Happy Halloween/Travels/Sleeping Issues

We celebrated out first Halloween with Dylan.  He dressed up as Pooh Bear and was quite cute-if I do say so myself!  Since Halloween fell on a Sunday our church family went to a school parking lot and we had "Trunk or Treat".  We all decorated the trunks of our cars in the parking lot and all the kiddos came by for candy.  Dylan loved handing out candy and looking at all the costumes.  He kept looking at the kids and then looking at me with a "are you seeing this" look on his face.  Overall we had a great time and can't wait for next year when he actually understands what's happening around him.

Trey, Dylan and I are flying to Dallas this Thursday.  My mom and aunts are participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk, and we are going to be cheerleaders.  They even made Dylan a hot pink shirt that he will wear while we are there.  I made a sign that says, "real men where pink" :)

We have been having some sleep issues lately.   In the past, Dylan slept really well.  I would nurse (I know this is a no-no) him to sleep around 8, he would wake up around 2 for another feeding and then go back to sleep until 8 in the morning.  For the past few months we have slowly gotten off this schedule.  Now he will fight going to sleep and usually doesn't lay down until 10:30pm, wakes up all through the night and is up at 6am.  Last night we had a rough night and I decided this morning to change our routine.

Tonight we didn't get home until 8:30pm and he fell asleep in the car.  As I was getting him out he woke up, so I quickly incorporated a new bedtime routine.  I changed him into PJ's, read Goodnight Moon, said our prayers and put him in bed and told him I loved him.  I read online to wait 5 minutes and go check on him if he's still awake.  When I checked on him I patted his back and told him I loved him and then left.  I waited 10 more minutes the next time and did the same thing.  As I am writing this we are now on 20 minutes and he is still going strong.  I refuse to give in.  It has taken us 9 months, but we really feel like Dylan is old enough to go to sleep on his own-tough love baby :)  I will let you guys know how it is going next time.  Dylan very well could win this battle!

Besides his sleeping issues, Dylan is great.  He is crawling and pulling up on everything.  Loves to "walk" as long as he is holding onto something.  I just started incorporating more food into his diet.  He has never been a huge fan of mashed up baby food, so we have started giving him food that he can gum.  He likes fruit, carrots, green beans, black beans, avocado, chicken, corn, gluten free bagels, butter and yogurt.   He loves to feed himself.

I would gladly love feedback on the whole sleep thing.  I never was a fan of letting him "cry it out", but am growing tired of the struggle we have every night.  I am afraid if we don't get a handle on this now I will be rocking him to sleep when he is 5.  I have read a couple books and both contradict the other one, so I don't know what to believe.  Help!
(Side note: for the last 5 minutes there has been no crying, so I am hoping he is asleep and it only took 35 minutes)

Weiner Rice Festival

For the last 34 years, Weiner, Arkansas has hosted the annual Rice festival.  The festival includes an antique car parade, rice tasting contest, carnival rides, wiener dog races (that's right folks), live music and much more.

Ray (my father-in-law) collects antique cars, so we had 4 in the parade.  Dylan, Trey and I drove the 1955 Chevy truck with all the children in the back. Dylan had a fun time helping daddy drive, but didn't quite understand why we wouldn't let him eat the gear shifter.  It was funny watching Trey try to drive the not automatic steering wheel, shift the gears and hold Dylan all at the same time.

We had a good time hanging out with the Keller family.  The whole gang was there, so Dylan spent the weekend being entertained by all the kids and being loved on by his aunts and uncles.


Our nephew Rex is 4 years old and loves being around Dylan.  I was putting Dylan in his carseat and he was getting fussy.  Rex climbed up in the car and said, "Hey Dylan, if you quit crying and are good all the way there I will give you a surprise".  I asked what the surprise would be and he said, "that is between me and Dylan" :)
We came home on Monday afternoon and my dad came up for a few days.  He hadn't seen Dylan since Labor Day and he had a few days off work.  We spent those few days eating out, going to antique stores and driving around Franklin.  We had a good time with him.

About Dylan:

-He started really crawling right at 8 months.  He's been army crawling since 7 months, but decided to kick it up a notch about two weeks ago.
-As of 10/8/10 he weighed 22.5 lbs.  He wears 18 to 24 month clothes.
-His hair is getting curly.  I gave him his first haircut about two months ago and it started to grow back with some curl to it-love it.
-Still not a huge fan of baby food.  He would rather eat little pieces of table food instead of pureed food.  The consistency gets him-Dylan has yet to finish a whole jar of baby food.
-He loves to pull up on things, but when he starts to fall he will not bend his legs and he usually face plants in the floor.  He received his first booboo on his nose and upper lip yesterday :(
-Likes to "sing" along with Trey.  Trey will sing a song with his guitar and Dylan sings with him.  Everytime I get the video camera out to film it he stops, but I will get one!
-Loves bible class now.  The first two times were rough, but now I walk him to class and he immediately reaches for his teacher.
Okay, I can't think of anything else.  My brother and I have our race this weekend...so ready for that to be over with.  Dylan, Trey and my mom are going to be our cheerleaders-can't wait.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Thanks for reading!

I LOVE Fall!

This is my favorite time of year.  I love everything about this season.  These past few days the weather has been awesome, so we have been trying to spend more time outside.  Dylan really enjoys his stroller, so we definitely take advantage of that as much as we can.  We have officially busted out the winter clothes.  It is perfect during the day at 65 degrees, but at night it gets quite chilly. 

 My brother and I are running a half marathon on October 16th.  We have been training for the last 10 weeks and Trey will push Dylan in the jogging stroller while JD and I run our required miles.  Last night JD and I had to run 9 miles and Trey pushed Dylan for 1 hour and 45 minutes and Dylan didn't make a peep...and it was like 40 degrees.  Dylan was bundled and quite warm snuggled in his blanket.

Trey plays on a flag football team and Dylan and I have been going out and watching his games.  The games don't start until 8:30, so it's good and cold by game time.  Tonight (picture above) Dylan did not want to keep his gloves on, so I zipped him up in my jacket and he was happy to snuggle momma for the whole game. 

 

We decided to dress Dylan all snazzy for church last Sunday.   He looked so cute in his vest...definitely looked older than 8 months.  I tried to put a tie on him, but the kid nearly choked himself trying to pull it off.   I was hoping he would be able to wear this outfit at Christmas, but the pants are already too snug...guess I will have to go shopping :)

Dylan outgrew his infant carrier a while ago, but I was afraid he wouldn't like the bigger car seat and held off as long as I could.  On Monday we made the switch and he loves it.  We ended up getting the Graco-My Ride 65.  This picture was taken on our way home from the football game.  It was 9:30 and he was so tired. 

