Pumpkin Patch

This week I took Michael to the pumpkin patch with my friend Nicci and her daughter Addie. I know Michael won't remember it, nor could he pick out his own pumpkin, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for cute photos of my babe in the pumpkin patch!

Visitors

The Riso house has been busy with company over the past few weekends with family visiting. We loved having everyone here to spend time with us!

Time is flying by!!!!

Our sweet little boy is two months already! It's really hard to believe that it was only two months ago that we brought him home! It was then that we had NO idea what we were doing, just trying to make it hour to hour. But now, we know so much about our little guy! For one, he is the sweetest thing ever! He loves to eat, look at trees, look in the mirror, take baths, go for walks in his stroller, and to be held all day. He hates to sit in his car seat, to have his shirt taken off over his head, to be alone, and to take naps during the day. I could go on for days about his likes and dislikes, but those are the big ones.
The thing I love the most about Michael being two months old is that he smiles and laughs for long periods of time. In baby time that's only about five minutes and then he needs a nap. It is awesome to see your little baby so happy. It makes me feel like I'm doing things right because he's so happy! It may just be gas ;) Again, as I will every month until he is one year old, I have made Michael a 'month' onsie. Anthony and my mom joked that we should make Anthony one every month that said something like '374 months' and then have them pose together during the monthly photo shoots. I'm not sure that's a good idea! ha!

Oh no!!!

Michael went to the visit the doctor last week and he got his first round of vaccines. Today he had an other round. It was just Michael and I the first week and I felt so bad for him! I had to hold his little leg down while he got a shot in each thigh. He was really tough though and didn't cry. He only stuck his cute little bottom lip out for a second. I think I had a harder time than he did.

This time, we were waiting in the room waiting for the nurse to come in to give Michael his shots and in walks in Anthony! I know the shots aren't a big deal, but it was so nice for him to take time out of his day to come support me. Michael and I are very lucky to have him! :)

Everything with the shots went well so off the two of us went to my doctor appointment at the diabetes center. I couldn't understand why Michael was so fussy and uncomfortable in the waiting room. By the time the doctor called me to his office, Michael was so unhappy he was screaming and kicking his little legs! When we got to the car after the appointment I looked at his legs and they were red and swollen where he had his shots! Poor little guy! I felt awful for dragging him to the doctor when he didn't feel good. Once we got home we put warm washcloths on his legs to ease the pain and he felt much better. It will be SO helpful when he has words to tell us what is bothering him. Until then, it's just a guessing game! Another lesson in parenthood I guess!

Fresh Air

It has become a daily ritual for Michael and I to go for morning walks. He is so cute, sometimes I stop and take him out of his stroller just to look at the trees. I wonder what he is thinking? Now that I've discovered his love of 'tree watching' we now sit outside under the trees when we get home from our walks.We take out the blankets and sit under the tree. He can stare for at least a half hour! That's pretty impressive for an 8 week old! Rick likes to join us too!

I don't want to go!!!!

So I've been struggling, really struggling, with the fact that I'm going back to work in December. I MUST go and that's the worst part! We absolutely need two incomes in order to keep this little family of ours going. I have been a mess about it since the day we brought Michael home. I don't know what happened to me. Wait, I take that back. I know exactly what happened to me. I fell in love with my little baby boy and suddenly my entire perspective on life and what is really important changed in an instant. Before we had Michael, I knew I would have to go back, but now reality is hitting and it's making me panic!

Everywhere I read it says 'don't quit your job until you are absolutely sure you know it's what you want'. I do know that going back to work will make life for our family more financially secure and we will be able to do more as a family. I know this because Anthony and I have both gone over our finances trying to cut corners on things to keep me home. It is just not possible on one income. With that said, maybe it will make me feel good to have a career and be able to contribute to the family. I'm just dreading spending nine hours or more a day away from my baby! I know millions of families have their children in daycare and it works great for them. I just can't imagine it being ok for me. We'll see.

Believe it or not, there is a positive part to this post! I met Michael's day care lady earlier this month and am very happy with it! I didn't think I would, but I left her home feeling relieved that even though I wish I could be the one to take care of Michael all day, he would be with her. She is the sweetest lady, and the children in her daycare are adorable. I feel like we are having a family member watch him.

Another positive to this story is....a possible career move for myself. In my quest to find ways to stay home with Michael and contribute financially to our family, I came across online teaching. I haven't applied yet, nor have I mentioned anything to my boss, but when the time comes I will apply. It would seriously be the best thing for our family. (And right now, selfish reasons for myself :) We know we want more children in the future, and this job would be the best four our situation. I could be with my baby, have energy for my family, and still have a career. A career that I worked very hard for I might add and do enjoy!

That's it for now. I'm not going to think about going back to work until I have to. Until then, I'm going to enjoy every minute I have with my beautiful baby boy!

Smile!

Michael has begun to show his silly side! He smiles, coos, and kicks his legs like crazy when we smile at him, and tickle him. It's so precious!

Sleepy time.....

I must be crazy, or maybe just sleep deprived, but I did the stupidest thing. Michael hasn't been sleeping well at night. He is only 7 weeks old, but I figured I must be doing something wrong because he doesn't seem to have a sleep pattern at all. So my brilliant idea was to keep Michael up ALL day so that by the time bedtime comes around he'll be ready to sleep a full 8 hours!

So the day was Saturday. Anthony had practice so I was on my own to make this 'sleep' plan happen. We started the day out watching TV. I put him in his bouncer, but it made him sleepy, so I took him out and put him in his swing. Same effect. We moved on to the floor where we played with his toys, again sleep, but this time followed by crying. Lots of crying! This continued well after Anthony returned home from practice. I was exhausted and dumbfounded as to what happened.

Later, after reading countless sleep articles online once Michael drifted off to sleep, did I realize that babies NEED to sleep during the day. According to these articles they need about 18 hours a day! My poor baby was deprived! Apparently the less a baby naps during the day, the harder it is for them so fall asleep because they become overtired! Who would have thought? Not this first-time-mom! I guess this is just part of the learning process. Poor Michael has to be the guinea pig in the experiment of motherhood!