival, addition

I couldn't resist copying and pasting this email response from my Mom's co-worker at Wells Fargo. He received our email announcement and this was his response to the photos we sent.

Please also read the next journal entry for James' arrival email, Part One.


"Hello, Lisa, Rosemary, James Sr., Larry and the entire family,
Congratulations to you and your family for birth of your baby boy – James Jr. He is a precious blessing. He will always be my friend because he voted the same day that I exercised my first voting right in the United States.

Baby James Jr., your vote and mine made a great history because we won both house and sweep almost all the seats. We won the governorship too. In two years time, we need to do same for the presidential election.

Congratulations to the grand parents of James Jr."

Eric Idehen
Vice President, Community Development
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

35 weeks! Doctor appointment today

My doctor's appointment went well. I was tested for Group B Strep (article in Links area of this babysite) and the usual weight check, heartbeat check, belly measurement, glucose level review (she checks my logbook of my 4x/day blood tests), and I was checked for dilation today. I am NOT dilated and James' head is definitely down and "soft"- whatever that means.

So, in other words, all is good!

Tuesday weekly appointment and our anniversary

I had my weekly appointment this morning and same as always- James is perfect! He received perfect scores and was very, very cooperative. My ultrasound was only 10 minutes long today. He was doing the same cute things- lots of tongue action and hands balled up by his face. He was moving quite a bit this morning. James is now only measuring 2 weeks ahead- at a healthy 6 pounds, 4 ozs.

The next part of my appointment was pretty fast too. I was monitored for about 1/2 hour and then was free to go. They were very busy in the Labor & Delivery area, I think two babies were born while I was there. The nurse apologized that she wouldn't be able to chat with me today. She literally was in and out of the room every couple of minutes.

Monday was our 2nd wedding anniversary. We celebrated by going out to dinner at Bella, a new restaurant in Blaine. It has a really pretty atmosphere and we ate well! We had calamari and spicy peppers for the appetizer, I had lobster ravioli and Jim had the pork tenderloin with lemon herb risotto and wild mushroom ragout. We shared :) And for dessert I had called ahead to have a special dessert brought out to us- a Chocolate Volcano cake with raspberry sauce- yum! On our honeymoon in Florida we were surprised by a "Happy Honeymoon" cake by the chef there, so I called and asked for a "Happy Anniversary" cake last night at Bella. We took this picture and a few more- they are in the Family Album on this babysite.

Other news: the nursery is done! I have a few little things that I need to organize and/or buy but all the important things are there! It looks great. There is just enough color in the nursery and its very cheerful :) I like to sit in there to relax and think about James.

New pictures in the Baby Albums AND Family Albums! Also, if you haven't seen them yet, there are two new pictures from last week's ultrasound in the Ultrasound album. Warning: one is pretty scary/weird looking!!

Coming up this week: car seat inspection, the start of my weekly DOCTOR appointments, and writing up my birth plan.

Sunday update

We made a Babies R Us stop yesterday to pick up the Diaper Champ. We are ready for dirty diapers! Okay, so we need to buy some diapers first but then we are officially ready :)

We also bought what could be James' coming home outfit (cute blue fuzzy overalls with football theme) and we also bought a Thanksgiving outfit. I'm excited about both outfits.

Another thing we purchased were Homer Hankys. Yes, James has one now. There was a line outside the Twins Pro Shop in Roseville, but Jim really wanted some hankies. I hope James likes baseball!

Just today we put together the swing and hung up the curtains and quilt. The room is done! I'd take pictures but I have quite the mess on the floor. I'm starting to wash clothes and bedding so I have everything in piles. Maybe by the end of today I will have the piles washed, put away, and the room will be ready for pictures. Check back soon!

Later: I did wash SIX loads of James' laundry- blankets, towels, clothes (0-3 months only), crib sheets, mattress pads, basically anything that comes into contact with James. I didn't get any pictures taken of the now cleaned up nursery. Frankly, I'm tired!

Also, Jim installed the car seat. We have a car seat inspection on Tuesday night. Its a big deal I guess!

Later this week: Our 2nd anniversary is tomorrow- Monday October 2nd! We're going out to dinner at Bella in Blaine. Yay!

34 week appointment

I saw my doctor today and she wasn't concerned about the weight estimates for James. She said that the estimates are just that- rough estimates and they could go 1 pound in either direction. At 38 weeks I'll have a detailed, more precise test done to estimate his birth weight. At that point Dr. Alexander decides if I will be induced, if she should schedule a C-section, or if I should be allowed to go to term. At this point, she said 39 weeks is a safe bet.

