5 Things I Don't Like Talking About to Expecting Mothers

Longest title of all time? YEP.

As Rebecca Black would say, It's Friday, Friday! 

Sorry to do that to you, but I just hadddd to.

Today I took a vacation day at work. Yep, Friday's and Monday's are usually day's I like to use my vacation time since I'm already paying for daycare/preschool it's like a sunk cost babysitter! Economics class anyone? Moving on. On Wednesday I explained how distraught Tracen and I were after the first two days of preschool. But just because I took the day off work today, doesn't mean I'm letting Trace stay home with me. That would mean I'm not making him face his fear and although this is extremely tough on both of us, he needs to be there. He needs the interaction with other kids his age and to learn to take instruction and obey rules from someone else than myself, Jer or family members. With that being said, I have a shit ton of things I want/need to get accomplished today in a short amount of time. 

This week I wanted to talk about some things I either refuse to talk to expecting mothers, or just people in general, about! With friends and family members becoming pregnant and everyone having their own opinion, sometimes things can get heated when they don't need to be. So while a lot of people refrain from talking about politics I tend to refrain from starting conversations up about the following. Now this isn't to say I DON'T talk about these things, because I do, I just try to not be the one who brings it up.

1. BABY NAMES| I can't tell you how many times people asked if we had names picked out for both Tracen and Skylor before hand. I usually just said we had some in mind but were waiting till they were here to decide. Which was true. I also didn't want to tell anyone what names we were deciding between because what if they took them! Or bet yet, cringed and said "Oh, that's different."I do have to say all the names we had picked out for Skylor people I know have already taken them this past year. So basically if we have another baby it will have to be a girl because I'm fresh out of good and different boy names! *tear*

2. BREAST FEEDING| So here's the thing, I am ALL for breastfeeding, people talking about, doing it, etc. You could wip your girls out while were drinking some Starbucks together and nurse that baby all you want. I am a total advocate FOR it. The thing that stresses me out is the shame that some women feel when they can't, or they don't want to or they give up because it's hard freaking work! It's a VERY hard topic to talk about sometimes and a lot of women feel intimidated when they are speaking to other women that can BF. So I tend to not bring it up. If someone asked if I did and how my experience was, I would tell them the truth. It was harder for me to breastfeed and/or pump than it was for me to give birth to Skylor, funny right, but very true. 

3. SLEEPING| Now I did it totally different with my two boys. With Tracen he was in a crib within a month after he got home from the NICU. We never registered for a bassinet and didn't have a rock n' play. So all I knew was to put him in his crib and he woke up, feed him, rock, burp and put back in crib. This was also why it probably took him till he was 15 months old to sleep through the damn night! With Skylor I had invested in a rock n' play (hello Godsend!) and we bed shared IE: he slept in our bed. The problem with this topic is the SID's talk and the "you're going to roll over the child" talk people like to give you. I'm not going to get into a debate on any of this I just wanted to tell you that I've done it both ways and both kids are well and alive. Tracen now hates sleeping in his bed and crawls into ours around 2am every night and Skylor LOVES his crib and has tons of animals and blankets and a pillow. Another topic people will turn into a debate is the safety of things in the crib. At 13 months old if Sky wants to, and he has, he will chuck everything out of his crib so yes, he sleeps with a small pillow, 4 blankies and about 7 stuffed animals, as did Tracen. {Clearly we didn't do this right away, only when he was mobil.}

4. CIRCUMCISION| Since I live in a house full of boys, this topic applies to me. I've never actually been asked if we circumcised the boys or not but I've seen this topic come across many mommy blogs, Facebook groups, etc. I honestly have never felt the urge to voice my opinion as my opinion is this: whether you know you are having a boy or not, you should talk about the topic with your partner before hand and do whatever you both agree on. Sounds like an easy thing to do right?! I know people that have and also have not gotten it done and I honestly could care less on what you do to your son. It's not going to effect my life so if you don't want to do it, rock on! And if you want to, rock on too! All I gotta say is, you still gotta clean that thing really good whether you choose to circumcise or not! Also, wieners are weird man, really weird!!!

