the scariest few days

As you probably remember, I mentioned a little bit ago that Porter's been having some GI issues for nearly 7 months now. We've kind of bounced between intense constipation that's landed us in the ER, to diarrhea, to nearly nonstop rashes that seem to consistently plague him. At the beginning of last week, we seemed to be in the middle of one of those bouts of diarrhea again. I was worried, but frankly, I didn't think too much of it because we've always gotten it under control.

He had another weight check on Tuesday though, and he was down another 4 oz, despite constantly drinking his formula. I mentioned his rash, and they told me to continue to apply Triple Paste, despite the fact that I told them I couldn't keep up with the diarrhea. By Thursday, his rash was bleeding and all over his poor bottom. I took him to the doctor, and she told me it was bad, but not awful, and she prescribed Nystatin for a yeast infection. 

On Friday morning, his rash was the worst I've ever seen it, and he was inconsolable. I took him back to the doctor, and she told me that his weight was down again, his blood sugar was 48, and he was lethargic. She got him to take a bit of a pedialyte popsicle, and his blood sugar bounced back up to 98. She didn't want to admit him, so she told us he was fine - have daycare monitor him and see how the day goes. Against my better judgment, I put him in daycare to get some work done, and I told them to call me at any time.

At 3 PM, I got a call from daycare that Porter had been writhing in pain on the floor for almost 3 hours. He couldn't get comfortable, couldn't drink, and his poor bottom was bleeding all over every diaper. I quickly went and picked him up and raced back to the doctor. His blood sugar was back down to 42, and he was severely dehydrated. She said our only choice, since we were on day 7 of diarrhea, was to be admitted to the hospital. Cue panic.

I called my neighbor, Emily, and she told me to leave Spencer's car seat at daycare. She picked him and took him home with them and, luckily, Spencer was totally comfortable with them and loved his time there...for two days. I've never felt more guilty in my life than leaving one boy to care for the other, but I know he was with people who loved him. Our other neighbor, Jo Ann, volunteered to watch Danny and the cats, and luckily, I could focus on Porter.

They put in a line and gave him continuous fluids for 48 hours. His diarrhea continued. They monitored every single wet and dirty diaper, and we tested his blood and his poo. All of them came back clean. The answer was more simple than we could have imagined. His doctor believed he was allergic to lactose. It turns out that Porter is severely allergic to lactose, milk proteins and soy. When we were discharged on Sunday morning, we were prescribed a hypoallergenic formula to the tune of $106 a can. He cannot have any foods with any form of dairy in them at all.

He's been home with me these past couple days, and he spiked a high fever on Monday - 103.8 - having caught both strep and the flu. He's on the mend now though, fever-free since Monday night, and his bum is finally starting to look a little better. But, if you wouldn't mind continuing all those prayers, we'd really appreciate them. There's nothing worse than seeing your child so very sick.

And, I should mention that poor Ryan was struggling with being so far away during a time like this. Deployment is hard, even in the best of times, and I know my amazing husband would have done anything to be home with us throughout all of this. But, I'm so, so grateful for his sacrifice, and I hope that he knows how much we felt his love and support through all of this.

11 months of porter dean

Poor Porter. He's definitely become the victim of second-child syndrome. I've literally done, like, one update on that sweet boy's life. But, we're nearing his first birthday, and I figured it was high time we do a little update on this biscuit boy. Porter's been keeping us on our toes lately with some chronic health issues, but he's truly such a good baby. Minus traveling. He's the worst traveler. And by that, I mean that he's fully capable of screaming for four hours straight when he wants to. But, that's neither here nor there...here's a little update on our man. 

Weight: This is our primary concern with our little guy right now. He's long and lean, and he's recently lost a good bit of weight. He currently weighs in at 18 lbs, and he rocks the 0 percentile. 

Height: Porter is a tall guy! He's currently 30 inches, which is just 4.75 shy of Spencer. Maybe he has some of my family's height going on?

Clothes: Porter rocks 12 month clothes with ease right now, and I find myself wishing my boys were born in the same season! Hand-me-downs haven't been much of an option, especially since Spencer always erred on the smaller side.

Milestones: We finally have our first tooth! While we were in South Carolina, I finally saw a little pearly white peeking through on the bottom right. I hope there are a few more coming behind it because he really loves to eat all the foods. He's also very close to walking now! He can stand solo right now for about 5-10 seconds at a time, but he hasn't walked yet. He's also really into climbing the stairs, so I think that the baby gates need to go back up.

