Best toy EVER!!! (Day 28)

Lucas got his first set of keys today!!!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Mommy's got a J-O-B!! (Day 27)

I got the job at Verizon Wireless!!! I celebrated with a drug test and hung out with my little man!!

Also, heard a funny joke.

Q: Why did Tigger go into the bathroom?

A: He was was looking for Pooh!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Wednesday... (Day 26)

Not much to report on our side so , the next couple days are pretty much a picture and a caption.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Lazy rainy day. (Day 25)

Today was a good day. It started off all productive, but then it took a turn for the lazy. Lucas and I got up, went to the grocery store and got much needed food for our house, and then went to Springview to pay for Lucas' first week of daycare. I can't believe next Tuesday my little man will be off to daycare. I'll still be without a job, so I'm going to take him in the morning and then pick him up around like 2 maybe. If I can hold out that long. I know I'm going to miss him. I do have lots of projects to accomplish around the house so that should keep me occupied, but it'll be so quiet and quiet without him. sigh....

So, in preparation for our separation, today we napped. We played until it was nap time, but then, we napped. We took 2 good, glorious naps. I love snuggling up with him on the couch. He is the snuggliest little man. We really do nap well together. We also have our furry napping buddies, Sophie, Kahlua and Two Two. They are very bad examples for me and Lucas. They nap all day long. They may wander to the kitchen for food or water or possibly meander outside to pee, but they nap all day long. If only I could be a dog for a day. Oh the sleep I would get!!

Tomorrow, I'm planning on making Valentine's with Lucas!! So excited!


Love,

Lisa and Lucas

So much to do... (Day 24)

Today I had my final interview with Verizon. Lucas was going to Grandmas to hang out while I got ready and went to Verizon.

We got to Mom's early and went on a nice long walk. I have really enjoyed my walks lately. They clear my head and make me feel good. Lucas loves to look around, though he falls asleep by the time we head back home. I love the days where the weather is perfect for us to take a walk.

I left for my interview Lucas sleeping in his stroller, though not for long as I'm told. I wasn't nervous for this interview. I didn't know what to expect, so I didn't have anything to stress out about. It was a face to face, so that was nice. I like talking to people. I felt good throughout and I should know something in 7-10 days. Life is a changing.

Lucas got a bath tonight and was actually enjoying himself. He kicked and splashed and smiled. It was great! He grows so much every day. I love our boy.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Blah Day... (Day 23)

Today I was in a mood. I became quite overwhelmed at the new things that lie ahead for me. The possibility of going back to work, Lucas starting daycare, my mommy bubble bursting. I'm ready for it all, I just need to see how it will all play out and hopefully, eventually balance.

I have to say I was quite overwhelmed today, so Joe and Lucas spent the day together so I could have some me time. Lord only knows what they did all day!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Good night. (Day 22)

Tonight I am reminded of the sweet words my Mom would say to me before she went to bed. "Goodnight baby, god bless you. Mommy and Daddy love you."


I don't know if it was said every night. I would mostly be asleep when she went to bed, but I know how I felt when I heard it. Loved. Unconditionally loved.


I was reminded of this tonight as my little boy drifted off to sleep in my arms. I tell him all day long how much I love him, but there is just something comforting about that being the last thing you hear each night.


Be sure to remember to say I love you and say it often. Those 3 words get me through my days. I know I love and am loved and that's all that matters.


Love,

Lisa and Lucas

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Meet Lucas Russell. (Day 21)

Name: Joseph "Lucas" Russell

Born: October 29, 2010 at 12:57pm

Parents: Lisa and Joe Russell

Siblings: Kahlua and Sophie (Dogs) and Two Two (Cat)

Eyes: Still blue

Hair: a beautiful shade of brown

Lucas is an amazing little boy.

He chews on his wrists and fingers. He has since he was very little. His hands are a main source of entertainment for him, though they can also be the thing that keeps him awake at night.

He cries very little. If he cries real loud and hard, he's usually just hungry. If he cries real loud and won't stop no matter what you try, you have to take control for him. Hold him close and SHHH in his ear and he will fall off to sleep. Overtiredness is no fun for him.

He doesn't sleep much during the day. He'd rather be a part of the action, that is, unless he spends time in the car and then you never know how long he'll sleep. The boy loves a good sleep in a car ride.

He loves to be in your arms. He doesn't have to be doing, just held and with you. He's a people person.

He went a month sleeping in only his bouncy seat - day or night. He has finally given in to the swaddle blanket, and sleeps peacefully in it. He's had 2 nights of sleeping through the night, and those were a tease for me!

He kicks everything. He uses his feet to show his emotions. His feet are attached to the most precious squishy, chunky legs ever.

He has the sweetest eyes that will stare at you for hours.

He has the poutiest bottom lip and he knows how to use it to his advantage. I'm a sucker for that lip. His lips also grace us with bubbles and massive amounts of drool. Baby drool is the best. Next to his lips are a set of plump cheeks that are made for kissing and smiling!

He doesn't leave home without Seymour - his seahorse that lights up and plays music. He got him on Christmas and hasn't stopped licking him since.

He is the perfect combination of Joe and I. He is handsome, and good. He is sweet and huggable. He makes my days happy. He is the bright spot in all the hard times this year and last has brought. He is my world.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

A walk in the Park. (Day 20)

Today was another phone interview for Me. I took Lucas with me to Mom and Dad's house so they could help watch him while I was on the phone. After my call, I decided it was a nice enough day to take Lucas for a walk. Mom and Dad have a park down the street from their house, so I took him there. It was a nice walk down. He looked around and enjoyed himself. When we got to the park, he's obviously too small to go on a swing by himself, but I had him on my lap and we swung for a few. Then we just walked around the park and talked about the things we would do when he got older. As my son typically does, he fell asleep on the walk home. If you give him any sort of movement, he puts himself right to sleep.