5. HOW YOUR LIFE IS OVER| This one, this is one I will probably get in fights with people about so I try to keep my mouth shut when I can. Children are a gift, an opportunity that not everyone is so fortunate to be blessed with. The fact that I see people writing or hear people speaking these words baffles me. My life has not ended twice, it's begun a new chapter each time! A chapter that is hard work but with THE greatest pay off life could give you. Sure, there are days where I want to give up, wave the white flag and scream, cry and run away. Sometimes I want to give up for days on end, thinking, will things ever get better!!! But they do, and then they get worse and then they get really good and then they get worse again. It's a vicious cycle but in-between the meltdowns, the 'leave me alone's' and the hitting there is love, compassion and laughter. Your life is not over when you have kids, you just live it differently. How you choose to live it is up to you. You have to come up with ways to paint your living room, clean the dishes or film videos and write blog posts! You figure out when the best time to go out to eat with them is {you don't just stop going out all together!} And you figure out what activities can wear them out them most before bedtime! Your life is never over when you have children!!!

       ^^See! Still having fun and a "life" with kids^^

I get that these are some pretty hard topics that not everyone will agree with me on but these are ones that I try to not talk about with expecting moms, new mothers or people that have ears in general. To me there are greater things that can hold a conversion and a debate on any of these topics is just not something I try to engage in. I'd rather talk about coffee, wine or trashy tv to be honest.

On a lighter note, it's Friday bitchssss!

Linking up with some pretty awesome people this week, not only the wonderful Karli & Amy for Oh Hey Friday but also with a few other girls I hope you will check out their pages as well! Linking up with Lauren, Ash, & Amanda wonderful Friday!

A Day in the Life in Pictures

I'm not really sure how to start this off other than I work full-time and I'm not a SAHM. Before you start assessing this in your head about me using the SAHM phrase this isn't a 'why I'm a better mom because I leave my house to work' or a 'why SAHM's are better because they are with their kids all day watching them instead of someone else' post. This is a 'I used two vacation days from work and one of the days I took pictures of everything we did' post. A fun one, not one that debates why one type of parent is "better" than the other because I honestly think both rule! Lord knows I could NEVER stay at home full-time, I would honestly go insane and I commend all you full-time SAHM!!!

Moving on to the point of this post. I've seen these 'day in the life posts with pictures' so I figured, you've seen our daily shenanigans on my Youtube channel and figured why not via photos this time; you know, spice things up. Realistically these photos aren't something you'll find in a magazine or ones that I would take 500 of to capture the best lighting of a product because this post is not a review of something. These are taken with my iPhone.  It's not a photo shoot of the boys where I put them in white and hope they don't ruin their clothes. These are plain, real, everyday photos where I don't put a bra on till 2pm and I let my kids watch TV while I drink my first third cup of coffee and relax on the couch. Yea those kind.

Let's Get Started Shall We!

We have a king size bed and this kid takes up about 70% of it. {He's laying horizontal in case you're wondering.} I got up and out of bed to go downstairs and do a little work on
computer before they woke up.

Hot, what can I say.

B R E A K F A S T: My favorite coffee at the moment & yogurt with a granola mix

and he's up

Milk & fruit while he watches a show. The ONLY way the kid will be semi nice in the morning!

"helping mumma work"

Time to make breakfast. If you have kids, add food coloring to pancake mix! Both kids are OBSESSED with the multi-colored pancakes!

Sky is still sleeping {crazy!} so I take care of the dishes, bottles and laundry.

Whoever gave Tracen Play-dough for his birthday, you can have it back! This shit is all over my seats, rug and floor. However, it kept him busy for an hour!

He's up!!! And so so happy! He's been sleeping for 13+ hours lately and it is AMAZING!!!

Dressed and chowing down on pancakes

Time for tea and down to the basement for some dress up and I attempt more laundry.

Lunch. Yes my kids eat a lot of macaroni. I try to buy organic so I feel better about the 10 boxes in my cart. They also eat a TON of fruit, so it balances out, right? righhh.....

I then turn my back for a second and it's all over the floor because I forget how tall Skylor is

Sky goes down for a nap and I took a shower which Tracen then stripped down and climbed in with me. He's obsessed with shaving cream and the kid probably needed a shower...

After 2 hours of Sky sleeping and Tracen BEGGING to go see his friends, we're off.

Spent some time with miss Mia!

We head home and Jer is home from work. Look in the fridge and make some grub. Pork loin and roasted green beans and sweet potatoes.

Tracen calls this "making his playground". We usually get really annoyed that he takes our whole couch apart but I'm exhausted and I sit and watch while he has fun and I paint my nails. I need a moment to myself so and no one broke a bone so it's all good.