Porter's Favorites This Month: He's a big, big fan of the tub finally. He wants to play with all the bubbles, and he desperately wants to play with Spencer! Big brother isn't really having it right now, but I'm hoping they get around to playing soon. He also really loves his new daycare. He sits in a big-boy chair (okay, for little toddlers/babies), and he has so much fun playing big kid.

Mama's Thoughts This Month: I can't believe my little babe is almost a year old. I'm a little worried about his guts. Because he's been losing weight, and he's been consistently struggling with a really awful diaper rash, including impetigo, the doctors really want to do some tests. We did a full blood panel the other day, as well as a stool sample, and if he hasn't gained weight by the 26th, he has to go to Syracuse for a biopsy. Please think good thoughts for our boy!

weekending

It was a beautiful weekend here in northern NY! As always, it seems like our weekends are absurdly fast though, and we never really have a moment to spare. We got a lot done though, and that's what's most important right now. First things first, we savored the beautiful snow, and we remembered why we decided Drum was the right station for us, at least for now.

Then it was full-speed ahead. Ryan's unit ball was on Friday night, and we had so much fun! I was really worried about what to wear for a while, but I settled on a black ball skirt, and I sewed a lacy top on and made it a dress. It was a bit tighter than I'd anticipated, but I loved it, and I got a lot of compliments. I made the whole thing for less than $50, so I decided to get my hair done, and called it a night.

On Saturday, after enjoying the snow, I took the boys to the Sensory Nook in Watertown, and they had a blast. It's Montessori-based, so the kiddos can basically do whatever they want. They're allowed to play entirely hands-on, and there is everything from a water table, to a balance beam, guitar and beyond.

After nap time, we got our Christmas tree, decorated it once the boys went to bed and called it a night. It was a fun, very productive and busy day. 

It was basically a perfect weekend. Busy, hectic, crazy, maddening, hilarious - all of it - because I got to spend it with my favorite people. I also managed to do the boys' Christmas photos on Sunday, so I can't wait to show how that went. I'll be sharing those pictures, along with our finished Christmas cards, this week. I'm pretty proud.

I hope all your weekends were as wonderful and productive as ours! Here's to the last couple weeks before Christmas!

today you are two

Dear Spencer, 

I'm writing this on the eve of your second birthday, and though I promised myself I wouldn't get at all teary when I wrote this out, I find that I'm tearing up. Two years ago, you blessed both me and your daddy by coming into this world screaming and making your presence known.

Since that day, it's been an adventure with you...a whirlwind that I look back on both in awe and amazement, love and happiness. You, my sweet boy, are my world. You're my firstborn; my baby boy. You made me a mama, and for that I am forever grateful. 

At two years old, you're strong-willed and fiercely independent. You have a fiery ambitious streak that I both love and envy because I am certain you will go places with that spirit. You know what you want, and you're determined to get it. You're goofy, funny, sweet, silly, kind and absolutely ridiculous. You indulge your mama's every whim, and you are a charming little man - destined to be a heartbreaker. You always kiss your mama goodnight, you meow at the kitties, and you dutifully hold the bottle for your bother.

Baby boy, on your second birthday, I want you to know that my wish for you is everything. I want you to have it all - love, happiness, friendship, family, adventure. I want you to experience the good and the bad because it's through the hard times that we learn just how strong we are, and you, my little man, are a warrior. No matter what curveballs life may throw you, know that Mama and Daddy are always here, standing right beside you - your strongest advocates.

Today is all for you, Spencer Bruce, and I hope it's the perfect day.

All the love in the world, my baby boy,

Mama.

welcome december

I can hardly believe that November (and Thanksgiving, for that matter) have come and gone! November was a whirlwind month, and I don't doubt that December is going to be much the same. We're less than two months from Ryan's deployment now, and there's so much happening that I'm afraid I'm going to miss something! 

I meant to blog over Thanksgiving, then I meant to blog the last few days, but I just couldn't seem to find the right words to accurately describe the holidays. So, I'd like to share a few things that have wrapped up in November and what's to come.

1. We did the Turkey Trot trail race in NH, and it was cold this year! Poor Auntie Nini couldn't run because she hurt her knees during the Marine Corps Marathon, so she held Porter while we did the race.

^^^ both images courtesy of Joe Viger Photography

2. I got a new sewing machine! Mine was slipping every 10th stitch, and I was losing my mind with trying to do orders well. So, we bit the bullet and bought a Husqvarna Viking Emerald 116. I love it.