 

I found these leggings at Target in the dollar bins...I thought they were adorable.  Dylan is not a huge fan of pants in general, so it's nice to have something that will keep his legs warm.  We are traveling a lot this next month, so I will have tons of pics to upload on my next blog.                                         

Labor Day

Trey, Dylan and I went to Atlanta for Labor Day. My birthday just happened to fall on the holiday this year, so we got to spend a long weekend with family. Trey's sister, Jenny, and her family came up and stayed with us at my parents house-fun times for all :)

Dylan had a great time hanging out with his grandma, papaw, Aunt Jenny, Aunt Jessica, Uncle JD, Uncle Jon and his 3 cousins (Drew, Aden and Anna)...he wasn't spoiled at all! :) We spent our weekend playing tennis, eating, swimming, playing Wii, playing cards, and shopping on Labor Day.

My mom wanted to get a craft that the kids could make me for my birthday, so she took Anna to Micheals one morning. When they got back I asked Anna what she had bought. She said, "I can't tell you and I can't tell you why I can't tell you" and then walked out of the room :) They ended up using a wood burning tool and making cool designs in a wood frame. The frames are hanging in Dylan's room-pretty cute.

We got back to Nashville on Tuesday morning. Anytime we go out of town Dylan gets off his sleep schedule. He was not taking a very good nap on Tuesday, so I laid down with him on our bed and once he was good and asleep I piled pillows around him and went downstairs. I had the monitor on and was piddling around the house when, all of a sudden, I heard the loudest thud ever followed by a scream. I ran upstairs and Dylan was on the floor and the pillows were still on the bed. It was the worst feeling ever and Dylan was pretty shaken up. He cried nonstop for about 30 minutes and was still unsettled once he calmed down.

Trey was singing vocals in the studio that day, so his phone was on silent, which meant I was leaving frantic voice mails on his phone. Anyways, once I got a hold of Trey, he called our Dr and the nurse reassured us Dylan was fine. She is from Russia and she told us that in her home country it is good luck if a baby falls off the bed before their 1st birthday-who knew? Dylan had a rather large knot on the side of his head for about 2 days, but other than that he was fine. What I learned: Dylan can crawl up and over pillows, so he is not to take anymore naps on our bed. Dylan is kinda a drama king...gets that from his mama :)

Aside from falling off the bed, Dylan is loving life. He got a new toy this past weekend from grandma and papaw. Trey and I call it a "walker", but it's a toy that we put him in and he can walk around our house in it. Our first floor is all hardwood, so it is super easy for Dylan to use the walker. He also loves when people clap...see the video below.

7 Months

This is so cliche, but I can NOT believe my baby is 7 months (and 2 days) old...where have the last 7 months gone? In a short 5 months Dylan will be one year old-doesn't seem possible! I thought I would write a few things that Dylan has taught me in the short 7 months he has been alive...here' goes!

-I really CAN function on 3 hours of sleep-who knew?
-I have more patience than I thought I did.
-Snot totally grosses me out, but when it's Dylan's snot it doesn't bother me...I can even wipe it with my fingers :)
-I can do ANYTHING while holding Dylan-cook, clean, talk on the phone, change clothes and yes...even go the bathroom!
-Dylan's mood sets the whole mood for our family. If Dylan is in a bad mood, that puts me in a bad mood, which puts Trey in a bad mood-makes for fun times in the Keller house
-Breast milk can cure anything: diaper rash, pink eye, ear infection, baby acne...I put it on every ailment Dylan has.
-Everything I said I would "never" do before I had a child, I ended up doing: letting him sleep in our bed, nursing Dylan in order for him to go to sleep, being one of those moms who freak out over germs, sticking Dylan in front of the TV (Baby Einstein or Sportscenter) so I can get ready in the morning...the list really could go on and on. Word to the wise: never say "never" before you have a baby!
-No matter how cute another baby is, you always think your baby is cuter.
-The best thing in the world is when Dylan gives me a big gummy smile.
-I love clothes shopping for Dylan so much more than I ever loved shopping for me...and that is saying a lot-I love to shop!
-I will go days without putting makeup on or doing my hair. Before I had Dylan, I wouldn't even check the mail before I got ready in the morning.
-I never knew how excited I could get over a poop...we have bowel issues, so we (Dylan) will go days without going.
-It is the absolute worst when you have a sick child. It's pitiful seeing Dylan sick and not be able to make it better.
-Just like snot, spit would gross me out, but now I love getting open mouth/slobbery kisses from Dylan.
-Spit-up is my new perfume
-I love waking up every morning and knowing I get to spend my days playing with Dylan...before I had Dylan I was afraid I was going to get bored being a stay-at-home mom, but it's the best job I have ever had.

The list could go on and on, but I will not bore you anymore. He is at a fun stage right now....can't wait to see what the future has in store for us.
Couldn't you just eat him up???

Posing in his new Yankee's jersey!

6 months

We have been busy little bees around the Keller household this month. Dylan turned 6 months old on July 25th. At his 6 month appointment he weighed 21 lbs and was 27.5 inches long. He was in the 92nd percentile for both. We got a clean bill of health and will not see our Dr until he is 9 months old.

Right after Dylan turned 6 months Trey went on a short tour gig. He was only gone for 3 days and he spent his time in NYC and Scranton, PA. Grandma came up and kept us entertained while daddy was gone. We spent our time shopping, cooking, playing in the pool and hanging out at Uncle JD's.
Trey got back on a Sunday and the next morning we woke up at 5am and left for Arkansas. We have only been to AR once with Dylan, so we decided it was time for another trip. This time, we also spent a couple of days over in NW Arkansas with Trey's grandparents at their farm. Dylan had a great time meeting all of his aunts, uncles and cousins. We also got into a new card game - Hand and Foot. I am not one to stay up late, but one night we (Trey, his grandparents, and I) played until 1:30am. We had a blast and the girls demand a rematch next time we are together :)
Our nephew, Aden, was in Arkansas while we were there. We had a great time hanging out with him, and Dylan thought he was hilarious. Aden was such a big help in the car. Since Dylan is not always the biggest fan of the car, Aden would ride in the back and keep Dylan entertained anytime we had to go anywhere. This whole week Trey's mom kept commenting on how much Dylan's personality reminded her of Aden's. Trey and I both took that as a compliment; Aden is a great kid and we would be lucky for Dylan to take after him!
ABOUT DYLAN...
I was talking with Trey the other day and I absolutely LOVE the stage Dylan is in right now. He has always had a good personality, but within these last few weeks he has blossomed into such a ham. He thinks everything is funny and has this new high pitch squeal that he loves to do. He is so close to crawling. He will get on all fours and rock back and forth, but he doesn't understand the concept of lifting a hand and foot at the same time. If he wants a toy and it is across the room, he will roll over to it. He can also go from laying on his tummy to a sitting position, which he does a lot because he hates laying on his tummy!

