Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Pumpkin Cake

For Halloween I thought it would be nice to cook a cake for Mikes work. It was a lot of work but I think it turned out great. I took the cake and the boys in their costumes to his work and they thought it was to cute to cut. They ended up cutting it and it was a big hit!

Pumpkin Carvin'

Michael didn't like sticking his hands in the pumpkin, he found it gross. He had a great time watching us though. Here a few pictures of the pumpkins and us.














Sunday, October 29, 2006

Pumpkin Pickin'

Yesterday we went to pick out pumpkins to carve. Michael had such a wonderful time. I think he looked at every pumpkin there was at the patch. At one point I was standing there talking to Mike and he put a pumpkin in the wheel barrel. We had a great time. We came home and carved them although I don't have the pictures on the computer yet of the carved pumpkins. As soon as I do I will post them.

There was a small little kids train at the pumpkin patch that Michael had to ride. He was not going to take no for an answer. He didn't scream or cry he just simply walked in line and onto the train without a ticket. So we got him a ticket and away he went. All by himself.










New pictures

So we went and got the boys pictures taken the other day. It was such a big hassle. It could be I was really sick to and let things frustrate me more then normal. Michael kept getting up or moving during a shot. There was a pumpkin that was suppose to be in a picture with Michael but he kept trying to pick it up so I took it out of the picture. But we did get very cute pictures.







Monday, October 23, 2006

Michael Cooking

This weekend Michael joined me in the kitchen for his first cooking lesson. We made a hash brown casserole. We had a great time together. Michael loved playing in the food. The casserole turned out great. All in all a great experience.



Michael mixing the onions around.

Mama and Michael making good food together.

Michael more interested in what I was doing.

The final product before it went in the oven.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Mike Is Incredible

My husband Mike is a truly wonderful man and I love him dearly. About two years ago we both went on weight watchers together so that we could get our health back on track. We both had a desire to live longer for our children. I soon had lost 38 pounds and had to quit because I was pregnant. Mike continued and has lost 130 pounds. I am so proud of him. After awhile he wasn't losing weight so he added exercise and started dropping the weight again. Mike started running and he found he really liked it. He entered a couple of races and did great. In December last year for Christmas I bought him a bike and he was thrilled. He now runs 3 days a week and bikes 3 days a week. I want to post some pictures of him in the before and after. He isn't finished with losing weight yet, he still wants to lose 20 pounds and I know he will do it. I still have a ways to go but I know with love and support from Mike I will get there too.




























Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Raymond's 10 Months

We got to bring Raymond home November 19, 2006, 2 days after I had him. The doctor gave him a clean bill of health. I was very worried that he would end up with jaundice like Michael had, but his bilirubin test came back great. We had a house full of people waiting on us. Mike's sister, brother-in-law and nephew all flew into be here for his birth. Plus, my mom, dad and sister were also in town. As we pulled away from the hospital I was so excited about bringing my son home.

When we were expecting we never bought small baby clothes because we figured he would be like Michael and not need them, we were wrong. Once Mike got me settled into the house him and Cheryl were going to go buy him some small baby clothes, ones that actually fit.


Raymond in his car seat at the hospital.


When we got him from the hospital I showed Michael the baby and gave him a kiss on the forehead. He felt very hot. I took his temperature and realized that he was running a high fever. I had just had a c-section 2 days earlier and wasn't feeling all that well myself, but the mother in me kicked in and started taking care of Michael. We tried to keep Michael away from the baby as much as we could so that Raymond didn't get sick. A few days after being home I started running a high fever 103.7, I knew then that things were going to get worse before they got better. I would go from being hot and sweaty to having almost violent chills. It was hard to sit and breastfeed Raymond being so sick.

Raymond 2 days home from the hospital after his first bath. Curly, curly hair.


