CHRISTOPHER IS SIX MONTHS OLD!
Guess what... it's birthday time again... we have had such an exciting month. I am now halfway to my first birthday and mommy is already talking about a party. That sounds great! We have been planning my brothers' party and they keep talking about this Spider person - sounds pretty scary to me.

I was pretty cranky about two weeks ago... well this sharp thing in my mouth finally appeared. Mommy seemed pretty happy. Then wouldn't you know it, another one appeared less than a week later. Now, watch out world... I HAVE TEETH and I'm not afraid to use them.

My brothers are pretty cool and think I am getting to that fun stage. I like to play with them and try to give them big kisses. They think it is so funny when I grab their hair. But for some reason, they get mad when I try to grab their toys. Wonder why they won't share with me?

I love food... especially applesauce, bananas, squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes. I definitely do not like green beans - yuck! Mommy bought me some biter bisquits and I just chomp chomp away at them... mommy takes it away when I start biting pieces off.

Well, Gramma and Papa are coming out again for Matt and Jon's fourth birthday. I am so close to crawling - except I keep going the wrong way - BACKWARDS... can't figure out how to go forwards yet. I love to roll and Daddy is amazed at how far I can go. Well... bedtime for me... so will update you all next month.

CHRISTOPHER IS FIVE MONTHS OLD!

Hey everyone!!! Sorry this is two days late... but I have had an exciting birthday! We just came back from our trip to Erie - my first plane ride! I slept the whole way there and was awake for most of it coming back (only cranky for about ten minutes). We went to this place mommy called Waldameer and my brothers rode some rides. I was content with staying in the stroller with my grandma. We also went to the zoo - there was this big orangutan that moved over to get a closer look at me and we had a staring contest. We had a couple picnics in which I met a lot of people. We also had lots of fun going to the park, down to the neighborhood beach, and just hanging around. I rode the swings for the first time and loved the wind blowing in my face.

However, when I got back home - my home changed... my mommy tells me that we have a new home. My grandma and Uncle Brian came back with us and helped us move all our stuff to the new house. I really enjoying "talking" to my uncle... he talks back. We have a contest to see who can be the loudest - I usually win! My brothers have even gotten into the action and I love to laugh back at them.

The last couple of weeks I have become stronger. I can really hold my head up. I can roll from my back to my tummy but then get stuck and don't know what to do. I love playing with toys and I love to jump in my jumperoo. I would rather eat baby food than drink from a bottle but mommy says I still have to drink for a while - guess I should listen since mommies are always right. Well... talk to you all next month...

CHRISTOPHER IS THREE MONTHS OLD!

Well, today I have another birthday! Which means another month has gone by. I absolutely love the stuff they give me in that bottle. I ask for more evry chance I get. Mommy started putting cereal in my bottle at night time. Boy that stuff makes me feel full... and I get some good sleep after that. But this last week, I decided it wasn't enough and started waking up every two to three hours at night again - just so I could eat more.

I went to the doctor on Thursday just for a weight follow-up - I'm already up to sixteen pounds... I no longer fit into 3-6 month outfits... they are too short. Not only do I weigh more, but I am getting so long. Not sure how much longer I will be able to fit in my car seat as well. But mommy wants me facing backwards for as long as can - since that is the safest. Mommy went back to this thing called work so I started going to school - same as my big brothers. I do okay there since I know my big brothers are just down the hallway from me.

Just about everything makes me smile - and Mommy has actually heard a giggle or two out of me. I'll talk to anything that will listen. My big brothers are always around and try to help when they can. They love to play with my toys - almost as much as I do! I am gaining control of these arms and actually can grab at my toys - as well as Mommy and Daddy's shirts, necklaces, arm hair... anything I can physically get my fingers around. :-)

Back to work...

Well, I have now finished two weeks of work... things were great last week. I was really frustrated the last couple of days. Alot of students have missing work and it's driving me nuts... how can they not care? I just don't understand... I was scared to death to bring home anything less than a C... and even more afraid of the teacher calling my mom to tell her I didn't do my homework.

Anyways... Christopher is doing awesome. Most of the time he only gets up once a night. We usually feed him around eight o'clock at night and he sleeps anywhere from six to eight hours before the next feeding. We are so lucky. Day care told me the only time he cries is when he is hungry... you would think that would be all the time since he already weighs over sixteen pounds (according to the scale upstairs).

