4 month (plus) update!

OK, I know I can be bad at this, but I do have some good excuses! So a few weeks ago (3/19) Spencer turned 4 months old. Can you believe it?!?!?! The day after, he had his 4 month check-up; he is (was) weighing in at 14lbs 14.5 oz and is (was) 25.5 inches long. This puts him all in the 50%tile. So crazy how fast they grow and how fast time seems to slip by you! This pic was taken on 3/19, it's currently my new favorite outfit for him. Gotta love Oshkosh B'gosh!

The weekend before I went back to work, we went to Orlando to celebrate Sarah's 2nd birthday. Unfortunately, my sister's house was filled with colds, coughs, and fevers, so the party was cancelled; however, we still went for a little get away. We stayed at the Nickelodeon hotel; what a great place, you never need to leave the grounds; of course we did....we couldn't go to Orlando without doing something Mickey (Downtown Disney) related. It was a very fast 24 hours, but it was a nice evening away!

To celebrate his 4 month birthday, we put together his exersaucer. He loves sitting in it!

Of course, I have to throw in a 3 month picture that my good friends Dawn and Walter took:

XOXO to all! More to come....stay tuned!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

OK, Happy Day After Valentine's Day! Everything is going well, and Spencer is growing more and more day-by-day. Last week I had some concerns that I wanted to address before I (hate saying this) go back to work. Fortunately, all is well and although my concerns were valid, there is nothing to be concerned about. Spencer still has to have 1 oz of prune juice daily to assure a happy tummy, but it's not a big deal; he is now on Enfamil's Soy formula and although he seemed to sleep much better on the RS formula, the Soy seems to be much better on his stomach (for now at least). So, at 12 w and 1 d he weighed in at 13 lbs 1.5 oz and was 24 inches long. Valentine's Day was very quiet, we spent a nice evening at home with just us. Spencer had no clue, but that is to be expected! We were recently able to meet up with our wonderful friend Virginia (http://www.virginiahartman.com/), and she was able to get these beautiful shots of our baby: Here's hoping all is well with you and yours!

2 Month Update

Yes, I know, I'm a bad blogger...but I must say that I truly thought I would have more spare time on my hands than I actually do. Mr. Spencer keeps me quite busy, and like his mother, does not nap very much. He generally sleeps for about 6 hrs straight at night, unfortunately it is from 9 pm to 3 am (ish), but we are working on that.

Spencer is now 2 months old; at his check-up he weighed in at a whopping 11lbs 12oz and is 23 1/4 inches long placing him in the 50 percentile. He is now wearing 3-6 month clothing and in size 1 diapers. Josh and I went back and forth (many, many times) in regards to what to do about vaccination; in the end we decided to follow the American Association of Pediatrics schedule. Our main concern was obviously with the hype on Autism being caused by the MMR immunization; however, I have spoken to many people...read many research articles and have discovered that there is no scientific relation between the two. I have learned that Autism occurs in 1 of every 150 children born, and is a pre-determined factor. Everyone has their own opinion on the situation, and these are mine (ours).

To help with the weight loss issue, I have joined Weight Watchers. After 3 weeks, I am down a total of 5lbs. I know this is good, but I would like for it to be more.....25 more to go, until I get to my goal. Wish me luck!

We have been enjoying some classes at NSU's Mailman Segal Institute; on Tuesdays I do a Mommy-n-Me, and on Thursday evenings Josh joins us for a music class.

Spencer can hold his own maraca!

Our friends, Dawn and Walter, took some amazing pictures of Spencer and us when he was one month old:

After his 2 month appointment, he was exhausted:

I told Spencer that we were heading off to my WW meeting, and this was his response: Spencer finally had a chance to meet Aunt Corey and his cousins Luke, Sarah, Lilli, and Gabe. We attempted to get a picture of all the kids together....this was the best we could get! Aunt Corey says this picture is like "Where's Waldo?"!

This is a cute outfit that Kendra & Adam got him:

1 Month Old!

OK, OK, I know...he was actually a month old on the 17th, but I was a little distracted and didn't have a chance to blog. Everything went well at his 1 month visit with Dr. C! The little man is now weighing in at 8lbs 7oz and is a whopping 21 1/2 inches long! He is doing well with everything, and the only thing Dr. C said to do was to increase his time on his tummy from 15 minutes a day to about 15 times a day. With that said, all of his newborn clothes are now too short yet he has barely filled them out. Some of his 0-3 month outfits fit in length, but again not in girth. It's no fun to play dress-up with a baby who really only has a few onesies that fit. It's also no fun to dress him up, as he hates when we put things over his head and struggle to pull his arms through.

