Get me some juice, I'm feeling faint

Nothing can be sadder than watching your baby, gleefully kicking just moments before with a huge smile on his face, being stuck with a long needle in his fat little thighs-- three times. Afterward, the nurse asked me if I was going to be okay. Clearly, my expression was a giveaway of the guilt, empathy-- and nausea-- I was feeling. I think the mere sight of medical needles makes the blood drain from my head. I've finally gotten used to Mike injecting himself with insulin multiple times a day. Jack woke up all smiles again after his nap this afternoon, but I may be haunted by this experience and will hold him all the more close these next couple of days. I can only imagine the pampering he'll get the first time he falls and gets a bloody knee.
That aside, Jack weighed 14 lbs and 2 oz, and he was 23 1/2 inches, so he's still putting his food away. We're doing away with the Zantac because I'm not convinced it's doing all that much. He just seems to be a spitty baby, and only time can cure him of that. (This was his 2-month check up.)

Running together again

I think our other stroller was recalled for contributing to shaken baby syndrome. If not, it should be. It wasn't really made to go romping through the woods, but it certainly wasn't designed with the sidewalks of Pittsburgh in mind. Just walking the mile from our house to Mike's work, I get an upper-body workout lifting his stroller wheels over every uneven sidewalk crack so as not to give the poor boy whiplash.

In hopes of finding a used one that would be fit for walks outside of stores and other institutions with level, polished floors, I looked on Craig's List. Last week, I got one that someone was giving away through the site, and while it was an improvement to our monster bumpy-ride, it still gave Jack quite a jerk walking through the smooth-ish trails of Schenely. So I consulted Craig one more time- this time for a Jogging Stroller. I found one gently used that, when purchased new, was more than $400, but we ended up paying less than an eighth of that. If you haven't looked on Craig's List (craigslist.com) for used (and cheap new) things in your area, you should become acquainted with it.

Mike and I have been taking turns in the evenings watching Jack so the other can go for a run. Last night, Mike, Jack and I all went for a five-mile run through Frick Park together. Mike and I took turns pushing the stroller, which ran with great ease and smoothness. Jack smiled and looked around excitedly the whole time he wasn't sleeping, and I would too, if I were on a ride like that. Mike has agreed to push me when we find a jogging stroller big enough.

Now, Jack thoroughly anticipates our next walk/jog-- and our walk with Kaethe and Mali next week at Frick. He had a great time playing "swap-the-binky" with her yesterday morning when she was over here to play. If you can see in the picture, she has laid her pink binky at his left side in exchange for his blue one. They played very sweetly together.

Sleep...Walking

A special thinks to Jack for sleeping "through" the night last night (if you don't count waking up only once for 15 minutes to eat between 10:30pm and 7 am-- after which he went back to sleep for another 2 1/2 hours). I should mention that, a couple of nights ago in the post where I said that he had been up every 1-2 hours, this was the first night he slept in his crib--in his own room--all night. So he had a reason for his frequent ups and downs. I'm sure it was harder on me than on him for him to be in a separate room.
Today was also the first day that Jack actually stayed awake during a walk. We walked the 3-mile Schenley loop this morning with Michelle and Beatrix, and Jack was bright-eyed and smiling the entire time, kicking his legs and waving his arms. Poor Bea, though! She screamed most of the time, her back arching out of her jogging stroller. It must be so frustrating for a baby, not able to communicate what she wants or is feeling. Michelle informed me later that Bea "told" her why she was so sad. She threw up in her dad's office shortly after the walk. Feel better Bea!

2 months!

Jack is two months old today!

Currently, he enjoys trying to stick his entire fist in his mouth, flailing all of his limbs at once, while breathing very, very quickly, and grabbing onto things like his colorful links, fingers, Mom's hair and Freddie the Firefly, his best friend, who is drying out right now because of a changing accident yesterday.

We're still waiting for that glorious day when he will sleep through the night (last night, he awoke every 1-2 hours to eat), but he is still a wonderful baby, and we couldn't have asked for better.

Happy 29th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Not many young people today can boast of their parents' good example of commitment, love and strong faith in their marriage. Mom and Dad, you have been such an example to me of what a married couple should be. I have seen how your relationship has grown over the years through your strong faith in the Lord. I am so thankful to have had that positive influence in my life, especially now that I am newly married. And I see how wonderful those once-embarrassing-to-me silly voices and long hugs in the kitchen can be. Mike and I look forward to embarrassing Jack in the same way one day! I admire you both so much, as individuals, and what you have brought together to your marriage- for your friendship and the beautiful family you have made (I couldn't find a picture with Heather too- or Jack).

I love you!

Thank you, Zantac

Here's the skinny: If spitting-up were Jack's job, he would be getting paid overtime. It's runny, it's projectile, it's constant. So today, at my postpartum doctor's appointment, I mentioned it. My doctor (who is also Jack's doctor) said that judging by his size, it wasn't hindering his growth, but decided to weigh him just to see where he was compared to other babies his age. According to the chart, 8-week to 9-week-olds average 10 1/4 to 10 1/2 lbs. Jack weighed in at a whopping 13 lbs and 4 oz! She said he probably just has a reflux problem, so she prescribed him Zantac. I don't like the idea of medicating my two-month-old, but it's something like 1/2 a mL twice a day. I gave him some from the dropper right when we got home, and-- IT'S A MIRACLE!-- our baby has kept down an entire meal without even the slightest dribble. Or maybe the miracle is that Jack, projectile vomiting and all, still manages to outweigh his peers by nearly three pounds!

Happy 18th Birthday, Tay!

