Fifteen Weeks

Brody LOVES to smile!

This was a week full of firsts for Brody. On Wednesday he went to his first business dinner with Jim and his boss. I wasn't sure that taking a 3 1/2 month old to a nice restaurant for a business dinner was a good idea but Brody was very well behaved (as usual) and slept for most of the 3 hours that we were out. Brody was a hit with all of the wait staff and the manager even offered to carrying him around if he started crying during dinner. Luckily for us we didn't have to take her up on the offer. On Thursday we started our morning out very early since I had to be to work by 7am for a meeting. We wished Jim a happy birthday on the way out the door because he was leaving for a business trip. While at day care Brody made Jim a birthday surprise!

Brody's Birthday Card for Dad

That night Brody and I spent our first night alone in our house. Jim has been on other trips but I was still on maternity leave so we just went to stay with my parents. He was very well behaved for me only waking up once during the night. Jim returned home on Friday night and we headed out to celebrate his birthday. Brody once again slept the whole time we were out to dinner - we have been very lucky that he makes going out dinner very easy. On Saturday the boys spent the morning together while I went to get my hair cut. They had a good time just relaxing. The rest of the weekend was very relaxing with all of us going to bed early trying to catch up on our sleep. Unfortunately last night was very rough with Brody waking up every 2-3 hours screaming at us. We weren't sure what was wrong with him but after his day at day care it seems like he was working on getting things moving through his body - he was sent home in a different outfit since he exploded out of his diaper shortly after I dropped him off. The teacher at day care commented that she thought he might be starting to teethe also since he just started chewing on his bottom lip today. Hopefully that isn't the reason we were up so often last night - I am really counting on some more sleep tonight!

Hope everyone has a great week. Here are some pictures of Brody smiling (and a few of him not enjoying tummy time!) to brighten up your day!

Brody loves his activity center!

As you can tell from the pictures - Brody still hates tummy time and Chloe (the cat) is not amused by him!

Big smiles for daddy!

Fourteen Weeks Old

His smile makes my day!

This was a very big week for Brody. On Tuesday I started taking 60z bottles to Daycare to see if Brody would eat a little more and to my surprise he ate all of them that day! I guess the little guy was ready to move up! He smiles more and more every day! Every morning Jim and I are greeted with smiles and then he wins over all of the teachers when we get to daycare with his cute smile! He is definitely a hit with everyone there!

Brody has gotten a lot better with controlling his head so we started putting him in his activity center at my mom's and at home. He really enjoys sitting up and just looking around at everything. He is starting to figure out that his hands are attached to his body and he actually controls them. I watched him the other night on the monitor putting his hands in his mouth and then when he would pull them away he would scream...then he would put them back in and repeat the process. He is sleeping pretty well now. He typically goes to bed around 8:30 - 9pm and then we get up around 2am and then again at 6am. He really doesn't sleep much at all at daycare because he is so busy watching all of the little boys play.

Who would guess that this was at 6:30am on Saturday!

On Sunday Brody was baptized at the church that Jim and I were married at. He did very well. He slept through the whole service right up until we went up to the altar and he didn't cry at all when the water touched his head. He was a big hit with the congregation. We had our family and friends over to my parents house for a brunch following the service. The day went really well. Jim and I were exhausted by the end of the weekend!

My brother is Brody's Godfather

They forgot to write "Christening" on the cake and we had a little mishap during transportation of the cake - but it still tasted great!

This will be my first time staying here at the house alone with Brody. Jim has to travel on Thursday and Friday this week. Of course it turns out to be the worst day because I need to be to work at 7am on Thursday...so Brody and I will be having a very early morning with him going to daycare about an hour early. I think we will both be exhausted by the end of the day Thursday.

I hope everyone had a great week. Sorry for the delay in posting this week. The nights go by so fast now that I am back to work!

Jim was very impressed that Brody could hold his own bottle (this only lasted about a minute!)

Thirteen Weeks

Three Months Old! I can't believe how time flies!

