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NEW BLOG!Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 10:51 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - Linkhttp://www.ryanalexander2.blogspot.com/ Check it out! With Greg's help ( I am computer illiterate!) We have a new and improved blog with pictures (finally)! YAY!
Jen, Greg and Ryan Taking Baby Steps! (sort of)Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 08:40 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkRyan Alexander has been taking baby steps while holding on to my hands for the past week or so but today he actually stood up on his ride on toy car held on to the back and began taking steps. He had a huge grin on his face the whole time I had to redirect him because he kept crashing into the couch but he took quite a few steps on his own. Ryan is happiest when he is standing upright..forget about crawling that is old news! His favorite thing to do now is "cruise" on the furniture and let go as he screeches in delight!! I am really trying hard to enjoy this precious time we have left before he actually walks because this child LOVES to be on the move it is only a matter of time now..I fear once he starts walking I will not be able to keep up I can barely keep up now this baby is FAST! We went to a big brithday picnic yesterday to celebrate all the baby's in our playgroup who are turing one this month and next. It was really fun and we had the perfect day for a picnic. It was at our favorite park of course Sherwood.....I always get a little teary eyed as we drive up to Sherwood Island State park because it was the first beach Ryan had ever been to and we spent every Tuesday there with the girls after swim class for lunch, walks and talks. It has so many great memories for us.
Today we went to the Wednesday mom's group...we had not been there in over a month. Ryan gets into everything and it is hard for me to keep him out of everyone's stuff. But there were a lot of older babies there and it was great to see all of the babies. There were so many new little ones too. Ryan was so cute he waved "Bye Bye" to Lisa the group facilitator...my heart just melted because he will only do this on special occasions.
So after the baby steps today and the "BYE BYE" wave I am feeling so sad that our little baby is becoming such a big boy. I really want him to stay a little baby forever. He keeps me laughing all day long. Such a joy to be around. Greg and I are looking forward to having a relaxing weekend at home together as a family something we have not done in a while. Miss you all and hope to talk to you all soon.
Love. Ryan Alexander
Oh By the way does anyone have any suggestions as to what Ryan shoud be for halloween we got the BRU flyer today and there were some cute ideas Greg and I were thinking a monkey,dragon or a giraffe....any thoughts?? Thanks
Also here is the new link to our new blog we will no longer be posting on this link because it does not allow photos. Thanks. http://ryanalexander2.blogspot.com/ you may have to copy and paste.
9 Month CheckPosted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 12:36 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkRyan had his 9 month check up today! He was such a good patient and sat there and let Dr Strong examine him form head to toe without a peep. He even let him look in his ears without a problem. Sorry I have to brag about how well he behaved for the Dr today! Dr. strong gave him a great report and Ryan is right on target for all of his develpmental milestones! He weighed in at 24lbs and is 29 3/4 inches long. Still at the tippity top of the growth charts equally for height and weight! No shots today but I did sign him up for a flu shot in the fall with is 12 month check. After his appointment we had to go for blood work to check his lead level and Hbg/Hct......Let's just say I was WAYmore traumitized than Ryan! After waiting for waht seemed like forever really only 20 mintues we went back in the room for the blood draw. I had to sit inthe lab chair and hold Ryan on my lap. As soon as th tourniquet went on Ryan was not happy!! Then came the needle and Ryan was squiriming and fighting me. After two tries no success! I even tried nursing Ryan in the chair to calm him down but it did not work! Poor Ryan now we have to try again tomorrow but this time Daddy will bring him...I can't bear to did it again it was so so sad! The child is so pooped he passed out in the car on the way home and is still fast asleep upstairs in his crib!
Daddy comes home tomorrow Yay!! We miss him so much and can't wait to see him we have talked to him everyday since he left last Saturday. Work went really well and he was able to get a lot accomplished while in India. He was just about to board his 15 hour flight home when we talked to him a little while ago. He gets in inthe early AM tomorrow. I always get to nervous when he travels that something bad will happen. Can't wait til tomorrow! He really misses us too!
I wanted to say THANK YOU to both grandparents for spending time with us while Daddy was away. You guys were such a great help with Ryan and Dylan and it was such a special treat for me to have the company! Jack and Nancy just left today they have been here since Mon. You guys were such a BIG help and I cannot THANK YOU enough for staying with us. I could not have done it without all your help and I was so sad to see you both leave this morning! Dylan is so sad you left too. He loves snuggling with both Grammies!! Grammie Nancy taught Ryan how to turn the pages in his animal book today. He loves to open and close the book and turn the pages. He is really starting to develop his fine motor skills. We are all so proud of Ryan everyday he is such a joy I can't imagine life without him.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Miss you all and hope to talk to you soon!
Love to all XOXOX Ryan Da-Da Da-Da Da-Da!!!Posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 at 08:47 - 3 Comments - Post Comment - LinkMy new favorite word is Da-Da! Ryan has been calling everyone and everything Da-Da! So funny it has been ever since Greg left for Dylan got up this morning and must have got confused because while I was nursing Ryan upstairs Dylan ran downstairs and I knew he was up to no good. He had peed on the kitchen floor at least it was not the carpet….but my theory is that he thought no one was going to let him out. Greg usually lets him out in the morning. Poor Dylan he misses Daddy too. He usually does not have accident s in the house. Ryan and I went to the Hope everyone has a great week. Greg is doing well in Love, Ryan Daddy goes to India AGAIN!Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 at 08:43 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkWe knew he would have to go again we just did not think it would be so soon. Only one month has gone by since his last visit to the far East. It will definitely be more of a challenge on my end trying to get out the door on time especially now since Ryan is so active. He is always on the move and will not stay put. So glad we have the playzone. I know each time Greg goes away it will get a little easier but I do not think I will ever get used to him being gone! Update on Great Grampy- He is back in the nursing home. Still very weak and tired but more cooperative and recognized mom and my Aunt Sally. They have to feed him he cannot feed himself and he has to have all his liquids thickened so he does not choke. We hope for the best things seem to be improving a little. We just hope he does not become combative again because this behavior could cause harm to himself or others. My mom remains very anxious not knowing what lies ahead but she is staying strong and she has her sister to lean on. Ryan and I enjoyed the cooler weather today and we went for walk with Dylan in our neighborhood. It was so nice to enjoy the fresh air. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. XOXXO Ryan Alexander
Growing up Fast!!!Posted on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at 10:14 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkRyan Alexander is feeling much better this week. He must have had some viral illness last week. He is teething again and biting everything I try to feel his gums for new teeth and he just bites my fingers really hard and even though he only has two teeth that I can see yikes it hurts! He does have a slight runny nose but I think that goes along with the teething.
