Nothing creative today

So I feel like I speak too soon sometimes...
I wrote about my shingles, but the next day the Urgent Care doctor called me to tell me that I didn't have shingles and to continue to use the antibiotic but not the cream. Um, okay? What is it then? They weren't sure but were happy to put me on a steroid - NO THANK YOU! Plus, were they not listening? I am nursing! I went to my primary care doctor on the following Monday (the 9th) and he confirmed that in fact it was shingles and it was good that I finished the treatment. He told me that the way the Urgent Care people tried to test for shingles is not accurate. He said that by poking for fluid only tests if it is contagious and not actually shingles! He said they would have had to do the scrape test. Since it was pretty much gone there wasn't anything he could do, but did recommend some ointments for my insanely dry skin. At least I wasn't contagious which is probably why it didn't spread to other parts of my body or to anyone else.

Also speaking to soon.... my Bubba has been a moster lately when it comes to sleeping! Last night he was up practically every hour or two! Finally at 4 am I gave him teething tablets and he slept on my chest until 6:45 when I realized I was going to be late for work (but was dying for more sleep). This past Thursday was also really bad, but I think we were all in a funk. Corey was extremely sick and I sent him to bed with tons of cold medicine after dinner. We have a good night time routine where he puts Jensen to bed and I either go to bed too or I do homework. Jensen didn't want to go to sleep that night and didn't until 12:45 am! I think it was just because I was putting him to bed and not Corey. Clearly having a routine is a good and a bad thing!

Okay - gotta get busy! Having another 3 day weekend was awesome, but having 4 days to get a lot of work done is.... a little hard!

My sleepy boy

I have to post about how EXCITED I am that my little man is sleeping so well at night! Jensen has made a few great strides in his sleep schedule this past week or two and it deserves more than a blog post... for now this is all the attention it is getting.

For the past 5 nights Jensen has slept in his big boy crib in his room. No more bassinett for him! Also, we have implemented a bed time routine that starts between 7-8 and takes about an hour and then he goes down for the night. It usually looks like this: feed, take a bath and play in the water (which he absolutely loves!), baby massage, pjs, and another feeding. Yes, I feed him twice in one hour but it "tops" off his belly and helps him sleep longer. Corey takes him after I feed him last and he gets him down for the night. He has been sleeping for 5-6 hours for the first stretch, but last night... he slept from 9-4! 7 hours!!! I was in heaven! I of course didn't go down until 11, but that meant five solid hours for me which was pretty heavenly!

I still have the bassinett next to my bed because most of the time I will feed him in our room after he wakes in the middle of night and then set him in there to sleep for the last few hours before it is time to get up for the day.

I am so glad we are finally getting a routine and he is sleeping longer. It helps knowing when he will crash out so that I can plan on a certain time to get homework and house stuff done after he is asleep.

I love you my sleepy little man! I'm so proud of you for sleeping in your crib in your room!

Mommy loves you!

December, Shingles, February

So I decided that the month of January should be renamed to "Shingles". Yes, you read that correctly!

I got shingles on January 1st and I have never had them before and had no clue what they were. Apparently it is the chicken pox virus that is left dormant in your nerves and can spring back up at any time. LOVELY. I got them from stress I guess, which makes sense since everything have been stressing me out from school, work, money, etc.

My arm looks a little freaky. It is on my right arm and is about 2 inches by 2 inches. They are tiny bumps with a pus looking fluid inside them. It hurts like crazy! I feel I have been punched in the arm a million times because the muscles in my arm are sore. The actual shingles hurt really bad and sting/burn. The feeling stays the same all day. On Monday the 2nd I went to Urgent Care and they got me a perscription for an antiviral medicine and a topical cream to put on it.