I started feeding him food about a month ago. He really is not a big fan. He will eat about 3 or 4 spoon fulls and then he is done. I do not feed him everyday. I have fed him banana, avocado and sweet potato. He likes food fine, he just would rather nurse than chew. Sometime this week or next I am going to make a bunch of baby food and freeze it for future use. My sister calls me a food snob, but I would rather make his food and know exactly what goes in it, than buy it in a jar...maybe a little weird, maybe not. I also prefer to cook instead of going out to eat-Trey prefers the opposite :)

I will leave you with some cute pictures of this month. The first picture was taken on the front porch of Dylan's great-great-great grandpa's house-Riley Goucher

Dylan is sitting on the bench that used to be in Riley's horse and buggy...he apparently thought the idea of riding in a buggy was funny :)
This next picture makes me laugh. The outfit Dylan is wearing was my brothers when he was around Dylan's age. We met Uncle JD for lunch when my mom was here and I gave Dylan to JD once we got to the restaurant. Dylan had obviously gone to the bathroom in his carseat (I had no idea) and he had poop ALL over him...it was running down his leg. JD was holding him out so he wouldn't get poop on him...I wish I had video of Uncle JD's reaction.

Travels

Man, I am the worst blogger ever-sorry Jema :) I really have the best of intentions to write, but somehow the time slips away from me. I have so much to write and I have no idea where to begin, SO I would suggest you guys go and get a cold drink and a snack and sit back and read :)

I mentioned in my last blog that Trey took a tour managing gig for an artist named Ashlyne Huff, who was opening for Jordin Sparks. (Side note: she is really talented and I would highly suggest her CD). This gig was 8 weeks long, but he would only be on the road for 3 of those weeks. I am what you call a WUSS and I did not want to stay by myself for 3 weeks and 5 days, so Dylan and I hit the road.

Trey took us to Atlanta on the 23rd of June. Ashlyn's first concert was there, so it worked out great-I could stay with my parents and we could also see Trey for another day. The tour officially started midnight of the 24th and they were going to be working their way to Cali and back within those 3 weeks. They had a concert in Dallas and I have tons of family there, so Dylan, my mom and I went to Dallas-we were total roadies :)

On the 26th of June, Dylan road in his first airplane. As my mom puts it, "it could have been better, but it could have been a lot worse"...that basically sums up his first plane ride. We spent 8 days in Dallas and had a blast. We spent almost a full day with Trey on the 28th. The tour bus got to Dallas around 6am and me and my Aunt Leta were there waiting for it when it arrived. Trey got to spend the morning and part of the afternoon with us. That night, Ashlyne had a show, so my mom and Dylan hung out on the bus while the rest of us went to the concert.
(Another side note: I need to give a shout out to my mom. I cannot thank her enough for all that she did for me and Dylan. She was a HUGE help while Trey was gone and I love how close her and Dylan have gotten through this whole process. He definitely loves his grandma!)
After the concert, we had to say goodbye to Trey and we wouldn't see him again for 15 days. That goodbye was hard, but we got to see him again in Kansas City on July 13th.

Dylan had a lot of "firsts" in Texas. Like I said before he had his first plane ride, first solid food (not a big fan), first time in a "big boy" car seat, first concert, first time meeting his cousin Harper, saying dada, sitting up and he can now be laying on his stomach and he will push himself up and sit on his rear. My favorite "first" was him meeting his cousin Harper. My Martin side of the family lives in Austin, TX and they came up for a day to meet Dylan. My cousin Jeri, has a little girl named Harper who is 4 months older than Dylan. I am posting some pics of the photo shoot we did at the park-pretty cute!

After we left Dallas we flew back to Atlanta and hung out for about 5 days. My parents brought me back to Nashville and we hung out there for 2 days before Dylan and I left for Kansas City. I was pretty nervous about my solo trip to KC. My plane left at 6:50am, so my sister was nice enough to take us to the airport. I had woken Dylan up at 4;50 that morning and I was sure he would go right to sleep on the airplane... didn't happen! I boarded the plane early and sat in the second row. I thought for sure people would avoid sitting next to me, since I had a baby, but I had two guys from FSU decide to sit next to me. They turned out to be quite a help. I had pumped a bottle the night before, so on takeoff I fed him the bottle so his ears wouldn't hurt. Once we hit altitude, one of the guys asked if they could hold Dylan. They were really good with him and entertained him up until Dylan spit-up all over one of the guys :) The last ten minutes of the flight were rough. Dylan's ears must of been hurting because he SCREAMED up until we landed. Dylan has quite a loud/deep voice for a baby and when he cries it is very loud. The flight attendants kept coming over and asking me if he was okay. Once we landed and Dylan was better, a flight attendant came up to me and told me she had been worried that Dylan's eardrum had busted, but since he had stopped crying that obviously hadn't happened...Dylan was just ticked and wanted the whole plane to know it :)

We had a great time in KC with Trey. I used to live there a long time ago, but I don't remember it. We spent our time walking around the Plaza, eating BBQ, eating ice cream and hanging out just the three of us. It was a fun trip, but it was hard to leave Trey.

Dylan and I flew home Wednesday and the flight was much better. He cried during take off and then slept the rest of the way. I spent the next four days doing laundry and getting the house in order from being away for so long. Jessica (my sister) spent the night with us most nights, which was a huge help. I feel like Dylan gets tired of just me, so when we have someone else around he seems to be much happier.

Trey came home on the 19th. Dylan and I were in the parking lot waiting 30 minutes before they actually arrived :) Everyone on the tour was super sweet. Ashlyne got off the bus and came right over and gave me a hug and thanked me for sharing Trey with them. She was super sweet and I am glad Trey was around such awesome people while he was away...but Dylan and I are super happy to be with him and we don't plan on sharing him for a while!

I love watching Trey with Dylan. He has always been a daddy's boy and Trey can make him laugh like no other-he has been all smiles since Trey has been home!

