Friday, August 28, 2009

Week 9: 365

August 22, 2009: Our first full day in Luray and it was raining pretty much all day. Weston's never really been out in the rain, so I took advantage of the wetness and we played on the porch. Weston had a lot of fun dancing and stomping in the little puddles of water on MomMom and Pops porch.

August 23, 2009: We hit the Luray Zoo on Sunday. This zoo is seriously the size of my pinkie but it's perfect for little kids because there's not much walking and there's lots of fun animals. When we were in the reptile house, Weston kept trying to grab the snakes through the glass-so when we went to the snake show, of course I had to let him hold the rat snake. This snake was so well behaved, especially since Weston was trying to pick his scales off!

August 24, 2009: MomMom and Pop have a cool fire pit in their backyard so Monday night, we had s'mores. Weston mostly enjoyed eating the chocolate all by itself but I tried to help him roast a marshmallow.
August 25, 2009: On Tuesday, we made our way back home and met Mike at Arundel Mills. Weston missed his Daddy so much! Look at that big ol' smile! :)

August 26, 2009: I guess the whole Luray trip wiped Weston out because on Wednesday he was ready for an early nap and fell asleep right on the living room floor while I was feeding Grayson. It was too precious not to photograph. :)

August 27, 2009: I figured it was time to break out the double stroller and start family evening walks (since I want to lose 50 lbs and all!). Here is Weston and Grayson and Super Mike all ready to tour the neighborhood! Grayson slept the whole time and Weston enjoyed relaxing and watching all the kids we passed on our walk.

August 28, 2009: We try to take Weston to the library every Friday for Read and Play. He really enjoys the songs and stories and playtime with the other children. Since I've been at home with Grayson for the past 4 weeks, Mike has been taking him alone but I can't wait to take both the boys!

Week 8: 365

August 15, 2009: Mike's family came to visit the newest addition to our family. His brother and soon to be sister-in-law live in New England so it was great to see them! Here is Aunt Dena (soon!) and Grayson chilling out on the couch. This was also right before Grayson's cord fell off! In the background is Moonpea (Aunt Rose).

August 16, 2009: I love Weston's temper tantrums! He's just too cute! These days they are getting more and more serious. I believe this tantrum had to do with the fact that I told him he couldn't pull the wipes out of the container. Very upsetting... :)

August 17, 2009: Grayson had his first doctor's appointment on this day. He was 2 weeks and 2 days old. We found out that this big boy had gained over 2 pounds in his first 2 weeks and that he's pretty perfect! (But we knew that of course...haha ;)

August 18, 2009: Since Weston has taken to using a fork, I decided he needed some real big boy utensils and plates! Here he is using his new plate and fork like a pro!

August 19, 2009: Talk about parallel play! Weston and Quinton were having so much fun Wednesday night playing with Mr. Potato Head. Quinton is only 2 1/2 months older than Weston so I really am enjoying watching them grow and play (sort of) together. Quinton also really likes to sit on Weston. I'll try to capture that soon!

August 20, 2009: Since Weston was doing so well with his fork, I thought we'd give his spoon a try! It went alright but was extremely messy trying to eat yogurt with his spoon for the first time. I was pretty amazed that some of it actually made it to his mouth!

August 21, 2009: This was the day we left for Luray, Virginia to go visit MomMom and Pop in their new house in the mountains. Weston is really enjoying his new snack cups. So much, in fact, that he had to have both of them and ended up getting his hands stuck in them. It was extremely funny! He didn't think so after a while so I had to help him get free.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Grayson's First Doctor's Appointment

We took Grayson to his first doctor's appointment on Monday (August 17, 2009). It was a family event! Weston had a lot of fun playing in the waiting room.

My big boy, Grayson, has already gained over 2 pounds and he's just 2 weeks old! He weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces at birth and at his doctor's appointment he weighed 10 pounds 12 ounces (with his diaper on)!

Basically, Grayson is a very healthy 2 week old! His belly button half fell off the other day but the doctor says that the rest should scab up and fall off soon! I don't know what it is with my children and their belly buttons (Weston's didn't fall off for almost 6 weeks!) but I really want to give Grayson a real bath!

Gray got his PKU done :( Daddy stayed in the room with him during that ordeal. He said the nurse really took her time, so I'm glad I wasn't in there! I would have yelled at her I'm sure! We go back in 6 weeks for his first round of shots! Daddy will be there for that as well.

Week 7: 365

August 8, 2009: Weston got his second haircut on this day! Here he is with his Aunt Meredith who cuts his hair. I can't believe how blond Weston has gotten! They gave him a blue lollipop...hence the blue lips!

August 9, 2009: Grayson's first day at church. We put him the same outfit that Weston wore for his first day at church. Weston swam in this outfit, but Grayson fit it perfectly!


August 10, 2009: On Monday, Aunt Tara came to visit the boys. Here are her and Weston playing with his shapes on the floor. Weston absolutely loves putting his shapes in the cookie jar. I enjoy seeing him get pretty frustrated when he can't get the star in the square whole!


August 11, 2009: Tuesday was a very lazy day for me and the boys. We just hung around the house all day but that didn't stop me from taking this adorable picture of Grayson. He looks like he's in deep thought.