3. We switched the boys into the same room yesterday. Well, I did, actually! I had a burst of determination and got it done. I'll take some pictures to show you soon. I wanted to do a nautical room, but I decided to go simpler with black and white & Wild West. 

4. Black River Boutique had a record month last night, and I had a blast fulfilling all the fabulous orders that came in. I have some exciting plans for the New Year...can't wait till they come to fruition!

5. Spencer turns two on Sunday, and I can't believe it. Time has flown by so fast. I can't believe my little ginger boy is going to be two. We had our first celebration in NH last week, and seeing the wonder in his eyes was one of the greatest mama moments ever. We're having a birthday party for him, and I can't wait to share how things go!

6. Ryan's parents arrive late tonight to visit with us before Ryan deploys. We're also finally having our temple sealing (we're Mormon, if I haven't shared that before). It should be a beautiful time, as I've never actually been to the temple.

porter dean's birth story

This post is long overdue, as Porter is already 3 months old, and I really just wanted to take the time to sit down and reflect on this time in our lives with our newest baby. Transitioning to a family four has been so sweet - hard - but so, so sweet. When we found out we were expecting baby number two, I expected my pregnancy to be very similar to what I felt while pregnant with Spencer. It was vastly different though, and we were thrilled to discover it actually was a second boy! I could've sworn it was a girl, so I was really shocked and surprised. 

Throughout my pregnancy, I struggled with my OBs up here at Fort Drum. I couldn't find one I really liked, while I loved my OB in Arizona. At 34 weeks, I switched practices for the second time to A Woman's Perspective with Dr. Cain, and I finally felt pretty good. They listened to my concerns, and I felt like everything was going smoothly. At 37 weeks pregnant, things started going a little haywire. I'd have contractions every single day between three and seven minutes apart for almost six hours at a time that would later die down. We went to L&D twice, and I got sent home.

They stripped my membranes at 37 weeks and assured me it wouldn't be long. They did it again at 38 weeks. And 39 weeks. And 40 weeks. And they told me that there was no way I'd be overdue...and that our baby was going to be tiny. At 40 weeks, I was so uncomfortable, and I'd been in prodromal labor for 3 weeks consistently. I begged for an induction, and they said New York state law wouldn't allow it until week 41, so I waited. At 41 weeks and one day, they started my induction at 7 AM. 

Dr. Cain was certain that my body would do its thing naturally since I was three cm dilated and 90% effaced, so they started cervidil right away. I started having contractions, but nothing was painful. They were consistently two minutes apart, so they started my ampicillin drip for GBS, since I needed four units before he was born. They checked me every three hours, but nothing changed. I was still three cm dilated and 90% effaced with contractions two minutes apart. I was so frustrated. Finally, at 4 PM, they said they'd start pitocin to move things along.

Because I'd had the same with Spencer, I knew I was too tired mentally and physically to do it naturally, so I asked for my epidural right away. It took almost immediately, but it was so strong that everything was numb. I couldn't feel any contractions, so I couldn't tell if they were continuing. (They were.) My water, however, wouldn't break, so they did it - and despite the fact that I warned them what happened with Spencer, the exact thing happened again. With every contraction, Porter's heart rate dropped from 157 bpm to 40. And it continued this way for hours...and hours...and hours. 

I couldn't nap because the nurses kept coming in, afraid for Porter's health. Nobody checked me, I was extremely, extremely frustrated. They infused saline into the cord to relieve stress, but because the waters had been broken, it kept leaking out. They started talking about a c-section, but I asked them to check me around 3 AM because I thought I maybe felt a little pressure. Finally, they said I was 10 cm and ready to push. 

My doctor hustled in, my night nurse took a leg and Ryan took the other one. I started pushing, but because my epidural was so strong, I couldn't feel my contractions or when I needed to push. It felt a lot more labor-intensive than Spencer's birth, and though I only pushed for ten minutes, I distinctly remember telling Ryan I couldn't do it. One push later, and our second little prince, Porter Dean Moore, was born weighing 8 lb 7 oz and 22 inches long - two whole inches and pounds bigger than his older brother.

From the start, Porter has been such an easy baby. Spencer was more difficult by a mile, and Porter has nearly slept through the night since day one. Even in the hospital, the nurses insisted I wake him every two hours to feed him, which was silly since he barely got below his birth weight. My time in the hospital here in New York is bittersweet. I really hated it, but I left with our sweet man, so that made it worthwhile. I had to stay for 48 hours despite the fact that I had no tearing and the easiest recovery because New York state law states that anyone GBS positive has to. It was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life because the staff was unfriendly, they messed up my chart and sent in social workers and generally didn't do their job well.

