Imma shoot straight with you

I have a difficult child.

I love him dearly. His smile lights up my life and he is so fun to figure out.

But he is difficult. "Can you come take him?" is commonly heard around our house. We are still dealing with reflux issues and he is only eating about 3 ounces at a time, which means 8 times a day we feed him, and 8 times a day we get crying fits.

Everyone tells me once a baby weighs __ pounds (10-12, depending on who is talking) he will sleep through the night. Drew is a little over 11 pounds, and there is NO WAY he is sleeping through the night anytime soon.

So why do I put such a Debbie Downer post on my blog? Well, I have never heard anyone in the moment say they have a difficult child. Once the kids are older people tend to look back and say it (just this weekend Rob's mom called him the worst baby ever), but in the moment it is all sunshine and roses and cooing babies. I sincerely hope all of my friends have the easiest, happiest children ever, but if you don't, you are not alone.

Santa Claus and Other Christmas Shenanigans

First off, pictures with Santa are bloody expensive- at least they are at the Domain.  $24.95 for ONE SHOT?  But of course I paid it, because I had to have the picture.

It's not even that great of a shot.  The first several he had the pacifier, and at this point the pacifier takes up 1/2 his face, so I didn't like those.  I figured we would have limited time before he started crying after we took it away, and I was right.  This is the picture where he realizes his pacifier has been taken away.  All the rest of the shots were of his screaming.  At least Santa looks happy.

(Note: Santa did not ask Drew what he wanted for Christmas.  I was all ready to tell him that what Drew really wanted was to sleep through the night).

Christmas with a baby, even one that wasn't really aware of what was going on, was lots of fun.  Both grandmothers swore they "weren't doing too much" and then we opened about 8 presents from each of them.  He got some precious stuff, though.  I think next year he will be right in the middle of "the-box-is-better-than-what-is-inside" phase, so it could be a pretty cheap Christmas for us all!

I (Lindsey) didn't have a bad Christmas, either!  Rob was tired of listening to me complain about my iPhone and figured if he was going to buy a new one, it should go under the tree, so I got an iPhone, and a matching iPad (THAT was a complete surprise).  Vicki gifted us with a DSLR camera (better pictures to come) and mom gave me some great "pampering" things (make up, Clearsonic Mia) and money to continue the pampering.  It was a lovely holiday!

Rob is off of work this week, so I have big plans to get things done around here and be able to run some errands baby-free.  We have basically had two whole weeks all together-- that must be some sort of record!

Two Months!

Drew,

What a difference two months make!  Drew, you are 100% different than that child they placed in our arms October 18th.  You are so much more interactive now- smiling and laughing when we make goofy faces at you.  I can see that you recognize your daddy and I.  You are developing a routine and a pattern and I am quickly figuring out what things you like and what things you don't.

First, it was a Christmas miracle.  On December 23, 2010 your umbilical cord FINALLY fell off.  Well, your dad actually pulled it off.  You didn't cry or scream or anything, so I think he just hastened something that probably would have happened naturally in a few hours, but I am suddenly having flashes of you in kindergarten or first grade with a loose tooth...... 

We have learned some of your little quirks this week-- like your need for "window" time.  After your bottle around 6 or 7AM, you are ONLY happy if we put you in the pack and play in front of our open window.  You will sit there for close to an hour wide awake and completely happy, talking to yourself.  The few days that we forgot to give you that time you were perturbed the whole day.  So we always make sure to put you in front of that window!!

You also love "knee" time, where your daddy and I will sit you up on our knees and talk to you.  During that time we get some of the biggest smiles from you!

Now, the doctors say you need "tummy" time, and you still hate that.  If we catch you at just the right time (a certain amount of time after eating but before you get tired) you will tolerate it and not cry, but generally you act like putting you on your tummy is akin to dragging you over hot coals.  You do seem to have an amazingly strong head anyway.

Our biggest challenge this month has been your acid reflux.  In the middle of feeding you you would push away your bottle, arch your back and start to SCREAM bloody murder.  We went back to the doctor almost every week this month looking for a solution.  The third time seemed to be the charm when we got you hooked up with Zegerid.  We are so happy to see that you are not in pain anymore.

The other smart feeding move that we just made was moving you to level 2 nipples a month ahead of time.  We just decided to try it, and sure enough you sucked down almost 4 ounces super quickly.  We were fighting you to get down 3 ounces with the level 1 nipples, so we are sticking with  level 2 from here on out.

