Just Another Manic Monday (oh eeee oh)

I am so glad that today is over. For one thing...Matthew is still cutting his tooth and is sleeping rather restless. Since he is sleeping restless I am anxious that he is going to wake up crying in the middle of the night. On top of the teething...he has developed a cold and is pulling at his ear. He also has some ant and mosquito bites on his feet which seem to be bothering him a lot. The other day when we went outside for his 8 month pictures I think some ants must have bit him because his foot is red and puffy with bites. Please pray for my little Matthew.

On a happier note, this morning Matthew didn't cry when I dropped him off with Ms. Cookie. He seemed so happy to be there and that is so reassuring to know that he loves going to 'school' there. I call it school because he is learning so much. Just in the past few weeks he seems to have developed more awareness. This afternoon when I picked him up he actually reached down to give Ramona (one of his sitters at Ms. Cookie's) a big hug.

I will leave you with a picture of Matthew teething. I hope this phase goes by quickly!!

Has it already been 8 Months???

I can't believe it...Matthew was 8 months old yesterday. Matthew continues to sleep through the night but now we have to get up early for me to go to work. I feel so bad waking him up at 6 am because he is so used to sleeping late. This weekend he actually woke up earlier so I guess the days of sleeping in until 9:30 are over with him!!! I miss staying home with him so bad!!!

This month Matthew started to sit up all by himself and he loves to play his drum while he sits on his pallet. He also is standing with either our help or by holding on to something. I can't believe how old he looks now. Yesterday he started cutting his first tooth. It is tiny right now but finally it has broke through the skin. He is very cranky, which is understandable because it looks like it really hurts.

Tonight we chose to change the play yard from the bassinet setting to the regular setting and I just started crying because I know he is getting too big for the infant bassinet!!!

The other day we went for the weigh in and he has finally hit the 14 lb mark. He weighs 14 pounds 1 ounce and he is 26 1/4 inches long. Although he is still below the 3rd percentile for weight his height is in the 5th-10th percentile!!! Hopefully with Ms. Cookie's Cuban cooking he will continue to pack on the ounces and next month we are aiming for 15 and a half pounds.

Please enjoy the pictures of his 8 month birthday!!!

We sing, We dance, we play the drum!!!

Why is Matthew so happy playing his drum tonight?

Paparazzi stay away!!!

Maybe it is because there are only 2 days til the weekend?!?!

hmmmm

Or possibly

...he loves eating Ms. Cookie's wonderful Cuban cuisine???!!!???

HA!! That's true but I think Matthew is happy about something else too....

Go Matthew Go!!!

Maybe he is happy because....(drum roll please)

MATTHEW GAINED 12 OUNCES THIS MONTH!!!!!!

KEEP IT UP SWEET BABY!!!!!!!!

179 days to go

OK...One day down only 179 to go!!!!!! AHHHHH I can't believe we have that many more to go but I guess we will have to take it one day at a time. Honestly, today wasn't so bad...everyone seems A LOT less stressed than usual at this time of year. When I was teaching my classes today it even seemed like the middle of the school year. I guess since this is my 4th year starting a school year things are starting to seem much more like second nature.

My schedule is great (except for Friday's when I have to travel to another school to teach).

Now for what you really read my blog for...pictures of my little Matthew Wayne!!!

I took these the other day when we got his little Leap Frog Learn and Groove music table out. He LOVES this toy and can sit and play with it for hours.

Oh how fun!!!!

Look Mama...no hands!!

He is really loving Ms. Cookie's place. Every afternoon when I go in to get him, he is so into some toy that he really doesn't even notice I am there. Today he ate some of her Cuban soup. Tonight he had a huge dirty diaper that kinda got everywhere (including all over my hands...yuck). I think he might have to get used to eating her cuisine but I would love for him to because I know that it will help him put on weight. Remember how Dr. Goosby said that we should put butter on everything we give him to eat...well, I think that is what Ms. Cookie does. I just can't get motivated enough to try and make his baby food. I admire those who do but Beechnut and Gerber are all I need. Who has the time to do all of that and work a full time job too.

Well I am going to go for the night. Have a good night and great day tomorrow.

Boot Scootin' Boogie

Here we go...do si do!!!

I am sorry I am not posting very often these last few days...My camera's battery needs to be charged and I keep forgetting to charge it and I hate posting without pictures so I have been out of service here the last week or so. Not to mention I have been busy with 'back to school' stuff. I think Matthew likes going to his sitter's house all day. At least I hope so!!! I think he loved being at home with me this weekend though so we will see how tomorrow goes. I am not looking forward to it.

Tomorrow is the first day of school which I have mixed feelings about.

I will let you all know how it goes!!!

Day 3 with Ms. Cookie

Well...I will say that leaving Matthew with his sitter has actually went A LOT smoother than I thought. I put on a good front at school but inside it is tearing me apart that I have to leave him with someone during the day!!! When I get home it seems like the hours pass by like minutes before I have to put him to bed. I miss our life together before so bad!!!!!!! I want to feed him lunch...I want to breastfeed him anytime he wants throughout the day. Oh well, I have opened a new chapter of motherhood and if I want to keep our house I must work!!

On the other hand, Matthew is having a blast with his new friends. This morning Matthew and I got there at the same time that another baby was getting there and they exchanged smiles and touched each other's hand. It was like they were best friends. (that was the first time I almost cried today). After I fed him I took him over to Ms. Cookie and he started crying and reaching for me...(that was the second time I almost cried). When I went to pick him up he was sitting in an exersaucer pounding his hands on these lights and having a blast. He looked up and saw me and acted like he wanted to show me all about his new toy. He was very excited...(that was the third time I almost cried).

To be honest, when I am at school I do not have very much time to worry about him often and even if I did have the time I wouldn't worry because I know he is safe with Ms. Cookie!!!

Only one more day until the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby Shower Ideas

This week on www.kellyskornerblog.com "Show Us Your Life" she is hosting the topic of Baby Shower Ideas. Unfortunately I do not have any digital pictures of my baby shower that are easy to get to so I will just tell you about them.

My SIL Casey and cousin Jana and Aunt Rachel put together a beautiful jungle theme shower for me back last October. We had the shower at my mom and dad's church and it was so nice. Since I live in Miami, FL I had to travel to Alabama for the shower. Many people just gave me clothing and small items that I could fit in a suitcase to take back with me.

One thing that was very special was something that my Aunt Pat made. She made a diaper wreath and it was so cute. She wrapped a Styrofoam wreath with diapers and then put rubber bands around the outside to keep them on tight. Then she put pacifiers, lotions, soaps, and a brush in the rubber bands along with blue ribbons and bows. I used that wreath as a decoration at the hospital. You were supposed to hang it on the door but I was afraid someone would take it so I just hung it in the room with me so I could look at it all I wanted to.

The wonderful teachers at my husbands school actually surprised him with a baby shower. They told me that they were planning a shower for him and it was a surprise. That was the hardest secret I have ever had to keep. I came up with some lame excuse to take him to school that day and then left...drove around the block and came back and snuck in the school only to surprise him even more that I was there. It is always good to remember the husband when your planning a baby shower.