When Ray Ray, as we like to call him, was 5 days old he started getting sick, his nose would run and he started coughing. I thanked God that we had people there to help. He never ran a temperature which was a blessing. Mike went out and bought a humidifier as per the doctors order and I had to suction his nose out once and hour so that he could breath. It was getting a little better. All in all his cold lasted about 4 days, but what a way to start your first week of life.


Raymond at 5 days old.


Mike, Michael and Raymond at 6 days old.


A week after his birth was Thanksgiving and on top of all the family we had there already my brother, sister-in-law and niece was coming to town too. I was so thrilled that my family was all going to be there. I still was not feeling well, on top of trying to heal from my c-section my cold felt like it was getting worse.

Ray Ray in his Thanksgiving outfit!


The following week I ended up having to go in to see my asthma doctor. He put me on a home breathing machine, breathing medications and antibiotics. He assured me that all the medications that he gave me would be safe for me to take while breastfeeding. He worried that it wasn't a cold that I had but the beginning of pneumonia. A few days later I was feeling much better and ready to start really being a mother of two little boys.

At about a month old Raymond started getting colic. He would just scream and scream. I gave him gas drops for infants but he seemed like he was always in pain. The pediatrician recommended that I change my diet. No dairy, not gassy foods and no sodas. I did what ever it took to make him feel better.


Raymond at a month old.


Christmas was here and we decided that we would travel to Bakersfield for the holidays. Raymond did very well on the trip there. We had to stop once to feed and change him. I was feeling really good now and so ready to see my family. Since my sister was there for his birth she just stayed till after Thanksgiving so my nieces had not seen him yet. Neither had my brothers Billys 3 boys. The girls feel in love with him at first sight. They each held him and loved on him. On Christmas eve all the family got together like we do every year and my nephews got to see him and love on him.



Raymond in his Christmas eve outfit!


Christmas day was great, we stay at Cheryls house when we are in town so we got to watch the girls open their presents. Michael was not awake yet so when he woke we opened ours. Raymond got wonderful presents even though he had no idea what was going on. My brother-in-laws family all came over on Christmas day too so I once again was able to show off my son. He had a lot of colic so Elaine, Thatchers mom, took him and just held him tight and he feel asleep. I still to this day don't know how she did it.


Ray Ray in his Christmas Day outfit!


Cheryl and the girls always come and spend New Years eve at our house. They always say that what you are doing at midnight on New years is what you will be doing the rest of the year. Wee I was changing a poopy diaper and so far I have been doing it all year long. Raymonds colic had not gotten any better and it was really starting to wear me out. He was up so much at night screaming. I was so sleep deprived.

Raymond on New Years Day!


Something wonderful happened right before he turned two months old he started sleeping through the night. The first night it happened I woke up several times to make sure he was still breathing. Oh this was heaven; however, it only lasted a week. I was able to catch up on sleep and I really needed that.

At two months old Raymond weighed 11 lbs and had grown 2 inches. The doctor was pleased with his growth. We had taken him in to the doctor because he started throwing up everything he ate. I felt so bad for him, he was only 2 months old and he had already had so many problems. She was not worried about him throwing up because he was gaining weight. Just reminded me to watch what I ate and changed the formula I was using when I supplemented.



Raymond at 2 Months.


At 2 months old we took Raymond and Michael to have their pictures taken. I had matching outfits for them.

At home after their pictures.


One thing that Raymond did like was his bath time. When he was first born he didn't like it much but at two months old he loved it. He would get mad when I took him out. Michael would stand by and watch my every move while I gave Ray Ray his bath.


Ray Ray in the bath showing off his belly!


Ray Ray drying off!




This picture was taken on Jan 16, 2006 it was his first smile.


Raymond all dolled up ready to go out shopping!



At three months Raymond now weighed 13.5 lbs and was 23 inches. He still had problems with his stomach and didn't like to sleep much. Well let me correct that, he didn't like sleeping much at night. It was at this age that Michael really started having much to do with him. I would put him in his swing and Michael would go over and talk to him. It was very cute to watch. You could tell that he started loving his brother. It was also at three months of age that you could really tell that Raymond had a very bad temperament. He loved to whine and cry and he did it often. He would be sitting there playing and as soon as he saw me he would start crying. Yes he was spoiled.

