8 months and goin strong!

The past couple of weeks have been far from uneventful. My little buddy is growing like a weed and seems to be hitting milestones left and right!!! I really wish he would just slow down!!! Right before we left for our trip to West Virgina Bruin was like a wounded duck moving in circles and unable to crawl. Now, WATCH OUT. He went from nothing to army crawling to STANDING and now he is side steppin' on everything and anything he can use to hoist himself up (including but not limited to the dinosaur ball tosser, his crib, the wall, and of course, poor ozzy!)

Our trip to Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania was a much needed week of family and babies. I truly couldn't get enough of the cute factor going on!!!

 

So last week I ended my first semester of nursing school. Unfortunately after being told i had passed it turns out my professor made a mistake and had failed. That means (according to the college) i was no longer in the nursing program and had the choice of either reapplying to the schools program or be on my way to a different college and/or career. So, it looks like i'm back at square one and trying to decide what i'm going to do with my life. I'm so happy I still have a job, loving family, and a bit of sanity left but I'll tell you what, it's been a hard couple of weeks. I don't think i've ever been so embarrassed and disappointed in myself in my entire life. 

On a lighter note, my first mothers day was perfect. Randy and Bru took me to Blackwater bistro on Saturday for a nice relaxing dinner on the river. We then had lunch on the river on Sunday and had our very own Arbogast Family photoshoot. Here are some of the pictures!!! Hope you guys enjoy as much as I did!

 

Who you callin a baby?!

NOOOOOO!!!!

 

starring contest dad...GO!

check out my teeth!!

 

4 month check up

Well, it's official. My son is 4 months old. With this four month check up came more shots, a brief from the Doc on how to feed him solids (YAY!!!), and of course, the dreaded growth chart. Now Randy and I are not what you would call...Tall, under any circumstances. However, we seemed to be holding out some type of hope for our little roo thinking "MAYBE He will be the big guy" Why we thought this i have no idea. We were being told by random women almost every time we left the house that "OMG HE's SO TINY!!!". Yes lady, I know. 

Anyway. Randy had to take Bruin for his checkup and the nurse measured him at a crazy 25 in. which would have placed him in the 70 %. WHAT?!?! Of course the doctor came in and dashed all excitment when she decided to remeasure because the number seemed wrong...(NO WAY!) 

That 70% quickly plummeted to 35.1 when he was actually only 24 in. Oh well. That was short lived. As for the rest of the charts our little man is, well, little. In weight (13.56lbs) he's in the 11.98%. I PROMISE WE FEED HIM!!!! As for head circumference (16.5in.) he's at 56.7 %, yay his brain's gettin big!!! 

At the end of the day I decided to make Bruin his first solid. Homemade baby sweet potato...YUM! Below are some fun pics of Bruin and our first try at real food! 

(to watch a video go to my facebook page!) 

Live a good life.

I am sitting here at 10pm, baby and husband asleep with a funny boxer pup snoring at my feet and find myself to be completely taken over with a feeling of pride for my family. I've had one of those days where everything I once found important now seem absolutely silly and immature. 

My younger sister, Sara is someone I find myself always looking up to constantly. She is one of the lucky few who left our hometown when she realized her life was headed down the wrong path. When she was 19 she had my niece with her boyfriend Josh and the two of them are currently still together after 5 years and are some of the greatest parents I've seen. For such a young mom it amazes me that Sara is a natural at it as she is. I just hope one day I half the woman she has become, and half the mom she is to my son. 

Unfortunately, on Christmas night, after having spent the day with my family in NJ she went back to her house in PA only to find her home had been broken into and their brand new flat screen that they had gotten the day before as a christmas gift had been stolen. What did my sister have to say about it? "I don't care about the T.V, Its not the material things that matter. I'm just upset that someone invaded my families personal space." At that moment I couldn't have been more proud of her. I know they are going through tough times and if anyone deserves a break it is definitely them.

Also, my sister in law Brooke had her baby this morning! Brantly Joseph Poling was brought into this world at 12:47 weighing 8 lbs 12.6 ounces. WHOA BABY!!!!! Of course, for those of you that aren't close to the family, Brooke had to have a scheduled C-section since Brantly had spina bifida. (a birth defect that causes the backbone and spinal canal to not close before birth). They have known about since very soon into their pregnancy and have been about a prepared as you possibly could be for something like that. Brooke and her husband Rocky had been traveling two hours every month to get ultrasounds and monitor baby's progress. They had some of the best nurses and doctors available. They told Brooke and Rocky the baby would probably not be able to walk. However, after Brantly was born, they realized he has sensation in his legs and was able to move them a little!!!!! (do you believe in miracles?) Brantly was then taken to the childrens hospital while brooke is staying to recover in her hospital. The family will be staying at the Ronald Mcdonald House. Baby Brantly's surgery to fix his spina is scheduled for tomorrow. I will be posting updates as i get them. Please say prayers for such a beautiful and strong little boy that our family has so graciously been given! 

Today was one of those days where you realize that all the stupid things people complain about are pointless. Life is too short. Brooke and Rocky have been so strong. Brantly, no matter what the outcome, will be loved more than imaginable by his parents. I'm an emotional wreck that I wasn't able to be there with one of my best friends during such an important and terrifying moments in her entire life but i can't thank everyone enough who was with her. I am so proud to call brooke and rocky family. Brantly is truly adorable and i can't wait for Bruin to meet him! Tanya and Randy are such great people to have raised such amazing children I can't thank them enough.

