3 months.

Dear Beckett,

Well, you are three months old today!!! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. You are currently napping on my lap, making me type this one-handed. Both your dad and I have adapted to this quite well.

You have been sick for the last week and are finally starting to feel better. You had bronchiolitis. It was brutal. Started off as just a bit of a cough, but quickly progressed to severe congestion. To the point where you had trouble breathing and eating. Your dad and I were very worried. We knew that lots of kiddos your age end up in the hospital with this illness. We managed to avoid that, but it was rough. We went back to feedings every two hours because your little tummy was queasy from all the mucus. You vomited several times from coughing so much. We used a humidifier, saline, bulb syringe, steam from hot showers and, finally, a nebulizer from the doctor to help you feel better. You slept in your swing so you could be more upright, which means we all slept downstairs for several days again. Your dad and I both ended up getting sick too and your dad is still recovering. We have all been exhausted. After five days, you finally started making obvious progress. Today, a week later, you are starting to return to your normal self.

You smile a ton. You reach for toys. You still can't hold your head up during tummy time for a ton, but if we prop you on the sofa, you do great. You babble and have been very talkative today so I know that you are feeling better. You're starting to want to put everything in your mouth as well. You don't sleep through the night, but do have a schedule most nights. Before you got sick, you would go to bed around 8. Then you're up for feedings around 1 and 5 a.m. Generally, you go back to sleep easily after you're fed. By 5:30, after you eat, dad is getting up for the day, so we start our day then too. Sometimes we stay in bed for awhile, watching the news or cartoons, while you play with your rocketship night light.

I don't have your latest stats since our next well visit with your doc isn't until four months. But, you're a big boy. :). You are already wearing mostly 6 month clothes.

You turning three months also marks three months of breastfeeding and cloth diapering. Yay!

Current nicknames: Beck, Monster, Munchkin, Munch, Poop-a-lot-apotamous, Buddy, Stinky butt, Snuggle-lumpkin (sorry).

Your favorite toys include: Stefan the seahorse, Dieter the duck-lovey, Friedrich the frog rattle, a light up cell phone and a book that sings nursery rhymes. You also were thoroughly amused when I bought you a pair of sunglasses last weekend.

I went back to work part time two weeks ago. Leaving you on that first day was SO difficult. I cried all the way to work--45 minutes! So far though, it has been a good thing. Not only am I getting some grown-up time and time to think about science again, but your dad, Oma, and Gramma are getting to spend time with you as well.

We love you so much. So looking forward to watching your personality develop.

Things they never told you! Plus: Stupid men.

At work on a Saturday to make it to my part-time status for the pay period.  The place is abandoned and it's actually pretty nice.  My baby is finally starting to feel better.  Thank goodness!  I am on the mend as well and Dad has probably hit the lowest today.  :(  The good news is that this means we're all on the ups from here on out. 

Random thought purging while I wait for science-y stuff to happen here...

Stuff "they" never told you about parenthood:

~When your little gets sick, if they are lucky enough to have a cough, they may cough hard enough/frequently enough to vomit.  Goodtimes.

~When your little gets sick and they are crying, at some point you will probably cry right along with them.

~When your little gets sick, you will do anything in your power to make them feel better.  This may include, but is not limited to...
     -shooting saline up their nose
     -sucking snots out of their nose with a bulb syringe and rejoicing when you "get a good one"
     -running the shower at full blast at 1 am just to let them breathe the steam
     -sleeping on the couch for 3 nights in a row so they can sleep in a more upright position in their swing

~BUT, when they start feeling better, it will all have been worth it.  :)

I also had some blurbs saved in a draft for the longest time of stupid things that people said to me while I was pregnant.  I can't make this stuff up, people.

Random male, because I haven't had any weird cravings...  "Are you sure you've got a baby in there and not just a tumor?"

Random male:  "Your labcoat enters the room a few seconds before you now."

Random male:  "So, are you dilated yet?"  Seriously.

Man patting beer belly...  "Makes me feel good to see someone who is bigger than me."

Random male: "Must be any day now."
Me:  "Actually, I've got 3 months to go."
Random male:  "I'm so glad I'm a man."

