returning .... after a while

It's been a while, life sped up and now that the craziness has settled - at least for a little while, I am taking some time for a update!

Life here has been going well - Aiden is growing like a weed, and talking up a storm!  Mike has graduated and started his own business and it looks like we're staying here in Charleston, as we just put down roots and bought a house!

Aiden is entering into the terrible two's and we're just hoping it won't be too terrible! He's a very sweet boy who loves to talk (wonder who he gets that from!) and definitely has a mind of his own and can be a bit stubborn (like father like son!)

In the move, we had to switch daycares, and I must say - if you're in the Charleston area, anywhere near Daniel Island, I COMPLETELY recommend Children's Nook -they were wonderful.  We really miss it.

I will post pictures soon to show how much he's grown.


It amazes me how much he talks and understands. He is a curious fellow and always asking "What' that? or What'r you doin?" 15 times a minute!

As I mentioned Mike graduated from school!!! Yeah :) Here is a picture of his senior project, which is the type of work he'd like to do in the future. It took him all year, from the idea, to design, to creation to instillation. I couldn't be more proud:



He has started his own company Michael Lauer Studios and has already started working here in the community at some historic homes and new construction!  Check out the process at his school portfolio website MichaelPLauer.com

Part of the craziness (other than the adjustment of a mobile child) was Mike and I started house hunting and found a beautiful home here in Charleston! It needs some cosmetic updating but has wonderful potential - so I'm sure we've got some projects ahead of us, but that's what's great about having a skilled hubby.

Perhaps the next post will be before/after pictures!

with many firsts...

Originally, this was a post about some knitting, and a trip home, and then Aiden hitting 6 mo. then about mothers day, and a few other things in between all of that - but I'd start typing it out and never have the time to finish a post. So,  I finally realized, I just need to post something! So this is a kind of catch up on it all posting...

Over the past couple of months (yes, I realize it has been that long...) Aiden and I have had a couple of firsts that I'm very happy about/proud of or feel you may find interesting.

First things first on the post of first - the little man himself! I've posted pictures of him up to 2 months so we've got a bit of catching up to do... so here are a few pictures of Aiden as he's grown:

We'll start where we left off... 3 months:

These two are him at 3 months - I didn't get the puppy dog or sign shots during this time - there was too much going on - Mike was away in Italy and I did some traveling back home.. so these two will have to do instead ;) He still looks pretty darn cute to me! The picture on the right is one of his first real trips out in the BOB stroller - I love that thing!

4 months.... too doggone cute! Okay okay, I may have overdone it on the dog theme:

5 months:

Sporting the gangster look thanks to his Uncle Stefan... 

He bought track suits for all the nephews at Christmas - it just fits Aiden now - we had fun with this photo shoot!






 
A few more days and I'll post 6 months and the 7 months. I really can't believe he's grown so much.  He's really starting to look more like a little boy and less like an infant/baby. Everyone tells you, but it true, time does move pretty quick. *sigh*

Here is his first time in the ex-o-saucer, with true concentration:

Man, he just loves that thing!

He had also figured out how to flip back and forth and sit up on his own! Go Aiden!

We had our first trip on a plane together when we went up to KY to visit the grandparents and got to see lots of friends and family.

He attended his first pro-soccer game here in Charleston, where he was so excited, he stayed up 2 hours past his bedtime!

I have some picture of his first time at the beach (just this past weekend!) and of his first try at solids- he loved it! But if I want to get this posted, they'll have to wait, as they're not loaded on my computer.

I had a few firsts of my own - I experienced my first Mother's Day! I know, technically, I was a mother last year, being pregnant but in my mind - that really didn't count. It was a touch sad not being able to share with my own mother, but it was a really lovely day.  It started with a terrific breakfast in bed, and then all day with my two men - we went down to the water front and hung out on the grass in a park and played and enjoyed the sun.

I made salesperson of the month for the first time at work! yeah :) and while Mike is away at his internship this summer (8 weeks in VA) I'll be taking care of Aiden on my own for a while. I do have some friends and family who will be coming in and out, and Mike will be making frequent trips home, but day-to-day it'll be me and the little man!

I've knit my first shawl (a small one) - and was working on a toy, that I'm not sure is turning out as cute as all the other pictures. It's called Lutin, and was posted on a french knitting website (they've since taken it down). I'll post pictures of that when/if it gets done - it's been abandoned  put aside while I work on a few other things.

That's about it for right now. I'm making a mental effort to try and post more often. We'll see how the summer goes with Mike being away.

back at work

Which is my main excuse for not posting sooner!

