Vote for Cole!

http://gapc-vote.com/?p=1872107

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I would really like it if Cole would stop growing...

Not only would I get my actual money's worth out of these clothes, but there would be no GROWTH SPURTS.

Aka the DEVIL.

Cole went through his 3 month spurt a wee bit early - and we were back to eating every 3 hours through the night. He pushed his bedtime back at the same time, so Mom and Dad were in a world of hurt. Sleep started at 12:45, then we were up at 4, 6:30, 9, 11, and then we would either wake up for the day or go back to sleep until 1 PM! It was like being a newborn again, with days and nights mixed up. Granted, I have ALWAYS been like that, but over the past 3 months, I've been conditioned to go to bed by 11. Midnight is suddenly an ugly hour. And don't get me started on the lack of naps - on Saturday, the man was awake for 8 HOURS STRAIGHT.

We've never gotten off every 2 hour feedings during the day, but he even bumped them a bit closer to an hour and 45! Just when I put the PNP back up in our room, when I'm ready to pull out my hair and lose it... he STTN again. Ahhhh sweet relief! He went down last night at 11ish, in his crib at 11:30, and he slept in the crib until 5:30. He was fussing then, almost to a cry, when I went, got him, brought him into bed, grabbed the bottle - and realized he was fast asleep again. Munchkin did not wake up until 9am!

We still have no interest in rolling from back to belly, which Mommy is grateful for at the moment. He does love his feet, and is now exploring things with them! We put him in his stroller last night during dinner under the ceiling fan (his favorite thing in the world at the moment!) and when we were cleaning up, Chris noticed he was trying to put his feet up on the tray. Sure enough, he really was! I put my hands there, he started kicking my hands. The boy has aim! He's also started drooling, blowing spit bubbles, and chomping/licking everything in sight - especially his hands and my shoulder!

I am amazed at him every day. He is becoming such a little person, not just a baby! He is so alert, so nosy, so interested in EVERYTHING. He's such a happy guy! He LOVES his bath especially. He will splash around, kick his legs, swing his arms, and laugh! Every once in a while, he'll even get so excited, he'll let out a squeal! He is the happiest bath baby ever.

Speaking of the little man, he's waking up. Have to cut it short!

Thank God there is INSURANCE.

-Induction, delivery, epidural, pediatrician, circumcision, hospital stay
Total cost of 07.23 to 07.27: $17,674.80

-Two rounds of betas, quad screen, and weekly blood work to monitor cholestasis
Total cost: $2901.00

-3 ultrasounds
Total cost: $1105.00


Total for all hospital claims: $21,680.80



Total out of pocket expense?



$0.



Dear Aetna,

<3

that is all.

Long time, no post...

It's been the most exhausting and exhilarating 2 months of my life!



Cole is such a good baby. I definitely won the baby lottery with him! Granted, he's president of the Crap Napper Society, but sleeps so well at night that I won't complain. Most times, he sleeps through the night. Last night, he went down at 10pm, woke up to eat at 6:30, and went back down until noon. NOON! The last time I slept until noon, I was pregnant!



Cole is such a big guy! My handsome little man is not so little. At 2 months, he is the size of your average 4 month old. At birth, he was 7lbs, 6oz, and 20". At one month, he was 10lbs, 14oz, and 22 3/4". At two months, he was 13lbs, 10oz, and 25"! That's 89th percentile for weight, and 99th for height! Considering I'm 5'1", we know it didn't come from me! :D



He has also started rolling! He rolled one day at 7 weeks, but I'm pretty sure it was unintentional. I don't really count it. It took him about 10 minutes, and never showed another drop of interest in it again... until Saturday (10.03) when he went down for tummy time, and just threw back his head, threw back his arm, picked up his leg, and kicked himself over. He did it twice on Sunday too! Now, back to belly we are showing no interest in - which I am quite thankful for. It's been pointed out to me that rolling while changing poo diapers is an Olympic sport that there is no practicing for.

