Some videos of Blake

I finally decided to play with the video part of my camera and figured it would be a good way for my grandparents (Nanny and Papa) to get to see Blake since they have yet to see him because they live in Florida. However, he's grown so fast and is showing more of his personality so it will be a good chance for everyone to see how much he has changed. So, here you go guys!

A Gassy Tummy...

It has been a rough past few days. Two nights ago, Blake woke up with a piercing scream at 3 a.m (which is weird because the earliest he wakes up normally is around 6:00). It was one of those cries where you know something is wrong. Raun beat me to him and he appeared to be okay and he stopped crying for a few minutes. I nursed him and got him to go back to sleep. He slept another 3 hours and then woke up with the same piercing cry. I ran over to him and picked him up and changed his diaper and nursed him, not for sure what to do for him. He wouldn't fall back asleep, so I turned him on his tummy and laid him on top of me hoping it would help his belly. It did and he slept a few more minutes. Around 9, I could hear his tummy making noises so I automatically went for my best friend, Mylicon. That seemed to help him a little bit and he calmed down a bit. I called my nurse practitioner friend and she told me about this medicine called Gripe Water...which has now become my bestest friend:) I couldn't get it until after I had a meeting about music therapy (which was great!) and I taught lessons (in which he slept). Raun came an picked him up for me halfway through and gave him the Gripe Water and it seemed to help last night. He woke up again last night, though about 3:30 a.m. so I'm not positive that he's feeling 100% better. I'm not too worried about him, though, because his appetite hasn't dropped any.

The story of the week: Yesterday, I had my meeting about music therapy and left in just enough time to get to the school to nurse before I taught my lessons. I pull up into the parking spot and begin to nurse. I finish, lift him up, and see poop that has leaked through his outfit and of course, onto my leg. Now...I'm used to having poop and spit up and pee on me, so I don't freak. (I have decided that being a mother is very unattractive at times! Not for sure it's even possible to get through a day without something one me!) I simply lay out the changing pad in my car and proceed to change this nasty, leaky diaper. There was no way to get his outfit off except for over his head, which you guess it...left poop all in his hair. Disgusting! I know he's a boy, but I refuse to let any boy of mine be a boy at this age...especially with nasty stuff in his hair! I take the wipies and clean it off of his head and the changing pad. I think I'm in the clear and begin to put his new diaper on and realize that it's all over his back and as if that's not enough, there's a puddle of spit up that's on the changing pad and, yes, you guessed it...his head. So I take the wipies out and clean him off AGAIN; I'm really wishing for a bathtub at this point. We finally get his new clothes on and I'm off to teach lessons....about 5 minutes late. Sheesh! Needless to say, I was a bit frazzled during my first lesson, which is with a boy with Asperger's so that equals out to a frazzled boy and a frazzled teacher and a not so great lesson. Oh well...next week will be better, I hope!

Blake loves taking baths with me in the tub with the bubbles blowing. He just kicks and splashes and smiles. He's definitely going to be a water boy. I told Raun that we were going to have to make out a schedule for our tub so I don't come home and find it occupied every night with Blake and his toys!

Julie kept Blake for the first time on Monday and she said that he did great. She said that Eli would just stare at Blake and Blake was a little oblivious at this point, but probably not for much longer. He loves Eli's little mirror, so I think we're going to have to get one for him to look at. I'm so glad that she is so close by to take care of him. We're wondering if Eli will teach Blake things, like speaking earlier and maybe crawling or walking. (Not so sure I'm ready for the crawling or walking! I like him being right where I put him while I run off to do things.)

I'll post some more pictures this weekend from our Halloween party at Cookie's (Raun's aunt) house and from the Pumpkin Patch at our church (yes, he will be dressing up....bet you have no idea what he'll be!), which is an alternative to Halloween.

God is so good!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

God is so good! He has answered my prayers and has made it clear through the opening and closing of doors that I should cease my Knoxville trips and focus on the huge opportunities for music therapy in Chattanooga. I've been able to grow my business in the past two days! Actually, it was all God's perfect timing and I'm so glad that He answered my prayers and made it very, very obvious for me. I'm still only working two days a week and doing lessons one day. Blake did awesome yesterday while I taught lessons. He was in the baby carrier that I harnessed to me and he fell asleep to guitar and piano playing. He loves music! And my kids all loved him and they enjoyed knowing that they were playing him to sleep. However, they knew when they played bad, because Blake woke up:)

I used Blake with my Alzheimer's patients on Monday and they loved him. Several of them that never responded to me, did! We sang lullabies and talked about their children and it was definitely AMAZING! The power of music and a baby...Priceless! Raun was a good sport and sat through it, but I think he enjoyed it too. It is sad to see those men and women in there, but it's awesome to have a breakthrough day. One of my patients is 105. Wow! She's been around for a lot.

