2012 Review

Time for another year to end, and for a new year to begin.  The year 2012 brought so many blessings to my family that I am sad to see it go (although, truthfully, I will be fast asleep when the ball drops).  However, I am beyond excited to see what is in store for the Fleisher's in 2013.  Here is a quick "Top 12 in 2012".

1.  Finding out we were expecting.  So, technically, we found out at the end of 2011, but we made the official announcement in 2012 so I am counting it.  It's how my year began and it got us off to a great start.  It's hard to believe that a little over a year ago we went to the doctor and heard that precious heartbeat.

2.  New Orleans (aka babymoon).  Mike and I spent our Spring Break exploring New Orleans.  It was nice to get away, just the two of us, and enjoy our last vacation as a family of 2. 

Best part of New Orleans - Cafe Du Monde

 

3.  Gender Reveal Party.  After getting back from New Orleans, it was time to find out if baby Fleisher was a boy or girl.  We were beyond thrilled to find out we were having a boy (I still smile thinking about Mike's reaction to him having a son).  My mom and sister worked so hard and through an amazing Gender Reveal Party for family and friends.  I loved being able to see everyone's reaction when we cut the cake - such a fun moment.

4.  Baby Showers.  The Lord has blessed me with amazing family and friends who helped Mike and I prepare for baby Matthew. 

 NLR Shower

School Shower with 2 of my besties and fellow preggers

5.   Maternity Pics.  While I was extremely swollen from the ridiculously hot summer, I wanted to document my pregnancy with some maternity pictures.  A sweet friend (and former parent of a student) endured the heat to take our pictures.

6.  Matthew!!!!!  By far, the best part of 2012 was the arrival of Matthew David Fleisher.  I was, and still am, in awe of what a precious baby he is.  He is perfect!  I thank God for such a healthy and happy little man.  Pretty much everything from here on out will be about Matthew :-)

 First family pic - August 24, 2012

Blessed

7.  Play Dates.  During my maternity leave (oh how I miss maternity leave), I would get together with my two co-workers mentioned above and chat/laugh and ooh and aah over our babies.  I miss these times.  

 Around 3 weeks old - Jackson, Matthew Sydney

 

3-3.5 months old - Jackson, Sydney, Matthew

8.  M's First Halloween.  This day was not only special because I was able to dress my little man up in his first Halloween costume, but it was also my last day of maternity leave.  I soaked up every minute with him before having to go back to work.  Did I mention that I miss maternity leave?  It also happened to be the day that Matthew gut laughed for the first time.  He laughed at our dog, Bella, and still gut laughs at her today.  Since Matthew was only 2 months old and too small for a regular costume, he wore a tiger sleeper.  It was adorable.

9.  Holiday House.  My co-workers and I have started a tradition of eating at Big Whiskies in Little Rock before shopping at Holiday House.  I love this and look forward to it each year.  This year, we added a few friends who had never been to Holiday House before - so fun!

The only fun part about being back at work

10.  M's First Thanksgiving.  How fun it is to celebrate a baby's first holiday.  You can dress them in festive outfits and take a million pics.  Matthew was not in a very thankful mood for his first Thanksgiving due to his 3 month growth spurt.  I don't even think we got a pic with him smiling.  Oh well, we were definitely full of thanks for that special boy!

  Mommy's Little Turkey did this most of the day

11.  First Christmas.  Christmas is, by far, my favorite holiday.  Not only because you get to spend time with family, but because we get to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  I can't wait until Matthew is old enough to understand the true meaning of Christmas.  We plan to read the Christmas story as a family each year before opening gifts.  I will do a separate post on the details of his first Christmas, so I won't go into a lot of detail.  While Matthew was too small to appreciate all of the festivities and gift giving/getting, he still had fun.  He rolled around playing with new toys and laughed a ton. 

My happy boy

12.  M's First Snow.  This happened to be on the same day as his first Christmas!  What a memorable day!  I will also post about this later, so I won't go into a ton of detail.  

  Does this remind anyone else of A Christmas Story?

What amazing year it has been!  I am so excited to see what the Lord has planned for us next year.  Mike and I will celebrate 5 years of wedded bliss and the adventures of parenthood.  I look forward to watching Matthew grow and learn, experience many more firsts, and celebrate his first birthday.  I can't wait to love on the babies of my pregnant friends due in 2013.  

Happy New Year!

