Just a couple pictures...

IT'S A....

GIRL!

Molly Sue Wolfe will be here around April 15th! Everything looked great on the ultrasound. She's beautiful and skeletal and looks surprisingly like Jackson. My placenta is in the wrong place and if it doesn't move I may have to have another c-section which I was hoping not to do again, but I can handle it if I have to.

Andy's very nervous to have a girl, but I'm absolutely thrilled! I'll finally have a shopping partner and I can buy all the cute little girl things that I drooled over every time I had to buy sports or puppy stuff!

Pictures will be coming soon...it's too early to take care of that now!

6 Months Old

Jack turned 6 months old on Sunday. He's getting huge and so much fun. He giggles when he gets tickled and is sitting up all by himself! He is constantly moving and wiggling and wanting to see everything. We're expecting his first teeth to come through any day now since he attacks our fingers to chew on them and is gumming on everything he can get his hands on (including faces).

I'm feeling really great lately. I've developed quite the baby bump and am feeling the baby move every now and then (possibly the best feeling in the world). I have an appointment on Thursday and then we'll have our ultrasound to find out in November. It seems like everyone thinks it is a girl (except Andy), but we'll see!

The Crud

Jack has the crud. You know, the running-a-fever, stinky-poo, fussy-pants, sometimes-smiley, most-times-whiny crud. Oh well, at least I got a day off from work and we went shopping after his doctor's appointment! I really felt mommyish taking a sick day when I wasn't sick. It was kind of nice, other than having a sick baby (which is not nice).

WHOA!

Sorry it's been soooo long since the last post! We're all doing very well, but have been incredibly busy. Jack continues to get bigger and more handsome everyday. He's now eating cereal and orange vegetables, which he loves. He giggles and plays peek-a-boo and is very close to sitting up by himself.

I'm feeling a little more like myself these days. The first trimester is officially over, so I'm eager to get some energy back and thankful that I'm not sick anymore. I'm pretty convinced that this baby is a girl, but Andy is still holding strong that he only makes boy babies.

The house is now officially a home. We've decorated and tomorrow we're having people over for the first time. Jack is getting baptised at church and then family is coming over for lunch. I'm looking forward to it!

Home Sweet Home

Sorry for the delay in bloggerville, but we've been busy! We've officially moved into the house last weekend and we're definitely thrilled and enjoying it! I love my garbage disposal and yard and big rooms and big windows and the list goes on. It was a daunting task to transfer three years of stuff and start work and take care of Jack, but it's over and I'm happy!

Jackson went in for his four month check up and he's doing fine! He's 15 lbs and 3 oz and 25 1/4 inches long (roughly the seventieth percentile for both). They said he has a "pleasant disposition" with which we totally agree. He's sleeping for 10-12 hours at night and two to three good naps during the day. He's such a good baby and if this next one is any easier, maybe we'll just keep having them!

I'm feeling okay (today) but morning sickness has once again kicked my butt. I just keep repeating "It means the baby is healthy..." as I throw up and then go right back to teaching. WE had our second ultrasound and the baby looks just fine! I am going back for another in about a week, because they thought the heart rate was a little low, but after reviewing the ultrasound again, it was just fine. I still get to go back though... just a perk of being a VIP at my OBGYN office.

School's going well... hothothot with no air conditioning, but we'll get through it.

***

Conversation with Walker:

Me: Walker, maybe your Mommy should have another baby...

Walker: (sarcastic scoff) Yeah, like you. That's just crazy!

Soooo tired

Like we predicted, life is crazy right now. We've been working at the house until very late for several nights now. The kitchen is painted, the living room is de wallpapered, joint compounded, sanded (oh, the dust everywhere!), primed, and half way painted, Jack's room is minus the border and cleaned and on the list to be painted next. We're so excited to make the house our home, but for now it's just a construction zone.

I had my first doctor's appointment and ultrasound yesterday. They think I'm due on April 14th, but I have to go back next week for another ultrasound so we can see the baby's heartbeat and get better measurements. There is only one yolk sack, so we're fairly certain it's just one baby again! I'm definitely feeling more pregnant now and feeling reassured that everything is okay. I had my first bout of bad morning sickness this morning, but I'm quickly remembering how to deal with it. Taking care of a almost-four-month-old and having morning sickness is much more difficult than my first pregnancy. Oh well, at least this little baby is healthy.

