Grandparents!

Ed Jr.'s grandparents came to visit, we had a glorious fall weekend here in Helena. Plus we celebrated Ed Jr.'s mom and dad's birthdays.

We spent Saturday up at Park Lake where FIL showed all of us how to catch some grayling. Selma was particularly entranced and didn't miss a second of FIL's fishing lessons. He outfished me, Ed Sr. and the three bubbas across the lake from us with the fancy bobbers.

Ed Jr. was pretty jazzed to spend the day outside. As it turns out, he likes the outside much much better than the inside.
The rest of the weekend, we all walked. MIL and FIL were nice enough to take Jr. for a walk so his momma could "enjoy" watching Sunday football. Yeah, happy birthday to me, Denver stinks. I mean, I should have e-mailed Cutler to let him know that it was my birthday and I needed a win.
To top off the weekend, it was three days long. A lovely lovely three day weekend in Autumn. I can't imagine anything better - thanks MIL and FIL for a great weekend!

We miss you already.

You May Ask Yourself

How did I get here? How is it possible that 5 months ago Ed Jr. was born? Where did the time go? 5 months may not seem like much to you, but to me it was an eternity.

Last night we discovered a tooth in Jr.'s mouth. You can't so much see it, but damn you can feel it when he chomps down on your finger. Just goes to show you, I was right. For the last month I have been telling everyone that he is teething, and everyone always says, boy that is a little early, don't you think. Even though I am a new mom, I know what is what.

He still hates taking naps, but every now and again, we have a moment of glory where he sleeps for an unprecedented hour or even two. We try to tell ourselves that everything is going to change and this is the way it is going to be from now on. Boy are we wrong. Just when you get used to something, it is going to change.

Nights are pretty good. I am just going to say it and let you all sit in judgement, we co-sleep. Much more co-sleeping than the co-sleeper even. He sleeps in bed with us, but I keep him tucked safely between me and his co-sleeper. I worry that his dad will roll over on him. Jr. recently said "hell NO!" to his co-sleeper, and frankly I am too tired to fight it. I keep telling myself that at six months we will begin to transition him to his crib. Ed Sr. laughs at me when I say it aloud. Ed Jr. also laughs. Until the SIDS time is over, I want him near me. I can't imagine how exhausting it would be to get up 1,000 times in the night, travel down the hall to his bedroom and check to make sure he is breathing, tripping over at least one Labrador on the way.

I know co-sleeping is controversial, but it works for us. I wouldn't recommend it, nor would I dissuade anyone from it. Like I said, it works for us. Check with me again when he is still in our bed at a year.

Even when I am spraying down his cloth diapers, even when I am wiping puke off of my clothes, even when I am locked in a creepy pumping room at work, I am so filled with love for my beautiful son, I feel like I am going to crack open and spill love all over the floor.

Sweetest Kisses

This last weekend in Whitefish my mom claimed that Ed Jr. was giving her kisses. I kind of didn't believe her, but then again, lately he has been grabbing my face and putting his open mouth on my cheeks or chin, sort of like a kiss, but more like he is trying to eat my face.

Well, low and behold, it was true.



Apparently it only works in the mirror, and only works with his nanna, although I get one or two every so often.

I don't know if the video adequately captures the sweetness that is Ed Jr.

The Reason

The reason I may never fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans again.
Damn you Ben, Jerry and Willie.

YouTube is lame

I am trying to post what is possibly the sweetest video of all time, but no youtube is off line for a while. Suck.

"NO MORE CAR!"

Ed Jr., Nanna and I traveled all of the way up to Whitefish's Big Mountain this weekend so that I could attend a board meeting. Let me just say this. Whitefish's Big Mountain (I refuse to call it the Resort at Whitefish or such nonsense) is really really really far from Helena and traveling really really really far over the course of two days is a lot for a four month old. With that being said, Ed Jr. was a champ.

On the drive up there, we made it almost to Seeley Lake before he had the diaper blow out of all time. We had been on terror poop watch for two days and had reached a threat level of orange, apparently the rice cereal can cause constipation (who knew?). Well, the subtle vibration of Montana's open roads sure cleared that up. I used an entire packet of wipes cleaning that mess up. I am not going to lie to you here, that kid pooped up a storm. He was pretty charmed about it too. I have never seen someone so happy to be covered (armpits to toes) in poop.