I PROMISE to be better with updating this thing. I didn't want to update until all our traveling was done and Trey was home. Thank you all for keeping up with our family. Here are a few pics of our travels!
Dylan and Harper-Happy 4th
The day Trey got home!

4 Months Old

I have been somewhat neglectful of blogging! I told myself when I started this blog that I was going to stay on top of updating, so I apologize and promise to try and be better :)

I do not even know where to begin with this blog. So much has happened since the last time I updated. I guess I will start with our trip to Tampa. Three weeks ago my brother-in-law Jon graduated with his Doctorate. Trey and I had gone back and forth on whether or not we were going to attempt the trip. Dylan had historically not been the best car rider, so we were nervous he would scream the whole way. We had actually decided on not going, but Trey's decision changed after a phone call from his nephew Drew asking us to come down. Trey got off the phone and said, "I just couldn't tell him no"...I'm glad he couldn't, we had a blast!

We spent our time swimming, watching the boys play baseball, playing baseball in the backyard, playing nerts, meeting up with old friends, and just hanging out and having a good time. It was nice to get away for a few days and hang out with family and friends. We are hoping to make another trip in the fall.

Dylan did really well in the car. He usually wakes up around 3 or 4am to nurse, so we left after the feeding and he slept for the first 4 hours in the car. We also hooked up a DVD player and he watched A LOT of Baby Einstein. Overall we would say the car ride was a success and we look forward to doing it again.

I say this all the time, but I can't believe Dylan is 4 MONTHS OLD!! We took him to his 4 month checkup and he weighed 18.4 lbs (96th percentile) and was 25 inches long (50th percentile). I now understand why my back always hurts...the kid is a chunk!

Dylan has become quite the talker. About two weeks ago I was reading "What to Expect the First Year". I was reading about milestones at 4 months and they said "your baby will find their voice around this time"...so true. When Dylan is awake he is making noise. Noise can be anything: cooing, babbling, giggling, blowing spit, humming or screaming. Church has become quite the chore. Now that he found his voice, he doesn't want anything in his mouth that hinders his speaking, so pacies are out. He has learned to spit the pacie out with force...that thing will go flying over two pews-it's quite impressive.

About a week ago, Dylan came down with a runny nose. He was also acting fussy, but I just assumed he had a little cold and it would pass. When we went to the doctor two days ago, he was running a little fever. The doctor checked his gums and there was a tooth about to break through. His gums are swollen and if you touch them he SCREAMS. I never knew cutting teeth brought on a runny nose and fever-poor guy. The Doc said to just give him teething tablets or teething gel (as we had been doing), but not to be concerned about the fever or stuffy nose. Nursing has become quite painful...he is using momma as a teether-OUCH! I SO don't look forward to teeth!

About a week ago we left Dylan with Jess (my sis) for about 4 hours to go to a wedding. We have left him before with her and my mom, but those outings were like an hour long. This was the first time I left him for that long. Jess said he did real well. Dylan does not have attachment issues, but I think momma does. I texted Jess like 5 times and thought about him the whole time. I know it's good to get out by ourselves, but I get nervous something is going to happen and he will need me. I know it will get better the more I do it. Luckily Trey is very patient with me!

Speaking of Trey, he is now the tour manager for Ashlyne Huff. She is a pop singer based out of L.A. and is going on tour June and July. Everything about the gig is great, EXCEPT the three weeks he is going to be gone. The longest we have been apart is 5 days, so this is going to be hard, but we are planning on seeing each other about two times during the 3 weeks. Dylan and I are going to be doing a lot of traveling ourselves. The tour starts out in Atlanta, so I am going to spend the first week with my parents and I will be able to see Trey when they come through there. Dylan and I will hopefully fly out and meet Trey about halfway through the tour. We don't know where that will be yet, but I am hoping it won't be too far because it will be Dylan's first plane ride...wish me luck!

I will leave you with a few pictures of our chunky monkey. Thanks for reading.....Enjoy!

Waiting on the Doctor...doesn't even look nervous :)

Hanging out with grandma in the car...

3 months old

I am sitting up in bed typing this and Dylan is laying next to me asleep. It is 9:28pm and it is crazy to think that tomorrow at this time he turns 3 months old. I don't know where the last 3 months have gone. It feels like we were just bringing him home, but at the same time it feels like he has always been in our lives.

It's amazing how much Dylan has grown/developed in these last few months. I started reading the book, What to Expect the First Year when Dylan was about a month old. The book broke up the each month and told you milestones the baby should have for that month. When he was one month old I remember reading ahead to the second month and thinking there was no way he would be able to do _____ the following month, but he did and it's amazing to see him actually grasp a new concept.

We broke out the bumbo this week and Dylan loves it. It's like it is a whole new world for him. He is so used to laying on his back (or stomach) under his play mat or in his swing, that he loves the new experience of sitting up and playing. The only thing we have to be careful about is waiting a good hour after a feeding to put him in it. His legs and belly are a little chunky (he weighs 16.6 lbs) and they don't have too much room in the bumbo, so if we sit him in it after a feeding he spits everything back up. We learned the hard way and after he spit up two feedings. I then read online that chunkier babies need to wait an hour after feedings to sit in it.

This week Dylan is on a napping strike. He USED TO wake up around 9am, nap at 10:30 for an hour, nap at 2pm for about two hours and then again at 5pm for about 45 minutes and then go to bed around 8:30pm. This week he decided he had better things to do (like hang out in the bumbo) than nap. He still wakes up around 9am, but now only takes about three twenty minute naps a day...not good. He is so tired and will fall asleep super fast, but as soon as you lay him down he wakes right back up and will not go back to sleep. I am so hoping this will pass soon...momma likes nap time and hasn't gotten much done this week.

Also something fun (not really)...he decided he likes to gag himself until he throws up. He loves his hands in his mouth and about a month ago he started gagging, but not throwing up. Now he will gag himself 'till he throws up. I can't wait to go to our Dr.'s and ask him about it. If any of you reading this have any suggestions for stopping this, I would love to hear them. I try and keep his pacie in his mouth, but he would rather have his hands in his mouth, so he takes his pacie out and puts his hands in...fun times. I was really excited when he started taking his pacie out and putting it back in all by himself, but now he sucks on the pacie for a while, then gags, then sucks on the pacie, then gags , etc.