I can't wait to do more things with Lucas as he gets bigger. He' s a very curious little boy and I know he will have so much fun exploring the world with all of his senses. I'm sure grass will end up in his mouth very early on! He's a GREAT child. I couldn't be happier to have him as a part of my life. I think about when he starts daycare, that other people will be playing with him, and not me. I know it's going to be hard, but I also know he will have fun. He'll get to meet new people, new babies. Hear more sights and sounds and smells than he can here at the house with me.


Enjoying every minute with my boy!



Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Game Time! (Day 18)

PS: I know this is in the wrong order, but I had accidentally done the other one before this one...



Today was a big errand day. The dogs needed a bath desperately! I dropped them off at the groomers and then headed to the next task, finding pants for my interview on Thursday. I spent all of Monday shopping for an interview outfit, and was not successful at finding pants, so I headed to Old Navy to see if they had anything for me.


Luckily, I found a pair of pants, a sweater, a tank top and a cute hat for Lucas (see isn't it cute? Look at the picture!). From there I headed to Target! I have been waiting for Little Big Planet 2 ever since I beat the first Little Big Planet. It's the best game ever! You are a sackperson, that's right I said sackperson. It's the cutest little guy that you can dress up in all sorts of costumes. That's not the point of the game though. You are saving Craftworld from Negativitron. It's the best game ever, don't believe me play it for yourself and you will be addicted!


Then it was time to hang out at Mom and Dad's until the dogs were ready. Once they were ready, Lucas was going to stay and play with Mom, and I was going to go to get the crazy dogs and get them back home. They were very well behaved. Usually if you have both of them on a leash at the same time, they are CRAZY and walk in front of each other and try to knock me over. I have to say, I'm so proud of how they behaved. It gives me hope that one day I can walk both dogs at the same time.


Then for the good part. Joe got home from work. But this happens every day. Why so important today? Remember the video game I got? I now got to turn parenting over to Joe and he handed me the controller! It was a fun night! I LOVE watching Joe with Lucas. He can make him laugh in ways I only wish I could. Joe is a GREAT dad and a great husband. I'm very lucky to have him, and I hope he knows that every day!



Love,

Lisa, Lucas and Sackboy

Growing up is hard to do. (Day 19)

Today, I had an assessment test for a job I'm interviewing for with Verizon Wireless. I was soo nervous. I don't know why. It was a computer based assessment and I'm good on computers, but this is the first real interview I've had for a job.

When I applied to Sticky Fingers 10 years ago, it was more like, "You have served before?" Yes. "You are over 18?" Yes. "When can you start." At the Shelter I had volunteered there plenty before that they knew me and the interview was pretty informal. So, to me, this was BIG deal. That being said, Lucas needed a place to go for the afternoon.

Joe stayed home from work so he could watch him when I left and then my Mom came and got him after her hair appointment. I couldn't even be nervous leaving him because I was too busy thinking about how I was going to do. So it turns out he played at home with Joe, and then slept the entire time I was gone. Thank goodness. I don't know why I worry that he is going to scream when I'm gone, and I just feel bad leaving an unhappy baby with anyone.

The interview went well, and I got another phone interview today. Since it's a phone based job, they have 2 of the 3 interviews over the phone. If you aren't good on the phone, then you are not a fit for the Customer Service Representative Role. The computer work they had us do wasn't so bad. I felt good afterwards, though I prepared myself for the "I'm sorry, but you didn't meet our requirements" speech. I think I did that cause I don't want to get my hopes up and then get my feelings hurt if I don't get the job. Joe thinks I have a great chance and I should listen to him for a change since, he does work there and has done hiring before.

Keeping my fingers crossed for this new phase in my life. I'm ready to figure out that balance of work and baby life. I can't imagine how hard those first few days are going to be, but I've got time to prepare for it. The start date on the job isn't until the 23rd of February.

Love and Luck,

Lisa and Lucas

Sleep?... (Day 17)

Today, Lucas spent the majoirty of his day shopping with me and my Mom. He is always such a good shopper. He loves his stroller, and loves to look around, but man, I think we pushed the little guy. It was a long day for Mom and me, so I can only imagine how he felt.

It was no surprise when he didn't sleep through the night Monday night. I was so happy those 2 nights in a row where he just slept all night. Why wouldn't I be? To me, it meant I got more sleep, to him, it meant he was growing up and finally giving in to sleep. What Mom wouldn't want these things, for herself or her child.

Lucas is sleeping in long chunks 4-5 hours, and that's fine with me. It means I get up once a night, and then we are up for the morning. Fine with me. He seems to be happy about the sleep he's getting. I go in there in the morning and he greets me with the biggest smiles! I love mornings!

So, all in all, it's ok, that he's not sleeping through the night. He's still only 11 weeks old. Just a baby. My sweet, lovey baby!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Hi. My Name is Lucas. (Day 16)

Today was a yet another busy day in the life of a baby. Lucas got to meet Uncle Jack's (Erin's fiance) sister Angela and her husband Rob. He then came home napped it out, and then went to a Golden Globes viewing! The boy is a social butterfly, what can I say!

My Mom and I met Angela and Rob, who are down from Maryland, at Ladles in West Ashley. When they got there, Lucas was just finishing up his bottle. He was still keeping a close eye on him while eating. He doesn't like to miss a thing. Once he finished he went straight into the arms of Angela. She was a natural with him. He was a wiggle worm like always, but he was so good meeting her. When she went to eat her lunch, Rob took over holding Lucas. He was having a good old time with him. He was quite a fan of Lucas' squishy legs, as most people are! He had him lying in his lap getting some good smiles from him. He too was quite a natural with Lucas. I think the three of them had a great time, and I know Lucas looks forward to seeing everyone again soon!