Your one little trick that keeps mommy endlessly entertained is the fact that you only spit up on daddy.  Not sure how it happens, but daddy gets it every time.  Thank you, munchkin. :)
At your 2 month appointment you weighed 11 pounds, 1 ounce (55%) and were 23 inches long (75%).  The pediatrician says that between 11 and 12 pounds most kids drop the middle of the night feeding.  You don't really show any signs of wanting to drop that feeding, but we are hopeful that may happen in the next little bit.  You finally have your nights and days on the same schedule, so at least you go back to sleep pretty quickly in the middle of the night.  We are most thankful for that.
And the 23 inches- that was CRAZY.  You grew 2 inches in a month. And it literally seemed to happen over night.  I bought very few 0-3 month clothes, because everyone said their kids were only in them for a short time.  But you are still in them, so I've been doing laundry quite often.  There was one particular onesie that you wore on a Tuesday, and weren't anywhere CLOSE to getting in by Friday.  Amazing.

We love you, Drewbie!

Mom and Dad

Christmas will be a bit different this year

On October 18th, 2010 Andrew Edward Callegari came into this world.

On December 18th, 2010 Edward Jerome Callegari left this world.

After battling diagnosed cancer since June (I say "diagnosed" because once he got that diagnosis we all realized he had been battling the cancer for many months before), Rob's dad passed away.  The cancer made him physically weak, but his personality was unchanged until the very end.  His sense of humor, the way he would rib his family-- all of that was exactly the same.

He had been admitted to home hospice several days before he passed, so he was at home with his family and (hopefully) at peace.  He was buried on the 21st in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Rob delivered a eulogy that was simply amazing-- it expressed the love and respect we all had for Eddie while highlighting some of the more .... memorable... aspects of his life.

Wednesday, December 15th Eddies two oldest sons, Chuck and Chris were in town, and Eddies four boys sat in the room with him and recounted all their stories growing up with Eddie as a dad.  Listening to them talk, I realized it was NOT worth it to make a bet with Eddie- he ate everything from dog food to June bugs when his boys bet him he wouldn't.  And each of them swallowed their pride and their disgusting object of choice when he did.  Every so often you would see the faintest smile on Eddie's face, and I hope he enjoyed the walk down memory lane as much as the boys did.

Drew and I drove to Shreveport with my parents, and D was simply amazing.  We only stopped once, and that was because I insisted on a Starbucks before we hit the road at 6:30AM.  I sat in the back with Drew and gave him a bottle when he got hungry, and he stayed quiet on the 4+ hour rides up and back and during the funeral.  He was a bit off schedule that day, but it was worth it to have him there and in a good mood.

Eddie, we love you and will miss you terribly.  Right now we are all so happy you are not in pain anymore I'm not sure we fully recognize the extent of our loss.  But you have touched us all, and we are sure pieces of you will live on in your namesake.

Sophie's 3rd Birthday

Yep, we celebrate the dog's birthday around here.  We had a big hubbub for year one, hat and all.

Year two may have passed with just a toy to mark the occasion. I don't remember anything, and there is no pictorial proof of a party.

But I decided we needed to make a big deal out of year 3 because Sophie had been mighty neglected for 6 weeks due to this new addition to our family.  His name is Drew-- maybe you heard me mention him?  Anyway, I went all out.

Cake.  Homemade.  Candle included.

Presents.

[Not Pictured- Singing]

Not sure how many birthday celebrations she will get after this one, but it seemed appropriate to make a big deal of this particular birthday.  Doesn't she look happy?



Guilt Treats

According to the vet, Sophie has gained 5 pounds in the last 6 weeks.

:: I can't walk you right now so.... here's a treat!:::

I'm just sayin'.

Two follow ups

1. My child was in the back seat of the car, sweetly sound asleep, when I pulled into Wendy's to order a salad.  He stayed quiet while we waited for all the cars in front of us to order.  As soon as I pulled to the microphone (and before the order-taker had spoken), he started to scream.  I swear, this kid is determined that I shall not eat.  Good thing is cute and is smiling a lot more these days!

2. This morning Drew was crying in his pack-n-play.  Sophie ran out of the room, went to Drew's bouncy seat in the kitchen, and brought him back a new lovie blanket he got yesterday.  No one will ever be able to convince me that she wasn't bringing him a toy to try to make him feel better.  She has never, from the day we got her at 8-weeks-old, picked up ANYTHING (sock, shoes, paper) that wasn't hers.  Love that dog.

God's Preparations

I think most mamas would agree that God gives us 9 months to prepare for all the change that comes with having a child.  He isn't going to just leave us out there high and dry!  And now that the baby is here, I can look back and see the things that I was being prepared for. I don't think it's a coincidence that in the third trimester sleep becomes miserable and happens less and less.  Its preparation for the first 3 months!