Ryan is growing up so fast adn becoing more and more aware of his surroundings. He loves to explore and wants to touch, taste, and feel everything around him! He waved “ hello/bye-bye yesterday for the first time. I waved at him and said “hi Ryan” and he waved back but I can’t get him to do it again. He now has his own vocabulary and likes to babble ba-ba,bye-bye, da-da, ma-ma. He sort of associates ma-ma with me and da-da with Greg at times but then again he calls me da-da too. He only said bye-bye once when I was leaving Polina’s for work. I have not heard him say it again. Soo cute. He also claps his leg when he is happy. I tried to show him how to clap hi hands but he prefers to clap his leg. It is so cute! We bought him this playzone for him to play in. I call it our “safe zone” because I know when he is in it he really can’t get into anything. It helps me out a lot if I have to run and let Dylan out or go to the bathroom or take a super quick shower I know he is safe. He seems to like it so far. I try to use it sparingly though. We spent the weekend with Grammy Nancy and Granddad Jack in Medfield. It was so much fun and Grammy Nancy had bought Ryan lots of new toys to play with. He loved his new telephone! He also really loved Sabrina (their family pet). He would smile each time she walked by and reach out to pet her. Dylan was much calmer around Sabrina this time around. On Saturday we went to Neil and Kristen’s engagement party at the MacKenzie’s. Ryan go to meet a lot of new people at the party. It was a lot of fun. The MacKenzie’s have 4 horses so Ryan and Dylan got to see them up close. We have pictures of Dylan running around in the horses coral! I think it is quite possible that Dylan had more at the MacKenzie’s than anyone! It was great seeing Neil and Kristen we only get to see them about twice a year because they live down in On Sunday Ryan got to spend some time with his great grandparents Rose and Art and his Auntie Erin and Uncle Brian. Grammy Nancy made a special Sunday dinner for everyone and we got to catch up and visit. Both great grandparents looked terrific! Ryan kept everyone entertained and showed off his moves….his crawling and cruising skills (holding on to furniture while taking steps). It was such a wonderful visit too bad it was so short. We were sorry to leave. Yesterday we has a play date with Ryan’s little friend Tyler who is 6 months old. We went to the pool at my friend Jen’s country club here in Today we met up with Caroline and Sarah at the mall for lunch at Panera my favorite place. It was great catching up with two of them. Sarah keeps me grounded and I always feel so much better after spending time with her and Caroline. Caroline and Ryan are so close in age they are less than a month apart. It was a first for us today a couple of women approached us in Target and asked if Ryan and Caroline were twins….I had to laugh at this one because Caroline has blond hair and beautiful bright blue eyes and Ryan is half Korean. But we laughed and thought it was cute! I also had Ryan’s babysitter (a On a sad note I have to mention that Great Grampy Henry is not doing too well. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that he was ill. Well he suffered a small stroke last night and is in the hospital again. He appears to know my mom at times but at other times he does not recognize her and becomes combative. He is rapidly declining and my mom and her sister have decided to provide comfort measure only at this point. He has been through so much… only a few months ago he was living independently and very strong and healthy. In the past few months his health has rapidly declined he has had many bouts of pneumonia and been hospitalized with numerous infections. His poor body has become very weak and frail and he now resides in a nursing home if he is not in the hospital. It is very sad the Dr’s are puzzled and do not have answers as to why he appears to disengage himself and become combative at times. They have not seen enough 98 year-olds to make a proper diagnosis I guess. We just hope and pray for the best and above all we do not want Grampy to suffer. My mom and her sister are right there with him every step of the way. Keep Great Grampy in your prayers everyone! Have a great week everyone. Waiting for some cooler weather! Love to all, Ryan Fever Woes Ughhh!Posted on Wednesday, July 4, 2007 at 08:43 - 2 Comments - Post Comment - LinkYou would think since I have a master's degree in nursing and I am board certified in family medicine (yes I had to take a pediatric exam too) to practice as an APRN for the past 2 years with 4 years experience as a newborn ICU RN I might know what to do when my child has a fever.......But when this is your child and not a patient it is a different ball game! No one can really understand why I am such a neurotic fool when it comes to Ryan's health. I feel that my medical background is my worse enemy at times. I ALWAYS assume the worst. For example Ryan has had a fever 100.3-101.3 for the past 2 nights and some random thoughts that have gone threw my head are...oh my he is going to have a febrile seizure and have permanent brain damage, or maybe he is septic and will need blood cultures, a urine catheterization or a lumbar puncture, or maybe he will not wake up if he falls asleep in his crib with a fever. I realize that these are totally irrational but when you know too much it can work against you. I have to consult with Michelle one of my best friends who also happens to be a pediatric APRN at Yale whenever Ryan gets sick, Ryan's pediatrician, my mom (of course), Nancy (Greg's mom), and other mommy friends( Lets call them team Ryan). After I get the 5 or more opinions Greg and I together make an executive decision about what we should do. This parenting thing you know it is a roller coaster ride. I am always second guessing everything I do. But in the end I end up just trusting my instincts.
