Getting the hang of it...

Whenever I talk to Gran about what Asante is doing, she is always so excited, and says "He is getting the hang of it!"  This statement could not be more true of Asante eating solid foods :-)

We started him on rice cereal on Tuesday, the 27th of November.  He didn't hate it, but just didn't know what to do with it.  After a few minutes of us trying to get him to "eat" he had had enough!  The next few days he did better, but still wasn't sure about what we were trying to do.  My mom suggested using our finger instead of a spoon, and that made a huge difference.  Asante isn't so good with change, and I think all of it was too much at once.  He did a lot better when I used my finger, because it was more like play time! He still only ate a little before he got tired. 

Ready to start eating!

Such a sad face

After Asante's 4 month check up (December 4th) we tried out regular baby food.  It was perfect timing, because Grammy sent us a baby bullet to make our own baby food.  We read about what foods are best for first time eaters, and decided we would start with bananas. He liked bananas much better, and after just a few times he ate a whole serving!

Baby Bullet!!

Trying bananas for the first time

 

We are taking it slow, and he is really "Getting the hang of it".



4 Months

Asante has changed so much in the last month! He is such a happy boy, always smiling and "talking".  It is so much fun :-) He also is very strong willed, and doesn't hesitate to let you know if he doesn't like something.  He is feeling almost 100% better, still has a little stuffy nose, but it doesn't seem to bother him! Now that he is feeling better, his appetite has gone through the roof.  He is up to 6oz bottles of formula in one sitting.  He usually eats around 30oz in a day! He almost always sleeps through the night, and if he does wake up, he usually falls back to sleep after a few minutes on his own.  We start bedtime around 9pm, and he is usually asleep in the crib by 9:30pm and sleeps until around 6-6:30am.  His new daycare has been wonderful, and I could not be more thankful for that! We do a lot of tummy time, and he is starting to move around.  He will turn in circles when he is both on his back and on his tummy.  He rolled over in his crib on the 26th! But hasn't done it since, so I'm hoping that will come soon.  Another new thing is cereal! We started rice cereal at nights on Tuesday 11/27.  He doesn't have it figure out just yet, but we are getting there :-) Next Tuesday is his 4 month check up, and we are going to talk about starting him on baby food…. its going to be a fun month!!

Koda loving on his brother

Thanksgiving 2012

This year was our first year hosting Thanksgiving! Also, our first one with our own little Turkey! We had a great week/weekend, and really enjoyed spending some QT with family and friends.  Gran and Aunt Ang got in town Wednesday evening, and picked Asante up from daycare. Once I was off work we started cooking for Thanksgiving dinner.  Ang and I made a pie, and Amar started his chitlins. It was great to just hang out, we miss them so much! Thursday was of course busy, we finished cooking and ate around 4pm.  We had about 10 people; it was perfect.  Thursday night Andrea and I hit the black Friday sales.  Even though we didn't end up buying anything, it was good to have some sister time.  Amar worked on Friday, so Asante, Gran, Aunt Ang and I did some more shopping :-) Friday afternoon, Auntie Kaleigh came to visit.  She is the first of my friends to come visit us since we moved, and we were all so happy she was there!! My family left early Sunday morning, and I was so sad to see them go.  The good news is they will be back in one month for Christmas :-)

This week we have started putting out Christmas decorations, and getting into the holiday spirt! I am really looking forward to Asante's first Christmas :-)

Our little Turkey

Wonderful Thanksgiving spread

The real turkey

Gran and Asante after dinner

Nap time!

Love my little family

Just hanging out

Asante with his beautiful Aunite Kaleigh

Videos!

I just realized how easy it is now to upload videos.... So here are a few!

Smiling for the first time

 

Tummy Time... I'm going to get that duck!

 

Reaching for the giraffe

 

Such a sleepy baby

RSV

Well, Little Man has RSV, which caused bronchiolitis! He has had a stuffy/runny nose for about a month, but as of last Friday he started coughing.  Most of the babies at his daycare had a cold, so when his cough wasn't better by Thursday (11/15/12), we decided we should take him to see Dr. Cosgrove.  It is a good thing we did, because Asante was struggling to breath and his oxygen levels were low! He had two breathing treatments right away.  Thank the Lord, he responded well, and we were able to go home.  In some cases babies have to be admited to the hospital and even put in the NICU.  Dr. Cosgrove gave us a perscription to continue the breathing treatments at home and a steriod. We have to do the breathing treatments every 4 hours for the first 3 day, then every 6 hours for 2 days, then every 8 hours for 2 day and finally every 12 hours for 2 days. We are on day 5. Today is our follow up appointment, so hopefully everything is going well!  