We made it through our first week! Brody started Daycare on Monday - what a rough day for me! I have to say I did much better than last Thursday when I went back to work...but still a lot of tears! The week got drastically better as it went on and by Friday I could drop Brody off without crying! The teachers he has at Daycare are so sweet! They all love him and have daily updates for me on what he did during the day - he even made us a present while he was there!(see the picture below) Everyday it seemed like he started to smile more and more and everyone was enjoying his "easy going" personality. He also started eating much better and sleeping a lot less during the day. Most days he only slept around 2 - 3 hours while he was there! When he would stay at home with me it seemed like he was only awake 2-3 hours! It must be that the three other boys in the room keep him alert - they all are at the stages of sitting up and crawling so they make a lot of noise! Jim and I found out that we were definitely not enough stimulation for him this weekend - he didn't sleep very much at all but was very unhappy!

The pillow that Brody made us this week - the snowman is his footprint (isn't it the cutest thing! I love his teachers!)

We had some of our friends from Pennsylvania come in on Friday and stay with us. It was really good to see them. On Saturday night we were able to go to my work Holiday Party and then out with our friends afterwards. My mom and dad were nice enough to come and stay the night with Brody. We really appreciated having time to spend as just the two of us with some adult conversation.

Jim bought Brody this rocking cow for Christmas - Grandma thought it was time for Brody to try it out!

I'm not sure Brody knew what to think!

Brody turned 3 months yesterday so we went to get his pictures taken. Of course he had not slept the whole day so he was not in a good mood when we arrived. Surprisingly we got some very good pictures between his crying. I will have access to them online in about a week so I will make sure to post them. I am hoping that next month we will be able to get some of him smiling. He sure is happy when he is rested! Grandma and Grandpa got a lot of smiles this weekend.





Today we went to visit a new Church close to where I work. We really enjoyed the service and of course Brody's hair was a hit! I took him up to communion and when the Pastor got to us he just started smiling and gave Brody a blessing. After the service we spoke with the Pastor and he said that he was shocked to see these big eyes looking at him and all this hair!





This week will be another busy week for us. Next Sunday Brody will be getting baptized. The service will be at the church that I was baptized at and where Jim and I were married - so we will be heading to my parents on either Friday or Saturday night to prepare for everything. I am sure we will have a lot of pictures to share next week!

This is how Brody spent most his weekend - WIDE awake!

Twelve Weeks - Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone! We tried to celebrate the New Year with some of our neighbors but after we had been there for about 40 minutes Brody just started screaming and wouldn't stop so Jim and I just brought him home. Jim and I just ended up watching the ball drop after putting Brody to bed and then going to bed ourselves.

I had to start back to work on Thursday. Luckily my mom was able to come and watch Brody yesterday and today. It was a very difficult morning on Thursday and I was glad to have my mom here to help me through the day. Brody didn't seem to mind me going back to work - he slept pretty much the whole day. Monday will be the real test for us with him going to daycare for the first time. I know he will be very loved there...but it is still difficult to leave my little boy there. It almost seems this is the first step in him growing up! It is nice to get back to work and be on my own schedule and actually talk to some adults...but I miss my little man a lot!

We will be heading to my parents tomorrow so that we can meet with our pastor to arrange for Brody's baptism. My mom has offered to watch him again tomorrow night so Jim and I can go out for a nice dinner. I guess we can take that night to celebrate the start to our first whole year as a family.



We hope everyone had a safe start to the New Year!

Dad and I were dressed and ready to watch Penn State in their bowl game!

The guys hanging out after finishing the work week!

Brody was actually enjoying tummy time for once!

Eleven Weeks - First Christmas

Our family's first Christmas Eve

This was a very busy week for us! We started out the week at Grandma and Grandpa Christiansen's roughing it. They had lost power when we arrived on Sunday due to strong winds and we didn't get it back until Christmas Eve around 11am (we didn't really rough it since they had a generator - the only things we didn't have were the stove and microwave). We started out the celebration with my Aunt Judy and Uncle Bob on Christmas Eve and then continued celebrating with my Grandma, Uncle Jim, Aunt Mary and cousins Jay and Steve on Christmas. Brody slept the best he has so far with all of the excitement (on Christmas Eve he slept from 12:30am to 6am!).



