Nicholas is 2 months today!

Wow, did that go fast! Granted, he slept the first month away, but boy, did 2 months just fly by! I spent my last day at home with him this past Friday and go back to work tomorrow. I've got mixed emotions about it - sort of glad to go back and get into a routine, but of course sad that I won't spend all day with him anymore and see him grow every day. This marks the time though that I begin to really treasure my nights and weekends with the kids. It gets a little boring for me to be home all day and try to find things to fill the time and every day is sort of the same. So I'm ready to get back to work and I'm just so very thankful for the time I did get to spend getting to know and love my son these past two months.

Nicholas is full of smiles and cooing these days! He is still such a good baby and still sleeps a lot (during the day). His naps last 2-3 hours. He still eats every 3-4 hours and actually seems to enjoy tummy time and playing on a blanket on the floor. Sleeping at night is getting a little better, but we're still a ways away from sleeping through the night. If we stick to our bedtime routine, he goes to bed around 11:00 and will sleep in his basinette until about 3:30-4:00 and then is up again around 6:30-7:30. I'm a little worried about the sleeplessness as I go back to work full time, but I'm sure it'll be OK - I keep remembering that this part doesn't last forever!

He seems to have grown a lot these past two months. He goes to the doctor for his well visit on Wednesday, so I'll know then just how much he's grown. He's got pretty chubby cheeks and has outgrown a couple of sleepers, but is finally really filling out most of his 0-3 months stuff.

Here are his official 2-month pictures from today

Here are some comparison pictures of Hannah and Nicholas around two months

Hannah

Nicholas

Hannah

Nicholas

And my favorite 2-month picture of both of them:

Hannah

Nicholas

Hannah went to a birthday party for Peyton and Paige yesterday. It was a bowling party. It was the first time she had been bowling and she liked it a lot! We'll be going back some time for something to do for sure!

Hannah and Peyton

Hannah bowling

And Paige is obsessed with Nicholas! She just can't wait for him to come to daycare. She wanted him by her the whole time at her birthday party! She's a real stinker, but oh, so cute!

Play Ball!

So Nicholas has started baseball this week, just in time for the Indian's Opening Day!! Isn't he handsome in his new uniform? The ladies will love his diaper butt in baseball pants!!!! And oh, that smile - a real heart throb!

Here is his serious game-day face...

Look at him run....

Rounding the bases....

Sliding into home.......

A bad call........(we'll work on sportsmanship)

And so happy after a win!

Darn, he's a cute baby!!!!

And in other news, Hannah started her new swimming class this weekend. She's in the water without a parent now. It's a little scary because we aren't allowed to stay in the pool area during class. This is so they pay more attention to class and parents don't interfere. It's a good idea, but scary to leave her in there alone! A lifeguard stands right there as does another instructor out of the pool. She did great and listened well. She enjoyed it too! She'll be swimming by herself in no time!! She's also learning a lot of pool safety too, which is great!

This is my last week home with Nicholas before I go back to work. I was maybe going to go back today, but Valarie didn't have his spot open at daycare. I'm sort of glad because I'll soak up my time with him this week. He's such a joy and I've loved being home with him. I'm definitely ready to go back though - staying home forever isn't for me. But I'll only have this time once so I'm treasuring every minute of it!

Easter

Easter came very quickly since we just got back from vacation late Saturday night. Hannah was a bit disappointed that she didn't paint easter eggs this year, but we just didn't have the opportunity. I guess we could have done them on vacation, but I wasn't so interested in transporting them back home. So instead, the Easter Bunny brought plastic eggs this year! Worked out just fine!

Hannah woke up early and came in our room excited for it to be Easter and wanted to see if the Easter Bunny had come. This was the first holiday like this she really got excited for first thing in the morning.

She was excited to see both she and Nicholas had easter baskets. She opened her gifts and then used her basket to find the eggs around the house.

We all got ready for the day. Hannah had a beautiful new dress from Grandma K.

We left to meet my Dad and Julia for brunch. It's always so good and it was mine and Tony's last big meal before going back on the sensible eating routine post-vacation. Dad even held Nicholas, although didn't look so comfortable doing so!!! Anyway, they both got new John Deere stuff in their baskets!!

After brunch, we went to Dawn's and hung out there for the afternoon. It was a beautiful day and Hannah played outside and Nicholas got to soak up lots of lovin' from everyone!

And here's a little dose of Nicholas cuteness from the past couple of days for you all! It'll be nice when he gets a neck!!!

I love blue his eyes look here and he's getting so strong so fast!!!

Nicholas Newborn Photos

I know it's a little late to post this, but I have just now found the time.

Here are the pictures from Nicholas' first photo shoot at 2 weeks old. He was sleeping most of the time and was a little fussy, so we had to give him his binky and then pull it out to take a picture. That's why his lips are pursed the way they are in most of the pictures!

And we took a few with Hannah the big sister and her baby brother. She's really into that "goofy-fake-picture-taking smile" lately, so these were the best ones from what we had to choose from.