Starting mid-Jan, I went back to work full time. It wasn't to much of an adjustment to going back - I felt like I settled back into the swing of things pretty smoothly. For me, the big thing was the catch up! I hate the feeling of being behind - even before I've started! So the first couple of weeks was just trying to dig-out from all that had piled up while I was out. I am very lucky, and have great support team at work, and that made it easier.

Then, the first week of Feb. the Little Man started Day care! :( So sad. That was an adjustment in and of itself, ironing out the details of pickup and drop off, what to bring, how much he'd eat, etc. etc. I feel like we're getting a good rhythm now with it too. I like the place, they're very sweet, and they work with me on the breastmilk/breastfeeding, which I was worried about. But I am able to drop off what I pump the night before when I pick him up, and they don't throw away the extra, but use it for the next feeding, I can stop by anytime... all that good stuff.

They say he's a great kiddo - always smiling, doesn't spit up (?? What! he does at home - hmmm... maybe I'm jostling him too much...) only cries when he's hungry. So it sounds like he likes it too! It's nice when you feel comfortable with where you're leaving him.

 Of course, it's been a while with pictures, so... here are a few of Aiden at 2 months. I can't believe he's now 3 months old already! Wave hello honey!

A good family friend came to visit Aiden a few weeks ago, and Mamma Maz and had a great time with Aiden:

I've been knitting, and Aiden's been my model - here's a hat I made for my new....what would they be called if they're your 1st cousin's kid? 1st cousin once removed? 2nd cousin....anyways.. Cooper's hat:

 

Of course, I had to make one for Aiden, which I did - with matching mittens!

This is the first shot, I changed the hat so it's now more of a watchman's cap, but I love this picture :)
And a couple more of my favorite Aiden shots:

He really is a good boy and just so wonderful to be around! It's amazing to see how Mike's face just lights up whenever he's with him - we both just laugh and laugh. I am truly truly blessed. He's started squawking too - I call it pterodactyling - it's just too cute!

Then the highlight of the month for living in Charleston - we actually got snow! Now that completes my experience here and it was the perfect type of snow - here one day, melted the next, still really pretty and not too cold:

And I'll leave you with that image...

relaxing from the holidays

Ahh Family. Gotta love em eh?


Over the Christmas Holidays, my 3 brothers, 2 SIL and 3 kids came to celebrate here in Charleston - it was a full house! Luckily they didn't stay with me, but rented a place nearby, which gave us a wonderful place to all be together, but also the ability to go home and have a bit of our own quite time as well.



Aiden did remarkably well meeting his new little cousins - although I shouldn't call them little - I hadn't seen Dominic since before Aiden was born, and at the time he was probably about the same size back then as Aiden is now, so I was amazed at how different it felt to hold him vs. Aiden! Then Max showed up and at 15lbs was the biggest of the bunch! Gabriella, being the oldest and the only girl, held her own of course and loved asking about all the different babies.

All the SIL bought matching outfits for the little ones, so we took some great pictures - of course getting them all to sit up together took some doing:


(Gabriella, Dominic, Aiden, Max)

there were a couple of meltdowns:


(Aiden, Max, Dominic)
some head-biting:


(Dominic, Aiden, Max)

But we got some cute shots too:

(Aiden, Max, Dominic)


(Gabriella, Dominic, Aiden, Max)


(Max, Aiden, Dominic)

My CA brother made us Christmas Eve dinner - it was fabulous!!! It's been a tradition to do 7 fishes on Christmas Eve with my family, but that dinner first evolved to a 7 seafood dinner, and now a clam-bake. So we had lobster, mussels, oysters, clams, crabs - it was really delicious!

Here's a shot of one of the main dish - even the presentation was amazing:


If you're in the California area and want a to have a great party with some great food cooked by a great guy - check out this site. (ask for Chef Alex!)

Knitting wise, I finished all the Christmas presents I was working on; a pair of legwarmers for Gabriella (that may have to be arm-warmers because she's grown so fast!), a hat for Dominic and my Grumpasarus for Max. I forgot to talk pictures, but I'm hoping they'll send me some.

The following week, Mike's brother and family came into town for a day, and I was able to give their littlest one her birthday present early - it's called the All Over Cables Hat - (ravelry link here) it turned out pretty well and I really liked the yarn - I used Berroco Geode, I loved the colors:



We went down to visit Mike's school and the kids checked out the jail:



It was great to see them all. I hope everyone else had as wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!

geting ready for the holidays

I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner!! I am excited and a bit overwhelmed. All 3 of my brothers, their 2 spouses and 3 kids are all coming to Charleston for the week before Christmas and I'm really excited to see them. They're not staying with us (no way I'd have enough room!) but are renting a place a short bit away, and all the new little boy cousins (and one girl) will get to meet each other! It's going to be so cute!