Jack had his first double ear infection hit on Friday. We went to the doctor since he was running a pretty high fever and got some antibiotics. He was pretty grumpy for a couple days, but now he's back to playing and talking. He still has a runny nose but it doesn't seem to bother him. He's been so good as we have had to shuttle him around from babysitter to babysitter so we can work on the house. Tonight, Mommy and Jack are going to stay home and get some much needed rest while Daddy comes home from work in time to go work at the house.

I hope to post some pictures soon of the house and Jack. He is getting so big and expressive. I go back to work on Friday, so I'm dreading leaving him, but Andy is off on Friday and Monday to take care of him.

In Survival Mode

We're eleven days into what may quickly prove to be the busiest and most insane month of our lives. We're packing to move, taking care of Jack, getting ready to go back to work, apparently being pregnant, and making plans to paint in our new house. Luckily, everyone is being incredibly helpful, so we're getting it done without too much stress.

Jack stayed with Carla and Bob and Patti yesterday so Andy and I could move a bunch of stuff (mainly Andy carrying stuff while I pointed where to put it). We're one whole minivan load of stuff closer to being out of our little apartment and into our new, bigbigbig house. We're amazed at God's perfect timing because we decided to buy the house and I got my job back before we found out I am pregnant again. God saved us a huge amount of worry, but still surprised us and blessed us.

I'm feeling pretty good still. I have a cold and a little tiredness and nausea, but nothing like the first time around. It is still a little early for true morning sickness, but I'm hoping to be spared the debilitating nausea so I can continue to get through this month. We've pretty much settled on the names Charlie or Molly for our little peanut, but we're open to suggestions for a full name for Charlie other than Charles. We want to give him the opportunity to have a professional name when he grows up. Andy's certain this baby is a boy, while I'll be thrilled with either a boy (playmate for Jack) or a girl (playmate for Mommy).

Jack is getting so big and growing up so quickly. He's rolling over both ways now and grasping toys and pulling his bottle towards his mouth. He coos and smiles all the time and is getting closer and closer to laughing. We tried to give him a little cereal last night, but he fussed and spit it out so I think we'll try again next week and see how he does then. He's sleeping through the night for about 9 hours and then eats and usually sleeps for a couple more hours after that. I'm thrilled that he's sleeping so well and it's just in time for me to need some extra sleep.

As we anticipate the new baby and enjoying watching our little boy grow up, Andy and I are so thankful for God's blessings. We have more than we deserve.

Surprise of a Lifetime

Andy and I found out on Monday that we are going to have another baby in April. Obviously, this was not a planned event, but we are thrilled and ecstatic that God is once again blessing us with a child. Andy is super excited and I'm slowly getting there, too. It's very overwhelming to think that we will have an eleven month old and a newborn baby. I'm worried that Jack won't get enough attention and that I have to take another maternity leave from work and that I won't be able to handle two infants and that I have to work through a second pregnancy in a year and a half, etc. etc. However, God is providing for us in amazing ways and we are so thankful that we will soon be holding another bundle of joy in our arms. We know we have an awesome family to love and support us as we take on this new endeavor and we are eternally grateful for them. We are overjoyed with Jackson and can only imagine the love and joy the new baby will bring!

Quick Post

We're buying Gma's house. We're moving Labor Day weekend.

Jack has been rolling over for about a week (overachiever).

Jack's First Photo Shoot

My little man...

I had to make this one black and white and ordered an 8x10

Smiling soooo big his eyes closed!

So handsome

In other news, I am officially rehired for this coming school year and they are hiring another English teacher, so I have some job security and won't have to go through the whole RIF process next year. I'm really relieved and excited, because now we can really start to move forward with finding and buying a house (and I'm happy because I really like my job)! So take that, education system! You tried but you couldn't get rid of THIS republican!

Such a Biggie Boy!

