The McLaughlin Family

Preakness 2011

2011-05-27T21:45:00.002-04:00

Corey & I were lucky enough to spend the day together (no kiddies) at Preakness. The day was perfect for a hat, racing & some fine bets.

Spring and Swings

2011-05-27T21:37:00.003-04:00

Happy early birthday to our June babies!

Ryleigh 11 Months

Easter 2011

2011-05-27T21:27:00.003-04:00

Easter Morning

Easter at Aunt Jamie & Uncle Eddie's

March 2011

2011-03-21T13:55:00.002-04:00

Walker Dog is still hanging around!

These days, he enjoys eating the kids left overs as well as their toys.

Ryleigh 9 months old -

Not crawling yet but she sure does love rolling around the floor

She poses for pictures

And makes funny faces!

2011-03-21T13:40:00.003-04:00

Ryleigh 8 months old - eating pancakes for the first time

Snow and more snow!

James would have played in it all day

Getting So Big!

2011-03-21T13:35:00.002-04:00

I took these pictures just before Valentine's Day after a new hair cut!

Christmas 2010

2011-03-21T13:07:00.009-04:00

I realize it is March and I am just now posting Christmas 2010, but better late then never. Just before Christmas we were all pretty sick but we managed to have a nice time as a family.

Train Garden

2011-02-13T07:37:00.007-05:00

Just before Christmas, we took the kids to the Jarrettsville Fire Department to see the train garden. It was awesome. James had the best time and Ryleigh sat with Santa for the first time.

Thanksgiving 2010

2011-01-02T11:08:00.002-05:00

This year we stayed home for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I cooked a turkey. Surprisingly enough, it turned out pretty well. Ryleigh tried mashed potatoes for the first time and James ate a little of everything.

Fall 2010

2010-11-07T19:21:00.002-05:00

It has been a long time since I've posted pictures. Below are pictures from the pumpkin patch in October and of course Halloween. James was DJ Lance from Yo Gabba Gabba and Ryleigh was a flower. James had such a great time trick or treating. He would do it every night if we let him.

End of Summer

2010-09-05T16:30:00.003-04:00

So this last week of summer has been perfect. The weather was amazing and I had a great time with the kids. Below are a few pictures of the Sunflower fields by our house and the kids.

James holding Ryleigh

Donut Time

Yummy!

August Pictures

2010-08-30T13:42:00.004-04:00

It has been forever since I have updated the blog......

We've had a ton going on from James starting school to sleepless nights. Needless to say summer is almost over and I am returning to work on September 7.

James started attending The Goddard School 2 days a week at the beginning of August. The first few drops offs were VERY hard but 4 weeks in and he's doing great. Ryleigh is growing so fast. She is 12 weeks old and weighs 13lb. 6oz. About 3 weeks ago she started to smile. It is super cute! My little people Mommy & Ryleigh - 11 weeks

Mommy & James

James on his first day

Dressed and ready to go

Smile!

Beach 2010

2010-07-19T20:49:00.007-04:00

Last week we were on vacation in Fenwick Island. For the first time, my entire family (Gram, Uncle Eddie, Aunt Jamie, Brandon & Ryan) joined us. Below are a few pictures of the kids enjoying the week. More to come! Don't bother me I'm crabby t-shirts that Gram bought the boys

James & Ryan at Funland

Corey riding with the boys

Corey & James relaxing

Ryleigh taking a nap with me

James Turns 2

2010-06-30T13:08:00.003-04:00

James turned 2 on June 25, 2010. Grammy, MomMom, PopPop, Aunt Jackie, & Caitlin joined us to celebrate. James had a great time and unlike his first birthday, he loved the ice cream cake!James with Mommy & Daddy

Ryleigh slept through the party

Singing to James

Presents

2010-06-13T09:37:00.003-04:00

A few more pics from the past week

Uncle Greg came to visit

James visits

Making himself at home

We're Home!
James got a few new toys for being a big boy

Catching some afternoon sun

Ryleigh Ayn McLaughlin

2010-06-08T12:42:00.006-04:00

After a long wait, Ryleigh Ayn arrived on June 7, 2010, at 8:15 in the morning. We arrived at the hospital at 5:45 am for a scheduled c-section. This experience was so different from our experience with James. We were a lot more calm and prepared. Needless to say the surgery went great and our little girl arrived safe and sound. Ryleigh weighed 8lb & 1.6oz and was 21" long. She has a full head of hair that I just love.