Brody was definitely spoiled this christmas. Uncle Neal got him a bomber jacket for next winter (I think he has hopes that Brody will be a pilot like him). He also got him a John Deere onesie and a corncob teether! Grandma and Grandpa Christiansen and Raguckas spoiled him also with some toys and a lot of new clothes.



He really started smiling a lot more during the past week too. Uncle Neal and Grandpa Christiansen really got him going while he was there to visit.



This week I have to return to work. My first day will be on Thursday. I am really starting to get depressed thinking about it! I can't believe it has been 12 weeks already and I have to leave my baby boy! I am looking forward to interacting with adults on a regular basis again but just wish that Brody could come with me. Grandma Christiansen is going to come and watch Brody on Thursday and Friday so the first day at daycare (I think we will call it school to make me feel better!) will be the next Monday.



I hope everyone had a great Christmas and that you have a safe and happy New Year!!!

Grandma Christiansen bought me a donkey for Christmas!

Grandpa Christiansen thought he was the best Christmas present! Brody was too tired from all the excitment!

Great Grandma gave Brody a "First Christmas" hat - he wasn't sure what to think!

Brody was all dressed up and ready to ride his Donkey on Christmas!

Uncle Neal got some big smiles for Christmas!

Dad took advantage of my hair when I was sleeping!

And he thought he was pretty funny!

10 Weeks Old

This was a very busy week for Brody and I. The week started off with Brody giving his dad a big surprise! Poop has become a big deal in our family ( I guess this happens to most people when a baby comes into their life!). Brody has been having a little trouble recently and at the beginning of the week Jim was attempting to change what we thought was an easy diaper when the flood gates opened! As Jim wiped Brody he dislodged what turned out to be the plug and poop went flying about a foot from where Brody was laying - including a portion landing on Jim's hand!!! I could not help but laugh...and keep laughing as Jim washed his hand and began to gag in the kitchen! Brody just laid there as happy as could be as I laughed for about 10 minutes! It was the funniest thing I think I have ever witnessed. After that big event diaper changes have gone uneventful!

Brody and I went out to lunch with one of my coworkers and her 2 sons on Tuesday. It was a good time for us all and the best part was that her 4 year old son said that Brody looked like a Rockstar with his hair! We then went to visit other coworkers at mmpc and once again the most common comment was "look at all that hair"! It was good for us to get out and visit and I could start to think about returning to work.

On Friday Jim and I took Brody to the daycare for the first time. It was hard for me to picture leaving him there in a couple of weeks. But I do think he will really enjoy it there. The ladies that watch the babies have been there for 10+ years and there are all little boys in the infant room right now. Luckily it is just 5 minutes from my work so I will be able to stop in there whenever I need to just see him!

This will be a busy week for us. We are already at my parent's house for the holidays (so Brody is already being spoiled!). I think he will have more presents than anyone to open (it looks like Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Neal went a little overboard for a 2 month old!). He has already received his gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Raguckas and some of his Aunts and Uncles so he will have plenty of clothes and toys to enjoy for the next couple of months.

We hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!!



Uncle Neal put together this picture (hoping for Brody to follow in his footsteps!)








Merry Christmas!!!!

Nine Weeks Old

Brody has been smiling more this week!

Brody turned two months old this Wednesday and he celebrated by receiving his first set of vaccinations! He did very well at his doctor's appointment. He weighs 12 lbs 6 oz. and is 23 3/4 inches long. He is in the 50th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height and head circumference! He has really started smiling a lot more this week too - Jim has been lucky enough to get quite a few since he worked from home a few days this week (I think Brody was excited to see him in the morning). I think he is starting to figure out his hands - they end up in his mouth a lot more now.