The scary part? I could spread them to someone that already has had chicken pox or if it is a child I could give them chicken pox if they have never had them. I am trying to be super careful around Jensen because he could get pretty sick if he got chicken pox this little. I put the cream on and put bandaids over it so that you can't touch it. They only way to spread it is if the bumps open and I get the fluid inside on my hands and spread it or someone touches them directly. It has been a few days now and so far no one has gotten them and the sores are almost all open now. Hopefully it goes away soon because being contagious is scary and they hurt so bad I am ready for this to be done!

I took a picture of my arm right before going to the doctor on my Monday and when I get a minute I will load it here so you can see what they are and what they look like.

My New Year's Resolution: Lead a less stressful life!

What's not to love? Teething!

Christmas was a success if I must say so myself! Jensen, Corey, and I were extremely spoiled! Jensen got a ton of new clothes, diapers!, and toys. He is set for the next 3 or 4 months at least on clothes and the next few months on diapers too! Our plan of going to everyone's houses worked out perfectly too.

Jensen has been pretty fussy lately, drooling like a madman, and not sleeping very well. I am thinking he is teething and so is his nurse that I called yesterday. He has been this way for about a week but it seems to be getting worse. I let him suck on my finger, toys, binkies, cold washclothes... none of it really seems to help. I am now counting on teething tablets, oragel, and good ol Tylenol to help him. And they are, but I hate giving a baby medicine all the time.

Last night he slept well thank goodness! I think his grandma wore him out during the day! He went down around 8 and woke up twice in 4 hour intervals which is perfect! Hopefully in the next month or so the time between feedings will stretch even longer.

This weekend is New Years and we plan to go to Zack and Jackie's house on Saturday night for dinner and to hang out. We both have our little ones so we just plan to relax and catch up. Maybe Jackie and I can find a craft to do or something. She is beyond crafty!

Okay - my work day is over and I have a lot of errands to run! Happy New Year!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

So I have officially made it through my first week at work and I must say that I was glad to be back and that it went really well. I made it to work on time every day, I managed not to cry ONCE, and I got caught up and stayed focused. I really do love my job and I am glad that my co-workers were glad to have me back! It is a huge adjustment however being gone all day and knowing that someone besides his mama bear is watching him all day. I know he is in good hands and everything with him went well this week too. Now I just need to get used to only seeing him for a few hours (and sharing that time with Daddy) before he is down for the night. I know we will all get into a good routine and value every minute we share together.

Now that it is Friday afternoon and work is over I am officially excited for Christmas! I wasn't excited last week but I think it was because I was too stressed out about returning to work that I couldn't focus on a fun celebration! I must say that I am getting insanely excited. I even bought Jensen another Christmas outfit so he can wear it on Christmas Eve. This years plan: Christmas Eve dinner/games at my Grandma's at 4 pm. Christmas morning (between 7 and 8) at my Mom's house and then off to the Paskett's in the afternoon. That night Corey, Jensen, Dakota, and I will return home and do our own Christmas. I think next year we will do early at Corey's parents and then the following year we will start doing early at our own house since Jensen will understand Santa and want to be home and open his presents from Santa first. I think next year will be much more fun to celebrate with a 1 year old rather than a 3 month old - he is just too little to understand any of this craziness yet!

Jensen is growing like crazy! At his 10 week appt (not sure if I blogged about this already) he weighed 12.6 pounds and was 24 inches long. He has gained 5 pounds and grew 2 3/4 inches! He is in the 75th percentile for height and weight and 65th for head circumference which is just perfect! He is right on track! Shots were awful but he handled them like a champ. Of course he screamed a scream I have never heard of before (and good thing too since it means he is pain) but he didn't get a fever or rash or anything else after.

