Growing leaps and bounds

Yesterday was Wilson's one month checkup. They weighed and measured him. They also checked to make sure all of his parts are working correctly. I couldn't believe how much he had grown in one month.

He weighs 11 lbs 12 oz now. That is a growth of almost 3 pounds in one month. It is a growth of exactly two pounds in two weeks. He measured 23 1/2 inches. That is a growth of 2 1/2 inches in one month. The length might be off a little. It is hard to measure a squirmy little guy. His head measured about 16 cm. That is a growth of 1 1/4 cm. Overall he has grown really well. It might be the fact that he is eating 5 oz of formula these days. I thought about bumping him up to 6 oz, but when I tried he only ate 4 oz. Rather than waste formula (otherwise known as liquid gold) I will stick to 5 oz.

We will have a couple of quiet days before I leave on Friday. It will be odd to not have guests in the house. Unca Ryan comes on Wednesday. I can't wait to see him!!! It has been WAY TOO LONG since I last saw my brotha! Anyhow, it will be a quick visit, but it more about quality than quantity. Hope everyone has a Happy Wednesday.

Tuesday inside the crazyness

I have decided that I do not need any more than 2 children. This doesn't mean that I am ruling out the idea of ever having another baby. This just means that as of right now, I don't want another one. We have had 4 kids--2 two year old, a 1 year old, and a 1 month old in the house for 3 days. Can everyone say CRAZYNESS!! I don't know how moms of multiples do it!! I couldn't have twins and not be on medication. Russell and Cayman have been saying "mine" "no mine" over and over. This is completely normal for their age but also completely unnerving. Anyhow, on a different note, I have really enjoyed their visit. They have given me a new outlook on family. They have also given me some hope. They have filled my house and my heart with love.

I want to say I love you to EVERYONE out there. You never know when something might happen to someone you love, and if you haven't told them that you love them, it will be a weight of immeasurable size. I love you, Dad. I love you,Mom. I just want you guys to know that.

Cousin is A-coming

Today is the day for Justin's sister, Allison, and her crew to arrive. Russell decided to rest up, and he slept in until 7:30. Wilson also wanted to be rested, and he slept really good last night. I am super excited to watch Cayman and Russell play. It will be extra good now that we are using the dining room for a playroom.

I am getting really nervous about this upcoming weekend. It is my 10 year high school reunion. There isn't anyone in particular that I am nervous about seeing but just everyone in general. Other than a select few, I really haven't kept up with anyone in these 10 years. Myspace has really re-introduced me to a bunch of people that I was close to. It is funny to me that now, during a really tough time, I am reunited with people who know what I am going through. They know because they were there for it in a crucial moment of my growing up. They probably don't realize that it was going on, but many of these people are how I made it over the mountain and into the oasis.

With that being said, I am going to try to post a pic from Wilson's baptism. I look horrible as I am arching my back. I look like I am 6 months pregger still. HOW ANNOYING! Anyhow, I hope you enjoy.

Pictures taken

Well, we had a busy Thursday. I took the boys to get pictures taken. It was a little hairy to try to deal with both of them by myself, but Mikabeth did such a good job of keeping Russell entertained that I just really had to tend to Wilson. I am so amazed at the work she does. I can't express the words that would do her justice. She is a fabulous photographer, but also just an awesome person. It is so great to be around positive people with good spirits.

Check out the pics. Mikabeth put a few on her blog, and she said that I would be able to see the rest next week. I think that many people that read this blog probably got the e-mail I sent out, or you read the bulletin I put on myspace, but I want to make sure I reach everyone. I think it would be great if Mikabeth got swamped with business. She deserves the rewards of being good at what she does.

www.mikabethedwardsphotography.com

click on "view in full screen"
click on "my blog" at the right of the screen

Our pics will be in the blog appropriately titled "Russell and Wilson".
Thank goodness it is Friday. I am not even working, but I look forward to having Justin home for the weekend. His parents are going to stop by as they head towards Tulsa. Allison, Cayman, and Delaney will be here on Sunday. I can't wait to see them. It will be hectic, but so normal. I love and miss NORMAL sometimes.