After some books and snuggles he's finally out. {For a few hours till he climbs in our bed}

We get ready for bed and watch a DVR'd show or two and it's time to pass out.

This is some what of a normal day when I'm at home with the boys and not at work. There are plenty of other things that happen through out the day, like meltdowns, poops in the potty, work on my computer, naps that are not taken, did I say meltdowns? There's laughing and yelling and crying and the "that's mine" screams and the "take a deep breath because that's not how we talk" talks. These days can be long but I really do love being at home, I just wish I could split my time at work and home in half but such is life and we have a mortgage to pay!

One.

365 days ago I smiled and laughed as I pushed you into this world just as July 29th had begun. You've been making me gush with the same amount of joy ever since. I can't get over how much you've grown and changed over these past 12 months, it seems so surreal. The love and admiration you have in your eyes when you stare at Tracen is truly amazing. You look up {literally} to him with such a gaze in your eyes it makes us smile for you. Tracen also adores you to pieces, alternatively we have to pry his grimy little hands off your face before he squeezes you to bits. {Sorry about that for future reference}

Here is Skylor's birth story. A story that was so easy to write, an experience I would relive forever because of the calmness I felt that night. The first thing people noticed were your cheeks. Those things were huge! I still smoosh my face into them as soon as I get home from work, when you wake up in the morning or your beaming with a toothy grin on your face! You like to watch people very intensely, and want to do everything Tracen does. These past 12 months have been some of the best times shared together as a family of four. Everyone always says it but, I don't know what life would be like without you in it. This weeks video is dedicated to you sweet baby boy, happy birthday and may the next year be just as fun, exciting and joyful as this last year was.

WEIGHT: {check up soon}

HEIGHT/LENGTH: {check up soon}

{Look how big he is in this thing!!!}

SLEEPING: I jinxed myself last month because teething started up again and you are sleeping like a colic-y baby. We. Are. Exhausted. and so are you :(

EATING: Everything and anything! You're refusing bottles and only want sippy, just like your brother :)

FAVORITE MOMENTS: There are too many to list so watching the video is a must!

LEAST FAVORITE MOMENTS: The sadness in your face when you don't feel well. It hurts me more than it probably hurts you.

FIRSTS: You started to walk with a baby walker and he smiles whenever he does! Walking from couch to table and back. Crawling up the stairs {oh lord!} You recently started humming and it's like you hear us singing or the music being played and are just joining in on the party!

LIFE CURRENTLY : Is wonderful. Stressful, but wonderful. I now have a 3.5 and 1 year old #crazy. We are working away on projects for the house and at work. Trying to enjoy summer and long nights together. I still wear you around the house and while running errands, I enjoy that closeness between you and me and know it won't always be like that. You're back to sleeping in our bed most nights {and so is Tracen} so its a bed full of blonde cuties once again. This summer passed by extremely fast and we love being outside together. My favorite thing about this year are the vlogs though. I've watched them over and over even though I'm the one that puts them together! I cherish these moments because they go so fast, we are so busy and I never ever want to forget them.

I'm writing this for me as, I do most of these posts, but I do hope one day you read this and can feel the emotions and love pouring out of me for you. Happy First Birthday Skylor!

Weekend Recap

The weekend is over? Sky turns one next week? Where the hell did the summer already go!
We didn't really have any crazy plans this past weekend except we needed to start getting the house ready for Skylor's birthday party this comming Sunday. Most of our family hasn't seen our house since we moved so his party will be a 2in1 kinda deal!

{how cute are they!}

FRIDAY|  We got home from work and opted for some flat bread pizza and beers in the living room with the boys for our standard Pizza Party Friday routine. That was literally all we did! #relaxmode

SATURDAY| We were kicked out of our bed yet again by the little ones so we got everyone up and started the day with some good old bucks of star. Jerek did a ton of yard work in preparation for the 50+ people we are having over next week. While the boys napped and Jerek slaved away, I filmed and edited a fun summer look book that is on my Youtube channel {also shown below.} I really need to get out of the house more because I have a room full of clothes that are begging me to wear them {psst Jer, date night hint!} We then went over to Jerek's sister to meet our brand spanking new niece that was born on the 16th and has more hair than both my children combined. {Not jealous or anything.}

|SUMMER LOOKBOOK 2014|

SUNDAY| Our bed was taken over yet again by these two little blondes so we didn't get much sleep. We threw some slippers on and headed over to the green mermaid lady that serves caffeine, she's just the best ya know! We got the boys ready for Jerek's sister and brother in law that were picking them up for a day date to Detroit on the river walk while we attempted to preform this "great" idea {redo our kitchen cabinets.} Please note, the fact that I'm trying to redo a kitchen 7 days before a big party at my house is a jacked up idea to begin with! I don't know who I really think I am!The idea: Refinish/stain the kitchen cabinets. There will be a whole post coming on this topic later this week but in short, I don't admit I'm over my head or that I'm wrong much but when I do I'm really wrong! Lets just say I told Jerek he was right, a lot today!

