Friday, May 30, 2008
First Baseball Game !!!
Skyler and Daddy went to his first baseball game today! What a neat time for them ... Some real father some bonding time. I knew he would like the game since everytime the he hears the slightest hint of a sport, he turns his head to look for it and immediately calms down. Did I think that he could last through a 9 inning baseball game which was 3 hours long??? No Way! I have never been able to keep him content for three hours at a time, not matter what I am doing. So, to think that sitting in the same spot for three hours while in a noisy stadium would be something he could enjoy ... I don't think so. But when Brendan brought him home from the game he was still all smiles ... They must have had a BLAST! Brendan said that he sat in his lap or car seat the whole time. He even caught a picture of them at the game ... of course he was wearing his Gator's outfit :) I had bought him the cutest little Devil Rays cap, but we couldn't find it anywhere before he left! I guess he'll have to wear it next time :)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
First Day Back ...
So today was my first day back at work ... what an interesting experience.
For those of you who don't know, Brendan graduated from Law School on Saturday and has decided to stay at home and watch Skyler while he studies for the FL Bar, while I go back to work. I joke that he must think that I sit around and eat cheezy poofs and watch soap operas all day to think that he can watch the baby and study for one of the most important (if not the most important) and definately most expensive exams he has ever taken.
The issues with going back to work started yesterday. I was supposed to pick my car up from the office, but when I called to ask about what time, they told me I needed to bring a doctor's note first. Well it was already 4:15pm and I didn't have the form for them to fill out! (For those of you who know how hard it was for me to get the FMLA paperwork and permission to be out of work, this issue is completely ironic). I didn't start to get my stuff together until last night b/c I was so busy with family and the activities of the weekend. So, last night I was frantically searching for my paperwork, uniform, phone charger - half of which I could not find, giving up around 3am. Brendan and I then had a long debate about how best to get me to work without disturbing the baby's schedule and making it to where I could get home. I ended up taking the ghetto rider against Brendan's advice ... he thought it might break down on me. I don't know what he was talking about b/c the car rides great for as old as it is and the AC is perfect.
My normal shift is from 11am - 9:30 pm 4 days a week. But today I had to be to work at 8:30 am b/c I was supposed to be in inservice training. This morning I got to work on time and headed to my training. I was so proud of myself b/c I was actually on time - 8:30 am. When I got to the training division I was told that the training actually started at 8 am ... I felt horrible that I was late on my first day. I explained that it was my first day back in 4.5 months due to my maternity leave. Seeing the frustration in my face, the woman seemed sympathetic and hesitant to tell me that the training actually started yesterday! When she called the coordinator to reschedule the training, I found out that my name had previously been taken off the list for training by my office and that I was rescheduled for another date!!! It actually worked out for me though b/c I was able to use the time to get my doctor's note and get the things together that I needed.
Going back to work was like Christmas. I got a GPS system, file cart, my car back, my fuel card and my toll card!!! Very exciting. I also got to see a lot of friends that I hadn't seen in a long time.
I worked really hard to get the baby's stuff organized and even wrote a schedule and washed bottles in the middle of the night so that the day would be smooth riding. To my excitement there were no phone calls in the middle of the day with frantic questions or hysterical crying. I got a few phone calls from Brendan during the day to tell me how the baby was doing and let me hear Skyler laugh and talk. I was pround of myself b/c I only made three phone calls home for check up's on the baby!
After a long day at work, I headed home, proud of how well we did with this big change in our lives. I went to the church to meet up with Brendan and relieve him of the baby while he continued with the meeting. I was so excited to see the baby and was sure that I would get the biggest smile ever! I was shocked to see that with all my preparation I forgot some tiny details ... I forgot to tell Brendan how much formula I had premeasured so Skyler got 7 ounces of formula to 6 ounces of water. I also forgot to show Brendan where all of Skyler's clothes were so that he could get him dressed, or even just pick out an outfit for him before I left. This made for an interesting outfit when I came to pick up my tired, hungry son. I am putting a picture up of the outfit. It would have been much cuter to see it on him, but he was so tired and was crying so hard when I got him home, there wasn't much time for taking entertaining pictures. Brendan told me that he found the shorts in the hamper upstairs (he thought that they looked cute and paid no head to the fact that it was the dirty clothes hamper). He said that once he found the shorts, he realized that he had no idea where the shirts were. I was not suprised at all to see that the shirt that the baby was wearing was a Gator shirt.