Jack is quickly approaching three months and he has really changed these past couple weeks. I tried to measure and weigh him myself (step on scale with baby, hope baby weighs 20 lbs., step on scale without baby, subtract second weight from first weight, kick scale, hurt toe). He is about 25 inches long and weighs around 13.5 lbs. He definitely had a growth spurt and has left the newborn stage and is truly an infant. He looks more like Andy everyday and has developed quite the personality. When he decides he's hungry, he'll scream until he gets his bottle. When he's too tired, he has to be convinced to fall asleep. When he's happy, he coos and smiles and waves his hands and feet frantically. He's incredibly alert and active, always looking around and moving. He now sucks his thumb regularly which is really cute. I can hear him slurping away over the monitor at night. We've been trying to let him cry himself to sleep which usually works at night, but he cannot cry himself to sleep for naps. I'm scared he will never be a good napper and hoping he will for his own sake (and mine!).

We're quickly outgrowing our apartment and we really want to move into a house, but we're trying to figure out what we can afford without stretching ourselves too thin. The whole process is stressful and I'm sick of it, but incredibly anxious to get everything figured out.

I have about four more weeks until school starts and I'm ready to go back, but I'll be sad leaving the baby. Luckily, Andy will be home with him for the majority of the first two weeks. I think Andy is starting to get worried that he'll go crazy home alone with the baby, but I think he's going to do a great job. He's already such and incredible daddy and I love watching my two guys play together.

A Moment to Remember

Formula: $25
Burp Clothes: $7
T-shirt: $15
Seeing your infant son throw up in your husband's mouth: Priceless

All's quiet...

Not much to report around here. We're still trying to buy the house and will hopefully be moving in the next couple months. Jack is getting bigger and, if it's possible, even more cute every day! He's smiling all the time and interacting with toys and people. He wraps his little arms around his bottle when he's eating like he wants to hold it himself (I think he's going to be very independent!) He sucks his thumb now and I can hear him over the monitor at night making smacking noises when he wants to get a bottle. He spent time with G and G Wolfe last night so Andy and I could go out and talk about stuff other than the baby and buying the house. It was nice to go out on a date but we always see other people out with their babies and miss Jack.

Baby's First Band-aid

Jack went to the doctor today for his two month checkup. He's 10 lbs.13 oz and 23 3/4 inches long. He's in the 50th percentile for height but only the 25th for weight. They suggested supplementing him with some formula, so we will, but I really think he's going to have a growth spurt soon. Last time he had one he got really long and then chunked out, so I'm guessing that is what's going to happen this time, too. He also got three shots which he took like a man (a very small, crying man) and got a spider band-aid just for Daddy.

Last week Andy and I officially became old as we applied for a mortgage, bought a minivan and Andy got hurt playing church softball (nothing serious, he's just a big baby). But we're okay with growing old because we have a beautiful family to take care of.

Two Months Old!

Look how big I am!

Silly drunk smile

Snuggle time with Mommy

So serious

Worried face

Today, Jack is two months old! It's hard to believe that that much time has gone by already. We went in to the doctor last Friday because he had a fever and cough and he weighed 10 lbs 11 oz. His cold is getting much better and he is back to smiling and playing again. We had a couple rough days and nights since he couldn't breathe very well, but he is on the mend. Daddy has a cold too, so I've had to deal with Little Mr. Fussypants and Big Mr. Fussypants.



We go back to the doctor next week and I'm not really expecting him to gain too much more weight, since he hasn't been eating very well this past week, but we'll see. He also gets his first round of immunizations.



Overall, everything is going well in the Wolfe household. Andy and I are trying to get things figured out so we can buy a house soon and we just bought a minivan, so we're officially old and uncool. The summer sure is flying by quickly. I remember thinking before Jack was born that things should be going pretty smoothly by the Fourth of July. I was hoping that the baby would be sleeping better and nursing would be going well. I'm happy to say that nursing is a breeze and Jack is sleeping between 5 and 6 hours at night and getting up once or twice to nurse. Andy is a huge help and I really look forward to the days he is off from work. Before we know it, I'll be back to work and we'll be getting ready to meet Tony and Jen's little baby in November!

I am thankful...

After reading this blog (www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com) about one woman's decision to carry her baby to term knowing the baby would not live and bawling my eyes out, I am thankful that...