Here are some I'm not sure God intended, but seem to be working for me anyway:

1. In the hospital, I lost all shred of dignity.  I'm pretty sure that was to prepare me for being spit up, peed and pooped on in the coming months.
2. God blessed my child with a built in detector for food.  The minute I sit down with a plate, he needs me.  Maybe this is God's way of helping me lose the baby weight?
3. All the money you didn't spend in the last nine months, because you didn't want to invest a small fortune in maternity clothes?  Dollars saved for diapers!
4. Thick, luscious hair due to pregnancy hormones?  Something you can feel good about when your body looks like a deflated balloon and the scale still reads numbers WAY above where it should!
5. Inability to do certain things (like clean the baseboards) in late pregnancy?  That's to prepare you for the idea that your house probably won't be that clean for a few years.
6. Baby crying every couple of hours keeping you from running all the errands that you used to?  Well, I think God does that to show you that yes, indeed, you can find money in the budget for a college fund.

So thanks, God, for all the things that you intended to prepare us for during pregnancy, and all those other things that you may or may not have intended.

Drew's First Thanksgiving

I have no photographic evidence of Drew's first Thanksgiving. :(   Mom saw this post and sent me 3 pics off her IPhone!  Thanks mom!

Just like we did two years ago, we spent Thanksgiving at our tailgate with 40 of our closest (or not so close) friends and family.  It is a great way to spend the holiday-- very low stress, lots of yummy foods because everyone brings their favorites, no one has a pile of dishes to clean up at the end of the day.  Lots of fun.

However, Austin was hit by sub-Arctic temps RIGHT as we made our way to the tailgate.  We had all checked the weather which indicated it was to be in the 60s until around game time, when it would get really cold.  So we all dressed for the 60s.  Except the weathermen guessed wrong again and the front rolled in early,  bring temps around 50 degrees and 15 mile an hour wind that left these Texas feeling like Thanksgiving was taking place on the Arctic tundra. 

Dad and Mike try to keep me warm as I eat my plate of food that is already cold.

All attempts at fashion went out the window as people tried to stay warm in any way they could.  I have fond memories of a favorite couple of mine who split up a pair of mittens and were keeping the other hand firmly in their pocket.  Or another lovely lady who chose to wear latex food service gloves on her hands the entire tailgate because some protection was better than nothing.  Everyone had dressed to show their colors (Yes, we had AGGIES at the tailgate, too (one of which was my brother).  Spirit of Thanksgiving.....), which were promptly covered by any piece of clothing that could be located.

I think the only one who stayed warm was Drew, since I kept putting layers in the diaper bag as I packed him up to go.  He was pretty bundled up, but couldn't have been cold because he stayed peacefully asleep outside the entire time.  At least one of us was warm.

I have a feeling the "tailgate Thanksgiving" tradition may be coming to an end after this year.  As our group of friends continues to get married and have kids, it is going to be harder and harder to justify spending Thanksgiving in the parking lot of the Erwin Center.  But it was a lot of fun while it lasted, and I'm glad Drew got to experience it, even if we don't have even one picture to show him.

One Month (Posted at almost 7 weeks)

Dear Drew,

You are one month old today.  Seeing as the baby book I purchased for you has yet to be written in, I think it's best that we document all the milestones in your life here.  Don't worry, I do plan to go back and put it in your book.

First, you are an absolute joy and your dad and I have just loved "figuring you out."  It took some time, but I think we are finally learning what your cries mean, able to read facial expressions, and generally just getting comfortable being parents.

You now weigh 8 pounds, 12 ounces and are 21 inches long.  You were born at 6 pounds, 11 ounces and 19.5 inches, and then dropped to 5 pounds, 11 ounces, so we are quite proud of our almost-nine-pound boy!

If you have any nickname, outside of your "given" nickname of Drew, it's Drewby.  Your dad and I started calling you that right after you were born, and then two of my friends called you that without knowing we were doing the same.  I'm not sure how we all came to the same nickname for you, but it just may stick.

Just like your momma, you go from content to STARVING in two minutes flat.  You can be dead asleep and then screeching for food in less time than it takes me to get a bottle ready.  I just try to remind myself that I, too, know what it is like to be miserably hungry.

"Hey Mom, faster next time!"

We got lots of good insight at your one month doctors visit today.  She tells me that you are tracking things with your eyes closer to that of a two month old, rather than the month old that you are.  That makes mama very happy to think you are "advanced," and I'm hopeful that you got your daddy's eyesight!

She thought your cry sounded good and you seemed to be a happy, mild little boy. 

