3 Months!

Rudy is three months old today!  Rudy, you are growing up too fast for your Momma.  What are you up to these days?  You usually go to bed around 10:00 p.m. and sleep until 4:00 or 5:00.  You get up to eat and then go back to sleep until around 8:00 or 9:00.  You are so happy when you wake up in the morning.  You love for mommy and daddy to pull you into bed with us in the morning.  We undo your swaddle, you immediately stretch, and then you smile, smile, smile at us for about 15 minutes before you decide it's time to eat again.  You wake up, eat, and are ready for a nap by 10:30ish.  You are awake alot throughout the day and are starting to replace your long naps with short little cat naps throughout the day.  When you are awake during the day you spend your time just hanging out.  You are just starting to realize that you have hands and are starting to pull things to your mouth.  You can't purposefully reach out and grab things yet, but you do grab whatever your hand can accidentally find.  You stick your tongue out all of the time and are starting to drool like crazy.  You are enthralled by the T.V.  I always find you tuning into it during your middle of the night feedings when you are supposed to be going back to sleep!  You also love to watch Murphy play fetch, but you aren't too sure about him otherwise.  You give us big grins and half giggles all day long.  You are weighing in around thirteen and a half pounds and you are about to outgrow all of your 0-3 month clothes and your size 1 diapers.  You still poop approximately 500 times a day and you love to fill your diaper when new people are holding you, just to make them squirm.  Your fingernails currently look like Morticia Adams fingernails because you won't let your Momma cut them.  You also hate tummy time and start screaming within a minute of being put on your stomach.  This has resulted in a flat spot on the back of your head.  Your flat spot is getting progressively better as you get better and better neck control.  Often, when I lay you down on your back, you throw your head forward and hold it there until I sit you up and hold you that way.  You also are starting to try to bear weight on your legs.  When I try to sit you down you often stretch out your legs and lock them so that you can try standing.  You think you are pretty big stuff.  You are one of the happiest and sweetest babies I have ever seen and I absolutely love being your Mommy.  I am excited to watch you grow, discover, and learn new things, but could you please slow down a little bit? 

(Pic coming soon!)

Cloth Diapering

Wow.. It's been a few days since I've posted... I've thought about writing but have been lacking in the idea department.  Topic of the day today is.... you guessed it, cloth diapering!  Josh and I have been talking alot about it lately and we are pretty sure that we have decided to make the switch.  I did the math and there is too big of a savings to pass up!  We had a diaper shower before Rudy was born, so we haven't had to buy any diapers yet.  However, we are starting to run low and figured now would be the perfect time to make the switch.   I have been trying to research it on the internet, but it is pretty overwhelming!  I went to the "green" store in Champaign today (it's the only store in the area that carries cloth diapers with snaps and covers) to check some of them out.  I didn't purchase any, but found out that they are giving a free class on cloth diapering this weekend.  So, we are planning to check it out and then make our purchases.  I am currently trying to decide between Fuzzi Bunz and Bum Genius 4.0 diapers.  I don't think any of you, my faithful few readers, do cloth diapering.  However, if you know or have heard anything about it I'd love any tidbits you have to offer!  I will be sure to keep you guys updated on the experience! 

Busy, Busy

On Wednesday Rudy and I went to meet Yana and Doug's new baby boy Andrew!  He is so sweet and small, and it's hard to believe that Rudy's not that little newborn anymore.  He seemed like such a big boy compared to Andrew!  Andrew has a pretty full head of DARK hair just like his momma.  I didn't take any pictures while I was there so I stole one off of Yana's facebook, haha!



Isn't he sweet?

Also, my friend Kendal's son Graham just turned ONE!  Can you believe it?  It seems like yesterday that I was sitting in my OB class learning about labor and wondering if Kendal  had "popped that baby out yet" when I got the text saying he was born!  Now he is a sweet one-year old.  It's hard to believe that Rudy and Graham will be in the same class in school.. Graham seems like such a big boy compared to him!

I took this picture off of her blog and it is my understanding that her sister in law took it.  Isn't it a good picture of him?  Cute boy and a cute hat too!

Yesterday was a busy day in our house.  We had a plumber come and replace the faucet on our kitchen sink.  I know that I am getting old, because I was oh-so-excited about it!  It was a very low faucet and the sprayer didn't work on it, making it impossible to give Rudy baths in his tub in the sink.  We tried to replace it ourselves when we first moved in, but the pipes were welded together so it had to be done by a professional.  I gave Rudy a bath as soon as the plumber left!  What a small blessing it was not to have to bend over into the bathtub and try to hold a bobbly Rudy at the same time! 

Josh also got his very own office over at the church, so we moved all of our books and furniture from our home office over there.  I have been saving up my money for two birthdays and a Christmas now to buy some exercise equipment.  Now that the office is finally empty, it might be time for me to make my first purchase! 

Today is Oakwood's big homecoming game.  We have plans to watch the parade from our yard and attend the game later tonight.  Can't wait to get some popcorn... Mmmm! Go Comets!

New Blog!

Hey everyone!  Me and some of my best girlfriends from college just started a recipe blog together.  We decided it would be something fun for us to do together.  It is just getting up and running and still under construction but there are a few recipes on there already.  Rachel posted a recipe for Chicken Kiev (looks amazing) and I just posted my monster cookie recipe.  You should go check it out here.