August 12, 2009: This week was VBS at church and the theme was The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. Mike led worship for the kids and had to dress like a pirate! I was tired of hanging around the house all by myself so Weston, Grayson and myself went to see Mike in action! Mike is such a good lookin' pirate!

August 13, 2009: I randomly decided to give Weston his fork during lunch on Thursday and lo and behold, he used it!!! I couldn't believe it. He's growing up way too fast!

August 14, 2009: I have yet to get a great picture of Weston and Grayson together but here is one of my attempts. At least they both have their eyes open!

Another fun week in the Ferrante household! :)

Friday, August 7, 2009

Week 6: 365

August 1, 2009: 34 minutes into Day 1 this week, our 2nd child, Grayson DaSilva Ferrante, was born! What an awesome way to start the week! Here is Grayson immediately after being born being held by Mommy and cleaned up by the nurses.

August 2, 2009: Grayson's second day in the world. All clean and precious as can be! This is after I got him dressed to get ready and come home.

August 3, 2009: We had lots of family over to visit Baby Gray. Weston absolutely loves his little brother and can't give him enough kisses. Here is PopPop holding Gray while Aunt Fawne helps Weston give kisses.

August 4, 2009: This is Grayson and his cousin Sarah. All his cousins were staying at my house for a few days with my sister Fawne. They all adore their new baby cousin.

August 5, 2009: Still more visitors for Grayson. This is his Nanna and him. Nanna skipped choir practice to come spend time with her new grandson.

August 6, 2009: Adelle came over Thursday to help out since my sister had to go back home. Here she is playing with Weston. He got a real kick out of crawling between her legs!

August 7, 2009: Weston and his baby brother. I am so proud to have such precious boys!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

The Birth of Grayson DaSilva Ferrante

These are one of those blogs that if you care to read, go right on ahead, but I'm more writing for my own records! This is the story of the birth of Grayson DaSilva Ferrante.

It was Friday, July 31, 2009 around 1:00 p.m. My sister Fawne arrives at my house. She lives in Salisbury, Maryland and was getting anxious for the arrival of Grayson. She was lined up to watch Weston while I labored and delivered. Even though the date was still to be determined, she decided it was time to get into place in case anything happened. I wake up from my nap around 2:00 p.m. and am informed that we will be going to the mall to walk around and see if we can get contractions started. I've been walking everyday for about 2 weeks now and nothing, so I'm thinking this is definitely not going to be any different. We go to the mall around 3:30 p.m. and walk around for about 2 hours. On our way out, I begin to have contractions (a little after 5:30 p.m.) every 5 minutes pretty consistently. Of course I'm thinking, been here-done that, these contractions are going to stop! After an hour, they are still going strong every 5 minutes. Time to call the doctor right? No, I figure they are still going to stop so I continue to just sit around, wanting to eat dinner and put Weston to sleep for the night. Around 8:30 p.m. MIke and I put Weston down for bed and I decide that since I've now been contracting 5 minutes apart for the past 3 hours, it's time to call the doctor. I call and am told to go to labor and delivery. After doing some last minute things around the house, Mike and I head to the hospital around 9:30ish. We get to the hospital around 10:30 p.m., get check in and wait to be assessed. Once in the assessment room, my contractions started getting closer and more intense. The nurse checking me in didn't really seem very sure that I would be staying however. Finally, another nurse came in and checked my cervix. Lo and behold I was almost 8 centimeters dilated! I was told that they were going to have me walk, but that is now out of the question, so is breaking my water in the assessment room for fear that I would have the baby in there! I get put in a room by 11:15 p.m. The doctor comes in soon after and breaks my water. From there the contractions really get going.

Meanwhile, my dad and stepmom are on their way up from their new house in Luray, Virginia. It's clear that they are not going to make it for the birth so my dad calls my sister, who is staying at my house, and asks her to find a way to make it to the hospital. So Fawne calls Meredith, my sister-in-law and has her come stay with Weston while she comes to the hospital. So Fawne arrives at the hospital and calls into the room at 12:29 a.m. At this time they are putting me in stirrups, getting ready to push. My mother-in-law goes and gets my sister from the waiting room. They come back, Fawne grabs and leg and I start pushing. At 12:34 (1-2-3-4!) Grayson DaSilva Ferrante is born! They gave him right to me! It was awesome! This did not happen with Weston so I was totally excited that I got to hold my baby right away this time! He was 8 lbs, 3 oz and 21 inches long. There was a little water in lungs from being born so fast, but they were able to get that out right away! His apgar was 9 and 9. It only took the doctor about 15 minutes to sew me up. I tore just a little on the inside and a little on the outside. The inside tear was because Grayson's hand came out with his head! After being sewn up, I was able to nurse Gray and he did wonderful! I also had elected to do this birth natural just as I did with Weston. I think it went much better this time since I didn't have to have pitocin.

So that's the story of how Grayson was born! It was quick and one of a kind experience! I'm very glad to have here healthy and happy! Weston absolutely loves his little brother. Everytime he sees him he wants to kiss him a million times. It's adorable! I love my boys and am happy to know that my family is now complete! God has blessed me so greatly and I couldn't be more grateful. I know this next year has trials waiting but I am going to be full of prayer and ready to take it on. I know there will be good days and bad days but I am so excited to watch my two boys grow up!