Awesome October

Blaise had a pretty good cold for almost all of September. I'd taken him into the dr mid-month because I already thought it seemed like he had it awhile and couldn't kick it. They started him on amoxicillin. We made up a game where we stood by the bathroom sink and after he took his medicine he got to use the syringe to squirt water at the bathroom mirror. It worked getting to take his meds! At the end of ten days he started running a fever again so back to the dr and this time a stronger antibiotic. Still not much for improvement on the cold. After ten days again started running a fever again. This time I was in treynor so I took him to a children's urgent care. Finally after almost eight weeks with a terrible cold they prescribed a third antibiotic that helped kick it. At children's we learned that he still weighs around 27 lbs, he had an X-ray of his lungs and his oslxugen sats were around 82- not bad but I'd like to see higher. I'll blame it on his cold. 

He is now better and just got his flu shot this week. He did awesome just a few tears but was a super big boy!!

We've spent quite a few weekends in treynor in October and Blaise totally loves farming and helping with harvest. He will ride in the combine for hours, eat in it, nap in it etc. he definitely has farming in his blood and can tell you exactly about everything. We went to boo at the zoo one night and did a little trick or treating and Blaise got his face painted and did his first bounce house. We also went to halloween at bass pro shop. The kids and I went trick or treating on main st in Oakland. Blaise was a cho-cho Thomas the train. He told everyone what he and sutton were. Sutton was a clown wearing my first halloween costume I wore that my grandma c made me. Sutton was just two days younger than me wearing it. 

Blaise and I had dentist appointments and Blaise faired much much better than me. 

Sutton absolutely hates her car seat and screams the whole time she is in it. She still gets up around 3 and 6 at night. For awhile we thought she only turned her head one way but she is fine now. She screams during tummy time and Hayes it so we don't do it much. Her new thing is screeching/talking very loudly all the time, she brings her hands together and chews on them lots. We've also gotten her to giggle starting the middle of the month. Mike was home for two days and got her to really giggle the first time. 

Dad's home

September recap!

IWell here we almost two months after my last post! Mike left September 3rd to do his fall trucking runs and hasn't been home since. Being a single mom if two is hard work leaving no time to update the blog. 

I'll try and catch up from where I left off. Sutton was baptized on August 24th on her dad's birthday. Her godparents are Uncle Tyler and Aunt Jenna. We had a great day and she slept through it with just a little flinch when the water was poured on her. 

Labor Day weekend we decided to do a quick family vacation to the nebraska state fair. We went out on Sunday, spent the night in the hotel and went for a while on Monday. Blaise loved staying in a hotel. He was into everything and slept in bed with mike and I. Sutton did good. Both kids did excellent at the fair watching a few livestock shows, pig races, riding on a roller coaster. 

Mike headed out right after we got back. The next weekend the kids and I headed to Des Moines for cousin Everett's baptism. The next Monday I started back to work. Thankfully it was a pretty easy transition. About the 7th or so of September Sutton really started smiling and talking and cooing. She loved just being laid on the floor and left alone to coo and smile. 

While I'm at work Jessie babysits for both kids and it works out great . At sutton's two month appointment she weighed 9 lbs 11 oz. was in the 12% for weight and around 50% for length and head circumference. She typically gets up around twice a night.

Blaise had a dr appointment for developmental clinic where the evaluate how he is doing by several different doctors. He finally weighed 26 lbs at this appointment!! He actually went through all the tests without a single tear. His pulse ox was around 83, that is ok but if prefer upper 80's. He thought he was playing the whole time he was evaluated! They determined he is right on course for normal two year old. I was even surprised at some things he knew!!

One weekend at my parents we were able to go see antique tractors at carstens farm and see hot air balloons at an apple orchard. 

Blaise's vocabulary has really taken off. Some of the things he says amazes me and cracks me up. His memory is flat out unbelievable. He'll remember stuff from long time ago out of the blue. It's fun because just recently Blaise and sutton have really started to enjoy each other. Blaise talks to her (and messes either sd is naughty) all the time .she follows him around the room and is always looking for him. He calls her sutton na/nay aka sutton Renee. He also tells you his name is Blaise Hartwell. 

She does very good st holding up her head and does it hb herself now . She started really talking and cooing the weekend of sept 6th. 

Last weekend we went to river city roundup. The kids and I stayed in a hotel room for two night . Blaise just absolutely loved the rodeo. He sat and watched it so good and yelled bucking bulls lots! He called it the horse show and was totally obsessed with it!!

First smiles!

Ice cream at state fair

State fair

Riding Ferris wheel

Two months on sept 10

Woah! Being a mom of two has been very busy! We are getting the swing of it, so I'm finally getting around to updating again.

Blaise and Sutton are doing good. Blaise is such a big helper when it comes to being a big brother. Sutton has been refered to as "that baby" a puppy and a monkey. He is coming around, and often gives her kisses and tells her "I love you Sutton". Melts my heart!  He likes to tell me when the baby's eyes are open, what she is looking at and that the baby is talking. He wants to pick her up, hold her, change her diaper etc. etc. I've decided she is more of a toy/entertainment piece for him than anything. She's getting used to the prodding and bumping and roughness from her big brother.