 

0-3 Month Faves

These first 3 months have been a whirlwind.  I absolutely love getting to know Matthew and his precious little personality.  While I was pregnant and trying to figure out what we needed this little guy, I loved looking at what other friends registered for.  I also followed two blogs that would post (and still do) monthly faves.  This helped me tremendously as I prepared for Matthew.  Those blogs can be found here and here.  While every baby is different and likes different things, I want to use this blog to help me remember Matthew's favorite things as he grows up.  Also, to help me remember what baby items were helpful at each stage.  Hopefully, it will help others who are trying to figure out what they need/want for their little one.

1.  Phillips Avent BPA Free Soothie Pacifier - this has been a lifesaver!  For those mommas who are planning to nurse, they will tell you not to use a pacifier for the first 3 weeks.  Well, we didn't even make it a week before using a pacifier.  When Matthew is upset and we put the paci in his mouth, he immediately calms down.  This kind is wonderful, especially for a newborn, because it allows for oral stimulation.  Next time, I will remember to order the clip from Amazon that goes with the soothie.  

 

2.   Boppy Upholstered Newborn Lounger - by far my absolute fave!  Not only is this convenient for naps, but also for when we travel to other houses.  It's light enough to carry with us and use while visiting friends and family.  Plus, Matthew loves it!  I would love an adult version myself :-)

3.  Fisher-Price Cradle Swing - My Little Snug-a-Bunny - while this does take up space in our living room, it has been very handy.  We use it for nap time, play time, and a place to put Matthew if we are getting ready and can't hold him.  He loves looking at the mirror above him and watching the birds fly over his head. 

 

4.   Boppy Pad Liners - What a great way to eliminate changing pad cover washing!  These come in packs of 3 and are machine washable.  We just put one down on his changing pad to protect the cover and change them when needed. 

5.  Zippered Sleepers - These are not only cute, but so much easier to use when you're changing a diaper in the middle of the night.  I can't tell you how many times I've had to re-button his sleepers because I was sleep deprived, it was too dark, or there were too many to figure out how they snapped.

6.  Halo Sleepsack - We started by just swaddling Matthew in blankets, but as he got bigger and could get his arms out, we moved on to the sleepsack.  These little beauties have helped him continue to sleep through the night and help him stay warm.  It also helps that they are extremely easy to use.  We tried the Miracle Blanket, but it was too much like a straight jacket and not easy to deal with in the middle of the night.

7.  Bright Starts Safari Activity Gym - Matthew loves the music and lights.  The older he gets, the more he loves to play with the hanging rattles and move all around the mat.  This is also where he learned how to rollover.  This gym can entertain baby boy for a long time :-)

I could easily listed several more things including toys, rattles, diaper bag, and a mirror for the car, but I feel I've rambled enough.  Only 2 more weeks until Christmas break!  I'm praying these 2 weeks go quickly, and Christmas break goes as slow as possible.  I'm not looking forward to having to send Matthew back to daycare in January.

3 Months

We made it to the 3 month mark!  They say the first 3 months are the hardest, and we've made it through.  Mike and I would say the first month is, by far, the hardest.  It just gets easier as you get to know your baby and figure out a schedule.  Of course, there are still hard days - like right now as Matthew is going through his 3 month growth spurt.  He is learning and growing so fast that I want to soak it all up.  It's amazing how his little personality is coming through as he grows and learns.

~ We don't go back to the doctor until you're 4 months, but we went 2 weeks ago and your were 13 lbs 12 oz.  I'm guessing you are now a little over 14 lbs.

~ You are still wearing size 1 diapers and 0-3 month and 3 month clothes.

~ With this growth spurt you are taking in 7.5oz - 8oz of formula every 4.5 hours.  You eat at 7:30, 12:00, 4:30, and 9:00.

~ You are still sleeping through the night (YAY!) and sleep around 9-10 hours each night.  If you wake up, which you rarely do, we can just give you your paci and you fall right back to sleep.

~ You are smiling and laughing all the time now.  It is the most precious thing ever!  You first truly laughed on Halloween and it gets cuter each time you do it.  You really laugh when Bella, our dog, is playing with her soccer ball toy and running around the house.  Your get a kick out of looking at yourself in the mirror.

~ You are also talking a lot more.  It, too, is the most precious thing ever!  I love having little conversations with you throughout the day.

~ Right after starting daycare, you developed a stomach bug.  Your Pop had to come pick you up early and take you home.  Once we got you on Pedialyte, you got better.  However, you passed the bug to both your mommy, daddy, and Emie.  Luckily when mommy and daddy had it, your Emie, Pop, and Aunt Lauren took care of you all day so we could get better.

