Celebrating Three Years Of Marriage…

I can not believe that today is our third wedding anniversary! Where has the time gone! It seems like just yesterday we stood on the beach surrounded by our closest family and friends and promised to choose each other every day for the rest of our lives.  I have learned so much in these last three years, and I am happy to say that most of the days have been absolutely amazing. Sure we’ve bickered here and there, but those days are typically few and far between. We were married young (me 21 him 25) so we have really grown and matured together. (I should mention here that we’ve been together since I was 18, as in my entire adult life.) Three years in and I can say without a doubt that I love him more every day. He was my rock and support throughout our struggles with infertility and seeing him with Noah makes my heart happy.

In celebration of our big day I thought I would share some wedding pictures. Originally we had a deposit down on a fancy smancy country club here but we quickly decided that wasn’t for us. Instead we opted for a small, beach wedding in San Diego and it was perfect. We were literally surrounded by the people we love the most and neither of us would change it for anything. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day.

It was an amazing day! Two days later we jumped on a plane to New Jersey where we spend a few days with family before taking a road trip to Boston. My husband is a HUGE Redsox fan so it was like he had been called home to the mothership. I’ll save the details for a later post!

The One I Haven’t Wanted To Write….

I’ve been milling this post over in my mind for a week and a half now, trying to come up with the right words to describe the fear and horror of watching you’re baby struggle for air. I’ve decided that there are no words strong enough, so instead I will just tell you what happened.

If you’ve followed my blog you might remember a few month’s back when Noah had a bad experience with cheese. If not you can read it here. Well, the ER doctor had told us at the time to wait a few months and then try dairy again. As Noah approached 8 months we decided we would try it again soon so I bought some organic baby yogurt. I was so afraid to feed it to him that it set in the fridge until like 2 days before it expired. Anyways, we decided to try it on Monday of last week (I think it was the 14th?) We only gave him 4 baby spoons full of the stuff (and of course he LOVED it) because we were afraid to give him to much. Well ya’ll apparently 4 spoonsfull was WAY too much. Almost exactly 1 hour after he had it he started sneezing like crazy. There was snot everywhere! Then the hives appeared, and boy did they come fast. Well we immediately gave him benedryll and called the doctor. The doctors said to bring him in right away so we loaded him up. Noah had been screaming the entire time, but by the time I got him in his carseat he was having difficulty holding up his head.

At this point his entire body was bright red and it sounded like he was having trouble breathing. By the time we got out of the neighborhood he had stopped crying and was seriously struggling for air. Thank God we live like 1/2 a mile from the hospital so we just booked it there since we were already in the car. I am SO thankful for my husband who remained calm the entire time, because you guys I LOST it. Billy had to walk me through things to try to get him to cry so there I sat trying to tickle his feet and begging him to “just cry for mamma.” As soon as we got to the ER I scooped him up and ran inside. While the receptionist was trying to get his info a nurse saw us and yelled that she was taking us and she rushed us back where they immediately started working on Noah.  It was so overwhelming watching them wrap my baby in a blanket to hold him down so they could put an IV in him. I had actually walked away, but then Noah looked at me with this fear in his eyes and I realized just how selfish I was being. I immediately returned to his side, where all I could do was sing “You Are My Sunshine.”

The nurses and doctors were amazing! They got his IV in first try and immediately gave him epinephrin and more Benedryll. He also had a breathing treatment right away which he did not like but I took his fighting it as a good sign; at least he was breathing. After the breathing treatment they gave him some steroids. Actually, he ended up on steroids for 6 days. All of the drugs worked their magic very quickly and soon Noah was flirting with the nurses and being his regular happy self. Unfortunately about half an hour later he started itching and screaming again so they had to give him another dose of Benedryll. Noah seemed completely stoned for about 10 minutes and then he was BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS CRAZY. Apparently he reacts to medicines the same way my father does (Benedryll makes him hyper, novacain doesn’t work -which we learned from his circumcision)

