Memorial Weekend

We had a really nice holiday weekend. I drove down to Castle Rock on Friday to pick up my brothers dogs from Anna's parents house, so he could visit with them over the weekend. I had a nice visit with Ken and Judy. They had some presents for Lincoln and were really excited to meet him. Anthony, Mom and Dad arrived Friday night. We spent the evening in the garage listening to the Rockies game. Saturday morning Dad, Anth, Eli and Shawn went golfing. Mom, Lincoln and I did some grocery shopping and got things ready for the BBQ. Liz and Gabe arrived around noon for us to meet Parker, born March 11th. We got to spend some time with them before everyone else arrived. Everyone else started showing up around 2. We had a really great turn out. Carl and Denise were there until around 10pm and the guys stayed up until after midnight. I went to bed around 10 because Lincoln has not been sleeping well at all. Sunday morning we went to Church. Jerry Selby did Lincolns dedication at Church. The congregation prayed for him and for Eli and I. After Church we did our last shopping trip to the Sports Authority before I lost my discount. We were all very tired when we got back home so we laid around and watched a movie. Monday morning we went to Mimi's Cafe for brunch and then mom, dad and Anth headed home. It was a great weekend full of family and friends.
Jerry Selby, Me, Lincoln and Eli at his dedication

Uncle Anthony and Lincoln

Dad, Mom and Brother

Lincoln (March 8th) Parker (March 11th)

Play Dates

Little Lincoln is so popular already! He has had several play dates. The girls from work that were pregnant at the same time as me came over for a visit on the 14th. Jennifer had Graham on March 11th and Brie had Logan on March 13th. Tawnya also brought her little boy Remington who is 7 months old. It was nice to talk to other new moms and see how different the boys are.

Lincoln, Graham and Logan

Lincoln had another play date on the 21st with Trey. Trey was born exactly one month before Lincoln. His mom Angie and I were in birthing class together. Eli and I hit it off with she and her husband Casey. They live near us in Frederick. We spent the day together talking about being Baby Wise. Angie was a professional photographer before she became a pharmaceutical rep. She took a bunch of cute pictures of the boys. She is one of those girls that you feel like you have known forever. They have a scale so I was able to weigh Lincoln before his 3pm feeding and then after to see how much he had eaten. He ate 3.85 oz and weighed 12lbs 3oz with his clothes on.

Lincoln (March 8th) and Trey (February 8th)

First time at the Zoo and a Fair

We had a really busy and fun weekend. On Friday Lincoln had his first trip to the zoo. I met Stacy, Deb, Kelly and the kids there around 11. We got our tickets and then found a nice grassy shaded area to feed the kids. We laughed and said that we basically paid $12 to go to the park because we were there for about an hour and a half before we actually started walking around the zoo. Stacy and I's boys are too young to really enjoy the zoo, but we enjoyed the nice weather and just being outside. I don't remember the last time I have been to the zoo. On Saturday we went to the Erie fair with Chris, Libby and the boys. We sat on the patio and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant there. I ran into an old friend from high school at the Fair. We went and found some shade so I could feed Lincoln and there was another couple and their baby sitting there. The lady looked up at me and said "Melissa Kerr." She recognized my voice. It was Lauren Wiens that I ran track with. She has a 9 month old daughter. They live in Erie so we exchanged phone numbers. We came home and took a nice cold family shower and then put in a movie. Sunday morning we woke up to a bunch of hot air balloons surrounding our house. Eli of course ran outside with his camera. We went to Church and then headed down town to the "Glass House." Eli's boss Mike owns a condo on the 23rd floor of this amazing building called the glass house. He wanted Eli to take pictures so he can rent it out for the presidential convention. It actually made me dizzy to look out. We went to Rock Bottom for lunch and then headed home to do some yard work. I am so happy that the nice weather is here. Everyone in the neighborhood is out and about. We had a few people walk by on Sunday and say "Did you guys have a baby?"
All of this fun stuff and I don't have any pictures to share from the zoo or the fair.