Jensen can hold a rattle in hand for a long time but doesn't seem to have too much control of what his hand does so he tends to hit his toys into his face. He is great on his belly and we like belly time. If I keep him on there for more than 3 minutes he gets frustrated, but he does well holding his head up and seeing me on the floor and his toys. He makes the best and cutest cooing sounds and he still smiles all the time - he really is a happy boy! He doesn't sleep through the night- not even close! Corey and I have been trying to work out a bedtime routine with him so he knows that it is time for bed, but it hasn't gone great so far. We do a feeding, play with toys and do belly time, take a bath and get in pajamas, do another feeding and then go to sleep. He isn't great at the going to sleep part but everything else makes him happy! Haha! He loves the bath and I find it hilarious that the warm water always makes him pee. He has just about outgrown the insert in his baby bathtub, but since he can't hold his own head up yet (and probably not for another month or two) I don't want to put him in the big part. I'm afraid I'll dunk him under and he will be traumatized forever! He is a great sleeper during the day so we will get it switched around so he sleeps more at night and is awake more during the day but we aren't there yet. He is still up about 3 hours during the night which is rough since I am back to work. I'm learning to just be sleep deprived and reminding myself that it won't be like this forever. Jensen's next doctor appointment isn't until February when he will be 4 months old.

Right now I am on the "winter break" with school that lasts this week and next. It is really nice, but slightly stressful knowing that the week I return is the week of finals! Right now I have an A in my science course (nutrition) and a B+ in my math class (alegbra 1). I am awful at math but I feel like learning online is actually much easier than learning in a classroom. I use Google and YouTube a lot to visually when I don't understand the material for the week. Hopefully I do well on my final and end with a B in that class. I have one more math class that starts the following week and then no more math for me! I just have to make it through these two and that is it. Thank goodness!

Jensen and Rylee got together a few weeks ago and Marissa and I took pictures of them for my Mom's calendar Christmas present from the two of them. We tried dressing them in a few different outfits so that the months would be different. We did their Halloween costumes, Christmas colors, and a neutral outfit. Here are a few... I love them and I love how much Rylee loves her cousin! She is so sweet to him and always wants to kiss and tickle him. I love her for how much she love my baby! Okay... onto pictures...

Here are more pictures I have taken recently getting ready for Christmas... and their Christmas pictures with Santa at the mall (Jensen was 10 weeks for all of these)

4 days and counting

Countdowns are usually fun for me, but not this one. I have 4 days left until I go back to work. It will be bitter sweet, but I am still not looking forward to it. I know that Jensen won't remember this age and he will still love, but I can't help but feel guilty. I think it is worse for me than it is for him. I have been trying to savor every minute these past few weeks with lots of snuggling and giving him every bit of my attention. When Monday arrives I know it will be incredibly hard but I trust Marissa and Jill to take care of the person I care about the most in this world.

New updates: I wrote on Tuesday so to update since then...Jensen and I met Marissa and Rylee at the mall on Wednesday to visit Santa. Jensen did good for his individual picture, but started crying when Rylee joined. He had just woken up and I think he wanted to be held... and not by a big man in a bright red suit. Rylee LOVES Santa and all she is asking for is a play kitchen. She is getting one too so I know this Christmas is going to AMAZEBALLS for her! I can't wait until Jensen understands holidays and gets really excited! Next year will be a lot more fun and he can get lots of fun toys to play with. While we were at the mall I got my dad's watch resized to fit me so I now can wear it. I am grateful to have a piece of him that I can see every day. Thanks Mommy for letting me have it - it means so much to me.

Thursday night it was my team Christmas dinner at Thomas' house and so my mom came over right after work to watch Jensen. Dinner was good - we ate a butternut squash homemade soup with bread, yummy potatoes, salad, and fake sausage (Thomas is vegetarian). It was good to catch up with the team, hear funny stories that I missed, and get excited about going back to work on Monday. Plus, Jason told me while we were there that he approved of the raise I asked for - woo hoo! This mommy needs to make more money to support this family and every penny helps!