Nana and Grandpa Ralph's visit

We have been very busy since Nana and Grandpa Ralph ("pa" Raph) arrived on Saturday. Russell and I went to the Fort Smith Airport (stop laughing it has won awards for the bathrooms). When Russell saw Pa Raph it was all over with. We arrived home, and the grandparents met Wilson for the first time. They agree that Wilson looks more like me than Russell ever did.

Sunday was Wilson's Baptism. Nana, Pa Ralph, and "JoJo" (Joanna--a friend of mine) attended the special ceremony. Everyone commented on how good Wilson was because he slept the whole time. He did, however, have a serious BLOWOUT of his diaper right at the end of church. I don't think anyone noticed the smell.

Monday was the first day of school. I had to go for just a few hours. My sub is right out of college, and she doesn't have as much confidence in herself as I would like. Wilson decided that the night before the first day of school would be the best time to stay up all night. Thank goodness I was able to come home and go back to sleep. If you notice, it is about 8 am, and I am at home. It is really nice to not have to go to school. I might actually be able to enjoy my maternity leave finally.

So on the schedule today is a trip to Michaels or Hobby Lobby to look for a few things. We are also going to run other various errands. I am going to take advantage of having people here, and I am going to get my hair trimmed. Tomorrow I am going for my dental checkup. It is great to have people here to watch "little man" while I get things taken care of. Nana has been so busy cooking different meals for us. So far we have had steaks (grilled by the masters Justin and Pa Ralph), Lasagna, and Picadillo. I believe Chicken pot pie, "Donna's Chicken", stuffed peppers, and Pepperoni casserole are on the menu for the rest of the week. Whatever we do not eat, Nana is freezing for us. It is such a huge help when she does this because we can just take it out of the freezer and throw it in the microwave. They have also helped by cleaning and hanging different pictures.

So all in all everything has been great. I will probably have to go back up to school sometime this week. It is possible that my substitute will be moving to a jr. high classroom, which means that I will be getting someone else. This would normally stress me out, but the person I will get is a retired MALE principal. This is the best option I have heard in a long time. I have really been praying for a better solution to this problem, and God has given me the best one possible. We will see if it all pans out. Hope everyone is having a good day. I will post pics of the week later.

So here are some new pics of the little guy (and the big boy). Russell loves to help out with Wilson!

This is Wilson chillin' in his bouncy chair. I placed it on top of the washing machine so I could iron. He seems kinda confused!

Babies, babies, and more babies

I want to start this posting with a big CONGRATS to my BFF, Christy Allen Edmonds, on her beautiful little girl, Zoe, finally making her grand entrance into the world. It is hard for me to believe that I just had my second, and that Christy is now a mom. I can remember (very clearly) the year we went to Brookhill Camp together, and we got in trouble for bringing our NKOTB pictures to post by our bunks. We are now both moms, and it seems really weird. I can't wait to get down to El Do to see that cutie pie. I am sure she will have blonde hair (really don't know how she couldn't), and well, I am sure she is just beautiful! Zoe and Wilson will meet when we travel to El Do for our 10 year reunion.

So Russell moved up to the preschool building at daycare. He is getting to be such a big boy. He is really helpful with Wilson, and you can tell he really loves his brother. He was so excited about going back to school. It is great when they like going to school. It sure makes things a whole lot easier than him pitching a huge fit!

Wilson is doing great. We have bumped him up to 4 oz of formula, and he seems to be content. He is staying awake longer lately. It is so neat to watch him knowing that he is just soaking everything in. When we went for his 2 week check up he was up to 9 lb 11 oz. That is a whole pound that he has gained since we left the hospital.

Justin has started late nights for football. Since they have meetings during the day, they have to practice in the evenings. It is actually a good idea considering how hot it is lately. School starts on Monday (not for me of course), and I know that things will get really hectic. It will be a true test of my juggling ability.