Aside from gagging and not napping, Dylan is a great baby. He is really good at entertaining himself for about 30 minutes at a time. He likes when we sing, loves when we dance around and loves watching Baby Einstein. About two weeks ago we hung a toy giraffe (Jeffrey) from his car carrier. It has made a world of difference in the car when it is just the two of us. Today Trey was driving and I look over at him and Dylan is half asleep with Jeffrey's foot in his mouth...the kid puts everything in his mouth! I tried to get a pic, but he woke up before I could. I will leave you with three cute pics. The last two were taken today when we got home from church. He is not eating any foods yet, but we have to keep a bib on him because he drools uncontrollably.

Fat Boy in the Bumbo!

Hotshot Standing up!

He's so big!

Tummy Time=Not So Fun Time

As you can see by the title of this post Dylan is/was NOT a fan of tummy time. Tummy time has been a struggle since he was 3 weeks old. I tried it for a couple days in the beginning, but he disliked it so much that I just stopped trying. I kept putting it off and kept thinking it was not THAT big of deal.

When he was 6 weeks old I was talking to a friend and she was saying how her doctor told her she had to give her baby at LEAST 30 minutes of tummy time a day. He stressed how important it was to build up their neck and back muscles AND that inadequate amounts of tummy time can lead to bad posture later in life...not what I wanted to hear.

Poor Dylan didn't know what hit him. That day I laid him on his tummy and for about 5 minutes he was fine and then he started whimpering. Before my talk with my friend, whimpering = end of tummy time, but not that day. I was determined to have a child with strong neck and back muscles and good posture...it drives me crazy when I see someone with bad posture!!!

Our first day of tummy time lasted 15 minutes and Dylan spent the whole time with his face in the carpet screaming...no muscles were strengthened, just his lunges. Our second day of tummy time lasted the same amount of time, but this time he held his head up for about half the time...all the while screaming :) Days 3-7 he held his head up and stared right into my eyes screaming bloody murder, but he held his head up for about 15 minutes. And on the 9th day Dylan got smart and realized it was just easier if he laid his head down and went to sleep...tummy time turned into nap time.

I am somewhat stubborn and I wasn't going to let this get the best of me. I decided that 30 minutes in one sitting was way too long for him to be on his stomach. I broke tummy time up into 10 minute intervals throughout the day and it actually started working. Dylan still gets fussy after 5 minutes, but he usually holds his head up for the full 10 minutes and he will occasionally play with the toys on the floor or will look at Momma...who is also getting her tummy time in :)

I can definitely tell tummy time has helped. My sister had not seen him for about a week and the first thing she commented on when she saw him was how good he was holding his head up. I can tell his neck and back (and lungs) are stronger, so I guess the struggle has been worth it. I just hate to see or hear him cry and him not understand why we are making him do it.

I will leave you with a picture of him in the happy stages of tummy time.

Our Chunky Gagger Who Likes to Roll

We just got back from Dylan's 2 month doctor appointment. He weighed 14.3 lbs and was 23 inches long. He is in the 93rd percentile for weight and the 43rd for height. He didn't get any shots today. We (Trey, me and our doctor) have come up with an alternative vaccination schedule and Dylan won't get any vaccinations for a while...yes, I am THAT mom :)

This past week was bittersweet. Trey had to travel for work for the first time since Dylan was born, which was hard on all of us. I was a little nervous being by myself so I called in reinforcements - my Mom and Aunt. Dylan and I had a great time hanging out with them. We went for walks in the park, shopped, ate really good food and just...hung out. It was fun, but we definitely missed Trey.

The night before Trey left I laid Dylan down on our bed to change his diaper. I went to the bathroom to get something and I came back in and he was on his stomach. I rolled him back over and he lifted up his legs and swung them hard to the left and rolled over again. It's ironic he is rolling over to his stomach because the kid hates to be on his stomach...it makes him fightin' mad, but he still does it.

Dylan's new trick...gagging himself with his thumb and forefinger. For the last month he has been sucking on those two fingers and about a week ago he decided it was fun to stick them down his throat. He really likes doing it when it's just the two of us in the car and no one is in the back to stop him. I try and distract him with his paci, but he will take the paci out and hold it with one hand and gag with the other...fun times :) I am hoping this is a phase that will soon pass.

Trey and I were talking the other day and Dylan is at such a cute stage. He is starting to get such a cute personality and it's amazing to watch it develop. We have laughed more in the 9 weeks that Dylan has been alive than we have in probably the last 9 years. He makes these goober faces that are just adorable and Trey and I die laughing at.

We took some pics today while we were at the Dr's. He looked so little laying on the table. The other pic is of Dylan in the car. We have to unbutton his pants so he can sit comfortably in his car seat...the pants were 6 months, and he's only 2 months!

Cause and Effect

Dylan is 7 weeks and 3 days old. It's crazy how much he is changing everyday. I feel like everyday I watch him experience something new and it's exciting for all of us.

Since his first week of life, Dylan has LOVED bath time. He would sit in the water for hours if we let him. He takes his baths in an infant bathtub, which has a little ridge that he sits on. This week he learned that if he arches his back really fast, his backside will come off the ridge and he will go under the water. The first time he did this I wasn't fast enough to catch him and he totally submerged himself. I quickly got him out and dried his face off and he immediately did it again, but this time I was able to catch him before he totally went under. This seems to be his new game...every night I have to fight with him to keep his back straight and his head above water...it's a workout for momma.

I was reading a parenting book and they were talking about how the 2nd month of life is when a baby starts to understand cause and effect, which is why I think Dylan keeps arching his back. This is his first experience with cause and effect and he is loving it. I want to get it on video - he looks right at me and then quickly throws up his feet and arches his back at the same time. If I wasn't holding his head it would go under.

Something else that is "new" this week is giggling. Dylan is SO ticklish, and if you get him on his thighs or under his arms he giggles - it just melts my heart. If I am changing his diaper and he starts crying I immediately start tickling him and his cry turns into a giggle. He has a deep belly laugh that is so cute...maybe I can get that on video too. I just need to walk around with my video camera so I can capture all the moments I want.

We have started taking Dylan on walks at the park when it is nice outside. He starts off really well, but after 2 or 3 laps he is over it and wants out of the stroller. This always seems to happen when we are at the farthest point away from the car. I usually end up walking back to my car with a screaming baby and I know all the people I pass are thinking I am a horrible mom. I was walking today and, as usual, Dylan started crying. I started walking back to the car and we passed a guy walking his dog. As we approached the dog, the dog stopped and sat on his hind legs and let out these pitiful howls. His owner told me anytime the dog hears crying he wants to cry too. I felt bad for the owner...I was loading up Dylan in the car and I could still hear the dog howling. I kinda feel bad that Dylan made a dog cry-oops!