Cole did have his first ER trip - talk about scary. He had one hell of a fever the day after his shots - 102.5. They sent us in, they took blood (from a vein people! No little heel prick!), had to use a catheter for a urine sample, took a chest xray, and we are waiting on cultures. Preliminary results are all negative, so it looks promising that it was strictly over his shots. They are slightly worried about GBS, since I was positive and dialated so quickly after they broke my water that I only received one dose of antibiotics.



We are currently on our second of 2 weeks out in Pittsburgh... it's COLD here! I had to go out and get him a hat :D It's a little difficult to live in a hotel with a baby, but luckily the company sprung for the suite - which happens to be a King Suite with a Jacuzzi! Cole is the happiest camper in the monster bathtub. It's practically a pool! He is the happiest bath time baby - he will not sleep at night without his bath. He's a serious creature of habit. His night routine MUST start at 9:30 or Mr. Crankpants comes to visit.



A few things for the moms-to-be - my list of useful and junk. I plan on making a full post, but for now, a quick list. Now, this is just what I discovered - I know there are people who hate gowns, who swear by the mittens, who loved t-shirts... write it on your own blog. :D

Get:
SwaddleMes - at least 3 if your kid is a puker like mine!
Carter's speedy exit creepers (onesies that snap all the way down the front, no over-the-head, easy belly button access)
Sleep n plays (snaps for the day, ZIPPERS at night. You never want to try to match up those tiny little snaps in the dark!) Carter's and Old Navy sell ones with flippy hands (built in mittens) to keep life simple.
BABY LEGS (do you know how hard it is to get jeans on and off a baby?)
Carter's Gowns - until he hit 3-6m clothing, he never wore anything else for bed. Keep things simple for middle of the night diaper changes! And they have flippy hands!
Gerber Burp clothes - the kind that are like cloth diapers, NOT the terrycloth ones. 3 for $8.99
Shout Advanced - again, especially if your kid is a puker like mine. (To be crazy cautious, I put it through a double rinse cycle in the washer. My skin is super sensitive, so I can only imagine his is too. I can only use All Free Clear detergent for myself, and I have no problems with it. Neither has Cole.)
Dr. Brown's Formula Pitcher. Now, it is by no means a neccesity. Cole has a lactose intolerance and we had to switch him to Similac Sensitive. No matter how long you let the formula sit, there will be SO much foam on the top, it was bad. I would scoop it off with a spoon after making his bottle. The pitcher mixes the formula without incorporating air into it, and what tiny bit of foam is in there will stay in the pitcher as you pour out bottles. You can also add a little Mylicon to the bottle, but I've found Cole spits up more (he has reflux) when he gets the drops. It also has oz measurement along the sides, so you can make a full day's worth of formula at one time, pour out bottles, and when the man is hungry, I just grab a premade bottle out of the fridge.

Leave:
One piece outfits without feet. Socks don't stay on. Cole ONLY wears socks when it's cold under babylegs. And the rare occasion he gets dressed up.
Mittens. They never stayed on Cole, I lost more than I owned. Get the outfits with flippy hands insted.
DON'T stock up on clothing! We expected Cole to be a decent size, so we stocked UP on 0-3 and only purchase 2 NB outfits. He wore NB clothes for a month, and we had to go out and get more. He only wore 0-3 for ALMOST 3 weeks. He didn't wear HALF the 0-3 clothes we had bought! You never know how fast or slow they will grow. Get a few pieces, basics in each size, build from there WHEN they get there.
Baby t-shirts. Nothing like having to adjust the clothing EVERY. TIME. You touch your child. They may as well be baby half-tops.


And my general FYI: Gerber onesies run a full size too small. By the time Cole got out of the hospital, he could no longer wear his NB t-shirts. NB fits preemie, 0-3 fits NB, etc. The sleep n plays run pretty true to size, but a tad short. Carter's are longer than most brands, and get the longest time's use in my house. BabyGap sizing is dead on.