So just an update on Ryan's condition. He was totally fine yesterday we went to the park with his girlfriends Ava, and Lila and again Ryan tried to get into Lila's lunch box and steal her mom Katy's yummy sandwich. No loss of appetite here! He did have 6 loose stools in 24 hours and had the low grade fevers on/off for the past 24 hours but after consulting with team Ryan we decided he is not really THAT sick after all. I did do the BRAT diet with him for the past 24 hours. BRAT is a bland diet which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. A medical analogy used for patients with GI disturbances (see there I go again) so it seemed to help with the loose bowel movements. Ryan only had 2 today as opposed to 5 yesterday. He was not overly irritable today and his appetite was normal. So the consensus is we attribute the fever to either a viral illness or teething Ughhhh! Grammy Sharon felt his top right front tooth pushing through today. I still plan on (probably) calling his pediatrician in the AM and making an appointment only because we are going out of town to visit Grammy Nancy and Granddad Jack.
Happy 4th everyone! We had a BBQ with the Strattons at our house today it was a lot of fun. Ryan kept everyone entertained. We grilled our turkey burgers and garlic chicken sausage just in time before it started to sprinkle. We were supposed to go to another BBQ later today but with Ryan slightly under the weather and the rain we decided to all take a nap instead! Oh well no fireworks here in Fairfield tonight.
Ryan went to his first concert over the weekend. We had dinner at Osianna's again here in Fairfield and then picked up some ice cream from sunny daes packed our lawn chairs and picnic blanket and headed to Fairfield University for an outdoor concert. The Bridgeport symphony orchestra played classical music. Ryan really enjoyed the live music he stayed up a little past his bedtime but fell asleep in the mei tai carrier and slept peacefully. We had a great night under the stars.
Other Ryan news. Tomorrow we are interviewing a Farifield University Senior to potentially babysit for Ryan. We are looking for a few hours a week so I can run a few errands, get some stuff done around the house, and maybe go to the gym (I am still not yet comfortable leaving him in the daycare at the gym). She has experience with infants, is infant CPR certified, volunteers for the American red cross teaching CPR, is a resident assistant at FFU, and gave me the name of a reference on the spot. I spoke with the woman who she occasional babysits for she has a 2 year old and has been babysitting for them for about a year. The woman was very helpful and had lots of good things to say about the sitter and nothing negative at all. I will let you know how it goes. We have yet to leave him with anyone besides family members and close friends. We consider Polina ( who watches him mon and Fri) his 3rd grammy. Hopefully she will work out for our purposes but again my neurosis sets in and I become paranoid about leaving him with anyone! But I do want to try leaving him with a sitter before stranger anxiety sets in! So I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. I will give you all an update on Ryan's condition soon but something tells me he will be just fine (we hope). Love and miss you all!
XOXO Ryan
Ryan Likes to Party!Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 10:17 - 2 Comments - Post Comment - Link
So Ryan went to two parties over the weekend. The first one was a bit wild for Ryan. Some of our old friends from college were having a Hawaiian party and wanted to meet Ryan. We only stayed a short while….Ryan was so cute he let everyone hold him. No stranger anxiety here yet. It was so great for Greg and I to catch up with some of our college friends we had not seen in years. The second party was a first birthday party at a neighbor’s house. Ryan has such a ball playing with all of Aj’s toys! There were also a million little babies and children everywhere. It was a lot of fun. Makes me wonder what we will plan for Ryan’s big day. Ryan has also tried a few new foods since last week. Some of which include chicken, broccoli, cheese, and blueberries. All of which he really seems to enjoy. I was afraid the broccoli would give him gas but he did not seem to mind at all. Ryan now eats breakfast lunch and dinner. It was funny today we went to the park with some of Ryan’s little friends and he kept trying to eat everyone else’s food. He ate Sophia’s cheerios and pulled himself up to Ava’s stroller and started picking at her crumbs she left behind. So cute. He also kept himself amused with an empty water bottle for quite some time. So hot out today. Ryan got really overheated. He fell asleep at the park today and when I picked him up to put him in the car he was all sweaty. Poor Ryan then I filled up his kiddie pool to cool him off and the water was way too chilly for Ryan he cried when I dunked his feet. Oh well poor Ryan I ended up just giving him a bath in the sink. I think we will stay inside the rest of the week it is supposed to be too hot to be outside. Hope everyone stays cool. Have a great week. XOXO Ryan Happy Father's Day....Da Da!Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 at 09:38 - 2 Comments - Post Comment - LinkHappy father’s day Da Da. So we went to Foxwoods for a Flynn family father’s day extravaganza. It was so great Greg got to play golf at Lake of Isles with his dad, his brother Brian and Pat Majewski (Erin’s dad). He really enjoyed the course and found it quite a challenge. The boys had perfect golf weather. We celebrated Granddad’s 60th birthday, Greg’s 28th birthday (he was away on business in India on his birthday) Father’s Day, and Ryan’s 8 month Birthday. Ryan was pure entertainment at dinner he kept everyone smiling. He loved Grammy Nancy’s cast ( she broke her wrist while at work). I was so freaked out because the waitress, who loved Ryan kept kissing him on his hands and arms (Gasp…how inappropriate!) I am such a germaphobe! I Did bring Ryan’s fisher price booster which BTW I highly recommend! It is much more comfortable and cleaner than those restaruant high chairs. Ryan felt like he was eating dinner at the table with everyone! It was way past his bedtime but he fell asleep peacefully in his Mei Tai baby carrier and I was able to get him to bed without a peep (thank goodness). Later that night Grammy Nancy watched Ryan and Granddad and all the kids had some fun in the casino. No luck for us or Erin and Brian but Jen and Paddy walked away with a little extra. It was quite interesting trying to keep an 8 month old entertained in a casino for 10 hours but we got creative. Ryan and I went to breakfast twice, took a nap in the room before checkout, went to the spa to visit Auntie