Where does the time go!!

MAN!! I cannot believe that we have a 7 1/2 week old!!! It feels like he has been here SO much longer!!!!

So Ethan had his 1 Month photoshoot and he was not in the celebratory mood in the morning... obviously from the pic below :) But by the afternoon he cheered up and I was able to get some super cute pics!!!

Ryan watched Ethan while I went to dinner with 2 girlfriends :) Hello old friends :)

Here are some of my Favorite pics over the last 7 weeks!!

Look who can hold his rattle.....

 Really excited about the Texans game... they won!

Nanny watched me so Mommy and Daddy could go watch the Texans.... lose......

Well hello :)

 Milk Coma

He LOVES Bath time

Hey Baby....

How YOU doin'????

WHAZZZZZZUPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!! Definitely his daddy's son!

My brother, Adam, moved to Houston 3 weeks ago!!! I am super excited to have some of my sde of the family so close and I am glad that Ethan will get some Uncle Adam time!!! BUT the move was not al joyful....... :( My parents came down to help him move from Austin to Houston and to get settled in his new place. While leaving to go eat lunch my mom slipped on wet tile in an apartment hallway and broke her arm :( She went to the ER and got a temporary cast put on and a sling :( that night she and my dad came and stayed with us. That next week she went to the doctor to confirm that it was indeed broken by the elbow and she needed surgery and a couple months of rehab after that :( BOOOO poor Mimi!!!

During the day it seems like I do NOTHING......... if you looked at the state our house is in..... but i am constantly doing SOMETHING........... a stay at home mom is a hard job!!! I love being home with my little man, but i also LOVE being busy, having a schedule, and interacting with others!!! Now that he is getting older, the interacting with other swill get a little bit easier.

I went and checked out the daycare he will be attending starting in March. He will be going to Ryan's church's day school where is cousins have all gone and 2 still attend now. He will be in a class with a maximum of 9 infants and 3 teachers. However, some infants only come 2x a week, so many days its less..... the day i visited there were only 3 little girls. Ethan will be one of two boys in the class with 7 girls - studs already!!! They are very attentive, caring, and i feel very confident that Ethan will be in good hands!!

We went on our first family walk!!!

Today he went to get his shots :( so sad!!! I think I cried as much as he did!! But he was a big boy and only cried for about 1 minute! He weighed in at 12 pounds and .4 ounces and measured 23 1/2 inches long!!! Such a big boy!! He also got a prescription for baby Zantac to help with some reflux issues he has been having.

Tough guy with his 3 Wolverine band aids!

I can say that he has been such a blessing!! He had been sleeping from around 9:30-10 pm till about 5am each night!!! He really only cries if he is dirty, hungry, or wants to cuddle...... i really never have to give him a pacifier, nor does he act like he really wants one, because he is never "just fussy"!!! He is really only fussy in the evenings, between dinner and bath time, i think because he is tired. Speaking of dirty...... this kid can put grown mens farts to SHAME!!!! its amazing the noises that can come from such a small kid!!!! Its a constant game of "Was that gas........... or it is time to throw on the biohazard suit? But with a face like this......... who cares :)

Things Ethan loves so far

The bath - this kid would sit in the bath all day if he could - and he is not happy when he realizes he is being taken out

The car- like most kids he zonks out as soon as the car is in motion

The hair dryer - i don't know what it is, maybe he was used to the noise from in the womb, but he will pass out in less than 5 minutes if you turn on a hair dryer. Its out go to method if he is fighting sleep

The swing - he likes to just chill and look at himself in the mirror and swing...... vain already :)

Laps - he loves making laps with Daddy around the house if he is fighting sleep, just staring into daddys blue eyes, his carbon copy!

Baby's First Christmas!!!

 I cannot believe we have a little one this Christmas! I have never felt so truly blessed!!

