A few updates...

• Logan rolled over (tummy to back) about 10 times in one day last Wednesday!  Of course, he has yet to repeat that performance.  He first rolled over July 3, but that was the most he had done it in one day since then.
• Logan found his feet in week 15!  Now he loves to grab those cute toesies in his crib, on the changing table, basically whenever the opportunity presents itself.
• Logan started eating rice cereal!  With all of the troubles we've had with his reflux, and his 4 month birthday on Tuesday, the pediatrician recommended that we try the cereal to provide a thicker substance to hopefully stay down in his tummy.  So far it's working ok -- not a drastic improvement, but it's definitely helping.  Pictures from the first highchair session to come..
• We are just thrilled that the NFL season is back in full effect.  SB has been working like a maniac (left at 6am Friday, returned 9pm that night.  Has worked yesterday and today too....I'm missing our weekends together already, but still so thankful that the season is on.) 
• I logged 5 days of running this week, which I'm proud of, especially b/c the weather has been so darn hot.  I'll fit it in any time I can - whether it's when Scott comes home at night, first thing in the morning -- whenever.  I am so much happier when I exercise regularly - it just makes me feel good :)  Yesterday was my longest run at 5 miles.  I'm starting to think of running a 1/2 marathon to keep up the motivation.  There's one here October 23.  Of course SB will be in Dallas with the team, but maybe my parents will come in to watch Logan.  TBD :)

 He loves the bumbo seat! 

 Hugging his Ellie (the Elephant)

 Trying to fit the whole ball in his mouth...

 Last Saturday we bought a Baby Einstein exersaucer/jumper, and Logan is loving it!  It is really cool to see how he's able to interact with the toys.

 Toes!!

 Tummy time! 

Mama on the run

The Inaugural Opening Act 5K by the Numbers (by Fleet Feet):

2,000: split times and result texts sent  

1,800: bottles of water consumed

1,000: cans of soda consumed

1,000: Great Harvest Cinnamon Chip rolls consumed

1,038: finishers

677: female finishers

400: servings of potato chips eaten

361: male finishers

360: cookies eaten

250: bananas eaten  

200: oranges eaten

92: heat index at race start

84: temperature at race start

50: "Roadie" volunteers

17: laptops needed for race timing

8: number of states represented by participants

Last Sunday I ran my first 5k race since last summer.  More importantly -- my first 5k race since giving birth!!  My finishing time:  28:53.  My goal:  29:00.  I still can't believe I beat it -- the heat was unbelievable, and the course was really hilly, but it was very empowering to run a race, and beat my goal (albeit a ridiculously slow goal!).  I think this first pic was taken near the start of the race, because you really don't want to see the one taken at the end of the race.  I look like I'm dying!

 

Struggling with Infant Reflux (GER)

We have had a rocky month of July.  Poor little Logan kicked off the month with a diagnosed ear infection (his first).  I was surprised he would get one because he's exclusively breastfed, not in daycare, and hasn't had a cold or fever or anything of the sort.  It turns out that it was likely related to reflux.  He improved slightly with the antibiotic, but his eating hadn't improved so I kept calling the pediatrician.  They brought him back in and diagnosed him with silent reflux (he isn't spitting up, but he does eat for very short amounts of time, and ends the session by arching his back and screeching in pain.  He would cough during feeding sessions, with some wet burps -- apparently those are symptoms too).  It was awful to see him in pain, to not know how to help or what to do.  The first medicine (Zantac) made no obvious improvements after a week, so I called back and they increased his dosage.  However, I still didn't see any improvements with the new dose so now he's on Prevacid.  I have to be honest that I hate giving him medicine.  I was so careful my whole pregnancy by not ingesting anything that was on the "do not eat list" -- caffeine, cold cuts, sushi, artificial sweeteners, etc. etc.  I was so careful, and he still has to go through this.  I guess there's just so much about raising a child that you can't control.  He's been on Prevacid since yesterday and it is supposed to really take effect in 7-10 days.  I have to thank my neighbor who has really been a great help during this all b/c she has endured this with her boys.  I've read a little about how sensitivity to dairy can make this worse.  My pediatrician didn't advise me to remove dairy from my diet, but I will ask when we go back on Monday for his 4 month appt.  Have any of you experienced reflux in your children?  Any advice???

Boden's fall line

I am almost down to my pre-baby weight (that's another story entirely -- it is taking A LOT of hard work (at least for me) to get these last 10 pounds off.  I knew it would be hard, but it is harder than I thought!), and it's fun to be able to look at clothes again knowing I can actually fit into them these days!  Of course, my clothing budget has gone waaaaay down as I have to focus on saving for our family....but a girl can look!  There are so many cute things from Boden for the fall.  I love their items, I just hate that the fit can be so hit or miss, but at least they've been offering free returns lately.  I'm hoping they offer some good deals soon!

Happiness....

I love everything about this OKL image.  The dogs, the lemon trees, the crystal clear pool, the perfectly manicured lawn, the furniture, the yellow mirror and rug.  I'd love to throw down a beach towel, and lay right next to those yellow labs for an hour or two!

2 years ago today....

I married my best friend.  July 11, 2009 was one of the best days of our lives!!  It's amazing to look back at all we've done in the last two years!!