Lucas then went home to rest up for his big night at Beth Ann's house. He was going to his very first Golden Globes party! He was as always a sweet boy. He had fun in his bouncy seat, on the pile of pillows on the floor. He got to play with Beth Ann and Murphy Lou. He even got to see people dancing to the Michael Jackson Experience! CRAZY! His only rough part of the night was so my fault. It took like 15 mins of crying before I realized that he was crying (as he always does) because he was hungry. If I was at home it wouldn't have taken me this long. I just assumed he was tired.... Silly mom! So, he ate and went back to being the happy, lovey boy we all know and love. He slept the whole way home. Stayed asleep as I swaddled him, and then again, slept ALL through the night!

We'll see if this sleeping trend keeps up!



Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Cropping with Mommy! (Day 15)

Today was a crop day. An amazing day where you spend 12 hours (or as many as you can) scrapbooking at Scrappin' Happily Ever After

You bring your crop bag, Cricut, scrapping tools, and snacks and you set-up shop. I hadn't been to a crop since September, since it was kinda hard to sit and scrap once I got too far along in my pregnancy. So I was itching to go to the crop. I was not itching to leave Lucas for the day. So, he came with me! Note, Lucas sleeping in the bouncy seat to the left of my Cricut!

I was working on some projects I had going for him. The one I spent most of my time on is a 12 month calendar that has a layout on top and then a calendar on the bottom, and I fill in his milestones on the calendar. When it's complete I'll have a 2 page layout for each month of his first year. I made January and February at this crop!

He was a treat. He was asleep when we got there and stayed that way for a couple hours, and then ate, played a little, and then when back to sleep. He hung out in his bouncy seat when he was sleeping. I brought his playmat for playtime, and he was kept company by some very lovely ladies! He was SOO good. He always is, but I still am very proud of him when he goes into a new situation and handles it so well. At about 4 he decided he'd had enough. His Dad came and got him and they had a fun night together at home (that did not in any way include an ounce of sleep).

Mom and I left the crop at about 8. I got home in time to help feed Lucas, and then I put him down to bed. I had been talking to some ladies about his sleeping troubles, and the one common theme that came up is that I should swaddle him. I have done this before, but I give up when he starts crying. I don't let him get used to the feeling. So tonight I got out the swaddle wrap I had, and wrapped him up tight. Don't you know, he A: fell right asleep, and B: slept through the entire night!!! This was amazing. I wasn't sure if this was the magic of the swaddle or the sheer exhaustion he was dealing with. I really didn't care. I bowed down to that swaddle wrap Sunday morning. I needed the sleep as did he I guess.

So Sunday night I followed the same routine. Change, feed, burp, sleep, swaddle, goodnight. And he again slept through the entire night and into Monday morning. Again, it's possible he could have been tired, cause he did get to meet Uncle Jack's sister Angela, and her husband Rob that afternoon. He was yet again an angel. I love this kid. So anyway, he might have been tired or it might be the magic of the swaddle. Third time's a charm, cause we are trying again tonight. If this works, then I'm going to have to credit the swaddle! And BOW DOWN to the swaddle.

Sleep tight!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

11 Weeks (Day 14)

Today I spent the majority of my day reflecting on how much my little man has changed since birth. In the picture to the right he was 4 days old. I hardly recognize that kid.

His face has gotten fuller (hard to believe). He's grown into his nose a bit more! He has just grown in general.

It's absolutely amazing to believe that this little boy will grow up to be a man. I know the time will fly. It certainly has already. I can't believe he's almost 3 months old!

My little man is growing up! This is Lucas at 11 weeks! So hard these two pictures represent the same little boy!

Love you,

Lisa and Lucas

Life is Rough. (Day 13)

Today, Lucas and I spent the day at my Mom and Dad's house. I had a phone call I needed to take, and so they watched him so I could focus on my call. My Mom is so good with Lucas. She was a preschool teacher for the majority of my life, and so she knows, songs, stories, hand games and he is LOVES it. Needless to say, I wasn't surprised when I came downstairs to find Lucas falling asleep on his playmat. I know she wore him out!

First of all, I don't have that child that gets tired. If he does, he doesn't admit it until he is OVERtired and at that point, he doesn't just fall right to sleep. He fights sleep at this point. So, to walk into a room to see your child, that is not, bouncing, swinging or being held, just falling asleep. This was a BIG deal. I took so many photos in a row, that if you flipped through them fast enough, you feel like you were there as he fell asleep, I was quite proud of my little man today. He made me rethink bedtime for him.

As I am writing this post, I am seeing if Lucas is able to "put himself to sleep." I say that, but really he was quite tired to begin with and then also just ate a meal, so he's got a lot on his side to help him fall off into dreams. He's doing good so far. I have heard him make one noise on the monitor, but I'm sure it was just a getting settled noise. He'd let me know if he was unhappy. He's also being serenaded by the projector/music player he got for Christmas. It seems to play for about 10 minutes and has 2 scenes that it projects onto the ceiling. Lucas loves watching these at night time diaper changes, so I thought it might help soothe him to sleep.



I have a GREAT kid, but we have our issues when it comes to sleep. He's getting better I really believe. I'm grateful for that. I know he doesn't like the overtired feelings he has, and I know he can get good sleep and so I wish that for him. Should I benefit slightly from better sleep patterns, that's fine too.


Not sure if Lucas is sound asleep. I'm hearing some movement. Wish us luck. I'm going to check on him!


Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Travelin' Man. (Day 12)

I LOVE my son! He is one of the most easygoing little boys I've ever met. He was born right before Christmas, so he quickly became the little shopper. He rides in the car amazingly well. He enjoys meeting new people. I just don't know how he could be a better traveler!


Yesterday, he went with me to visit my friends at the Charleston Animal Society. Everyone was so happy to meet him. He had just woken up from a nap when we got there, so he was still trying to get his bearings as we walked in the door. He was quickly greeted by 3 lovely ladies! He was a little unsure as everyone looked in on him in his stroller, but he was happy to meet everyone. He was precious. He kept looking back at me, I guess to make sure I hadn't left him. It was nice to see that he recognized me, because at home I figure he looks at me because I'm the only one there. He defintely reinforced that he knows who I am.


He was open to letting his new friends hold him. Dr. Boyd made a comment that made me remember he's still so young. She said "Aww. He's still so fragile." I don't really think of him this way anymore. He's over 13 pounds and has pretty good head control, so I feel like he is so "grown-up." Silly I know. He's just 11 weeks tomorrow!


He showed off his newest talents of making copious amounts drool. He practiced his sit-ups in the stroller. He even showed off his fashion skills! He wore a doggie onesie and cordouroy pants. Very appropriate for visiting the shelter.


He walked along the cat mall. He saw kitties that were soo cute! If I didn't just have a baby, I'm pretty sure I would have left with this little orange tabby kitten that just had this look on his/her face saying, "What are you looking at." Love it! Kittens with attitude.


I'm sad that I no longer work there, but I certainly plan on going back to volunteer, and when Lucas is old enough taking him in to volunteer. He already enjoys spending time with Sophie, Kay and Two, so I think he would really enjoy loving on some sweet animals.


As shown in the picture above, it was a cold day, and Lucas wore his new hat he got for Christmas. It's a little big on him, but he loves it nonetheless. It started off on the top of his head and worked it's way down ever so cutely. He loved it as you can see by the smile on his face as his hat covers his eyes.


I LOVE this kid.


Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Coming soon... Day 12

I had to take advantage of some good sleep I was able to get last night. I will be posting this afternoon.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas (a well rested pair)

Snuggle Buggin. (Day 11)

Today, Lucas spent the majority of his day wrapped up in my arms. After a day and night of non-sleeping, I decided if he would sleep in my arms, that was good enough for me. I did try laying him down a couple times today, but quickly learned that is not what he wanted at all.

Typically, he is quite happy in his bouncy seat, swing, and even pack and play. We are still working on getting him back into his crib. He was off his game yesterday, and I thought that if he just got some good sleep today, then he would be back to his normal self. This was for the most part true today.

He has eaten, played, smiled and talked. He's cried a couple times, but that is just his way of saying it's time to eat. He's a little fussy now, but that's pretty normal for this time of night. I think we just might get to sleep tonight!

We really didn't get to do much today, cause he was catching up on his sleep and that kinda kept me in one spot. Really, I'm just hoping for a good tomorrow. One where we can go about a more normal day, so we can have something more fun to report.

Lucas trick of the day: If you sit him in a slanted position he does sit-ups. This kid will be sitting up sooner than you know.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Chaos. (Day 10)

The house is not clean. The dishes are rarely done the day they are dirtied. The toilets are not scrubbed. This is the story of living with an infant.

I wake up each day with good intentions. I'll clean the (enter room in the house here) while Lucas is asleep. I'll wash and sanitize his bottles at his 2nd nap. I'll put him on his playmat and tidy the living room. Good intentions do not a clean house make. Most times the bottles get cleaned when there are none left for him to eat out of. The (enter room here) gets cleaned when it's too unbearable to stand in. It's not that he's a hard baby, he's just quite unpredictable. He may take a 30 minute nap or he may take a 2-3 hour nap.

Aside from cleaning during his naps, I also have to fit in time for my own meals and maybe a shower if time allows! There are often days where my shower is not fit in until Joe gets home from work (as is more than clear that was the case today, in the above picture.)

Lucas has all his needs met. He's hungry he eats. He needs changing he gets a clean diaper. he spits up on himself (or me) he gets changed immediately. He lives a nice life. There is evidence of that throughout our living room (aka headquarters). We spend the majority of our time in the living room. It's where his playmat, swing, bouncy seat, pack and play all call home. If he needs it throughout the day, chances are it's in the living room. As he grows, I'm sure this room will hardly be accesible due to all of his stuff. That's ok with me. He's happy and that's what matters.

I'm learning to deal with the chaos and lack of plans for the day. Before Lucas, I was a planner, I had to-do lists and I got the stuff on them done. Now, I understand that accomplishing one of the tasks on my list (assuming I have the time to write one) is considered a good day. I don't beat myself up too much for what needs to be done. It does get done eventually. Life goes on.

I think this topic came to me today, because we have spent the last 2 days in our house. No errands or trips anywhere. Just hung out in the house, and I think that is when I realized how much of a disaster our house is right now.

Lesson of the day: Chaos is ok with an infant. It's expected and will calm down in due time, but in the mean time. Go with it. Don't beat yourself up for the things you can't get done, think about the things you have done each day.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

My Boys. (Day 9)

I am very lucky to have 2 of the sweetest men in my life. One burps in my face and it's soooo cute, the other just burps. All joking aside. I couldn't ask for two better guys.

Let's start with Joe. My loving husband of 2 years and partner in crime for almost 10 years. He has always had a very caring nature about him. He won't show it on the outside a lot, but it's there. He had me at my very first "Joe hug." If you have ever had one, you know what I mean. He gave me a hug one night and it just felt like life would be ok as long as I was in his arms (tear). And he has never let me down since. Yeah, we bicker and annoy each other from time to time, but in the end, we wouldn't trade the other for the world.