I had my post partum visit with the neurologist, and he said nothing has improved yet nothing appears to be worse. This is good news. He has temporarily given me permission to head back to work in March, but he will re-evaluate that when I go back to see him in February. Honestly, I know it's only been 4 weeks, but I love being home with him and I wish he could write me a note to stay home with him until he goes to school! Not sure if that would happen, but one could only wish!

Here are a few pictures, the quality isn't the best, as they were taken from my phone. We're hoping Best Buy will have our camera fixed shortly...otherwise, I HAVE to get a new one...how could we have a newborn and no camera? It's unheard of!

This was taken on his way home from his first trip down to Jackson Memorial...it was a long day for all of us!

I couldn't resist this one! I was feeding him on my lap and he just grabbed a hold of the bottle!

In Loving Memory....

The past few days were pretty bittersweet. As I enjoy and relish in the sheer excitement of being blessed with Spencer, I have also had to re-mourn the loss of my father, Steven. This past Friday would have been his 56th birthday. Three years ago, I was told that it would get easier as time went on; I assure you that it hasn’t. We have certainly accepted the fact that he is no longer with us, but nothing has become easier. I fear that one day I won’t remember the sound of his voice, and it breaks my heart that my son, nephews, and nieces will never have the chance to know what a great person their Grandfather Steven was. I have plenty of pictures and a copy of an infomercial that he and I both did to share, but it’s not the same. I know that this is still even more difficult for my mother, and will probably never move on, but she still continues through the healing process; he was not only her husband, yet he was her best-friend as well.

I look forward to the day when I can sit Spencer down, and share the many pictures, stories, and recipes that represent my father. I will forever miss and love you…may you forever rest in peace.

Steven A. Wolf
December 12, 1952 – July 16, 2005

My Father and I, June 2004 at a wedding.

My father and I at my graduation party, June 2005

My, how times flies!

Spencer is a whole 2 weeks old today...we can't imagine life without him, yet he's only been with us for 2 weeks. It's amazing how things can change in a blink of an eye!

Yesterday he had his first shot, hepatitis B, and took it like a champ. You can tell that he is definitely his mother's child as it took him a whole 30 seconds to get over it! He weighed in at a whopping 7lb 1 1/2oz, but the doctor thought it was kind of odd, so he weighed him again a few minutes later and he weighed in at 7lb 2oz. The doctor thinks that there was a weight error somewhere along the lines, so Spencer will be going back for a weight check-in on Friday. By then, the doctor wants him to weight at least 7lb 3oz. With that, I must throw in that he is eating like a champ; now taking in 3oz at a feeding which varies from every 3-4 hours. The good news is that I can give him a bottle at midnight and he'll sleep until at least 5AM. We're keeping our fingers crossed that this is not just a trend, yes it is a sign of good things to come!

We started tummy time! This was taken right before he fell asleep...

I just love this outfit that grandma bought him and Spencer LOVES his Boppy!

The Birth Story

Today Spencer is exactly 1 week and 5 days old. We are still marinating in the joy of becoming parents to this amazing little gift from above. Spencer’s Bris was on November 26th; he did great and is healing quite nicely. Honestly, we learned that the whole experience is probably tougher on the parents than it is on the baby. Spencer was named for one of the greatest men I ever knew, my daddy, Steven. He received the Hebrew name Shlomo Chaim; Shlomo was my father’s name and Chaim means ‘Life’ in Hebrew. For Spencer’s first Thanksgiving he was surrounded by family that couldn’t be happier to have him there. We were truly thankful for having him! This past Saturday we had our very first late night visit to the pediatrician; Spencer has/had conjunctivitis in his left eye which the doctor said could have come from anything. We’re treating both eyes right now, and it seems to be clearing up very well. Tomorrow we’re going back to the doctor for our 2 week old appointment; unfortunately he will be receiving his first shot. We’re not looking forward to it, but he’s been such a trooper at all of his other appointments we’re hoping he’ll keep up the same demeanor.