We stayed in Houston for Christmas and celebrated Christmas Eve and Day with Ryans family. It was a great time, and the little man received so much love!!! Once again, I am reminded how exceptionally blessed I am to have married into such a loving and supportive family. They truly make me feel so special, included, and valued as a member of their family. They all also ADORE Ethan!!! So even though I missed my Dallas family SO MUCH, my Houston family is amazing!

Christmas Eve!!

 Christmas Morning!!

Speaking of amazing, my parents and brothers came down to celebrate Christmas with us Thursday and my dad and brothers stayed till that Sunday. It was so great to be able to see them all at the same time!!! I love my family so much!!! My mom stayed for a week with us to help me and spend time with Ethan. It was great having her here to help share her baby wisdom and just to hang out! It really is true that you do not appreciate the fabulous people you call parents until you are older and can truly appreciate the amazing people that they are and the qualities they instilled in you. On New Years Eve we took Ethan and my MOm to hang out at Ryans moms house so we could go to a party for a couple of hours! Our first BIG event since the baby was born! I didn't partake in any wine yet...... want to wait a little bit longer..... but i do miss my old friend.... :)

Home Sweet Home

This week Ryan took off work to spend time with us at home. Ethan has been a DREAM baby! He sleeps, eats, and is rarely fussy... so far!

On Wednesday we had our first doctors appointment! At birth Ethan weighted 8 lbs 7 oz. When we left the hospital he was down to 7 lbs 10 oz. This is not uncommon, babies always lose some weight after they are born. At the doctor he had already gained weight and was at 7 lbs 13.5 oz. My milk also came in on Wednesday so i am sure he will really start packing on the pounds now! The doctor said he was in the 55% for head circumference and weight... but 97% in length at 21 1/4 inches!!!!!!!! this kid is long! Now i know why i always felt like he was literally pushing on me all the time!!! He didn't have any room!!!

We have been waking up every 3 hours to feed him, midnight, 3am, and 6 am........ so by the time we wake him up, change him feed him and put him back down, its 2 hours of sleep before we wake up and do the whole routine over again! Ryan has been a great support system! Cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, i couldnt have asked for a better husband/daddy!!!

Speaking of Daddy.... Ethan looks more and more like Ryan each day!!! NO need for the Maury show here!!

Saturday we had his newborns pictures done! I cant wait to see them all!! Destiny, our photographer, was so great and patient with him!!! She came to the house and spent 4 hours making sure we got soe great shots!!!She sent us a couple of sneak peaks!!!!

I know he is only 12 days old, but it feels like he has been here for such a longer time than that!!! 

But i have 1 word.... DIAPERS!!!!! Who knew a little baby could go through this many diapers in only 12 days!!! Its crazy!!! We should buy some stock in Pampers/Proctor & Gamble!!! 

These past 2 weeks we have had many visitors come by to see the little man and bring us food, presents for the little man, diapers etc... we are so blessed to have such caring people in our lives!!! Ryans work also sent us a Mrs. Fields cookie basket... YUMMY!!!!!

This second week, i have been home with Ethan by myself, and man it hasn't been that bad!!! I mean besides feeling like a milk machine... all he does is poop, sleep, and eat! I know everyone says sleep when the baby sleeps...... but i just can't! i just lay there....... maybe eventually it will happen....

Feeling so blessed!!!

38 weeks and 5 days........ Hello Ethan!

Well a lot has been going on this past week!!!

On Monday we went to the doctor and we set an induction date for December 10th. Since the baby was already measuring so big, they didn't want to wait till 40 weeks, because he could possibly be 9-10 pounds.... UMMMMMMM ouch...... But she stripped my membranes, just in case, to see if maybe i would go into labor on my own without having to be induced. I was already 3 cm dilated and I know tons of people who had their membranes stripped and it didn't work for them so i wasn't to concerned...

