Top 'o' the mornin' to ya

Poor Rylan. Before he was here his mom used to buy outfits and hats for the dogs.  The dogs would fight tooth and nail to get away from the Costume Lady.  As much as they don't care for the attention that is given the baby, I'm sure they were grateful to give this bit of attention to Rylan.  So, now Rylan is the holiday superstar. He had a santa hat, reindeer outfit and a Christmas present t-shirt for Christmas, he'll have bunny ears on Easter and for St. Pats, we got this cute little leprechaun. 

A friend of my sister has a blog and she commented on her Christmas blog that everything seems so much more important now that the baby is here. From decorating a tree to ringing in the new year to that first road trip to Grammy and Papa's. I feel the same way. Maybe its selfish because Rylan won't remember his first tree, his Valentine's presents, his color coordinated outfits to match his eyes, but Rob and I will. So, even though my poor boy looks like the poster boy for Costume City, his dad and I will remember this first year of his life and know that we savored every moment.

To close I'll add some pics of yester year, before Rylan, when the dogs were still subject to my holiday dressup fascination.

Road Trip

The Qualls fam packed up and headed north for a much needed weekend getaway to see Papa and Grammy Rohr. Tammy and Angie and Angie's kids met us there.It was wonderful. Lots of games, family time, and a tiny bit of bargain shopping for the girls. Fishing for the boys.

Ry's grammy and cousin Zoe

The last time they saw Rylan, he was a little baby in the hospital. Less than two months later, they barely recognized the tall, spunky, 17lb (that's right, I said 17lbs) doll that we brought with us. Rylan has shot up to 26 inches. All 0-3 month clothing has been put away and we are, sadly, putting some 3-6 month clothing away already. It would seem that Ry is trying to be eye-to-eye with his daddy by his 2nd birthday!

Anthony is such a good cousin

I am fully aware that I'm about to sound like a dope. But, nobody warns you about how sad it is to put baby clothes away. All the little pants and shirts and onesies. I look at each one and an immediate memory of something cute he did in that outfit comes to me. I totally miss his little puppy dog onesie he wore at the hospital. And last weekend, I realized his baby-khaki pants were ending somewhere near his kneecaps. Those little khaki pants were so sweet on my little bumkin! Oh, the sadness!!!

Gimme a knuckle

Either Rylan really enjoys a yummy knuckle or we've got teeth coming to a baby's mouth very soon. Its not just knuckles he enjoys: bibs, his blankie, his fist, your shirt, your collarbone. Really anything but those nice teethers you stick in the fridge. Those bother him.  

I thought teething didn't start for a few more months. Considering Rylan tried to come out 9 weeks early, had 2 growth spurts by the time he was 4 weeks old and has already had a fun trip in an ambulance, it would seem he's in a hurry to get things done. Figures the son of two procrastinators would have a major to-do list! But, once again, I find he's merely a normal baby, maybe just a tad ahead of the norm. Dr. Google says anywhere from 3 months to 6 months. 

May I just add that being a pediatric nurse doesn't help you with a mundane new baby information if you only worked ICU and gastroenterology.  Trauma and constipation-not helpful. I'll stick with Google.

You caught me!

Who knew?

Who knew a 3-month old could be this much fun. If I could freeze Rylan at this age for the next six months, I would. He is so super cute and fun. And he still wants to be held, which I hear goes away before I know it.

We've both been around kids our whole lives. We've got neices and nephews, both baby-sat, and I've worked with at the Children's Hopsital since I was 21. But, we've never experienced that feeling that your child might just be the cutest, smartest, and sweetest baby on earth. I always think he's the only baby that does this or that, then I go to work at the hospital and I notice babies doing the same thing and I'm reminded that mine is just a normal kid.  For instance, Rylan is a bit of a stretcher. You get him out of bed and he spends a good five minutes with his face contorted and all four limbs in different stretching poses.  I thought he was the only one that did this.  I actually asked Rob "do you think he gets the stretching from me?"  What happens when you are a first time parent?  All logic goes out the window, that's what. 

So, here's some pics of our super tall, super cute, super sassy, happy, hungry, sack of love at 3 months. Its been a fabulous month (minus another cold and a stomach flu for all, but compared to that hospital stint, we're doing just fine!). 

With all his jungle friends

A sleepy frog


Not 100% loving tummy time


Oh, by the way I can stand now


Business casual day at the office

A Handy boy

From the moment he was born, Rylan has had one constant comment, "Look at those hands!" The boy was born with the hands of a 5 month old. And we have been amused by those hands ever since. You see, when a newborn does the most normal things with gigantic hands, its instant entertainment. From day one, his hands were always in motion, even during slumber. Sometimes they covered the pacifier in his mouth to thwart evil pacey-thiefs, sometimes he moved them about in an interpretive dance sort of way, sometimes they stopped in fists next to his face and he looked like he was going to take off in a a kangaroo hop. Mostly he just has three out ready to grab in manner of a T-Rex.