This weekend we experienced a new "first."  Logan was diagnosed with his first ear infection :(  poor guy.  Last Tues/Wed he started to eat a little less than usual, and by Thursday he was only eating about 5 minutes at a time, and then would cry/screech afterward.  I called our pediatrician and she gave a few pointers and things to watch for, but by Friday he just seemed so unlike himself so I called back and they fit us in for an appointment that evening.  (*good lesson -- always call when I have questions.  that's what they're there for!)  He didn't have any of the tell-tale signs of an ear infection, but once she looked in his little ear, it was easy to diagnose.  He's now on an antibiotic and just today has started to eat a bit more (eating can be really painful when they have ear infections).  It's so awful to know your baby isn't feeling well, but not know what's going on or what to do.  Our pediatrician and the nurse who always responds to my calls are just wonderful, and I'm so thankful my dr. recommended them to us!

June Recap

We have been doing lots of traveling in the last month.  In early June we drove to Athens, GA for a few days, and then spent a week on Little St. Simons Island off the coast of GA.  We enjoyed time with SB's family in Athens, and then celebrated my dad's birthday with my family on LSSI (which probably deserves a post all on its own).

 

SB with Logan at the UGA tennis facility.  Maybe one day Logan will play there! 

A family 5k!  Run, walk or roll....everyone finished all 3.1 miles, and it was a lot of fun under the hot Georgia sun!

 My whole family on LSSI.

This past weekend we drove to Madison, WI to visit again with my family.  Logan did really well in the car.  The key to success was preparing a few bottles so that he'd be able to eat whenever he wanted (and he actually took them cool in his carseat!).

My twelve weeks of maternity leave ended June 26, and I started back at work last Monday.  So far it's going really well.  I am very, very lucky to be able to work from home and keep Logan with me.  I plan to do this for the first year, and then will likely need to find a good day-care situation for at least the mornings once he is really mobile and walking.

So that brings us to July!  We don't have too many plans for the next few weeks.  I think it will be good to stay close to home to keep our routines with Logan.  We have always wanted to be really flexible, and able to still go out and see people, and eat out -- and we definitely have done that, but there is something to be said for some consistency with routines too.

3 months old, and full of smiles!

We took these pictures on the 4th of July -- a holiday you must love because you were so smiley!  We spent the long weekend in Madison, WI to visit with your Nana and Papa, Auntie Sarah and Uncle Mike, and your cousins Annie, Luke and Chase.

Milestones:
Sleeping:  On Sunday night, after your first experience with "babysitters" (aka: Nana and Papa) you slept all the way till 6am!  It was the first time you slept through the night (and I loved every second of it!)  Of course last night you woke up at 3am and 5am, but I am hoping that you'll start sleeping through the night soon.  Usually you wake up just once at 4am these days.
Eating:  You are still nursing well.  This is the first time we're going 2 months between pediatrician appointments, but it seems you're still doing well and gaining enough weight.  You've started to learn to scream a bit, and have been doing that lately during feedings.  We're not sure what's going on there, but hopefully that will stop soon.
Etc:  We traveled a lot in the last month.  You took your first road trips to Georgia and then Wisconsin to visit family.  You did amazingly well on each leg of the trips.  You are lifting your head higher and higher during tummy time.  You have started playing with your hands, and your new best friend is your thumb.  You can put it in your mouth yourself, which is a new skill.  Ever since you were 2 months you've been able to support your weight on your legs, and that is something you still like to do. 

Life As We Know It -- the house

SB and I have a new "Date Night" tradition.  Basically it involves eating dinner together (with Logan) at home or somewhere nearby, and watching a movie together once Logan is asleep.  It's not at all glamorous, but somehow calling it our new "Date Night" makes it feel special.  This weekend the movie we watched was "Life As We Know It" with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel.  The movie itself was ok - but the house in it was just beautiful!  I loved how they decorated the place -- from the art to the accessories to the furniture to the wall colors.  The movie is based in Atlanta, and apparently at some point recently the house was actually on the market.  Here are a few shots of the house in their listing, and of the house in the movie.

 

Look who's 2 months old!

June 2 already?!?  Logan continues to grow, grow, grow!  We went to the pediatrician yesterday for his 2 month checkup and he weighed in at 10 pounds, 11 ounces (75%), 23.75" (80%), with a head circumference in the 80th percentile as well.  He received his first round of vaccinations, and took them like a champ (you'll see his bugs bunny and daffy duck band-aids in the pictures that follow).  By the look of his smile in a few of the pics, you can see that he quickly forgot the momentary pain brought on by the shots (though his mama may still be recovering ;).

Milestones:
Sleeping:  You are still sleeping quite well (minus last night!).  We moved your bedtime up this month from about 9/9:30 to 7:30/8pm.  We bathe you, read a book, turn on your mobile and usually you are out like a light.  Sometimes you require a little extra rocking, but not much.  You usually wake up around 3-4am for a feeding, and then sleep till 6:30 or 7am.  It's not a bad routine, and we are very grateful for a good amount of sleep!
Eating:  You are nursing well.  We have started to go a bit longer between each feeding. 
Etc:  I had my first (and hopefully only) bout of mastitis this past weekend.  It wasn't fun for about 24 hours, but once I received the antibiotic, things were on the up and up.  You are really supporting your head quite well.  You are doing well with tummy time, and can hold your head at about a 45 degree angle.  You've started cooing this month, and that smile still makes my heart melt.