Interestingly, your umbilical cord has not yet fallen off. We did everything the doctors told us to, but you seem to be hanging on to it. The doctors say they won't worry about it until 2 months, but it will be nice to get to drop that step when changing your diaper and finally put you in the bathtub!
You are a lot more interactive than you were, and have some good stretches of alert time every day now.  You love to stare at faces and whatever is closest to your face.  You seem to find great joy in light fixtures, ceiling fans, and walls.  I'm sure as your eyesight improves you will find less mundane things fascinating.

We try to do tummy time with you every day, but you absolutely hate it.  However, in your anger you start to lift your head and flail your arms, which is the point of tummy time in the first place, so I guess it is productive nonetheless.  What you really like is laying on your tummy on my chest.  When THAT happens you stay happy AND will lift your head to look at me.  Ever since you were born many people remarked that you seemed to have great head control. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if you can hold your head up on your own pretty early.

For being just 8 pounds, you are STRONG.  Your little fist has a way of snaking a fist full of my hair when you are mad, and you can yank like no ones business.  Luckily I have remembered to take out my earrings before I pick you up, otherwise we would have serious problems.  I think a ponytail will soon be the hairstyle of choice for me.

Our house is filled with various kiddo paraphernalia, including a bouncy seat and a swing.  Turns out you could care less about the vibration feature of these items, but you LOVE the music.  We were glad to find out what would soothe you, but the musical soundtrack of the Fisher Price My Little Lamb infant swing leaves something to be desired.  We just brought a CD player and some lullabies into the room to use to lull you to sleep at night, and those are quite a bit better. But we are going to need to get some new ones quickly or we are going to lose patience with those, too.  Both grandmothers have been told that might be a good Christmas gift for you!

You love to nap in your swing. We don't turn the thing on yet because you weigh so little that even on the slowest setting I'm afraid it will sling you across the room. But it looks to be a pretty comfortable place to nap in the living room, so you do spend quite a bit of time in there. You do love to look at the mobile when you are awake.

Speaking of grandparents, you have 4 who LOVE and ADORE you.  Luckily there haven't been many days were all of them were with you at the same time, otherwise we might have some issues dividing time holding you between them.  I text pictures of you to your grandmothers on most days, just so they can be caught up with your daily goings-on.

I think your sister Sophie has had the hardest time adjusting to you.  She was the center of our world before you were born.  I think now she has realized you are here to stay and is adjusting.  She has been very good about not licking you.  She does get curious when we put you in your bouncy seat on the floor-- she can finally see you at her level!  We keep telling her that you two are going to be best of friends in just a couple of months.

Drew, you make my world go round.  Just looking back at pictures from the last month I can see how much you are changing.  For as much as I want you to stay exactly the same right now and savor ever minute of this, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us.

Much love,
Mom and Dad

So I've been M.I.A.

We are dealing with a bit of an... issue over here.  And no, it isn't the fact that my husband is proudly showing my son the Victoria's Secret fashion show.  And making him dance to Katy Perry.

It's reflux.  Or gas.  Or intolerance to the formula.  Or all three.  Or two of those three.  The problem is we don't know what it is.  All we know is when Drew gets hungry we need to put in ear plugs, settle down for an hour, and prepare to have formula spit all over the place.

The doctors initial diagnosis was reflux, which I think definitely has some part in this.  But that medicine only worked for about two days and now we are back to screaming in the middle of being fed.  So we go back tomorrow.  Hopefully we can track this down, because it is wearing on all of us.  I feel for Drew- it must suck to be hungry and need to eat, only to know that something is going to really hurt when you do.

Here's a snippet of a day in my life:

