My Babies

Finally!  Carleigh is coming around with regard to Parker!!!  Yay!  She's asking to hold him more and says to me "I'm a good big sister, Mommy!"

Multitasking Mishaps

Yesterday I had the great idea while Carleigh napped to clean ... actually to be honest, it was a compulsion to clean.  Since putting the tree up and getting our reindeer in the front yard (reindeer covered in glitter and lights - thanks, Lowe's) our floors have been covered in glitter.  It's even finding it's way onto Parker's face and drives me crazier than dog hair!

Parker wasn't having my nap-time sweep/swiffer/vacuum session!  He kept awaking and was fussy at that.  I decided to strap him into the Baby Bjorn and accomplish my cleaning that way.  Good news: he was comfortable.  Bad news: midway through the cleaning session, I felt him struggling with gas, so I gave him some gas drops (Dustin accidentally bought the staining pink kind) and Parker's hand shot up reflexively as I was administering them and knocked the bottle of hot pink liquid all over the just-steamcleaned grey and white rug in the family room!

At this same instant, Carleigh awoke from her nap and was screaming for me to come get her, followed by Parker needing to eat and various other mundane Mommy tasks upstairs.  Needless to say, I didn't get the rug cleaned up, didn't have glitter-free floors (hadn't even showered post-gym) but DID HAVE happy children with an attentive mom for the afternoon which I'm learning supercedes the cleanliness of my house.

Hard to Believe ...

... that even with a treatment resistant ear infection ... Carleigh could be in such good spirits! Yesterday she awoke complaining that her ear hurt and rubbing it incessantly. Having just finished Ciprodex drops for an ear infection in the same ear Sunday, I didn't think much of it. That is until I was fixing her hair about a half hour into the day and noticed a watery greenish yellow substance dripping out of her ear and matted around her earring. I cleaned it with a tissue and then looked inside the ear (same one that was infected last week) and saw a lot of wax and goo.

Fortunatly she could be seen by her pediatrician in the late morning and it was discovered that the Ciprodex didn't do the job and this ear infection had taken a turn for the worse. Her ear canal was puss filled and swollen, hence the pain (the drainage doesn't hurt). A new regimen of Augmentin began and more Ciprodex for help with the swelling and pain (it's a steroid antibotic drop).

It's so hard to believe that she has been a super happy girl throughout the past week (swing photos are from the weekend) with all that ear mess going on. I'm so glad we are starting an agressive treatment and hope she gets relief soon!

Parker Rolling Over Video

Parker started rolling over from tummy to back yesterday and now any time you put him on his belly, you'd better be near or he better have wide open space to roam! He gets tired pretty quick but it's great exercise. This was the 3rd time he did it this morning!

Please excuse Carleigh shrieking, Parker fussing, Tyson's tail across the screen mid-video and the poor lighting!

Adult Night Out!

It's a rare occurance, and thus blog-worthy! We had a kid free night Saturday and went to dinner, the USAA Christmas party at the Alamodome and had drinks afterwards. After 6.5 years of working there, Dustin felt we needed to go at least once. It was a HUGE gathering (22,000 people work at USAA and even a fraction of them along with their spouses put the attendance in the thousands) and Huey Lewis and the News was the entertainment!  (Think Back to the Future soundtrack). It was definitely an experience.

But the four of us had a great time and Tara, 19 weeks pregnant with a GIRL, was a trooper for hanging out with us until 12:30 am! Just call us crazy!!!

It does exist!

A few people have noted how bald Parker is and while there isn't much there, he does have hair!  It's just a dark blonde color and very fine so it doesn't show up in a lot of photos.  Look at this head of hair, a very large head, I might add!

More interested in her brother

Carleigh's always been a great helper to me but a bit indifferent towards Parker!  Mommy and Parker love the attention she's giving him!

The Onesie Says It All!

Look who is smiling!

Parker is 6 weeks old today!!! At yesterday's doctor appointment, he was diagnosed with GER (reflux) and started on Prevacid Solutabs 15 mg (1/2 tab twice a day).  This worked for Carleigh and will hopefully work for him!  We are bummed he has reflux but happy we caught it early and can get him on the road to wellness soon!

We didn't see improvement in the 24 hours since he started the med, but know it could take up to 2 weeks to reach full efficacy.  Poor little guy is struggling during feedings, projectile vomitting about 2 time a day and gagging and coughing during every feeding.

Did I say little guy?  I should say big guy!  For a baby that started out life in the 30% for weight and 40% for height (birth stats), he has sure gotten huge!  He was 11 lbs 6 ounces and 24.5 inches long (70% weight/100% height).  Wowzers - reflux isn't affecting his growth, that's for sure!!!

Today was the first day I got more than just a random smile.  He actually smiled in response to my antics several times, though capturing the moments on camera without another adult present proved tough.  We'll keep trying to catch his smiles and funny faces (hard when I'm the one making him smile and I have the camera in front of my face) but here was the best from today!

Not enough days in December for ..

... all of Carleigh's holiday outfits!

Her gingerbread one is on her favorites list!  The tutu with diamond matches her hair bow!  To die for, darling!

Love to see that smile!