After the last dose of meds the doctors told us they wanted to keep him for observation overnight so we were moved upstairs to the pediatric ward. It was amazing the difference in the nurses up there. They are some seriously amazing people and Noah absolutely loved them, but really the kid loves everyone. Luckily my mom came up to visit and brought us up some things. By about 9 o’clock the crazy effects of the drugs had started to wear off and Noah fell asleep. He had a hard time getting comfy with the IV (he was sleeping on the cot with me  while hubby slept on the pull out couch) but did pretty well. At 1 am his IV went bad but since he was nursing and peeing fine they said they could just leave it out. At that point Noah fell alseep and didn’t budge until about 7 when a nurse came in. (He slept straight through the nurse checking him at 4.) She told us that Noah looked great and as soon as the doctor looked at him we should get to go home. We were so excited. Unfortunately it took until about 1 pm for the doctor to see us and another hour and a half for the nurse to discharge us, but we were thankful none the less.

The whole trip only lasted about 24 hours but it felt like a week. I honestly don’t know how parents of seriously sick children do it. My heart goes out to them. I can’t even imagine their struggles. We left the hospital with a healthy baby and a prescription for a junior Epipen. The doctor told us he actually had to look it up and see if Noah could have it because he had never given one to a child that small. It’s scary but it’s also a relief just knowing that it’s in the diaper bag at all times.  We followed up with our pediatrician yesterday and he’s getting us a referral to a pediatric allergist. Until then we just have to hold off on trying any new foods. My hope and prayer is that he outgrows this. Dairy is in EVERYTHING. He has had pancakes and things in the past that have dairy in them so we are hopeful, but I guess only time will tell. Here are a few more pictures from our hospital trip to close this post out. Sorry everything is blurry!

By the way Noah thought this crib was the bee's knees and ever learned how to pull himself up on it!

Let The Negotiations Commence…

Okay negotiations are officially in the works for baby #2. It all actually started w/ a pregnancy “scare” if you will. About a month ago I was convinced I was pregnant (and to be perfectly honest the thought freaked me out big time) so I took a home pregnancy test (or 3) and my husband and I were both a bit surprised by how disappointed we actually were when it (they) were negative. That got us thinking so I made an appointment with my OB (who I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE) for a “preconception consultation” to discuss our action plan. Last time it took us well over a year and several hefty doses of meds to conceive so I was a little worried about going through that again. Luckily the doctor has high hopes that we won’t need medication this time, or at least not as much. We won’t really know until after Noah is weaned which I’m planning to do around his birthday. That’s only 4 months away (insert giant sad face here.) I wasn’t even expecting to have a cycle before then, but to my surprise I started a new cycle today. I guess we’ll see in another month if I am actually ovulating now or if it’s another “fake cycle”

I have to be honest and say that the thought of a second child does sort of scare me. My main fear is that we’ll be taking something away from Noah. The thought of not being able to give him my undivided attention at all times kind of breaks my heart but I also realize that by that time he’ll be a toddler and not a little baby anymore. Besides, I know Noah will make the world’s best big brother and I can’t wait for him to have a sibling to play with. He loves being around his cousins so much and I know that after the jealousy wears off he’ll enjoy having someone else around.

New Hair Can Make You Feel Like A New Woman….

Today I had my hair done for the first time in WAY too long. Five months to be exact. It’s actually only the 2nd time I’ve had my hair done in the last 12 months and this, my friends is just unacceptable. I used to LOVE getting my hair done and I really think I need to make more of an effort to keep it up again. I had become so stuck in the pony tail rut that I wasn’t convinced I could get out, but with my loving husbands encouragement I did something pretty drastic. I probably cut off a good six inches at least. I should have taken some before pictures but I didn’t so you will just have to take my word for it. Here are the after shots, but please don’t be to critical. This is my (almost) sans make-up. I did put mascara on today. That’s usually about as far as I get.

One of my favorite little things in life is hair straight from the salon. I love it. Maybe because I have NO hair styling skills and it’s the only time my hair looks good, but did you notice the ah-dorable little clippy I was rockin? That was courtesy of my pal Emily who will soon be selling them in her own Etsy shop. I can’t wait to order a few more.  (Oh and by the way she has a super cute daughter so you should most definitely check out her blog!)

*Speaking of reading worth blogs you should check out my hubby’s new blog. He’s pretty awesome. Leave him some love and tell him I sent you!