And yet, I choose to look back at this time as a fond memory because we now have two sweet boys in our life, and the transition has been fairly seamless since we got home. He fits in so well because he's quiet, sweet, observant and totally obsessed with his brother. It's a hard time in our lives with many adjustments, but we wouldn't change it for anything. We sure do love our little Porter Dean. 

being spencer

Winter in New York just doesn't want to quit this year. Here's the thing: I love snow. I love winter! But this winter has been so dang bipolar that I'm just over it. I don't want snow one day, then sunny and 50 the next. I want one or the other...consistently. This sweet boy has been so good about spending his days indoors, but I can't wait for the weather to warm up so he can discover playing out in the backyard again with daddy, or going to the lake and swimming.

Lately, this little man has been all boy. He loves to roughhouse, he sits backwards on his car and does daredevil flips over the side and he climbs anything and everything. He's almost 15 months old now, and I can't believe that my baby is now a fully-fledged toddler - tantrums and all. But all that said, he's also the sweetest little guy around. He's never been a cuddler, but he's so good about sharing, and he loves to say hi, blow kisses and wave bye-bye to people, which just melts my hormonal mama heart.

His red hair is filling in nicely, and his lip has healed perfectly, thus finally alleviating some of my guilt. He has these cool, squishy little baby cheeks still, and he actually lets me smooch them, which I do every chance I get! He likes to be involved in everything. From daddy shaving in the morning to mama cooking dinner, he wants to be in the thick of it, and I can't wait for him to teach and show his little sibling the ropes.

And yet, at the same time, I'm treasuring these days with my Spencer as our only child. I know, logically speaking, that my heart has enough room for another baby, but Spencer has my heart now, and the thought of having to divide my attention makes me sad. In three short months, we'll be bringing home a sibling for our little man, and we'll suddenly be a family of four, and Spencer will be a big brother. How crazy is that?

I'm excited to see how Spencer takes to being a sibling. I can't wait to see him share his tubby time, playing with little teeny baby toes, smile big and show baby the ropes because this boy...this boy is perfection, and every day with my little man just keeps getting better.

on the go

After what seemed like the world's most hectic build-up to Christmas, we finally got to spend our first Christmas in our own home as a family of three. We went to Utah to visit Ryan's family from the 15th through the 22nd, and we got home late, late on the 22nd. Here's how our travels coming home went:

• Arrive at SLC airport for 1:20 PM flight
• Flight is delayed for a 2:30 PM departure
• Read that our connection at JFK is the last flight to Syracuse of the night - and we won't make our connection.
• Change our flight to a flight departing at 2:15 and connecting in Atlanta
• Flight is delayed to a 3:20 PM departure due to de-icing the plane and a sick child on board
• Begin our descent into Atlanta, and Spencer poops, so we can't get up to change him
• Land with 38 mins to our connection, and the jetway is malfunctioning, so it won't line up with the plane
• 20 minutes pass and we quickly get off the plane, run to change Spencer (who has blown out all over)
• We run from the E terminal to the B terminal, make it to our gate and quickly check the stroller
• Make it on the plane with 12 minutes to spare before takeoff

Needless to say, when we finally arrived in Syracuse at around 11:30 PM, we have never been happier. Our bags came out quickly, Spencer was a trooper and slept all the way home, and we managed to get back to Black River by around 1:30 AM. 

So, as you can imagine, we were thrilled at the prospect of a quiet Christmas at home - and it delivered in spades. We really didn't do too much. We spent time with our neighbors who have quickly become family, spoiled our little boy and enjoyed the last vestiges of this mild winter - because it looks like it's going to cool off next week.

Needless to say though, I'm back, and I'm thrilled to be back on this blog. It's really hard to blog while traveling, so it's nice to be able to sit back, sip some tea while Spence is napping and jot down some thoughts. I hope you all had an absolutely wonderful holiday, too! xo

PS - If anyone wants to see us in 2016, it's YOUR turn to visit :D

1 year of spencer bruce

Dear Spencer Bruce,

Today you are one year old! It's hard to believe how quickly time has flown this past year, especially when I think that at this time last year, we were eagerly anticipating your arrival. You came screaming and crying into this world at 4:39 PM in Sierra Vista, Arizona, and our lives were forever changed for the better. You are, and will always be, my precious baby boy. My firstborn. My sweet little man who made me a Mama.