The rest of the ride was fairly uneventful. I learned to nurse while hovering over a car seat while trying to maintain some sort of physical composure while my mom drove up the Seely-Swan.

During my two day meeting, Ed Jr. was sweet and hung out with his Nanna. He even tolerated a small portion of the dinner on Saturday evening. Sunday was more of the same, very sweet, very loving to his nanna and my fellow board members.

Then came the ride home. I HONESTLY thought he would sleep the majority of the drive home since he had been awake much of the day. Oh no he said. Despite my best efforts to contortionist gravity defying nursing, he was not going to nap. That being said, he was pretty peaceful up until about 30 miles outside of Helena. Somewhere near Avon, he loudly declared, NO MORE CAR! Oh but we did not listen, we kept on driving. He clearly stated again, "Didn't you two hear me, I SAID NO MORE CAR!" No we did not listen.

We finally got home, fed him, bathed him and put him to sleep thinking it was all over. Then the next night, we tried again with the car. He was not having it. Not one bit. Today, same story, no more car. "When I say NO MORE CAR, I MEAN NO MORE CAR!"

I am going to try to take a few days off of the car for both of our sakes, but I kind of wanted to go to GF this weekend to see more of GG Marnie, but frankly, Ed Jr. has me running scared. A solo trip to GF would not allow someone to sit in back and *try to* soothe him and I don't know if I can handle 1.5 hours of NO MORE CAR.

Great Granny

Ed Jr. LOVES his great granny Marnie. It means so much to me that Ed Jr. will get to know two of his great grandmothers. I knew three of mine and I was quite fond of them all. Today we spent a few wonderful hours with GG Marnie. Although Ed Jr. was a little pissed off by the soreness in his mouth or constipation, or both, he still made a serious love connection with GG Marnie.

While she was here, we speculated about what my grandfather, Ed, would have thought about Ed Jr. GG Marnie said that he would have just loved him so much. I agree, I just know that my grandpa Ed would have been out of his mind about Ed Jr. I often think about my grandfather and wonder if he is looking down at me and I wonder what he thinks of my life. I know he would have adored Ed Sr. and Ed Jr. and I hope he is proud of me. I love(d) him very much.

Campers Pampers II

Oopsie -- forgot to post photos of the camper.

See - like I said, campers, not RVers. I also feel compelled to explain how important it was for Ed Sr. to get his family outside for some camping adventures. With this camper, we can keep Jr. warm and dry.

Denver Broncos Baby!

Ed Jr. helped me root for the Denver Broncos on Monday night. He joined his sweetest girl Adrienne and his uncle Jon in cheeering the Broncos to a decisive victory over those terrible Oakland Raiders.

Ed Jr. is on his way to becoming one fine Denver Broncos superfan! So cute!

Campers Pampers

Last weekend we met Jr.'s Uncle Justin up Rock Creek for our first camping adventure in the camper. Ed Sr. informs me that we are now RVers. I refuse to be labeled as such, I insist we are Campers.

Ed Jr. did quite well, he was pretty happy and enjoyed taking long walks and being held while he watched the fire.

I am sure we will have many more amazing camping trips in the future.

Ed Jr. in jumparoo wearing his awesome hat that his great granny made him.
Snuggling with his momma watching the fire.

Wearing his awesome Notre Dame fleece. Warm!

Uncle Justin and Jr.

SHOTS!

Poor baby boy had his 4 month shots today. He cried and cried. It gave both of his parents a huge shot of anxiety too.

Since we have been home, he has been either sleeping or crying. He is snoozing in my lap as I type.

Some good news though, he is all in the 95%+ on height, weight and head circumference.

18 lbs 13 oz (although, we think the nurse was a little off.)

27 3/4 inches tall

Big 4 month old boy in his 9 month old clothes. Blue and brown shirt with green pants and red shoes, that is all his dad.

Pajama Time Is A Happy Time

Everyone wants to hear more of Pajama Time Is a Happy Time.

Some photos from the labor day weekend. First it was hot. . .

Then it got cold.