Christmas 2009

This Christmas was so special and exciting with Ethan joining us this year. We spent Christmas Eve at Granny and Pop's house with the Ciolino family where Ethan met many of his aunts, uncles, and cousins for the first time. I'm especially excited that Ethan was able to meet Grandpa this Christmas. Ethan got a cute little Glo Worm from his Uncle Tom and a fluffy white teddy bear from Granny. When we came home that evening we all cuddled up while Chris read Twas the Night Before Christmas. True, Ethan was sound asleep the entire time but maybe next year he'll be awake enough to enjoy the pictures!

Christmas morning was so much fun since Santa visited us. Ethan opened his presents (ok, Mommy and Daddy helped out) and wore all the bows on his head! Santa must have thought Ethan was a good boy this year because he got so many cool presents. He got a Playskool Walk N Ride, a Busy Ball Popper, lots and lots of books, March of the Penguins DVD, and clothes. Santa also brought me some pretty cool gifts like a nightstand for Ethan's room, an iPod docking station, a book light, the Clapper (again for Ethan's room!), and a new griddle. Chris got a body fat scale, a movie, cologne, and some razor blades. Of course we opened gifts with Bing singing in the background and breakfast casserole cooking in the oven. Christmas morning was so much fun, starting our own family traditions, and experiencing the magic of the day through the eyes of a little one for the first time. I can't wait for next year's Christmas when Ethan will be able to enjoy it even more.
The rest of the day was spent with Chris' family. We started out at Carol's house where Ethan again met many of his family members for the first time. I couldn't believe that he slept pretty much the entire time we were there! That didn't stop Ethan from being the center of attention though because everyone wants to hold a calm, quiet, sleeping baby. Some of Ethan's favorite gifts were a Fisher Price barn, a stuffed animal for teething, and several more outfits. Wow, he's such a spoiled little boy already!

Our final destination on Christmas was at Don and Kathy's house where we all opened even more gifts! Ethan got a Penguin to beat up on, more books, shares in P & G stock, and lots more. Chris and I got clothes, cologne and perfume, tons of gift certificates, and more. It's so nice to be able to just hang out with the family and catch up. Ethan was certainly cozy since he slept the entire time we were there as well!

The final Christmas celebration happened Saturday night when we went to my dad's house, ate dinner, opened gifts with Dad and Linda and her boys, and watched movies Ethan now has his very own savings account to start putting money in for when he gets older.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful families to share the holidays with. Christmas really does have a new meaning once you have a little one to share it with.

Mommy Must Haves

These are a few things that I could not live without now that Ethan is here! My Mommy recommendations for other moms!

-Yoga Ball
When we first brought Ethan home, we thought he had colic. He would cry for hours at a time and nothing we did would calm him down. Luckily a friend of mine suggested bouncing with him on a yoga ball. Thank God for this! Who knew an exercise ball could calm a crying baby and make him sleep so quickly?! I'd have no idea what to do if we didn't own one of these. Not only is the yoga ball a wonderful way to calm a screaming, fussy, sleepy baby but they also serve as wonderful foot rests for those middle of the night feedings.

-Sleepers
The easiest way to dress a wiggly baby for winter. Sleepers make it much easier to dress a baby so you don't have to spend the time looking for a shirt, pants, socks, etc. It's one piece of clothing that can simply be unbuttoned to change baby's diaper. Plus, instead of having to clean multiple items of clothing when baby has a blow out, you only have one article! I'm so glad we went out and bought extras as soon as Ethan was born. Now we just need to make sure we have enough to cover him as he continues to get bigger.

-Pack n Play
We decided to get a pack n play for when Ethan would spend the night at Grandma and Grandpa's house and as an extra sleeping location. I originally wanted to put the PNP in our bedroom for him to sleep in during the first few months but ended up moving it downstairs so he Ethan could nap there during the day. Ours is bassinet height with a changing station and storage area. It folds down to the size of a tent and takes 5 minutes to set up.