Now, at 12-13 weeks, Rylan has discovered his own hands. Like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, this is one awesome discovery. They are a source of soothing, they are cool to look at, and they can grab mom's hair better than ever. I always thought I would not encourage thumb sucking, but I never knew how cute a 3 month old thumb sucking was!!!!! How can you discourage that amount of cuteness?
Here are some of our very favorite

Can't face the world

Thinking real hard

"Don't take my pacey, fool"

Contemplating the national deficit

Ready to cha cha cha

I need to ask a question

Happy V-day

Last weekend I realized that between going back to work (even though its part-time), Ry's hospital visit, and my own bout with a cold that will not go away, I've gotten myself completely exhausted. I always heard new moms talk about not having time to eat, clean, sleep, take time for themselves, exercise. I thought it was hogwash and commented on how there is 24 good hours in a day, use them well. Eat your words, why don'tcha, Sara? Even with offers of help from friends, offers to buy me a massage from Rob, I felt like I should be doing it all and kept pushing myself. I'm gonna quit doing that. I had me a nice massage yesterday (although the massage therapist was a little chatty for the relaxing aspect) and then now I'll get my Valentine's date and take someone up on the babysitting offer.

I have a coworker that takes Valentine's Day and her anniversary off to prepare for her evening. I think there are delicious meals, rose petals strewn, and many other things in the mix. This Valentine's Day, I got to pick where we went. I'm not as fancy as my coworker. I think my prep will be buying some new tights and using blush on my cheeks. Rob's mom and grandma are coming for a visit and have offered to watch the bebe' while we go on a date. I am so excited. After visiting many restaurants websites for menus, calling a few places I have made my decision. MAMA WANTS TO DRINK! So, we are going to a semi-classy place on the Rivermarket, then barhopping. I might just go to one bar and hop in place, but I will be barhopping. I might even belly up to the pool table and pretend I can play. All I know is that I am thankful that I picked Rob to be my partner in this life and I'm going to celebrate it tomorrow night.

Who is this boy?

He's pretty cute. He's super sassy. Loves lights, mobiles, and his mom's hair. Hates a wet diaper, being hungry, and dad's beard. He doesn't so much want to lay his head on your shoulder as try to hold his head up in manner of a 1998 Lance Bass Bobblehead doll. He is just the tiniest bit gaseous. Or more than tiny. Basically, its hard for people at stores and such to believe that the little bundle in the carseat caused that sound or smell. They give us THAT look. He loves a musical bouncy seat with a Jamaican theme, he's learning to like a baby swing, and he can't get enough of the dangly-fish play mat. He doesn't hate mom's singing voice, or her need to sing Womanizer by Britney Spears constantly.
Many an afternoon is spent in his Baby Bjorn grooving to some Abba, Pink, and Journey with his ma while she attempts to clean. He is basically 100% Rob (my sister calls him Rob jr.), I was merely a vessel to get him here. His last well baby growth chart revealed him to be in the 95th percentile for height, a trait he for sure did not get from me. Most of his onesies fit like capri pants, so we've invested in taller socks for full leg coverage.
All-in-all I think he's a keeper.

Life is good

Rylan is so much better after his Ultimate Cagefight with RSV. Its been 2 weeks since we left the hospital and he was given a clean bill of health last Thursday. No more updrafts four times a day, a clear chest x-ray, the bulb syringe and saline squirts have been put back in the drawer. He is back to telling us off for not standing by his bed with a bottle and new diaper while he's sleeping. He smiles have increased tenfold. Rob and I are eternally grateful to our parents and friends that helped us through this mess. My mom and dad rushed here to be with us at the hospital. They cleaned our house, got us groceries, made us meals and provided much needed support to two scared new parents. When he got home, he still needed one-on-one attention. Rob's parents and some of my friends have kept him so that Rob and I could go back to work.

I was able to talk my little GI-Lab to let me be part-time. I now work Monday, Wednesday and Thursday for eight hour shifts. I love my new schedule. Work Monday, get a day off immediately. Work a couple more days, every weekend is a three day weekend. I had returned to work for three days when Rylan got sick. In total, I have missed 16 weeks between bedrest, maternity leave, and illness. Even though I oculdn't help any of these things, I think it'll be awhile before I ask for vacation time.

Here's the pudding pop getting an updraft like a pro. Well, a pro would probably have the mask over his mouth AND nose, but let's not get into details.