... I never had to decide what perfume to wear to the hospital because I knew my baby would only smell me once
... I heard my healthy baby's cry when he was born and didn't have to utter the words "is he alive?"
... I get to hear the fine nuances between his hungry cry and his tired cry
... I get interrupted sleep
... I get to hold his warm little body and feel him reach up to touch my face

I am thankful.

Sunny Smiles!

Jack and Anderson in matching outfits from Grandma!

The two most important men in my life

Three Years

Andy and I were married three years ago today. While it seems like we've been married forever, these three years have definetely gone by quickly. In this time we've...
... gotten four new jobs.
... received one bachelor's degree
... started one master's degree
... welcomed one niece
... welcomed one nephew
... celebrated three of our sibling's marriages
... had one surgery
... lived in one place
... celebrated six of our birthdays
... said umpteen million "I love you"s
... shared 1095 days as husband and wife
But the greatest thing that we've done together was bringing our little boy, Jack, into the world!

We're truly blessed and excited for many, many more years together!

Four feet...

... is one yard and one foot.
... is 48 inches.
... is how far Jack can shoot poop across the room.

Daddy's Birthday

Mommy and Jack

Puppy Butt

See, I do smile!

Concerned about gas prices and the housing market...

I love Grandma

One month old!

Is it a smile?!?Look how big I am!

I'm one month old! I like to coo and eat and poop and cry when I'm gassy. I like to look at the lights and fix my eyes on faces. I don't like having my hip ultrasound even though everything is okay. I screamed for the pretty ultrasound technician and peed on her table! I like to go for walks and car rides and I'm a very good baby during church! I'm getting better at sleeping during the night in my crib, but I like to sleep with mommy or daddy the best. My crib is too big and not snuggly. Sometimes I spit my food on people, but I don't mean to. And sometimes I blow out diapers because I've inherited my daddy's gastrointestinal force! I like to go to the park and the store and to Grandma and Grandpa Wolfe's and Grandma and Grandpa Kandel's houses. They're nice people.

I have a busy weekend coming up. Tomorrow, I'm going to work with Mommy to see all the kids there. Then, on Friday I have to go to the doctor and it's my daddy's birthday. I have a cool guitar shirt to wear for him. I also got him Guitar Hero for his birthday! On Saturday, I have to go to a baby shower and maybe to Daddy's softball game if the weather is nice. Then, on Sunday, I'm going to church and to G and G Wolfe's house. It will be fun, but I bet I will get very tired!

- Jack

Eye see it!

Yesterday, Jack went back to the opthamologist to see if the iris cyst went away. After waiting for over an hour and several rounds of dilation drops, the doctor came in and inserted what looked like an eyelash curler into my infant son's eye (yes, INTO...) to hold it open while I held him down. Jack screamed bloody murder, I tried not to look and not cry too, and the doctor tried to show me the cyst. "Look, Mom, look. Do you see it?!? Do you see it!?!" I lied and said yes so he would take the thing out of my son's eye. I think God will forgive me.

Anyway, the cyst is still there, but it isn't any larger and we go back in three months to see if it has gone away. The doctor did mention some kind of ultrasound laser treatment, but then said "I don't know how we would do that in a baby. I'll have to research it." I'm thinking I don't want any kind of expiremental procedure done to my kid!

Jack recovered quickly and Andy and I actually went out for lunch with a relatively quiet baby (we did drive around a little bit so he would fall asleep first). It was nice to do something normal again with some minor adjustments.

Today, Andy gave in to constant pressure from his boss and went golfing. But, I get to get my hair done this evening so it's a good trade!