This weekend went by fast and although I didn't think we had many plans or did much we actually did! Another weekend for the books with my favorite boys. Time to go back to work, but only for four days, Friday I will be spending the whole day at home cleaning, baking and preparing for Sunday! {Cue I-can't-believe-sky's-one-tears!}

Hope you guys enjoy the video! Happy Monday!

Sleepless in Detroit

This morning I woke up and my right arm was numb. Not because I fell asleep with it above my head or because I had been sleeping on it all night.  I didn't want to move it but I needed to get up and get ready for woke. I grabbed my phone as my first alarm at 5:10am started going off to silence it. I silenced the next one and the one after that and the one after that. It was then 6:05am and Jer whispered next to me, are you going to get up and shower? I ignored him, who needs to shower, it's Friday.  At this point my arm was starting to tingle, I think it knew I needed to get my ass out of bed or we all were going to be late. Just as soon as I started to move it upwards, it started. Fussing, farting and crying. Sky was awake and not happy that I was moving my arm his pillow. I laid him on my pillow, tucked him under the down blanket and started to cover the dark circles under my eyes that have made themselves a home. He watched me and smiled.

He was now happy.Content and just plain cute. 

As I searched for something warm and comfortable to wear I couldn't really think about how exhausted I was from the night or weeks before.  I really just wanted to crawl back into bed and snuggle that little guy.

The last few weeks have been hard. If it's not one kid, it's the other and sometimes it's both..at the same time, at that same moment. They need you. They want something from you. Sometimes they don't know how to explain it and sometimes they do. They may just want you to lay with them a little longer, to scratch their back till they fall asleep or sing 'you are my sunshine' just one.more.time. But it's hard. It's hard not knowing, and it's hard knowing what they need, all at the same time. and when you're tired, it's even harder.

From experience I know that these sleepless nights will end though. They will also resurface when teething, night time potty training and when bad dreams happen.  Although it's Friday and I look forward to spending the weekend with the boys, today was a fight.  It was a fight to get Tracen dressed, a fight to put shoes on, a fight to get out of the door and a fight when I had to leave them to go to work.  Today, I cried while driving to work. It doesn't happen all the time but more frequently than I'd like.  Here's the thing. Both boys need me in two totally different way. I hate giving timeouts and I hate saying no but both things have to be done so Tracen learns right from wrong. I also hate when Skylor screams at the top of his lungs every two hours and no feeding, rocking or skin to skin will appease him. I'm exhausted but I really don't mind, what I mind is that you just don't know what's going on with these little humans when they act like this. It's frustrating and it got the best to me on the drive in.  But I will survive, I always do.

Motherhood is a crazy journey. One that is full of unlimited surprises, some good and some bad.  Every day I am blessed to be with these two crazy kids as well as the person that keeps me sane and raises these munchkins with me.

five month update.

WEIGHT: 17lbs

HEIGHT/LENGTH: 27 inches

SLEEPING: what's that?? No, really, I honestly don't know how I function as I get on average 5 hours of sleep a night.  We do have a really good "put to bed" schedule and that is; oatmeal around 7-730pm and a 5oz bottle around 830-9pm. This then fills him up till about 1am (if I'm lucky!) We then are up every three hours eating and shitting are brains out. I honestly don't understand why on earth he is pooping at EVERY diaper changing?!

EATING: we are doing oatmeal twice a day, usually in the morning and then again around 7-730pm.  I'm starting to re-read my blogs and pinterest pins to begin the process of making Sky's food. I made all of Tracens food and it was super easy! I do have some of the organic baby pouches on hand for when we are on the go. He then takes down 5 ounce bottles through out the day. Have I mentioned that this kid eats more than Tracen ever ate?!