Just another day...

My weekend started out great... Saturday we spent lots of time as a family... then it all changed. Saturday night, around 1 am, I woke up visciously ill... food poisoning... yuck... finally stopped getting sick around 5am but all day Sunday I was exhausted and had no energy whatsoever. Chris really enjoyed just laying around with mommy all day.

Monday morning I woke up a new woman... I felt awesome... like nothing ever happened... except I was starving. We ate breakfast then we all piled in the car to take Christopher to his doctor's appointment. The appt was with our favorite - Dr. Spiekerman - haven't seen him in a while. Boys were very excited to see him... and lost control. Dr was very impressed with how well Chris holds his head up. He now weighs 14 pounds 7.5 ounces and is 23 1/4 inches long. I had started Chris on cereal in his bottle for the last feeding of the night and the Dr told me to continue to do so. He is big enough to go longer periods during the night. YEA!

Today is the last day the boys are staying home with me. So we started the day off by going to McDonald's for breakfast then shopping at Walmart. Tomorrow they will go to daycare and I will drop the van off at the garage to have the intake manifest replaced. They are getting me a rental car. Then I have my massage at 11:30. I start back to school full time on Monday... hopefully things will go okay... I am a little worried since they have been out of control for the substitute and very disrespectful. I am hoping that they won't do that to me... they keep telling all the other teachers how badly they want me back... so maybe they'll be good... just have to wait and see!!!

Baby Christopher is one month old!

HIP HIP HOORAY! I AM ONE MONTH OLD TODAY! I have already had so many adventures in this short period of time. For the first two weeks, my gramma was here with me... boy did I love her hot flashes... calmed me down instantly.

Mom stepped on the scale with me and I am already about 9 1/2 pounds... I love to eat... I'm already hooked to the bottle.

I have been over to the park a couple of times with my brothers who love to push the stroller around the walkway - they are crazy drivers by the way.

My brother Jon loves to take me to his favorite store - Walmart. There is so much there. My brothers have also shown me Target, Hobby Lobby, Joann Fabrics, even Lowe's (my uncle's favorite).

I also took a long car ride to visit daddy at work. The rest of the family took lunch and sat at the table. I stayed in my car seat and slept while all his coworkers ooh'd and awe'd at me.

Additionally, we traveled to mommy's school. I remember hearing all those voices while I was still in her belly but it was different actually seeing their faces... all those kids surrounding my stroller was kind of scaring. But her fellow teachers all just wanted to hold me... how sweet.

I am looking forward to this thing called Easter. My parents and brothers keep talking about coloring eggs and about all the people that are coming to visit. My gramma is coming back - YEA! as well as papa, Uncle Brian, and Bridget... can't wait to meet them.

Christopher James has entered the world!

Well... he's finally here. Christopher James was

born on Tuesday, february 13th, at 1:23 p.m.,
weighing in at 8 pounds 2 ounces and was

21 inches long.

I had some issues with the anesthesia soon after entering the recovery room. I was so sick for a while then finally the second dose of medicine seemed to kick in and relieved it.

As soon as I started having feeling again, they took me up to my room. Not long after, Christopher was brought to my side. He stayed with us the remainder of the stay. He is absolutely perfect... no breathing issues... hearty little feeder. The first night we had to

wake him up for feedings but this was not the case the second day. He was waking us up.

I couldn't believe how ignored I was from the nursing staff. It was almost as if they figured I had been through it before so I didn't need them. I had to ask them for pain medicine. After the first twenty-four hours, then they were not even that religious about checking my vitals. I had to keep hounding the nurses in order for them to come in the second day to get me unhooked so I could start walking. I finally convinced a nurse to show me how to do it. The lack of attention was so disturbing I more or less told the doctor I was leaving on thursday instead of the typical day three. I just had to go in to the doctor's office today to have my staples removed. I feel so much better to be home. I am doing so much more for myself than the nurses did for me at the hospital. I couldn't believe how nobody but the nurse on the last day even checked ID bands when they gave me medicine or when they assessed the baby. Luckily he was removed from our room only once and that nurse didn't even check when she returned him. I just felt the care was not there for a hospital that has a great reputation. I am definitely planning on letting them know how disappointed I am. I am also going to let my doctor know how I feel.

Anyways... we are all home now - happy and healthy.