How disappointing to find that with all that preparation and thought we still missed a few things! But, all in all it was still a good day as the baby still had two arms, two legs, 10 fingers and 10 toes, Brendan was still a proud father, and the baby had all of his naps :)
So, although I didn't get that biggest smile in the world from Skyler, we still made it through one of the most difficult days of my life!!!
Thanks to all of you who have helped us along the way and that are going to help us!!!
We love you all,
Ally
For those of you who don't know, Brendan graduated from Law School on Saturday and has decided to stay at home and watch Skyler while he studies for the FL Bar, while I go back to work. I joke that he must think that I sit around and eat cheezy poofs and watch soap operas all day to think that he can watch the baby and study for one of the most important (if not the most important) and definately most expensive exams he has ever taken.
The issues with going back to work started yesterday. I was supposed to pick my car up from the office, but when I called to ask about what time, they told me I needed to bring a doctor's note first. Well it was already 4:15pm and I didn't have the form for them to fill out! (For those of you who know how hard it was for me to get the FMLA paperwork and permission to be out of work, this issue is completely ironic). I didn't start to get my stuff together until last night b/c I was so busy with family and the activities of the weekend. So, last night I was frantically searching for my paperwork, uniform, phone charger - half of which I could not find, giving up around 3am. Brendan and I then had a long debate about how best to get me to work without disturbing the baby's schedule and making it to where I could get home. I ended up taking the ghetto rider against Brendan's advice ... he thought it might break down on me. I don't know what he was talking about b/c the car rides great for as old as it is and the AC is perfect.
My normal shift is from 11am - 9:30 pm 4 days a week. But today I had to be to work at 8:30 am b/c I was supposed to be in inservice training. This morning I got to work on time and headed to my training. I was so proud of myself b/c I was actually on time - 8:30 am. When I got to the training division I was told that the training actually started at 8 am ... I felt horrible that I was late on my first day. I explained that it was my first day back in 4.5 months due to my maternity leave. Seeing the frustration in my face, the woman seemed sympathetic and hesitant to tell me that the training actually started yesterday! When she called the coordinator to reschedule the training, I found out that my name had previously been taken off the list for training by my office and that I was rescheduled for another date!!! It actually worked out for me though b/c I was able to use the time to get my doctor's note and get the things together that I needed.
Going back to work was like Christmas. I got a GPS system, file cart, my car back, my fuel card and my toll card!!! Very exciting. I also got to see a lot of friends that I hadn't seen in a long time.
I worked really hard to get the baby's stuff organized and even wrote a schedule and washed bottles in the middle of the night so that the day would be smooth riding. To my excitement there were no phone calls in the middle of the day with frantic questions or hysterical crying. I got a few phone calls from Brendan during the day to tell me how the baby was doing and let me hear Skyler laugh and talk. I was pround of myself b/c I only made three phone calls home for check up's on the baby!
After a long day at work, I headed home, proud of how well we did with this big change in our lives. I went to the church to meet up with Brendan and relieve him of the baby while he continued with the meeting. I was so excited to see the baby and was sure that I would get the biggest smile ever! I was shocked to see that with all my preparation I forgot some tiny details ... I forgot to tell Brendan how much formula I had premeasured so Skyler got 7 ounces of formula to 6 ounces of water. I also forgot to show Brendan where all of Skyler's clothes were so that he could get him dressed, or even just pick out an outfit for him before I left. This made for an interesting outfit when I came to pick up my tired, hungry son. I am putting a picture up of the outfit. It would have been much cuter to see it on him, but he was so tired and was crying so hard when I got him home, there wasn't much time for taking entertaining pictures. Brendan told me that he found the shorts in the hamper upstairs (he thought that they looked cute and paid no head to the fact that it was the dirty clothes hamper). He said that once he found the shorts, he realized that he had no idea where the shirts were. I was not suprised at all to see that the shirt that the baby was wearing was a Gator shirt.
How disappointing to find that with all that preparation and thought we still missed a few things! But, all in all it was still a good day as the baby still had two arms, two legs, 10 fingers and 10 toes, Brendan was still a proud father, and the baby had all of his naps :)
So, although I didn't get that biggest smile in the world from Skyler, we still made it through one of the most difficult days of my life!!!
Thanks to all of you who have helped us along the way and that are going to help us!!!