I have the opportunity to speak in front of all the directors and activity directors, etc. for the nursing homes in Chattanooga about music therapy. They told me to bring lots of information, my brochures, and my card because I'm going to get lots of business. I sure hope so! I love working with the nursing home patients. Alzheimer's fascinates me and I love those moments when they come alive and recall their past. I love seeing the looks on their loved ones faces when they get to relate to them for the first time in a long time. It's the most wonderful thing. I also like those that are just in there for rehabilitation or some other reason. They have so much to teach me and I love hearing their stories and advice. It always reminds me of my own grandparents and makes me very thankful that both sets, and my great-grandma, are well enough to not be in a nursing home. I've definitely been blessed and I love and miss them so much. I do wish they all lived closer so they could see us more! Maybe one day:)

Our Little Man Rolled Over Today!

Well...the first of many firsts has arrived! Blake rolled over in his big boy crib today. And last night was his first night in his crib. The cradle that he had been sleeping in has become too small because he likes to move while he is sleeping (yes...he is my child!). He wakes himself up when he hits the wall or the edges of the bed, so we figured it was time to put him in his own room. I captured his rolling over in stages. I'm so proud of him!

Our first family vacation!

We just got back from a mini vacation to the Outer Banks, North Carolina. It was absolutely beautiful out there and we couldn't have asked for better weather. Our Sunday School teacher and his wife rented a beach house and invited us to come along. So we did. We left on Tuesday night and stayed the night in a hotel and continued the rest of the way on Wednesday. It was the first trip with a baby and two dogs, and I must say that they all three did wonderful! Suzzy only barked once at the hotel. Progress!

It felt so good to sleep with the windows open and to feel the wind blowing from off the ocean. I loved it! We woke up every morning and took the dogs and Blake on a walk along the beach. The dogs had a blast! They would chase birds, twigs, and yes, even crabs. We didn't think that they would go near the water, but they did. Ellie jumped right in and Suzzy would follow, although a bit reluctant at first. They loved to play in all of the loose sand and to run along the beach. It was fun to watch their first beach experience.

Blake did wonderful traveling. He slept most of the way there and most of the way back. I sat in the back with him for part of the trip because he was awake and got a little bored. So I got to bond with him some more and talk with him and make him smile. I love his smiles!

During the trip, there were also some wonderful family moments that I captured on the camera. Once again, they almost all involve Raun because he forgets we have a camera!

Raun couldn't wait to dip Blake's feet into the ocean (which was rather warm) or to put them in the sand. Blake didn't like either of them...he cried. However, I think he'll like it better when we take him to Florida on our family vacation next summer. Maybe Raun will have better luck with him then!

Blake even got in his first round of golf. However, he did not heed to the golf rules of no talking or crying on the course. Good thing it was just a putt-putt course!

As far as development goes, Blake is definitely getting heavier! He's so precious and every time we go shopping we have a bunch of people asking us if they can look at him because he's so cute. (I'm kinda partial and must agree with them!) We even had one lady tell mom that we needed to enter him into a beauty contest. I doubt that we'll ever do that, but it was nice to hear that so many people think he's adorable! He's definitely a lady's man and can make any girl fall for that pout of his. It's so hard not to pick him up and cuddle him every time he sticks that lip out!

He's becoming more attentive to lights, colors, and different textures. He loves music and is tracking so many things now. He pays CLOSE attention to our faces, and when we smile he is starting to smile. It's not every time, but he's starting to figure it out. It's neat to look at things from his perspective and to wonder what he's thinking. He loves to look at Ellie and Suzzy...since they are both colors that he can see quite well. Ellie and Suzzy are still protective over him and let us know the moment he begins to cry. Who needs baby monitors when you have dogs?

I've started back to work last week and it was so good to be back. I missed Blake, but I was only gone for one feeding, which made me feel better. It was a great first day back, too. I was offered more job positions and because of that, I am handing over my Knoxville facility to another music therapist in Knoxville. I will miss them terribly, but God worked everything out perfectly. That facility stopped being a Level 4 Sex Offender facility when I went on maternity leave and they became a place that is dealing with male adolescents with behavioral disorders. They have handed over all of their sex offenders to other facilities or have released some, which means the music therapist that will take over will be starting with a clean plate. I, on the other hand, get to increase my time at my psych hospital and my nursing homes are growing from one facility to another. In the meantime, I am also adding a few other aspects to my business, including Kindermusik. I will be starting my first class, Baby Sing and Sign, in January. I'm doing them so Blake can be with me and I don't have to leave him. Plus, I get to spend this extra time with him doing what I love...music!

Our basement is working on completion. The father of one of my guitar students is putting in the ceiling now and will be done with that in 2 weeks. It looks great! I guess after that, Dad gets to come and put in lights. Raun did a wonderful job finishing up the laundry room. I'll post pictures of that room once the ceiling gets in. He laid the floor down all by himself because I had to tend to a crying baby most of that time. I can't wait to do the floors upstairs and to paint the rooms. Not much longer...especially since we have leftover paint from downstairs! Then I guess it's on to finishing a bathroom.

Well...it's bedtime for my baby, which means one last feeding for the night. I'll leave you with some other random pictures of him.