Happy 2 Months Addison!

Just a very short posts...it's late and there's a huge list of things to do that still won't get done tonight but we need sleep. Addison is 2 months old already which is hard to believe. She is proving to be such a calm and content baby, she only fusses when she is hungry, wet, dirty, or needs to burp. And goodness, this girl can put both her brothers to shame with her burps - they are quite big! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and time spent in MN with family and will try and post on that soon. For now though here is the latest month picture of Addison and also her stats! We have a busy week of appointments, Addison has 3 on Thursday and we should have some more information on her hearing loss and getting her a hearing aid. Other than dealing with congestion (actually they told us today it was RSV - basically just a cold in her lungs) she is doing great - oh well except the fluid in her ears...but the right ear has had fluid since birth...so overall we're doing well here - lol if you buy that ;-)

Weight: 10 lb 7 oz (she was 7 lb 10 oz at birth) 23 %

Height: 22.75 inches 45%

Head size: 15 inches 20%

Enjoying Fall

We have really been enjoying this past week - the weather has been awesome! Someone at church said it was like mother nature was making up for what we got in October. It couldn't be more true. The days have been warm and sunny and allowed for lots of time to play outside. It has been a pretty busy week in some regards though. Wednesday Mike had the day off and we didn't do a whole lot out and about but instead relaxed for the most part at home and took it slow. We did end up going to Lowe's - Mike wanted to go ahead and get the board we needed for MOPS that he cut for us; we are making travel boards at our next meeting so excited! Thursday Noah went on his very first field trip with his preschool class. His class went to the children's museum here. We walked him out to the bus and he said "bye mommy" and got on the bus like it was nothing. I was just a little bit sad, I love though that he's so confident and adventure loving that he's not hesitent or scared by new situations. That is definitely part of Noah's charm. He had a great time, though all we got out of him was that he played in the ball room and the playground - which are two of the rooms we spend lots of time in when we go as a family. He did great according to his teacher though. He's definitely growing up way too fast.

Josh, Addison and I went to the allergist for Josh's appointment. It was just a normal visit for him, though we still have some concerns on some of the spots on his skin and while he has improved overall since his first allergist appointment we are still having lots of the good and bad cycles and Josh just seems so itchy. We can't do a ton more for him medicine wise, the poor child has tried just about everything that should/could help and is pretty much maxed out on things lotion/cream wise. We are going to start doing one of the oral medicines twice a day that should help with his itchiness - which is why his skin looks so bad sometimes, he just digs at spots. It's only been two days of the morning routine but so far there seems to be some less itchiness. Also decided that it was best to increase his antibotic for his ear infection another 10 days because of some of the spots on his skin that look infected again - the skin infections take a bit longer to clear up we've learned from the past. We also were told it was definitely time to go back to dermotology for the spots on his stomach that seem to be different - they are not eczema flair ups but look like contact dermatitis. His allergist really would like to do a patch test on him but said he knew at his age it would be pointless since he has to have 2 big patches on his back for 48 hours without getting wet at all. So when we got home I called to find a new dermotologist since his last one changed practices and isn't in network. When we got that figured out I called to make him an appointment, we of course wanted the first available they had but had to turn down the first 2 appointments they offered us because Addison has specialists appointments those days. Crazy!

Addison is really starting to enjoy her play mat. She really just seems to like to lay down and have some freedom to kick and move her arms as much as she wants. I think she likes being able to have a different view, too. It's hard when the boys are up though to have her laying on the floor because of course Josh isn't quite old enough to get the don't jump near Addison or that's too hard. She also has been eating like a crazy girl lately - but thankfully these stretches are during the day and not at night so no complaints there, it just makes it a little more difficult to get everything accomplished.

Friday we all got to go to Mike's work and have lunch with him. It was such a treat for the boys to see Daddy's work and office and then to go and play air hockey in the break room with Daddy.

Picture Links...

Just to draw attention...finally got links up for pictures. I love Kodak's site, but don't order prints hardly ever and they are beginning restrictions on the number you can upload (which makes sense in so many ways!) but we just aren't ordering. I end up uploading the pictures to Facebook even if they get on Kodak it seems, so instead of posting them twice and/or looking for a new host for the millions of pictures we decided it was just easier to share the links via the blog and emails since they are already there. You don't have to have a Facebook account, just click on the links!

November Already!

Time is just flying by, I can't believe how quickly it is passing! I keep telling myself that I will start posting regularly but haven't quite gotten there yet. So, I figure it is mostly family reading and they would at least like a bit of an update...hope you excuse the rushed/short hand versions for awhile!