Minutes 1- Notice Drew is stirring.  Begin frantically putting together a bottle before he gets to hysterics.
Minutes 4- Put bottle in the bottle warmer.  Longest 3.5 minutes EVER.
Minutes 7.5- Run around house looking for the burp rag.  Like socks in a dryer, those things. They disappear into thin air.  Usually decide to just get a new one. 
Minutes 9-10: Make sure I have everything I need for the next hour at my finger tips. 
Minute 11- Bottle is IN!  Drew seems happy.
Minute 15- Bottle is out.  Drew is decidedly not happy.  Try to burp him and get a good burp.  Cross fingers that was the problem.
Minute 16- That was not the problem.  Still crying.  I'm wondering why I haven't cut his fingernails yet as he slices and dices my face and neck.  Try to burp him again.
Minute 18- No luck on the burping.  Put the paci in to try to calm him down.
Minute 21- He finally noticed the paci is there and settles down.
Minute 22- Contemplate how long I should let him suck on the paci before I remove it and try to replace it with the bottle.
Minute 25- Commence "Bait and switch" mission.
Minute 27- It WORKED! Hallelujah!!
Minute 28- Wait, no it didn't.
Minute 29- Back to the paci.
Minute 31- Still crying.  Put him upright over my shoulder.
Minute 36- He's asleep.  And yet mostly unfed.  But quiet.
Minute 40- Try to get him to eat again.  He takes the bottle, but doesn't seem happy about it.
Minute 45- Still eating.  Yay.
Minute 50- Done.  Amazing.  Seems happy to be burped.
Minute 55- Not happy to be removed from shoulder.  Leave him there.
Minute 65- Drew is asleep.  Try to move him to crib/swing/bouncy chair.  Wait- bad plan.  Not happy about that.  Let him go back to sleep on my shoulder.
Minute 80- Seems to be really asleep now.  Move him into swing.  It WORKED!  Run to kitchen to put away breakfast dishes/wash a bottle/put away toaster. 
Minute 85- Drew is crying.  Go to swing and quiet him.  Replace paci.  Try to reason with him that if he didn't spit it out he would be much happier.
Minute 90- Asleep again.  Run to bedroom to make bed and pick up 3 bottles from last night.
Minute 93- He's awake.  Replace paci.  Wonder how I ever thought I wouldn't give him a paci.
Minute 94-180- Turn on computer to send emails.  While it's booting up, start dishwasher and wash bottles.  That reminds me of the load of whites that have been in the washing machine wet for 2 days.  Go to put those in dryer.  Find a load of forgotten towels in the dryer.  Remove towels and fold.  Take them upstairs and trip over all the other stuff I've left on the stairs to take upstairs the next time I go up.  Spend some time taking things upstairs.  Locate missing burp rag on floor of office.  Take downstairs.  Let the dog out. Remember that I turned my computer on to send emails.  Actually send an email or two.

Repeat every 3 hours.  In the middle of the night replace minutes 95-180 with "attempt to go to sleep as quickly as possible."

So all of that to say is I haven't yet posted the "Hey Drew, You Are One Month Old" post yet, even though its written, because I haven't found time to download the pictures from my brothers SLR that I seem to have appropriated.

(Rob, I have the BEST idea for a Christmas gift for me.... and I know you read this).

My goal is to post it before I write the two month post.  And also to be better about writing.

Special day in mommy-dom

(I realize this is Drew's one-month birthday.  I have a whole post about that waiting to go, just going to slip in some pictures.)

Around noon, Drew is crying and wants to be fed.  Easy enough, except I decide to get my first ever nose bleed and can't get it to stop.  So the boy just has to cry for a bit while I get that under control.

Then at the 3:00 feeding, he just spit up all over himself, my shirt, my hair, and the couch.

Maybe he can poop on me tonight and make it a perfect trifecta?

And since I talked about her a lot on this blog, Rachel Zoe is pregnant.

More to come.

The best part

The best part



Of having a baby

Is dressing him up



The Baby Whisperer

I didn't read ANY books about pregnancy or child rearing while I was pregnant.  I didn't have the desire early on, and I thought eventually I would have some strong desire to read the entire "Parenting" section of Barnes and Nobles, just like I had a strong desire to clean out every. last. inch. of my kitchen.  That never happened (well, the Barnes and Nobles part.  Rob did come home to find me laying on my side at 36 weeks pregnant trying to clean the very back of the bottom shelf under the stove).

Then Drew was born and no one was sleeping and I figured we had to do something.  Here was the problem.  Dinners were spent like this:

If I was slow on a bottle, I was met with this:

It wasn't a good way to live.

Then Candace suggested reading "The Baby Whisperer" and by golly, it WORKED.  Last night when he was crying after being fed and hanging out for a little while, I scooped him up and put in him his bed in a dark room and the kid went RIGHT TO SLEEP.  Rob and I celebrated with brownies with ice cream on top.

Moral of the story: Read one book.  It might save you 4 weeks of completely sleepless nights.

Drew's first Halloween

3 months ago I started getting the Pottery Barn Kids catalogue. Oh my word, that catalogue is TROUBLE.  In late August/Early September, they start advertising all of their adorable Halloween costumes.  Which got me thinking that I needed to buy a costume for the baby in case he came early.

I mentioned this plan to several people, and ALL of them looked at me like I was crazy.  They said if he DID come early, he would be too little for Halloween.  So I didn't buy anything.

And then he came October 18th.

Next time I am listening to me and me alone!

So mom went to Target and found the only newborn Halloween costume she could find two days before Halloween-- a monkey.  I have to say, my little monkey was PRECIOUS.