He was a champ at the doctor's and didn't mind his breathing treatments at all... he even fell asleep!

His little turtle breathing mask is so stinkin' cute!



Asante talking about his rough day!

Three Months

Little Man is already three months (November 2nd) I have no idea how or when this happened.  All I can say is that we are so blessed to have such a wonderful little boy.  He is still not the best sleeper, but he is getting better, and we are adjusting! Asante started at a new daycare, that we all love! his teacher's name is Ms. Lena, and Asante can't get enough of her! As soon as we get there in the morning, and he hears her voice, he starts looking around for her and smiling. It melts my heart.  Dropping him off is so much easier when I feel so good about who is watching him :-) One bad thing about daycare is that all the kids share germs! Asante has had a little bit of a stuffy nose for about a month, and has now developed a cough. Hopefully it goes away on it's own, and for now we are just watching to make sure it doesn't get worse!

 

We took him in to get weighed on the 6th, and he weighed 11lbs, 11oz.  He is gaining weight, but not at the same rate he has been.  Dr. Cosgrove suggested supplementing him with formula after I nurse him.  I can't produce enough pumping during the day so we have been giving him half formula/half breast milk bottles during the day.  Now when he is home we do the same.  Some bottles we even do all formula.  He is doing pretty well with formula; I think it is harder for me than him!  His next appointment is December 4th, so hopefully he is back on track by then :-)  

 

Asante is so alert, and he watches everything! He still loves his play mat and has started to really enjoy tummy time.  He is so strong, and will sit there holding his head up for at least 20 minutes before getting tired!  However, his all time favorite thing to do is watch football with Daddy! They have watched every K-State game together this year, and I guess it's good luck because K-State is undefeated!

Asante on his 3 Month Birthday

After a long day at daycare

Just chillin, watch football with Daddy!

Tummy Time

 

Halloween 2012

This year Halloween wasn't that eventful, but we still dressed up and decorated! Of course Asante isnt't old enough to trick or treat, so we just hung out at the house and passed out candy.  I do have to say he was one cute banana!!

Barack the Vote

Yesterday, November 6, 2012, was election day.  Asante's daycare closed for a half day to allow their employees to vote, and thankfully, I work for an employer that allowed me to take a half day as well!  I had a little car accident last Saturday, so it was a perfect chance to take my car in for an estimate.  Of course, Asante was great and pretty much slept the whole time! After our appointment at the body shop, we had an appointment to have Asante weighed with his pediatrician.  He weighs 11 lbs, 11 oz (he is down a little in percentage, but more on that in a later post).  After our busy morning it was time to hit the polls!  We went at the right time, and only had to stand in line around 20 minutes :-) After casting our votes we went home, had dinner, and settled down to watch the election coverage.  It was way past our bedtime, and Asante and I fell asleep on the couch.  Thankfully Daddy stayed awake and woke us up to tell us Obama had officially won the election, and that it was time for bed! It was a close race, but we Baracked the Vote... 4 more years!!     

How Asante spent most the time at our appointments

Casting our vote at the polls

Watching the election coverage



First Scare

We made it two months, two weeks before we had our first trip to the ER.  Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing serious!!

 

We have gotten a lot of notes from Asante's daycare saying he seems to be in pain, spitting up a lot and not eating/sleeping very well.  We hadn't noticed these things at home, so didn't think much about it.  However, Monday night Asante threw up after his Daddy gave him his bottle.  (We have started him on one bottle at night of formula, to try to help him sleep) He was not upset at all, but most of the formula, if not all of it, came back up and went every where!  Since Asante didn't seem bothered we didn't worry about it, and went to bed as normal.  The following morning when I was nursing Asante before I left for work, he threw up again.  He has never done that while nursing, so that is when we became a little concerned.   We decided it would be best to call his doctor, and just see what they thought.  The doctor we spoke with told us to go to the emergency room and have him looked at.  She thought it could be an issue with his esophagus and we needed to have an ultrasound done.  Asante and I headed to the ER.  Pawpaw met us there, because Amar had to work.  After hours of waiting, we finally had the ultrasound.  The results came back normal, and everything in his little tummy look perfect :-)  The doctor thought it was most likely acid reflux, and that we should try feeding him in more of an upright position.  He also suggested that we try a different type of formula, and see if that helps.  We have a follow up appointment with Asante's pediatrician, Dr. Cosgrove, on Friday.  We shall see what he says, and go from there!