We are truly a testament to the opposites attract model of dating. My taste in music, movies, books and news, ALL differ from his. I'm more of a country, pop culture, chick-flick type girl. He is more of a talk radio, sports, complex movie type guy. We do balance each other out nicely, or so I believe. He teaches me to be more open, and when I actually listen, he's right. He has turned me on to movies, food and music I NEVER would have considered before, and I have turned him off to Country and chick-flicks. See, we work!

In March, we found out we were having a baby. This was exciting news. Joe celebrated in his normal fashion with a cool and thumbs up. I, on the other hand, cried like a baby and jumped for joy. Like I said, Joe keeps his emotions tight to the chest. I accept that. I learned on October 29, 2010 just how he felt about that little boy growing inside me for the past 9 months.

Joe was amazing from the start with Lucas and he was calm and patient with me after surgery. He was helpful and non-judgemental when I needed his help getting Lucas to latch while breastfeeding. He was there for me 100%. I knew he would be, but it was just nice to see him so open with everything. He still remains the calm one at Doctors appointments. He remembers the questions to ask, while I forget. He has always had a magic touch of calming Lucas. I like to think it's "a guy thing." He is an amazing Father to an amazing little boy.

Then there's Lucas. He was a spitfire before he was even born. Laying on my sciatica at 10 weeks and kicking like a champ right up until the end. He knew he had an appearance to make, and that he did on October 29, 2010. He came out swinging. Literally, the doctors were surprised at how active he was at birth, they had to test his glucose to make sure there wasn't an underlying problem. And there wasn't. He was perfect! All 8 lbs 15 oz of him. He was a quiet boy who only cried when he needed something and was quickly soothed by food or rocking. Aside from a few weeks of colic, he still only really cries for a reason.

He is a man of many sounds. I remember his first cry. It was the sweetest sound I have ever heard, magical even. We laughed the first time we heard him poop. There was no mistaking that sound for gas! We may not care for the smell of wet cheez-its his burps bring, but that sound is always precious. He is now starting to make cooing noises. I'm pretty sure he is going to speak sooner than we think. If he spends anymore time with me, I know for sure he'll be talking by 4 months and his first words will be to tell me to hush!

He is now more active. He plays on his playmat and focus on faces and toys. He watches the dogs and the cat with great intrigue. He knows what he wants to do and when he wants to do it. When playtime is over, the boy needs a nap. If he doesn't get it, look out!

Joe and Lucas make my days great. I often find myself going to bed with tears in my eyes thankful for the love and kindness they both show me on a daily basis. They both love me for ME and that's more than I can say for myself sometimes.

Remember to love your men. They might not always show how they feel, but they still feel it and will show you when neccessary.

Love to my guys,

Lisa

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All quiet on the homefront. (Day 8)

Today was a different day in the Russell household. We woke up, got ourselves and Lucas ready to go, and then off to my parents house we went. This might not sound out of the ordinary, but today when we got to Grandmas, we left Lucas, and proceeded to the movie theater. That was a hard. I'm sure my mom thought I was a loon when I gave her instructions, and tips on how to care for Lucas. She's raised 2 kids, I think she knows what's she's doing. It was just my way of having some sort of control on a situation that was new to me.

Since Lucas was born, I have only left him to go to the grocery store, or twice I went to the hospital to see my mom. The grocery store trips were maybe 30 mins at a time and the hospital trips, I was more worried about my mom than leaving Lucas. All of those times he was at home with his Dad. I was still nervous, cause well I think that just comes with the Mom territory, but he was with his Dad.

As we drove off, I didn't cry, surprising. I was worried, but I held it together. My mom knows what she is doing. She has a phone that she can call me in an instant. And by golly, Joe and I needed some time to just be on our own. It was a fun car ride over. It's not like Lucas really interferes with car ride conversation, but he wasn't there and it might have just made us a little silly. It was nice.

He was a good boy for the most part for Mom, and then later my Dad joined them. He slept, ate, and played. He was sleeping at 3pm when we got back. He even continued sleeping after we got home, until 6pm. He then ate, played and slept again til 9pm. It's weird to have made it to this late at night, and have hardly seen my little boy. We did give him a bath tonight. So that was fun. He is liking a bath more and more each time. We've got it to a routine in the kitchen sink and he likes it.

I have no idea how I'm going to feel once he starts daycare. How am I going to be able to handle not seeing him for that large part of his day. I know he will be more awake as he gets older, but still only a few hours at night will be rough. We will make the most of those hours. I promise that to myself and to Lucas.

The lesson for the day was, It's ok to leave the little man for a few hours, just make sure to make the most of the time you do have with him. Oh, and it's nice to have time alone with your husband.

Thanks Mom and Dad for watching our little angel.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

PS: Note Lucas laying down to sleep in the picture! Progress!!!

Hitting the Bottle. (Day 7)

When I was pregnant I read a LOT about breastfeeding. I was excited and nervous at the same time. I wondered if it really came to you as naturally as people say, or if it would be a process that might leave your kid starving til you get it right. Lucas started out breastfeeding. I enjoyed it as did he, or so I believe he did. It was a hard to get a latch at the hospital, but once we got it, we got it down. It was going well for his first few weeks of life, and then it took a nasty turn. Lucas screamed and screamed after nursing. He screamed in between meals. He wouldn't sleep. He struggled to poop, and it was just a sad sight to watch. After spotting blood in a his diaper we talked to the doctor and removed dairy from my diet. This was hard on me, but I did it. It still didn't change the story, excpet he no longer had blood in his diapers.