- November 1st was Parent-Baby Dedication at church. Addison was dedicated along with several other babies and parents. It is always such a special day, reminding us of just how important our call as parents is, I feel so blessed that we have a wonderful church family to continue to encourage us and help us grow through this crazy journey as parents.
-Tuesday night, Nov. 3rd we decided to put Addison in her crib in her own room because the week before she had slept so awesome! We were getting five or seven hours of sleep for a few nights there, it was wonderful! It was also very short lived. Tuesday night she did great, since then not so much. Addison was sleeping five hours straight, only it was from 8 am til 1 pm - not quite what we wanted.
-Josh had a bit of a rough week, he was simply up and down emotionally it seemed and a complete rollercoaster. Things that normally aren't fights/arguements/tantrums were suddenly all of those things. It was exhausting trying to balance what he needed and remaining consistent on discipline and behavior expectations. By the end of the week we really thought there had to be more going on, something had to be wrong with this child! On Monday he had said his mouth hurt, pointed at his ear when you asked what hurt, but after that wasn't complaining so much about it. We decided to try and wait to see if it was just him getting over his cold completely. Well Saturday was another very rough and roller coaster day for Josh, Sunday he seemed more himself and less moody but I wasn't convinced. Today we took him in to the doctor and sure enough the poor guy has another ear infection. I feel awful, I should have taken him in sooner. This is number 2 in the past 2 months, both in his left ear. In September we were told his tube in the left ear was out - we would wait and see if it mean constent ear infections before seeing ENT again. Well today, the tech said he saw the tube in his ear and I was completely confused. After talking to the doctor I understood better, the tube was present in his ear but not in his ear drum placed correctly - so basically it had "come out" and he definitely had an infection. This afternoon he had lots of puss/mucos/blood tinged discharge and after seeming to be in a lot of pain for half an hour and finally having got all the stuff out he seemed to feel better. We are on 10 more days of antibotics and have an appointment with ENT the first part of December, pretty sure we'll redo that tube. The tube came completely out tonight before bed so hopefully the worst of it is over for Josh now.
-Wed. of last week we spent playing at the gym and the learning center while Mike was at work. The boys had a great time, Addison slept the entire time basically. It is amazing to see how much the boys grow in just months. Josh was really enjoying puzzles (the ones with knobs) while we were there and Noah enjoyed the songs, even sharing a spider with Addison during one song.
-Friday Mike took the day off, so nice after such a long week at home for us. The weather was gorgeous and the boys enjoyed playing outside for much of the day, insisting that Mike go out and play with them. They played turtles for a bit, as in TMNT now that's a throw back. Mike and I got the chance to go out for a date with some good friends - Sara & Matt and Alexis & Ken to Zio's a pizza place downtown. It was delicious and I got to surprise Mike with Sara's help with his birthday cake (we are now a peanut free house because of Josh's allergies). The church had a Parents Night Out to raise money for a mission trip to Africa - so we couldn't not help out!
-Noah continues to amaze me and surprise me. His imagination has just taken off in leaps and bounds. We are seeing him grow up a little too fast I think! It just makes me sad at times when he says things and sounds like a little kid not a toddler. I of course know he hasn't been a toddler for a while, but he seems more like "a big little kid" if that makes sense. He's very helpful when he's not zoned out watching a show helping Josh reach things or open doors and making sure that Addison is not being rocked too hard. Tonight at dinner, Mike was asking him how his day was today and he answered it was good and that Josh went to the doctor because his ear and mouth hurt. Now at the doctor Josh said he hurt once, when I asked him where, Josh told me "he hurt me" pointing to the tech who had just looked in his ears. Noah said "No he not hurt you he a doctor, he helps you feel better." Amazing! But after Noah told Mike about his day, he looked across the table and said "what about you Daddy, how was work?" Really? When oh when did that happen?
That brings you about up to speed on us for this week. Josh and I and Addison will take Noah to preschool and hang out at home since he had abit of a fever with his ear infection today we'll have to miss MOPS - which is a bummer!

Addison's 1 month old (a few days late...)

Addison's Halloween costume

Well I haven't been as good about getting updates to the blog as I want to be - I will try but make absolutely no promises because life is just plain crazy some days! However, I wanted to add a quick update since Addison turned 1 month old a few days ago. It doesn't seem possible!

So here is what the little princess has been up to...

-she is still sleeping fairly well, the first half of the month she would get up once or twice but stay up for 1 - 2 hours or more each time so that was exhausting for Mike and I both. The past week (I'm almost afraid to say this for fear I will jinx it and it will end) she's been up once a night and last night not til 5 (which I count as sleeping thru the night!). She was also getting back to sleep more quickly! It has been awesome.

-Addison is also definitely starting to regard faces so much more, she will just stare and stare at you while you hold her and talk to her.

-She's also smiling throughout the day, she's quite expressive most of the time and makes some pretty funny faces at times too.

-Addison still has quite a good appetite and continues to be a good eater - but the burps she needs to let out after eating she will hold on to sometimes for a long time (that is why we think she would be up for so long some nights)
-We've been to lots of places to play and she's traveled well and seemed to enjoy her time out with the family. We've been to the park on a nice day, to a pumpkin farm to pick out pumpkins, the children's museum, the learning center, and even a birthday party!

We had a great time for Halloween. Noah was Superman, Josh was Batman and Addison was Superwoman. We got to trick or treat at the learning center and then spent Saturday night at the fall festival at church it was a great time! Addison slept in her sling the whole time, but seemed pretty content nonetheless.

On some medical updates - we've had a full and busy day of appointments. All the previous week I had felt that Addison's tongue looked more white and thicker than it should, but all of the symptoms for thrush said that it would be on their gums and/or cheeks as well as the tongue so I waited. Sunday morning her mouth was still clear except her tongue but by Sunday afternoon there were spots all over her poor little mouth. A trip to the peds office this morning confirmed it, she definitely has thrush so we are starting her on medicine for that and hopefully it will clear up in a week or so. Uncomfortable for her and I but nothing serious or anything to really worry about. Addison also had her ENT appointment this morning. The initial office visit was for an over view of her ears, nose, and throat and it seems that everything seems to have developed just fine and there isn't a big concern there. However, there is more fluid in her right ear (the ear that doesn't have hearing loss). So we go back to ENT on Dec. 3rd, we'll see ENT that morning and then her audiology appointment for more hearing test and probably the fitting for the ear mold for her hearing aid that afternoon. Fun times! I will try to post pictures really soon, or at least a link to pictures! Here are her pictures with her pig for comparison!

Sept. 30, 2009 Just Arrived!

Oct. 30, 2009 - 1 month old