Noah naps longer
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Milestones
My baby is taking longer naps. Yesterday he took two 2 1/2 hour naps. I was worried because he NEVER slept that long for a nap. The most would be 1 hour, his average would be 30 minutes. So far today his afternoon nap was 2 hrs and 25 min. This has been working out for me because it's impossible to do exercise when he's awake. He'll cry & whine like crazy and then I have to get off my treadmill to get him a toy, milk, book, or whatever to keep him busy. So I was able to have a good workout & shower today. When he woke up I fed him his favorites: green beans. Can you believe this baby loves green beans? Not applesauce or bananas, but green beans. Good for him! I hope it continues as a toddler and kid. He is too cute. We put him in his high chair for the first time a couple of days ago. He cried at first, but when he saw the toys on top he started playing with them. Now he's getting used to the chair because I put him there whenever I feed him solids. I can't believe he's going to be 6 months in 9 days. Time is flying! I'm already trying to figure out what he should be for Halloween! LOL!

Baby Noah turns 5 months!
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: Jazz
Topic: Birthdays
Noah turned 5 months yesterday. He was feeling much better, thank God. It was also my sister's birthday so we went out to eat with hubby and my little neice too. We thought it would be ok for Noah because he was feeling better and back to his hyper self. The restaurant was air conditioned but I had brought along his sweater and he had long pants on. Well this morning he was sneezing a little again. It was too soon to take him out. But at least he doesn't have that bad cough anymore and he has some of his appetite back, I'd say about 75% of it. Last night he slept good. No turning over a million times like he usually does. I hope tonight he'll sleep good too.
I was watching the news about what happened in New Orleans (the hurricane disaster) and whenever they show a baby, I get tears in my eyes. Now that I have a baby I can't even imagine what that must be like to not to be able to feed your baby and provide him with shelter. I prayed to God and Mother Azna that they get some help soon.

My baby is sick
Mood:  sad
Topic: Checkups
My poor baby is sick! He started sneezing on Thursday and I thought it was because of dust. By Saturday he had this terrible cough and was congetsted with a slight fever. I was terrified it would get worse. We couldn't buy him medicine without a doctor's prescription because he's under 6 months. (He'll be 5 months tomorrow!) His coughing would wake him up whenever he was sleeping! He also lost his appetite for his milk, but he did eat some of his baby food, thank God! We took him yesterday to the doctor (Monday) and the doctor said he has Bronchiolitis (a respiratory virus), the symptoms are just like a cold. The doctor gave us the prescription for the cough medicine, some eye drops because his eyes are a little red and infected, and some more infant Tylenol for fever and pain. Thank God he didn't develop high fever, just a little mild one. He seemed to be getting better yesterday, but today he still seems weak and still sneezing. His coughing is less though, I guess for the medicine. I just hope his appetite for his milk comes back, that's where all his vitamins are! Well, this is his first illness and I was freaking out. I prayed and prayed that it wasn't anything he had to be hospitalized for and thank God it wasn't. The doctor said if he gets a high fever or if he doesn't improve, to come back and see her, otherwise our next visit is in October for his next set vaccines. He now weighs 14 pounds and 2 ounces. He's growing nicely. My sweet, sweet baby boy.

My lil' chunky monkey
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Milestones
Noah is getting heavier. Before I would pick him up and feel that he was so tiny. Now I pick him up and I have to use my muscles! Thank God he's beautiful, healthy and growing. He's already rolling over from his tummy to his back (even when sleeping, he's on the other side of the bed by morning), he's eating baby food, and he's babbling a mile a minute (especially in the morning). I started giving him rice cereal when he turned 4 months (while on vacation). When we came back we went to the doctor to get him his other set of shots. She said we should give oatmeal instead because rice makes babies constipated, which Noah was. So we're giving oatmeal now and he's also been eating bananas, apple, string beans, sweet peas, mango, and today he'll try sweet potato (all from Gerber). He seems to like the string beans the most and then banana second. Although he CAN be a pain in the butt when he would rather have his milk than baby food. He loves to drink water, although I don't give him too much. Just think, it was only a couple of months ago that he was having problems with gas because he was colicky. Now, as if it never exsisted. On the last visit he was 13 & 1/2 lbs. I feel like he's gaining nicely, although I see babies his age that are already 17 pounds! But he WAS born 2 weeks early and he was so tiny. So I think he's doing well. My little chunky monkey is growing!