James came to visit his sister later in the afternoon. He seems a little overwhelmed by the entire event. James didn't seem super interested in Ryleigh. He only wanted to sit with mommy and be held. I didn't mind one bit.

Below are a few pictures of Ryleigh and James.

We've been busy

2010-05-27T14:18:00.006-04:00

It's been forever since I've posted any pictures so here are a few. The past 2 months have been very busy. We managed to get Ryleigh's room finished (see below). I am 38 weeks pregnant and feeling good. A recent sonogram estimates Ryleigh weighing over 8lb. She's going to be a big baby. So different from James. We are all set for her June 7th arrival. Corey & I took James to the Baltimore Zoo earlier in May. I think he had a good time...

Painted Bedrooms

2010-03-09T12:02:00.002-05:00

Slowly but surely, the nursery and James' big boy room are coming along. Thought I would put up a few pictures of how they look today. I still have a bit of work to do on baby girl McLaughlin's room. I just can't seem to find the energy to get it all done. The good news, I have 14 weeks to get it finished. Very original - blue

I had crown molding put up in both rooms

Wow that's pink!

I'm working on placing flowers along the bottom

of each wall

The flowers under the windows - a bit dark

but this area is all done

Big Boy Bed

2010-02-24T20:13:00.003-05:00

Just about 2 weeks ago we had the kids rooms painted. Since James' old room is now a pretty pink I figured we should just go ahead and see if he would sleep in his big boy bed in his new room. I figured the transition would be difficult but to my delight, James has done just fine. He loves his new room and has not (to date) had any issues at night. I haven't had a ton of time to put up pictures and other decorations but hopefully one weekend I'll get motivated. Baby girl McLaughlin's room is quite the same. So once I get motivated and finish things up, I will post more pictures. James sleeps with a few key things - a Pluto dog that

I brought back from a work trip to California, & his

favorite Bun Bun (on the left)

He usually flips around every night

New Pictures

2010-02-01T20:27:00.003-05:00

Since I have not taken any pictures of James in forever, today I took a few. He is changing so much and getting very big. James' speech has really started to come along as well. Today I heard him saying different numbers and singing along to the TV - probably not the best that he knows the Wonder Pets theme song but he loves it. Other favorite words include; dog, socks, pants, milk, ball & bath. Aside from fits in public, I am very much enjoying this age. It is so neat to see James taking in the world.

In his man chair

Play in his toy box

All is well with the bun in the oven as well. No real changes other then me getting bigger:( My next doctors visit is on 2/12/10.

19 Week Update

2010-01-16T17:43:00.003-05:00

I had a doctors appointment on Friday and all is well with baby girl McLaughlin. Looks like my c-section will be scheduled the week of June 7, 2010. So far, things are going well and the doctor is planning for a full term delivery. Anything could happen but I am being positive.

I've also started looking for bedding for both James' new room and the nursery. I have a very hard time making decisions so this won't be easy.

James is doing great. He is into everything and has become a little climber. James is 100% boy. Today he figured out how to climb into his toy chest. After successfully climbing in, he then tossed out all of the toys on to the floor below. Our family room has been a mess all day.

Daddy is in Indy for the Ravens Colts game. We are hoping he has a great time and the Ravens win.

It's A Girl

2010-01-10T14:06:00.002-05:00

On Friday I had my 2nd trimester sonogram. What an exciting day. The big news...it's a girl. Corey & I were both very excited. Boy or girl didn't really matter to me. I just hope that she is healthy and we come home from the hospital on the same day.

I can't wait for James to meet his little sister.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T18:50:00.004-05:00

Blizzard of 2009

2009-12-19T15:10:00.004-05:00

Holy Snow! We are in the middle of a Blizzard and having a great time. We took James out this morning. He enjoyed the snow until his hands got wet. So he lasted about 10 minutes. Corey went and picked up a snow blower this morning at Sears. Thank goodness because he'd be outside all day shoveling.