My First Mothers Day

We spent mothers day weekend in Nebraska. My cousin Kristin graduated from high school on mothers day so we went back to be part of that. We arrived on Saturday morning and spent the day with my parents. Saturday night we met family at the Rocket for pizza. Lincoln had a rough time at the Rocket because it was so loud and I think he was worn out from the traveling. Sunday morning we got the house ready for Kristin's graduation party. We took a walk over to my aunt Marlyn's so we could get a 4 generation picture taken with my grandma. We left Lincoln and dad there to visit while we went to graduation. Dad had called dibs on babysitting Lincoln during the ceremony. It was really hot out and we didn't think he needed all of that sun. He got to spend some quality time with his grandpa, aunt Marlyn and great grandma. After graduation we had a party at mom and dads for her. It was great to spend mothers day with my mom. We got each of the grandma's aquamarine earrings which is Lincoln's birth stone for mothers day. They both loved them. I got a beautiful card from my parents and one from Eli. I had a ring designed for mothers day but it's not in yet. I will be sure to post a picture of it when I get it.
Great Grandma, Grandpa, Mommy and Me

He is wearing his "I love Mommy" shirt

Me and my boys

She did it! Kristin and her Grandma

Two Months old

Lincoln had his two month Dr's visit today. He is 23 inches long (50th percentile) 11lbs 5oz (50th percentile), so he gained right at an ounce a day since his weigh in in NE, and his head is 39cm (25th percentile). He is doing great! He had to have two shots in each leg and then one immunization that he drank. He screamed! He is doing all of the things that a two month old baby should be doing. He is following us with his eyes, smiling, cooing and sleeping pretty well.

He is continuing on with his 3am wake up time. It varies anywhere from 1 to 2 or 3am but for the most part he falls asleep around 10 and wakes around 3, so a steady 5 hours still. The Baby Wise book says that they should start sleeping a solid 7 or 8 hours between weeks 7 and 9. He is not there yet, but I have a feeling we are on the right track.

I have been continually praying that God would give me the strength and the reassurance to continue with Baby Wise. It is not easy at times but I know it will pay off in the long run. I can already see the positive results from it. It is so fun to see how God goes about reassuring us when we need it. My friend Liz who was a bridesmaid in my wedding had baby Parker 3 days after Lincoln was born and when we were talking she told me about a book she was using called "Baby Wise." A few weeks later I was talking to a girl at work who also had a baby boy Graham three days after Lincoln and she was also using Baby Wise. I asked her where she heard of it and she said from another girl at work who was using it for her daughter who is now 2 and having great success with it. That other girl heard about it because her pediatrician is one of the authors! And then today a girl from our birthing class called me and she had her son exactly one month before Lincoln was born. We were talking about pediatricians and I asked her who she was taking her son to. She said that she was making the drive to Lafayette to see Dr. Bucknam. She said it was a bit of a drive but he was the author of this book she was following called Baby Wise. I laughed out loud and told her that I knew what book she was talking about! It is so great to have so many other new moms to talk to about the book. It was just such reassurance for me. I know that there is no exact "right" way to raise a baby and I truly believe that all parents need to do whatever works best for them and do whatever they think is best for their children but for me this was the reassurance I needed from our ever faithful Father to continue doing what I am doing!

Eli and I were watching an E special last night on Rock Star wives. They were talking about all of their luxuries..diamonds, trips, parties and on and on. They of course talked about how they never see their husbands because they are on the road all of the time but they thought it was well worth all of the material blessings they had. I looked over at my husband and told him that I was the luckiest women ever. I have a loving husband who works hard and comes home to me every night and I also have an amazing son. I honestly could not be happier than I am right now.

Changes

Every day in our little sons life is so precious because he is constantly changing. I pause several times a day to thank God that I am able to stay home with my son. I am so greatful to my husband and how hard he works so I can stay home with him. Lincoln is now in size 1 diapers. No more of those tiny tiny newborn diapers. They were leaving red marks around his chubby little thighs. We weighed him at my moms office on the 23rd and he weighed 10lbs 7.5oz. They say they should gain about an ounce a day and he gained exactly one pound since his 1month on the 8th, so he gained exactly one ounce a day.
He has been smiling a lot. At first he would just mimic smiles if you got really close to him, but now he smiles all on his own. We were walking through Target yesterday and he was just smiling away. He started doing something new yesterday. I was playing with him on my lap and sticking my tongue out at him. He started to mimic me and stick his tongue out too. So cute! He is also starting to coo back when you talk to him.

