What a Difference a Few Weeks Make

One Week



8 Weeks

FYI

I finally figured out how to open up the "comments" to anyone! Now you don't have to have a gmail account to leave us messages, and we'd love to hear from you!

Some Holiday Ice Skating Fun

Two Months Today

Jules,

Today you are officially 60 days old. How crazy is that?!? You still have wonky sleep at night, you're nursing less often during the day, and you have a loosely structured nap routine. You love to "swim" in a deep bath; kicking your legs and floating on your back. It makes you so tired and relaxed at the end of the day that you go right to sleep quite easily after your baby massage.

You've taken to gnawing quite hard on your knuckles - turning them red from all your chomping. And you've figured out how to let papa and I know you're mad. Just this week you screamed at him when he was trying to help you get your binky back in at nap time and you were getting frustrated. And I was trying to trim your nails while you were eating but you kept grunting/screaming at me every time I tried to hold your hand still. We mostly just laugh at you - it's pretty funny to see you screw up your tiny face in anger. But you've made it quite clear you don't like to be bothered while you're eating.

We just celebrated your first Christmas. Claire, Tessa, and Uncle Kenny were all in attendance. We ate good food while you mostly slept, and you were passed around and loved on the entire time. You were given alot of cloth and wooden toys - just like you're mama likes:) As well as some adorable new outfits from papa, and a beautiful handmade blanket from your Auntie Lily. There sure are a lot of people who love you and are ready to spoil you rotten.

You've grown so much in the last month! I'm putting together your photo album and I keep looking at pictures of the tiny little bean we brought home from the hospital. Now you've got big round cheeks that everyone comments on, an adorable double chin, and the cutest chunky thighs and arms ever. You've started to enjoy you're bouncer even more, and even discovered the fish that twirl on your swing. I got you a crib mirror for xmas and you are mastering pushing up on your arms and picking up your head to look at yourself.

I think one of your permanent nicknames is going to be "Thrasher". All morning long while I'm trying to feed you, all you can do it punch and kick me. For hours at a time you squirm and twist and turn, making it very clear that you should be at the center of our attention. If I happen to fall asleep you make sure I'm awake again as soon as possible.

On days when papa works nights he loves to lay in bed in the mornings and snuggle you, and then hang out with you in the nursery while he gets ready for work. He gets up in the middle of the night and sleeps in the glider so he can help you and I can get some sleep. And every day before he leaves he comes and gives you kisses goodbye. Today you looked up at him and gave him the biggest smile. It was amazing. You are our beautiful little boy and we love you so much!

Always,
Mama
xoxoxoxoxo

Shaw Elves

A little something to brighten your day. And make you laugh. ALOT.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1470549922
(it may take a minute to load)

Thanks JB!

Bouncer Accessories

When we busted out the bouncer when Julian came home as a "place to stash the baby", we took off the toy bar. It just seemed so huge compared to our tiny little baby. But lately he is so much more interactive and seems so much bigger! Pete remembered that we had it and got it out this morning. Between the waterfall all it's flashy lights, and the toys he can hit and kick, and the monkey and frog that move back and forth- it was a huge success!

Not to mention the added bonus of the ceiling fan, whom we've dubbed "his friend Mr. Fan". This kid could stare at a stationary fan for ages, turn it on and it's even better! Oh yea, and that cute little outfit he's wearing? Already to small - short at the wrists and ankles. This boy is getting huge. We're already having to cycle out the smallest newborn clothes!

Baby Announcement/Xmas Card

We've been working on getting pictures of Jules to use for a Birth Announcement/Christmas Card. It's not as easy as one would think to take good pictures of a baby, let alone try to get that baby to fall asleep in a box under the christmas tree! But I finally was able to get some good ones yesterday once he passed out. These didn't make the cut for the announcement, but are so cute they just had to be shared.

Tummy Time

Jules loves to do his tummy time and will usually just hang out checking stuff out and lifting his head to look around. We try to do this a couple of time a day so he can build up his neck muscles. The best part are all the grunts, groans and other associated noises he makes while he's doing his thing, it always makes us laugh! This time he mostly just drooled on his hand (which he is starting to find on his own) and rubbed his face in the soft blanket.

For Natalie

One Month Today

Dear Julian,

Today is December 1st, 2007 and you are one month old, and we are so thrilled to finally have you here in the world with us. Your entrance was slightly more dramatic than we were expecting but in the end it every twist and turn was worth it. You've changed a lot in this last month, and it's taken me a bit by surprise. Your little body has grown a ton, and every day I can see changes in your adorable little face. The cheeks are bigger, hair longer, and eyes are wider and as blue as could be. Your little arms and legs are getting roly poly, and your belly gets bigger and bigger all the time. You’re a terrific eater!