We love you all,
Ally
Monday, May 12, 2008
Jumping Bean
We have waited for the day when we could put Skyler in his Jumperoo, b/c bounsing him in our arms all day makes for some very rubbery arms. Well for a little while he has been sitting in his jumperoo and enjoying himself, but not jumping. Finally one day he just jumped off and hasn't really stopped. I thought I would include a video of all the fun he has in this thing, he really enjoys himself :) Brendan thinks that with his height and jumping skills, that we are raising the next Michael Jordan :) You would think that it frees up some time for us to get things done around the house, but it really just keeps us watching him b/c he is so funny in it. I will say this though, dinner has been a lot easier since he started playing in it !
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Busy Weekend!
Well we have had a busy weekend for sure!!! We had Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Bateman, Grandma and Grandpa Fletcher, Taylor, Eric, Granmommy and Grandpa Mitchell, David, Katherine, Aunt Patty and Uncle Adam in town to celebrate Brendan's graduation from Law School, Skyler's blessing, and Brendan's ordination/setting apart to his new calling. What a wonderful weekend and we could not think of anyone more important to celebrate with then our family who has been so loving and supportive.
Brendan's Graduation was on Saturday, May 10, 2008. It was outside in the courtyard of his school. The day was beautiful ... Hot, Humid, Muggy ... actually quite disgusting! The sun was beating on us as we all sat on chairs in the middle of the courtyard. The graduates and faculty were the only ones who got to sit under the tents. I think they were trying to cook the guests for some appetizers after the graduation. It was so neat to be at the graudation b/c Brendan and my brother, David, graduated at the same time! My father, who is an alumnis at Stetson College of Law (1980) got to hand the boys their diplomas!!! We were so far away it was hard to snap any pictures of them while they were walking, but both grandma's got some great pictures after. We will post them as soon as they send them my way. I can't believe it has been three years already! Brendan graduated with honors with an MBA and JD degree. I told Brendan now that he has four degrees it is time for him to get a real job! Right now it is time for bar exam study ... Wish him good luck!!!
After graduation we had a party over at my parent's house. We had it outside (brilliant idea with all of the heat) by the pool. We had hamburgers and hotdogs, compliments of the grillmaster Adam Altice :) We also had a yummy graduation cake and some other appetizer meals. So many of our friends and family came to help us celebrate the big day!
On Sunday, May 11, 2008, we finally blessed Skyler. Brendan was conducting the meeting and he said that he thought it was weird to announce the blessing of his own son. Skyler had Brendan, Grandpa Fletcher, Great Grandpa Bateman, Taylor, Bishop Stewart, Mike Robinson, Stake President Patrick, and Adam Williams standing in his blessing circle. Brendan gave him his name and a great blessing that I know he will continue to look to for guidance over the years to come. Skyler was great. He did not cry at all. Brendan said that Skyler was trying to sit up for some of the time that he was being blessed which was pretty interesting. Even Jesson and Kristin were able to come to the blessing :) It was the first time that they got to meet the little guy and he seemed to really like Kristin. We also got some great news that they are moving down to Tampa this summer !!! The other guests of honor were Granpa and Granmommy Mitchell, Aunt Patty and Katherine, Uncle David, Grandma Fletcher and Great Grandma Bateman. Skyler is so loved and very lucky to have such a loving and supportive extended family :) Thanks to all that were there in person and in spirit! We have some cute pictures that I will post later ...
On Sunday, May 11th, 2008, after a great sacrament meeting (on Skyler's blessing day), we were able to have Brendan ordained by his father and then set apart in his new calling by the Stake President. Brendan was given some great blessings that we will continue to use and remember as our lives move on!
After all the excitement at church, Great Grandma Bateman, made us a wonderful Sunday lunch. She made lasagna, corn, rolls and a four been salad. We had all of Bren's family and my family over to eat and say our farewells as Brendan's family prepared to leave.
We are so lucky and have been blessed so much in our lives! We just want to take a moment to thank all those members of our families and all of our friends that have helped us get to where we are and that have supported us in all the decisions that we have made. We love you ALL!