Lincoln's First Road Trip

Lincoln and I left for Grandma and Grandpa's house on Wednesday the 23rd. We got on the road around 10 after his 9am feeding. I drove until noon and then pulled over to feed him and change his diaper. He was a great traveler. I didn't hear a peep out of him the whole way there. When we got into town we went straight to the hospital since most of my family works there! We surprised mom and she had fun showing him off to all of her friends. We walked down to dad's office to surprise him but Lincoln was super hungry so he was screaming. I borrowed an exam room to feed him and then he was ready to be a social butterfly again. We spent a quiet evening at home with grandma and grandpa.
On Thursday we went back to the hospital to visit my aunt Marlyn who works the front desk. We dropped by to see grandma and grandpa again too and aunt Jacquetta who works in billing. We went to lunch with grandma and then headed over to great grandma's house. I really enjoyed watching my grandma with him. So far she has all great grandsons, no girls. My cousin Rhett has a son, My cousin Reed has a son and my cousin Sheleigha has two boys. Dad walked over after work for a visit and then we headed back to their house.
Mom took Friday off to spend with us. We had a lazy morning around the house. Mom spent the day going through pictures trying to find the ones of Anthony and I in the parachute dress. No luck yet. She found ones of Glenna, Buddy and Kristin so far. We met Glenna and Kristin for lunch and then headed to Wal-Mart to get goodies for our Bunco night. We went back to the automotive department to visit Mike Roth. He is a good friend of my parents and he married Eli and I. We had to show off Lincoln to him. On our way out of Wal-Mart we saw my mom's brother Gary. I just love small towns! He stopped us and said he was going to pick up my cousin Steph and they would come over for a visit. Gary, Steph, and her daughter Kaylee Belle (our God daughter) and her son Kayden came over to visit. Friday night was Bunco night. I was so excited to teach everyone how to play. When people started arriving they had baby gifts in their hands. I joked with them and said it's just Bunco you didn't have to bring a baby gift. Well to my surprise when my aunt Jacquetta sent the invitations for Bunco she put on there that they should surprise me with a baby shower. They had a super cute cake for me, that said "Welcome to our Family Tree Lincoln." The funny thing is that afternoon Jacquetta dropped off some food for our bunco party and when she left Kaylee Belle came up to me and told me that she had a secret. She whispered in my ear that they had a birthday cake for me. I was confused because my birthday is in December! Mom told me that Jacquetta had baked a cake and they had told Kaylee it was for me. We had a great time talking, eating and playing Bunco. Tammy and Chase went home with all of the money and the prize.
Saturday was a super lazy day with grandma and grandpa. They took Lincoln for me in the morning and I went back to bed for a few hours. We spent the day watching a movie and just relaxing. My cousin Michelle and her boyfriend surprised me with a visit. They came into town just to meet Lincoln. Kristin came over that evening to get ready for her prom. I helped her with her eye makeup and getting into her dress. Glenna and Kristin's brothers came over that night and we took some nice pictures of all of them before she headed off to the dance.
Sunday we went to church with grandma and grandpa. Their congregation is made up of about 30 people and they all were so excited to meet Lincoln. Dad held him through almost the whole service. He got a little fussy while my dad was serving the Lord's supper so I held him in the back, but as soon as my dad was done serving he said that I should hand Lincoln over to grandpa. I knew my dad was excited about becoming a grandpa but I had no idea how much he would love holding Lincoln. He is always waiting on me to finish feeding him so he can have him back. He loves watching him and making him smile. He is super excited to take him fishing on their boat. It is going to be so fun watching him grow up and getting excited to go back to Nebraska so he can hang out with grandpa and go fishing. Carter (our God son's) first birthday party was at 4 on Sunday. It was so great to see everyone. A lot of our family was there so they got to meet Lincoln. I tried not to let him steel Carters thunder!
We headed back home on Monday morning around 10 after Lincoln ate. We had to drop by the hospital to pick up a present my aunt Marlyn had left for us. My dad met me in the parking lot. He opened up the back door to say goodbye to Lincoln one more time. I told him that he couldn't make us cry and that we would be back for Mothers day weekend. I found out later that he bragged to my mom that he got to see Lincoln last and that he smiled at him! We made it home safe and sound. He did great on the way back too. We pulled over in Yuma again so he could eat and get a fresh diaper. Daddy was super excited to have us home.