Our next visist with the doctor ended in seeing if we could find a formula option that would satisfy his dietary needs. We switched him onto Similac Alimentum, a hypoallergenic formula and within 24 hours, he was a happier baby. He was able to sleep and poop, and just relax. Within a week, his skin had even started to clear up. He was developing quite the case of newborn acne. It was a miracle formula.

I felt bad about discontinuing nursing. I missed it, as did he. It hurt my feelings when he would still root. I felt a bit like a failure. I knew it was a good decision because it made him feel better and in turn it made our relationship better. We didn't cry together anymore. That was a relief. It was just a special time that I missed with him. He had the cutest faces while nursing and when he was done. I am glad I got some pictures of those moments because they were the moments that kept me going when he was screaming and appearing to be in pain. Those faces made us both happy.

With switching to formula comes so much stuff! You have bottles, and sterilizers. Nipples and cans of formula. You have to plan instead of just being the food source. You need bibs and burp cloths. You keep track of how much he eats instead of just letting your body regulate how much he eats. It does allow for Joe to have more of a part in the feeding. I can feed in public and not worry about what people may see. I miss my special moments, but I get more special moments now that he is able to relax after he eats. He can now play, snuggle and just hang out.

He is still quirky when he eats. He cries to tell you he's hungry. It's a cry that would make you think he hadn't been fed in days. He is a champion eater. He regularly drains a 4 ounce bottle and has on occasion eaten an additional 2 ounces! He has some more "manly" burps now. Though the formula does smell like wet cheez-its, it's still cute when he burps in your face. You know it's satisfying for him and that makes that awful smell worth it. He looks cute in a bib! I had gotten a bunch at my showers and I didn't think he was going to be able to use them until he could eat, but he has put those bibs to good use.

His first time spitting up was after switching to formula. That was interesting. He has a knack for getting more of it on me than on himself. He can get right down your shirt with amazing accuracy too! I think it makes him laugh on the inside making it hard for me to hold it against him. He gets a lot of free passes for being so cute!

I do regret one thing majorly about switching to formula. I miss my breastfed poopy diapers. They were so insignificant. They didn't smell. They were more grainy than poopy. Our first formula poopy diaper was foul. Beyond foul. He can't hide a poopy diaper anymore. You know when he's done something. I wish the hypoallergenic formula he is on would digest so nicely like breastmilk. I know Joe misses the breastfed diapers! He was shocked at the sight of his first formula diaper. But enough about that. He makes the cutest faces while he poops, so again, I don't hold the sights or smells against him.

Needless to say, Lucas can eat. At 2 months old he had already gained just under 4 pounds! He's already in 3 month clothes. So, yeah he's a little chunky monkey, but he's happy and that's all that is important to me.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

All the Small Things. (Day 6)

I wake up everyday wondering what is yet to come. We follow our schedule. Wake up, change diaper, make bottle, burp, play and nap. Repeat every 3-4 hours. But it's what happens within this "schedule" that I'm most interested in. Like, when I go in to wake up Lucas, will he greet me with a great big smile?

This has been a GREAT week of small things. He loves playing on his playmat. He lays on his back looking up at the music and lights show, all the while kicking at his hanging octopus and grabbing at his hanging clips. Yes, he grabs at them. Welcome to the party fine motor skills. Today he grabbed the hanging rings and pulled himself onto his side. I swear he will be rolling over by 3 months. He is quite determined to do so, and I can't wait for it.

When we play, I also get to see my little man smile. He loves when you trail your fingers up his tummy and tap his nose with one finger. I get a smile every time! He has these precious toothless smiles, that border on, "if you put your finger too close to my mouth, I might eat it." I LOVE that look! He smiles when he looks at himself in the mirror. He has no idea that he is the one looking back at him, and he can stare at himself for quite some time.

I have also been privy to his sweet baby sounds. He says "Ahhh", "Unhh", and "Guhh". I love it!

He is also getting to where he reaches for me. Sometimes, I get the outstretched arms when he first wakes up, but mostly he reaches for me when we play. His little smile and outstretched arms warm my heart.

These small things make all the troubles in life go away. They make the dreary look of outside seem bright and sunshiny. They make the house look clean. I wouldn't trade my playtime with Lucas for a clean house. Sure, it would be nice, but not as nice as hearing my baby "talk." I wouldn't want to miss him rolling over. I know I will have to miss time with him soon enough, but for now, I savor these small things. These special moments that will forever be in my heart and my mind.

That's Lucas pulling himself onto his side in the picture. Such a grown up little boy. He'll be 10 weeks tomorrow. I want him to grow up and stay small all at the same time. I love his milestones, but I know they mean he won't be my little baby forever.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Empty Crib Syndrome... (Day 5)

I was 19 weeks when we found out that I was having a boy. I went right to Babies R Us to purchase his first boy things. It was also at this time, that I decided to think about the theme for his room. I had picked out a bedroom set before I knew he way a boy. I picked it out when I had just found out I was pregnant and was in Babies R Us shopping for Olivia's baby shower. It was a green and brown bunny theme. Very simple and classic looking. It sounds a lot less gender neutral than it actually was, but there was something about it, that made it not the right one for Lucas. I then found this precious set by Carters that was yellow and green themed with bees, grasshoppers, turtles and frogs! That was the one. That became his bedroom set. It was official, bugs!

Once I got the bedding, I then started gathering the other coordinating pieces for the room. The bumble bee covered, super soft changing pad cover. The valance that ended up completing the room. Extra crib sheets that coordinated with everything. The wall decals (which sadly are still in there packaging). With all of this purchased, the room was complete, and just waiting for Lucas.

When he came home he started off in the bassinet Joe's grandfather had made when Joe was born. He quickly outgrew that, and moved into his crib. It was so exciting. A tiny little baby in his big boy crib! It was amazing. I loved watching him sleep. He always lays with his arms by his head like a little man. And then things changed...