~ You developed a rash over your neck and stomach 2 weeks ago that the pediatrician said was in the "cradle cap" family.  We've had to bath you using Seltzen Blue shampoo and Dove body wash for sensitive skin.  You also have a prescription lotion we put on each night.  The rash looks so much better!  I'm hoping we can go back to using some of the baby products because they made you smell so good.

~ Now that you can keep your head steady for longer periods of time, you are trying to sit up more often.  Whenever you're in your Boppy pillow or your swing, you lift your head like you're doing crunches trying to sit up.  We help you by lifting you up slowly by your arms.  You sometimes get frustrated when you can't get all the way up on your own.

~  You've mastered rolling over from your tummy to your back!  It's so fun to watch!  Now that you can roll over, tummy time doesn't last long.  Sometimes you will just relax on your tummy by sitting up on your elbows and looking around.  You are also enjoying play time on the play mat more.  You spend your time lifting and kicking your legs and batting at the toys above your head.  You've also started moving all over the mat during play time!

~ Bath time has become a fun activity for you - you will actually smile and/or laugh during the bath.  On nights when you've been a little fussy, you calm down right when you get in the warm water.

~ You now watch mommy anywhere she goes.  If you are being held by someone else and you hear or see me, you will stop what you're doing to watch me.  I love it!  Especially when I get a big smile just because you can see me :-)

~ You love being read to.  You watch the pages and love the bright colors and shapes.  It's so cute how you concentrate while we read to you.  You actually started turning the pages of your soft foam book and it's so cute!

~ Some new favorite toys are your Bright Starts Musical Remote and soccer ball rattle.  You still like your musical panda.  When we play with your remote and panda, you try so hard to press the buttons on your own.  You'll get there.

~ You still love to suck on your hands and fingers.  I've caught you staring at your hands in amazement a few times recently.  You also like to watch mommy and daddy's hands/fingers move.

What an amazing thing it is to watch you grow and learn every day.  You have a true curiosity about the world around you and it shows in your eyes.  You are constantly looking around to see what's around you.  I am so blessed to be your mommy.  I can't wait to see what new things you will do over the next month.

M's First Thanksgiving

What am I thankful for?

This little guy!  He has been such a blessing in our life, and I am beyond thankful that Mike and I were given the chance to be his parents.  Matthew's first Thanksgiving involved a lot of traveling and a lot of people.  He's going through his 3 month growth spurt, so he slept through most of his first Thanksgiving.  Because of that, we only got pictures with the Fleisher side.  

It was great to see family that I hadn't seen in a while and enjoy yummy food!  I have so many things to be thankful for - God is so good!

Thankful for my boys

 Our attempts at a cousin picture - haha

Alli gave Matthew a sweet cousin kiss and many hugs!

This one just makes me laugh

Grandma and Grandpa Fleisher with their grandbabies

The big Fleisher kids with the little Fleisher kids

This is Matthew's "I'm tired" look

Being thankful is exhausting

New Trick

This has been an exciting week - Matthew is doing so many new things!  It's amazing how much he's learned in just 12 weeks.  He is really starting to notice his hands and it's hilarious.  All during Stroller Strides yesterday, I would catch him being mesmerized by his tiny fingers - so cute!  You'll have to watch the video to find out his other new trick :-)

That's right, he's rolling over!  He did it for the first time Thursday and cried because he wasn't sure what had happened.  We tried him again today and he rolled like a champ.

And now to finish with my favorite picture - I smile every time I see it on my phone

What a happy boy!

M's First Halloween

I'm only a week and a half late, but better late than never right?  We had a pretty relaxing Halloween this year.  I enjoyed loving, snuggling, and playing with my baby all day, then we went to my sister's house for dinner.  This also happened to be my last day of maternity leave, so I spent each minute with him.  But, back to Halloween because I don't like talking about me having to be back at work.

Since Matthew was only a little over 2 months old, it was hard to find him a costume that would fit.  The sizing of infant costumes is ridiculous!  Having the smallest option as 0-6 months - seriously - that is a huge size difference.  So, we opted for a simple tiger sleeper.  It was still adorable!  Can't wait to take him trick-or-treating next year!  Oh, this also happened to be the day that Matthew truly giggled for the first time.  It was the most precious sound ever!