Christmas Tree

2009-12-07T08:34:00.002-05:00

This weekend we had our first snow fall. I figured it was the perfect time to get out and get our Christmas tree. The weather was terrible and the tree was so wet when we got it home. All in all, a good time. The front tree

Our real tree

James & Corey playing with his train

James on his slide
James in his soon to be big boy room

James Needs a Playmate

2009-12-04T06:35:00.002-05:00

The news is finally out so I thought I would update my blog with an update. I am 13 weeks pregnant. We are very excited and cannot wait for James to have a little brother or sister. My due date is a moving target at this point. For now it is 6/11/09. Since I had so many issues with James, I will be having a C-section with this baby as well. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or not. Part of me wanted the surprise factor of my water breaking while the planner in me likes the idea of everything being scheduled. Not to mention a scheduled c-section would probably ensure Corey would be in town!

I will post a few pictures of the sonogram when I get 5 minutes.

A Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T08:12:00.003-05:00

We had a great Thanksgiving at my sister's house. The boys played together all day - see the pictures below. Dinner was the best we've had in years. The turkey was perfect and the stuffing was awesome. All around, it was a great day. We left Gram behind for a few days to visit. Hopefully she'll come back on Sunday:)

We don't have much planned for this long weekend. Just a lot of R&R. James' big boy furniture is being delivered on Saturday. Can't wait to see how he likes it.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T10:08:00.003-05:00

Our Little Buggie

Lacrosse Sticks

2009-10-30T20:20:00.003-04:00

Today James got a special gift from Corey, his very first lacrosse sticks. It was so cute to see Corey give James the stick. James loved walking around with it and even held it with a solid grip (totally by accident). Let's hope he likes lacrosse better then swimming:)

Pumpkins Pumpkins & more Pumpkins

2009-10-11T14:43:00.004-04:00

Waiting for the Hayride

James couldn't wait to see the pumpkins

Hair issues

15 Months Old

2009-09-29T10:03:00.003-04:00

A quick James update - He is walking and getting around great. On Saturdays we have been taking a Mommy & Me swimming class. James isn't all that into it but we are sticking with it. He likes the water but hates going under. His molars are coming in so he's been a bit cranky. Poor guy. I can't wait till all his teeth are in!

Me & the boys

These Sunflower fields are everywhere in Harford Co.

A Mix - Beach & Walking

2009-08-30T07:40:00.004-04:00

A few more pictures from our beach trip and a short video of James Walking. If you blink, you'll miss it. He was in the mood on Saturday to walk which NEVER happens. We were all very excited.

More Beach

2009-08-19T21:19:00.003-04:00

Our week has been great. Aside from some whining, fits, & teething issues, things have been going well. We have spent a lot of time with Matt, Melissa & their kids. It has been so much fun for the kids and us as well.

James had a few firsts this week.
1. A trip to the boardwalk
2. Thrashers Fries - DE-LISH
3. A trip to Dumsers
4. The BIGGEST of all - he took 2-3 steps without holding on - only did that once but it's a start

The pictures below are from the boardwalk, swimming at the condo pool, Dumsers, & Northside Park.

Our First Family Vacation

2009-08-18T16:53:00.002-04:00

Ocean City is the spot for our first family vacation. Where else would we go (haha)? So far so good. We rented an ocean front condo on 95th street. The view is awesome. Below are a few pictures of the sun rise as well as James on the beach. James is NOT a huge fan of the sand but he gets better everyday. We have taken him down to the water. He likes to watch the water come up but will not put his feet down on the sand. He's an odd kid but all ours.

James is a Sponge

2009-08-04T09:52:00.009-04:00

We celebrated Uncle Eddie's 40th birthday over the weekend. It was so much fun. Aunt Jamie, cousins Brandon & Ryan, and Jada joined us to celebrate. Corey did a great job. He cooked up an awesome lunch - crab cakes & filets - DE-LISH.

James has learned a few new things over the past week. He can dance (or bounce), blow kisses & wave bye bye. All super cute to me.

A New Trick

2009-07-23T12:10:00.004-04:00

A few new picks of James - in his Spider Man t-shirt at Mom Mom & Pop Pop's beach house over the weekend. The next few are of James eating pasta and playing patty cake - thanks to Mom Mom & Gram teaching him.

A Low-Key Weekend

2009-07-13T09:09:00.007-04:00

We had a pretty relaxed weekend. Friday Corey's work had a crab feast. It was great to be outside and relax. Saturday we went to the Mason Dixon Fair. James loved the animals. Sunday - we didn't do much. Just hung out around the house.