Starting Christmas night, after a wonderful day of time spent with family, Lucas stopped sleeping in his bed, and would only sleep in his bouncy seat. I tried, don't get me wrong. I would lay him down to sleep and he would flail his arms and wiggle so much that he would wake himself up. He would be inconsolable, and only wanted his bouncy seat. So, we put him in the bouncy seat, strapped him in and placed the bouncy seat in his crib. That is where he has slept since Christmas...

This lovely bed, lovingly prepared for him, and he wants the $20 bouncy seat with farm animals on it. The doctor says this is ok. She says that at about 4 months babies lose the falling reflex and can be put down for bed much easier. She said to try throughout the day and see if he can lay nicely, but I have had NO luck. He is only happy to sleep in his bouncy seat.

He starts daycare next month, and will have to lay in his crib. We will get through this, but I think we are going to be the tired pair! In the meantime, his sheets are clean and missing the warmth of the sweet, snuggly, little boy they were meant to hold. I hope that soon, my little Lucas will know that we won't drop him, that he is not falling, and that he is simply just going to bed for a few hours. Until then, we will continue to try.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Priorities... (Day 4)

Today, I woke up feeling, mad, sad, angry, tired, really I felt anything but happy. I went in to get Lucas up for the day, and I went through the motions. I spoke to him letting him know what we were going to do. I changed his diaper, I made and fed him a bottle. I put him on his playmat to play, but I really just did, I didn't get too involved in any one activity. I really just wanted to crawl back in bed for the day.

I had to take my computer over to my Dad to help me get it to stop freezing on me for no apparent reason (or so I thought). I sat on the couch with Lucas again still going through the motions, but not really dealing with my emotions. My Mom got home and basically told me I needed to snap out of it. At the time, I thought she was being mean. I deserve a little moping time, don't I? I do a lot each day and I should be able to just mope a bit if I see fit. WRONG!

I'm now a MOM. A mom to a small child who has no idea that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He doesn't understand what moping means, and he has no idea what feelings other than hunger and happiness are. Poor guy probably thought I was STARVING all day. I took a few minutes to myself and left Lucas with my Mom and headed to the grocery store to get stuff for dinner (enchiladas - YUM!). This gave me a moment to separate myself from everything and to get my priorities back on track.

Lucas deserves a Mom who is there 100%. I want to be there for him. I LOVE seeing life through his eyes. Today is the last day I wake up selfish. No matter how I feel when I wake up, I can find the bright side of things in his eyes. I might have to look a moment longer on a day when I wake up a little down, but happiness I will find.

Everyday isn't perfect. Life serves lemons, and there's no lemonade in sight, but there is always a little bundle of joy that will keep me on track. He is my love and he is my life!

I also have an add to yesterday's post: I learned this morning, when you take all that time picking out the perfect outfit and he spits up on it 5 minutes later, the process starts all over again! : )

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

PS: Thanks Mom for snapping me out of it! I needed that! Love you!

Diaper Savings (Bonus Post)

If you have a child in diapers, a grandchild in diapers, a niece or nephew in diapers or a friend with a child in diapers, you will find this information interesting.

I was looking for a way to save on diapers beyond Sam's Club and this is what I found on Amazon.com.

First of all, I joined Amazon Moms.

This gives you a 15% discount on all baby needs plus 2 months free of Amazon Prime (which is free 2-day shipping and $3.99 for overnight shipping on the whole site) AND for each $25 you spend on baby items you get an additional month of Amazon Prime free up to a year! Normally, Amazon Prime is $79 a year!! I also buy my formula on Amazon, so I hit that year mark real quick!

The next program I joined, also on Amazon, is Subscribe and Save

This allows you to get an additional 15% off diapers and wipes and all you have to do is subscribe to receive a minimum of one box of diapers or wipes a month. You can change the size of diapers at any time or you can cancel your subscription at any time. So, in theory you could rejoin subscribe and save each time you ordered if you didn't want to commit to one case of diapers or wipes a month!

I then recevied an offer to get Parenting Magazine - The early years for $15 for 4 years.

I also found a coupon today in my American Baby subscription, which is actually FREE!

Inside each of these issues is a tear out coupon code for 20% off diapers (one box) at Amazon.com.

So, if you combine the 15% from being an Amazon Mom, and 15% for joining Subscribe and Save and then use the 20% off diapers coupon from the magazine(s) you get a box of diapers for 50% off! I got Pampers swaddlers size 1-2 (234 count) box of diapers for $20.49!!!

I got a box of Pampers Thick Wipe diapers 504 count for $9.99 with the Subscribe and Save (15%) and Amazon Mom (15%) benefits.


Enjoy these benefits! I am quite pleased to be getting diapers at half price and 30% off wipes.

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Tiny people clothes. (Day 3)

I don't think you have to have a kid, want a kid, or know a kid to think baby clothes are one of the most precious things ever created. First of all, they are teeny tiny. They have to fit teeny tiny people, who in and amongst themselves are THE most precious thing ever created. They come in onesies, t-shirts, pants, coveralls, dresses, skirts, sailor suits even!

This is where I get into trouble each and every day. Lucas has tons of clothes. Tons of cute patterns, colors, textures. How in the world am I supposed to be able to choose what to dress him in? I LOVE how absolutely cute he looks in footie PJ's, but that's only one article of clothing that he gets to wear for an entire day. If I choose a onsie, he can also wear pants. These pants may or may not have coordinating fuzzy animals on the feet or backside. If you wear a onsie and pants, you could also add a jacket or a sweater. You see what kind of battle I face each morning?

