Maternity leave has been so busy!  Yowzers.  So much for lying on the couch, watching tv, reading books, and talking to internet friends ;)  As you can tell, I've totally been neglecting the blog, not out of lack of wanting, but out of lack of time. 

A few updates for you:
1. B's brother and two of his kids (7 year old twins) have been here with us this week.  It's fun seeing the kids play together and it's amazing how independent play really changes how you parent.  I am excited for Spencer to gain that skill!!

2.  Peter started social smiling around 5 1/2 weeks.  That and the cooing he does totally make my heart melt!

3.  Trying to pack and get the house organized for vacation when you have people staying with you is not easy.  I'm really stressed about getting everything done and being able to leave on time.  Luckily time is relative b/c we're driving and not flying.

4.  I just received my Aden and Anais bamboo swaddle blankets in the mail.  They're amazingly soft and so lightweight- perfect for summer.  I do love the A&A regular swaddles, but the bamboo ones are even better, in my opinion.  Natural Little One has the best prices by FAR on all the A&A stuff (good information for those of you expecting or going to baby showers!!)

5.  Currently reading 50 Shades of Gray.  I'm ambivelent on this.  I definitely am interested in finding out what happened to Christian in the past and I like Ana to some extent, but it's just so........well, different and not very realistic (to me anyway- who knows, maybe this is normal for others).  I about DIED reading the contract.  My FB post stated, "I wonder if law schools across America will be using 50 Shades for their contract law classes". I'm sure I'll read books two and three (unless all of you leave me comments saying not to bother).

6. Just finished book 4 of Game of Thrones.  I did NOT like the fact that the characters are split between book 4 and 5 and I also felt that there was very little character resolution in book 4 (since those characters won't be in book 5).  My sister in law thinks that there definitely should be a book 6 as even at the end of 5 there is a lot of open questions.  I do like the series, though, and am hoping to watch them eventually on DVD as we don't have HBO.

7.  We leave on Saturday for vacation!!!  We're going up north for the 4th.  Cannot WAIT!  B is going up for one week and the boys and I are staying for two.  We'll then come home for a week and go back up for another week before I have to go back to work in August.  Three weeks in my favorite spot with my friends and my mom to help- yes, please!!!  So thankful for this!

8.  I got the all clear at my OB apt to start working out again.  I've done Jillian twice and have been doing push ups, lunges, squats, etc whenever I can get them in (ie- during naps, while Spencer is playing in the yard, etc).  I'm excited for vacation so that we can get in daily work outs.  I'm definitely taking the Shred with me and am hoping to run once or twice with B while my mom and Ralph watch the boys.  He runs a lot longer and faster than I do, but I'm hoping he'll help me motivate once or twice :)

9.  I love Pinterest.  It's just so easy to browse while nursing!!

He's smiling (and a kidney update)!!

These pictures were taken at 6 weeks old and he's now 7 weeks.  My how the time flies!!

Peter is happy to report that our first trip to the nephrologist's office went well.  The two tests we had last week showed that his left kidney is still abnormally small (below the 5th percentile) and has very little function.  The right kidney is growing well and functioning well.  The left kidney is growing though, so, at this point, we expect that it will continue to grow throughout his life, just on it's own growth curve.  It will always be small and it will probably always have some functionality to it (though not enough to take over for the other kidney if that kidney were damaged in any way). 

His ultrasound showed that he has mild (grade I) hydronephrosis in the good (right) kidney.  This can be normal up to age one, so we will get serial ultrasounds over the next year to watch it.  If it stays the same or gets smaller, then that is great.  If it worsens, then we will have to do another test (VCUG) to see if he is having backflow of urine up into his kidneys.  That can cause lots of infections and damage the good kidney which is why it is necessary to watch it so closely.  I'm content that it hasn't worsened in the first 6 weeks of life, so I'm not worried about the future.

Since my office is on the same floor as the nephrologist's, I was able to stop in and see all my coworkers after the apt.  It was wonderful to see everyone!

(Close ups of this sweet, sweet face)

We're so happy that he is doing well overall and glad that we really haven't been given anything to worry about.  I'm so thankful!

Updates

1. I'm alive and surviving!

2. We've had a non-stop steady set of visitors since Peter was born leaving little time to do much besides parent, nurse, clean, and cook.  After those are done, thank you notes are my first priority.  Blogging has pretty much fell by the wayside, even though I regularly think about posting!

3. I've been up since 4:57 this a.m., and the boys are still sleeping at 6:30, hence the post.

4. We leave in a week and a half to go up north for the 4th of July week.  I am SO excited.  B and I are hosting a party at my mom's one night, so I'm trying to plan for that.  Just started working on the menu yesterday.  I feel behind the game already.  Worst thing is that I had to send a FB invitation rather than real invites becauseI just didn't have time to order them and get them in the mail.  Not pretty or festive :(  Hopefully the food, drink, and atmosphere of the night will make up for it.