The birth story:

So, Josh and I went to our regular weekly appointment at 9 AM on 11/19, at this time I was 39 weeks. Since I hadn’t yet met with one of the mid-wives, I had my appointment with her…and I’m so glad that I had the chance to meet her. We had thought that we would be talking about a plan of what to do if I didn’t deliver the little guy by the 40th week. Keep in mind that everyone had told me that when I was in active labor, I would know it, so when the mid-wife was examining me, she mentioned that she thought “you should be delivering today”. Apparently, I was in labor and didn’t know it. The baby’s position had changed, but I was still only 3 cm dilated. So, at that point, I met with the doctor and she decided to send me over to labor & delivery to do some blood work, a sonogram, and plan to be induced that night at around 6 pm; the doctor said that I would either be delivering later that night or early the next morning. With that, she told Josh that he had plenty of time to take me to the hospital and then run home to change. Keep in mind that we had all the intentions to go straight to work from the doctor’s appointment, so he needed to get changed out of his shirt & tie whereas I was putting on a hospital gown. By the time I was put into a room, it was now around 1130 AM once I was settled in Josh left to go home and get changed (keep in mind that we live in Delray and I was delivering at CSMC) and he was comfortable doing this since the doctor said we had at least until 6 PM before things get started. At 1230 PM, the doctor who sent me over came in to give me a physical exam; from my physical exam that morning, I was already 4 cm dilated. At 1 PM, she then came in and broke my water, by 115 PM I was 7 cm dilated. At this point, my mother had just arrived and we told Josh to hurry back because this was going to happen WAY before 6 PM. At 300PM, I was feeling the contractions STRONGLY and solely in my back. At about 345PM I asked for the epidural; the anastiologist came at about 350PM and after making sure it was OK to have the epidural (due to the other meds I had taken that morning) she administrated it to me. Because I didn’t feel anything that she had done, she felt that it possibly hadn’t worked, so she gave me a small dose to check it out. When I didn’t feel the ‘coldness’ of the meds going in my back, she decided that it would be best to do it again. Well, in the middle of the 2nd epidural, the first one kicked in. So, by now, I was feeling REALLY good. The nurse came in to check me out at 440PM, and said that it was just about time to start pushing. The midwife, who I had just met that morning, arrived at about 450PM to deliver our son. At that point, we asked Josh’s parents to leave the room, so that it was just my mother, Josh, and I with the nurse & midwife. I did my first push at 500PM, and with the 2nd push out came our beautiful son at 511PM!

At this point, he still hadn’t had a name, so after they cleaned him up we asked my mother, my friend Dana, and Josh’s parents to leave the room so that we could discuss the name issue. The conversation went something like this:

Gena: OK, so now we have to decide on a name.
Josh: Well, what do you like best, Samuel or Spencer?
Gena: I like them both; does he have a curl in his hair, if he does it needs to be Samuel.
Josh: Nope, no curls. So, what do you like better for him?
Gena: I think I like Spencer, it’s less common then Samuel, but both are nice.
Josh: I like both as well.
Gena: OK, but what do you like best?
Josh: I think I like Spencer.
Gena: OK then, Spencer it is.

With that we introduced Spencer Alec born on November 19, 2008 weighing in at 6lb 15oz and 20in.

The wondful midwife who delivered Spencer!

Going home!

And now a preview of the newborn pics, courtesy of the wonderful Virginia Hartman (http://www.virginiahartman.com/):

And who could forgot our first born, Bunker:

He's here!!!

We are very happy to announce the birth of our son, Spencer Alec born on 11/19/08 at 5:11 pm weighing in at 6lb 15oz and 20 inches long. The family is doing great and will post more details in a bit!

Happy 5th Birthday Bunker & Final Fruit!!!

Happy Happy 5th Birthday to our favorite fur-baby Bunker!

And

Today I am 38 weeks! Contractions are still pretty close, but very inconsistent. The minute I sit down, they stop. Like everyone said, he'll come when he comes. Friday or Sunday works well for me (I really like the docs that are on call), but given the option I'll take Tofurkey over a favorite doctor any day!

Final fruit change (although I could have posted it last week):

At week 37, your pregnancy is considered full term, meaning baby is likely to thrive after birth. Baby spends these last weeks in preparation for the outside world… meaning careful refinement of the blink, suck, inhale and exhale. Meconium, which you’ll probably find in the first diaper, is accumulating in the intestines. If (okay, as) you worry about giving birth, consider what it’s like for the little one. During the journey out of your womb, baby will produce more stress hormones than any other time in life.

37 weeks 3 days

And nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch! Last Wednesday I had a trip to L & D. I was 3+ dilated, he was 50% effaced, in the -2 position, and the contractions were 6 minutes active and 21 minutes non-active apart. So, I was sent home. HOWEVER, per the doctor and nurses that examined me they all said that my cervix was so soft that I would be back before the weekend is over. Well, here we are, Sunday evening and I'm at home. I know there is still 6 hours left in the day and 12 hours before my alarm will go off to get ready for work tomorrow, but still......

Anyway, the little man will come whenever he is ready and that's that! My next appointment with the MFM is on Tuesday, followed by the next OB appointment on Thursday.