Notice a theme?  I should note that all of these "randos" fall into the +40 category.  AND 4 of the 5 have kids of their own, so you'd think they'd be a little more sensitive after having partners that had gone through pregnancy.  Not so much.

News flash.

Turns about being a momma is not all fun and games. You probably assumed that already. Unfortunately, I'm not talking about run of the mill poopy diapers or sleep deprivation here. My munchkin is sick. He has been fighting off what we though was a cold for four days now. I thought he was getting better. That was until he vomited up most of his bottle last night after a coughing fit and then could hardly eat this morning because he couldn't breathe.

On Sunday he has started coughing. And we had determined to take him into our pediatrician's office. When we called though, they encouraged us to keep him home since he didn't have a fever. Saline, nose bulb, humidifier, elevate mattress. Check.

It was rough but we were dealing. If the monster can't eat though, no one is happy.

This morning our pediatrician diagnosed him with bronchiolitis. Which basically means he has the worst of the worst cold for little guys. He got a nebulizer treatment while we were there and they sent us home with one too, but she basically told us that we just have to wait it out. Wait. And watch him cough. And not be able to sleep/eat. And listen to the snots just hanging out in his nose and throat and chest. Torture!!! The doc should prescribe meds for the parents at this point if they can't give anything to the kids.

Of course I know that he will be okay. But this is the worst! I'm doing all I can to make him feel better and it just isn't enough. It breaks my heart. I wish I could take this illness on myself.

The doctor also told us that it could take two weeks for him to start feeling better, but the illness usually peaks around day three or four. Which is right where we are now. I sure hope this is the worst of it. My poor little man.

12 weeks.

Dear Beck,

Today you are 12 weeks old and you are sick for the first time. You have a cough and a snotty nose. No fever though. Listening to you cough is a terrible thing. You're still in a pretty good mood despite it all--offering lots of smiles. We originally had a lunch outing with friends planned with you for today, but those plans have been cancelled in favor of saline and nose bulbs, lots of snuggles, soccer games on tv, and naps.

In fact, you and I both just woke up from a good long nap. You had a good feed, a diaper change, and are now snuggled up next to me with your paci and Dieter, your duck lovey, watching Bayer Leberkusen versus Barcelona. ... And you just filled your diaper, again. We'll let daddy deal with this one. :)

I sure hope you feel better quickly, kiddo.

Love, Mom

2 months.

Dear baby, my baby boy, Beck,

I can't believe you are already (over) 2 months old. Where has the time gone? Last week we had your 2 month check up with your pediatrician. It was our first outing as a twosome and you did fantastic. You even got two shots. I think they hurt me more than you.

You are 13 lbs. 11 ounces. Just a bit over a pound lighter than your 6 month old cousin, Charley. We must be doing something right. And your dad reminds me that I should no longer concern myself with whether or not you are eating enough. :).

You have been born during the warmest winter in 80 years. Because of that, we have been lucky enough to enjoy several long walks as a family, with your doggy too of course. You seem to enjoy the stroller. You've eaten in several restaurants and we haven't run away embarrassed yet! This week you and I even braved the grocery store for the first time together. And today we went for our longest car ride together yet--all the way to Highland Park to pick up your birth certificate.

You are sleeping good at night. Typically giving us one four hour stretch followed by another three hour stretch once you've been fed. Then you're usually up for awhile before your first nap of the day. During the day, you still mostly insist on being held while you sleep.

You are starting to explore more with your hands. In fact, your hands themselves seem to fascinate you. They are constantly in motion.

I have caught you silently giggling while falling asleep--smiling and shoulders shaking. I can't wait for your first giggle.

I'm currently facing the debate of whether or not to return to work. It will be so hard to leave you. But I think it will be good for my sanity to get back to the real world a bit and be around some adults. So, I'm trying to arrange part time work. I'll be home with you more than away, but still getting to do some of the work that I went to school so long for. We'll see if that works out.

You continue to bring joy to our lives. Even on the days that are the hardest, one smile from you and all is forgotten.

Love you, Beckett.