A Fresh Start...

I am ready to give this a go again.

It has been more than six months since I have blogged about, well, anything. I have thought about coming back here often, but then sleeping sounded much, much better than blogging about, well, anything.

The thing is, there has just been too much.

Too much good, that is.

First there was this - a home purchased that needed much tender, loving care. A home I was ready to sand and paint alongside my husband. A home that literally tripled our living space and was placed perfectly next to a community pool and across the street from a playground and an elementary school. A home to raise our baby boy in, and I was pumped.

And then we found out about this - literally the day after we signed the papers on the above. This was not planned and this meant weeks of worry that perhaps we would have to relive the grief of two prior "this-es." But this time was different. Immediately. This time there was a dot at 5 weeks, a bean at 6 weeks, a very tiny human at 12 weeks, and a bouncing, baby boy at 17 weeks who was very pleased to show us his parts multiple times. This time I puked for 20 weeks straight and therefore I wasn't able to help with the sanding and the painting of the home bought for our baby boy - now our baby boys. And now at 31 weeks today, I look forward to seeing this little man face to face, to introduce him to his brother, and to have his father carry him for a little while. It is amazing how with a little bit of faith and a whole lot of surrendering, the family you always dreamed of can come to fruition before your very eyes.

Which brings me to him - the very BEST thing that has ever happened to his mama and papa. He has sprouted a couple teeth, a bit more hair, and a few more inches. He has taken his first couple of wobbly steps all on his own and he LOVES to get down to some good music. Best of all, he sleeps through the night with an occassional display of displeasure at not being able to find his binky in the dark. Our Nico continues to show his unbelievably strong will and has proven that you can communicate exactly what you want and need without uttering a single word. He waves goodbye in the morning now, meows back at the kitties, and gives the hugest most slobbery-est kisses ever known to humankind. In just a month and half our baby will be one and will shortly thereafter become a very little older brother...

... so here I am, friends, starting over with a new background, a new title, and a new appreciation for letting go and letting what will be, BE.

Here is to a fresh start...and a clean one at that.

Feet

It began with just one...
...but quickly turned to two.

And then they went in the mouth, which is currently where he prefers them to be.

Does someone want to tell me why we even bother with rattles?

Firsts...

October marked the first of many firsts...

There was the eating of cereal and peas. The peas won out by a land slide.

There was the sitting up in his little rubber seat (I forget what it's called), which made him look like a man. We are still waiting for the rolling over but the boy loves to stand and loves to sit in his seat.

And then there was the first Halloween. While he felt awful and struggled with a fever and the vomiting of phlegm, he and his cousin still made the best Thing 1 and Thing 2 I have ever seen.

And for the record, we are still patiently waiting for the first sleeping through the night.

4-months-old

This is what 4-months-old looks like...

I really do wish I could take credit for his gorgeousness. I know every mom has spent hours and hours staring at their babies, yet there are moments I feel like there must be something wrong with me because I can't take my eyes off this boy. My sister forecasts many a phone call from teenage girls in the future. Let me make this clear...NO. Enough said.

At four months Mr. Nico continues to be fascinated with his hands and has finally figured out that instead of trying to shove his whole fist in his mouth, a couple of fingers will suffice. Plus, he loves to hold your hand, especially when eating and falling asleep. I want him to do that forever. He has also discovered his feet and grabs for them as much as possible. Rolling over is just around the corner and while he has been scarce with his laughter, when he lets it roll, it definitely rolls. Smiles and sounds, however, are never scarce, and he loves, loves, loves singing. He almost loves it as much as the moment his papa walks through the front door from work...that is the highlight of his day for sure. I need to get that stuff on video. The thing is, plain and simple, the boy is a complete and total joy. I wish I could take credit for that too, but I really believe it's just how he is wired. I find myself picturing him in the future and then I have to remind myself to enjoy the now because it has already gone so fast.

The sleep thing could be better, though. While in the last week he has made great strides and is only waking up once a night, I don't think I have ever felt this tired, well, ever. I have been told the sleeping-through-the-night thing will happen soon. I am just afraid that when it does, I won't actually be able to wake up. It is amazing, though, how functional you can still be when sleep deprived. Granted, every once in a while the sleep deprivation shines through...like when your husband puts the ice cream back in the fridge instead of the freezer, and when you catch at the very last minute a typo you were going to give to students that would have been very, very bad ("cummer" is NOT a good replacement for "summer"). And I must say that I hate acid reflux. I despise it. I loathe it. I want it to go far, far away from here, especially the gagging cough that sounds like he is about to give birth to his insides. Acid reflux can kiss my butt.

In short, our boy is growing like a weed and continues to make our world go round. May the teenage years stay very far away and may he want to hold my hand for a very long time.

8

Today my Ana turns 8.

And this was our phone conversation this morning:

Me: Happy Birthday Ana! Can you believe you're 8?

Ana: No, I can't.

Me: I know, me neither.

Ana: Yeah, when I started 2nd grade I felt decrepit and today I feel even more decrepit.

Me: (Silence, thinking to myself, "Is this what the new 8 sounds like?")

So today Miss Smarty Pants turns another year older, another year smarter, and another year funnier. I love this kid with all that I am.

Happy Birthday, Ana Banana!

Firsts

Apparently "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round" is HYSTERICAL.

Just ask Nico.

While singing and shaking his little legs, he laughed for the first time today.

And it wasn't a pansy laugh either. It was a laugh straight from his belly and it MADE MY DAY.

Actually, it MADE MY WEEK.

The thing is, this week has been hard.

First, he bloodied his own head by going after his itchy cradle cap in the middle of the night. I must say that finding your baby with bloody scratches all over his scalp at 3 in the morning is not my idea of a good time. Thanks to a quick trip to the doctor and some steroid cream, his scalp is looking pretty darn good right now. It's hairless, but it's bloodless. I'll take than any day of the week.

Then, starting on Tuesday night, his acid reflux took a turn for the worst. The coughs and gags that came out of his 3-month-old body were deafening, and I'm not exaggerating. I wish I was. None of us got more than 20 minutes of sleep at a time for two nights in a row. NOT. GOOD. NEWS. Thankfully this time I just had to call the doctor and as of last night, our little one is on acid reflux medicine. While last night wasn't perfect, it was so much better!

So much better, in fact, that today he LAUGHED and my heart sang! This mom stuff rocks.

For the record...

...this is what happens when a 34-year-old software developer and father of one goes up for a header during a recreation league soccer game:

After three hours in the emergency room, five stitches, and dry heaving (me, not him), this is the end result:

Awesome, baby. Freakin' awesome.