Changes, Changes ...

I have received feedback from my loyal followers to combine 2 weeks in Ty's life together, so that I am writing about the current week that just happened.  Since I have been posting the blog almost every Thursday or Friday, it will work.  In the beginning, I was just leaving it open in case I would write it earlier in the week.  So here goes the 2 week recap... hope it isn't too long!

Tyson's 12th week was a big one!  Many, many things happened!  First of all, I took it as a sign that the mattress for Ty's crib came in on Friday morning.  I made the executive decision that Tyson would move into his own room and sleep in his brand new crib on his 3 month birthday.  I say I made the executive decision because Heath was resistant to this.  Heath kept saying, "I don't know if this is necessary."  Then he said, "I like him in our room."  I totally agree, it was actually very traumatic to move him into his own room.  But I did not want to wait too long.  I have heard horror stories of children not being able to sleep in a room by themselves because they were kept in their parent's room too long.  I did not want that to happen.  So we gave it a go!  I cried when I left him in his crib, but amazingly, he did not!  He had been sleeping so well, that I hated to rock the boat, but it did not make any difference to him at all.  He slept 9 hours in his new bed, like nothing had changed.  I have to say that it was an adjustment for Heath & I (Ty could have cared less).  He is just across the hall, and I sleep with the monitor at my head, but it just is not the same!  Oh, my little boy is growing up!

Look at how small he looks in his big crib!

Tyson's "home" for his first 11 weeks

The changing table on top of my dresser that is no longer there )=

Just a quick side note, I agonized about which shipping I should pick when I ordered the mattress from Amazon.  I could get free shipping but it would take 5-8 business days.  I could have gotten it in 2-3 business days, but it would have cost $10 for shipping.  I really wanted it sooner than later, but I opted to be cheap and got the free shipping.  I ordered it on Wednesday night at about 11 pm and it came less than 2 days later!  Man, am I glad that I did the free shipping!

One new thing that Tyson did on that Friday was actually grab onto one of the "bugs" that hang from his play mat.  He would bat at them occasionally, but this time he hit the bug and held onto it.  He held onto it so long that I was able to get a picture to capture the moment!  Tyson has been grabbing at things more lately, especially this last week (13).  Mr. Elephant is definitely his favorite right now because he is soft and his middle is made up of celephane-like material and it crinkles when he touches it.  He loves it!  This week he was sitting on his boppy on the guest bed and had Mr. Elephant in his lap.  Well, he had started fussing and Mr. Elephant had fallen away from where he could touch him.  I gave him Mr. Elephant and he grabbed onto him and chucked him onto the floor.  He did it so purposefully!  It was so funny.  He was telling me that he was getting hungry and Mr. Elephant was not going to do anything about that!

"The" official grabbing moment!

Holding onto a few more toys...

Look at him holding his binky in... I wish he would do that more often!

Sabbath of week 12, Adam and Grammy came over for church in Concord and lunch.  Tyson did not make it through church but Grammy was happy to take him into the mother's room.  Heath, Adam, and Joel (Heath's cousin) went ice-fishing in the afternoon while Grammy had some time with Tyson.  We went out to eat that night at Uno's and had about the worst service ever.  On a high note, Tyson did well at dinner.  Tyson had a great night sleep and slept a record of 10 hours that night!  Wow!

Waking up after the "big sleep" (what I call going to bed at night)

Sunday of week 12 is a day that I would like to forget.  The Patriots lost to the Jets.  I did not see that one coming.  I really thought that this was their year to go back to the Superbowl, but alas, it was not meant to be.  At least the Jets lost in the next round.  I can't stand them.  Well, for the big game, Tyson and I headed over to Noni & Poppy's townhouse ("The Fairway").  I had him dressed in Patriots gear and wouldn't you know it, he pooped through it before the game even started!  I swear, anytime I put him in any type of cute outfit that is not pajamas, he has a blow out in record time!  It's like it is a game for him.  Tyson is definitely winning with that game.  Well, winning is what the Patriots did NOT do, but we had a nice time with Aunt Sherrie, Uncle Kevin, Noni, Poppy, Shannon and Sean.  I guess there is always next year. 

Decked out in Pats gear, all for nothing!

Doesn't he look like he is posing?

After coming back from the disappointing game, it was time to reintroduce Tyson to bottles.  He had not had a bottle since week ?3.  I would be going back to work in 2 days and we wanted to make sure that he would take a bottle for my mother.  He took it with no problem at all.  He looks so cute drinking a bottle!  His eyes get all wide and he sucks it down so fast.  We had to keep giving him breaks because he was drinking so fast.  The breaks still did not prevent him from burping and spitting up - probably because the milk comes so much faster than the boob.

Taking his first bottle in about 9 weeks like a pro

On Monday morning of week 12, Tyson was so cute!  He woke up happy in his new crib, totally obsessed with his mobile.  It is made up of trucks and he just loves it.  He wakes up grinning up at it.  Sometimes he straight out laughs at it.  And it is not even moving!  He looks so adorable in his crib - he looks tiny in that big thing!  I'm glad he was so happy on Monday, because I sure wasn't.  It was the day before I had to go back to work and I was miserable.  I seriously cried all day.  I just could not imagine leaving him.  I just thought of all the moments that I was going to miss.  It was super hard.

