Back to Work!

Last week was a big week for Thomas and I...we went back to work! For those that don't know, one of my best friends, Jen, opened her own handbags & accessories shop in downtown Elk River last March.  I have been working with her since she opened and was working Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays since I left Target.  We had to postpone my original return date because of poor Jen having a terrible cold, but we were back last Thursday! 

I'm back working Thursdays and Fridays and am lucky enough to be able to bring Thomas with. Jen's kids, almost 1 year old Jack and 10 year old Alexis, come in to the store with her too, so it's really awesome to be able to have Thomas come with me! It was nice being able to get out of the house and into a routine again.  Thomas did really well and I'm sure it will just get better.  I apologized to Jen in advance for not being the most diligent worker for these first couple of weeks as Thomas tries to figure things out and get into a routine there, and luckily she understands! On Friday Thomas was so tired that he finally gave in and took a very nice nap in his carseat.  I think he is really aware of when things are out of the ordinary and does his best to stay awake and try and take it all in.  He also seemed to finally realize that Jack was there and that he was another baby! Once he woke up from his power nap on Friday and was all refreshed, he could not stop staring at Jack! I think it will be a lot of fun to see him and Jack become fast friends! 

Sunny Days & Celebrations

Thomas has been able to get out on two walks around town this month.  His first was just around our neighborhood during the Sunday it hit 60 degrees and his second was just last Saturday when it was nice again. We felt ambitious last Saturday and took him all the way from our house up to the strip mall in town! We needed things at the grocery store for dinner that night and decided to make it a family outing, which also included bringing him in the store.  This is a huge deal for me since I'm a big worrywart and take all of the doctor's light warnings quite literally! We went to the drugstore, the grocery store, and even McDonald's to see if we could find a movie we wanted to rent.  It was definitely a big day! Thomas slept almost the entire time so he missed out on the real adventure but I guess it was more of a big deal for me! 

The day after our big walk we went up to St. Cloud to celebrate Grandma Kathi's birthday.  This was Thomas's first trip up to Grandma and Grandpa's house since they have been kind enough to come to us in Delano so far.  I think Thomas really enjoyed himself and was able to do some showing off on how much he loves his activity mat and smiling! I don't think Grandma and Grandpa minded that at all.  It was really nice to finally get to St. Cloud and I'm sure we'll be getting up there often now! 

After our birthday outing we had dinner over at our neighbors' house.  This was also the first time Thomas had been there so it was a big day for him! They have two dogs as well who Thomas hadn't officially met so Koda and Bella got the opportunity to sniff him out and really greet him! 

It was a weekend of big steps for us (by us I really mean me!) and now we are really getting the itch for consistently nice weather so we can come out of our shell! I can't wait to be able to take more family walks, or even to get out for walks while we're home together during the day.  That week I felt comfortable enough to take him to Barnes & Noble and, even though he woke up while we were there and made the decision that we weren't staying long, it was nice to feel OK bringing him on errands.  Soon enough we will be out and about!

March Madness

Thomas has been going through a couple of exciting growth spurts lately...very exciting to see! He's is more and more alert during the day and sleeping even harder at night.  I can't begin to describe how amazing it has been to watch him grow and develop right before our eyes! Being able to wake him up each day and get a smile from him when he finally focuses his sleepy eyes is the best way to start a morning! Dad usually receives a picture email from my phone when Thomas is up for the day with some sort of "Good Morning Daddy!" message and then updates throughout the day.  Then when Joe gets home he immediately "scrubs in" and starts Daddy duty. They are well on their way to being best friends and its a bond that I love to see develop! I was able to get to lunch with girlfriends yesterday and Joe and Thomas were able to relax and watch their very first baseball game together...I'm sorry I missed it! 

Thomas and I also survived our first night alone this weekend.  Joe had a bachelor party on Saturday night and that left Thomas and I to fend for ourselves.  We tried watching a Baby Einstein DVD, which somewhat held Thomas's attention, and did a lot of playing with his activity center.  He's loving that more and more these days and is just mesmerized by the star at the top that lights up and plays music. He will stare at that and smile and dance his heart out! 

On Sunday it was so gorgeous out that we bundled Thomas up and took him for his first walk.  It was great to be able to be outdoors and so fun to finally use his stroller.  We've been waiting almost 4 months for that! Thomas seemed to enjoy it, he feel asleep pretty quickly, just like he does in the car.  We had to stop by our neighbors house to show them who was out and about in the neighborhood...and to practice getting the stroller up and down stairs.  That's something that I'll have to practice a little bit more! 

Toys, Toys, Toys!