Erin and her mom Pam, took another nap out by the pool on the sun deck, went to lunch an Panera, crawled around on the carpet at the food court (Gasp gasp…. I know but it looked clean and Ryan had to stretch his legs…how would you like to be buckled in a stroller for 10 hours then sit in a car seat for another 4 hours...yes we hit a bunch of traffic on the way home) oh and Ryan played with a paper bag from Panera for nearly an hour, then we strolled around the casino waiting for Daddy to get back. It was so great spending time with the Flynn’s and Majewski’s! Glad all the Dad’s had a wonderful Father’s day! My mom took Dad out to breakfast then the Strattons went to pick Great Grampy up and went for a ride and out to lunch. Sorry we could not spend the day with the Strattons too but we were too far away. Glad Grampy Fred had a wonderful Father’s day in Ma. Great Grampy was in good spirits and the visit perked him up a bit but he still remains weak at times. Can’t believe he is turning 99 this year! We are so proud of him! Puppy Dylan had a little vacation of his own. He spent the night at his girlfriend Lola’s and her parents took care of him. Dylan had so much fun and became really attached to Erica (Lola’s mom). He even went to a Father’s day barbecue at the Colavolpe’s. He had so much fun he did not want to leave when I went to pick him up. Thanks so much Erica and mike!! Greg has been enjoying lots of quality time with Ryan while being on vacation. I love the way Ryan looks at his daddy he gets a little sparkle in his eyes and smiles big for his daddy sometimes he even lets out a screech of joy! It is so precious. Greg and I just love Ryan so much. We really enjoy watching him develop his fine and gross motor skills. Recently he has mastered the pincer grasp! I feel so special to be able to stay home with him and witness all of his developmental milestones first hand! Ryan brings so much joy to everyone around him. Since his eight month birthday Ryan has enjoyed a couple of new foods including yogurt, bread and chicken. He loves them of course. It was so great seeing everyone this past weekend. We had so much fun. Hope everyone has a great week. Miss everyone a ton. XOXO Ryan Alexander Ryan's first Illness:(Posted on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 08:50 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkSo poor little Ryan has an ear infection in his right ear. Has to be on antibiotics twice a day for 10 days. I had this funny feeling something was not quite right with him yesterday. We met up with some other moms and babies at the mall yesterday and Ryan was a little unhappy while we were there. Wanting to be held and fussing in the stroller very unlike him. He usually really enjoys stroller rides. Then today fussing and wanting to be held a lot. And he has had a runny nose for the past 2 weeks..sure enough we saw the Pedi today and he had an infection. I gave him his first dose of medicine this afternoon and of course gave yogurt too ( to prevent thrush and antibiotic induced diarrhea) and will give him another dose later on before I go to bed. If he gets really irritable I got he okay to give him some Ibuprofen for pain. The pedi said this may be teething related or the remnants of a URI. Hopefully he will be better by the weekend so we can still go to Foxwoods with the Flynn's to celebrate Jack and Greg's birthday and Father's day.
I have been putting Ryan's toys in a big tote instead of laying toys in front of him and he will reach in the box and pick and choose the toys he wants to play with it is so cute he has his favorites and will dig and dig for them. One happens to be a little mirror with a clown on the other side. It is so cute to watch this. He will play with his toys independently for a short while. I practice leaving him so he can play on his own but sometimes this backfires and he begins to cry. He definitely has reached that stage of separation anxiety but it is not too bad yet. We practice peek a boo a lot so he knows if he can't see me I will always be there.
Hope everyone has a great weekend. Talk to you all soon.
Love Ryan My First Tooth!!!Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2007 at 08:33 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkHello everyone....so lots has happened since last week. Ryan got his first tooth and his second and third are pushing through the gums too. So exciting! Also Ryan is officially cruising. He pulls himself up on whatever he can grab and enjoys taking a few steps here and there. He now pulls himself up to standing in his crib and bounces up and down. Naptime and bedtime have become somewhat of a challenge at times but all this activity thoughout the day really tires Ryan out.
We headed back home to Ma for a wedding this weekend. Ryan's second wedding this year and we have one more but not until September. The wedding was beautiful and what a gorgeous day it turned out to be. Cousin Karen looked stunning! The ceremony and reception took place at the log cabin in Holyoke where we had our reception. It brought back a lot of fond memories of our wedding day 3 years ago. Ryan was so well behaved and sat at the table in his booster seat like a big boy. He enjoyed flirting with all the ladies. He got to see his Grammy Sharon, Grampy Fred, Uncle Freddie, Great Gramma Stratton, and his cousins Karen and Jim. Also Daddy returned safely home from India on Friday night. Ryan was so happy to see his daddy yesterday morning. Daddy had a wonderful trip to India and learned a lot about his new exciting job. Now he will enjoy a restful two weeks off before offically starting work.
Despite being in a little pain from teething Ryan has been acting like his usual self...playing and giggling. I have to say he loves eating cold banana and frozen pears and mango in his self feeder. I think it must feel so great on his teething gums. These self feeders are the best for teething babies! I forgot I bought them so long ago and never used until now.
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Miss you all. Lots of Love- xoxox Ryan Alexander
Ryan on the Move Update!Posted on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 at 08:33 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkSo today Ryan pulled himself up to standing on the couch and took a few steps while holding on. He kept pulling himself up to standing and would topple down on his bottom ( good thing he has a lot of padding back there LOL). He also said Da Da this morning for the very first time. He babbled DaDa over and over again and Grammy Sharon even heard his say it today ( I was talking to her on the phone) Ryan played with Sophia today our neighbor's grand daughter (she is 2 1/2) and just loves Ryan! So cute. They took turns playing in the swing.