 With mommy and daddy

 Emie and Pop

Aunt Lauren

My adorable tiger

Hugs before bedtime

Daycare

Well, unfortunately, it's time for this momma to head back to work (Why can't the US not have similar maternity leave policies as other countries?  Some countries give women a full year or more of maternity leave).  I cannot explain how hard it is to know that I will be missing those 8 precious hours with my boy during the week.  I have cried A LOT over the last few days.  While I would love to be able to stay home with him, we are just not able to do that right now.  With passing my National Boards last year, I have to work a certain number of years or repay everything.  Plus, I don't want to make Mike work more than one job just so I can stay home - that's not fair.  I've talked to some of my working mommy friends and they have been praying for me knowing what I'm going through.  They tell me it WILL get better and that it makes the time you do get with your baby that much more precious.  I mean, how could anyone want to leave this sweet face for any time during the day...

 What a precious little boy - I am so very blessed!

While I am not going back to work until Thursday (tomorrow - boo!), we took Matthew to daycare for a few hours on Monday and Tuesday to help him me transition.  He doesn't know if he likes it yet or not because he was asleep the whole time both days.  Here he is ready for his first day of daycare.

Mike was a little disappointed that his class has only boys because he won't be able to have a girlfriend - ha!  We have plenty of time to worry about that :-)

Please ignore the fact that I am in desperate need of a tan

Before he found out he was going to daycare... 

...and after!  Even crying he is so cute!

His adorable backpack is packed and ready to go (thanks Mrs. Abbott).

To those who actually read this blog, if you think of us over the next several days, please lift us up in prayer.  This is a major transition that will be very hard, but I know the Lord will pull us through.  Thankfully, I only work for 12 days before Thanksgiving break and then 4 weeks before Christmas break.
 

2 Months

Where has the time gone?  Matthew is now 2 months old and will be starting daycare next week (that's a different post).  My boy is growing so fast!  Each day just gets better and better being Matthew's mommy :-)  He's still a good mix of both Mike and I - he looks just like Matthew as my dad says.

~ At your 2 month checkup today, you weighed 12 lbs 5 oz (65th percentile) and are 23 inches long (55th percentile).  Your head is now 15 3/4 inches (50th percentile).  You had a great checkup again and that's all we can ask for - a healthy baby!

~ You are now wearing 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothes.  It was sad to pack up your newborn clothes :-(

~ You are on a solid eating schedule now - 5.5oz - 6oz of formula every 4 hours.  You eat at 6am, 10am, 2pm, 6pm, and 10pm.

~ If you look at the schedule above you'll see that you are sleeping through the night consistently now!  You started sleeping through the night right around 5 weeks - mommy and daddy are so proud!  You regularly sleep from 10:30pm to between 5:30-7:00am.  Once you start daycare, you'll be up at 6am with daddy each morning.

~ You've had your first cold thanks to mommy and daddy.  We both caught the same thing and passed it one to you, but you were a trooper!  Your cough didn't seem to bother you too much.  Those were the only 2 nights that you didn't sleep through the night.

~  Your head/neck control is still getting better.  You lift your head whenever you can.  You like to look at lights, fans, letters, and the bookshelf in your room.  You still have somewhat of a "bobble-head", but it gets better everyday.

~ You are starting to enjoy/tolerate bath time now that you've found the frog on the shower wall (the Boon Frog that holds your bath toys).  You stare at that pretty much the whole time.

~ You are talking, smiling, laughing so much more!  It melts my heart when you smile at me and coo when I talk to you.  It also makes me smile to see you do the same with your daddy.  You think he is one funny guy!

~ You've started tracking mommy when she is walking around.  I guess you're making sure I don't go too far :-)

~ A new favorite soother is the Baby Einstein Press & Play Panda.  You love the music.  Really, you love any music, but being able to look at the Panda makes it better.

~ You are figuring out your hands and what they can do.  You still like to put your fingers/fist in your mouth.  Each time we feed you, you put your hands up to your bottle like you want to hold it.  You have also figured out a few ways to use your hands/arms to put your paci back in your mouth.

~ We have not transitioned you to your crib just yet, so you're still in the pack-n-play in our room.  We were going to move you to your crib, but you got sick and I just couldn't do it.  I still like being able to pop my head up and see that you are okay.  We'll try moving you to the crib soon.  You've taken a few naps in there, but wake up after 30-40 minutes.

~ You've survived your first few trips in public.  We've taken you to Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and Kristin Todd.  We haven't attempted a meal at a restaurant yet - that will be interesting!

~ You enjoy family walks around the neighborhood.  When I say enjoy I mean you sleep through our family walks.  But, you've been a big hit with our neighbors and their kids while we're on our walks.

You have grown and developed so much this month - I can't wait to see what you learn to do next!  I thank God everyday for such a precious gift and the chance to be your mommy.  What a blessing!