As every day passes you are more and more awake during day time hours, and the early morning is the most interactive part of your day. You love to kick your legs and punch your arms into the air, or even better into our faces while we have our morning cuddles. You love to stare at our faces, and we can tell that you recognize our voices turning your head back and forth as we talk.

Your big brother Nico seems to be adjusting very well to your arrival. He loves to get treats that you squeeze in your tight little fists and when you cry he comes running with a worried look on his face. He loves to snuggle us all on the couch when you’re in your boppy nursing or hanging out. It's going to be fun watching you grow up with him and learn to play with him.

You seem to be a very laid back kind of guy, only crying when you’re hungry or tired or want to be held. The middle of the night isn't very rough because you make your needs know by little grunts and noises rather than wails. Most days are full of two hour naps on and off, with many hours of awake time, but slowly you are adding time between feeds and naps. Though most days you’ll only nap swaddled in your swing on the highest speed – I fear we’re going to need to buy stock in batteries for that thing! When you are upset we shush in your ear or say "heeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy" over and over to get your attention, and you seem to love music like Bob Dylan and others with deep voices and calm tunes to help you settle down.

Papa is back at work now, but every day when he comes home he gives us all big hugs and kisses, and tells us how much he loves us. I send him pictures on his cell phone whenever you are being extra cute so he doesn't miss any of the good stuff. It’s so nice to watch the two of you together, and to see more and more everyday that you look like him.

I love to give you eskimo kisses and smell your sweet little noggin. I love to watch you sleep with your little clenched fists and pursed lips. I love giving you baths, you just close your eyes and lay back to enjoy the warm water pouring over you. And I love holding you as tight as I can without squishing you while whispering "I love you" into your ear.

I hope you always know how dear you are to us, how much you were wanted, and how happy you have made us. Our little family has expanded, and I couldn't imagine a better gift, or better life than with you in it.
I love you my darling boy!

Always,
Your Mama
xoxoxoxox

Baby's First Trip to the Tattoo Shop

On November 16th, the Shaw family headed out to Carrolton, VA to American Tattoo for an afternoon at the shop. Pete was getting his newest tattoo - a commemoration of his new son. Jules was an angel the entire time, chilling in the Moby and mostly sleeping or checking everything out. Only as Roc was wrapping up did he start to get fussy so we headed outside.


I'll update soon with pictures of the final product!

Our 2 Week Appointments

Today both Jules and I had our 2 week check ups. Jules was first, bright and early at 7:30 this morning. After stripping him naked for his wellness check (weight, height, head measurement), and removing his diaper to have him weighed he managed to pee ALL OVER the weigh table, it was hilarious. This is happening on a fairly regular basis here at home, but usually we're the targets. After the nurse cleaned up the table, while I tried to hold on to a wriggling naked boy, he was weighed. 8lbs 11 oz!!!!!!!! He has gained a pound and five ounces since his appointment last monday! And is up a pound from his birth weight. We were shocked. We knew he was looking plumper and less like a newborn, but man, that's a lot of weight - breastfeeding is a success! The doctor listened to his lungs, looked in his eyes, ears, and mouth, and gave him the thumbs up.

My appointment was around noon, all C sections have to be seen 2 weeks out so it was just a quick check. I've already lost a considerable amount of weight, and my blood pressure is back down into the normal ranges. Then the doctor checked my incision and said everything looks great. I'm cleared to drive again, but still no heavy lifting or strenuous activity. I have to go back again in 4 weeks for the regular 6 week check, and after that I'm good to go. I'm feeling much more myself everyday but still have discomfort and pain if I do too much or move too quickly. I went for a short walk to enjoy the fall weather yesterday and it felt great, but I realized it's going to be awhile before I'm back to my old self.

So all in all we're coming around nicely. Every day is an adventure with this little guy, but we're loving every moment.

Mobying It

Someone digs sleeping in his Moby.

And look at those cheeks! So precious.

Going it Alone

So today is the first day Jules and I are going it alone. Pete headed back to work today after getting an unexpected day off for Veterans Day yesterday. So far it's been good. Jules must be hitting a growth spurt, he's eating just about every hour and it looking plumper in the cheeks and belly, plus his double chin is growing by the day. In the morning he likes to hang out in his crib and check things out while Pete and I try to get some laundry/breakfast/showers taken care of. And right now he's chilling in his swing listening to a mix tape his papa made for him.

First trip to the mall...

We needed to pick up a few things before Pete heads back into work on Monday so we got dressed and headed out for Jules' first trip to the mall. He even took a ride in his Moby for the duration, and slept the whole time. It's mighty cozy in there.

Daily Cuteness

Big brother Nico and baby Jules are getting acquainted, so far so good!


Jules is alert more and more everyday. He has the most gorgeous blue eyes that love to check us out.

Papa didn't get much sleep last night, so the boys are taking a nap.