You went from being my little tiny sugar biscuit that waves his hands at his toys on his play mat, to rolling over, to crawling like the little Army baby that you are. And, before we knew it, you took your first steps and started walking for Oma and Opa just two days shy of your 11-month birthday.

Spencer, you have such a sweet, but fierce spirit, and I hope that I will always foster that in the very best way possible. You know what you want, and you're a smart little man; you know how to get it. You talk a lot! You're favorite words are Dada, doggie, Stella-cat and, unfortunately, die. We don't know where that one came from. We're still working on Mama, but I'm okay with being called Dada, so long as you'll still snuggle with me in our glider until you're 20.

You absolutely love your bath time, and from the beginning, that's been such a joy for this mama to share with you. We went from your first baths in Arizona, to little tubbies in Oma's sink, to sitting with Mama in the tub with you. Now, you play with your toys, stand and make declarations, and you swim around in your tub all by yourself. It's one of my greatest joys seeing this love you have for the water, and I can't wait to get you into swim lessons, as it was such a huge part of my life.

Baby boy, above all else, I'm so proud to be your Mama. I never knew that I could love someone so much, or that you could make me love your daddy even more, too! Thank you for beating birth control, coming in God’s perfect timing and making our little family more complete.

Happy first birthday, precious Spencie!

Love always,

Mama

#momfail

I've definitely experience my fair share of mom fails this year. Who knew that you had to point their little man bits down before diapering and putting the baby boy to bed? That's not cradle cap...but rather severe eczema? Playing piranha with your baby boy might result in a bitten finger? (don't ask). This, however, takes the cake.

that's not pee on the sheet...it's water from his sippy cup...just fyi

Yesterday, Spencer was inconsolable. He would try to play, and then he would just cry and cry and cry. He wouldn't eat, he wouldn't take a bottle, and he would only really drink warm water from his sippy cup. I thought maybe he had a sore throat. He didn't have a fever, so I figured he wasn't too sick, so I just assumed we needed to wait it out. 

This morning, after an extremely rough night, mind you, I went to wake the baby bean, and he looked happy as a clam. He'd been fussy all night, would only really sleep in our arms and seemed so upset. So, naturally, I wondered what the heck changed in the last few hours. And then I noticed it...yellow stuff coming out of his ear and all over his sheet. Cue momma panic and a quick emergency visit to the pediatrician, and we were sent on our merry way with a diagnosis...perforated eardrum.

Let me just say that on the list of things I thought might be wrong, ear infection was really low on the list. From what the doctor says though, he thinks Spencer had an infection for about a week before the pressure built up until it burst yesterday. He had no classic signs of ear infection. He wasn't feverish or fussy till yesterday, and he wasn't rubbing his ears. He was constipated last week though and, apparently, that can be a sign. Go figure.

Anyhow, this sweet pea is now on a high dose of amoxicillin to fight infection for two weeks, momma feels so dang guilty and all I can say is this...always assume ear infection. Le sigh.

8 months of spencer bruce

Cue momma tears. I'm an emotional mess right now anyway since Ryan just left for an overseas trip - read: very little contact and single parenting for a while. It's not a deployment, thankfully, but it's still our first time as a family in which I'm a single parent here, and that's insane. Plus, I miss my best friend, and I think that's the most challenging part by far. Luckily though, Ryan was able to be here yesterday for Spencer's 8-month birthday, and we celebrated having this little guy in style. 

Weight: His weight gain seems to have leveled off a bit this month, and he is a nice 18 lbs 6 oz. He feels huge to me, but I'm watching all his little rolls lean out, and I realize that my baby isn't such a teeny little baby anymore. 

Clothes: We literally just retired his 6-month onesies yesterday. Spencer is firmly in a blend of 6-9 month clothes and 9-month onesies - though the onesies are still a bit too big on him. I've found that I really dislike the onesies lately, too, because with the heat, he gets very swampy. We've been doing a lot of t-shirts and shorts, and he seems to enjoy that more.

Milestones: This guy likes to jump in his jumperoo like a boss. He's also determined to hold himself upright in a standing position, and his new favorite thing is to hold onto the stair railing and pretend he's standing all on his own. He also tries really hard to climb the stairs, but (thankfully) fails miserably. Crawling is on the horizon right now for this guy. He very easily gets up on his knees and rocks back and forth, but he's still working to consistently move those knees and hands forward. He scoots though!