Home Sweet Home
Mood:  lazy
Topic: Adventures
We're back!
We got back Monday night. Our flight was delayed because of some bad weather along the way. We thought we had to stay in the airport for several hours, so we were deciding if we should cancel and take a flight the next morning. Noah was getting restless and cranky. But thank God we started boarding a couple of hours later and we got home safe. Vacation was nice. I would've enjoyed it more if we were not staying at my hubby's relatives house. His aunt makes me feel uncomfortable because I'm not from their culture and religion. Hubby tells me to just ignore her, but how can I if we're in her house???? He insisted we didn't have enough to stay in a hotel for 2 weeks (I told him I'd rather not go then). Anyway despite the fact that we had to stay there, we enjoyed ourselves by going out everyday to the beach, pool, malls, restaurants, we even drove for 4 hours to Key West and stayed for a couple of days. It was unbearably hot there, but the sunsets were beautiful. Unfortunately our memory stick from the digital camera got damaged and we lost all the sunset pictures. Can you believe it? We're so disappointed. But at least we got to save all the other pictures. I thought I had gained weight from eating out all the time, but when I got home I weighed myself and I didn't gain an ounce. I didn't lose either. Baby Noah is so tired, he's taking all his naps. He kept getting his naps interupted on vacation because we were going out all the time. Now we're back on our regular schedule and he's happy to be home. When we got home he just opened his big brown eyes and looked all over our apartment as if thinking, "Hey, I remember this place!". It feels good to be home. Here's my little sunshine in the pool while on vacation:

Sunsets with Noah
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: Adventures
We're leaving for vacation on Sunday at 4 a.m.! The flight is for 6 a.m. I picked the time because 1)I can't stand crowds so hopefully there won't be that many people at that time 2)We'll arrive around 9 a.m. so we'll have time to do more stuff. Florida here we come! This time with baby Noah. I imagine it will be a little difficult to get around now that we have a baby, and more stuff to carry but hey, that's ok. We're a family now. I keep imagining when he's a little older and get to take him to Disney! It will be so much fun watching him have fun and seeing his eyes filled with wonder. But for now he's a little baby with such curiosity that I know he'll enjoy whatever he'll see in Florida. I can't wait to see his reaction when he sees the beach for the very first time. Gotta get it on video. And of course lots of pictures. We're thinking about going for a couple of days in Key West too. I keep hearing about the magnificent sunsets there. That alone will be worth the trip. Ahhhh, sunsets and my two men. What more can I ask for?

Walking Zombie
Mood:  down
Topic: Rants & Raves

I am so freakin tired! I can't have a decent night's rest. Then in the daytime, Noah can't nap for more than 30 min. I don't get a break. I was ok for a while, but these past couple of days I feel so drained. These extra 30 pounds aren't helping either. I need to lose 10 pounds to get my pre pregnancy weight back, but I need to lose 20 more to be at my right weight for my height. I've been dieting. Forget about exercising. I have zero energy. The best I can do is walking outside and dancing at home when I feel ok. Hopefully the dieting will help me shed some pounds then I can have my energy back to start some serious workouts!

Noah turns 3 months!
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Birthdays
My baby is growing up so fast! He turned 3 months yesterday. He's been trying to roll over, he can hold his head up longer, he can follow us around the room with his eyes, he watches cartoons, Teletubbies and Sesame Street, and get this: he slept ALL NIGHT last night for the first time. YES! I am so happy about that. I actually thought something was wrong and kept checking him, ironically, I didn't get much sleep because of that, lol! I love my baby so much. He's getting cuter by the minute.
Well, we're going on vacation to Florida around the 24th of this month. I'm a little nervous about taking Noah. His first time on an airplane so I'm worried about his ear and how painful it will be because of the cabin pressure. We're going to give him the infants tylenol so he won't be too uncomfortable. Then I'm worried about him getting sunburned, getting too hot, getting too cold because of air conditioners, getting sick because of in and out of hot and cold, and everything else. I told hubby it probably won't feel like a vacation for me, but he insists on going because he needs to get away from here. I agree but I'm still worried for Noah. But what can you do? There has to be a first time for Noah anyway right?

Noah's little discoveries
Mood:  amorous
Topic: Milestones
Noah discovered his hands about 2 weeks ago, so now when he's on his back he'll start staring at his hands and entertain himself for a while. He's getting so big, it's amazing. He was so tiny and thin when he was born and now he's so beautiful and healthy, thank God. He's also trying to talk. When you say something to him he'll coo or try to say something as if he's conversating with you. He loves the outdoors, he'll stare at the trees and sky for hours. I wonder how he'll react when he discovers squirrels and dogs???? He's so hyper now at 2 1/2 months, imagine at 2 years old!! I could see myself chasing after him while he's chasing after squirrels and birds.

Vaccines
Mood:  sad
Topic: Checkups
Today Noah got his second month vaccinations. He was doing ok for his checkup, even smiling at the doctor a little. Then the shots came. He looked shocked, turned red, opened his mouth and let out a huge cry. I felt so bad for him, especially when he puts his little bottom lip in a pout and it quivers. Hubby doesn't even stay and watch, he walks out the room and comes back when it's over and then takes the baby to comfort him. The doctor prescribed tylenol drops for the pain and if he gets a fever. Well, he fell asleep for now, but a while ago he was in pain and crying. I know it's necessary to get the shots, but it breaks my heart to see him in pain. We were going to go to the park for a while like the other day but decided not to because Noah was so uncomfortable. Hopefully by tomorrow he'll be ok (until the next set of shots).