Parenthood

The following words have either recently entered into Andy and my vocabulary or have taken on new meanings:

twosie: not only poop, this is also what Andy calls it when Jack wears two onesies.

bink,binky, paci, shuterupper: a pacifier

boob sponges: disposable nursing pads

Pudge, Butterbean, Pumpkin Face, Fussy Pants, Chubbabub, Bubby, Bubba Jones: all nicknames for Jackson

milk machine: Mommy

Grey Poupon: yellow, seedy looking poo

Cheerios: what a wet diaper smells like

Peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly: some weird thing that Andy chants to make Jack stop crying

Dream Ninjas: what Jack is fighting when he startles in his sleep

They call me Pudge

Eat, sleep, poop and repeat

Our days have fallen into a healthy little rhythym. Jack is doing wonderfully. He is almost out of his newborn sleepers and is into some of his 0-3 month clothes already. They grow up so fast! Andy and I feel a little more confident each day that we know what we're doing and we're not going to break the baby! We went to church on Sunday for Music Ministry and Jack met lots of new people. He was a little angel and slept through the whole service and all of Sunday School. After that, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Wolfe's house for Bob's birthday. It was a big day and we were all very tired after it. Luckily, Jack has been sleeping much better and we feel a little more human and less sleep-deprived.

Andy goes back to work on Friday and I'm a little nervous about being home all alone all day. I really rely on that extra pair of hands and I know that Andy's going to miss us like crazy. He's already declared 7-9 pm as Daddy-Baby snuggle time.

Induction Day

Today was supposed to be the day of my induction and Jack would still have been a week early. Can you imagine how big my little 8 lbs. 6 oz. chubbabub would have been had he gone full term?!?

We went to the pediatrician yesterday for Jack's first well baby visit. Dr. Motz said he looked perfect (of course he does!) and Jack has put back on all the weight he lost after birth plus one more ounce so I feel better knowing that I'm capable of nourishing him. He has to go back to the hospital in about a month for an ultrasound on his hips to make sure they look okay. Just standard procedure for all breech babies. He also goes to the opthamologist in about three weeks so they can make sure his iris cyst has gone away. For a healthy baby, he sure has to go to the doctor alot!

The nights have been a little rough for all of us. Jack likes to sleep until about 1 and then stay awake until about 5. Andy and I tag team it, so it hasn't been awful. Last night was slightly better than the one before, so hopefully they will keep getting better.

Jackson Robert Wolfe

8 lbs. 6 oz.

21 inches long

Born Saturday, April 26th at 3:59 am

He surprised us all and was breach so he was born by c-section (after almost twelve hours of labor). At least I didn't have to push!

He beautiful and wonderful and incredible and we just can't believe that he's ours to keep!

Waddle waddle...

Is it over yet? As much as I've enjoyed pregnancy I find myself asking this question every time I waddle down the halls at school or struggle to get up from the couch. It doesn't really help that my husband refuses to help me up because he would rather laugh at me as I impersonate an overturned turtle. Other than the discomfort, though, everything is going as well as could be expected. Now, every time I go to the doctor, they talk to me about going into labor, which is still kind of an abstract idea to me. It better get real pretty soon though, because it's going to happen in the next few weeks!

Everything is now judged by before/after the baby. Things like cutting Andy's hair take on a whole new dimension. His hair grows super fast and I cut it about every two weeks, which makes him due for a cut on April 29. But what if I have the baby? I sure won't want to cut it then and he will definitely become a full grown Chia Pet!

Six more days of work and then I may hopefully get to sleep in for a couple days before I'm getting up at all hours of the night. I hope I don't start motherhood in a sleep deficit like I'm running now. Everything else is done (car seats in, bag is packed) so here's hoping Baby Jack gets here soon!

36 weeks!

I only have four more weeks left of pregnancy and I have a feeling they will be the four longest weeks of my entire life! I'm still feeling relatively good despite frequent trips to the bathroom, swollen feet, and insomnia. Part of me still can't believe that in a couple of days, we'll finally have our little guy in our arms!

I only have twelve days of school left and then I'm work free! I think I'm ready to go, especially with all the kids getting Spring Fever right now!

Andy and I just have to put the car seat in the car and pack our hospital bag and we're ready... wow, the reality of it is setting in!

Recent Happenings!

This past weekend was my baby shower and Mom, Patti and the girls did such a wonderful job getting everything ready! The hall looked really cute and the food was great. I think everyone had a good time... I know I did!
Here's some pictures of Jack's room/Andy's office... (I don't know how to put the pictures in a different order, so there's more baby shower later)

Everything was fine at the doctor's last week. I go in another week and then it's every week after that. We're in the home stretch!

We also found out that Jack is going to have a little cousin in November! Congratulations, Tony and Jen!