So after that the reality that it was my last week at school and we would be welcoming out little one in a week freaked me out!!! There was still so much to do! BUT i did like the idea that it was a set date, planned and I wouldn't have to rush or worry about my parents making it down from Dallas. There wouldn't be any panic, or unknown, we would wake up, get ready, and go to the hospital MOnday morning. For those of you who know me, know that the whole idea of having a set plan was GREAT because i like to have things planned out...... to bad things go always go to plan... haha! So i limited my activity, ate bland foods, and did as little laking as possible because i did NOT want to go out before Friday... i was already leaving school a week earlier than planned.... i didn't want to go out even earlier!!!

I said goodbye to my kiddos and it was very surreal that i would not see them again till March..... it felt weird....

Friday, December 7th, we went to dinner with some friends at Lupe Tortilla down the street. Since I had made it to Friday I ate all the jalepenos I wanted, thinking, im done with work so if I go into labor, no big deal, but  didn't really believe the whole spicy food thing..... haha We arrived back home around 8:30-9:00 and watched an episode of Big Bang Theory. Then at around 10 i decided i was tired and was going to bed, and left Ryan on the couch. I took of my make up, put on my PJs and climbed into bed........ well about 10 minutes later i felt this overwhelming sense of water..... like i had to pee.. overcome be and i literally JUMPED/FELL out of bed and made it to the first tie of the bathroom and SPLASH... my water broke....... WEll just a little FYI for those of you have never had your water break... its not like TV where its just a splash and done..... it keeps on going.... and going.... so anyways... i was in shock.... what IS THIS!!!! I had always discussed with my doctor about how close do my contraction need to be before i call, what do they feel like, etc... but we never discussed my water breaking... i didn't know what to do!!! I wasnt contracting or anything... so i stumbled and got Ryan and had him call his sister who is a nursery nurse at a hospital and she told us we needed to call the doctor and head to the hospital..... well by this point i was shaking... it was happening... what about my PLAN!!!!!! I mean we had bags packed, but we unpacked them each night so we could use out stuff... so while Ryan is gathering up our bags, getting dressed and loading the car, i did what every normal person does.... i stood their and put my make up back on...... REALLY!!! haha i guess if my plan was out the window i was at least gonna look good!!! We called my parents, my mom had just taken a sleeping pill, and told them it was time to get in the car and leave!!! Then we got into the car for the last time as a family of two and drove to Methodist Hospital.

We arrived and were checking into our room at 11:15, my water had broke at 10:15... we made good time! They hooked me all up and we settled in for our stay and awaited what was next! Ryans family started arriving and my parents arrived at 3:am... they made good time too!!! They had started me on Pitocin, a low dose, and my contractions were pretty constant, but bare bearable. However, i started to get the shakes pretty bad and was nervous i wouldn't be able to be still for the Epideral, so we decided to go ahead and get it....... The doctor came in and i told him that my last 2 vertebrate were fused to my pelvis, just to let him know, he said ok no problem we normally dont go that low anyways.. so he gave me some litocain.... OUCH.... then he began to find a spot.... and looked... and poked.. and looked and poked.... i could tell things weren't going right, i could tell my the blunt feelings i felt, and the body language of my nurse..... The doctor then said he kept hitting bone and was afraid that my vertebrates were fused higher up and he couldnt find break...PANIC PANIC PANIC....... i started freaking out... OMG im not gonna get an epideral.... i can't do this!!!!!!! Then he finally found a spot..... THANK GOD!!!! he set me up, and left and i asked the nurse.. so does it normally take that long.. and she said umm no.. thats the longest ive ever seen it take... of course!! only me! haha

so the epideral set in and i was dilated at about a 6cm when i got it. About an hour to two hours after i go the epideral, i started getting the shakes again... they said its your body reacting to labor and some get it worse than others... well I was violently shaking and then i couldn't feel my throat and my tongue went numb and it was hard for me to breath...... so they had the epideral guy come in and he made sure it wasnt anything to do with that, and then they put my on oxygen because i started hyperventilating... i dont know of i passed or or went to sleep, but woke up a time later and was better... but i REALLY thought i was about to die.... scary!!!

