Michael's First Christmas Day!

Do not confuse this with Michael's First Christmas Eve.

This is the Christmas blog entry #2!

Don't worry.  There will be at least one more after this. :)

Today we celebrated Christmas with the Polingo Family in Litchfield.

Michael was once again super excited, except this time he only took a 20 minute nap all day!!!

Anyway, we had a good time.  Michael enjoyed more table food today.  This time it was lasanga!  We've determined that he is an Italian food lover...much like his parents!

After lunch, we hung out and waited for Michael's other Godfather, Joey to arrive!  Michael was very excited to see him and had to get dressed up in his Santa gear for the occasion.

Then we started opening presents.  One was a little large for Michael, but I know he loved trying to open it!

I know he's also gonna love what was inside from his Godfather Joey...his own Cars flip couch!

Other presents he got were...

Blocks from Grandma and Grandpa

and a stuffed penguin that plays music from Aunt Margie and Uncle George.

Here are some other fun pics of Michael today hanging out with his aunts and uncles!

Michael and Margie - "I'm not takin' a nap and you can't make me!"

Michael and Uncle Jim

Michael and Cousin Josh

I like presents!

Jim being the bingo caller!

I love cheese!

We also managed to get a somewhat decent family picture today!

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas Day!

Stay tuned for the Pieper Family Christmas Celebration

entry which will happen once my Dad is home from the hospital and feeling well!

Love, Jen, Rob and Santa aka Michael!



Michael's First Christmas Eve!

Today was a busy day!

It was Michael's First Christmas Eve!

We started the celebrations this morning with a few puffs as a pre-breakfast snack.

Yum!  These are tasty!

What?  Is there something on my face?

I don't know if Michael knew there was some fun ahead, but he did NOT want to take a nap this morning!  We had to settle for  a short 30 minute nap on the way to Auntie Dean's house where my mom's side of the family celebrated Christmas today.  Unfortunately, Mom and Dad couldn't be there since Dad was still in the hospital, but more on that later.

Michael had his first "all table food" meal today.  He loved the chicken, ham and mashed potates, but went head-over-heels (almost literally) with the dinner rolls. 

He got to open some presents for the first time and got some play-time with some of his aunts and uncles.



Michael and Godfather Andy

Michael with Great Aunt Dawn and Great Uncle Tom

After the big party, my sisters and I decided to swing by the hospital and see Mom and Dad.  Today was a good day.  I've tried writing his story and what has happened over the past 9 days more times than I can count.  The problem?  My Dad is a very private person and the last thing I want to do is upset him by giving out too much info where every Tom, Dick and Harry and see/read it.

Anyway...most recently, the pain medication situation has been figured out, his headaches are better controlled with those pain meds (even though they still happen and when they do, they are severe) and the IV antibiotics continue, but now with a brand new PICC instead of his original jugular central line.  Yay!  All good things!

Well, since today was a good day, we thought that a short visit wouldn't be a bad idea.

A little grandchildren therapy is sometimes just what the doctor ordered!

Dad now happens to be on the unit that my sister, Jodene, works on.  Thankfully, she had a co-worker/friend who was willing to come in and take a quick picture of the whole family minus Tony (we missed ya, Ton!).

Jen, Rob and Michael, Deanne, Wyatt and James, Ava, Jodene and Andy
Dad, Jayde, Mom, Brooklyn, Katherine

Dad and Mom
Wyatt, Michael, Jayde, Ava and Brooklyn

Michael checking out Papa's ID band.



I hadn't seen my Dad since this past Tuesday.  It's amazing how good he looks and how far he's come in just 9 days since he first got admitted to the hospital when he was the most sick I had ever seen him.  I think he's even starting to feel better too!  After he was extubated last Saturday, he was quick to say that he was in no hurry to leave the hospital.  He wanted to stay as long as it took to kill every single, last bacteria that had invaded his body. But, he said tonight that the clock seems to be moving slower than it used to.  Either he's awake more than he used to be, or maybe he's getting sick of being in the hospital which means that he's feeling MUCH better than he was!  Regardless, he's doing what he, my mom, and his doctors feel is best and continues to hang out in the hospital as long as it takes for him to be fully healed of this horrible bacteria.

Someone told me on a facebook post that Christmas prayers always work.  Our family has said multiple prayers multiple times per day since my Dad got so ill.  It looks like God is answering those questions with a resounding "YES!  Mike will be healed."  We are so grateful.

I recently started a pinterest account and found this saying...

 

How true it is!

On this Christmas Eve, may we all take time to Thank God!  If we woke up tomorrow for only the things that we thanked God for today, what would you wake up with?

I thank God for my family and friends and I thank you for spending a little of your time with us on this Christmas Eve!

Stay tuned for Christmas Blog Entry #2 tomorrow night!

Love, The Polingo's

10 months!

The little man is 10 months old today!

It's been a rough couple of weeks.  I know that compared to some kiddos out there, Michael is very healthy and the stuff that he's dealt with is peanuts, but he's been one miserable boy!  He's had a couple of colds and 2 ear infections (that we know of) in the last month.   