Right after Christmas, we hope to see Mike's brother and family as they come through town - their 3 kids are much older, and have been writing letters to Aiden and I over the past few weeks. I love them! We have become pen-pals, and I think everyone should do this more often, as the letters are witty and fun and just wonderful!

What that also means, is lots of preparation on my part. I want to get a tree, decorate and have most of my shopping done before they all get here. Easier said than done though.

Most of my time is spent in front of the computer, as Aiden is still eating quite frequently, and the doctors have recommended we not take him out in public very often due to the flu season and crowds - at least until he gets some of his shots. So I'm trying to do most of my shopping online. This would be a lot easier if I really knew what I wanted to get everyone! So I spend waaaay too much time browsing websites and looking for deals. Not so much on the actual shopping.

Mike is finishing up his semester with finals this week, and then will be off for the rest of December and all of January. We're really looking forward to that time together with both of us not working or in school.

I do love watching Mike interact with Aiden - he gets such a kick out of his son, and it just lights up both their faces! I have to say - I just love both my boys!!

On the knitting front, I have a new pattern that I'm in love with (ravelry link) that I'd like to make 2 or 3 of for various people. The instructions took me a bit to muddle through as they're very general, and I was hoping for my specifics, so I started one, started a second, and am going back and forth between the two as I go through the pattern. Pictures as I get further along.

Here are a couple more pictures of Aiden - proud momma can't help but brag:

At 4 weeks (8lbs 3.5oz):



Why is everybody lookin' at me?

Ok, enough photos mom - I'm bored of this!

2 weeks into motherhood

It still hasn't settled in yet that Aiden is my son - that I'm his mother. - that he's not leaving with my MIL on Tuesday, or that I'm not just babysitting the most adorable child. I think once my MIL does leave, and with Mike back at school, it'll hit me then. Right now I'm just floating along.. feeding, sleeping, eating, rocking.. and repeat. With the C-section, Mike and his mom won't let me do much more, which is good, because I keep wanting to.

I didn't have many nesting instincts when pregnant, but now that Aiden is here, I really am feeling the nesting urge - but because of the surgery, I can't do most of it - I'm not supposed to be bending down and picking up, or going up and down stairs a lot, or transitioning from sitting to standing often. And I can feel it when I have been doing a lot of that - usually when my meds are wearing off or I'm due for another dose.

It's been lovely having her here - I really have been blessed with some wonderful in-laws. Next week is going to be .. a new challenge I think. Great way to start off my 34th year - as my birthday is Tuesday! Being 34 hasn't sunken in either, but I'm not too worried about that.

This week I had some friends stop by to see me, and they all came bearing the cutest of gifts for little Aiden.

My friend Sue hand made the softest rag quilt:

It's just beautiful! and I love the colors!!

Pam and Vera stopped by to hang out with Aiden:



and brought food (Jim & Nicks - yum!)

Vera made two super-cute hats - one for now:


and one to grow into:


(I think he looks like the LOL cat with the lime on his head here)

and soft socks for Aiden's monkey toes!


I keep wanting to knit, but don't have the focus right now. I can't seem to put a yarn and pattern together for the life of me, so that's been put on hold for a bit. Let's get through Thanksgiving first and we'll see where we're at by then.

Presenting Aiden Michael Lauer!!!!

He's finally here!

Aiden Michael Lauer was born on Monday, November 9th at 11:21 pm after a long and arduous day!

So I had my 41 week doctor's appointment on Monday, and went in at 11:30 wanting to talk to the doctor about the changes I had been feeling all morning. I was thinking either a.) the baby had finally dropped, b.) I was having Braxton hicks or c.) something was going on! All I really knew is that it was finally something different than I had been feeling for the past two weeks, and I was hoping this would lay to rest the idea of having to induce me.
I met Mike at the Dr.'s office and was worried I would have to use the restroom before I had a chance to give my urine sample for the day, so when my name was called, I rushed right into the bathroom - where my water broke!!

I realized this when the color was all wrong (there was meconium in it) - otherwise I don't know if I would have recognized it for what it was! The nurse seemed awfully calm, and put us into the examining room, and I had Mike start timing what I now am realizing are contractions. It only surprises me more when Mike says that they are 2-2.5 minutes apart! I guess I had always thought of contractions as feeling sharper or more distinct. All morning they had just been an uneasiness in my stomach, as if someone was tightening my belt on my pants and I had just eaten a really full dinner -that plus some mild crampy feelings. I will admit, now that my water had broken, they were getting more painful - now they were more like a stitch in your side, just all across my belly.

