Tucson

My 94 year old grandmother fell the day after we brought Elliott home from the hospital (from being born, not from the sepsis) and broke her hip in 4 places.  She had surgery a few days later and was transferred to a rehab facility later that week.

She's not doing so great.  She is very weak and has stopped making progress, so the rehab place is basically kicking her out of there.  They say she will never walk again and she is unable to do even basic tasks like dressing herself, because of her muscle atrophy.

With this in mind we decided to take a trip to Tucson to see her.  We went on Saturday, were there for less than 24 hours and spent less than 30 minutes with her, but I feel better knowing that she got to see Elliott in person.  My family had never told her about Elliott being in the hospital when he was sick.  We broke the news to her.  She took it well.

On the way. 

Elliott's first trip out of Maricopa County and the furthest he's ever been from home.

With my grandma at the rehab facility.

She was pretty darn tickled to see him and hold him.

Spencer flat out refused to sit right next to her for a picture.

On Saturday evening my Aunt Karen and Uncle Terry came over for dinner.  I didn't get any pictures with them.

Elisa came over on Saturday night and Sunday morning.  This is Sunday.

Elisa had never given Spencer his Christmas present.  He was delighted to be able to open it.

Elliott took a little nap right before we left.

A few more comparisons!

Spencer and Elliott on their first trips to Tucson.  Spencer was 10 days old.  Elliott was 6 weeks.  I am sick to my stomach thinking about how we took Spencer down there at 10 days.

First time being held by Great Grandma Girl. Spencer had met her before this picture was taken, but she hadn't held him.  He was 7 weeks old.

Recreation of the daddy picture.  Spencer, again, was 7 weeks and Elliott was 6 weeks.

6 weeks

Pure sweetness

1/27/12

Michael thinks I am awful to share this one.

Spencer did his own hair for the occassion.

I remembered the forgotten Spencer story.  Actually, Spencer is the one who remembered.  I thought I'd share it here in case people don't go back and look at the previous post.

Michael had some, um, gas.  Spencer told him that he needed to go to the tooter doctor.

That's it.  I'm done.  Good night everybody.

Spencer stuff, nursing and Pinterest

This post is kind of all over the place with topics.  You're cool with that, right?

I had three funny stories to tell about Spencer.  I had written the blog post in my head.  It was hilarious.  Then I waited too long (we've had a difficult week) and  now I can't remember the third story.  Like, I really can not remember any part of it, not that I just forgot the details or the dialogue.  I'll probably remember at 3:00 in the morning when I'm up with Elliott.

Anyway, Spencer has been saying the funniest things lately.  And not just funny things.  He's also saying intelligent things and higher order thinking things and abstract thinking things.  It's amazing.  Maybe because I am now comparing him to a 6 week old, but he just seems so much older and mature.  

Funny story #1

Spencer was practicing writing his whole name (first, middle and last) on the blackboard while Elliott was nursing.  Spencer was having a really hard time with the A and the Y.  I couldn't exactly get up and write them for him so he was getting frustrated.  Then I was thinking it was a good thing he's going to do preschool again and not start kindergarten in the fall.  His birthday is right after the cut-off and I have agonized over starting him next year or not.  I had been feeling really good about giving him another year before starting.  Then, in that moment, I doubted myself again, because what if he is bored in another year.  So I asked him if he wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument.  He thought about it.  Like really thought about it.  Then he said yes.  I asked what kind of instrument.  Just as I said "violin"?  he said "a tuba". 

Can you just picture Spencer (in the 10th percentile for height and 20th for weight) playing this thing?  How does he even know what a tuba is?  I've certainly never said that word to him.

Funny Story #2

  My favorite place to nurse is in the recliner in our bedroom.  It's the most comfortable chair, the arms are perfectly spaced and it supports my back.  Since it is in our room I brought a bunch of Spencer's toys  in there to keep him occupied.  We pretty much don't leave our room until around 11 am every day.  So, I was nursing Elliott and Spencer was playing with his toys.  He was doing something sciency.  I don't remember what exactly.  I told him I thought he should be a doctor when he grew up.  He asked why and I said because he was smart and he would be good at it.  He thought about it and said, "No thanks.  I think I will just get a job doing construction and painting."

Aim high, baby.  Aim high.

While I was typing this he came over to me, put a toy fishing pole on my arm and said he needed to take my blood pressure.  There is still hope.

If I remember the third story I'll come back and put it here.

When Spencer was a baby I watched a lot of tv while I was nursing.  It was all I did.  During that time Michael mentioned that he had never seen The Shining and I was able to tell him that it was on TV on Bravo at 3:00 the next Thursday.  That's too much TV watching.  I no longer have that luxury because I don't want Spencer watching all that TV. 