Greg update. I have talked to Greg everyday since he left for India. He is enjoying his stay and meeting a lot of really nice people. He says the Indian food is better here in the US but still good over there. He is learning a lot about the company and keeping very busy. He missed us like crazy so I told him I hid a special birthday gift in his luggage...a photo album of Ryan from the past 3 months. He was so glad to have found it. (? not sure if he would have found it on his own I hid it too well I guess) So anyways we can't wait to have him back home. They boys and I are doing just fine on our own. We are keeping very busy so the time is going by fast. Miss you all and hope to hear from you soon.
XOXOXO Ryan Daddy's gone to India!Posted on Sunday, June 3, 2007 at 09:33 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkSo Daddy's gone to India....but we are doing just fine. Sorry this entry is more about me today and less about Ryan. We talked to Greg today and he survived the 14 hour plane ride to New Delhi. I looked up his hotel online and it is The Palms country club and resort... looks really luxurious. Hope Greg gets to have a little fun while in New Delhi. Greg sounded tired hope he gets rested today for the busy week ahead it is a 10.5 hour time difference and I hope he gets adjusted. I have learned a lot about myself during this short time while he has been gone. It has been a little over 24 hours and I never realized just how much Greg does around the house. ( I always complain that he does not do enough) I have made a really sad experience (missing Greg) into a positive learning experience. I have learned alot about being more independant and how to do more for myself and not have to rely on Greg to do things for me....like pumping gas, taking out the trash, taking the dog out, making dinner, grocery shopping for the week, helping out with Ryan ,and doing dishes (all of the above are just some examples of the things Greg does that I have had to do on my own). On Sundays Greg usually makes me ricotta pancakes with fresh fruit for breakfast. I have had a lot of time to appreciate all that he does for me. I miss his company and conversation.. even think Dylan may be a little depressed with him away. I think it is good for me to be on my own...come to think of it I have never lived alone. Greg has traveleld before but it is much different with a child. I know someone is watching over me because I was driving on 95 today and we ran into a little stop and go on the way home and the car behind me got rear ended from the car behind him and there was a lot of damage to both cars...I kept saying "thank god" that wasn't me I had Ryan with me and everything. I turned off the radio and said a prayer and drove extra careful the whole way home and then I gave Ryan a big hug when we got home.
Today we went to Stamford for a playdate with Bjorn and Sylvie. Sylvie is Victor's wife (Victor is Greg's new boss and used to be his old boss at GE before leaving the company about 2 years ago) Victor has been convincing Greg to come to work for him at Genpact for the past 2 years. It is nice to know they are traveling together and I talked a little to Sylvie about how she manages with Victor traveling. She gave me a lot of advice and told me that Bjorn keeps her so busy the time goes by really fast and she appreciates Victor more when he comes home. We have been freinds with them for about 4 years now. Ryan was so happy playing with Bjorn (well really just playing with Bjorn's toys) Bjorn who will be 2 next month was so eager to share all his toys with Ryan. Ryan's eyes were so big the whole time he had never seen so many trucks, trains, cars, and other big boy toys. I kind of feel bad that Ryan does not have many toys at all. I feel like I should buy some more age appropriate toys.... he only has baby toys and things to put in his mouth right now. Ryan pushed himself to standing for the first time on one of Bjorn's toys. It was so cute he was trying to see the toy and pushed up on it. I think he will be moving a lot more really soon.
So the next challenge for me will be trying to get out the door in the morning to get to work on time. Again Greg usually does a lot in the mornings on the days I work. He lets Dylan out and gets Ryan up and dressed while I get showered and dressed. Then I feed Ryan and Greg entertains him while I eat and then he pulls my car out of the garage and puts Ryan in the car seat while I pack up stuff for the day. I am just worried that Ryan will fuss while I am getting ready....I usually get ready on my days off while he is napping so this should be interesting. It is a learning experience and again it makes me appreciate him more and more and gives me a little more independance on my end.
Well I know it is going to be along week but I can't wait for Greg to come home mostly because I miss him so much and I miss my best friend and having someone to talk to and to hug at night. I feel bad he will be away for his Birthday on Wednesday...but I did manage to make him a photo album and hide it inhis suitcase along with some birthday cards and little cute notes. It should be fun for him to find in his clothes. The nights are lonely because Ryan goes to bed at 7 and I am left to eat dinner alone. But I am not alone I have a lot of friends here in Ct and I have Ryan and Dylan to keep me company. But the house is very quiet and I do feel lonely sometimes but I am really too busy to be sad for too long. Gotta get to bed I have busy day ahead of me. Thanks for all the love and support! Love you all and talk to you soon. Finger Foods are Fun......(and a bit messy)Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 09:07 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkToday I decided to be adventurous and try some other finger foods with Ryan in addition to the cheerios....which by the way are really not that nutritious for babies (a cardiologist I work with called them "little salt bricks") Oh well Ryan seems to love them. So for breakfast in addition to his pureed mangoes (Grammy Nancy's favorite..well not pureed though) and apricots I cut some small pieces of banana for Ryan. Slippery little pieces he had fun trying to get them in his mouth but he did and he loved the bananas. For dinner I gave him oatmeal with a little avocado and a side of pureed butternut squash (his favorite) and some small pieces of ripe avocado and dusted them with cheerios to make it easier for him to pick up...he loved these too but boy what a mess I was calling him my little green monster. He had avocados everywhere hanging off his bib in his lap in the highchair smeared up to his elbows and oh what fun to smear his hands around them on the tray.....moisturizer for the skin? I am just having too much fun with the solids but I am being very cautious because I do not want Ryan to have an allergic reaction to any of the foods.
