Back to work and off to daycare...

Well Drew is now 4 months old and I have officially gone back to work. It's bittersweet leaving my little rugrat at daycare, but I know they are taking great care of him and I am enjoying getting back in the mix of my job. Drew seems to be liking daycare and is always happy when I go get him. He is in Room 1 at Riverside Children's Center and it is GREAT! They love on him and he is going to have some great little friends in his class! It's fun watching him grow and enjoy his surroundings. It's easier to leave him when I know he is in a wonderful place with such loving caretakers.
Another change is that I have started a new job in a setting I actually said I would never go to. It is amazing how having a baby and putting family first can really change your mindset! Now that I am actually working in the schools as a speech therapist I LOVE it. I love my special education team and the students are just hungry for love and attention...and I happy to provide it. These kids really just need someone to love them :) and if you ask me I think God put me at Ingram-Pye Elementary for a reason! I know in my heart I'm in the right place and it feels good. I'm sure this year will be full of some challenges, but also some wonderful memories. I'm ready to tackle it head on :) !

3 Months...

Drew is 3 months old!! Wow!! It seems like so long ago we welcomed him into our lives and now we can't even remember what life was like without him. It's amazing how a little person can change your life--for the better! In a short 3 months he has become more awake and alert. He has gone from sleeping all day to staying awake! He is definitely like his momma and doesn't want to miss out on anything! I guess some would also call that being nosy! Oh well, atleast he has some of my personality because there is definitely no mistaking that he looks like his daddy.

Now that he is 3 months old, Drew is laughing more, looking around, and mouthing everything. Personally, we think he is teething and boy does he have a bite! Maybe a tooth will pop in over the next month or so. It is one of the best experiences to watch all the changes and growth take place daily, weekly,and monthly. We are blessed beyond belief and savor each moment we have with our Drew!

1st Trip Back to Louisiana

Well Drew is 12 weeks old now and we just returned from our first trip back to Louisiana since he was born! It was the first time that Dan's grandfather, Rouse, and his grandparents, Faye and Ronnie, met Drew. Everyone of course loved him and I don't think Dan or I held him too much this trip. It was such a nice treat to see everyone interact with him and to see Drew find a "new" voice. He was apparently very happy with this discovery as he blessed everyone with it (alot) on the flight home!

It is hard to believe that July 5th Drew will be 3 months old and that I start work again in 5 weeks. While I am going to hate leaving Drew everyday, I know that he will be in good hands at Riverside United Methodist Church Children's Center. I am just thankful that I have been able to stay home with Drew for 4 months!

10 Weeks!

It has been 10 weeks since we were blessed with Drew Daniel Chatelain. I can't believe how fast time has flown by! Drew is growing and changing so much...I can't wait to see what his little personality will be. So here is what I have learned about the first 10 weeks of motherhood....

1. Giving birth to a child is the most wonderful
experience you will ever have.
2. Nursing is a lot harder and stressful than you
think! Kuddos to all who do it for so long!
3. Never be afraid to supplement with formula.
4. I can tell you anything you want to know about reflux.
5. Sleep when the baby sleeps (atleast for the
first few weeks)---I know it's a cliche, but SO
TRUE!!
6. Take pictures each week to document all the
changes.
7. Get out of the house on a regular basis...it's for your own sanity and makes you a better
momma!
8. Read lots of books for knowledge, but be flexible in setting your child's schedule. Each child is
different and responds differently to various techniques!
9. Facebook is great and QUICK way to get questions answered by other moms.
10. Enjoy every moment, because time really does pass too quickly.

So I've learned lots and I'm sure there are things I left off, but the bottom line is to embrace motherhood and enjoy every minute with your little one. This stage of their lives is so brief and I want to enjoy every moment! Before I know it, Drew will be 18 and heading off to college....

First Beach Trip

Drew took his 1st trip to the beach--Perdido Key, Florida--this past week. To be honest, I think the beach agrees with him...he was more awake and even slept 7 hours a night while we were there! He was such an angel. In the morning we would get him ready for the trek down to the ocean. I would lather him with sunscreen--which he hated--and let me know by screaming! He stayed down at the beach ALL day with Dan and me with no trouble. He slept in his carrier in his UV protected Pea Pod tent with his own personal fan and sat with us under a big tent when he was awake! He had his made for sure! Dan dipped Drew's feet in the water and he smiled! We think he is going to love the beach just as much as his parents!

Drew also met his 3 uncles for the first time--I think he loved them just as much as they did! It was sweet to see them interact together! Drew will have a blast as he gets older playing with his uncles and I'm sure they will teach him many things I wish they wouldn't..haha!