Brendan's Graduation was on Saturday, May 10, 2008. It was outside in the courtyard of his school. The day was beautiful ... Hot, Humid, Muggy ... actually quite disgusting! The sun was beating on us as we all sat on chairs in the middle of the courtyard. The graduates and faculty were the only ones who got to sit under the tents. I think they were trying to cook the guests for some appetizers after the graduation. It was so neat to be at the graudation b/c Brendan and my brother, David, graduated at the same time! My father, who is an alumnis at Stetson College of Law (1980) got to hand the boys their diplomas!!! We were so far away it was hard to snap any pictures of them while they were walking, but both grandma's got some great pictures after. We will post them as soon as they send them my way. I can't believe it has been three years already! Brendan graduated with honors with an MBA and JD degree. I told Brendan now that he has four degrees it is time for him to get a real job! Right now it is time for bar exam study ... Wish him good luck!!!
After graduation we had a party over at my parent's house. We had it outside (brilliant idea with all of the heat) by the pool. We had hamburgers and hotdogs, compliments of the grillmaster Adam Altice :) We also had a yummy graduation cake and some other appetizer meals. So many of our friends and family came to help us celebrate the big day!
On Sunday, May 11, 2008, we finally blessed Skyler. Brendan was conducting the meeting and he said that he thought it was weird to announce the blessing of his own son. Skyler had Brendan, Grandpa Fletcher, Great Grandpa Bateman, Taylor, Bishop Stewart, Mike Robinson, Stake President Patrick, and Adam Williams standing in his blessing circle. Brendan gave him his name and a great blessing that I know he will continue to look to for guidance over the years to come. Skyler was great. He did not cry at all. Brendan said that Skyler was trying to sit up for some of the time that he was being blessed which was pretty interesting. Even Jesson and Kristin were able to come to the blessing :) It was the first time that they got to meet the little guy and he seemed to really like Kristin. We also got some great news that they are moving down to Tampa this summer !!! The other guests of honor were Granpa and Granmommy Mitchell, Aunt Patty and Katherine, Uncle David, Grandma Fletcher and Great Grandma Bateman. Skyler is so loved and very lucky to have such a loving and supportive extended family :) Thanks to all that were there in person and in spirit! We have some cute pictures that I will post later ...
On Sunday, May 11th, 2008, after a great sacrament meeting (on Skyler's blessing day), we were able to have Brendan ordained by his father and then set apart in his new calling by the Stake President. Brendan was given some great blessings that we will continue to use and remember as our lives move on!
After all the excitement at church, Great Grandma Bateman, made us a wonderful Sunday lunch. She made lasagna, corn, rolls and a four been salad. We had all of Bren's family and my family over to eat and say our farewells as Brendan's family prepared to leave.
We are so lucky and have been blessed so much in our lives! We just want to take a moment to thank all those members of our families and all of our friends that have helped us get to where we are and that have supported us in all the decisions that we have made. We love you ALL!
Skyler's Cold
This Wednesday Skyler was sick. We put him down to bed like usual, and then he woke up screaming in the middle of the night and wouldn't go back to sleep. Of course on the night that I need my thermometer I couldn't find it!! My heart was hurting to hear him screaming like that :( Finally around 5 am Brendan gave him a Priesthood Blessing and Skyler fell asleep immediately. The next morning I took him to the doctor and the doctor confirmed that he had his first cold. No fever, but he was suffering from the three C's - congestion, cough and crankiness. The doctor told us to watch the cold and come back if he developed a fever or severe fussiness. I looked at the doctor as he started to leave the room and thought .... "Isn't there some kind of something that I can give him to make him happier?" The doctor then told me that I could use saline drops and the bulb syringe ... I thought maybe if I want to hear him scream louder! So over the last few days Skyler has been under the weather :( Unfortunately he had to get the first cold while all the company was here! He has been a real trooper, with little to no fuss after the first few days of the cold. He even gave the photographer smiles when he had his pictures taken! Sorry there are no picture for this one, but I thought I would save you from having to see a sad looking baby!
Friday, May 09, 2008
May 2008 Portraits
Poor Skyler ... Family is in town again, so mom got the great idea to get some portraits taken! Skyler is getting blessed on Sunday, May 11, 2008, so I wanted to get some pictures of him while he still fit in his blessing outfit ... He's growing so fast, the doctor has him documented as growing 1.5 pounds in 1 week!!! So for a full week I had been trying to get the baby to the portrait studio, but ... first I had to find booties, then he got his first cold (more to come about that later), then we had to get passports, then I had to get my hair done for the big day! So, finally on Friday we took him. He was still getting over his cold and had missed two naps, but remarkably he was still smiling! The pictures would not have been this great if it had not been for the wonderful help of Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Bateman ... who definately keep Skyler smiling :)
Love to all,
Ally
Love to all,
Ally
Thursday, May 01, 2008
4 month checkup - Ouch!