Anyways, there is so much I want to blog about, but I don't want to bore you guys. I am probably the only one (besides Trey) that finds this stuff cute. Speaking of cute...I bought his Easter outfit yesterday and it is adorable. I can't wait to post of pic of him in it. Okay enough...thanks for reading our blog. I will leave with a few pics.

Dylan with his bunny


Dylan getting his diaper changed...look at those thighs!

His goober face

Family Visit

This past weekend my parents and my mom's side of the family came for a visit. We had a great time and can't wait to visit with them again this summer. This weekend was filled with many "firsts". The biggest "first" was that my grandma and two aunts got to meet Dylan. He is the first grandchild on my side, so it was a big deal for my grandma to meet her first great-grandson. My Aunt Leta captured my grandma's reaction on video when she first met Dylan...it was precious!

Dylan also experienced his first restaurant. My parents came in on Thursday and we went to a little Greek restaurant that is never crowded and had dinner. Dylan sat in either my lap or Trey's the entire time. I was nervous he was going to have a meltdown and clear the restaurant, but he was a champ and didn't make a peep.

On Friday the rest of the family arrived and we spent the day shopping. Dylan enjoyed his first of many trips to DSW. The people in my family are shoe fanatics and we love DSW. I am sure Dylan will be quite familiar with that store soon enough. He spent his first DSW experience being pushed around the store in his stroller by his papaw and great-grandma.

After DSW, we went to my other favorite store-Barnes and Noble. I could spend hours looking at books and I hope Dylan has my love of reading. He spent this store experience being strolled around my his Aunt Beth.

The last store we went to was the Academy. However, Dylan was DONE with shopping and we spent most of the time nursing in the car and driving around the parking lot. He loves riding in a car, but HATES sitting idle in a car...which can make for fun stop lights:)

On Saturday we had a Bradley class Reunion. Before Dylan was born, Trey and I went through and completed the 12 week Bradley Method birthing class. We loved our instructor (who was our doula) and the other 3 couples who were in our class. I looked forward to our class every week and was bummed once it was over. Our instructor had a reunion at her house so we could all get together, tell our birth stories and see all the babies. We had a great time and I loved seeing/meeting the babies.

After our reunion we met up with my family and we all went to eat at Loveless Cafe with two of my good friends-Liz and Jordan. Loveless is a "must" for anyone who comes to Nashville. It is an awesome restaurant with home-cooked food and a cool, country atmosphere. Dylan was great and slept through the whole dinner.

We had a low-key Sunday and spent the day taking pictures, eating at home and visiting before everyone left the next day. My mom, grandma and two aunts watched Dylan so I could go to church. I didn't stay the whole service, but he did great and when I got home was sleeping on my mom. We are hoping to be able to take him to church this coming Sunday. I was going to take him last Sunday night, but the stomach bug was going around and I didn't want to risk it.

Overall we had an awesome weekend. Dylan is missing his "audience" that was always around. He gets bored when it is just the two of us at home. This afternoon he was so cute. Trey had meetings this morning and was gone for a couple hours. When Trey walked in, Dylan had his back to the door, but he heard him and started smiling so big. It was so cute and I can only imagine what Dylan was thinking..."woohoo, someone else besides momma to play with". Anyways, I will leave you with some pics that were taken this past weekend.

Meeting great-grandma and aunt Leta for the first time


Meeting Aunt Beth

Quick Update

We just got back from Dylan's one month appointment. He weighed 11 lbs 7 oz and was 21 inches long. He gained 3 lbs in 3 weeks and grew an inch. We laughed when the nurse told us he's in the 87th percentile for weight and the 19th for height...he's a little chunk. It totally makes sense why all of his clothes are tight in the stomach and way too long :)
Dr Kalb gave us a clean bill of health and said we can start getting out and about more...woohoo, I was going stir crazy being home bound. We are still waiting a few more weeks until we get him around large crowds. RSV is going around right now. Dr Kalb told us he had to admit 3 infants into the hospital last week because of it...scary stuff!
I will leave you with some pictures taken two weeks ago. Thanks for reading!

One Month Old

Dylan is one month old today. I can not believe it's been a month since he came into our lives. I know this is so cliche, but it has flown by. It feels like we just brought him home. His looks and personality have changed so much these last 4 weeks. Every week we experience something new and I love it.

The first week was culture shock to everyone...thank goodness my mom and Jenny were here to help us adjust. Dylan was getting used to his new environment and we were getting used to being parents. He had his nights and days mixed up-NOT fun! He would sleep all day and be up for a good part of the night. When he wasn't sleeping he was eating. He has been a good eater from the beginning and eats every 2-3 hours...which can be tiring for momma.

The second week got a little bit easier. My mom and Jenny both left and my mother-in-law came for a few days. I feel like the second week is when Trey and I both got the hang of having a newborn. We started feeling more comfortable in our roles and I stopped being so paranoid about everything. The first week I was admittedly paranoid that something was going to happen to Dylan while he was sleeping. My mom and Jenny were a lifesaver and if Trey or I weren't holding him while he slept, they were...all night long :) Also during this week we went to his first pediatrician appointment. When we left the hospital, Dylan weighed 7 lbs and 14 oz. At his 1-week pediatrician visit (5 days later) he was back up to 8 lbs and 6 oz, which the doctor said was great.

The third week was a really good week. Dylan started staying up more during the day and he was much more observant of people and objects. He also started smiling at us, which is adorable. We have a really cute video of him smiling. It should be at the bottom of this entry. He also started to mimic Trey. Trey would hold him up to his face and stick his tongue out. It takes about a minute, but Dylan will stick his tongue out too. It's so cute and I have tried to get a picture, but have yet to succeed. I have spent many days trying to get Dylan to do it with me and he won't...he looks at me like I am crazy. We also took him on his first walk. Last Sunday was beautiful and we took him to this small park and pushed him in his stroller. We had to take a short 20 minute break to eat, but other than that he did great.

We are in the fourth week right now and he has changed so much. He can hold his head up, scream at an unbelievable volume, scowl with the best of them, chuckle when he smiles, eats at an unbelievable rate and can gag on-command. I really think Dylan likes to gag...he thinks our reaction is funny. Once night this week I was up nursing and he started gagging, so I pulled him off and started patting his back, then he started laughing...he did this three times before I gave up on feeding and put him to bed. Last week, our good friend Mandi took some newborn pictures of Dylan. They turned out great, even though he was being a stinker and not smiling.

We go for Dylan's one month appointment on Monday. I look forward to hearing what our Dr says about his growth. I feel like he is packing on the pounds...my back is hurting from holding him. He has outgrown all of his newborn outfits and is officially wearing 0-3 months and even some 3 month outfits.