Food is his favorite! He eats like a champ now. We made the difficult decision to start supplementing with formula this past month because of my inability to keep up with the amount he needed while at the sitter. He usually gets two 4 oz bottles a day, and then nurses the rest. He eats solids at night - usually a blend of kale, spinach, pears, greek yogurt, carrots, etc - and suddenly loves them all. He still hates avocado though.

Sleeping has been a mix this month. For the most part, he goes down really well around 7 PM. Then he'll sleep until about 1, when I change and nurse him. Usually he'll sleep again till about 7 AM. There have been a couple bad nights though, including one where I actually had to drive him around until he fell asleep...a first in the 8 months we've had him. 

Spencer's Favorites this Month: He loves love loves Baby Einstein Puppets. I swore up and down we wouldn't be those parents, but if he's happy in his fussy "witching hour" by watching some Baby Einstein, so be it. He also loves to pull Stella's tail, "climb" the stairs and play on the swings. 

Mama's Thoughts this Month: This little guy is really developing a personality, and we're loving it. With the good comes a touch of bad though, and I will admit that he's learned that he can throw tantrums a little bit. He doesn't do it often, but when it's around 5:30 and he wants to eat, he wants it right. now. We're working to ensure he knows that we will be firm but gentle in telling him that it's not allowed or accepted in our home. Yes, 8 months is young, but I believe in raising my son knowing he can't be entitled...even if he's too young to understand.

All that said, I'm loving watching him learn, grow and explore the world around him, and I can't believe how fast time is flying. This baby boy is going to be a year before I know it. 

those lazy summer days

There's something about sunshine, cicadas and throwing open all the windows that just soothes my soul...even if there is approximately 109328903284% humidity in northern NY right now. Ryan's block leave ended yesterday, and we managed to soak up the sun and those last few moments before his work picked right back up over the weekend. I'm so thankful we had the time.

Spencer had his first time in the real pool on post. We ditched the ugly old blowup pool we bought because I didn't want to deal with the mess and refilling it all the time. So, we took him to the pool, and he loved it. This happy momma thinks we might just have a water baby! 

On Sunday, since we were all recovering from nasty colds we picked up somewhere in Canada, we played hooky from church and just caught up on some rest. Spencer's been taking naps (I don't want to jinx it) in the afternoon again, so we actually all got a little extra sleep.

To wear him out a little more though, I set up a little faux-pool in the backyard. We've been trying to work on him sitting up more, and I figured this was just the ticket, since he loves the water so much. I filled a plastic storage bin about halfway with water, plopped it in the sunny backyard, and we just played and played...until he pooped :)

Also over block leave, we got news that Ryan's overseas trip has been confirmed, so he'll be leaving next month for about 6 weeks. For OPSEC reasons, I'm not going to say where, but this momma is nervous about being a single parent for so long. I'm truly thankful it's not a real deployment this year, but holy moly...Spencer and I are in for a treat!

7 months of spencer bruce

I'm so far behind on blogging. I had the best of intentions the past couple weeks. I wanted to blog every other day. Ryan's on block leave though, and we decided to enjoy this time as a family...and that meant that the blog went by the wayside a little bit. So, let me back up to one of the most important monthly events, and then I'll recap the trip later this week(end). Spencer Bruce turned 7 months old on the 4th of July! We spent his 7-month birthday with his Aunt Kristina and Uncle Josh in Philadelphia, and it was a grand ol' time.

^^^ morning snuggles with Aunt Kristina

^^^ baby in the middle

^^^ mid-destruction of everything around him

Weight: This little man is not so little anymore! Weighing in at a whopping 18 lbs, he has rolls on rolls on rolls, and I just love it! His goofy little pot-belly is the best thing ever.

Clothes: We're still pushing our 6-month onesies, and he's firmly in his 6-month pants and shorts now. I think we're nearing the tail end of the 6-month tops though because a lot of them look a bit like v-necks now. He's in firmly in size 3 diapers, and we switched to The Honest Company after one too many blowouts in Pampers. It's funny - they didn't work when he was a newborn, but we love them now.

Milestones: What hasn't he done this month?! On June 18th, this boy cut his very first tooth, and just 8 days later, the second little tooth came in, so he now has two little bottom teeth, and it makes me super happy! He scoots around a lot now, and flips over onto his belly if you ever set him on his back. He hasn't mastered crawling, but he scoots backwards under the couch all. the. time.

