Yum, yum, yum in his tum, tum, tum!

Yesterday was a big day in the Neighbours household. We tried rice cereal! Who knew that a runny, brown concoction could bring so many laughs? First things first, on Monday, Jackson had his 4 month check up. He is absolutely awesome, according to our pediatrician, Dr. Chastain. She said his growth is perfect and she was super happy with how he is holding his head, rolling over and all the other good baby things! He’s currently weighing in at 15 lbs, 3 oz, 25 inches long and is in the 50 percentile for weight, height and head size. She told us we were okay to start rice cereal to help him learn to eat with a spoon. It’s so funny to think about all the things you have to teach a baby. It seems like just yesterday I was teaching him to latch on for breastfeeding and now here we are with a spoon…time flies. ANYWAY, Dr. Chastain told us that we need to be consistent in feeding him the rice cereal and not to worry if he really doesn’t eat it because he’s getting everything he needs in formula right now. These early stages are for teaching and learning, not really nutrition. She said it’s best to wait and start it around bottle time, so he’ll be hungry and want to eat. There’s only one little problem with that…


When Jack is hungry, you know it. If he sleeps until it’s time for a bottle, you better have it ready when he wakes up. (The only time he isn’t like that is the morning, when he’s all sweet and cuddly. I love mornings!) Here we were at 9PM, about to wake the sleeping baby and there was no bottle to put in his mouth. First, we sat him in his Bumbo chair. You could instantly tell he was confused. He knew it was time for his bottle. He kept looking at me to Chris, almost like he was saying, “Which one of you has my bottle?” Then he started to cry. Chris gave him the first bite of cereal and you could tell he was intrigued, but not amused. Still crying. He took another bite, then another. He spit it out; he made faces; he gagged. Nope, not a fan of the rice cereal. But we kept trying for about ten minutes, just like the doctor said to do. When he started to get really frustrated, we stopped and gave him his precious bottle, which he happily sucked down while Mommy and Daddy had a good laugh looking at the video and pictures from Jackson’s first adventure in food.

I'm falling apart!

This isn’t so much a baby post, as it’s a mommy post, so I guess it still counts for my baby blog!  I turn 30 on Thursday.  I don’t really have a problem with it (anymore or at this current moment, which is subject to change), but what I do have a problem with is the way my body is reacting!  In the past three weeks, I have had some minor to I guess semi-serious health issues and I don’t like it!  Not one bit!

The minor one is that I had an infection in toe.  Gross, I know.  But it made it hard to walk sometimes because of the pressure.  So, after a week, I finally made a doctor’s appointment on a Friday for the next Monday.  Well, that Sunday, the day Jack was supposed to meet his future girlfriend Hadley, I start to come down with a horrible headache.  I haven’t had a real migraine in probably 18 months, so I guess it’s my fault I didn’t recognize the symptoms.  It got progressively worse and worse until I ended up passing out and throwing up!  I have never passed out with a migraine and of course I was freaked – more because I was at home with the baby than anything.  Thank God he was in his swing!  So I went to the doctor on Monday for my toe and for passing out.  They ran a series of labs, but said everything looked normal.  The doctor said it was probably a combination of not eating (which I hadn’t when all of this started about 1PM on a Sunday) and a migraine that caused me to pass out.  I got a refill on my migraine medicine (which expired in Nov. 09) and a lecture about the importance of eating three meals a day.