I will update soon. We have some family visiting us this upcoming week, so I will update after they leave. Thanks for reading our blog.

Dylan's birth story

My due date (January 18th) came and went with no sign of baby. From the beginning of my pregnancy my doctor had been telling me that she would only let me go 10 days over my due date before they induce. On January 23rd, my doula (Jeannie Casey) emailed me about getting a few treatments of acupuncture to start the labor process. I went on Friday the 23rd and got a treatment and then again on Saturday morning, January 24th. I was told to get two treatments within 18 hours of each other, and then within 48 hours the labor process should begin. Although I went into the treatments a bit of a skeptic, I am now a believer! 

I woke up Monday morning (36 hours after my 2nd acupuncture treatment) around 5:30am and went to the bathroom. It was then I realized that I had lost my mucus plug. I went back to bed and woke up again around 6:00am and my water had broken. I called Jeannie to let her know things were getting started and she advised me to eat some breakfast, then get some sleep and call her back when I start having contractions.

I went downstairs and ate breakfast, then tried to get some sleep, but I was too excited things were getting started…sleep was the last thing I was going to do. Trey was able to sleep for another hour and a half, which was great because I was going to need him in tip-top shape for the rest of the day.

After piddling around the house for a couple of hours, I started having mild contractions around 9am. For about two hours the contractions were mild, and when Jeannie called me she told me to take blue and black Cohosh (two droppers worth of both) to help progress the contractions.

Within the hour of taking the Cohosh my contractions kicked into high gear and became regular and a lot stronger than before. Trey and I labored at home for about 3½ hours. We ate lunch, I soaked in the tub, Trey rubbed my back, I bounced on the birth ball, Trey played some soothing music and I went up and down the stairs about a dozen times. Around 1:00pm I started having contractions that were quite painful, within 3 to 4 minutes apart. Trey called Jeannie and she came over and started laboring with us. I was extremely hot during contractions, so we walked out on the porch (it was blowing snow and 25 degrees) and labored there during a few of them. Around that time we called the hospital to let them know I was heading that way.

We left for the hospital around 3pm and arrived 20 minutes later. By that time I was not talking through contractions. While walking through the hospital to the room, I had to stop every few minutes in the hallway to wait each contraction out. Every time I had a contraction I would stop and hang on to Trey and sway back and forth, usually just hugging each other.

I finally got in the room and got hooked up to the monitor, which wasn’t ideal, but we made it work. The nurse checked me and I was 7 cm and 85% effaced. This was so exciting, as I hoped it meant I would have a rather fast delivery. Since I was hooked up to the monitor I was limited to what I could do to help labor progress. I swayed back and forth, got on all fours on the bed, bounced on the birth ball (this helped relieve my pain the most) and laid in the fetal position on the bed.

After being at the hospital for an hour, the doctor came in and checked me - I had not progressed at all. I was disappointed, but Jeannie asked the doctor if they would allow me to get in the shower for 20 minutes. The shower helped relieve my frustration and allowed me to relax a bit. After I got out of the shower, I could tell the contractions were different and the pressure was very strong. The pressure was so strong that I started vomiting during contractions, which was good because it helped me progress.

Shortly after, I started having an urge to push. When the nurse checked me again I was 10 cm, but I still had a lip of cervix left. This was the hardest part of my labor. I had an overwhelming urge to push, but they were not letting me because my cervix could swell and make it difficult to deliver. The doctor came in 20 minutes later and had me push while they moved my cervix back.

Once the doctor moved my cervix, things really started to pick up. I got a surge of adrenaline when I saw the nurses bring the tools into the room and when the doctor started getting dressed. I started pushing shortly after; This was such a relief. The pushing part was hard work, but it did not hurt at all. I tried a few different positions, but the one I liked the most was the bed in the squatting position with me sitting up and my feet on the squatting bar. The doctor and nurses were not allowing me to push the way I wanted. They would get on to me if I did not hold my push for a solid 10 seconds; All of them were screaming the numbers, so I gave in and held my push for 10 seconds and it WAS HARD.

I ended up pushing for a solid two hours. Dylan made his arrival at 9:47pm. Trey waited to cut the cord until it stopped pulsing, which was about two minutes. Because I was pushing so hard, he came out really quickly. I ended up having two 3rd degree tears-OUCH! After I was stitched up and the family had all seen him, Jeannie helped me with my first nursing. He was having a hard time latching on and Jeannie suggested the pediatrician look under his tongue to see if his frenulum needed to be clipped. The next day the pediatrician said his frenulum was borderline and ended up clipping it; Nursing has been great ever since.

In the end, I got what I wanted…a natural birth with no intervention. It was difficult, but so rewarding and empowering. I relied on Trey to be my rock when I got tired and he did awesome. Jeannie was a huge help, and Trey and I are so thankful she was with us through the entire process. After this massive process, I realize that I’ve been blessed with an amazing baby boy, and am so thankful for everyone who helped and encouraged me along the way.
(Disclaimer: I will not disclose the doctor that delivered my son, but it was not my doctor who I had seen for the previous 9 months. The doctor that delivered my son never looked at my birth plan and did not take my wishes into consideration. Some examples are as follows: I was hooked up to a monitor throughout, I was not allowed to drink/eat anything, the entire time I was laboring they told me how big my baby was going to be and how difficult it was going to be for me to deliver him vaginally, let alone naturally. The doctor told me that his/her kids needed help with their homework, so they were hoping to get home at a decent hour to do that. I was disappointed this doctor was delivering my baby, but I look back now and realize that their lack of confidence in me is what motivated me to stay strong and deliver my baby the way I wanted to.)

The Acupuncture worked...Dylan has arrived!

Dylan made his appearance late Monday night...9:47pm to be exact. I am writing my "birthing" story for my doula and when I get it done I will post it on here. It may be long and a little graphic, so some of you may not want to read my next post...I am just forewarning you guys now :)
I will post a few pics of Dylan so you guys can see how cute he is :) He was 8 lbs 1oz and 21 inches long. We are all doing really well. I have been blessed to have my mom and Jenny (Trey's sister) here for the first week. They have been a huge help and I am going to be so sad when they leave.
Okay, I will leave you with a few pics of Dylan. Hopefully I will be posting my next blog entry soon.

Officially OVER due

Well, my due date came and went and still NO BABY! I was hoping to be writing this post about delivering Dylan, but he has other plans. We had a good baby appointment today and we got to see him on the ultrasound, which was cool. We could see his profile really well and I honestly do not know who he looked like. It's funny because I had an idea in my head and his profile pic looked nothing like what I thought. I can't wait to see him when he gets here.