And now that I've got my announcements sent, here they are. I'm actually quite proud of how they turned out! I hope you all enjoyed the way we announced his arrival!

This is the front of the card. It's fastened closed with a tab tucked inside a ribbon.

And the inside wording says:

A precious son, so tiny and sweet.

Our hearts are full, our family complete.

With love, we introduce

Nicholas Anthony Carrossellia

February 18, 2010

10:40 am

8 pounds, 6 ounces

20-1/2 inches

Proud Parents

Tony and Mary

and Big Sister

Hannah

We're Back

And most of you didn't even know we were gone!!! I'm sure you just assumed I was absent from the blog as usual, but we were away last week for our annual Spring Break Vacation in Hilton Head.

I was a mad-woman trying to get everything packed and ready to go the Thursday and Friday that we left (the 26th). It's amazing how much stuff you need to take with a 4 year old and a newborn! I had Hannah home from daycare on Friday because we were planning to get on the road by 2:00. It was all going fine and she was staying out of my way as I finished getting everything ready. Nicholas was good for me too. Then all of a sudden, around 11:00, Hannah started complaining that her ear was itching. She was pulling it and rubbing it like crazy. I asked her if she wanted to lay down, and she did for a while, but the itching ear was too much for her. I tried washing it off and putting hydrocortizone cream on it and that wasn't helping. She asked to play on the computer and so I let her and within a few minutes, she came up crying about her ear. I knew there was a problem because she doesn't cry when she's sick, unless she's really sick. I called the doctor around 11:45 to see if they could get her in before 1:00. They agreed to have her come right in (during their lunch - so nice and very appreciated!!!). She had an ear infection! Not the worse thing in the world, but awful timing. They called her in a prescription and I finished packing the car and everyone up and around 2:00 we stopped to get her prescription and hit the road.

The ride down Friday night was pretty easy. Hannah rode with my mom and Randy so we could tend to Nicholas in our car without stopping too much. We arrived in Statesville, NC around 10:00 and slept for the night. We got back on the road in the morning, stopped for breakfast and then arrived in Hilton Head around 4:00 or so. We got groceries and headed to the "vacation house" and unpacked. Susan arrived a little while later and we stayed in and made pizza's for dinner.

Sunday, we got up and went to Harbour Town for breakfast and then hung out. The weather was great all week - 70's and 80's and sunshine galore! It rained one morning really early and was clear by daytime. Hannah played on the beach on Tuesday.

We went to the pool Wednesday and Thursday.

Tony and Randy golfed on Monday and Wednesday. I sat at the pool with Hannah and walked Nicholas down to the beach for a little bit on Tuesday. It sure was a different vacation with two children! It was good, but just not the same as in the past. I think part of it was that I wasn't in dire need of the vacation break since I have been off work for the past 5 weeks and also, tending to Nicholas doesn't give a lot of free time to come and go like we could with just Hannah. It still was great to be down there and enjoy the weather and the vacation life. I also had to unfortunately do some work down there Tuesday and Friday.

We met up with a friend from High School that lives down there now and works at the Salty Dog. Susan, Tony and I went out Tuesday night with her - Hi Laura!!

Tony's birthday was Wednesday. We gave him his gifts on Sunday night since they were golf-related and he needed them to play on Monday. The kids and I got him a new driver he wanted, Susan got him new golf balls and Mom & Randy bought him two rounds of golf. We went to dinner on his actual birthday and had cake and ice cream back at the condo.

Susan left on Thursday afternoon. Before she left, I made everyone go down to the beach for pictures!!!

Mom and Randy went out to dinner that night so Tony and I took the kids out somewhere too. Nicholas turned 6 weeks Thursday, which officially marked the end of my short term disability. I am taking one more week off at home with him before I go back to work. I was going to take two extra weeks, but I think I'm ready to get back into a routine, although it makes me a little sad too to know my time at home alone with him is ending. So much of it he spent sleeping!!! Now he's finally more awake and giving lots of smiles and cooing - much more to enjoy!

Friday, we all took Hannah to the horse farm and petting zoo. She has a blast there every year and enjoys the pony ride and petting the animals. They built a brand new horse barn this year which was really nice!

Then we all went over to Harbour Town for lunch and to let Hannah play on the playground.

I needed a little bit of "me time" Friday, so after I finished work stuff, I went to sit by the pool and then for a walk on the beach for about an hour. It was nice - I got a wee bit of sun and just had a nice break for an hour. Tony and I went to dinner for our annual date to the Japanese Hibachi restaurant. It was good and then we headed back to start packing up.

We got up and packed up the car and headed home Saturday morning. We got on the road around 9:45 and made it back home by 10:30! Great timing and a good drive. Nicholas slept the first 8 hours and cried the last couple, but he did really good! We were all so glad to be back home but also had another great family vacation!

I'll put all of my pictures on the slideshow instead of a ton in this post since it's easier. I'll also post about Easter tomorrow.