Skyler had his 4 month check up on May 1, 2008. Here are his stats:
He weighed 15lb 7oz - 50th percentile
He was 25 3/4in long - 75th percentile
Patty was anxious to hear if we could start giving the baby food and water, b/c she wants him to try new things and she thinks it will be more fun to feed him that way.... Dr says yes! The doctor gave us information on starting solid foods and said that we can start between now and 6 months (but thinks we should wait until closer to 6 months). We are really excited about that new adventure, but there is no rush for us right now b/c bottle feeding is a lot simpler. He is just starting to really eye our food and show an interest in what we are putting in our mouth (although he shows that same interest when Jack comes over to him - so either we have a dog eater on our hands or he is just getting more involved in what is going on around him)! It is really cute! The doctor said water is a go whenever we want (as long as it doesn't supplement feedings)! Of course Patty gave him his first bottle .... at this time he isn't that interested in it.
Of course by the end of the appointment the inevitable happened ... SHOTS! He had one oral immunization and 4 shots!!! By the time the first shot went in, the pacifier was gone, the face was red and there was no noise coming out of the quivering, open mouthed lips!!! The last three shots were horrible to have to watch. He's such a good baby that by the time we had him dressed, he had already calmed down.
I think the best part of the appointment was still to come ... an inevitable fact that we were going to have to face eventually ... Skyler is an ambiguous name! When the doctor came in and Skyler was only in his diaper (which I think looks like a girl diaper - the huggies ones with minnie and mickey), he called him a girl ... that is until he opened the diaper :) Then when the nurse came in to give the shots she did the same thing!!! That is until I picked him up after the shots and called him buddy! We all had a good laugh after that. That's what I get for switching from the supreme brand with winnie the pooh to the regular brand with minnie mouse! We never had any problems before .... this is just what I am telling myself b/c I don't think we can face the hard, cold fact that he will be dealing with things like that throughout his life (at least he is getting a little practice now).
I am including a picture of his sore little legs which were taken a few days later and also a picture of him in just his diaper ... that way you can determine for yourself if it is the name or the diaper! Personally, I think that he looks like an old man so who could really make that mistake?!?!
He weighed 15lb 7oz - 50th percentile
He was 25 3/4in long - 75th percentile
Patty was anxious to hear if we could start giving the baby food and water, b/c she wants him to try new things and she thinks it will be more fun to feed him that way.... Dr says yes! The doctor gave us information on starting solid foods and said that we can start between now and 6 months (but thinks we should wait until closer to 6 months). We are really excited about that new adventure, but there is no rush for us right now b/c bottle feeding is a lot simpler. He is just starting to really eye our food and show an interest in what we are putting in our mouth (although he shows that same interest when Jack comes over to him - so either we have a dog eater on our hands or he is just getting more involved in what is going on around him)! It is really cute! The doctor said water is a go whenever we want (as long as it doesn't supplement feedings)! Of course Patty gave him his first bottle .... at this time he isn't that interested in it.
Of course by the end of the appointment the inevitable happened ... SHOTS! He had one oral immunization and 4 shots!!! By the time the first shot went in, the pacifier was gone, the face was red and there was no noise coming out of the quivering, open mouthed lips!!! The last three shots were horrible to have to watch. He's such a good baby that by the time we had him dressed, he had already calmed down.
I think the best part of the appointment was still to come ... an inevitable fact that we were going to have to face eventually ... Skyler is an ambiguous name! When the doctor came in and Skyler was only in his diaper (which I think looks like a girl diaper - the huggies ones with minnie and mickey), he called him a girl ... that is until he opened the diaper :) Then when the nurse came in to give the shots she did the same thing!!! That is until I picked him up after the shots and called him buddy! We all had a good laugh after that. That's what I get for switching from the supreme brand with winnie the pooh to the regular brand with minnie mouse! We never had any problems before .... this is just what I am telling myself b/c I don't think we can face the hard, cold fact that he will be dealing with things like that throughout his life (at least he is getting a little practice now).
I am including a picture of his sore little legs which were taken a few days later and also a picture of him in just his diaper ... that way you can determine for yourself if it is the name or the diaper! Personally, I think that he looks like an old man so who could really make that mistake?!?!
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