This time around I am on my phone all the time.  Facebook got old fast. Then I remembered pinterest.  I joined a couple of months ago, but hadn't done much on it after initially setting up my boards.  No more.  I'm addicted.  I love pinterest.  I have Elliott's first birthday party all planned out.

The only disappointing thing is that on my phone I can only repin stuff.  No original pins until they invent an app for droids.

I've found some of the coolest activities for kids.  Last weekend we took a bar of ivory soap, cut it into fourths and microwaved one chunk.  It was awesome.

Elliott is going to be 6 weeks old tomorrow.  I still feel like I can't put him down.  I think that I will recover from his first 4 weeks of life in the next 4 years.  I just want to hold him for forever.  Megan let me borrow her moby wrap.  It's OK, but I'm not enthralled.  We have a snugli, but I worry about it's non-ergonomicness.  We thought about getting an Ergo, but I was put off by the cost and the fact that the baby can never face out.  So, I did some research and found the Belle Baby Carrier.  It is ergonomic, comes with an infant insert, is cheaper than the Ergo and the baby can face out.  Pretty excited to get it delivered next week.

One more funny from Pinterest

Comparisons

You're not supposed to compare your kids.  Every baby is different and a good parent embraces and cherishes those differences.

I don't care. 

I just had to do some picture comparisons.  In all of them Spencer is on the left and Elliott is on the right.

In the hospital right after birth.  First diaper.

First monthly picture on day of birth

With mommy on day of birth

Going home at 2 days old

First time in the car seat- 2 days old

First picture with Gramme

First picture with Grandpa

First picture with Grandma

(Papa was too nervous to hold Elliott in the hospital so I don't have a picture of the two of them)

First picture with Uncle Nick.  Spencer was about 6 weeks old.  Elliott was 2 days.

First picture with Uncle Nathan.  Spencer was 5 weeks old.  Elliott was 2 weeks.

Blocks- 2 days old

In the co-sleeper

(side note: Elliott has already spent 150% more time in the co-sleeper compared to Spencer)

First sponge bath.  Spencer was 3 days.  Elliott was 7 days.

First time wearing pants.  Spencer was 5 weeks.  Elliott was 1 week.

First time in the swing.  Spencer was 3 weeks.  Elliott was almost 2 weeks.  They both disliked it.

First time on the lion gym.  Elliott was about 1 week younger.

Calendars

Spencer was due on October 5th and was born on September 6th.  Elliott was due on January 18th and was born on December 16th. 

I will never know what it's like to go full term in a pregnancy. 

More from the hospital and Due Date

 The last (awful) post I wrote about the hospital had all pictures from my phone.  I wanted to share a few more from my actual camera. 

Wednesday, the 4th during the baptism. 

The priest, Father Arthur, was about 14 years old.  Not really, but he was probably around 30.  He's the youngest Catholic priest I've ever met.

Later that day

Thursday the 5th

napping with Gramme

Friday the 6th

Spencer had to have another monthly picture in another hospital.

4 years 4 months

The "bed" Michael slept on for 10 nights.  You can't see with all the bedding, but the "mattress" is the hard bench cushions.  I slept part time with him and part time in the world's most uncomfortable chair with Elliott.  My hips will never be the same after our stay here.  Permanent bone bruises, I think.

Saturday the 8th

Resting with daddy.

Wearing hospital socks

Sorry to force a breastfeeding photo on all of you.  It doesn't really show anything though, so you shouldn't be too offended.

This is what I did pretty much non-stop from Friday the 6th until we left on Thursday the 12th. 

Our PICU room

Elliott in the swing that we finally thought to ask for on Tuesday the 10th.  We had a baaaaad night the night before and were exhausted and we got him to sleep in this for 2 hours that night.  Then he never went in it again.

Tuesday the 10th

Tuesday the 10th

Tuesday the 10th when we finally thought to ask for an infant seat.  One of the hardest things was that we couldn't really move with Elliott since he was hooked up to so much stuff.  It was nice to have a new option for where to put him.

We finally got kicked out of the PICU at about 10 pm the night of the 10th.  Elliott was moved to our new room in a wagon.  It was bizarre and funny.

There was no bassinet in the new room and Elliott looked bizarre in this huge crib.

More relaxing with daddy on Wednesday the 11th

Our view from our room on the 5th floor (the non-PICU room).  The flight path for the airport is just north  of the hospital.  I sat there for 2 days and watched a new plane go by, literally, every minute.  It is shocking how many planes take off and land from Sky Harbor.

Our last day.  Thursday the 12th.  We were so, so glad to be out of there!

Also:

Today, January 18th, was to be my due date.  Elliott missed the memo, however, and is 4 weeks 5 days old.