Nana and Grandpa Ralph will be here starting Saturday. We are really excited for their visit. It is always nice when they come to visit. Nana is so good for cooking extra meals to freeze, and Grandpa Ralph will tinker with different projects. Last year when they came to visit (about this same time) we had major sewer problems, and they were such a HUGE help. I am really hoping that things are a whole lot more calm this year. After they leave, Allison, Cayman, Delaney, Grandmother and Granddaddy-o will be coming in. We are really looking forward to seeing all of them. Russell and Cayman were so cute when we went on vacation this year. They really play together (and spend a lot of time saying MINE, no MINE). I hear Delaney is crawling all over the place. After going to El Do for the reunion, Unca Ryan will be coming in. We haven't seen him in a year and a half so he will be amazed at the changes in Russell. I can't wait to see Russell interact with him. Ryan is always so much fun, and I know that Russell will love him as much (if not more) than I do!

Back to the real world

Well, today was a "work" day in our classrooms. Even though my maternity leave has officially started, I had to go to work. Wilson came with me to the school, and he was an angel. He didn't ever really cry, and he slept most of the day. I got lots done on my room, but it isn't done by any means. I am going to meetings all next week. It seems really silly that I have to go to meetings that I am already excused from. If I don't attend these meetings though, I won't have enough inservice hours for the year. As a side note, did you know that teachers in Arkansas have to get TWICE as many inservice hours as doctors? Seems funny that we also make less than 1/3 what they make. Okay, so that is my soapbox for the day.
Well we pick up Russell tomorrow. I am really excited to see him. We have talked to him almost every night this week, but I want to see that sweet little face. I can just imagine his excitement when we meet at Chick-fil-a. I am hoping to score a trip to Target out of the deal also, but I really doubt I can convince them (Russell and Justin) for that. Maybe while Russell is playing on the playground, I can sneak over there with Wilson.
As a side note, there is a little spot for everyone to comment on these blogs. I realize that some people reading this don't know how to comment. It is really simple, just click the word comment. I don't expect each person to comment each time they read the blog, but it lets me know if anyone is reading it!! So far my girls from my class last year have been in the couple that have left comments. Thanks ladies!! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Love and miss everyone.

Tuesday morning

Well, things are still quiet, but they are moving right along. I am getting quite a bit done with only one little boy around. I plan on finishing my lesson plans this week, and I think that is a very attainable goal.

Here is a funny for you. The birth announcement in the paper says "Killery and Justin Key had a baby boy". So if you see me around, please note my name change. I will only answer to Killery from now on. HAHA isn't that a hoot. Oh well, what can you do?!

Wilson has turned over 7 times now. He really doesn't like tummy time and that concerns me a little bit. They stress that you should give an infant tummy time to strengthen the muscles in their necks and to help them get stronger to learn how to flip over. Okay, well, we obviously don't need any more strength to flip over. I am interested to see what the doctor says about all of this. By the way, we did get it on film. We are trying figure out how to upload a video from our digital camera to the internet. If anyone has information on this, please let me know. I was thinking Wilson could be a star on youtube even.

We have talked to Russell each evening. He seems to be doing great with Grandmother and Granddaddy-o. They have gone to various places, and they say he is behaving well. One afternoon when we were still at the hospital, Granddaddy-o found a show on Disney called "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava girl". Russell has become obsessed with the movie. We found the full length DVD at Hastings. He watches it everyday. It is the lifesaver we were looking for!!

