Happy New Year!

As I have been in the hospital for 6 weeks, I didn't get around to sending out a holiday card -- so I made a "collage" of the highlights of our 2008! I could only put 50 pictures up and it was kind of hard to chose! Hopefully you all enjoy -- it was a wonderful year!

On that note...Happy 2009! We had such a wonderful year in 2008 and we are looking forward to the adventures and memories that 2009 brings. We had a nice low-key New Year's I hung out with the babe all night and Bj made it to the hospital at 11:57 -- just in time to ring in the New Year with our little family! It was perfect timing, we all got our last 2008 hugs and kisses and it was a really sweet moment -- our first New Year as a family of five! Hard to believe -- we are so blessed.

We have so much to be thankful for from this year alone and we are looking forward to taking advantage of all that 2009 brings. So, from our family to yours -- wishing you a very happy and healthy New Year!

In Lieu of a Holiday Card -- Our 2008 in Photos

Guardian Angel Pa-Pa

So, as I have stated before -- as my dad is not here to pick out a name I picked it out for him. I think he would like the "Guardian Angel Pa-Pa" title.

From the minute I found out I was pregnant I prayed to my dad every night asking him to take care of our baby. He was the first one to meet him in heaven, I am sure of it, another "demand" I had was to give the baby a birthmark on his or her leg just so I would know that he was really listening and taking care of the baby. I said my last prayer to my dad (while Connor was still in my belly) as they were wheeling me down the hall for delivery-- I said "this is it, please let him be okay" and that was that. I think I was a little to "magged out" in the delivery room to ask someone to check Connor's legs for a birthmark and since then I have been so focused on examining all the parts of him that I could see that I hadn't even taken the time to look at his legs. Lo and behold, his nurse was changing him yesterday and said "hey Ellen, did you notice Connor has a little birthmark on his leg?" I about fell over and ran over to check it out. Sure enough, just like I had prayed to my dad for, a perfect little birthmark on Connor's right leg. I had goosebumps -- and then I smiled, my dad has been listening and he took great care of our sweet little man. Thanks Dad -- we love you!

Oh, and for good measure my dad decided that Connor needed his forehead and hairline too -- it's kind of scary, he has my dad's exact forehead and hairline!

Two Weeks Old!

We can't quite believe it, but our little man is two weeks old! He is doing so good and we are so very proud of him. He now weighs 4lb 3oz, his head has grown and his body has grown just a little bit. He has started drinking out of a bottle -- not at every feeding, but at least a few times a day! He also tried breastfeeding the other day -- he is so big we can't stand it. It takes a lot of energy out of little babies to eat and he usually falls asleep about halfway through. He is more awake and alert these days and its awfully nice to see his sweet little eyes open more of the time. He loves to snuggle and is totally content to sleep in our arms all day long. I had to put him down the other day so I could pump and he was so mad at me, it was a little funny! He even has a girlfriend, his nurse Barb has a crush on him! No estimate on his departure -- we are thinking maybe another two weeks but no one knows for certain. As we have quickly learned, he is the boss and in charge of things these days :)

I had my two week check-up today and all is well and good! My blood pressure was even normal again and I am able to lower the dosage on my medicine, woo-hoo! I am able to drive again and made a little trip to Babies R Us for some Y Cut nipples for the little man, to make it a little easier to eat his thickened feeds. Other than that, we are just hanging out waiting for New Years! Oh, and this is outfit #2 from daddy!

Hot Mama Designs

So, pretty much since I found out I was pregnant I have known what I want for my first Mother's Day and my birthday this year. Weird that I would already know -- so unlike me! :) A guy at works wife makes these beautiful necklaces and it is all I want. I think they are the sweetest way to display your baby's name/birth date/birthstone. I like how it's a little more modern than some of the other bracelets and necklaces. While I was still in the hospital on the Mom/Baby side I showed Bj and picked out the exact one I want. I figure Connor was still in my belly and could hear us talking about it and it is surely what he would have picked out for me anyway! They are a little expensive, so I thought it would be the perfect double gift -- hopefully it comes closer to my birthday and not mothers day -- heaven forbid I wait until May!!

What do you think? You can put the birth date on the back too! She hand stamps each and every letter and I just think they so neat! A few of the nurses at the hospital have them too -- and I always make them show me their hot mama designs!

This is the website -- I just can't get over how talented she is! I like the name too! I like to think that once I lose my pregnancy weight I too will hot mama! :) HA!

Sweet Daddy

After Daddy came to the hospital the other day and saw Connor in his purple "Barney" outfit, he decided to run out and find him some manly preemie outfits! Connor does not at all take after his momma in the weight gaining department and we have had a hard time finding little clothes to fit him -- but his sweet Daddy pulled through and found him two very adorable little outfits. They even actually fit him! :) This is the first of the outfits -- no worries I am SURE we will take pictures when we change him into the other one! We think he looks pretty darn cute -- this outfit is all the rage for preemies too, another little boy down the hall has one too!

We are going to make sure we go shopping for some cute boy preemie outfits to donate to the hospital though -- they have been so good to us and we want to return the favor! We also want the other little boys who come after us to have some cute digs to wear -- nothing pink or purple!

Splish Splash...Another Bath!

It has officially been one week since Connor's first bath and in honor of no more iv, we decided he was ready for a little tub bath! We even got to unhook him from the monitors and take him to another room for a bath...very exciting stuff! Momma was in charge which was a little scary, but I think he liked it! He is so quiet when he gets his hair washed and perks up a bit more for the body washing...he looked too stinkin cute in his little pink tub! His little feet were all curled up and he was all toasty and warm in the water. He was very patient with Momma who still is adjusting to his small and wiggly body! After the bath I did some Kangaroo Care and just snuggled with and sniffed his sweet, clean body and hair. There really is nothing like the smell of a clean, sweet baby. After his bath and feeding time he was conked out having sweet dreams!

His little feet, I just can't help myself I think they are the sweetest little things I have ever seen. He very much has his daddy's hands and feet and I just love them.