 

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH LITTLE MAN!!!

Another terrible event hit my family on christmas and although I might be saying more than I should I'm going to try and stay as discrete as possible. All i want to say is that we lost a beautiful soul far too soon. You are so strong and I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through..<3

I leave you with this..."Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things." 

:o)

"A miracle is an event which creates faith. That is the purpose and nature of miracles. Frauds deceive. An event which creates faith does not deceive: therefore it is not a fraud, but a miracle." - George Bernard Shaw

All in the Family

"I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich."  ~Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford, "Identity Crisis," M*A*S*H


So Chistmas is over. How was Santa for your family?? We are truly blessed in our home this year. I was able to share Bruin's first Christmas with my dad who was able to meet his grandson for the first time.  While being with him was amazing it also made me realize how hard it is going to be to live this far from family with a family of our own. We missed our sisters who are pregnant and have kids. We missed our moms, grandmas, grandpas, cousins, Senior, and friends so much that it was actually bittersweet. We hope that one day our families can be together for beautiful days like Christmas where family is all that matters. 


Unfortunately, Bruin caught a nasty head cold with an ear infection just in time to be extra cranky on Christmas Eve and christmas day. Poor baby has been pumped full of tylenol and has had so much snot sucked from his little nose that i'm starting to think i have single handedly paid the Kleenex  factories bills for the month.  :-) 

*on a side note...has anyone had the pleasure of using one of these?!?!  




Umm...i'm extremely grossed out by this. I will stick with my hospital bulb thank you very much! 










ANYWAY! I've had the pleasure of bring Bruin to work with me for the past week because not only is he sick but the babysitter has strep throat. I am so grateful to have a job and boss that work with me and are so patient. I don't think that I would be nearly as patient if i were in charge! (Randy already said he would have fired me!)  I start nursing school next week and i couldn't be more terrified. Luckily Bruin starts at the base daycare Jan.3 so I can bring him there. But, i'm told that the sickness is only more frequent when he gets there so it leaves me worried that I won't be able to go through the program because i will have to stay home with a sick baby every week! I'm determined to finish this school. WE WILL DO IT!!!!! 


Bruin was scheduled for his 4 month checkup and shots. However, the dr. said she didn't wanna give him anything since he was so sick. We are rescheduled for Monday. I will post another blog then to update everyone on his growth, weight, etc.! 

I'll leave you with a cute picture just because I can't get enough of my cute son!

Nightmare on Callie Street.

So I've been having some serious issues lately when I should be sleeping. Since having Bruin I have the same nightmare EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Actually, to be honest, it doesn't seem like a nightmare because it's so real and I'm actually awake when I do it. 

ANYWAY, (Focus Jessica!) I have woken up every night since Bruin was born thinking that Randy has rolled over onto the baby. I even go as far as to frantically move Randy trying to get him off of Bruin until Randy wakes up and asks me what I'm doing and tells me to go back to sleep. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. Now let me explain something. Randy has made is a rule from day 1 of Bruin being here that we would not ever, under any circumstances, sleep with Bruin in our bed. He explained he was extremely terrified of rolling over on him. Of course, I agreed and never once in the past 3 months has Bruin been in our bed. And yet, i still have this terrible moment every night when I swear with every fiber of my being that Bruin is underneath Randy leaving both me and my husband with less than a full nights sleep.

Anyone else ever do this? 

Will it ever go away?

I hope so.

"I wish I knew what I know now"

Well hello there buddies! 

I was asked today, by a beautiful pregnant lady, what i wish I would have been told before I had Bruin. GOOD QUESTION and to be honest that was one of the reasons i decided to write this blog, so other new mommies might read this and say.. OHHHHHHhhhhh. 

In all actuality, this child having thing is probably what I expected it to be like (so far..remember i'm only 10 weeks in) lots of diapers, lots of laundry, and crazy sleep patterns. My biggest thing, however, is that I truly wish i would have prepared myself better for breastfeeding. After about week two and Bruin had so many issues, I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I really thought I was going to have to give up. It was so intense, so time consuming, so much more of a commitment than I ever imagined. Luckily, at the two week mark, my mom came to visit and really tried to pound it into my head that it would get easier and that I was strong enough to do it. Even now, writing this, i can't help but tear up at the thought of all this and i'm not completely sure why...DAMN HORMONES! After I went to lactation consultant things became easier and I'm so proud of myself for doing it. I feel like (as strange as this might sound) I accomplished something great for my baby even though it would have been so nice to give him formula at our 3 am feedings. STICK WITH IT LADIES. It's hands down the most fulfilling thing I have ever done in my life. 

Now, after I thought of my response to that question I decided to ask that wonderful guy I live with. "Hey Randall, What do you wish you had been told before I had Bruin." He told me that he wished someone had told us that there was a difference between Newborn diapers and 1. And that there was a difference in newborn clothing and 0-3 month clothing. 

Don't laugh. I know it might sound like something everyone knows, but we didn't. It took us about a week to figure out why his diapers were so large (we were stocking up before he got here, on size 1 of course!) and why his clothes didn't fit. "Hey babe you think we should try preemie!?" 

Oh parenthood <3

*I was emailed this link from a friend. She told me to read the article and I could see how much good I was doing for Bruin even if I chose to stop breastfeeding when I go back to work in the end of November. 
http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/articles/breastfeeding-benefits-how-they-add-up 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Bruin was too tiny to fit into any costumes this year, but that's ok we still took some great Halloween pictures..here ya go!