So, stay tuned!!!

36 weeks and 3 days...

Today I am 36 weeks and 3 days......on the morning of my last appointment I was exactly 36 weeks; at the exam, I was told that I was 2cm dilated. The doctor said that it was a sign of 'progress', but don't read too much into it. At that time, Per Dr. F, it could be "4 hours, 4 days, or 4 weeks". Exactly 6 hours later I began to lose my mucous plug. I thought for sure that it was almost time. Well, 3 days later....boy, was I wrong!

In exactly 4 days, I will be considered full term. We can't wait to meet our little guy, and no, we still have not decided on a name!

Stay tuned.....

36 weeks....Only 28 days (technically) to go!!

So, as of today I am 36 weeks. I'm officially off of bed rest, but the doctor wrote a note for me to go back to work on Monday.

As of this morning I am officially 2 cm, as excited I was to hear this was as disappointed as I was to hear the following statement: You can go in 4 hrs, 4 days, or 4 weeks. The good news following that was that he felt I was making good progress and will be able to more than likely avoid an induction.

They feel that the baby is a good size, and would be safe for him to be born anytime after now. Apparently there is a bigger difference in a 35 week baby as compared to a 36 week baby. Per the doctor, I can go back to normal activity....what I really wanted to do was finish getting a few things that I feel I will NEED and don't have.....but my car is at the dealership today, therefore, I am home bound still!

At the MFM appointment, this past Tuesday, Tofurkey's heart rate was at 150 bpm and he was weighing in at approximately 6lb 5oz and is current in the 51 percentile.

We have officially ended our birthing classes, they weren't really bad at all, and it was great to run into an old HS friend in the class. What a small, small world it is! Here is a picture of Josh learning how to push:

And here is a sneak preview from our maternity shoot, taken at 35 weeks, with Virginia...she did a great job and we had so much fun working with her! (http://www.virginiahartman.com/).

We will keep you updated. Love to all!!

Welcome to 35 Weeks......

and BED REST!!! So, after a long night of what I thought was a really bad decision of a late dinner consisting of Chinese leftovers, I have been placed on a 1 week bed rest order. I had been having an extreme amount of pressure all day yesterday and throughout the night, so I called into work this morning and left a message on the OBGYN's voicemail. Needless to say, after my first internal exam, I'm not quite 1cm dilated, but I'm more than 0cm dilated...OH, and his head is literally, right there. So, you'll be finding me in odd positions trying to keep little Tofurkey in the oven for at least one more week. Per the doctor this morning, once a patient goes into labor after 36 weeks, they won't try to stop it from happening.
I'll be fine....no worries!!!
Here is what babycenter.com has to say about being 35 weeks:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

34 Week Update

Well, this past Tuesday I visited the MFM. Per the sonogram, Tofurkey weighed approximately 5lb 1oz and measuring at 35w4d. Currently he is estimated to be born somewhere between 8lb and 9lbs. Yikes!!! I'm now seeing her one a weekly basis until I deliver. Today I went to the OBGYN, and he said everything is looking good: blood pressure was 118/80, no issues with the urine, and his heartbeat sounded really good. In 2 weeks starts my weekly & internal exams with him. For those of you who have been wondering, as of today, I have gained 15lbs this pregnancy; other than being exhausted, I feel great. He is definitely head down....Thank G-d! We started our birthing classes, and Josh is learning a lot....it has been a little rough watching the videos. From Babycenter.com, here is what is going on at 34 weeks:

How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development. How your life's changing: By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.

Many of you have asked about updates on my sister. Well, from what I can tell, she has good days and bad days. Her headaches are still there, but she is able to take something for them now. Per her follow-up appointment things look good, and hopefully soon she will feel good. Thanks for keeping her in your thoughts!

xoxoxo to everyone!!!!

33 Weeks and a fruit change!

OK, well actually 32 weeks & 6 days, but since tomorrow is Yom Kippur I have to either do my post a day early or a day late; I chose a day early. Here's an update: S.A.L. is literally sucking the life out of me! No worries, he is doing wonderfully, I on the other hand 'eh'. My hemoglobin level is really low, not transfusion low but probably infusion low. My hematologist would like for me to have a treatment via IV, but he won't do anything unless my OBGYN writes the prescription for it. We'll see what happens. Here is the most recent bump picture of me. Not many people seem to believe that I'm 8 months pregnant. I've NEVER had so many people tell me 'you're so small'. Hello, where have all these people been my life?!?!