5. It's HOT here in Michigan this week.  Today will be our 3rd day in the 90s.  As someone who loves living in a northern state, this is wayyyyy to hot for June!  What's even more of a bummer is that on days that are this hot, we can't go to the pool because poor Peter would just melt.  I bought a wonderful shade tent for him, so I usually take Spencer and Peter during one of Peter's naptimes, and then SYT and I play in the pool while PUT naps in the tent.  It has worked out really well so far.  But when it's 90+ degrees outside, I cannot imagine him just sweltering away (we've had no wind, so, therefore, no ventilation into the tent).  It's  supposed to cool down tomorrow and be back to a relatively normal heat for the rest of the week- here's to hoping!

6. SYT's newest "thing" is to want to clink glasses and say "Cheers!" during dinnertime.  It's so funny!  Apparently I have a future social chair on my hands!!

7.  Peter is starting to coo and smile.  It's heart melting!

8.  6 weeks out and my pants are still too tight in the waist.  Ugggg.... I can now start to work out though, so hopefully that will help.  My thighs need some serious toning as well!  I'll find out next Monday where my weight is, and I'm VERY interested in that.

9. Peter had two tests on his kidneys on Monday.  We were at the hospital for 3.5 hours which made for a long day.  We have our apt with the nephrologist to go over all the results next Wed.  I'm interested to see what she says.  I know some of the results already but not really what it all means, so I'll just fill everyone in next week.

10. I was able to see a bunch of coworkers when I was at the hospital.  It was wonderful to say hi and catch up a bit.  I miss work but I am not ready to go back :)

11. B got a promotion and a raise a few weeks ago!  I am SO proud of him and the work he has done at this company, and I am so glad they love him! 

12. My current favorite summer songs are Call Me, Maybe (does anyone not love this?  It's so fun!) and Somebody that I Used to Know.  B hate, hate, hates this one- he thinks it belongs back in the 80s.  I think that's what it's so popular (hello, neon skinny jeans!). 

Okay, boys are up!  Have a great Wednesday!!

Peter is one month old (yesterday!)

I cannot believe Peter has already been with us a month.  The time has just flown by.  Perhaps because I am in such a sleep deprived state or perhaps because life just flies by more with two kiddos? I remember counting every day with Spencer because he was all that B and I had to focus on at the time.  Now, with two, it's hard to cherish every moment, but I'm doing the best I can to really enjoy this sweet time with baby Peter!

(working on head control during tummy time)

He is growing quickly.  I wouldn't be surprised if he was over 10 lbs now.  I think I'm going to put him on the scale at the grocery store tomorrow to check :)  He is a fabulous nurser and eats about every 3 hours during the day.  We are getting a 4 hour stretch every night with a rare, but wonderful, 5 or 6 hour stretch (really, really rare!).  It was at about 6.5 weeks when Spencer started giving us long stretches at night of 6-9 hours, so I'm hoping that in a few weeks time, we'll get there with Peter too.

Check out this adorable smile!!  They're rare, but we've seen a couple.  I can't wait for true "responsive" smiles.  They're the best!!

He is cooing on occasion which is so sweet.  He is a really noisy sleeper and grunts and groans after every feeding for at least 15 minutes.  Most of the time it's because he is trying to poop or struggling with reflux.  It's really loud in a very quiet, very dark room and it definitely is frustrating at times.  I've thought about moving him to his nursery, but I don't want to have to get up to feed him in the rocking chair when it's so much easier/more comfortable for me to just feed him in my warm, cozy bed.  Right now, it's still worth the distracting noises!

He hates getting into his car seat and fusses like crazy but settles down the minute the car starts moving.  He's been great about running errands with me and going out and about with Spencer and I.  He love, love, loves the Ergo carrier and will settle down from any crying fit the minute he is placed in the thing.  Since I have yet to buy a double stroller, my morning walks have been with Spencer in the stroller and Peter in the Ergo.  It's working well for now; we'll see how long that lasts once Peter gets bigger.  I know I'll need a double; I just have yet to decide which one to get and am being very, very, very indecisive about it.

Couldn't do a post without a picture of this sweet big brother!!  Isn't he HUGE now??  It's amazing what turning two and getting a new baby brother will do to you!

Getting two in a picture together is borderline hysterical.  Not sure how many years it will be before a good family picture occurs :)

We're really loving our new family life, even in the most frustrating moments (and they're happening!).  I'm so glad we had a second baby, and I can't wait to enjoy the next month spending more time getting to bond with Peter!!