The ultrasound tech was amazed at how much Dylan moved around. She kept commenting on how hard it was to get a clear picture because he wouldn't be still...we might have our hands full once he gets here :)

I dilated another cm and I am now 50% effaced-woohoo! As we were finishing up our appointment my doctor said she would be very surprised if I did not go into labor this week. She tried to "help" the process along by stripping my membranes, so hopefully something will get started soon.

I cant' remember if I've mentioned this yet on this blog, but we are going to have a doula present during the delivery. Our doula's name is Jeannie Casey - she is amazing! Trey and I took her Bradley birthing classes for two months and we both really like her. At the end of our class we asked her to be our doula for the delivery. Basically, a doula is a labor assistant who specializes in natural techniques during labor...basically a support for me and Trey. She is also a lactation consultant, so she'll be coming over the first week we are home and helping me in that area too.

Well, I have 10 days to get him out on my own before they medically induce. The hospital protocol is waiting a week after the due date before they induce. Dr. Rupe knows how much I DO NOT want to be induced, so she is giving me 10 days. I really feel like I will go into labor on my own, so I am not worried about induction. My doula also has some "remedies" that she is going to start me on in a few days if Dylan has not made his appearance.

In other exciting news, Trey got a new game on the Wii, Mario Kart. We have had fun playing with family and friends online. He has also been asked to do some work on an album that a friend of his is producing. He's excited about working on a new project for a few days. I think that about covers it for the latest in the Keller house right now. Cross your fingers/say a little prayer that Dylan comes this week.

Oh yeah, based on the ultrasound measurements, Dr. Rupe is guessing Dylan is around 8lb. 8oz. right now, give or take a pound...yikes!

Star-Struck

Funny story:
I woke up this morning and decided that I was going to go to the mall and walk until I went into labor. After 3 hours of walking I decided Dylan won and he is staying in a little longer. I stopped by Whole Foods to get some water and a snack. I was standing in line, looking at the magazines and I heard a person in front of me ask, "when are you due?" I looked up and it was TOBY KEITH.

The few times I have been in close proximity to a famous person I am totally star-struck. So today I automatically get tongue-tied and my answer is "ummmm, today", which is totally not true. My due date isn't until Monday, but I completely forgot everything and the easiest response was "today". He was really nice and let me get in front of him in line. He told me that my life was about to change for the better and, again, I couldn't say anything but shake my head and look like an idiot. As I was checking out, he was talking to me and I couldn't even remember my pin number...oh how I wish I could have acted somewhat intelligent!

Anyways, that was my excitement for the day. Too bad Dylan didn't come on the day that I tried to converse with Toby :)

Ray, my father-in-law, sent out a mass text to the family today asking for everyone to submit the day they think Dylan will be born. The winner gets a prize...woohoo! The results range anywhere from the 16th to the 22nd. I was optimistic and said the night of the 16th. Trey said he thought it would be the morning of the 19th and Dylan thinks it's going to be the 18th :) It's something fun to do while we are waiting for his arrival...crossing my fingers I am the winner!

Thanks for reading this blog. I hope I keep it updated once Dylan comes, but so far I really enjoy updating and keeping our family and friends in the loop. Maybe tomorrow will be "the" day.

Still Waiting!

I had my 39 week appointment today and everything was great. Dylan is quite cozy where he is and it doesn't look like he is wanting to come out anytime soon. From last week to this week everything was exactly the same: blood pressure, weight, dilation, effacement. My doctor "stripped" my membranes. I actually do not know what "stripping" entails, besides being quite painful, but it is supposed to help the labor process...we shall see!

I have another appointment scheduled for next Tuesday for an ultrasound. Dr. Rupe wants to make sure that I have enough fluid to carry Dylan a little longer if needed. Trey and I are both hoping that I go into labor before that appointment, but it would also be fun to get another ultrasound...my last one was when I was 20 weeks, so he has changed quite a bit!

Not much has happened at the Keller residence since the last time I posted. I think our "biggest" news is we beat Super Mario Brothers on the Wii :) I am actually quite proud of our accomplishment. We were wanting to finish the game before Dylan got here and we did. I am sure our neighbors are excited we beat the game too. We would play after dinner and I have a very competitive nature, so I would get a little loud at times :) If playing Wii didn't throw me into labor I honestly do not know what will.

I have also been reading this book that I highly recommend to anyone who is pregnant or just had a baby. It is called Baby Whisperer and I can't remember the author off the top of my head, but I love the philosophy behind it and I can't wait to try it on Dylan. Basically, it says that all babies have their own language and as parents you need to be able to "communicate" with your child. Some of her ideas are a little far-fetched, but for the most part I love it.

I am so hoping this is my last blog that I write while pregnant. Hopefully the next one that is posted will have a picture of Dylan :) If I don't have him, I will update after my next appointment on Tuesday.

The Waiting Game

As of today, I am 38 weeks and 4 days. Everyday I wake up wondering if today is "the day". I really do not want to be induced and my doctor will only let me go 10 days over my due date before they medically induce, so I have started some natural induction remedies. I started drinking Red Raspberry leaf tea, which is suppose to soften the cervix. I have eaten Eggplant Parmesan everyday for the last 4 days. There are three ingredients (eggplant, basil and oregano) in the dish that are supposed to help with dilation. I have been eating so many spicy foods that I have constant heartburn...I have quickly gone through some Texas Pete. I wish it wasn't so cold (average temperature is 20) so I could walk outside, but I have been walking in our downstairs for about an hour a day. We shall see if any of these methods will work. My doctor told me to try any induction methods I want, but Dylan will only make his debut when he is ready:)

Funny story: I was at the grocery store the other morning and I kept passing this little boy in the aisles. He was probably around 4 or 5 and when I was checking out he came up and patted me on my arm. Our conversation went something like this...

Boy: "Hey, you got a baby in that belly?"
Me: "I sure do"
Boy: " Oh thank goodness"...as he put his hand over his heart to emphasize his relief.

Once I stopped laughing, I started to wonder what he would have said if I had said I wasn't pregnant :) The ironic thing was this little boy was a CHUNK himself.

We have a doctors appointment tomorrow and I am praying I have made more progress. The last two weeks I have stayed the same, but I am hoping that some of the remedies have helped. I will leave you with a pic of my humongous belly that was taken today. I will update if I have made any progress at my appt tomorrow.