Eight Months Into Mommyhood….

I did have plans to write this post on Wednesday (Noah’s actual 8 month day) but things don’t always turn out as planned so here it is a few days late.

Can someone please tell me how it’s scientifically possible for eight months of life to fly by in the blink of an eye? Seriously? Anyone? I can not believe my baby is eight months old already. It does not seem possible! When I was pregnant it seemed like time sped up but now I feel like it’s on warp speed. I really wish it would stop that already.

Anyways, we celebrated Noah’s 8 month day by buying him a big boy car seat. Honestly I’m still amazed that we got that long out of his infant carrier. The boy is a chunk and I thought he would pass the weight limit sooner. I’m also disappointed that we didn’t get to use it longer (those things are not cheap.) I had literally spent hours and hours on the computer researching all of the best brands and safety features and what not and we finally decided to spend the extra money for the peace of mind and known reputation of a Britax Boulevard. We sat Noah in several different makes and models and this honestly seemed to fit him the best. It must be comfy because he passed out as soon as we started driving.

Doesn’t he look adorable?

Anyways, I really hope this makes a difference in how Noah feels about the car. I don’t know how much longer I can handle the screaming from the front seat. See he does just fine when the hubby is driving and I’m sitting in the back with him but if it’s just us and he is back there alone he acts like I am torturing him. It’s gotten to where I think twice before loading him up and driving more than a few miles.  Hopefully he will be able to see more and be more comfortable in the backseat.  But here is my question for you. How long did you continue to sit in the back seat with your baby? It’s definitely more convenient to be there to hand toys and snacks as needed but at some point I would like to sit in the front seat with my husband again. Maybe someday…

Before I close here are a few of the things Noah is doing now!

*Rolling like a mad man. I’m pretty sure if he was motivated enough he could crawl, but I think he lacks the interest.

*Self feeding w/ the pincer grasp. I love watching him feed himself puffs! Of course he’s still only successful about 60% of the time and often forgets to let go of the food before taking his fingers out of his mouth but he’s getting there

*Drinking from a sippy cup and a straw! We started with the Nuby sippy cup with the silicone nipple and he did great. Now we’re using the Nuby with the silicone straw and he loves it. He also loves to bite the straw

*Teething like crazy. He’s had his bottom 2 teeth for about 3 months and now he suddenly has 4 top teeth breaking at once. OUCH!

*Pulling himself up. He can go from sitting to standing with little to no assistance. He’s always loved to stand on his legs and I know it won’t be long before he is walking. (Someone please hold me I am definitely not ready for that)

*Standing on the furniture. If I stand him up agains the couch or anything else he can totally stand on his own and for several minutes.

*Eating table food. He recently decided he was done with purees and only wanted to eat things he can chew. So far his favorites are diced up squash, zucchini, and green beans. We still haven’t tried dairy again but I did by some organic yogurt to try soon.

*Saying Momma, Dadda, and Poppa. He’s actually started saying Momma when he’s reaching for me and I melt every single time!

Nothing Like A Wake-Up Call….

Our family got a HUGE wake-up call last night. The kind that comes out of no where and takes you by complete surprise. The kind that turns lives upside down and makes you hold your babies just a little bit tighter. At about 9 o’clock last night I got a call from my sister telling me that my cousin’s baby had fallen in the pool at my aunt and uncle (his grandparents) house. We immediately woke Noah up and headed to the children’s hospital, which we are so fortunate to have just a few miles from our home. When we got there a lot of my family was already there. (We’re a huge, close family and I love the amazing support that we can offer each other.)  We knew before we got there that he was in ICU and that was all we knew. When we got there we were able to get a few more details and learned that he was stable, but they were waiting 6-12 hours before they could tell if any permanent damage had been done.

The entire situation was just horrible and crazy. You see my cousin was actually in Hawaii on vacation and my uncle was out of town on business so he was home with my aunt. My aunt adores that child. He is her only grandchild and she watches his all of the time.  I can’t even begin to imagine what she must be feeling. She found him after the dog started barking at the back door (which was shut and locked and there is also a gate around the pool) and jumped in and grabbed him. I can barely think about this much less imagine having lived it.  God works in amazing ways, that is for sure. I am SO thankful that they had that dog. He truly saved his life.