Most recently he's been spiking temps without us really knowing why.  They started while he was on an antibiotic for another ear infection/bronchitis, so I assumed it was viral.  After talking to one of his pediatricians at work yesterday, Rob took him in to the clinic to be checked out.  Turns out the first antibiotic did nothing and he now had a raging ear infection which led to his temps, the highest of which was 104 (scared the crap out of me!).  We are now trying yet another antibiotic, along with multiple doses of Tylenol and Ibuprofen and he is finally starting to feel better.  He is actually eating well and starting to play around the living room.  Prior to today he had wanted to do nothing but sit on our laps and snuggle.  Praise God for being on the up-swing...I know I have been!

Other things Michael has been up to:
He is now pulling himself up to a full standing position!

He loves his table foods, but they still need to be soft and small.  He likes pears, apples, yogurt and cheese. 
He still likes his baby food and LOVES his bottles.  He starts to giggle when he knows his bottle is warming up.
He is starting to hold his own bottle, but needs some teaching to keep it tilted enough to get to the formula.

He sleeps pretty well!  Usually falls asleep around 7pm and sleeps until 5:30-6am.
He loves to play and crawl everywhere.

He is a babbler!  It almost sounds like he is starting to say some words, but other than Dada, you have to have an imagination to find a word in the babbles.
He is crawling up stairs like a pro and has to be watched like a hawk.
His parents need to go out and buy some gates!

Here are the much-awaited 10-month pictures!  Warning: He's still not feeling 100% and was not a happy camper about pre-bedtime pictures!

It's better now that Dad's got me!

That's the most recent goings-on around our place! 

It's crazy that Christmas is just a little over a week away!

We wish all of our family and friends the Merriest of Christmases and we hope you get to spend it with the ones you love!

What I'm Thankful For...

I got to see this before I left for work this morning...

And I got to do this when I got home from work tonight...

If I had to spend Michael's First Thanksgiving at work, nothing could beat starting and ending my day with my 2 favorite guys!

Rob and Michael spent the day out in Litchfield hanging out with Rob's family.  Michael was a little apprehensive at first with all the faces he hadn't seen for a bit, but he did recognize and have some smiles for his Godfather Joey.

Here are some other pics of Michael from his day with the Polingo's!

Michael and Grandpa

Michael and Auntie Margie

Michael and Uncle Pete

Michael and Gramma (after Michael had supper!)

Eating lunch in the high chair that Daddy used when he was a baby!

Michael in his First Thanksgiving Duds!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We hope you had a safe, happy and fun time with those you love!







Jen, Rob and Michael

9 months!

Somebody check the date! I'm actually getting Michael's monthly update posted on time!

I got an email recently from one of those baby sites that mentioned that right around the 9 month mark, most babies have been out in the world longer than they were in utero.  Sure enough!  Today marks week #39 for Michael in this world.  He was out at 38 weeks!  It's crazy to look back at the first ultrasounds and how tiny these little miracles start out and to see how BIG he is now!

Michael had his 9 month well check yesterday. 

His measurements are:

22 pounds 6 ounces - 78th percentile

29 3/4 inches tall - 92nd percentile

18 1/2 inch head - 93rd percentile

He's a big boy!

He also had 2 shots/vaccines and a blood draw to check his lead level and hemoglobin.

All is well!

The doctor also rechecked his ears since he had a recent ear infection and both ears looked good too!

The past month has been a busy one for Michael.

He's learning lots of new things and eating a few new textures.

We had Halloween and we went the boring route.  Michael went as a pumpkin!

Not so thrilled with a pumpkin bigger than him!

Jayde, Ava and Michael

Getting a kiss from Cousin Wyatt!

Brooklyn and Michael

He is now officially a crawler and likes to try to "get" Harley who is not too sure about this new attention.

Checkin out the backyard

He's also been testing his strength and attempting to pull himself up on furniture.  He can't quite figure out how to get on his feet yet, but he is able to pull himself up on his knees pretty easily.

Trying to stand!

I also found something new and exciting one day after Michael's nap...

some nice big, tooth-sized marks on the top of his crib rails!

Yes, I would like to keep the crib looking somewhat decent, but I was more concerned about my child eating paint to possibly getting some wood slivers in his mouth!  I check out some ideas on how to make my own crib rail guard online and instead found this fantastic idea!

Being a first time mom, I felt the need to buy a bedding set, including bumpers that (as a paranoid first-timer) I decided were too dangerous to use!  Well, well, well.  Those never-used bumpers are now my rail guard!  LOVE IT!!!!

(Michael was propped up for this picture:))

Demonstrating how the tooth marks got on the crib!

What?!?!

At last...I know you've been waiting...are his 9 month pictures!

He kept the sticker on this time!

Thanks again, Ana for the stickers and Krista for the distraction of his glow-worm!

Coming after the camera!

We're done here, right?

Thanks for checking in!  See ya next time!