FAVORITE MOMENTS: words can't really describe it so here ya go! Aren't they the CUTEST!!!

LEAST FAVORITE MOMENTS: this sickness that won't leave your tiny little body! The doctor says as long as you don't have a temperature and are eating that you are okay but DAMN, you are so miserable I feel horrible!

FIRSTS: this month marked the first time I've ever had to cut a onesie off a kid because they shit so far up their back I thought if I tried pulling it over their head they would have it all over their dome and I just couldn't handle that. Nope, just couldn't! So RIP dark gray baby Gap onesie, we hardly wore ye. This month also marked the first time we threw away pillows because there was shit covering those as well. I'm still on the hunt for a decent diaper for this kids ass explosions!

LIFE CURRENTLY : crazy hectic! We just celebrated Tracens 3rd birthday with a few family and friends over at the house.  This was followed by Jerek and I getting this crazy bug that consisted of us basically sharing the shitter barfing the night befores dinner out. We then were so nice to give it to about 15-20 other family members including the boys. That bug was no joke but thankfully it only lasted about 24 hours! However, I'm pretty sure I didn't gain any weight from the holiday's because I couldn't keep anything down! (winning!) Tomorrow is New Years Eve and as excited as I was for 2013 I'm even more excited for 2014, I feel good vibes acommin guys!

four month update.

WEIGHT: 15.2lbs

HEIGHT/LENGTH: 26inches

SLEEPING: Teething has begun and the 6 straight hours of sleep you WERE getting has vanished. We are now looking at MAYBE 3 straight hours before you wake up screaming bloody murder to eat but then not really eating back to screaming, whining and then falling back to sleep.

EATING: Giving you 6 ounce bottles and you gulp down 5 of them real fast and then linger around with the last ounce or so. I just started a little oatmeal cereal and he's liking it. Given around 7pm before your last bottle in hopes of filling your stomach bottomless pit up!

FAVORITE MOMENTS: Sky is laughing way in his belly at Tracen when he dances around like a crazy man makes my heart melt. He is the happiest baby in the morning, so no matter how tired I am from the night before, that gummy grin makes my morning/day!

LEAST FAVORITE MOMENTS: teething is a bitch. I forgot about it entirely. Poor kid has been chewing and sucking his hand like theres sugar on it. Plus he's got some cough/congestion going on that I'm trying to magically cure myself. (So far the mucus and boogers are winning.)

FIRSTS: rolled over from back to front while we were getting ready in the morning this past week. I put him on his belly, walked to the bedroom to get something, came back and he was on his back smiling! Jerek was standing right there ironing and missed the whole thing as well. ugh!

LIFE CURRENTLY :I've been so busy staying at work late and then rushing home to the boys to eat, play, put the kids to bed and then work on Etsy orders that I've barely managed to crawl into bed before 11pm. This makes for a long night and even longer next day. These next few weekends are full of work Christmas party, our brother-in-laws graduation, Tracens 3rd birthday and then Christmas and NYE this year will soon be just memories!

Tracens Birth Story.

Now you must remember that it's been some time since I gave birth to Tracen, so if I forget a thing or two, please forgive me.  Here it is though, all written down, in a little corner of the web that I will be able to remember forever. I'm sure I will need to remind myself to check back and read this every so often because the past few weeks, hes been a real shithead, I mean like I'm not going to listen to anything you say, do the opposite and spit on you while doing so.SO! Lets begin!

With a due date of Jan 19th 2011 and already 50 lbs sitting on my 5'2" frame I was beginning to think that we might just not make it to my due date, or even to 2011 without having a baby first. My hip dysplasia set in at the Thanksgiving dinner at my aunts. I couldn't sit, couldn't stand, couldn't really walk, I was miserable. I just wanted to go home and lay in bed, but not really because even that seemed to hurt.  From Thanksgiving to Dec 21st I was in constant pain and having to take two different pain pills (prescribed by my doctor.)  There were a few nights I forgot to take one before bed and I would wake up in AGONIZING pain and swore I would never forget again!

I went in on my 36 week check up and found out I was 5cm dilated, yea, F-I-V-E!!! So for the past two weeks since my last appointment I was in labor and had no idea, no wonder I was in so much pain. I was told that we were having a baby today! Now many people would have been surprised but I really wasn't because I had read my horoscope over on astrology zone and KNEW I was having my baby on the 21st.  I even told my boss the day before that I wouldn't be in after my appointment on Monday because I was going to have a baby then. He laughed. I didn't. My horoscope read "life changing things will happen on the 21st, things that you can not plan for." If that wasn't a sign I'm not sure what was...I did say I was already 5cm dilated right? Right.