THEN, this past Friday, I’m playing with Jackson on the bed before leaving to have dinner with Tim and April, and when I get off the bed, I notice this pain in my hip.  When I climb into the car, it gets much worse.  As I sit at the dinner table, it increases a ton.  I take some Motrin, but nothing is helping.  When we get home, I go upstairs (which hurt like a mother to go up), and lay on the heating pad.  Nope, not really helping.  Every time I move it gets worse.  Finally, around 2AM, Chris gets me leftover pain pills from my c-section.  I take two and pass out.  I wake up with Jack around 6AM and the pain is still there, but I am able to make it down the stairs to feed the baby and at least walk around without sharp, stabbing pains.  I decide I’m going to the walk-in hours at my doctor (rather than ER because that would be no fun) and make my way to Alpharetta at 8AM.  Turns out, I have bursitis. (What is this?  A bursa is a closed fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. The major bursae are located adjacent to the tendons near the large joints, such as the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. When the bursa becomes inflamed, the condition is known to as "bursitis.")   So, thankfully, nothing serious, but just very painful.  I end up getting steroid shot and some pain and anti-inflammatory medicine.  The medicine and shot have definitely helped this morning, but I can’t help but thinking…hip pain??? Really??? I’m 30 not 80! 

So that’s why I’ve decided that 30 will be my year of taking care of myself.  No more skipping meals, or sleep, or exercise, or even haircuts!  Taking care of myself will make me a better mom to Jackson and hopefully a better person all around!  So goodbye hip pain – you’re not welcome here anymore! 

The Great Diaper Debate

Pampers will give your baby a rash. Huggies don’t fit right. Luvs leaks. Diapers! Diapers! Diapers! Dear God in Heaven, what’s a girl to do? (Don’t say cloth diapers, because I’m not going there.)

Okay, here’s my verdict on diapers: they all suck in one way or another. I have tried all three of the major brands and my winner is....(drumroll please)....Pampers Sensitive!!! Why? Because they smell so good. You don’t want to sniff a diaper after it’s been used, but man, before I put a fresh diaper on my baby’s butt, you better believe I sniff that sucker. It just reminds me of something calm and peaceful. Regular Pampers and Huggies smell good, too (Luvs do not smell like anything), but that Pampers Sensitive is what I think a baby should smell like. And hey – anything to help cover up of the scent of what happens in the diaper is a plus in my book, too! :)

The first "first" of many more to come

There were a lot of firsts for our little family this past weekend. August 27th marked my and Chris’s five year wedding anniversary, but August 28th of this year was also a very special day, because my dear friends Anne Marie and Michael tied the knot! I was so honored to be a part of their wedding and so happy that Chris and Jackson were there to celebrate it, too! But let’s start at the beginning, which is also the not-so-good first:


Jack had his first cold. Poor little baby. He was coughing and wheezy. He just didn’t look happy. And oh my goodness, the snot. How can one little baby make so much mucus? So, of course, I had to take him to the pediatrician – man, they just love me! The doctor said it was just a cold and there’s not much to do for him. Poor little guy –he handled it well, though.

Now, on to the fun stuff!  Friday morning, we loaded up the car and headed to my favorite place in the world – Athens, GA – to begin the wedding festivities of Anne Marie and Michael! Jack’s first hotel stay was at the Gameday Suites and he looked right at home with all the UGA paraphernalia! He got to meet Aunt Morgan for the first time, too! He was so good at the rehearsal dinner that night – he just chilled in his car seat and would toss out a smile when people peeked in on him. Such a good baby!

The biggest first came later that night – Baby Jack rolled over! Chris woke up about 6AM Saturday morning and that little bugger was on his belly! Well, my first thought was that it was fluke. According to the baby books, rolling from back to belly is a 5-6 month skills, but wouldn’t you know it, my son is advanced! He did it a total of four times that morning and now he flips and flops just as easy as 1, 2, 3! (This is making for some sleepless nights for me because I keep waking up and flipping him back onto his back.) He also spent his first Saturday alone with his Nana! I know they had a great time – so much so that his Nana is coming back to watch Baby Jack for his first football game this weekend, while Mommy and Daddy go to watch it live!

I know there are many more “first” to look forward to, but this past weekend was a great one for many reasons! Baby Jack is just full of surprises and so much fun! We are so lucky to have this sweet little boy!

Mommy went out to play...

I did it. I spent a night away from the baby. I was gone a whole 24 hours. And guess what? He was fine. So was I.