I try to take into account the weather, the activities planned for the day, the previous days' outfit and sometimes I even think about what I might be wearing so that I can possibly coordinate. Once I finally choose an outfit, I then tend to think it's the cutest thing he has ever worn. Then, the next time I go into the armoire after laundry has been done, I have the possiblility of choosing one of those favorite outfits leaving a never worn outfit to remain in the drawer for another day. The duckie feet footie PJ's is a classic example of this. If it's clean, he wears it. I can't resist the duckie feet!

I thought about a solution to the footie PJ's vs complete outfit dilemma. Dress him in an outfit for the day, and footie PJ's at night. Sounds sane, right? You then do double the laundry, but you get to see two cute outfits a day. Haven't committed to this plan yet, but I do see it being a distinct possibility in the very near future. Kinda like a school outfit for daycare, and then he gets to come home and get in his snuggly PJ's. Very big kid sounding to me.

Today, I changed him out of VERY cute Winnie the Pooh footie PJ's, and I decided to go for an outfit that had never been worn. I went below the top layer of clothes in his drawer and found a gem. It's a onsie with a faux t-shirt under it, with cute little doggies on it. I then went to his pants drawer that has grown exponentially since his Grandma got him a bunch for Christmas. Does he wear knit pants, jeans, fleece pants, coveralls or courdoroys? Hard choices yet again. I first chose knit pants then realized he would look much cooler in the courdoroys! This was the right decision, 5 minutes later. Thank goodness he likes being naked, cause of course I took his old clothes off before I even picked out his new outfit!

From 9 weeks worth of dressing Lucas, I have learned the following. He willl grow out of clothes fast. He doesn't really care what he is in, as long as it's weather appropriate and comfortable. Make sure you rotate the clothes, there could be some hidden treasures at the bottom of the drawer that you don't even remember buying or getting!

I can't wait for the day when Lucas will gain some independence and request to dress himself. I think at this time, I can then be a sane Mom in the morning. It will be his choice on what he pairs with what, and I will LOVE every outfit he chooses, especially if he chooses duckie feet!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

The things you do for Love. (Day 2)

This time last year, my life was completely different in so many ways. Mostly though, I slept more. I love my bed. I LOVE to sleep. I have been known to sleep for a minimum of 12 hours on a weekend and 10 on a weekday. Sleep was kind of a hobby for me at times. Afternoon naps, were bliss. You got true sleep in the afternoon. There was no pressure to go to bed so that you would be fresh for work the next day, no to-do lists running through your head, just good pure sleep.

Then, in October my thoughts on sleep changed drastically. You start off in the hosptial getting woken up every hour for your vitals to be taken, so any chance of getting sleep before you go home, not so much. Then, you get home and you are all on your own. No nurses or doctors, just you, your husband and this brand new baby. Needless to say, sleep was not sound, nor plentiful. You had your own nerves to deal with while you slept and then there's the whole small baby tummy that needs to be tended to every 2 hours. This all equals, very little sleep.

I found it very funny that I was ok with this. I didn't mind the lack of sleep. I enjoyed waking up to that sweet face. Sure at 4 in the morning my eyes were getting heavy, but you see it's all worth it. People tell you to "sleep when he sleeps." I tried this, but I never knew when he was going to be asleep long enough for me to get some sleep and not just lay down long enough to make myself tired. As he is getting older, I'm now able to predict a little bit better how long he might sleep and I find myself taking advantage of a quick nap, but overall I found that advice hard for me to follow.

I now find myself sleeping in maybe 2, 3-4 hour chunks, and I'm surviving. As he gets older, and I'm now on my own in the house during the day, I do long for a touch more sleep, but it still amazes me how ok I am without my precious sleep. I do love that feeling of crawling back in the covers after laying him down for bed. It feels like climbing into a cloud, and I go right to sleep!

Today, Lucas started to become himself again getting his vaccines on Wednesday. He slept consistently this afternoon, and we got in some precious snuggling time. I love that time with him. Watching him fall asleep is so cute. He smiles as he nods off, he snores on occasion and he has to get himself in that right position. I wouldn't trade these moments with him for 12 hours of sleep. Not at all. Well, maybe one night wouldn't hurt, but I don't even think I would be able to do it anymore. I genuinely want to be awake when he is!

Goodbye sleeping in, hello adulthood!

Love,

Lisa and Lucas

Paying it forward. (Day 1)

Friends and Family have always been a big part of my life. Outside of my immediate family, I grew up with an amazing network of family friends and I can only hope that Lucas grows up in the same manner.

Today, we celebrated the first day of 2011 with my parents and their friends. Lucas is always a hit with them. He hasn't been feeling well since he got his first round of vaccines, but he's always a trooper in social situations. This makes me think he too will be a big part of an extended family of friends.

23 years ago, I got to hold my first baby, Matthew DeLorenzo. I have never forgotten that incredible feeling. I felt like such a grown up! I mean I was 5 years old holding a real baby! Today, I was excited to share that feeling with another young girl. My parents friends have a 5 year old, Jenna, who has been very excited to be involved in Lucas' life. Jenna helps me change his diaper, and she always has the sweetest things to say about her (I'm still trying to get it through to Jenna that Lucas is indeed a boy!).

She had help from her Mom, no big deal, I know this moment will be one she shares with her grandparents and at school and one I know she too will never forget.

I truly hope that Lucas has a large extended family of friends that I was so lucky to have. I don't think I would be the person I am today without them. I look forward to introducing Lucas to everyone throughout this year. It's been a long time since I have seen many of our friends in Maryland, and I can't wait to show them how much I have grown. I know they will enjoy seeing me as a MOM!

Love,

Lisa (aka Stinky #2) and Lucas