I hope everyone is enjoying the dog days of summer. It is getting unbearably hot here. Even though it hasn't officially hit the 100's, yet, it has gotten mighty close. Justin and the Rebs are out there practicing in the heat. Thankfully Jeff doesn't do the "two-a-days" any longer. I think it would be too much for those boys. Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Quiet around the house

Yesterday, Grandmother and Granddaddy-o left to go back to Paragould, and they took Russell the "monster" with them. Now, Nana don't get mad. He has been living up to his loving nickname by growling and saying "I uh onsta" which translates to "I am a monster". Anyhow, I blame it on hormones, but I did get a little weepy watching them go. Russell didn't have any issues with leaving and gave me a hug and said "bye mom". Then he hopped in the truck and promptly requested "Shark boy" I am sure. I decided the best thing to do was keep myself busy. I had an appointment to take Wilson by the doc's office at 1:30 so I made a list of things I needed to accomplish this up coming week. I tackled packing my maternity clothes first. It was with sweet satisfaction that I packed them away. It isn't that I didn't enjoy being pregger, I just enjoy the end result a whole lot more!!! Wilson and I made the trek up to Trusty Elementary. I needed to get somethings to be able to finish my lesson plans. Of course we didn't get any work done because everyone wanted to visit. I could have guessed it was going to go like that! Everyone agrees that Wilson favors me (which I don't really see. I think he looks like Russell;therefore he looks like Justin). He slept the whole time the ladies were oooohing and aaahing over him. We went to the doc--everything turned out fine. When we finally got home, Wilson and I ate lunch. I was hoping he would take a nap (seeing as I was BEAT), but he didn't really want to. We rested on Mommy's bed instead.
It is really odd, espically this morning, that Russell isn't here. You don't realize how much a little person fills your house and your life until they are gone. He is such an entertainer, and he fills the room with his presence. He is also a really big help to me. He will get little things for me if I ask just right. I know that he needs his special time with G-mother and Dad-o, but I already miss him. I guess that just goes to show how much a mother can love. It is really nice to get so much bonding time with Wilson. He is staying awake more in the past few days. It is cool to see him staring at things and knowing how much he is taking into his brain to process.
I hope everyone has a nice and relaxing weekend. It has suddenly gotten HOT here. The beginning of the summer was cool because of the monsoon season we had. Now, well, let's just say that I thank God everyday that I am not pregnant in this heat. Talk about uncomfortable!

Strongest baby in the WORLD

Okay I know it sounds completely unbelieveable and fabricated, and to tell the truth I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes. I would have even seriously doubted my state of mind if Grandmother had not been sitting right there when it happened.
We decided to let Wilson have some tummy time for the first time. He wasn't really excited about this, but I thought it would be a good way to exercise those neck muscles. He was lifting his head a little and was digging in with his knees. None of this really surprised me because Russell also had strong neck muscles and the desire to lift off the floor. The kicker to the situation was that HE FLIPPED OVER!!! He lifted himself up enough to FLIP ONTO HIS BACK! I know, it was probably a one time thing, but still you have to admit it is pretty amazing. I won't be calling the Guiness book of records YET, but if he does it again next time on his tummy, I will be alerting someone! Just thought I would brag a little.

Good sleep

Well, for only a week old, Wilson is a considerate little guy. I know that I would be "dreaming" if I thought that he was on a schedule already, but he is pretty consistant. He eats every 3 hours (at most 3 1/2 hours). He has been sleeping in between feedings pretty well. I try to keep him awake at least a couple of times during the day so that he will sleep at night. For the past two nights he has gotten up for his midnight feeding and slept till his 3 am feeding. Then he wakes to eat, and he will stay awake about 30 minutes. Then it is back to bed till about 6:30 or 7. Justin is doing the midnight feeding while I get some sleep. The 3 am feeding is mine so that Coach can get some rest. My only complaint (and really it isn't complaining) is that I have already caught up on my infomercials. There are some really interesting products out there!!
Wilson enjoys his swing. This is good news seeing as Russell HATED it! It provides us one more outlet for Wilson while we give big brother the attention he craves (and really deserves). Joanna (a good friend) gave Russell all of Kaden's old trains. They have been a good distraction for Russell. Anyhow, just thought I would update everyone on the exciting happenings in the Key household. Grandmother and Granddaddy-o are going to be taking Russell back with them on Friday. He is going to have so much fun, and I am sure he will come back rotten. jk!!