Big Month

Isaac is 5 months old! And it has been a big month for him.

("Look at those eyes and eye lashes!" That is the most common remark from people. And it's true, his eyes are awesome.)

We got an exersaucer from some neighbors of ours and he LOVES it. He really likes being on his feet and I really like not having to hold him up all the time.

You can see his tooth in the picture above if you blow it up. The second one hadn't come in yet.

He also has reached some milestones this past month.

1. He can now roll from both stomach to back and back to stomach. The back to stomach roll is new and I discovered it when he was supposed to be napping but was mostly playing and crying all afternoon in his crib instead.

2. He can raise up fully on his arms and try and scoot around. He doesn't get far and mostly gets frustrated, but he tries.

3. He has two teeth. The second one just broke through a couple days ago. Hopefully we will have a little reprieve from the teething and all get some much needed rest. We'll see...

4. He laughs when tickled. Though sometimes I'm not sure if he wants to laugh or wants to cry. I don't think he really likes it. And frankly, who does?

5. He is reaching out for EVERYTHING now. It used to be that I could hold him on my lap while eating dinner or whatever. Those days are over. He reaches for my utensils, glass, plate and anything else that comes within grabbing range.

(reaching for the camera)

6. He is beginning to understand games. He doesn't really play "peek-a-boo" yet but was laughing the other day when I would hold a blanket up and then drop it. It was adorable.

7. I'm not sure this really counts as a developmental milestone, and truthfully, he's been doing it since he was about 4.5 months old, but he sucks his thumb. It's nothing consistent, but sporadically he will go to town on it. I sometimes am grateful he hasn't figured out the full potential of his thumb sucking and sometimes I am sad he can't be more consistent in using it to productive ends like helping him fall asleep. It's pretty cute though. I'll have to try and catch a picture of it...

8. Also maybe not a developmental milestone but something that I really love: reading books is becoming way more fun. He definitely has a favorite and will smile and make noises while reading it. It's a mirror book and it's pretty cute so I don't mind reading it over and over again. He also loves reaching for the pages.

9. And totally not a milestone but a bonus something I love and want to remember. Some of my favorite moments in the day are when he falls asleep after eating. His face is so cute with his lips all puckered out and his cheeks all rosy red. I should take a picture of this too...(I kind of stink at taking pictures of him I guess).

Jacob and I are both enjoying him a lot more as he becomes more interactive. He is so fun and it is amazing watching him learn new things every day.


He is also getting bigger, weighing in at about 15 lbs and 13 oz fully clothed.

So there you go...the official 5 month update.

Isaac's Bedroom

Let me give you a tour of Isaac's completed bedroom. I finished the decorations for this side of the room:

And we got a crib. I also made the crib skirt.

Not much has changed from this view but you can see the new changing table/dresser.

Again, nothing new here. Just a better shot of the changing table.

The curtains are still the same but the framed picture of Christ with the children is a new addition.


I basically love how this wall turned out. I modge podged scrapbook paper onto chip board letters and then used some ink to make the edges a little distressed. I found some cheap wood stars and covered them with the fabric from the crib skirt and curtains using a little modge podge. Love them!

And as a bonus here's an adorable picture of Isaac when he had fallen asleep grasping his toy. He didn't let go of it until he woke up. Funny kid.

And three stories:

1. Thursday night Jacob and I went out with some friends for their St. Patrick's Day tradition (it's a good one...) and left Isaac with another couple in our ward. I left them with a bottle of formula just in case but told them he's never really taken to the bottle too much. So when we got to their apartment to pick him up what did we find? Isaac laying on the floor, holding his own bottle, and drinking it. He also had a pretty proud and pleased look on his face. I guess I just needed to let him be more independent with it! Funny kid.

2. Same thing with his medicine. Isaac is still teething and was having a rough day Saturday. Jacob was giving Isaac some tylenol and Isaac grabbed the dropper from Jacob and held it in his mouth and sucked the medicine out. And then proceeded to giggle.

3. Yesterday at Church Isaac started to get a little fussy around time for the Sacrament. So I took him to the lobby and began pacing and bouncing and all that I could think of to try and get him to sleep. Sleeping at church is never an easy thing. By the time the intermediate hymn rolled around I decided to give up and join Jacob in the pew for the rest of the meeting. I handed Isaac off to Jacob. He began playing with him, bouncing him on his knee and such, not intending to put him to sleep at all. Mid-play, Isaac closed his eyes and was out for the duration of the meeting and made it all the way home still asleep. I guess things need to be done on his time line, not mine! :)

Green

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Motherhood

I guess this post is going to be a little bit personal. I have been feeling and thinking a lot lately and didn't take the chance to share in our Testimony meeting yesterday so I suppose I'm sharing here. A blog dumping of my thoughts and emotions if you will...

