GIGANTIC

Hello all...so our little baby boy isn't so little, really he never was. At 6 weeks old he is now eating 6 ozs of formula every 4 hours. He is growing out of his 0-3 month cloths before he even gets a chance to wear them. I had him measured and weighted today. He is 12 lbs 6 oz and 22 inches long. Again for those keeping track the little piggy gained more then 3 pounds this month. He is healthy and thriving, just a big boy. The doctor told me he is between the 75% and 90% percentiles. I couldn't find anything more specific. But as long as he is growing steadily, he will just be a moose, a healthy happy moose.

He is growing and changing so quickly, it takes my breath away. I feel like he should be a lump forever. Just this little pink bundle that looks at me and snuggles with me, but no...he is already rolling over!!!! We can make him smile and coo by ticking his chin or feet. He is so cute when you tickle his feet, he pulls away and smiles and tries to fight you.

With the move back to Kansas coming up and our two week trip across the country, we are trying to get Johnny used to sleeping on his own and getting him on a regular schedule. It is so wonderful to hold him while he sleeps and so hard to lay him down and listen to him crying. But I know it is for the best, yet I can only handle it so long. I put him in the sling and sit in the rocking chair. It is so wonderful to connect with him.

We have officially switched the baby monkey to organic formula (the Walmart brand is $14, only $3 more then the regular formula) To keep him clean of pesticides, artificial growth hormones, and the antibiotics that are given to the animals and plants used in the making of the formula. We plan on doing organic for him as long as we can afford it. His little system is so sensitive to this artificial things, we want to give him every opportunity to be as healthy and happy as possible. The organic rice cereal is cheaper then the name brand and the jars of organic baby food are $.05 -$.10 more. I am even looking into making our own...yeah Magic Bullet.

Daddy officially has a house in Kansas full of our stuff. So many boxes that he can barely get around. But he is slowly working on unpacking and I am very excited about decorating and getting settled. I am already looking for play groups and what fore. We are going to enjoy this, no matter how far in the boone docks we live :)

BPA

There was a recent news report on the dangers of BPA in the plastics used in baby bottles. It scared the crap out of us, we changed Johnny's bottles immediately. The seepage of BPA into his formula has scary long term effects, I wanted everyone to know, spread the word.

Here is a good report on the dangers

http://amomsblog.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/bpa-free-bottles-and-sippy-cups/

And a great report on what bottles and sippy cups, as well as breast pumps and storage containers are safe

http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2008/02/z-report-on-bpa-in-infant-care-products.html

Daddy's first gift

Shawn bought this Camel in Iraq the day Johnny was born, then sent it to him

Address

We are very happy to say that Shawn has accepted housing and has an appt to finally get our house hold goods. Our address is

Branson
6735-4 McClellan Loop
Ft. Riley KS 66442

Shawn is sleeping on an air mattress and using plastic silver wear. UPS has started to ship Johnny and mine's stuff from Maryland and we are excited that our reunion is less then 3 weeks away!!!!

DADDY AND JOHNNY

For those of you who haven't talked to us in the past two days, I broke down and rushed Johnny and I to Kansas to see Shawn come home from Iraq. The more and more I thought about it, the more and more I thought that we needed to be together, we are a family. Follows is our story of Johnny's very first plane ride and the first moments in Daddy's arms. The beautiful monkey slept the entire time on the plane. We had a little trouble at the security gate, unloading everything to be scanned, but we made it and he was a perfect angel that everyone loved.

It was Snowing in Kansas when we got there, so Mommy had to rummage through the suitcase and find all the warm cloths to get all bundled up and ready to go.

After Daddy got stuck in Maine for a very long time, at 1 AM he finally arrived at his Welcome Home ceremony.

Johnny waited patiently, obviously his nerves where raw with excitement. :)

"I don't care that we have never meet... FEED ME"

Mommy was crying, though you can't see. There are no words for this moment, it was beautiful.

The next day at the hotel, Mommy was finally clean, and Johnny was getting ready to be.

Daddy very carefully gave his first bath and Johnny loved it.

A nap and some bonding

A very proud Grandma Sharon meets her Grandson for the first time. Grandma Sharon, Grandpa George and Great Grandma Storm met us at the airport and helped us get settled, driving us around and taking our complications with stride, thanks to them for all their help.

Our planes where last minute and we surprised Daddy big time. We are happy to finally be reunited and have Daddy safe. Johnny and I will be traveling back to Maryland on Tuesday to pack and start the shipment process. Our family is perfect. Each moment Shawn and Johnny are together I see them getting more and more comfortable. Shawn truly loves Johnny and I love to watch him gaze at him. We are going to be good. Though I am very excited about getting to Kansas permanently, this trip has made me realize just how hard it is going to be. I have grown in the past year, closer and closer to all of my family in Maryland. I will miss seeing them every day. All of the help they give and the talks we have had are priceless. We are more then blessed to have them in our lives.

Daddy's Home Coming

Daddy is almost here!!!! I can now say that Shawn is in Kuwait and will be back in Kansas on Saturday. He has his welcome home ceramony at 10:30. Grandma Sharon and Grandpa George will be meeting him there.

Johnny and I are very heart sick that we can't go right now, we miss him so much and are very very proud of him. We will be together in a month. He has done so much for us and we are very excited about our future.

First Bath and other pictures

He liked his first bath in the sink :)

Yeah no more stump!!!!

My little Night elf

Every part of him is adorable!!!

Easter Pictures

Thanks Aunt Shell & Uncle Chuckles

The Easter Tree

6 days

Papa & "Jack"

Papa & "Jack" 1 week

Big Hungry Baby

Everything here is progressing very well. Johnny had his two week appt with his doctor this week. He is 9 lbs 9 oz and 21.25 inches, for those of you keeping track, the little piggy gained 1.6 pds and grew an inch...in two weeks. He is in the 75th percentile and he just can't get enough to eat. He is already taking 4 oz every three hours, and I don't think we are far away from it being 5. But at this point he needs what he needs and he won't over eat. He is just a big boy, and very healthy!!! Strong!!!! and beautiful!!!!!! He works hard at getting his head up and looking around as much as possible. I love laying with him, recently we have found that we both enjoy him laying upright against my chest, with his head buried under my chin. I feel so close to him when we lay like this. For a few days I was feeling distant from him, I was scared we weren't bonding. I love him so much, but I was scared he wasn't getting attached to me, or soothed by me. But we cuddle and I sing and play games and everything is going to be fine. I am still scared that I don't know what I am doing, but I am figuring it out. With the help of my parents and family and a few books I am following my maternal instincts very well, it feels great.

Recently we discovered that I have a yeast infection in one of my breasts. He couldn't have my breast milk until I am healed and that would be at least 10 days or he could get thrush. (I also have to microwave my bras to kill the bacteria) Since I was struggling with the breast milk to begin with we decided to move on to formula exclusively. I know this is what is best for us, I struggled with it a lot and felt very guilty. But I got a book called "When breast feeding is not an option" and have spent a lot of time staring at Johnny and I believe now that my hungry baby wasn't going to get enough from my breast.

Daddy is coming home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Without saying what I can't he will be back in Kansas before the 15th of this month. We will have a home on the 17th and our family will be complete on the 9th of May. Johnny and I really wish we could be in Kansas when Daddy has his welcome home celebration, but he is too young and we are saving money smartly. Daddy is very excited, words can not explain, we all miss each other and are over whelmed with getting back to a normal routine and being together.