Mmmmm!

Indian Summer

It seems as if though we are in the midst of an Indian Summer.  I looked at the forecast for tomorrow and it says that it is supposed to get up to 95 degrees.  Eeeeek.  I am so ready for Fall!  I love everything about it, but here is a list of what I am most excited for:

Football and Football Weather

Apple Cider from Curtis Orchard

My Favorite Soups (Chili, Broccoli and Cheese, Italian Sausage and Tortellini, and Taco)

Bonfires with Smores

Wearing Cute Boots

Cross Country Meets

Leaves Changing Colors

BAKING (When the weather starts to get cold I get the urge to bake, bake, bake)

There is only one thing that I don't like about Fall: Fall means that Winter is coming.  But I will leave that post for another time.

5 Generations

Rudy wasn't too happy.  I had just woken him up from a nap, but he needed to meet his Great-Great Grandma.  That is my Great Grandma S in the chair.  She is quite the trooper.  She is about to turn 103 years old and she still lives at home....by herself.  About six weeks ago she fell and broke her hip, and she is already back home.  Rudy finally got to go meet her and he perked her right up.  I am so glad we got to go visit with her and were able to get this picture. 

My dad has been in town visiting this weekend so we have been spending alot of time with him.  He has loved getting to hold Rudy as much as he wants, usually he has to duke it out with Liana to hold him.  We went to a family reunion today and had alot of fun hanging out with family.  We wish that Pam and Lolly could have been there!  We missed you:( 

Rudy had a good night of sleep last night and I am praying for another one tonight!

Regression... and a Flat Head

Well, we've had a frustrating few nights here in the Berger household.  Rudy has decided that he would like to get up every three hours throughout the night again, and I am very tired.  This has only gone on for the past two nights, but I think I know why it's happening.  Rudy has developed a bit of a flat spot on the back of his head.  He strongly prefers looking to the right, no matter how much I move his head or try to entice him with exciting things to look at on the left side.  I recently started worrying about this more and got a little bit scared that he was going to have to wear one of those helmets that kids have to wear 23 hours a day for 3-6 months until their head becomes round again. (Josh says I worry too much about everything, but I'm a mom, that's my job, right?)  Everything I read said not to let him put any pressure on the flat spot.  So at night I have been putting him down slightly slanted and turning his head to the left so that it is pretty hard for him to turn it to the right.  He fights so hard to turn it the other way that he breaks out of his swaddle and then gets up every three hours. So pray for us that tonight goes a little better!

Rudy also had a bit of a rough morning.  His dog-brother jumped on him and scratched his leg:(  Rudy cried prettty hard for a few minutes and then whimpered for about a half an hour before he decided that he better sleep it off.  Poor guy:(

We're Baaaaaaaaaaack

Hey everyone!  We got home Friday night and are still working on getting back into the swing of things! We had so much fun on our trip to PA, but we are glad to be home.  On the way out to PA we drove halfway, stopped in a hotel, and then drove the other half of the trip the next day.  Sad to say, but that was a disaster.  Rudy did really well, but Murphy schitzed out in the (pet friendly) hotel room.  He whined and cried all night and was scared out of his mind.  Rudy slept through all of Murphy's whining, but Josh and I were pretty much up all night.  So, on the way home we decided to make it all in one trip.  Rudy was a champ on the ride and didn't even cry until we got to Indianapolis.  Since we've been home he has been giving us consistent six to eight hour stretches of sleep, and we couldn't be happier or more thankful!  I am still working on getting everything unpacked, getting laundry done, and getting the house back in order.  Yesterday we went grocery shopping so that I could stock up the pantry and Josh made a side trip to get me a new phone.  I have been on my dad's family plan since Josh and I got married and we decided that it was finally time to get on a plan together.  So, I joined Josh's plan and regretfully announce that I am now on an ATT account.  (So long, Verizon... It was nice doing business with you.)  The exciting news is that I got the new iPhone.  Josh had been itching for me to get it.  (I don't really know why he wanted me to get it so badly, but he did.)  So, I obliged him and am now a proud owner.  So far I like it, but it is definitely going to take me some time to get used to it considering I still have a first generation iPod. 

It's pretty sweet.  You can do video calls on it!

I am also trying to get back into the habit of cooking meals more consistently.  I did quite a bit of cooking after we got married, but didn't have much time for it when I was in nursing school full time and working a part time job. Since I am going to be home full time for another three or four months I thought it would be the perfect time to get back in the habit!  Plus, I always feel like cooking and baking when the weather starts to get cooler.  This morning I made some chocolate chip pumpkin muffins  (they aren't as good as Kendal's but I did the best I could)  and tonight we are going to have tacos (a staple in our house). 

I took a good number of pics while we were in PA, but I haven't loaded them on the computer yet.  I'll be sure to do so soon.  The little man is getting to be quite the ham and hands out smiles left and right. 

Update from PA

Hi everyone!  We are having a blast here in PA.  Rudy is loving his time with his cousin, grandma, grandpa, aunt, and uncle! (Josh and I are having fun too.)  We haven't been too busy, just enjoying spending some time together.  Here are a few pics....

Murphy was co-pilot for the trip out!

Swinging with Grandma and Grandpa H and cousin Colt. 



Me and Colt after our dedication.





Family pic after dedication.  Rudy was hungry and angry.