Yesterday Ryan and I met some friends at the Beardsley Zoo. We packed a picnic lunch and were on our way. Ryan enjoyed looking at all the other babies and mommies while we ate our lunches. Then we headed off to the area where the animals are and from the pictures you can see all the babies were hanging our of their strollers looking at the sheep...except Ryan I peered in his stroller and he was fast asleep. Too precious...he slept right through his very first visit to the zoo....woke up just as we were walking to the parking lot..Don't worry we will be going back again and Ryan will be sure to see some animals next time around.
At My gym today Ryan had an airplane ride in a swing like contraption hanging from a cable that runs across the room. Oh what fun to be a flying baby...Ryan the dare devil that he is...of course loved every second giggling away. Soooo cute. He really enjoys My gym and swim lessons a lot. We decided not to sign up for the summer session though. Just because the weather will be nice and it will be fun to get outside more and plus with Daddy traveling a lot now we will be headed to Ma during the week.
Countdown to India......Greg got immunizations yesterday polio, typhoid, and hep A his tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis up to date. He was also given a medical kit that I looked over and it had various medications for traveling Tylenol, Advil, antihistamines, anti diarrhea pills, decongestants, insect repellent, sunscreen, nasal spray, antibiotic ointment, band aids, Cipro for traveler's diarrhea, sleeping pills and some other random stuff...like a do not drink he water sign.... Let's hope he does not sick while in India. Only 2 more days and Ryan and I are already missing him like crazy. It was his last day at GE today so he has tomorrow and Sat to rest up for is big trip.
Gotta go Ryan just woke up from the thunderstorm...poor pumpkin he must be scared...(his first thunderstorm) Poor Dyan is scared. Okay quick recovery he is quiet upstars now but Dylan is still panting and hiding. Have a great weekend. Miss you all.
XOXOXO Ryan Teething..... ugh...HELP!!!!Posted on Monday, May 28, 2007 at 03:08 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkHope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. We enjoyed some rest and relaxation in Ma. Greg and Grampy Fred enjoyed some golf and Grammy and I took Ryan out and about. Grammy and Grampy watched Ryan for the entire day yesterday for 10 hours they even gave Ryan a bath and put him to bed. They also took him for a walk and to the park. Ryan and Uncle Freddie played on the swings and had so much fun. He was sleeping peacefully when we arrived home. Greg and I headed west out to the beautiful Berkshires for the day. I enjoyed a much needed massage and facial while Greg played golf at the Cranwell resort and spa in Lenox, MA. Then Greg and I stopped for dinner in the center of town and a little shoppping before heading home. It was a little interesting on my end because I had to find time and a private place to pump milk (I brought a little cooler) for Ryan but it all worked out and we had a wonderful time.
So Ryan is teething..... a bit uncomfortable for the poor little guy :( He has been fine during the day his appetite is a little less than usual. He is drooling buckets and biting all his toys he also has a little runny nose. But at night it is a different story....so far we have enjoyed 8-10 hours of uniterrupted sleep for the past 3 1/2 months but now it is a different story. Ryan started waking in the middle of the night 2 times last week approximately 4 AM. I though nothing of it. Well the past 2 nights he has been screaming in pain waking in the night every 2 hours like clockwork. I have tried rocking, pacifier, hylands teething tabs and gel, and wet wash cloths, with minimal relief. Some of the other mommies in the playgroup have suggested Tylenol and Motrin...but I am not sure we have not had to give Ryan any medication. thus far. I will see how he does in the next few nights. I have them both on hand just in case.
On a more positive note Ryan has started crawling and he now crawls and then sits and crawls and then sits...just like his friend Caroline. He also pulls him self to sitting and standing in his crib (Yes Sarah bedtime and naptime is now a battle) If he does not want to go down he will sit himself up or pull himself to standing in the crib. He really enjoys being on the move...Good thing our house is baby proofed (pheww..just in time). I was thinking of getting a superyard for the hosue but I have to consult the mommies first.
Today Grammy and I took Ryan to the grocery store.... Ryan really enjoys riding in the shopping cart. Then we went over to Lori and Bernie's house to say hello. We also found out Ryan will soon have a little friend to chase after. Lori and Bernie are expecting Jan 1st 2008. How exciting. Lori is 9 weeks a long and feeling great. It was so nice to catch up with them. We enjoyed a fantastic Barbeque with my parents for Memorial day. It was so nice because Ryan took a nap while we all ate. Now it is time to head back to CT. And the count down begins...Daddy leaves for India in only 5 days and we are so sad. Catch up with you all soon.
Great Grampy update..... Great Grampy is finally feeling better and plans on moving back to a nursing home in Greenfield June 13. He had his 3rd bout of Pneumonia this year and this has really set him back. He had the stomach flu twice and is too frail and weak to make it back to his home. So he will move into a nursing home in Greenfield soon. We hope he stays strong for the move. He is 98 years-old and does really well for his age we are so proud of him!! Miss you all!!
Love, Ryan Alexander XOXOXO Baby Proofed!!!Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2007 at 09:21 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkSo it is official we are baby proofed! A child proof coach came out to the house today and baby proofed the entire house in a matter of 3 hours. I have to admit it was a bit expensive but with Greg's schedule it would have taken days for him to do it all. Greg and I keep laughing out loud because we are stumbling with the gates (Greg got locked upstairs), not able to use the toilet, outlets, or get into any of the cabinets. Some of the furniture in Ryan's room is even tied to the wall so Ryan can't climb on it and have it topple over on him. This guys is a genius. He was very thorough and if you need your house childproofed in one day I highly recommend him.