-Soothe and Glow Seahorse
I LOVE this thing! You push its belly and it sings 5 different songs with ocean sounds. Plus its belly glows similar to the old Glow Worms from when I was little. It plays for a total of about 10 minutes and shuts off.




-Nipple Shields
After Ethan was born, I had some issues trying to nurse him. The lactation consultants suggested using these shields to help him latch. They also cut down on the pain that comes with cracking. I'm hoping to wean Ethan off of them soon but they were a life saver since the beginning.

-Boppy
It’s a breastfeeding pillow that doubles as a great tool for everything for baby. It can help them sit up, you can put them on their stomach for tummy time, and it puts them at a perfect angle for bottle feeding. Not only is it wonderful for Ethan but Maggie absolutely loves curling up in it to fall asleep.


-Swing
When we first put Ethan in his swing, he absolutely hated the thing. But after multiple attempts, we soon realized that he loved falling asleep in it while listening to the rain forest noises. He often sleeps in his swing for 2 or 3 hours at a time giving me a chance to nap on our own or get things done around the house. Just in the past few days he's started to notice the toys attached to the front and is trying to figure them out. As an added bonus, the print on this swing is so pretty yet understated. It blends in with our living room decor without making the room look like a giant kids' play room.

-Swaddle blankets
I purchased one of these while pregnant after hearing rave reviews about them. After watching The Happiest Baby on the Block we learned that swaddling is one of the best things a parent can do to calm a screaming baby. I attempted quite a few times to wrap regular blankets in such a way that would keep Ethan's arms nice and close to his body but I just couldn't get those darn blankets to stay put! These blankets are so easy to swaddle and keep baby nice and tight inside until they outgrow them. You just slide baby into the bottom pocket and wrap the two side pieces around them to form a tight fitting swaddle. In fact, we thought these were so great that Chris went and bought several more after bringing Ethan home.

-Moby Wrap
The Moby Wrap is one of the coolest baby related purchases I've made. The purpose of this is to tote baby around hands free allowing you to get things done around the house while keeping baby cozy, comfy, and happy. Prior to owning this, I attempted to use one of the popular slings but found that I absolutely hated it. I always felt like Ethan was going to fall out of it if I didn't keep a hand on him at all times, completely defeating the purpose. I use the wrap to wear Ethan on my front, facing me and have been able to get so much done! He could sleep for hours this way and my two hands are free the entire time!

STTN!

Last night our adorable little 4 week old baby slept through he night for the first time! Ethan went to sleep officially at 10:30 and was STILL sleeping when Chris woke up for work at 6:30. We actually had to wake him up to be changed and eat at that time. He nursed for about 20 minutes and continued to sleep until 9:30! I know this is probably a fluke but how awesome is that!

1 Month

Dear Ethan,

Today you are a month old. I can't believe how quickly time has flown. Everybody told me that would happen but it took having you around to really believe it. You've learned so much in the short month you've been here with us but you've already touched so many people's lives. We were so surprised when you were lifting up your head when you were only a few days old. Of course it didn't stay up for very long but still...pretty impressive. The last few days you've been practicing tummy time each morning. You only spend a few minutes in that position but you try so hard to take in the entire world around you. Your daddy and I absolutely melt every time we see that little smile on your face. We know at this point it's probably a result of gas but it's still so stinking adorable. When you get really sleepy, your eyes roll back and you get the cutest little smirk. It almost looks like you're in the middle of some hilarious dream.

Mommy and Daddy give you a bath every other day. Since you're such a little guy, you don't get very dirty so a bath every day would be silly. You seem to enjoy your baths most of the time and rarely cry. You always fall asleep after your baths. Most nights you go to bed around 8:30. Mommy wakes you up before going to bed herself between 10:30-11:30. Most nights you wake up again around 3 and again around 6. You even slept through the night once for 8 whole hours!

Mommy and Daddy love you so much, Little Man, and are so proud of what you've accomplished in just one short month.

Birth Stats
7 lbs 11 oz. (50th percentile)
21.5 inches long (95th percentile)

1 Month Stats
8 lbs 15 oz. (25th percentile)
22.5 inches long (80th percentile)