Let's go Pats!!!

Got a few pics sent to us from family - the first is from Grandpa Bob showing the foliage in Maine during an early morning walk; the second is from Aunt Jennie showing her desk at work (and several pictures of her loving nephew).  Thank you for sharing these with us!

Week 23 -

Fall is here! And in Texas that's marked by the opening of the Texas State Fair, pumpkins everywhere, and the Texas Rangers competing for a spot in the baseball playoffs.  We hit two of the three this week, starting out at the Dallas Arboretum where Brady got to see all kinds of different pumpkins and exhibits in the Pumpkin Village.  The arboretum was just beautiful in the colors of fall.  Later we met Suzy’s work group for a Rangers game.  The loud noise was a little overwhelming for Brady so we left in the seventh to get him home to bed.  And while the Rangers disappointingly lost to the Angels 7-4, Brady got his very 1^st baseball. 

Last weekend was family day at Daddy’s work.  We got to tour the facility and labs and eat some good BBQ.  Daddy did a demo at the track and we took a family picture with the SMSS vehicle.  We’re so proud of Daddy and all the things he has accomplished!  We also did family date night at a drive in movie theater complete with speakers, popcorn, and a dead battery jump.  We watched Trouble with the Curve (Clint Eastwood) and The Campaign (Will Farrell). 

Brady had a great week, and finally no one was sick!  He started baby food this week eating a jar of apples, sweet potatos, and squash.  He really liked the sweet potatos and squash and is getting better at eating from a spoon (vs just pushing it back out his mouth with his tongue).  Mommy is looking forward to making her own baby food and bought some things to blend this weekend.  We also started feeding him from his high chair.  Just like his car seat he doesn't enjoy being strapped in but once he realized food was involved he settled in.  When you call his name he turns to look at you, he’s so smart!  We can tell he’s growing and getting “taller” as today he’s in a smaller 6-9 month Rutgers onesie.  He’s getting better with overall coordination, passing his soft blocks hand to hand (usually with a stop in his mouth first), and he can sit up unsupported for a second or two before toppling over.  He still loves us to sing him songs and cuddling with Mr Squirrel for a nap.  Once he got over his cold we moved him back to his crib and he’s sleeping through the night.  Now that he’s on semi-solids, his poop is getting thicker, darker, and smellier.  We know this is just the beginning.  He doesn't have any teeth yet, but he has 2 bumps on the bottom front and one bump on his upper left.  He has clamped down once or twice when he’s eating, looks like we’ll have to figure out a way to teach him NOT to do that.  Next week we’re sending him to school with rice cereal so he can add a mid morning snack to his daycare routine.  He’s growing up too fast already!

Brady had his 5 month weight check yesterday - he weighed in at 13 lbs 5.5 oz, putting him in the 5th percentile.  Guess he'll just be a thin and trim baby!

Week 22 -

Brady turned 5 months old this week!  He's at such a fun age.  He really grabs onto his feet now, and has almost figured out how to get them to his mouth.  He even grabs both feet at a time.  And he's started rolling back to front more, especially when placed on the bed and his favorite toy Mr Squirrel is placed just out of reach.  He loves to suck his thumb and hold Mr Squirrel.  Just for fun we let him play with Uncle Chris's old keyboard.  He liked the music and watching the keys light up.  And he really got giggling when he stomped on the keys, but we thought that might not be such a good idea for the keyboard.

Brady is still getting over his RSV and double ear infections.  He's down to one breathing treatment a day and will finish his baby amoxicillin Sunday.  You can tell he's feeling better as he eats and sleeps better, his poop is back to normal (not sticky brown), and in general he seems in better spirits.  Hopefully he won't be more prone to respiratory infections, but if he does start coming down with something we can give him the baby nebulizer again.

We're trying to give him more practice with eating from a spoon, if only he could figure out how to keep his tongue out of the way!  He ate rice cereal mixed with breast milk again a few times this week.  He really seems to like it, opening wide for he spoon and giving us lots of smiles.  Soon Mom and Dad will have to figure out the next food and start sending some to daycare with him.  Mom is looking forward to making homemade baby food.  We're also starting to put him to bed earlier (8 or 9pm instead of 10pm) so Mom and Dad have some time to themselves before bed, and he's back to sleeping in his crib (he was back in the co-sleeper when he was sick).

Week 21 -

Sick again, 3rd time in 6 weeks. Mom and Dad were called at work to pick up Brady at daycare because he had a fever (first time we were called).  His temperature fluctuated all night and the next day between 99 deg and 101 deg.  We took him to the pediatrician and after swabbing his nose he was diagnosed with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and double ear infections. After giving him some baby amoxicillin for the ear infections and an albuterol mask to help reduce the swelling in his lungs and let him breathe easier our little guy got some relief.  Dad and Mom didn't get much sleep this week getting up all hours of the night to help ease Brady's coughing.  We recognize most kids get this before the age of 2, but it's starting to make us rethink this daycare thing.  One good thing that came out of all of this is that Brady weighed in at 13 lbs 1.5 oz so he's gained over 1 lbs in 3 weeks!

While RSV got Brady down later in the week, earlier in the week he got to watch his first Patriots game watching them beat the Tennessee Titans 34-13.  He liked watching all the action on the big screen and got to wear his Brady jersey from his Uncle Paul.  Go Pats!  He also had rice cereal for the second time and seems to be getting the hang of sucking down food on a spoon.  And even though he was sick, he still gave us his signature smile, he's such a handsome little guy.

First night in his own room! Brady did great sleeping through the night in his crib. He also somehow managed to rotate himself 90 degrees.  He's getting to be such a big boy.

Week 20 -

Had a bit of a scare this week - one night Brady refused to eat, then he threw up on Dad, and had a couple bright red blood spots in his diaper.  These were all firsts for us.  He also had a bit of a temperature but not a fever.  Thankfully once he threw up and got it out of his system he seemed to be his old self but we did call the pediatrician just to be sure.  They said there's a stomach bug going around, or since he has been congested it could have been all the mucus.  Poor guy.

This week Brady discovered he can grab his feet and has made some attempts to get them to his mouth.  He continues to blow raspberries, do ahhhhhs, and babble periodically.  A new favorite game is watching Dad do "Da-da-da-da-da!"  Some of his 3 month clothes are fitting snug and he's wearing more of his 3-6 month clothes so we know he's growing.  He also continues to sit up with assistance, but doesn't seem interested in rolling over from back to belly (this would inhibit thumb sucking!).  It's getting harder to cut his nails.  Typically we try to do it when he's asleep and still but now it wakes him up.  This is also a problem when he nurses as he likes to grab Mom's arm and his hand grip (and tendency to scratch) has gotten stronger.  Ouch for Mom.

We spent Labor Day weekend in a cabin just outside Fredericksburg TX enjoying the local German food and trying some local wine.  The cabin was awesome.  We also took Brady to the local airport diner so he could watch the airplanes.  He's gotten very good at recognizing objects and sounds in a distance and enjoyed watching the airplanes takeoff and land.

This week was the start of the 2012 NFL season opening with the Dallas Cowboys beating the defending champion New York Giants.  Brady is looking forward to watching the Patriots play on Sunday, Go Pats!