An Unexpected Beginning: May 2012

It has been awhile...a long while! LJ is now about seven and a half months old and nearing the 20 pound mark. We were released from house arrest mid-April. We were so looking forward to it! We joined a local playgroup, and went to one activity. We took LJ to church, and over the next few days he started getting sick. We thought it was just a cold, but after a few sleepless nights, I brought him to the doctor so that we could both sleep again! The doctor said he had an ear infection in one ear and an upper respiratory infection. We left the doctor with some antibiotics and were hoping for relief. We thought he was getting better, but a few days later, LJ was more miserable than before...he was coughing, wheezing, and stuffy. Whenever we tried to lay him down, he just screamed...generally LJ is a very happy, laid back baby, so when this started happing, back to the doctor we went. This time we were told that the ear infection had spread to both ears, and he had RSV. With that news, I cried...I spent the first 7 months of his life trying to prevent RSV, and a month after his last shot, he gets it. Poor guy. Luckily we caught it early. He went on a new antibiotic and started breathing treatments (no fun for mommy) which have seemed to have helped. As soon as he started to seem like he was feeling better, his first tooth popped through on Sunday, and tooth number two looks like it is right behind the first. Sleepless nights continue for now, but at least the RSV seems to be gone!
LJ rolls everywhere now, though at night he acts like he can't get from his belly to his back and cries when he wants to be flipped...not sure how to handle that one. He can sit better now...if he is sleepy, he tips quickly, but he is learning the art of falling gracefully. LJ is working on standing while holding on to something...like the baby gate. He looks like a prisoner as he watches the dogs through the gate! He eats solid food a couple of times a day, but when he was sick, he didn't eat much, so we are working back into it. He loves anything with spinach in it, and doesn't seem to have much of a sweet tooth. He typically prefers veggies over fruit.
LJ has become fascinated with the puppies, and before eating in the mornings, he wants to pet them. We have a temporary addition to the family for a few months...a little 14 pound mix. She has fit right in with the others, and it is nice to have another girl around for awhile! Her family's house caught on fire (they were our old neighbors) during a lightning storm, so she is with us as the house gets rebuilt. What's another 14 pounds after the 350 pounds of dog we already have?! Surprisingly, 99 percent of the time the house is calm, and she does really well with LJ...she has had 2 babies at home too.
LJ had his dedication ceremony at church on April 22nd...we didn't realize quite how sick he was, but he got through it with little fussing! Northpoint had an awesome celebration for 38 babies that day. His dedication was supposed to be in January but we had to postpone it until he could be out of the house...its ok, better late than never!
As part of my plan of getting out of the house, I decided to join the local YMCA. This is the first week I have really been able to take him, and I was nervous to leave him in the child care facility there, but he has had a great time and when I come get him, he is all smiles...well, besides yesterday when he was passed out face first in the Jumparoo...I guess the long night caught up with him! I had a sense of guilt about leaving him for an hour every morning when we have never really been apart, but I think it is good for both of us. He likes to be with other kids, and I need to focus on getting myself back in shape finally! With not being able to have him outside through the winter or around kids until recently, I have done nothing to lose the massive amounts of weight I gained while I was pregnant.
The old house is still on the market...had an offer that fell through last minute, but hopefully with summer coming the market will pick up a little. At this point, as long as it is on the market, we have access to the neighborhood pool for the summer...a positive :)
We did the March of Dimes walk last weekend...LJ included. Our team ended up having 10 people. My parents and sister joined us, along with her little boy, Sam, and some friends. Sam and LJ both did great for their first 10k! As a team we ended up with a little over 5000 dollars....awesome for our first year!