I honestly didn’t think I could do it. In fact, I was totally prepared to be driving back from Athens having a crying fit at 4 in the morning. It took me almost 45 minutes to leave the house. I had to kiss the baby about a thousand times and go over things with Chris at least a dozen times. This, of course, is totally absurd because both Chris and I know he is perfectly capable of taking care of the baby. It’s hard to explain, but it’s a very strange feeling to be away from your child. I know that Chris can take care of him, but I am totally convinced that Jackson needs ME. It’s kind of like the going back to work thing. I know he’s in good hands, but my hands are the best hands.

As I made my way to Athens for Anne Marie’s bachelorette party, I was 100% sure I was going to have fun and 25% sure I was going to leave before the sun was up on Sunday morning. I was preparing myself for feelings of guilt and sadness; however, once I got to the amazingly awesome Georgia Gameday Suites, the only feeling I had was happiness. I was happy to be there for Anne Marie. I was happy to be in Athens. I was happy to see my wonderful sorority sisters. I was happy to show off pictures of my baby. I was happy to know he was having a great time with his Daddy. I didn’t wake up Sunday morning until long after the sun was up (something that doesn’t happen too often any more) and you know what? It felt good.

I don’t want to be one of those moms that never leave her kids. I don’t think that’s healthy. Some separation is good, for both me and Jackson. Granted, being Jack’s mom is a huge part of my life now, but this weekend reminded me that I’m a lot of things – a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend – and being well-rounded in all aspects of my life will make me the best mom I can possibly be for my son.

The Amazing Jack Neighbours!

My baby doesn’t perform tricks. He never has. When I was pregnant and was going for ultrasounds, he would be rolled in a position the doctor didn’t like and it was take a lot of effort to get him to move. Most of the time, they had to get a buzzer (a little stick that shakes) to get him to jump around in there. He’d move his hands in front of his face so we rarely got a clear shot of him. And when it was time to take ultrasound pictures, he’d wiggle around so they’d be all blurry. Yup, Jackson Wesley Neighbours has a mind of his own.

Even now, he does the cutest things, but the second I grab the camera, he stops. Even when he’s not looking at me, for example, on his play mat he'll be talking to his reflection in the mirror and try to grab at things.  I sneak up behind him with the camera all set to record, and he stops. Last night, he was talking up a storm, but when my Mom called and put the phone close to him, he stopped. Nope, he’s just not going to perform for anyone until he’s good and ready.

On a side note, Jack’s future girlfriend Hadley will be here by Monday (or earlier)! We are all very excited to meet her and are praying for a safe delivery! Congratulations to Rey and Heather!

The teacher becomes the student.

As parent, part of my job is to teach my son about, well, pretty much everything: right and wrong, good and bad, the importance of Georgia football season. I never imagined, though, that at almost 12 weeks old, he would have taught me so much already. Of course, there are the major things that having him has opened my eyes to: the amount of joy, wonder and love one little person can bring; the amazement you feel as you watch this little guy grow and discover the world; and a renewed sense of appreciation and love for your family and friends.

But that’s the sappy stuff.

Here are the things that Jack has taught me that I think, as a grown up, we tend forget:

1. A good burp after a meal makes you feel better.
2. The very first thing you should after you wake up is stretch.
3. It’s okay to cry for no reason sometimes.
4. Laugh when things are funny. Or silly. Or just there.
5. Smile often.
6. Sleep will always make you feel better.
7. Instead of always looking at the big picture, take time to look at the little things around you.

Jack has a fascination with ceiling fans. I can put him on the floor underneath one and he’ll watch it for an hour. He also loves to look at pictures and video of himself. I’m sure he doesn’t realize that it’s him and I could show him any random baby and he would love it, but my picture supply of random babies is rather limited. At night, Jack looks at the stars. Not outside, of course, but from his turtle. It displays stars on the wall and ceiling in three different colors. We turn this on every night and he will just watch the stars change color until he falls asleep. Chris and I will lie in bed and watch the stars, too. It’s amazing how peaceful and calming it can be just to lie there in silence watching the changing colors.

Thanks, Baby Jack, for teaching me so much already. I only hope I can return the favor.