After originally having weird tempertatures, we decided that was probably just how she was going to be, and stopped worrying about it. At her two week appointment she had gained back her birth weight and weighted 6 lbs 7 oz. She is now 5 weeks old, and I'm estimating that she weights in the neighborhood of 8.5 lbs. She isn't a great nurser, she falls asleep. She has also been very fussy. Likes to cry a lot and has spells at night of two hours or more of constant crying. It seems like she has lots of gas and problems passing it. We've just started her on some reflux medicine and will see if that helps. I think she would sleep through the night if I'd let her. I'm always waking her up to eat.  As of today, we have worn our first 3 month and not newborn outfit. When she isn't sleeping and awaking and not fussing it's fun to see her coo and a little personality.

The Saturday after she was born we took a day trip to see our new newphew/cousin Everett. It was fun getting all the kids together, comparing and getting pictures. Blaise, Sutton and myself spent a few days at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's the week after when dad was gone trucking for a few days.  Blaise LOVES the farm. He does great hanging out with Papa by himself now and he did great eating lots of sweet corn off the cob. We took him to my county fair Westfair and he enjoyed it.

The Hartwell clan from Aberdeen and GG Glenn were all here for the county fair. We did it all! Lots of long days but it was fun. Sutton was a great trooper, slept most of the time in her stroller. Blaise rode some carnival rides and thought they were the greatest. He also showed his very first calf in the pee wee showman. Karly Cull helped him show her calf, and he was never scared, smiling from ear to ear as he walked in the ring. Oh boy, here we go- I see lots of cattle shows in our future!

We also spent a few more days down in Treynor- Sutton and Blaise got to see their cousin Everett again and we had a good time together. Recently we've all gone to a wedding together and survived, as well as our first Applebee's outing and grocery store trip. We've made it to church twice.

I'm going to make some general milestone marks for both kids:

Blaise: current favorite words include: Tomorrow: Why: Babies Eyes are Open: County Fair
He is scared of Kitty's in his room at night. He has actually done a little better eating this past week. He would live outside if he could. He loves his "neighbors" Brady and Maycie. He potties on the potty every once in a while, knows where we are going on car rides, pretends to count. He tries do sing and do patty cake with Sutton's feet.

Sutton: likes to cry. a lot. She has a little bit of baby acne right now. She usually sleeps without a swaddle at night, and has lots and lots of gas we are trying to figure out. She has been constipated, and finally some prune juice worked for her. She still has all of her newborn hair.

Sutton Renee

It's been a whirlwind past few days. We have lovingly welcomed our gift from God, daughter Sutton Renee into our family. She is perfect. I'll share the story as quickly as I can.

Wednesday I had my regular OB appointment. Mike and Blaise tagged along so we could go out to eat afterwards for a belated birthday supper for me. My birthday was Tuesday the 8th. Dr. Devries said all looked good at the appointment, checked me and said the head was very low and could cause uncomfortableness.  We met my mom and brother at Texas Roadhouse that night, and they took Blaise home with them so that he could spend the night and day Thursday at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's house- the last time before he was a big brother. I had a C-section scheduled for Tuesday July 15th at noon. At my appointment Dr. Devries also made a few comments that he was on call this weekend and he would see me Tuesday for the C-section if not before. I kindly told him I'd see him Tuesday. Thursday I came home from  work and the plan was to head to the Blair/ Mo Valley area to meet my parents and get Blaise back. I got home from work and felt kind of miserable. I cried to Mike that there was no way I was going to make it until Tuesday and I was going to call into work and say I couldn't come in on Friday or Monday. I had gone to the bathroom, but kept thinking I was wetting my pants. I never had a big pop or gush of water like my water was breaking. I figured the head was low enough I was having bladder control problems. I called into Dr. Devries and he agreed telling me to just watch it for awhile. Well, it kept happening. It was after-hours by now and I called the nurse hot line and they suggested coming into the hospital to have it checked out. Mike and I decided to do this since we kind of had to go to Omaha anyway to get Blaise. The whole way in I was convinced I was just wetting my pants and that my water hadn't broken. We got to the hospital and yes, my water had broke and I was in labor.  They called Dr. Devries and he said he would be there in 45 minutes to do the C-section.

All went well with the C-section. When the doctor held up the baby to Mike and said "what is it" Mike responded with oh s#$%, and I said it must be a girl!  Sutton weighed 6 lbs 6 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long and was born at 9:02 p.m. We both did well through the whole thing.

The next day Blaise got to meet his new sister and he loved her right away giving hugs and kisses and could say her name and sister very well.

To make things even more exciting my sister Jenna had her baby less than 36 hours later, on Saturday, a little boy named Everett William. Her water also broke. Crazy that we were due 3 days apart and we both had our water break two weeks early and they ended up so close together!

We are adjusting quite well at home. She had a follow up appointment on Monday at her pedi and had gained back 2 ounces of the birth weight she lost. She is a very easy-going relaxed baby that sleeps ninety percent of the time. Blaise is doing okay adjusting, he wants to help with everything related to the baby, refers to the baby as a puppy or monkey when asked, and does not want mom or dad to leave his side. He is pretty clingy.

Sutton had a little bit of jaundice right after birth, but after having her blood tested on Monday, they have decided she is doing fine. She is also having trouble regulating her body temp, as it is always low- running in the 97 or lower range. We have kept her bundled up like an eskimo with hats and multiple blankets.  Today after checking her temp, it was at 96.6 again, so the pedi requested we got o Fremont hospital for blood tests. We just heard they came back normal! Praise the Lord! We are just working on getting her to stay awake for longer than 15 minutes during feeding. 

Thanks for all the prayers and well wishes!

Almost time

 Its a girl

 Welcome to the world

 Holding my baby girl for the first time

 First bath

 Blaise meeting Sutton for the first time

 Our family

 Time to head home