Julian Jagger Makes His Grand Entrance

At 3:49am on November 1st, 2007 after many detours Jules entered the world via cesearean. He weighed in at 7lbs 12 oz and was 21in long. We're home, resting, and getting to know the little guy. He has already stolen both of our hearts with his cuteness, and and he couldn't be anymore perfect. Hopefully in the next few weeks we'll get up more pictures along with his birth story.

Happy Halloween and Happy Induction Day!

I'm heading over the the Mathers to see the triplets and Coby decked out in their Halloween finary, eat some yummy food, drop off Nico to stay with them, and wait for Pete to pick me up for our drive to the hospital. I'll be starting my induction with Cervadil overnight, with a followup of Pitocin in the morning, and from there is could go anywhere! My doula will be heading over Thursday morning to lend her support, so tonite it will be just me and Pete some crappy hospital t.v, good magazines I picked up yesterday, and maybe a game of Scrabble or two. The next time you see an update here, it should be with pictures of the big event and the newest addition to our family. Wish us luck, we're probably going to need it! And we can't wait to share the exciting news with all of you.

Photo Shoot

My friend Natalie is a photography major and is taking a studio lighting class this semester. She offered up her time to take some belly shots for us that she could also use for a class project, and I have to say they turned out amazing! (She got an A+ too!) I was exactly 37 weeks, the belly was at its peak, and now I'll forever have images of little Baby Shaw on the inside - from the outside. She did such an awesome job, and I'm so happy to have these pictures for forever.

This is my absolute favorite:

Pumpkin Carving 2007

We decided to finally carve our pumpkins this weekend after 4 long days of rain, and crazy days of heat before that. It's supposed to be nice and cool this week so we think they will survive on the porch - now we just have to hope the hooligans don't kick them in!

We picked out three pumpkins this year, one for each of us, and I wanted to try my hand at one in the likeness of Nico. It ended up needing some straight pins to hold it together, but for my first try it turned out pretty well. I think I'll do it again next year just on a bigger pumpkin.

The beginning...

Pete got all of the goop out of of the big ones.

Drawing out the template for my happy pumpkin.

Finally finished...

The finished product, our family of pumpkins!

37 weeks and 6 days Today

Yesterday Pete and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary. It already seems like forever, time has been flying, and now we're adding to our family. It's pretty cool all the things that this past year have brought us. We didn't end up doing anything very exciting to mark the day - had a doctors appointment where we found out my cervix is making a wee bit of progress but otherwise things are still the same. Then we went home to have a nice meal together and watched a silly movie we rented. Nice and laid back, since I'm not as up for going out as I was before I got ginormous!

I got my Moshi in the mail today! It's an awesome handmade baby carrier that is adjustable so that both Pete and I will be able to use it to carry Baby Shaw. This picture doesn't quite do it justice - the orange is gorgeous and the day of the dead skulls are even more colorful in person. The straps are so padded and comfortable - I can't wait to use it when we head out into the world with the baby.

We're hoping to get our pumpkins carved this afternoon to have them ready in time for the trick or treaters this weekend. We've been putting it off so we don't risk the hooligans taking off with them! I think we're going to go over the the Mathers to see all the boys in their costumes and hand out candy - no one really comes to our apartment building - and I must get pictures of them in their Astronaut costumes, they are going to be so cute!

It's a full moon this Friday, and history has proven that this is a big time to have babies. I'm going to do a fair bit of walking and hopefully eat some spicy food. Maybe we can get the pull of the moon to work with us and get this baby here a little early!

Pumpkin Picking

So in order to enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy, and not get too irritated with how uncomfortable I am at this late stage we're celebrating the fall in full effect. The weather has finally cooled of enough here to open our windows and enjoy the fall breeze, I've bought apples by the bagful to make into yummy goodness, and this weekend we hit up the pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins the old fashioned way.

We ended up with 3 perfect pumpkins, which we plan on carving a bit closer to Halloween. After traipsing around on the farm we headed on to the Farmers Market where we picked up some cider, and then went for a nice long drive enjoying the beautiful day.

Only 25 days until Due Date day! Nothing much left to do except pack the hospital bag and get the car seat installed. We've got another big ultrasound scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning, hopefully the good news that Baby Shaw isn't getting too big.

Baby Shaw Shower - Sept 29, 2007

A HUGE thanks to Joni, Debra, Stefanie, and Liz for throwing a beautiful shower for us! And a shout out to Johnny B for some great photos of the event.

It was held at 1PM on Saturday, a beautiful fall day, at Shulas Restaurant at the Waterside Mariott. There was delicious food, football for the guys, yummy Boston Creme cake, present opening, and lots of good company!














Debra, Liz, Rachel, Stef and Jackson, and Joni














Pete, Rachel, and Johnny B.














Pete and Baby Jackson














Lunch!














Liz, Stef, and Rachel




















SO cute!














Pete and Johnny B tackle the crib.

































It's ready!

































Kenny and Liz help us figure out the play yard.




















The belly at 34 weeks.