A big Little Brother

The Little Brother isn't so little anymore. William is 5 weeks old (+1) and nearly the same size as his Big Brother Alexander was @ 8 weeks. William weighs 11 pounds 12.5 ounces and is 24 inches long, which measures him in the 95th percentile for weight & off the charts for height. Here we come NBA!

Other than being perfect in every way, the fabulous Dr. Lori did suggest we start the boy on medicine for acid reflux & let him sleep in the uber-fancy Fisher Price Rock & Play Sleeper... yeah, that's the same sleeper Grandma & Aunt Jenn bought the boy pre-delivery, Mama thought he wouldn't need, returned & just bought again last weekend... Yeah, he's slept great the last two nights. So great, we're buying a second sleeper!

Three

You've seen the cake, now for the stats... Alexander is three-years-old. Thirty-nine inches tall. Forty-one pounds heavy. Didn't much care for his hearing test. And was so super-cute when answering the nurse during the eye exam!

The little munchkin will get a referral to get his lispy speech evaluated. His ear tubes look like they're about to fall out. His feet are practically "normal" less his grasp reflex & his need for super-duper wide shoes.

And how do you celebrate a clean bill of health? Well, how else but a hair cut!

Jaundiced

 

Introducing Baby Brother William Bernard

William Bernard

(Named after Grandma Aileen & Grandpa Smith, two beautiful, caring, people we love.)

January 1, 2012 @ 12:45 am
8 pounds, 11.5 ounces & 21.5 inches long

Perfect in every way!

William was the first baby born in the Ohio Valley in 2012, which, of course, is a very great honor (with no prizes included *unhappy Mama*...). So we made the news...

Read about Wheeling, WV's New Year's Baby & watch a very embarrassed Mama & Proud Papa on the local news. (Click the highlighted text to link to the article & video).

Darn'dest Things- Seat Belt

Yesterday after a clear ear check @ Dr. Archibold's office, JB ran into Sheetz to get a DC for Mama & a coffee for herself. She jumped back in the car & was fiddling with her coffee, while Mama backed out and moved toward the exit.

Seconds before we were about to pull back out onto the street, Alexander yelled from the backseat, "Put your seat belt on!" (Note: Alexander has a very good *boss* voice... which he uses often.)

What a little safety Nazi... just like daddy! Good boy!

Apparently after 18 hours of icing & elevating my foot,  and 4 hours in the ER, Mama lost a little blood flow to her brain... Around hour 3 in the "Fast Track" @ Wheeling Hospital, the above sign became the funniest thing we'd ever seen. And if you were wondering:

 1. My main problem is that I am stupid. 2. I need to listen to my wife 3. It is important for me to listen to my wife, cause I am stupid. You might not think this is hilarious, but Daddy & I are still laughing...

And Lucky for Jenny, Stretch & Alexander the hospital delirium followed us home in the form of Mama's new walker...

And just to be clear, Mama fell. I am alright. Baby Brother is perfect. My friends & family took good care of me. And my ankle will heal nicely... eventually.

Cheek Bubbles

I blame Jenny Brown. I'm not sure the details, but JB taught him "cheek bubbles," Alexander taught himself "spit bubbles." Or maybe I should blame myself, and my buckets of slobber... Nah, I blame Jenny Brown!

The boy's latest display of bubbles was a special encore performance for the pediatrician @ his 2 1/2 year checkup. 38 pounds & 38 inches. If he keeps growing at this rate he'll be 6'2" by the time he turns 18.

Big Brother Boris

It's a Baby & a Big Brother!

And we'll all get to meet him/her December 28 (or there abouts). Excited? Yeah, us too! 

Alexander's first week as a little brother was very super-busy and over-all pretty enjoyable! The boy got to spend Monday afternoon with Papa, while Mama & Maia registered for classes @ Wheeling Park. Then, Tuesday Maia took the tot back up to tack on some more challenging classes (French 4, Physics). I don't think the school guidance counselor really enjoyed the babe's visit, but overall, I was impressed with his behavior!

Alexander was pretty lonely after Maia left for her first day of American High School, but luckily baby Abby & her Mama came over to entertain him!

The week has been pretty crazy... did I mention the little guy has another double ear infection? Yeah. Unfortunately, you know what that means... tubes. Thursday. 7:45am. Ugh.

Of course, tubes are definitely the right choice. The boy has spent way too many days of his short life hopped up on antibiotics, but anesthesia is no trip to the zoo... well, according to the neighbor, it will make the boy pretty loopy, so maybe it will be like a trip to the zoo...

In the 5 nights that they boy's been on antibiotics, he's managed to sleep 2 full nights. IN! HIS! OWN! BED! I mean, I didn't sleep much better (sleep @ 10ish, up on the regular "up" schedule, and then up for the day around 6:30am), but hopefully the little one's finally getting back on schedule! He used to be such a fabulous sleeper, happy all day after a good 11-hour snooze. Poor guy... but that's all gonna change next week. Come Friday, I plan to have the healthiest, never-gets-sick kid in Wheeling!

On another bad-parenting note... I guess I drink too many Fountain Diet Coke's while driving that boy around town... you know, since when he found one of my discarded cups, the little man headed straight to the driver's seat of his pickup for a quick slurp... At least I'm not pounding back cans of beer... that would be awkward!

Back to being a little brother... Alexander LOVES it! Maia is wonderful. Mature. Good natured. Happy. Intelligent. And she loves the boy. I am just so impressed, I am ready to send Alexander to an Italian school just so he can be as well-rounded as our newest addition!

Maia loves basketball... so, now, the baby loves basketball! Luckily, I was able to find 4 (flat) basketballs for cheap at local yard sales this summer!