It amazes me how time is flying by and how fast he is really growing! I'm truly trying to enjoy each day with him. He is cooing and smiling so much. He is much more interested in his surroundings and doesn't want to miss anything!! I love to see all the subtle changes and I feel so blessed that God chose me to be his mom!

San Antonio, Texas

Drew took his first flight Thursday to San Antonio, Texas with Dan and me. I had a meeting to attend as the President of the Georgia Speech-Language Hearing Association. Needless to say, I was very nervous about taking Drew through the airport, going through security, and actually making it through the flight without screaming the entire time! My worries were for nothing--Drew was an angel and security was better than I thought.

Once we got to San Antonio and my meetings started Dan became "Mr. Mom". Poor guy, I'm not sure he knew what he was getting in to. Traveling with an infant with reflux is no easy task! You can't just lay him in a crib provided by the hotel because his head must remain elevated at all times. It's also difficult to ignore his little noises when he sleeps or let him "cry it out" when it's nap time/bedtime. You have to think of all the others in the hotel. So, Drew's schedule was a little off, but I am still impressed with how well he did. He suckered Dan in to feeding him on and off during the day instead of waiting his normal 2 1/2 to 3 hours between feedings. In three nights, he only had one bad one due to issues with his reflux and gas. So all in all, Drew did AWESOME. He must secretly know that he will be flying two more times in the near future!

Happy Mother's Day!

Celebrating my first Mother's Day was AWESOME! God has blessed our family with a wonderful baby boy and I couldn't be more thrilled! I have so much more respect now for my mom and all she did for me growing up now that I have my own child. Being a mom (or a parent) is not easy, but it is so REWARDING! Lack of sleep, being thrown up on, dealing with fussiness, etc. is all worth it because I get to watch Drew grow up.... and I am going to enjoy every minute of it!!

REFLUX!

Wow! I must say as a therapist who treats babies who suffer from severe reflux, resulting in feeding difficulties, I never thought I would be dealing with my own child and reflux. I did think that if I ever had to face the situation where my own child had reflux, I would be calm, cool, and collected and would definitely know everything that needed to be done! WRONG! It's different when it's your own child I guess. You want to instantly remove the pain you see on your child's face or take away the frequent vomiting episodes that result in screaming. Well...reality hit and I couldn't fix these issues instantly. As his reflux worsened, we spoke with Drew's pediatrician. We put him on Prevacid one time per day and purchased a nap nanny (the best thing ever!) to help battle his issues. The Prevacid helped his pain and the nap nanny gave me comfort during Drew's sleep time as his head would remain elevated in case he vomited, but as the vomiting episodes increased I felt helpless! I wanted so bad to help my little man, but there was nothing I could do.

So...I called the pediatrician and he ordered an Upper GI series. An upper GI series uses x rays to help diagnose problems of the upper GI tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine. He had the tests done this morning. He was a champ too, especially since he was unable to eat from 4am until the tests were completed. He guzzled down that barium and according to the Radiologist his structures looked great. After Drew, suckled down the barium the Radiologist waited several minutes to see if he would reflux it. Of course, while the Radiologist was present in the room he didn't, but as soon as he left and the tests were over, Drew vomited all the barium! Go figure! But the good news is that his structures are fine and that he just has severe reflux. We are doing everything we can for him and hopefully he will outgrow it soon! So as a person who is used to helping people "fix" their disorders and difficulties, I will just have sit back and know that I am doing all I can to help Drew and pray that his little tummy outgrows this reflux soon!

Our Newest Addition!

In early August 2009, Dan and I discovered something very exciting! We were we were PREGNANT and thrilled! First we celebrated together and then we told our parents that we were expecting! Of course they were elated...our baby would be the first grandchild on the Chatelain side and the second grandchild on the Carstarphen/Huff side. After telling our parents, we anxiously awaited our first doctor's appointment in September to hear the heartbeat and learn that everything was ok with the baby. We wanted to ensure things checked out before sharing the news with our extended family and friends. The first doctor's appointment could not come soon enough--the heartbeat was strong and the little "peanut" looked great! Of course after the appointment we blew up our phones calling friends and family to share the news...we also posted the news on facebook and it spread like wildfire!

So....fast forward 9 months...Drew Daniel Chatelain arrived on April 5, 2010 at 9:08pm. He weighed 7lbs 4oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. He couldn't be more perfect! Dan and I are so lucky to be blessed with this wonderful gift! Drew is growing so fast and changes daily! Tomorrow he will be 1 month old. Time is flying and we are just trying to enjoy each day.