The Dr. came in and decided to wheel me over to the hospital (the office and hospital are connected) - I was officially in labor!!!

To make a long story short, my water broke at 11:30, I was admitted around 12 and was about 3 cm dilated but the baby hadn't dropped. By 1:00 I had decided an epidural was going to be a good idea. They had to do two takes on the epidural, the first one put in had a kink in the catheter in my back and was stopped up, so they had to put in a second about an hour later. By 5:00 I was 8cm, and at quarter to 7pm I was 100% effaced and 10cm dilated, but still no droppage from the baby - so it was time to start pushing. After 3 hours, the baby hadn't moved very much, and his blood pressure was dropping - that with the meconium in it, they wanted to get the baby out sooner rather than later, so I was wheeled to the OR for a C-section, and our beautiful baby boy, Aiden Michael Lauer was born at 11:21pm on 11/9/9!

We arrived home on Thursday, and I can't believe that he is officially one week old now! Here are some pictures of my new baby boy:

Here he is home from the hospital:


A few with Daddy:




and at one week:





Ahh Sweetness:

still waiting....

No baby yet. Technically this Monday I'll be at 41 weeks, and no signs from baby that he or she is making a move for the door. :(

I think that's the hard thing about due dates - I'm perfectly happy being pregnant (I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit) and everything has been going quite smoothly, but now I have a little voice in the back of my head saying "something may be wrong here... no baby yet.. is this going to make delivery harder?...no baby yet....where's baby? why haven't you felt contractions yet?" etc. etc. and the little whispers go on...
If I didn't have a due date, I'd like to think I'd still be in my bliss of happy pregnancy. Although all the test I've had so far says' baby's doing fine - and I can feel (and see!) the little one moving all the time, so things like that usually quiet the voices.

Monday I have a Dr's appt. and I have a feeling an inducement will be scheduled. I know, I know, inducements happen all the time, but I know a lot lead to C-sections as well. And I know that a C-section is not necessarily a bad thing, just didn't jive with the image I had in my head of how labor was going to go.

I also realize I need to let go of any notion I had of how things are supposed to go, because from now on, I'm not in the drivers seat anymore - baby is. I think I can deal with that... I'd just like to meet the new driver!!! :)

I have finished a newborn baby hat - we'll see if it fits - I've heard 5-7 lbs for baby, but don't know how big the head is:


And I made mittens to match:



I'm almost done with Grumpasaurus Max - just needs feet and new facial feature colors - the blue is too light:


And I'm slowly working on another hat and the Ice Queen Pattern:


We'll see how Monday goes, and hopefully my next post will be all about our new baby!!!! yeah :)

waiting on baby

...to get a move on!

Baby is completely content to just hang out in mama's belly and dance! My due date technically is this Monday, the 2nd, but they had also given us the date of the 5th, and I've had that date in my head for most of the pregnancy. Although it is the first full moon of Nov. I think baby's going to wait a bit till the end of the week at least.

As of right now, I don't feel much different than I did a week ago, or 2 weeks ago.... and it's not a bad thing, I'm pretty content too. The heartburn and that I get tired more easily are really the only things that bug me. So I'm good to wait until the baby's ready to say hello.

The Dr. was worried a bit because I'm so small for how far along I am, and we had a couple of extra ultra sounds to check and make sure baby had enough food/fluids etc. to be okay - and all is good. Baby passed his/her first in-utero test with flying colors! 100% - go baby go!

We're getting tested again on Monday, and we'll see how that goes - hopefully we'll have the same results. The nice thing about it was we got another ultrasound and Mike was there for this one- he missed the 20 wk ultrasound due to being in NY, so it was nice for him to see baby in real-time. Here are a couple of profile and face shots from last weeks ultrasound:

Here is a profile - and what looks like bubbles is the umbilical cord:



These two are face forward shots, you have to turn your head to the side, but I think they are so sweet... top of baby head is ---->this way looking straight at you.

look at those cheeks!



Here - baby is sleeping same as above - forehead is ----> like baby is laying on the side facing out:



My friend Jean made me the cutest baby hat EVER!!! I just love it! it puts my knitting to shame, and it was her first attempt at fair isle - it's just beautiful:



This week, Mike and I attended his school's fundraiser, called the RED party - it was a masquerade ball, and everyone was all dressed up. They had this fabulous person in drag with an amazing costume:

My friend Meghan and I got our pictures taken with... her

Not my favorite shot of me, but ah well!

Meghan made her mask out of broken mirror parts - it was really cool:


It was a good time but really loud, and I was tuckered out by 10pm.
Off to do some more knitting and enjoy the last few days of my pregnancy!