Coincidentally, this was the only picture I could find (courtesy of Facebook) of my brother, Taylor, who was the date of four girls simultaneously last year at his Homecoming dance. It suits him well, though.
Today, he turns 18.
I can still remember squeezing his tiny pea toes in the back of our Taurus station wagon, just hard enough to make him cry-- and my mother, sympathetically, would ask him, still too young to answer, "Awww-- what's the matter, sweetie?"
No, I do not squeeze Jack's toes.
And what fun we had playing T.R. Tedris (I have no idea where this name came from) in our backyard! I was T.R. Tedris-- the make-believe scary man that lived in the woods behind our house-- and would chase all of the littler kids in the neighborhood, terrified and crying.
It's a surprise Tay made it out of his childhood years unscathed. In actuality, he and I were inseparable. He wouldn't do anything unless "Kellie said it was okay," and he was my best playmate. Now, he's a charming and hilarious teenager and the manager of The Pet Loft. And he's a superb uncle, teaching Jack to appreciate the wonderful world of Pirates (you may have taken note of Jack's shoulder parrot in an earlier post). You should have seen his Prom picture from last year, where the theme was "Pirates of the Carribean!"
Happy Birthday, Tay! We love you!

Jealous?

While many mothers get flowers or candy for their special day, I got the most marvelous pair of red drop-bottom pajamas. I had to put them on right away. Hong and Yan happened to be visiting the Hoffmanns, and when they came downstairs to leave, Yan looked a bit shocked to see my attire. Maybe he concluded this was normal American behavior. Of course, I have the best Mother's Day gift of all: the dearest baby boy in the world. Now Jack and I can match. :) My man really knows me well. Thanks, Mike! My boys are the best!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there who have given of themselves for the raising of children.

When I see Kellie holding Jack like this it just makes me smile and strikes a chord deep inside. This is what a family is supposed to be. I can see how much she loves him and, as you can see, she's just glowing holding him. She has such a pure desire to be a mother and to love her family. I'm so proud of her and I don't know anyone who is her equal.

Kellie loves God and her family and strives to do what is right. She's the most amazing wife and mother and I think those two go hand-in-hand. I love her more everyday and am constantly impressed by her deep and genuine love.

I know it's cheesy, but I have compiled a short list detailing for all of you why Kellie is so great. I know I could never enumerate everything she does since she does so much for us (Jack and I), but I'm just going to cover some highlights.

Top 5 Reasons Kellie is Great:
5. Kellie is committed to her family. We have made a huge number of transitions in the last 18 months(graduating, getting a job, getting an apartment, getting married, getting pregnant, having a baby, becoming Catholic, and now buying a house -- whew!), but Kellie has always stayed focused on our family. It would be easy for any of these stressful events to drive a wedge into our fledgling marriage, but she is wholly committed to it as we press on together in this yolk.

4. This is unrelated to Kellie's motherhood, but she packs my lunch for work. I really appreciate it and being able to open up my lunch and see a note from my wife everyday makes everything better. It just makes my day -- everyday.

3. Kellie strives to excel at her most important work and calling, motherhood. She isn't side-tracked by those who would have her believe that motherhood is a vocation without honor. She knows that it is a wonderful and glorious thing and deserving of much honor.

2. When I come home from work, Kellie is always holding Jack and giving him all the love and attention in the world. I love coming home and seeing the two of them together.

1. Kellie looks forward to having more precious little ones and considers them a blessing.

I feel bad posting this because I'm not articulate enough to elaborate on what a truly wonderful woman Kellie is. I just hope someday I can be a husband who is even close to worthy of such a wife. I love you, Kellie.

The search is finally over!

This has been an eventful week, as we put offers on two houses. On Monday, we put an offer on one, in Edgewood, the same day someone else put an offer on it. They accepted the other offer. It turns out now were' glad they did. We had a back-up a little farther out in Brookline- the South Hills). And we got it! This one has a lot of charm- beautiful stained glass windows and staircase and to Mike's delight-- a laundry chute. The third floor has two rooms of its own, and it has a partly finished basement (The second floor has three bedrooms). There were baby gates galore when we went on a tour last week, so we have an accurate idea of what it will look like in a year or so. Jack gave this one a thumbs-up. He saw the swingset in the backyard.

An exciting day for our family

Kellie was confirmed at Sacred Heart Catholic Church this morning, with Jessica Kubilius as her sponser (pictured with us, her husband Tom and adorable 15-month-old Molly-- Father Grecco is with us in the other photo). Kellie chose Elizabeth Ann Seton as her patron saint, who was a homemaker, mother of five and also a convert to Catholicism from Protestantism. She is the patron saint of persons rejected for their Catholic faith, in-law problems (not that she has any), and teachers, among other things. We are very happy to finally be worshipping together as a family and joining such a wonderful, loving and faithful church family at Sacred Heart. We will truly miss our family at First Trinity.

Who are you, and what have you done with our baby?

Yesterday, Mike and I both remarked how we were just thinking that Jack no longer looked like a baby to us but a small man. Well, perhaps not a man-- though sometimes when he crinkles up his face in distress, he does like like a little old man-- but definitely a little boy. I was watching him as he slept two days ago, and he looked a bit ridiculous wearing his cutesy "Let's be friends" bib. Take that silly bib off, Jack! You're too old for bibs!

Sometimes, when we're all at home, my mom will stare at us sitting around the table and say, "WHO AAAARE YOU??" Surely, she couldn't be old enough to have all of these grown-up children. I know I'll be doing the same thing in not too long.

Yes, we realize our child is only just shy of seven weeks, and he can hardly hold his head up by himself for more than five seconds, but he's growing too fast! He weighs more than 11 lbs already! We've enjoyed every week of his short life, but it's scary how they sprout up like weeds. Stay little, Jack. Stay little.