Per the last visit with the MFM, Tofurkey was weighing in at 3lbs 7oz, and I'm weighing in at.....yeah right, I would never put that in print!!! And here is my new fruit:

Weeks 33-36 (Month 8): HoneydewAverage size: 17.2-18.7 in, 4.2-5.8 lbBaby’s senses are continuing to improve -- when light peeks in through your (extremely) stretched belly, those tiny eyelids and irises blink and dilate. And, baby can now recognize and react to simple songs… time to start practicing your lullabies! Growth (at least inside your womb) is starting to slow, and you may notice baby descend into your pelvis at the end of this month.

Obsession Confession

OK, so my new current obsession is very similar to an old confession. I'm currently obsessed with finding the right diaper bag. This runs simultaneously with my obsession of purses/hand bags. I know the root of this obsession is years of being overweight and the only thing I was able to shop for/purchase (that my normal size friends could) were shoes and handbags. Justifiable, yet very expensive! So, for my shower an anonymous gift give gave me a very gorgeous Juicy diaper bag (see pic below).

Yet, how would one think that I could only own one? Especially since the first one is black? Since we know that S.A.L. is a boy, I've decided that I will also need one in a neutral tone and blue/green.

This bag is the Ju Ju Be - All Drip Drops Diaper Bag. It's cute, a combination of my favorite colors and reminds me of a Hawaiian shirt (something that was commonly worn by my father).

This one is very, very earth-friendly! It is marketed as the 'better version of the Fleurville Mothership'. It is slightly smaller than the Mothership, and is made of recycled plastic bottle fabric. This is the Fleurville Chocolate Bottle Flower Re-Run Messenger Diaper Bag.

I found these 2 great bags, along with free shipping, at: http://www.littledudesanddivas.com/diaper-bags.html.

I haven't made the final purchase yet, so for now they remain in my shopping cart on their website.

The only thing additional thing I am now looking for in addition to the above is a backpack style diaper bag that Josh will carry as well. I know, I know....I'm a little obsessive compulsive about a simple diaper bag when I should be more worried about what type of formula to use (no I won't be breastfeeding, so therefore I am formula feeding), but this is an easier obsession for now.

A special PSA.....Voter Registration Deadline

OK People.....Our country is in some serious trouble, and we need some serious change. The only way you can make an impact is by voting. If you are not registered to vote the dealine is tomorrow, Monday, October 6th at 5pm. www.registertovote.org

Holy Crap! 30 weeks!

Where has the time gone? Tofurkey, a.k.a. SAL, will be here before you know it! The leaks in the kitchen have still not be found, therefore the drywall remains down in the kitchen, and flooring still needs to be done in the kitchen and the future nursery. Let's hope it rains soons to ensure that the leaks are all fixed! Good news is that my rocker will arrive tomorrow night. I can't wait!!! Here is what is going on with Tofurkey:

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Have those kicks and jabs to the ribs tipped you off yet?) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as you’ve also probably noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with your own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Introducing Teddy!

Josh and I have have been wanting to do something very special for Tofurkey, so last night we went to Build-A-Bear Workshop and made him his first teddy bear. We named him teddy, because every kid needs a 'first teddy'. When you press on his paw, we made a special little message for our son. We hope he enjoys it as much as we did making it for him!

Here is a few more bump pics.....These were taken at 27 weeks.

Welcome to the 3rd Trimester

So, my 3rd trimester officially began this past Thursday. We visited with the MFM, and at 27w6d Tofurkey is weighing in at a whopping 2lbs 10oz with a heart rate of 146 bpm. I re-consulted with her to ensure that it was OK for me to be back on the Copaxone. She ensured me that the baby will not have any negative results from me being back on it.

Also, I ask that you keep my sister in your thoughts and send her your well wishes. She has a bleeding 'benign' tumor resting on her pituitary glands that she will soon be having surgery to remove. We know that she will be fine after the surgery, but a few extra well wishes never hurt anyone! We recently saw my sister and her family at Chef Mickey's to celebrate Luke's 3rd birthday; you can view the pictures via our online photo gallery (link to the right of the screen).

Here are a few pictures from the MFM visit........................... He's already leaving footprints on my heart, here is a view of his left one: In this one, you will see that his eyes are open, and he's smiling: Here is another view of him turning on his side:

And another:

In this one, you can see his knees and right hand....Poor little guy, he looks all scrunched up in there:

Eyes shut, apparently he's had enough of the technician pushing/poking at my belly:

Of course, here are the shots that his Daddy is most proud of (let me know if you need further explanation!):

Here is what is going on with baby at 28 weeks:

How your baby's growing:By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.