He was a sleepy boy after being in the ER for so long

 

Daycare

 

Mama's Boy

Asante has been going to day care for 3 weeks now; however, this was his first full week.  The day care is called Child Time, and it was the only place that let us do part-time for an infant (not that we need it now).  The ladies who work in the infant room are very nice, and I'm sure they do a wonderful job with the babies.  With that being said, it has been so hard for me to leave Asante there.  It has great being back at work, and I really like my job, but I wish I could be with my baby all the time.  I worry about him none stop throughout the day... is he happy, are they holding him, does he eat and nap ok for them?  I cannot wait to get off so I can pick him up, I miss him so much during the day.  I know that daycare is good for kids, and will be really good for Asante because he got use to being held all the time thanks to our families, but I can't help but feel like he would be better off with Mommy or Daddy :-( I'm sure there will come a time when I cannot wait to take him to daycare, or school or just have some one watch him for a few hours so I can have a little me time; I'm just not there yet!

Asante in his new bouncer

 

Overdue Meeting

Asante went on his first trip September 11th.  Where better to go than Kansas! The two of us flew there on the 11th, and Amar joined us on the 15th.  It was so good to see our family and friends. There are so many people who love Asante that he finally got to meet! Asante had a little bit of a rough time, he was just in an unfamilar place, and was a little stressed out.  We made it through, and I'm so glad we went! We had a busy week. We got in Tuesday afternoon; Great Grams picked us up from the airport and we went and saw her new duplex, and meet Susie.  Then we went to Mimi and Papa's, where we stayed for the week.  Wednesday we went to lunch with Aunt Annie, Uncle Ryan and Cousin Liam.  Then had dinner with them, and the Margherio's that evening.  Thursday we went to lunch with my friend Katherine. After lunch I had a hair appointment so Asante spent the afternoon with Mimi and Aunt Annie.  Thursday evening we went to see Grammy.  Friday Asante and I went to the Kansas City Zoo with my best friend (and Asante's God-Mother), Jenna and her daughter (my God-Daughter), Hallie.  Friday evening, all my best friends came over, Aunt Lizzie, Aunt Kirsten and Aunt Kaleigh.  Saturday morning we went to pick up Daddy from the airport, then had pictures taken with Angela.  After pictures we went to the McCormkick McCormick and Schmick's in Kansas City to get the Chocolate Bag, since they don't have it in Indy :-( After the bag we went to Aunt Thu and Uncle Matt's house.  They were kind enough to have my whole family over, so Asante could meet everyone at the same time.  He met Uncle Matt and Aunt Thu, Cousin Leah and Cousin Michael, Uncle Brian and Aunt Gay.  Sunday we went to Gran's house, where Asante met Aunt Alison, Uncle Mark and Cousin Kristen.  He also met my girlfriends significant others, Michael and Ryan.  We flew home Monday evening.  Asante was a champ on both flights, he didn't even wake up once! It was a great trip, and I can't wait to go back so Asante can see everyone again!

First plane ride

Asante and his Great-Grandma, Mimi

Asante with his Great-Grandpa, Papa

Uncle Ryan, Cousin Liam and Asante at Salty Iguana for lunch.  Liam was giving Asante hugs :-) 

Finally got good Chinese Food with Katherine

Trip to the KC Zoo

Asante and Aunt Jenna at the zoo

Hallie could not get enough of Baby Asante, and she was such a good helper

Asante and his Aunties

McCormick and Schmick's (where Daddy proposed)

Lenexa Janes'

Uncle Brian with Asante

Uncle Michael

Uncle Ryan

Of course we saw Grammy while we where in town :-)

And Gran too

First Anniversary

Amar and I celebrated our one year anniversary on September 10th.  It has been a crazy year, with so many firsts, and I am so blessed to have gone through it all with my best friend, and the man of my dreams!  

He surprised me with dinner reservations at McCormick and Schmick's downtown.  It is our favorite restaurant, and he proposed at the one in Kansas! After dinner we walked around downtown Indianapolis.  Thanks to PawPaw for watching Little Asante, we were able to have an evening out just the two of us!