It was also in his third month that he started really being able to lift his head up and looking around. He was very comical at this age. He liked to stick his tongue out at you and if given the chance he would lick you. When he was in his third month I bought one of the greatest things ever. A BeBe pod, it is a soft seat for a baby to sit in. He loved it. He would sit there playing with a rattle forever. He also learned he could roll over in the third month. There was no stopping him now. He would roll from one side of the room to the other.



Raymond at 3 months old.


Michael and Ray Ray at 3 months old!




Raymond holding his head up and sticking his tongue out.



Ray Ray at 3 months old.


At 4.5 months we took Raymond in to the doctor and he weighed 15 lbs 8oz and was 25 inches. He was getting so big. He still didn't sleep through the night and had some colic but it was no where near what it was like earlier. He was really laughing and smiling now.

Michael and Raymond playing on the floor together.



Raymond in his seat.


Raymond acting like he is the Croc Hunter.



Raymond in his seat wondering why his mom dressed him like farmer John.


Raymonds fifth month was amazing. He started lifting himself up on his knees and rocking. He would soon be crawling. I figured that once he started crawling he wouldn't fuss so much, that he would just follow me. (not the case at all, he would just follow me fussing.) Michael loved to make noises for his Raymond to laugh at. He also had his first Easter basket, it was full of baby things.

Five Months old!


Raymond getting ready for a day out on the town.


Raymond on Easter.


At six months he weighed 19 lbs and was 26.5 inches. He started crawling, well if you can call it that. He would use his arms to crawl and the rest of his body just went along. He could move fast. He was so active. He also started to drool a lot so I knew teething would be soon. I didn't look forward to that he always had everything rough and I knew that getting teeth would be no different. At the beginning on the sixth month he started eating food. We were real careful on what we gave him because he had such a bad belly. He loved eating. At his 6 month doctor appointment the doctor also told us to start having him practice on using a sippy cup, this was a mess he would get water everywhere.

Raymond at 6 months.


Raymond taking a ride in the stroller.


Just being cute!


Ray Ray and me at the Oakland Zoo.




Raymond eating veggies!



Ray Ray and his sippy.


At seven months Raymond found he could pull himself up and stand while holding things. He loved this, he would pull himself up and just laugh. Michael learned that his brother can be real fun. He would get on the floor and crawl and have Raymond crawl after him. We put him in a walker but that didn't last long, he likes being free. The walker didn't allow him to get into things and he didn't like that.

Playing with a block set.


Beep Beep Beep in his Jeep!


Michael and Ray Ray playing.


At eight months he was moving along. He was eating great and he loved to play. We liked to make lots of noises. He would wander off into the bedroom and just sit there and play with toys.


Ray Ray playing at the kids table.


Eight months old.



After a big bowl of squash.

At 9 months he weighed 23 lbs and was 28 1/2 inches. The doctor warned us that he is going to be a tall one. We already figured that. He was no where near the size of Michael at that age but he is way above average.

Raymond playing in the toy box.

I put these pants on his head and he took off crawling. He didn't want me to take them off.

At 10 months Raymond still doesn't sleep through the night. He will give us a couple days and then it is back to the normal. He had eight teeth by 10 months and has learned he can use them to bite. I don't think he ties to be mean but he is just trying them out. He has been cruising the furniture for the last couple months we are sure he will walking soon.


As close as I will come to having a girl.


A piece of and ice ream sandwich an here's what happens.


Just playing.


I have had my moments with him I will not lie, but I love him so much. I was not use to having a whinny baby but I think I have made things work. The older he gets the better he is and the more fun we have. He loves for me to lay on the floor so he can attack me. He love's to give hugs and kisses. What can I say I spoiled him with love. I love being his mother and am blessed that god gave him to me.