I am so glad he came 3 weeks early so I could dress him up! :)

Breastfeeding, a PSA

Normally I wouldn't post about such topics, but I know I have several friends who are currently pregnant who read this blog.  Plus, after you give birth and spend 3 days in the hospital, your body is no longer your own, so why not post about it on the internet?

I have seen a ton of baby items that use this statement:

(Experts Agree) Breastfeeding is Best.

I have to respectfully disagree with the experts.  FEEDING YOUR BABY is best.  Breastfeeding may be ideal, but you have to feed the baby.

I take the "Breastfeeding is Best" slogan really hard because breastfeeding (at least in it's natural form) didn't work for me.  I have tried- I really did.  I went to a breastfeeding class before he was born.  I read up on issues.  But when we went to the doctor 5 days after he was born, he had lost 14% of his body weight.  That is too much, and they told me I needed to start supplementing with formula.

Supplementing was a pretty easy adjustment to make on the fly, because I wanted my child to be happy and healthy and well fed.  But when I sat back and thought about it, I was frustrated.  I wanted to do what the experts said was "the best."  I wanted to be able to say "yes" to the doctors and nurses when they asked if we were breastfeeding.  But both Drew and I have some small problems that would make breastfeeding hard, and I'm only producing about 1/2 the milk he needs at each feeding.  My child literally couldn't survive with just breastmilk.

So now I pump and give him what I can, and supplement in formula.  And I'm trying not to beat myself up over the breastfeeding not working.  I was a formula-fed baby, and I turned out ok.  I'm doing every possible thing that I can to produce more milk and give him as much breastmilk as I can.

I still think breastfeeding is worth it and I hope that every mother would give it a try.  But each mom can only do what is best for her child, even if the experts don't agree.

When Drew Met Sophie

The hardest part about being in the hospital having Drew was being away from Sophie.  She gets incredibly anxious when we pack bags, and the morning he was born we both packed a bag and ran out of there pretty quick.  I have no doubt she was confused.  My parents stayed in the house while we were in the hospital and said she was just looking for us the whole time.

Anyway, I was very happy to leave that hospital and get home to her.

Mom photographed the homecoming.

I read somewhere that when you bring a new baby home, you should bring the dog gifts, so the dog associates the baby with presents.  So I did, but Sophie could have cared less.

Sophie is getting better and better with Drew every day.  The first night she came RUNNING into our room any time he made a peep.  The next night she came about 1/2 the time.  Now that she realizes he is going to cry basically all night, she stays right on her comfy (and relatively quiet) bed in the living room.  Smart dog.

3 outings, 2 broken "rules", 1 initiation

We are home, and so happy about it.  The routine of home has changed some, but its so nice to be out of that tiny hospital room!!

We came home Wednesday afternoon, and since that point Drew has been on a couple of car trips:
1. Thursday- Special Addition (maternity/nursing store)
2. Friday- Dr. Dudley's office
3. Saturday- Dr. Dudley's on- call doctors office

Yes, we got to go to the doctor back-to-back days.  Drew lost 1 pound between birth and Friday morning (14% of his body weight) and was in the 5th percentile for weight.  Not good.  So we came home with some formula and instructions to come back the next day to weigh him.  The good news was he gained 5 oz literally overnight.

And the two broken "rules":
1. No paci for 3-4 weeks.  The hospital gives little boys a paci when they are circumcised to keep their mind off things, and Rob promptly began giving it to Drew whenever he cries.  So Rob broke that one.
2. No baby in the bed.  Rob broke this one, too.  He is having a hard time waking up in the middle of the night, and rather than walk with Drew around the room to soothe him to sleep, he prefers to cuddle him in bed.  Which results in me having to wake them both up to get the baby from Rob and put him back in bed.

And I'm now a fully initiated parent!  I took Drew back to the doctors office alone today.  Once we got there the 14 ounces of formula Drew had in the last few hours, um... came out.  So before they stripped him down to weight him I tried to change his diaper.  In the process of that he chose to relieve himself again.... all over the paper that covers the exam table.  So I move him out of his own mess and he does it a THIRD time.  What a giant mess, especially to be in alone.  I went through the entire supply of wipes that I keep in my diaper bag.  He also managed to mess up his clothes, and I didn't have a change of clothes, so he left in a diaper and a longhorn hat, covered in a blanket.  Of course it would be on my first trip alone with the baby that all hell breaks loose!

Patience isn't his virtue, either.