Grinning up at his mobile

So Tuesday, 1/18/11, was the day that I reentered the work force.  It was steady enough that I was preoccupied so I could not miss Tyson too much, but not crazy that I was losing my mind.    I was able to pump 3 times during work (the every 4 hours that I am feeding him now) and I would call and check in everytime I was pumping.  I think my mom thought that I was "checking up" on her, but I seriously just wanted to know what Tyson was doing at that exact moment!  Of course, Ty was an angel for my mother and did not cry once.  I am thankful for that, but why does he save all the bad behavior for me?  At least he cried for Heath once he relieved my mother from her duties!  At least it is just not me!  But I could not wait to get home to see Ty.  He was asleep in his swing when I got home.  I let him sleep for about 15 minutes while I ate supper and then I could not take it any longer - I had to pick him up!  My greatest fear turned into reality on the first day that I went back to work.  I do not want to miss any milestones, but I did already.  Tyson sucked his thumb for the first time while I was working.  My mother tried to catch it on camera, but Ty is very quick and it is not a great shot.  He really hasn't gone back to the thumb since, so maybe he didn't like it!

Basking in Noni's arms

The first thumb-sucking moment that I missed! )=

He had taken 4 bottles while I was gone the first day, but then nursed before bedtime with no problem.  I was relieved.  I was so worried about him rejecting the breast after taking the bottles.  But it seems to be OK so far.  He did reject the left breast completely for 2 feedings on Wednesday, for some weird reason, which nearly gave me a heart attack but that seems to have passed.  There was plenty of milk there, so I don't know if I got lotion or something on it and he didn't like the smell or taste... it was bizarre.

Lying on my legs after nursing

Thursday of week 12 brought our weekly Concord run for errands and the OG.  Tyson was cranky and Heath had to hold him throughout the whole meal.  Heath said, "maybe our time going out-to-eat is over."  But I refuse, it is seriously my most favorite thing to do!

OK, week 12 is over and now I can officially say, "this week".  Week 13 has begun!  Last Friday started week 13 off on a bad note.  Ty cried most of the day and refused to take any afternoon naps.  He only slept for two 30 minutes naps, despite being exhausted.  He would fall alseep in my arms but the minute I would put him down in his crib, he would scream.  I knew that he was tired so I decided that he was going to take a nap and that was it.  I let him cry for 5 minutes and then I would return and console him.  Then I would leave and he would cry for another 5 minutes and I would return etc.  I really thought that he would get it and go to sleep.  Are you kidding me?  The kid has a steel will.  I did that for an hour and 20 minutes.  Finally, Tyson won the battle and I gave up.  I was so mentally drained after that episode that at his next nap-time, I had him take his nap in the swing (which I have been trying not to do).  Unfortunately, he only slept 30 mintues again and woke himself up (it was not even the dog's fault this time).  I was at my wit's end.  Of course, he was even fussier than normal that night because he had not slept all day!  Because of that, I felt almost relieved to go to work the next day after all the screaming he had done.  Almost.  I said, almost. 

How could I ever want to leave this guy?

Sabbath I was at work and it was my second shift back.  On my second shift they put me back in charge all weekend.  It was super busy but we got through it.  I missed Ty desperately, even despite the bad day on Friday.  I was telling someone  how it is crazy how much they can emotionally drain you, but yet, all you want to do is still be with them!  Tyson had a good weekend with Daddy, however the house suffered immensely.  Below are the before and after pictures.  It is astounding truly.

 Before...

After...

Monday I spent the majority of the day picking up after Heath's weekend home with Ty.  I will not be looking forward to those Mondays!  Tyson took an hour and 45 minute nap in the afternoon for me - which was heavenly after the horrible nap-taking on Friday.  He truly is so erratic with the naps.  Monday night, Heath and I set back up the kitchen furniture.  I have a kitchen again!  We are getting closer and closer to being nearly done with the mess.  What a relief.  Ty cried for a good portion of this time.  We had him in the bouncer and then the swing.  I was constantly putting the binky back in after he would spit it out.  He just wanted to be held!  As soon as we were done, we picked him up and he stopped crying immediately.  Oh my.  But then, he slept another 10 hours that night.  How can I complain about anything?

A happier time in the bouncer

Wednesday I worked 9a-9p, which I thought that I was going to hate, but I actually enjoyed the shift.  That will be my regular shift every Wednesday on the next schedule.  Again, Tyson was perfect for my mother and even took a 2 hour nap in the afternoon in his crib!  Yeah!  Wednesday was an exciting day because, not only was it Corey's birthday, but she also found out that she is having a boy!  I am so excited!  Tyson will have a boy cousin that is close in age to him!  Corey has 2 girls already, so this perfect!

Thursday (today) was a pretty good day for Tyson.  He took about an hour & 15 minute nap this afternoon.  Shannon came over to visit before we headed to Concord to the OG.  Shannon & Sean did join us this week.  Tyson was a tad fussy during the meal, but I held him and he did fine.  He just is not sleeping anymore when we go out to eat!  In fact, he was awake from 3:30 until he went to bed at 10:30 and he was not too bad at all.  I don't want to jinx myself, but the last few days have been the best that he has been in weeks.  I don't want to read too much into that, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.

Happy time with Auntie Shannon

OK, I am officially caught up.  That was extensive.  Until next time, here are some more random shots of Ty.

 He really reacts now when we do funny faces in the mirror

Look at those chubby cheeks!

Smiling up at some more bugs

Tyson can't wait for the Sox to start either!

Enjoying the sling with Mommy

Enjoying the bouncer while Mom was cooking

"I just have so much fun on my play mat!"

"Mommy please pick me up"

The closed-lip smiles are so cute