Ryan had asparagus yesterday and let's just say it is the one food he may not like....He kept gagging and shaking his head yet he kept opening his mouth for more. Let's just say I called that one quits I did not want him to end up spitting up from it so we will try again when he is a little older. He also became gassy/irritable about 20 minutes after the asparagus. On the other hand he loved the zucchini/summer squash tonight. Ryan has been such a good sport he has been sleeping in his pack and play for the past week. His crib had to be sent back to the manufacturer because the wood was chipping but don't worry they are replacing it with a new one. PBK has a one year guarantee on all their products and they have fantastic customer service!
Yesterday Greg and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary and we had Greg's secretary Beth come to babysit. We enjoyed a very romantic dinner at Da Pietros in Westport it was so nice to get out. We have gone to Da Pietro's in our anniversary for the past 2 years. Ryan was so great with Beth for not really knowing her . She stopped by on Tues just for a quick hello and Ryan was perfect with her. I actually fed Ryan and put him to bed when we left the house he was still awake but Beth told us he fell asleep 15 minutes after we left and slept peacefully the whole time. It was so cute Beth wanted to keep Ryan up so she could play with him..... but I told her the bedtime is a routine and Ryan sleeps really well due to the consistency. So glad to know that Ryan does so well with strangers.
Yesterday we skipped Mom's group and went to the park instead. It was too nice to be inside. Sorry we missed Caroline (Cashew). We went to five pennies park in Trumbull with some of Ryan's friends Caroline, Lorraine, and Ava. We packed a picnic lunch and played on swings for a while did you guys get the cute pictures I sent of Ryan at the park with his friends? Today we went to My Gym and Ryan had his very first train ride. He loved it....he was holding on for dear life and did not want to get off. It was so precious I wish I had taken a picture.
So we are headed back to Massachusetts for the long weekend. Greg and I are going to Cranwell Golf Resort and Spa in the Berkshires... I will go to the spa and Greg will play some golf. Maybe we will do a little shopping and go out to dinner too. Ryan will stay with his grandparents.
Well have a great memorial day weekend everyone. XOXOXO Ryan Alexander Getting more vocal!Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 at 09:20 - 0 Comments - Post Comment - LinkBababababa Hihihihi mamama dadadaaa (sort of).....these are the new words of Ryan Alexander. He has also started screaming when extremely happy. He screams when he sees his parents, his grandparents, and of course his food. He actually started reaching and grasping at his cheerios and a select few actually make in his mouth (thanks to Grammy Sharon for teaching him how to feed himself over the weekend) How exciting for Ryan to be able to finally feed himself. For the babysitter today he had his bottle, his mangoes and peaches, and his cheerios. Ryan loves to eat and he is getting bigger and bigger everyday. I can barely pick him up. No crawling yet but he gets up on all fours and reaches his arms...... no movement yet though but soon. Ryan is definitely on the move.
We had my cousin's bridal shower over the weekend. Ryan was so happy to see his Great gramma Stratton, Great Auntie Norma, Great Auntie Sally, and cousins Karen, and Jimmy. We gave them all a picture from Ryan's 6 month photo shoot. Ryan really enjoyed himself at the bridal shower and kept eyeing the food on the table.... he even tried to grab at Grammy Sharon's chocolate cake! Grammy and I took turns keeping Ryan amused with spoons from the table and stroller rides. He was quite content and napped in the car on the way there and on the way home. I was feeling a bit under the weather so I was glad to have the help from my parents. Greg, Grampy and Uncle Freddie enjoyed plenty of golfing, and bowling over the weekend while Ryan enjoyed his outing with the ladies on Sat.
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. In less than 2 weeks Daddy goes to India:( Let's hope we can survive without him..........Hugs and Kisses XOXOXO Ryan Alexander 7 Months old today....Posted on Thursday, May 17, 2007 at 08:49 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkRyan Alexander is 7 months old today! We are so proud of him - he is a such a happy baby and every day has been a joy watching him develop and grow over the past seven months. The whole family went to My Gym today. Daddy got a chance to watch Ryan in the swing and he was so happy to have his daddy there. I think Greg was smiling more than Ryan. We really enjoy our Thursday session at my gym. We are off to grammy Sharon's and grampa Fred's house tommorrow night where mommy is going to a shower for cousin Karen. I'm sure Ryan will fall asleep on the car ride there. On a sad note - today Ryan got his first real boo-boo. He was on the couch and fell over and hit his head on the coffee table. It was a chaotic morning Dylan was barking, Ryan was uphappy? teething, the plumber was here fixing a leaky shower pipe....Ryan was crying and I was crying, Greg was worried. He was so upset but recovered very quickly and was back to his happy self. We brought him over to the pediatrician who said he was fine. It is really a wake up call for us that now he is mobile we cannot leave him unattended even for just a few seconds as he can roll over and potentially hurt himself. We are so blessed to have Ryan and are glad that he is OK after his first boo-boo but we felt terrible none the less.
So just an update on the solids. Hooray Ryan is 7 months old now and can officially have teething biscuts and baby crackers, cheerios etc....So Ryan has been eating cheerios just over a week now. It is so funny he tries and tries to pick them up and self feed but he cant do it. After a while the cheerios just end up on the floor. Well yesterday he started lowering himself to the tray and he now licks the cheerios off the tray...so funny what will he do next. The question of the day at My gym today was what is your favorite food. Well I had to answer for Ryan that he loves any food and will do just about anything to get food in his mouth. .