Today was Jensen's doctors appointment and he did really. He is 10 weeks today (although it was his 2 month check-up) and he now was 12.6 pounds (gained 5 pounds in 10 weeks) and is 24 inches (grew 2 3/4 inches in 10 weeks). He is in the 75th percentile for both height and weight so he is well proportioned - oh and his head is a good proportion as well. We asked about him not pooping much and they said that it is normal although he went from 4 poopy diapers a day to not going at all or just once a day. I am still breast feeding him and they said that due to his weight gain they know that he is getting enough food and he is just fine. He had to get 3 shots today and then an oral medication. Poor guy screamed so bad and it was a cry I have never heard before. It was clearly his pain cry so thank goodness I have never heard it before today! Corey held him down on the table and I hit my face in my sweatshirt - I can't wait my little one like that. Corey had to go to work this afternoon so I stayed with Jensen who slept the rest of the morning. He woke up to eat and stayed up for about half an hour and then was out again for about two more hours. Once three hit he was up and screaming his pain cry and it was breaking my heart. I rubbed his legs, gave him a warm bath, and snuggled with him. He is till fussy and I think he has a slight fever, but he is doing well considering. I was expecting a lot worse.

Not much else to update on. Tomorrow I am going to meet Anja and Ava for lunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant. I may see if Corey wants to go out on date that night since that is the only night my mom can watch him. Saturday I don't have too much going on. Corey and I are going to babysit Rylee over at our place for a while Morgan and Marissa go to my brother's work Christmas dinner and finish Christmas shopping. Sunday morning I have a nail appointment and I plan to relax at home and get ready for work the next day. Oh and make fudge for my team - those guys LOVE food and I think it will be a nice treat to share with my team who had to work extra hard while I was gone.

I can't believe Christmas is in 10 days! My shopping is done and my presents are wrapped. Corey is about half way done (because I bought those gifts) and he will probably finish it just before Christmas... like he always does. I am still not very excited about Christmas but I think it is because I have so much anxiety about going back to work. I think once I get back to work I will get more excited and can focus on the holidays.

Corey and I have been discussing the past day or so about starting a bedtime routine for Jensen so that he knows it is night and to hopefully sleep longer. He has been having a rough week or two where I am not getting any sleep at night and that obviously needs to change since I will be working. I talked with Dr. Omura about it and he said that now is a good time to start it. He said we can do a feeding followed by bath time, play time/reading, one last feeding and then put him down. I think Corey really wants him to sleep in his own room in his crib, but I still want him in his bassinet for a little bit. I think one major step at a time. Corey also believes in crying it out (as do I) but I feel that he is still too little. A lot of websites say the CIO method isn't beneficial until they are 4-6 months old and that may even be too young. I think we just need to start a routine and do one thing at a time. Hopefully both Jensen and I will be getting more sleep soon.

Off to do more homework - a few more math assignments/quizzes this week and then I have a break until finals in two weeks- woo hoo!

Visiting Grandma

Today Jensen and I visited Grandma and Grandpa Drabner. Grandma had some pretty major foot surgery done last Friday and she isn't suppoed to be up doing much yet. We picked up lunch and went to visit and I wanted to help around the house, but she didn't give me anything to do. Marissa and Rylee were there yesterday and it sounds like Marissa did a lot to help. Grandma really enjoyed visiting with us and watching Jensen coo and smile. It was probably good for Grandma to see him since he made her happy. We visited for a few hours and then we came right home because it has been snowing. I did manage to pick up Grandma Donna's Christmas present and run to the post office before heading out so I felt I accomplished a few things today.

I have about an hour before Corey needs to take out Dakota for her nightly walk and all the good shows are on including the finale of the Biggest Loser. That show is such motivation and yet I can't seem to work out and lose these few pounds. Hopefully I can get motivated and work out on the Kinect. I tried on ALL of the pants in my closet and all of them are still a little tight. I think two pounds will make all the difference and five more is were I want and need to be. If I didn't have this little stomach pooch I would probably be feeling pretty great about myself. I just need to get it a little time and remind myself that it took 9 months to gain and most women don't lose it until six month or year later.

Okay off to do homework!