All my life I have wanted to have children. Lots and lots of children. Especially babies. I loved babies! I was the girl in sacrament meeting asking mothers to hold their babies. I figured I'd get married youngish and have at least 6 children. I'm the aunt who makes every attempt possible to be around the new nieces and nephews as soon as they are born. I loved babies.

Fast forward to now. I have a baby of my own. And it's been nothing like I expected. I find myself wondering if this thing I've wanted so badly, motherhood, is something I'm just not cut out to do. I worry I'm going to make some drastic mistake in raising Isaac or end up failing as a mother all together. And I am constantly surprised at how often I am thinking "I don't know what to do for this baby." I love Isaac but sometimes I don't like the day in and day out (not to mention the nights) of mothering. I seriously consider never having more children. And that contributes to my feelings of failure. And yes, I probably struggle some with postpartum depression, which makes all these hopefully natural and normal thoughts a little more severe.

Last week was Stake Conference. And despite my thoughts of skipping Sunday session after a rough Saturday night and attempting the adult session, we went. And one of the talks given was most definitely an answer to my prayers. I was out in the lobby with Isaac and had stepped outside for a minute. When I came back in a young mother was speaking and I'm pretty sure she was saying some of the exact doubts and fears I've had myself. She mentioned the many situations where she had "no idea what to do" for her children. She related a specific experience of praying and receiving guidance from Heavenly Father. She shared the "if any of you lack wisdom" scripture and discussed how God answers those parenting prayers. And then she shared a quote and I didn't catch where it was from, but it was exactly an answer to my own feeling inadequate prayer. It was this "no one has failed who keeps trying and keeps praying."

I found the talk this quote comes from by accident today. Last night I was watching this Mormon Message by Elder Holland: Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership. (Watch it. It's wonderful.) So today I decided to look up the full talk. (Read it. It's wonderful.) And there was the quote from Stake Conference.

I'm feeling a renewed confidence in mothering that can come when it is indeed a partnership with the Lord. I can do this! And I won't fail if I continue to be prayerful and rely on the Lord for strength.

I'm still not certain I can do it more than once, but one step at a time, right? :)

Lessons Learned from a Monday and Tuesday

1 teething baby up every two hours + 1 clogged milk duct = 1 very weepy, cranky Sandy



*Keep the emails coming if you want to read this soon to be private blog. I have gotten all the previous comments I just didn't publish everyone's email addresses. Thanks

For Those Who Want to Continue Following This Blog

I've decided to go private as they say in the bloggin' world.

I really always intended to as soon as Isaac was born so I'm just four months late in the follow through.

Moral of the story: If you want to continue reading this blog (and why wouldn't you!?!) please leave a comment with your email so I can include you in the official private invitation.

A Disagreement and a Doctor's Visit

So, the other day I received a letter in the mail from my former employer stating that since I didn't return to work from my FMLA leave they were requesting repayment of all insurance premiums made on my behalf while I was on leave. The amount requested was around $1200.

I read the letter to Jacob and he and I agreed this amount seemed excessive. So we began some research.

He and I both remember planning my official end date according to our understanding that they couldn't request payment while I was still a paid employee. I had accrued vacation and ELB leave that we figured ended on December 1st and my last official day was December 10th. So, they should only really be collecting on 10 days of unpaid leave.

Jacob looked up the FMLA laws online and verified that we were correct in assuming no repayment until I went on unpaid leave.

So, I called my HR representative and left a message stating I had received the letter and believed the amount to be inaccurate. She called back a few days later and seemed a little put off. I explained my understanding of the leave policy and she responded with "where did you read that?" I told her I was pretty sure it was in the initial paperwork requesting FMLA leave and that we had also looked up the laws online. She stated she would check into it and call me back. But she was a little curt if you ask me.

And this is where it gets good. She did indeed call back. And my how her manner had changed. She was the most polite and friendly HR rep you ever did see. She stated her most sincere apologies and indicated that Jacob and I were correct. She indicated the recalculated amount was more around $400 but that I wasn't to worry about it just yet. She felt so terrible about it that she was going to the management team on Monday to see if she couldn't get it totally waived. She also mentioned that I was a great employee and they wouldn't want to do anything that would discourage me from returning to work for them if I should so choose.

I laughed. Not while on the phone with her, but certainly the minute I hung up. And then I called Jacob and he also found great amusement in the turn of events.

So we'll see if she calls again on Monday with news that I don't have to pay anything.

On to the Doctor's visit!

Isaac had his appointment today. Let me just say I hate the crying from shots. It's the saddest thing. But he is now soundly asleep so I'm certain he will recover just fine.

And for those who care, he is checking in at 14.4 lbs (41st percentile) and 25 in (55th percentile).

And he is perfectly healthy and handsome. Doctor approved.