The Pumpkin Tradition

One of our very first dates, Ben invited me over to his apartment to carve pumpkins.

I had so much fun that night and we have kept the tradition going since that first year!



Look how YOUNG we look!

This year, John Michael, really loved "helping" out.

Getting our Hands Dirty!

As Daddy Carved, John Michael was hard at work coloring a Masterpiece.

See! Mickey Mouse!

Ben has definitely perfected his craft and made one two-year-old very proud with his Mickey Pumpkin!

Matthew is 4 months Old!

Some Stats:

Weight: 15 Pounds 9 Oz (60th Percentile)
Height: 25.5 inches (75th Percentile)

Diapers: Size 2

Clothing: 3-6 Months

Sleep: AMAZING sleeper. Typically sleeps between 8 - 10 Hours a night. Still takes quite few Cat Naps during the day.

Nutrition: Milk! Eats 6 times a day (3 Times Nursing, 3 Times Bottles) 

Matthew is definitely the sweetest and happiest baby I have ever known. He is a smiler. He only cries when he is in need of something (Diaper Change, Food, etc).....he never fusses just to fuss.

He is mesmerized by John Michael and loves to laugh and watch him.

Still a Momma's Boy.....but hard not to be since she supplies all his food!

His favorite toys are John Michael's Eebee stuff animal and a teething Football.

Matthew getting Eebee in a head lock.

He started school this month and has two amazing teachers.....Mrs. Shirley and Mrs. Nancy. Both are very sweet. John Michael loves to be the helper and gets his bottles in the refrigerator in the mornings and packs them up when it is time for him to go home.

One Blessed Momma

Matthew and Ben hanging out with his future Girlfriend (Maci) and dad.

 

Dr. Chris was very impressed with his head/neck control.

Loves his daddy.

We are two very thankful and blessed parents.

Thyroid (Part 2)

Most importantly, thank you for everyone who prayed!

My Thyroid Biopsy was not as scary as I had made it out in my head to be! Ben was an awesome husband who went with me and they let him stay with me the entire time. Did it hurt? HECK yes but nothing like child birth! The anxiety really was the worse.
Speaking of one amazing husband....I did good and was really brave.....that is until we reached the car. I was starving, so Ben went through a drive through and while we were waiting on our food, I started feeling bad. I laid back my chair and had the air conditioner on full blast (it was cold outside). After we received the food, Ben started heading home. Within a mile of our house, apparently I passed out and started seizing (normal for me). Ben had never witnessed me passing out and I am SO proud that he safely got us home and made sure I recovered!

We received the results this week......NO CANCER! Hooray! I honestly didn't feel like it would be cancer, but just hearing the words makes you a bit nervous.



My Neck - Can you see the large bump?

 The Bad News: I still have this large (and ever growing) bump on my neck. The "bump" is a nodule and although non-cancerous, is fluid filled in which they were unable to drain it. This means surgery is in my future. Why surgery? This wonderful thing will continue to grow, so it is best to get it out. Also, at any point, it can become cancerous, so if no surgery, I would continue to have to have the biopsy every 6 months.

We will meet with a ENT surgeon this Tuesday to talk it over and decide the time to do it. I am anxious about getting it out as I do feel it internally......it is the same sensation that you have when you get a pill stuck in your throat. With the surgery, it will more than likely mess with my nursing goal of six months. Although not ideal, I have nursed for four months and I keep telling myself Matthew will be fine no matter if he is having mommy's milk or formula! That is why they make formula, right?

I do ask for prayers as we make the decision of the surgery time for peace about nursing as well as just the surgery and the post op (it will require some hospital time).

Weigh-In Wednesdays Week 8, 9, & 10

I have not been doing well on my posting, but I have kept the diet up!

                                            Week 8 Weight Loss: 1.7 Pounds
                                            Week 9 Weight Loss: GAINED .5 Pounds
                                             Week 10 Weight Loss: 1.2 Pounds
                                             Total Loss:  17.6 Pounds

For any Mommies out there.....I have found that Weight Watchers truly has been the easiest diet to follow. You can have whatever you what (Banana, oranges, snickers bars, Chicken, Beef, etc, etc), it is just what you want to spend your "points" on.

As a nursing mother, it is also important that I am able to EAT and not STARVE......with WW allowing nursing mothers on the plan, they allow me to eat and not starve. My body will NEVER be a bikini body again (tell me again why I complained in High School of being fat?!?!?) but my goal is to be ABLE to wear a bikini by summer (even though my tummy will never see the sun again!).

Matthew is 3 Months!

(OPPS! I typed this a long time ago and realized that I never published it! MP will be 4 months this week....so hopefully an update soon!)

Some Stats:

Diapers: Just Moved to Size 2

Clothing: 3-6 Months

Sleep: Still my perfect sleeper! Typically sleeps 8-9 hours a night. Cat Naps during the day.

How I found little man one morning!

Nutrition: Milk! With the exception of nights, he still wants to eat every 2.5 - 3 Hours.

He learned to roll over this month! He can do the back to belly move (and fast). We put him down on his back and ALWAYS is found the next morning on his tummy.

Matthew loves to smile, talk, and take everything in around him. He particulary likes to watch daddy and John Michael play ball.

He has discovered his hands and LOVES this football.

Check out the Neck Control!

John Michael "playing" with Matthew

On his Tummy!