He enjoys a few solids now, though not too regularly. He likes apples and pears, so we mix them with broccoli and other veggies to ensure he's getting the best of both worlds. We're starting to investigate weaning, since Ryan and I are going on a cruise in November, and he'll need to be weaned by then (or mostly weaned). We also discovered he has a few allergies - raspberries, and he got hives when he had a dab of Ryan's milkshake. To add some fun, he now gags whenever we try to give him avocado.

Sleeping was rough for a while, but we seem to be in a decent routine for the moment. He sleeps at 7, gets up around 12:45 to nurse, and then he sleeps through until 7, which I can deal with.

Spencer's Favorites this Month: He has literally no interest in his toys anymore. However, if you give him an empty water bottle, or something that crinkles, this boy has the time of his life! Oh, and he loves his jumperoo, and that makes me a happy momma.

Mama's Thoughts this Month: Honestly, I thought teething was going to be worse. He usually has one really fussy day before the tooth actually cuts, but other than that, it's no better or worse than usual. I love love love love love him, and I'm hoping that Ryan can cram all these baby snuggles in before he leaves next month (more on that later).

6 months of spencer bruce

I fail at blogging lately. And yes, I say this on a bi-monthly basis...at least. I've simply decided that life is worth living in the moment, rather than extolling on the web all the time. Do I love this blog? Very much so. Will it be my primary focus in all things? No. Plain and simple, my family and my work come first. That said, I will be keeping this up as much as possible. And, because I just got that off my chest, I have to say that my sweet baby boy turned 6 whole months yesterday! How is that even possible?! 

Weight: Nugget butt is now 16 lb 10 oz and finally in the 40th percentile for weight! No wonder my arms get so darn tired carrying him all the time. He's our little porky boy, and we love him lots. He just started wearing size 3 diapers last week...craziness.

Clothes: Spencer is well into his 6-9 month clothing now. The onesies fit him really well, while the pants and shorts slip a good bit on his waist and are pretty darn long on his little legs. He looks pretty darn adorable in everything though!

Milestones: There have been so many firsts this past month! Baby boy tried his very first solids on his 5 month birthday - avocado - and wasn't the biggest fan. He's since tried sweet potatoes, banana, peas and squash. He really only liked the banana...but I, personally, wasn't a fan of his diaper the next morning. I'm jussayin'.

He scoots around - backwards - all the time now. He looks like he's going to crawl, but then he goes in reverse, which is the funniest thing! He has the loudest belly laugh, loves to be tickled and wants nothing more than to walk. He can sit up somewhat now, but he's more interested in eating his toes.

Sleeping has been on and off this month. We've had everything from a 3-4 wakeup night to a 1 wakeup night. On average, he goes to bed at 7 PM and sleeps until he nurses around 2, then sleeps through until 7. I can deal with that!

Spencer's Favorites this Month: Spencer is a huge, huge fan of his exersaucer and his jumparoo. He also had his first few turns on the swing at the park, and let's just say it's a hit! He's quite the fan of it, and it makes me wonder why Ryan and I never bought this baby a swing...sheesh.

Mama's Thoughts this Month: We finally got the childcare situation figured out, and this month has been one of constant, steady progress. Spencer's days are more challenging - and more fun - but we're loving this phase of our little man. We wouldn't trade this exhaustion for anything, and we're loving being parents to this little stinker. Here's to many (MANY) more months of our nugget!

mama

I can't believe it's my first real Mother's Day. I never really knew, or understood, what it would be like to be a mama, and now that it's here, I appreciate my own sweet mother even more than ever. She put aside so many of her own wishes, hopes and desires for our betterment, and she's one of the most selfless women that I know.

Now that I have a sweet babe of my own, I can only hope that I'll be half the mother to him that my mother has been to my sisters and I. Spencer is such a sweet, stubborn, silly, adorable little boy, and I'm so proud to be his momma - and that he has his Oma to love and spoil him, too.

And, on this very first Mother's Day of my own, I'm celebrating this baby-blue-eyed little man that has so transformed me, my wants and my wishes. He's made our little family so much fuller and special. He's perfection, and I'm so very, very blessed to be this sweet boy's mama. 

