swaddled in love...

As we all know I am a nurse in the NICU. I have "runs" of good days where I witness nothing but the endless love and hope parents have for their babies. I think of the neonatal ICU as a roller coaster. The ups and downs is enough to make event the most hopeful parents nauseated. Lately, I am guilty of bringing my work home with me. I have taken care of so many babies where their little life has been full of more challenges than my 28 year old mind can comprehend. Some of the babies stories are more complicated than the typical preemie course. I have told David multiple times that if I could bring babies home from work that need love our house would be full of babies. I think my fellow nurses do a great job and fostering love whenever possible....whether it be immediately following a surgery or in the last moments when parents can't find the strength to be present. I have noticed that simple things such as normal, sweet blankets put in the incubators help moms and dads forget for a moment about the diagnosis and focus on the baby. That is why last year I started a blanket drive "Swaddled in Love" for the babies around Valentines Day. The goal was to receive donations of blankets that are perfect for swaddling. We gathered over 300 blankets. The blankets stay in the NICU and are used from patient to patient (sterilized of course!). It is a great way give back to the babies and families by offering a soft blanket to be comforted by for both the babies and parents. This year I am going to have our Second Annual Swaddled in Love Blanket Drive. If you are interested in donating a receiving blanket, contact me.

day to day favorite things...

bath time!!!

shopping for groceries to make bear's baby food

7 months...

nothing better than a happy baby!

the day his tooth broke through~ loving the cold teether

Seven months old and seven million new things! Wow, lately everyday accompanies a new "first" for Ethan. Just 3 days into his seven month, "What is that I see....a tooth?" So we celebrated by giving Ethan something to chew on...puffs! Puff similar to cheerios but made for babies. However, he hasn't figured out how to feed them to himself quite yet, but he sure can open wide! Life with a baby just gets better and better!

Ethan Wyatt at 7 Months:

~can now sit in a highchair and shopping cart while out and about

~starting to wave, but not on demand (loves to watch his hand)

~starting to eat more solids and drink less milk

~watched his first snow flakes fall with Daddy

~slept on his belly for the first time

~started moving around in his bed by doing the "rolly polly"

~can stand alone (without help from mom) for short time when leaning up against something

~loves trains and tonka trunks

~will give you a nice wet kiss (it will melt your heart)

~still jumps nonstop! He may jump around before walking!

~hasn't rejected any baby food we have introduced (our new food is pumpkin with pear)

~starting to get a mini dose of the mommy-itis clingy thing when sleepy

~taking around 2 naps a day (seems to sleep really well for Daddy)

~David thinks he tried to call Alex...."ahh" and looked for him

~I'm hearing some "momma" noises when we are upset (but no official words yet)

I rang in the New Year with a little hard work! A 4 day stretch of work! Doesn't sound horrible, but 12 hour days make for loooong days. I would literally feed Ethan and walk out the door at 6am and come home at 8pm to find him sleeping. Boy did I miss him like crazy. I missed him so much I would get him out of bed while he slept and just hold him. They say never wake a sleeping baby...but it was tempting! However, props to his Daddy for taking care of him all four days! Not all Daddy's can do that. I knew he would be a good Daddy, but sometimes he amazes me. He even made Ethan homemade carrots and sweet potatoes.

resolutions...

our big moment in 2009

I always love to hear other's resolutions for each new year. Mine always seem a little a dull and expected: eat better, pray more, workout on a regular basis, stop saying bad words, and such. This year, I want to focus on doing things that make you feel good inside and out. Yeah, I know, kinda a broad topic. However, this works into my day to day and I believe the less complicated the resolution is, the easier it is to be mindful and try to adhere to it. Here are a few of my favorite resolutions I've heard other's say:

~ "I am a planner, list maker, and a do-things-by-the-book kind of gal. This year I am going to throw all that stuff out and focus on the present" (a resolution that sounds perfect for me)

~change hundreds of diapers, sleep less, fold lots of onesies and love my new baby will all my heart and soul (mom-to-be)

~"I will use the computer less and spend time in the real world, with my young children"

~"nothing"

~"Work harder at accepting people the way they are"

~"be a better person"

Whatever resolution you made this year, I hope 2010 brings peace and joy to you and your family. 2009 was an amazing year for us...the year we were given our sweet baby boy. It was also a year that we watched the economy head south and watched our family and friends experience the effects. However, it made us all slow day and focus on what is really important to us. Cheers to 2010!

a merry little christmas....

Ethan 1st Christmas Hat

Playing with his little train inside Daddy's train

matching PJs with mommy and family

Daddy and Ethan

"Thanks Daddy....this one was a big one!"

Christmas in Atlanta

Santa made a big stop in Atlanta

Grandpa and Ethan

Grandma

"Can I wear it Daddy?"

Ethan and Aunt Whitney

Christmas Morning at our house

Ribbon turns baby into Mini Rambo

"I love my hippo seat"

Check out my PJ's...they match Santa's

Laughs with Nana in White Bluff Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve in White Bluff

giggles on Daddy's Birthday....Dec 23rd

someone loves his Great Uncle Gerald!

I can see little boy (not baby) in this picture coming out!

Our tree this year

the stockings were hung with care

Christmas morning with Papa and Nana

Over the mountains and through the woods to Nana's and Grandma's we go! The Volvo was ready to carry the sleigh on the white and windy day (not quite white...but we did see snow flakes). This Christmas we spent Christmas Eve in White Bluff celebrating with my extended family. It was a blast having Ethan there to celebrate with and share our traditions. We ate the traditional food: Parmesan cheese puffs, pizza ritz, veggie pizzas, sausage balls and ham....yummy. We came home and made homemade cookies for Santa and read Christmas stories to Ethan. Christmas morning we watch Ethan open his gifts and play with all of his new toys. Nana, Papa, and our neighbor "Aunt" Donna came over for more Christmas fun and a homemade breakfast. Mom and I were rather impressed with David's ability to make my grandmother's chocolate syrup (you eat it over homemade biscuits and butter.) We then loaded up the sleigh (Volvo) and headed to Atlanta! There we got into our Hanna Anderson PJ's and waited for Santa to come again! And boy did he ever! Madeline, Caroline, and Ethan must have been very, very good this year! Some of my favorite Christmas memories was watching them play together! It is also tradition to put together a Harley Davidson puzzle over the holiday that David recieves on his birthday. We had a wonderful Christmas. This year David and I found our selves counting our blessing and not gifts. I hope you had yourself a merry little Christmas!

Santa brought me a new Mac this year....if you were wondering about the endless photos! I'm in computer heaven!