Good news for Mom and Dad...Thomas has started to really take a liking to his bouncing chair, SWING, and toys! We were a little worried about the swing but it seems like Thomas is learning to like it, at least for up to an hour at a time.  What a relief! Thomas is gradually feeling OK in his carseat but, for a while, the only way to get him calm in it before starting the actual car ride was to swing the carseat back and forth.  So Joe and I were pretty confident that we could shell out the money for the swing we wanted and Thomas would love it.  That was so not the case! He hated it and first and acted like just being in it was pure torture! 

Well...for the last week Thomas has seemed to enjoy the swing! Last Saturday he spent about an hour taking a nice nap in it and since then he has spent anywhere from 20-60 minutes in it, either entertained by the mobile or sleeping.  This is huge! He's also started to take naps in his bouncing chair and just this morning seemed to be able to entertain himself with the toys attached to it.  It was so fun to see him respond to the swinging animals and smile! He was able to take a nap in it this morning, allowing me time to shower with him nearby, and was awake and able to keep himself entertained while I finished getting ready for the day and made lunch. It's amazing watching him focus on the toys and me and wondering what he's thinking!

Valentine's Day

Thomas celebrated his first Valentine's Day this past weekend.  He received his very first Valentine from his Grandpa Dave and got another one in the mail on Saturday from his good buddy Jack Klemmensen, who also celebrated his first V-Day this year! Thomas, of course, had a special Valentine's outfit and big plans for the day.  He was going to be spending the evening with his Grandma Kathi and Grandpa Larry! That's right, his first babysitters! Joe and I headed to White Castle with Jean and Larry for our 4th year in a row.  I wasn't too nervous about leaving Thomas for a little while, I think having to leave each night while he was in the hospital helped prepare me for that.  Thank goodness! Grandma Kathi was very respectful and asked to watch me prepare a bottle and for any other directions we wanted to give.  I thought that was very sweet! Being a new mom, and an especially worrisome one at that, it was nice to be able to give some instructions.  Although I do know that I need to remember that almost everyone caring for Thomas has raised children of their own successfully and I should try to relinquish a little control for my own sanity! ;) You can't help but worry though.  

Joe and I headed out and had a lovely evening at the Hopkins White Castle with Jean and Larry.  It's always a good time each year and is a fun tradition that we are able to share with them.  Next year Thomas will be joining us and I'm hoping it can continue to be a family celebration! 

Thanks to Grandma & Grandpa for babysitting Thomas! 

Week 10

Now that I'm all caught up on the most recent events in Thomas's life, I'm hoping to be able to post more regularly.  My goal is to be able to track his milestones and everyday occurrences that our family and friends have to miss out on, with pictures! Every day with Thomas is such a joy and I am excited that we are able to share it with all of you.

After our last doctor's appointment I have been waiting for Thomas to hit all of those 2 month milestones, including starting to "coo" and smile in response to us. Last week I was able to prompt a smile out of Thomas and it made my week! I couldn't help but cry because he has the sweetest smile! It just lights up his face! I can't wait for the coming weeks when we go to pick him up and he just smiles because he sees his mommy and daddy.  This week he has continued to have a couple of times a day where he is alert and content enough to get quite a few smiles out of him.  It's amazing! Also this week he has become a little more vocal and, although they aren't quite "coos" yet, they are definitely getting there.   

Over the weekend he started sleeping in his own room! To my relief, the baby monitor works great and I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be over the move.  He has done great being down the hall and it's nice not to have to tip toe around him for fear of waking him up! 

Thomas's 2 Month Doctor Appointment

We continued to have great news when we went to Thomas's 2 month doctor's appointment.  Since birth Thomas has been making great progress in his growth and continued to stay healthy and strong.  We have been very lucky and are anxiously awaiting the spring and the end of the cold/flu season so that we can let our guard down a little bit and maybe expose him to the real world! It's hard to remember that he is a preemie at times but we have to continue to be cautious.  

Thomas has been increasing his food intake steadily since he came home from the hospital and each appointment so far has had great surprises for us with his weight and height.  We actually enjoy our doctor's visits! At his 2 month appointment we were happy to learn that he now weighs 10 lbs, 5 oz and is 21 inches long.  Gaining almost 5 pounds in 8 weeks is great progress for him! 

Thomas also received his first real round of vaccinations.  He had his first Hep B vaccine while still in the hospital, but this time we were there to hold his little hands while he received his shots.  He took them like a trooper! He cried for a little bit but was OK after being held.  As a side affect of the vaccinations, he had his first fever over the weekend too.  Luckily his pediatrician explained everything to us beforehand, including the "safe" range for the fever, so I wasn't too panicked and Joe was, of course, nice and calm! I did try to take his temperature every chance I could though, just to make sure everything was OK!