I keep trying to imagine what my cousin must have been going through on that plane ride from Hawaii. Those must have been the longest, most agonizing hours of her life. I’m sure it was a feeling of complete helplessness. I pray I never have to know firsthand.

It’s a bitter sort of irony that his first swim class was actually supposed to be this morning. (My aunt and uncle have only lived in that home for about a month.) Billy and I have been talking for weeks about getting Noah in swim classes, which we will now not be putting off.

The amazing news is that he woke up shortly after my his mother got there and immediately said “Momma!” I am sure it is the best sound my cousin has ever heard. He was also counting to 10 in English and Spanish (he’s 2 1/2) and recognized everyone that came into the room. While he is not out of the woods yet things are definitely looking optimistic.

This situation definitely shows that you can NEVER be too careful! We get so placid at times and take so many of life’s blessings for granted. So take note and hold you’re babies a little bit tighter tonight.  I know I will!

*Thank you to everyone for all of the thoughts and prayers*

It’s Been A Long Time…

Ok I officially suck at blogging. I’ve tried this several times and I always start out hot and heavy and then quickly taper off. It’s like every diary I ever started as a young girl. The sad thing is that I really WANT this blog to be something. I was considering just closing it and going on my way, but then I reminded myself of why I started it in the first place. It wasn’t started to see how many readers I could get, or to be one of the “cool moms.” It was started as a way to capture this amazing time in our lives, and I still believe it can be an amazing tool. So I’m not going to give up, but I need you’re help. If you are one of the few, yet amazing loyal readers and you see me slacking off please yell at me and make me read this post. Deal?

The One With The Fedora…

About a week or so ago we were at the mall doing some shopping and decided to stop in at Janie and Jack. Billy had seen a fedora in the window and he HAD to get it for Noah. (My husband desperately wished he could pull off a fedora, sadly, he can not.) So we went in and tried it on and OH MY GOSH I nearly died from the cuteness. The best part is Noah loves it and he’ll wear it for hours. Here are some pictures in case you need proof that my child is the coolest kid eva!

You wouldn’t believe the number of comments we have gotten on this hat. We literally can’t go anywhere without random people stopping us to ask where we got it, and how we get him to keep it on. (Personally I think he knows it looks awesome, and that’s why he keeps it on.) By the way the second picture is Noah doing “so big!”  Man I love that kid!

My 1st Mother’s Day

Yesterday was my first real Mother’s Day and I must say it was pretty awesome. I remember last year I was pregnant and dreaming about what kind of mom I would be to the little peanut wiggling around in my belly. I was about 18 weeks or so and had just started feeling the first little flutters. Fast forward one year and my life has changed more than I ever could have imagined! Noah is far more than I ever could have expected. He amazes me every single day and I feel so honored that I get to be his mommy.

So here’s a recap of my 1st M’s day.

The morning started off pretty standard. We went to church and then went to Chelsea’s Kitchen, this fab little restaurant that we tend to save for special occasions. We enjoyed a great brunch along w/ an amazing pitcher of sangria. We then went home and took a family nap (Ah-mazing) before heading out to my grandmother’s for this big family lunch. (Literally the entire family meets at my grandmother’s house EVERY holiday.) We then headed home and I went for a little solo shopping trip to Target. Now, normally I HATE leaving Noah and make these trips as quick as possible but this time I quite enjoyed myself. I even decided to go swim suit shopping and found one that doesn’t look awful on me. Here it is.

Cute, no? I like that it covered my post-baby belly without looking like an old lady swimsuit. I also bought Noah these because we have a birthday pool party to go to this weekend.

He looks so cute in orange. Can’t wait to see him in it. I just hope he likes the pool, but I doubt it because the kid HATES the bath. Anyways, all in all it was a great day until about 10:30 when I realized Noah was getting very squirmy and starting to feel a little feverish. Full blown fever set in around 2 a.m. Poor guy. I sure hope he can kick this thing today. I hate seeing him sick.

Wordless Wednesday…

Noah’s 6 month photo shoot.