The appointment was brief. Heartbeat check, belly measurement- everything was normal. At first she said I had a SEVEN pound weight gain from two weeks ago. I had weighed myself from home that morning and knew this wasn't possible. I hadn't gained any weight, I thought. So I was re-weighed and the correct weight was written down- a 3 pound gain. The doctor said it could be water weight or from my lunch :)

James is doing well! He was a busy little baby earlier- I felt some definite kicks and bumps earlier this evening.

34 weeks!

I've been feeling James move around less and less. Its a little worrisome but everything I've read says that he has just run out of room to kick and move around much. The movement I do feel is like James turning or rolling around. Every once in a while I feel a good hard kick and I'm happy.

I haven't been doing the best on my diet. I've been tired of eating the same, safe foods every day. I haven't been preparing meals like I should for lunch at work. I'll see what the doctor says tomorrow at my 34 week appointment.

Weekly ultrasound and nonstress test

I had another appointment at the hospital this morning where James received perfect scores again! He is doing well with his breathing movements, amniotic fluid, measurements, movements, and all that good stuff! He is still measuring ahead by three weeks at a healthy, large 5 pounds and 11 ozs!!!! I asked if this would change my due date, and the ultrasound tech said that the doctor would determine that but it could possibly change it. Three weeks ahead means October 22nd! I doubt if he will be that early, but I intend on asking Dr. Alexander at Friday's appointment what the overall plan is. I don't know if she's the kind of doctor that will want to induce me early, will want to schedule a C-section, etc. I'm interested to see what she thinks.

My friend Ann (teacher at CRMS) told me that she knows of larger babies being able to sleep more soundly in general. The extra weight means that the baby can hold more food in his stomach and sleep for more hours at a time. There's a way to think positive! James will be a good sleeper :)

So the ultrasound was pleasant this morning. The tech lady is sooo nice! She was able to print off two pictures- fuzzy and a little scaring looking, but its our baby! She wasn't able to capture this, but James was moving his hands around his head a lot and sticking his tongue in and out. We watched for a few minutes as he did the tongue thing. It was too cute!

The nonstress test was the heart and contractions monitoring. James' heartbeat was a strong 140-150 beats per minute and I was able to leave a little earlier than last time because he cooperated. He moved around a bit more and they were able to get the results they needed. I guess they look for the heartbeat to accelerate slightly as he has movements. This is normal and healthy.

We're going to try and scan the ultrasound pictures tonight so check back! They will no doubt be very fuzzy, especially over the computer but I'm happy to have seen him today.

Later this week: Friday biweekly Dr. appointment at 4:10
Weekend plans: Finish baby shopping and organizing.

Grandma Laura's Baby Shower

Grandma Laura threw Baby James a wonderful baby shower! The women of the family came through with wonderful, thoughtful gifts. James is so lucky! He received blankets, toys, clothing, crib sheets, a sleepsack, etc! And did you see the picture of the Vikings Diaper cake?! Auntie Kathy must have worked so hard on that thing! She's so creative- I didn't know this! Jim got a really big kick out of the Vikings accessories :)

It had been a rainy weekend until Sunday- the sun came out for Baby James! It was a beautiful day for the guests to see Laura's duck/geese/egret pond. Her house is looking great- new furniture and fireplaces! And she has a North Woods themed bathroom- complete with hooting owl! It was so funny because the shower guests kept thinking it was a crying baby but it was the owl :)

Oh yes, the food! How could I forget the fresh Honeycrisp apples and caramel from the apple orchard? And all sorts of goodies for snacking and lunch.

Sorry if this is random, I'm just remembering all the little details of the day. Last thing I'm going to add is that Baby Marshall (Jim's 3rd cousin?) made an appearance at the shower. Marshall is nearly three months and a great baby. Its so cute how babies can entertain themselves by just playing with their own feet! He came to the shower in his own Vikings outfit. Jim was happy to see this. Jim also mentioned that it was nice to observe a real live baby and how good he was. We're hopeful that James will have the same easygoing personality!

Its been a long day and I'm going to close this. Thanks to Grandma Laura and Aunt Kathy for a great shower and a wonderful day!

From Jim & Lisa, for Baby James!

Shower pictures to come later! Check back soon.
Weekly hospital appointment update after Tuesday too.