Brody also went and met some of my coworkers on Thursday. It was good to get out of the house and start preparing for me to go back to work. I have less than 3 weeks left! I can't believe how fast this time has gone by. I am torn between returning to work and wanting to stay home with him! I definitely know that I miss the adult interaction but I wish that I could just bring him along with me each day! I know the first week is going to be the hardest at daycare but after that I hope that it gets better (lots of moms have to do this right?!)



My dad came today to help Jim start framing out the basement. We aren't in a big hurry to get it finished but have had the wood for framing for almost a year now! So we needed to get something done before all of the wood became warped. We are going to be adding another bedroom, bath and a living space - it will be good for when Brody starts to have large toys!



This next week we will be staying at home. My mom is going to be coming to visit on Wednesday to visit (she hasn't seen Brody in 2 weeks!). I am looking forward to spending some more time with her baking Christmas cookies and playing with Brody!

The guys spending some quality time together!

Eight Weeks Old

Brody thinking about everything he has accomplished in just 8 weeks!

I can't believe that Brody is 2 months old! Time has really flown by since he was born! This was a very busy week at home for us. We started out taking pictures for the holiday cards (my mom's and our own) - Brody was a very good model! We then went to Babies R Us to finish buying some of the essentials (including a baby spa bathtub!). Brody made that trip interesting - as I was changing him in the women's room he started to pee and it hit the bathroom door next to the changing table! All I could do was laugh! Then mid week we headed out on our first trip to the grocery store on our own (Brody made it interesting by screaming about halfway through the trip so I had to get him out of his carseat and just stand in the aisle trying to get him calm down) we also went into my work to visit some of my Ferris coworkers. It was nice to have some time out of the house (although this week Brody has definitely started to be fussier). Yesterday I had the chance to do a little Christmas shopping while Jim stayed with Brody - it is a weird feeling to be on my own schedule and not worrying about when someone needs to eat or if their diaper is clean! We also decided to move Brody to his room last night (which was very difficult for me!) He did pretty well - just waking up a few extra times needing to be comforted (but he fell back asleep quickly). I think Jim was amused with how hard it was for me to leave him in there - I made sure he had all of his extras on his crib (his mattress vibrates, he has an aquarium music toy and a Penn State Mobile - and I even turned them all on at once! I then realized that I was probably over stimulating him!). Jim laughed while he watched me put him to bed (we also bought a video monitor so that I can check on him without walking down the hall every time I hear a noise!) Then today we went to get our Christmas Tree! A baby definitely makes things easier in some cases! Last year Jim and I spent over an hour trying to find the "perfect tree" and this year we parked and had cut down a tree within 10 minutes! Brody did enjoy the sunshine today though and was very good through the whole process. I will have to share pictures next week of what our tree looks like after we decorate it.

This will be another eventful week with his 2 month doctor's appointment. I am dreading the idea of him getting his vaccines but know that it is essential. That is why I have asked Jim to go along with me (Dad can be the bad guy holding him!).

Here are some pictures from the week - Hope all is well with everyone!

A sneak peek at some of the holiday photos!

All dressed up and ready to find the perfect tree!

I was a little heavier than mom expected - so it may not have been quite the perfect tree (but a close one!)

I enjoyed napping in the cradle that Grandpa Christiansen made me!

Seven Weeks Old

I cannot believe that Brody is seven weeks old! Time has truly flown by and I feel like he is getting so big!

We had a good week with my family. Grandpa Christiansen watched Brody on Thursday so I could do a little shopping with my mom and then on Friday morning Uncle Neal came over to help Grandpa watch Brody while I went to my doctor's appointment. I also got to a chance to eat lunch with my friend Natalie before heading home - it was very nice to have some adult conversation!

Jim was in Dallas this week where he got to go to the Dallas Cowboys game and sit in a luxury box (oh what an awful job he has!). He got home Friday night and had a night in our house without us - so he was happy to see Brody when we got home Saturday morning.

This week will be our first full week in our house in over a month! We are going to try to transition Brody into sleeping in his room this week (I think this is going to be harder for me than for him!).

Here are some more pictures to enjoy (Uncle Neal and I had fun styling Brody's hair after his bath on Friday night!)