Well, on October 1 I wrote this post about how patience isn't my virtue.  Now that my son arrived on October 18th, I know three things:

1. He is the exact duplicate of his father.
2. Except he has my hair color (for now)
3. He seems to have inherited the Fincher family "patience" gene

My water broke Monday morning at 1:45, but I spent the next 4 hours laying in bed alternatively convincing myself it was go time and then convincing myself that I had lost my mind.  At 5:30 I decided that whether I was going to work or to the hospital I was going to take a shower first, so I did that, and called the nurse.

They asked me a bunch of questions and then asked how quickly I could be at the hospital.  I told them 1 hour (I still needed to put makeup on!!) and they told me if it was going to take that long, just come to the office because it would be open. 

The office confirmed my water broke and sent me across the street to the hospital.  They started pitocin shortly after 9 since I wasn't having any legitimate contractions at that point.  I went on like that until 11:30 or so, when I was MISERABLE and started asking and begging for the epidural.  For those who left notes, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought.  I was happy to get over the needle to stop the pain.  (The nurse later told me I was probably 6-7 cm dilated before I got the epidural, so I feel like a rockstar). 

My parents showed up about 1PM so I visited with all of them (I was much, much nicer after the epidural) and then the went to eat something.  Mom and Vicki came FLYING back upstairs when Eddie texted them that I was already at 9cm and about to start pushing. 

The labor experience was pretty ordinary except for the vast array of differing opinions on hair color.  As he was "coming down the chute" the nurses, doctor and Rob felt free to scream out any potential hair colors they saw.  Which had them pretty evenly divided, and several of them changed their vote on each push.  I was laughing so hard at one point I actually wasn't pushing at all.  Probably not the most beneficial thing to happen in labor, but it was funny.

Drew was born at 4:12, weighing 6 pounds 11 ounces and 19.5 inches long.  He is absolutely perfect in every way and I love being able to hold him!

The Email!

From: Robert Callegari

Subject: Drew Callegari has arrived!!
To: Robert Callegari
Date: Monday, October 18, 2010, 5:29 PM


All,


We are so excited to tell you that Andrew Edward Callegari has arrived. At 4:12pm today Drew came out smiling: 6lbs 11oz and 19.5” tall. Lindsey and Drew are both doing great. We hope to see everyone as soon as possible when we get home from the hospital.

Drew's Room!

I've had several people who have asked for pics of Drew's room, and I FINALLY got it to a point where I can post pictures. Just in time, because I'm 37 weeks today!



Room from the Door



So the mobile was a labor of love.  Mom and I painted the boats, and Dad and Rob hung the thing.  Love it!  I have ordered some letters for this wall that are backordered and supposed to be shipped 10/20.  I'm hoping they arrive before he does.

Changing Table- The artwork is a Dee Dee Fincher original.  I was pretty impressed.

I probably won't keep the "andrew" on the window sill, but I like having it there while I wait for the other letters.



I LOVE that little green chair.  I'm waiting on a book case for this wall as well....

A HUGE thanks to my mom, who made all the bedding in this room.  I was a picky customer and may not have chosen the easiest materials to work with.  I think some things were re-made 2 or 3 times, but it is absolutely perfect.  Thanks mom!!

My First Baby

Two and a half years ago Rob and I went to Town Lake Animal Center "just to look" at puppies.  I think he knew that "just looking" was a fiction (as was  my promise of not begging at all while we were there).

But I saw a weakness in him, and knew we were on track for a puppy.  A couple of days later a 6 week old black lab went on the website, and I went down to stake my claim.  Without ever meeting her.  I just knew she was mine.  The day she turned 8 weeks old, Rob and I came back and took this baby home:

Sophie stole my heart that day, and still has it.  People tell me that your first "baby" turns back into a dog once you have a son or daughter to hold in your arms, but I just can't imagine it.  This dog means too much to me to ever be "just a dog."

She protects me, cuddles up with me, and follows me around the house.  She can wake me up out of a dead sleep with her wet nose under the covers.  If I sit on the floor, she is sitting in my lap within 2 minutes.  She knew before I did that I was pregnant.  

She knows something is up these days, but can't quite figure out why we have been spending so much time in the guest room we were never in, and why there is this new monstrosity (pack and play) in the bedroom.  She doesn't understand why there are new toys in her house that she can't play with.

"What IS all this stuff?"

But don't you worry- while I don't have a bag packed for the hospital yet, I have already bought "presents" for Drew to give to big sister Sophie when he comes home from the hospital. :)

Become Aware.

This time last year I was flying home from one of the. best. events. I ever took part in- the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure.

Friday, October 9, 2010 I woke up at 4AM, took a hot shower, put on as much pink as I could find, and headed to the lobby of the Hotel Palomar in Washington D.C to meet about 300 others who had done the exact same thing.  We boarded several buses and were whisked to the Washington Nationals stadium for the start of the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, now renamed the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. 