Have a great weekend everyone! Hugs and kisses from Ryan Alexander! XOXO
Together with Family for Mother's DayPosted on Monday, May 14, 2007 at 08:17 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkSaturday night we had a Bat mitzvah to attend so our friend Michelle (who happens to be a pediatric APRN) came to babysit Ryan for the night. I was a bit nervous leaving him because Michelle had to put him to bed but he did really well. I came home between the Bat mitzvah and the reception to nurse Ryan and I actually put him in his crib for the night but he was still awake. Michelle said he fall asleep shortly after we left and sleep peacefully all night long until we returned home around 11:30 pm. I was so relieved that he did well. We are still contemplating an overnight outing where Ryan would be left with is grandparents for the night around the time of our 3 year anniversary. We will see. I will keep you updated
Yesterday Ryan and I celebrated our very first Mother's Day together with our families. It was a perfect day. I got to sleep in while Greg took care of Ryan in the morning (he is such a good daddy). Then Greg went to the grocery store to buy all the fix-ins for a cookout. Our families arrived and we had a beautiful barbecue out on the deck. Ryan was so well behaved and conveniently decided to take his afternoon nap out on the deck in his stroller while everyone ate their lunch. Greg really did a wonderful job with all the barbecuing and the other mom's brought the side dishes so I did not have to do a thing. It was great! Then we took a family walk to the park across the street to watch Ryan in the baby swing. He absolutely loves it and the higher the better. Grammie Nancy was getting nervous watching Ryan in the swing. Grammy Sharon said Ryan had a "devilish" look on his face in the swing as he giggled away. It was priceless and I captured most on video. Dylan even came to the park too despite the big sign that says No Dogs allowed..... oh well we wanted him to take part in the fun too. Ryan really enjoyed spending time with his grandparents, Uncle Freddie, Auntie Jen, and Uncle Paddy. I just wanted to thank everyone for coming to CT to share in our special day. It was truly the best mother's day ever. I love you all so much and thanks for making it so special for Ryan and I.
I wanted to share the news with everyone......Greg got an exciting new job with a small company that has a lot of potential. He is very excited and plans on leaving General Electric at the end of the month. I am very excited for him but sad at the same time because the new job involves a great deal of travel. In fact Greg will be leaving for India for training very soon. Hopefully Ryan and I will survive without Greg he is such a great husband and a wonderful father and he does so much for us I am going to really miss him while he is gone. I am so greatful to have Dylan and Ryan to keep me company while Greg is away. So greatful I have the two fo them to keep me busy.
Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. And Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there. Talk to you all soon. Miss you all. XOXOXO Ryan Alexander I'm a Big Boy Now!Posted on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 at 09:04 - 1 Comments - Post Comment - LinkHello everyone. I missed an entry over the weekend so I wanted to catch up a little. Saturday we took Ryan out to dinner with us at this great new restaurant in Fairfield called Osianna's. It is the best Mediterranean cuisine I have ever had. Greg and I both enjoyed a fresh fish entree and shared some appetizers. Ryan was so well behaved and was quite content during dinner in his red stroller while playing with his frog mobile. Greg had just ordered a coffee when he started to lose his patience so I took him out to the car to nurse him while Greg finished up. I am so happy that we are able to take him out to dinner it is such a nice break for Greg and I.
On Sunday Ryan and I participated in a 5K walk to benefit children with disabilities. It took place in Westport right on the water. Such a beautiful day a bit chilly but all in all not too bad. Some of the other moms from our mom's group participated too. We had a lot of fun and it was so nice chatting with some of the other mom's along the way. Ryan really enjoyed the walk and the cool ocean breeze.
So Ryan Alexander is becoming such a big boy now! We went to Target before mom's group to pick up a few items. I usually put Ryan in this Mei Tai baby carrier (similar to the baby bjorn baby carrier but for bigger babies) so I can have both hands free to push the cart but I realized I left it in the car Greg took to work today so I had no choice but to put him in the shopping cart. Of course you know I am a total germaphobe so I bought this shopping cart cover for Ryan to sit in. It covers the entire area so he cannot touch the germy shopping cart. Of course he had his mouth on the side of the cart thank goodness for this cover....I highly recommend it to all new moms! Anyways Ryan was in awe while riding in the shopping cart. His eyes were darting back and forth and the look on his face was absolutely priceless!! He was so happy to be so high up and he did remarkably well for his first time sitting up for that long. He did slump over to the side a few times to taste the side of the cover though. I am so glad to know he can ride in the shopping cart. It saves my back from carrying him all that time.
Today after mom's group we went for a walk around the neighborhood with puppy Dylan. It was warm out I think in the 80's here. I noticed Dylan was panting a lot and 3/4 of the way home he decided to lay down in the street under the shade of a nearby tree and he refused to take another step. So I had no choice but to carry him home. So this was a first and a bit of a challenge to carry Dylan and push Ryan in the stroller with one hand down and up a hill. But we made it home, finally. Ryan fell asleep in the stroller so Dylan and I sat out on the deck while he napped peacefully.
Dinner time was so much fun tonight. Ryan had green beans, sweet potato, and oatmeal (I was up late last night making baby food for the week). I gave him sort of a lot and of course he wanted more. It is such a guessing game with feeding Ryan. I just put food in a bowl for him and hope it is enough to hold him over. I wonder how much he would actually eat b/c he devours everything on his plate and looks at me every night begging for more. So I tried something new tonight instead of giving more of his food I decided why not try cheerios! Technically he can have finger foods and grains at 7 months which is next week so we gave it a go today. So funny ( I have it on video to share, sorry not sure how to post it yet) but he does not have the hand eye coordination yet to pick up the cheerios on his own so I would hold the cheerio in front of him and he would grab my hand and move it towards his mouth. He did this three times and then decided that was enough. He gagged twice and my heart skipped a beat (I kept saying to myself please don't choke) but he was fine. I think he might have liked the cheerios. Not sure I will have to give you an update later.
Okay sorry this entry is so long had to catch up. Tomorrow we have My Gym- should be a lot of fun. Ryan always has a great time. Talk to you all soon.
XOXOXO Ryan Alexander |
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