Then things were pretty normally after that, they would come in and move my position about every 30 minutes because Ethan would be good, then he would decide he wasn't happy and his heart rate would start to drop so they would move me and then he'd be good.... then be unhappy again.... back and forth....... then the time came to start pushing..... which wasn't as scary i thought.. because you cant feel anything! haha! SO we had asked my mom and his mom to be in the room so we went to get them and then it was ON! I pushed for about an 1- 1/2 and then out popped our little angel... well i say popped.. but my mom and Ryan said he like FLEW out!

After that its kinda blur, cleaning the baby, fixing me, cutting the cord, and holding him for the first time!! It was such a surreal experience, and having him wasn't like anything i thought it was going to be, no yelling, no crying, just a calm experience... it was very surreal!!

 My little man!!

Father and Son!!

Our Family of Three

Meeting his cousins!!!

Watching the Texans and Cowboys game with Daddy

Already a poser!!!

Friends coming to visit!!!

He was born on December 8, 2012 at 1:28pm and weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 21 1/4 inches long :) It still blows my mind that all that fit inside me!!! Ethan and my mom now share a birthday! The rest of the day was spent with family and friends all coming to see the little angel. The first night it was so hard for me to sleep because i couldn't stop looking at him! he was so alert and cute!!! the next day we woke up, got my comfortable breastfeeding and spent more time with family and friends. That night, the second night, was bad.... and id heard the second night wasn't good so i was prepared.. but he just cried for FOREVER!!!! The nurse came in and tried to help us, the nursery nurse tried to help us, but nothing helped! So the nursery took him for 3 hours... although i didn't sleep while he was gone.... it made me anxious!!! Monday Ethan was circumcised..... that was the only time i cried at the hospital..... and I didn't even look at it!! But just knowing what happened made me so upset!!! Around 3 that afternoon we were discharged to take our little man home!!! My parents had been staying at our house and had a roast in the crock pot waiting for us as we adjusted to being home and Ryans family came over as well!

                                                                       Heading home!!!

We are so blessed to have such amazing family and friends surrounding us in this exciting time!!! Ethan is one lucky GUY!!! Now our life as a family of three can begin!!

Week 37....... HOLY COW!

Week 37.... my poor poor skin!! There is NO WAY i can get any bigger!

This week we went to the doctor again! I am 80% effaced and dilated to a full 1 cm. We talked about things we needed to get ready and what i need to be looking for in regards to false labor and real labor. We will be setting the induction date at our next appointment... which seems so surreal to me!!! Im ready to be DONE with this pregnancy thing...... but the whole having the kid part........ absolutely terrifies me!!!!!

This week also put up the christmas tree!!!! Its so pretty and i cant believe that by the time Christmas is here i will be holding our little man while looking at the tree..... CRAZY!!!!

My Mary Kay business is going really well! I really love all the products and seeing so many people satisfied with the products they are using is great! If you need any ideas for Christmas gifts check out the satin hands set or satin lips set! They ROCK! www.MaryKay.com/RebeccaDietz

At school, my kids are afraid I'm gonna pop at any time!!! This week was very busy and Friday we took a field to to the Houston Museum of Natural Science!!! It was a great time and I took full advantage to try and walk this baby toward coming without having to be induced! We definitely walked A LOT.... i was so exhausted when we got back to school!

Saturday was Ryan's Christmas Party at Maggianos! I wore some super cute tall boots.... well i haven't really worn them in like 2 months... and OMG my feet are killing me!!! But it was a great time and finally putting faces to names that I hear about was great!


Sunday we had our Mary Kay Christmas Party! Ryan was SUPER excited about going to this one! HAHA!! It was a fun time and I won a FABULOUS Betsy JOhnson Bag that a $100 in it!!! SCORE!!! I brought my hospital bag just in case, since it was an hour away.... luckily it wasn't needed!!!

We go to the doctor again Monday... cant wait to see when our little man will be arriving!!!