The 3 Day is a simple concept that has far from simple results.  Men and women sign up to walk one of the 15 events across the country.  They spend months fundraising and just as long training to walk 60 miles over three days.  Another group of strong men and women sign on to be the crew and do everything from cooking meals, setting up rest stops, acting as medical help, and making sure no one gets hit when crossing the street.  All in all a LOT of people pour heart and soul into this event.  And for good reason.

Opening Ceremonies

The opening ceremony began with several flag processions to remind everyone why they were there.  What everyone had come together to fight against.

Survivors Circle

After the ceremonies were over (and the sun had finally started to come up), we were off.  There were lots of friends and families of walkers there to cheer us on as we left.  These same people lined the walking routes every day.  They handed out candy, homemade cookies, pink flowers, buttons or beads.  Children held signs that said "Thanks for helping my Mommy."  People we passed by who had no idea what we were doing thanked us for what we were doing because their wife/sister/friend had breast cancer, and they appreciated everyone coming together to fight it.  Those individuals made it so easy to keep walking even when I was completely exhausted.

So during the 3- Day, stopping for photos (or food, coffee, or a little shopping) is totally fine and encouraged.  It's 100% the opposite of running a marathon.  

Nation's Capitol?  Bunny Ears?  Why not.

Because we were walking through the middle of D.C. on a Friday morning during rush hour, each major intersection had at least two (usually dressed in some sort of theme) Harley riders to help us cross.  It was not at all unusual to see a man in a pink bra and a tutu on top of his motorcycle dancing to The Village People.

Like I said, this wasn't a marathon, so riding in a "sweep van" if you needed it was also encouraged.  We were given specific signals to wave one of these down as they passed by.  As you might expect, they weren't hard to spot on the streets of D.C.

Save a Horse, Ride a Sweep Van

 Rest Stops. Amazing.  Also themed out like "Save Second Base."  The rest stops each had "bathrooms," food, Gatorade and water.  On the 3 Day I found out that I actually had a love for Smuckers Uncrustables.  Delish.  Many of the rest stops also had medics to help with blisters, charlie horses, or whatever else we might be dealing with.

Rest Stop #1, Day 1

Once we walked through D.C., we made it out to Georgetown and were able to walk along the water some.  Beautiful, but much more hilly than D.C. proper!

The Texas girls loved the Cowgirl themed rest stop, and decided to take a picture.... :)

So at the end of the day we didn't make it back to the Hotel Palomar, but instead slept in camp in pink, 2 person tents.  Once we arrived at camp for the night we were given a bag with a tent and our tent "address" and told to have-at-it.  That might have been the most challenging part for this non-camping gal!  But the tent went up and stayed water proof that night as it POURED on us, so I can't complain.

Tent City

Ready for the rain

 "Camp" also consisted of a huge tent for eating and entertainment, the Post Office tent (thanks to my husband and parents for sending me letters to pick up at the post office!  LOTS of tears there!) and some gear tents.

Hygiene needs were met by more port-o-potties, a trough-like sink, and about 4 trailers filled with the tiniest shower stalls you could imagine.  When you went to pick up your towel for the night, you were also given a snack.  I had no idea, but after such physical exhaustion from 20 miles of walking, if you get right in a hot shower without getting your blood sugar up, you tend to pass out.  Tired of dragging wet, naked women from the showers, those passing out the towels would remind you to EAT before you got in.

I had no problem with those instructions.  I think I could have eaten a horse those couple of days.

Post Office

I have no pictures from the second day because it was overcast and drizzly and rainy.  We walked through Bethesda and Chevy Chase, Maryland.  Beautiful part of the country (LOTS of houses I wanted!), but not such a beautiful day for taking pictures.

The third day put us back in D.C. proper.  We ended up walking with a man who worked in D.C., and he was able to give us a play-by-play on what all the buildings were and other interesting tidbits about the city, so that really helped the miles go by.  As much as I loved the experience, we were really happy to see the signs that let us know that we were one mile from finishing.  I think that last mile may have been one of the quickest, despite the fact that we were all hurting quite a bit at that point.

Done!

Should you ever have the opportunity to participate in one of these events, I would highly encourage it.  Just a month ago I was driving through Austin and saw a pack of women who were clearly on a mission, but carrying much to much gear to be runners.  And wearing quite a bit of pink.  I rolled down my window and asked them if they were training for the 3 Day, and sure enough, they were.  Though participating in the event at 8.5 months pregnant would have been impossible, I so wished I was out there training with those ladies.

Please continue to remember all the women (and men!) who are battling breast cancer during October.