To all my blogging mamas out there, I wish you all the happiest of Mother's Days. And, to those soon-to-be and wishful mamas, I pray you are all blessed tenfold with sweet peanuts of your own. It's the most beautiful, awe-inspiring, challenging and remarkable journey in life. 

tgif (seriously)

This has been a long week. Honestly, I'm not even that sure why because Spencer had a few trips to hourly care (got sent home for crying twice), and our new sitter started. I got some work done. I was actually moderately productive. And yet, it's felt like a really long, long week. So, I'm welcoming this weekend with open arms though, unfortunately, Ryan has to work tomorrow. May + 24 hour ops + their inspection coming up makes me want to give an evil side-eye to the Army. Oh well. 

one// Spencer enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame this week when Bose regrammed a picture I put on instagram of him holding Ryan's treasured Sound Link Mini. I couldn't help but giggle at that serious expression on his little face.

two// Running is going nicely this month! So far, I've done 10 miles this week, and I'm looking forward to another long, slow run with the stroller this weekend, plus a short one today. The weather is beautiful now, and I'm taking advantage of it!

three// These two have been snuggling like a boss in the mornings lately. They find the sunny spot on the bed and just cuddle, cuddle, cuddle until the baby decides it's time to wake up for the day. Then, they scatter to the wind. It's nice to have some quiet moments with my very first babies - my fur babies.

four// I finally, finally, finally decided to get my rings replated last week. I've been dreading taking them to the jeweler since I got engaged, but it was high time that my beautiful 14k gold get a good cleaning - and a new goat of shine. After a long week without my rings (and wearing a cheap band to tide myself over), they should be ready to pick up today!

five// This sweet boy of ours had his first taste of real food on his 5 month birthday. He had avocados (pureed with a bit of breastmilk), and he seemed both utterly perplexed and a bit excited about the prospect of holding his spoon. In fact, I think he was more excited about his spoon than he was about his avocados. Small victories? He hasn't had enough to change his poos yet. I'll take that as somewhat of a win.

So, here's to a weekend of good weather, health and happiness. Despite Ryan working tomorrow, we're going to make the best of it because Spencer and I are taking a trip to Philadelphia next week. Solo. I'm terrified. More on that to come…

all about the spence

^^^ epic smiles from mr. spencer b this morning

It's been a fun week in the Moore household. On Monday, our babysitter decided to text me (yes, text me) and tell me she no longer wanted to work. I'd been working towards part-time hourly care on post anyway, so despite the fact that I was crazy annoyed, I was also relieved I didn't have to fire her. Yesterday, the CYS on post called me during the three hours Spencer was in their care to tell me he wouldn't stop crying and I had to pick him up.

Now, don't get me wrong. I will always put my child's needs above my own. That said, I was crazy frustrated, yet again, that it seemed someone couldn't do their job when all I really want is to do my job(s) and do them well! Needless to say, I went and picked him up, and we had a fun day together. I did not, however, get any work done.

So, there's that.

We're interviewing new sitters because, while Spencer needs to grow accustomed to other people re: part-time childcare, I also relish having him at home, and that's the ideal for me. How is it that this is so difficult?! 

This sweet boy is almost 5 months old, and I just adore him. I love, love, love being able to work from home, but my goodness - it's harder than ever! 

the plague

Oh, yes. Yes, I'm being dramatic here. Sickness has descended on the Moore household. Ryan, Spencer and I left NY for NH last Saturday, and the intent was for Spencer and I to stay with my parents while Ryan took care of some urgent family matters in Oregon. It turns out that my father and my mother were sick while we were there, and Spencer caught a cold. My friends, there is nothing more sad than a sick baby...especially when it's just a cold and there's nothing you can do for it.

Snuggles on Oma definitely helped though. Anyway, as we left NY yesterday, I started to feel that dreaded tickle in my throat and by 3 PM during our drive home, I'd lost my voice, and I felt like someone was hitting my head with a hammer. You know...just because. Anyway, I'm pretty rough today, but I'm sure I'm on the mend...until Ryan gets sick. Before the sickness took its hold though, and before Ryan left for Oregon, we managed to have some fun family time, and Spencer got to hang out with Opa, Aunt Nikki and Uncle Adam, as well as spend some quality too-cool-for-school time with daddy.

Spencer is getting so darn big. We had to go to the doc today because my momma gut was telling me it was time, and I was right. We got him multiple antibiotics for his eczema, which will hopefully help things along. I'll post about that at a later date...cautionary momma tales and all. But anyway, keep your fingers crossed that if Ryan catches whatever we have that it moves quickly, please.

We want to enjoy this amazing spring weather, my friends, because it is finally over 70 degrees in New York today!