So we did what every normal couple going to have a baby 4 weeks early with no hospital bag packed did, we walked waddled up to labor and delivery floor, checked in and called everyone and their mothers and were smiling head to toe unaware of what was to follow. In my mind I was "going to do this the natural way" (who was I kidding!) By 2pm I was at a 7 and I just couldn't do it any longer and asked for the good stuff. The anesthesiologist came up and took care of me. I was much more relaxed and even started to watch a movie. By 550pm I was checked and told I was at a 10 and ready to push. I was nervous, I didn't know how to push, I didn't know how to get this baby out of me, I didn't know what to expect and I didn't know how my life would change. But I was ready, ready to go balls to the wall and do this damn thing! 45 minutes of pushing Tracen was born at 6:35pm on December 21, 2010, the first day of winter, the cusp of the astrology calendar. He was 7lbs and 21" long. He was beautiful.

The next 10 days were a blur and not the oh 'I'm a new mother I don't know what I'm doing blur.' Since Tracen was a month early there are complications that come with this. He was rushed to the NICU because he was having some breathing issues. I was exhausted from labor and ligitamitlly thought my hips were about to fall off. I assumed he was being taken to the nursery to get a bath and would be brought back to me that I didn't even think to ask when he was coming back. We were taken to my post birthing room and I think I ate a cracker or two and passed out. I woke up to a hospital grade pump and was told to start pumping, so I did. Jer would take whatever I could pump down to the NICU. He fed him and spent time with him for the first 3 feedings as I was in and out of sleep. I don't think I totally understood that he was in the NICU until about 12 hours later when I realized he still wasn't in our room with us.

When we finally saw him I started crying. He wasn't small by any means, in fact his nick name was "the big one" because for a baby in the NICU, 7lbs was huge for those kiddos in there.  I cried because I was scared, and in SO much pain to be honest. I didn't know what to do, who to ask, did I even have to ask to hold my own baby? Why were there wires everywhere, what was he hooked up to, why wasn't he breathing good, the questions were really endless. I got some answers; he had jaundice, and fluid in his lungs so they needed to monitor him. I was told he should be released soon. Soon turned into 24 hours, 24 hours turned into 48 hours, 48 hours turned into ten.long.days.

I think they felt bad for us because I was refusing not wanting to leave the hospital without my son. We ended up sleeping in the room IN the NICU for two days after we were released. Those two days were hell. All we heard was monitors going off, crying and doctor talk. It was pure hell. It was Christmas eve and we were waiting for the doctors to come around for their rounds. We were told if all checks out well we could take him home.  When the doctors came around and told me that he had 'd-stat' the night before I was so confused. What did that mean, we were taking him home tonight right? W.R.O.N.G. 'D-stating' is when the baby forgets to breathe. A lot of time it happens when they are drinking from a bottle or have a pacifier but it was happening when he was just sleeping. It's a very scary thought but at that moment, for those 30 seconds when they said he wasn't going home on Christmas, I thought they didn't understand, it was Christmas, I just wanted my baby home with his family.  When a baby d-stats they have to go 48 hours without doing it again. Tracen would get to the 40 hours mark and d-stat, then 43 hours mark and d-stat again, it was extremely frustrating. I was up at the hospital all the time, giving them breast milk, snuggling him, waiting for doctors to do their rounds and getting disappointed every day he couldn't go home with us.

Finally, on New Years Eve, he was cleared. We were going to spend the last night of 2010 together, as a family. It was THE happiest day of my life.  Looking back, I feel so silly being so dramatic about 10 whole days when 90% of the other babies in the NICU were in there much longer, battling much larger struggles, but for me and Jer, those were our struggles.

Tracen has grown into a beautiful little boy and in exactly 1 month from today he will be three. THREE, I can't even think about that. He is in the 95 percentile in height and 50 percentile in weight. His vocabulary is right on track and comprehends everything we say, although his listening skills, or lack there of, are that of a 3 year old's. Thankfully there were never any side effects from coming early. I am forever grateful for the doctors and nurses that put up with me during those days because I don't know if I could do it! He will forever be the first person to call me mumma, the first baby that stole my heart and the first little boy I called my son.