Party Time

2009-06-28T18:39:00.007-04:00

We celebrated James' 1st birthday again on Saturday. This time we had grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and a few close friends. James had a great time. He was super spoiled by all the gifts and attention he received. He is one lucky little boy. Below are some pictures from the party. What a great weekend but man we are all VERY tired. Glad the 1st birthday is officially over.

1st Birthday

2009-06-26T10:44:00.004-04:00

James had a great day. He got lots of nice gifts from Grammy, Mommy & Daddy. We did give him cake which he didn't care for at all. Go figure. I was so disappointed:( We are having a family part on Saturday so I'll post more pics over the weekend.

A 1st Birthday

2009-06-25T08:25:00.003-04:00

It is hard to believe that James is 1 today. I couldn't help but look back on old pictures and think how lucky we are to have such a healthy little boy in our lives. The past year has been challenging at times but very rewarding. James has developed into an amazing little person with a big personality.

The pictures below are from James' first few days in the NICU plus a photo I took this morning of him opening his first birthday gift.

Happy Birthday James - Mommy & Daddy love you very much.

Teething???

2009-06-18T20:58:00.002-04:00

Every time I saw James today he has something in his mouth. I thought we had finished teething for a while. He already has 8 teeth but I have to believe that another one may be on its way. You can't tell by these pictures but he has been really fussy today.

James and his best friend Walker Dog

The Blue Whale - Again
There's a smile

2009-06-15T10:07:00.010-04:00

This past weekend we headed to Bethany Beach with our friends. There were 12 adults and 8 kids among our group. Lots of organized chaos:) It was a ton of fun.
We took James to the beach on Saturday for the first time. He did NOT care for the sand or the cold water. Needless to say, he spent most of the 1 1/2 hours at the beach on a towel.

BEACH!

2009-06-12T10:17:00.002-04:00

We are off to the beach for the weekend with a bunch of our friends. This will be the first time James puts his little toes in the sand. I'll post pictures when we return.

2 Videos

2009-06-11T06:55:00.007-04:00

James loves playing with his ball. He chases the ball all over the house. The second video is James having dinner. We are working on the change over from baby food to toddler food. Chicken nuggets and peaches...can't go wrong!

Phone Pics

2009-06-10T07:52:00.002-04:00

I took these 2 pictures of James with my cell phone camera so the quality is not the best. The first picture is from yesterday. We took a quick ride to the bank and he fell asleep in his seat. I think this picture is so cute. Funny to think that only 3-4 months ago I couldn't really go anywhere because he would cry the ENTIRE drive. I hated going out with James. I would be so stressed out by the time I arrived at my destination. I am VERY thankful that we've graduated from constant crying to sleeping baby in the car.

This second picture was this morning. James can now pull himself up while holding on to things like a chair or table. He is very proud of himself.

A Few Pics....

2009-06-08T13:15:00.003-04:00

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T08:27:00.006-04:00

After a long week it was great to have a long weekend to rest. I had my gall bladder out on Tuesday so Corey and Gram helped with James a lot this week. Corey took off on Friday to hang around the house with us. Saturday we went to the city to have dinner with friends. It was a great time. On Sunday we took James to the Ladew Gardens. The Gardens have a ton of pretty flowers and an awesome nature hike. It was the perfect day to be outside. Afterwards we stopped for a snowball. James has finally figured out that snowballs taste good and he can't get enough.

The boys watching for daddy

Ladew Gardens

The Lilly Pond

Flowers

Corey & James

On the Nature Hike

Fooling Around

Snowball Time

A weekend visitor - the turtle was cruising

through out backyard on Monday morning.

Mother's Day

2009-05-15T10:55:00.003-04:00

I am a few days behind...but here are a few pictures from Mother's Day weekend. We had an awesome weekend. Dinner at Uncle Greg & Aunt Jackie's on Saturday - which was de-lish. Sunday we went to brunch at Mountain Branch by our house. Everything was perfect. Couldn't have had a better weekend.
NAP TIME!

A Busy Weekend

2009-05-04T13:47:00.003-04:00

We had a very busy weekend including a BBQ at our house on Saturday. Corey's friend Brian was in town so we figured lets invite all of our friends over. It was a ton of fun. I also included a few pictures of the new landscaping we had done.

Lots of pink flowers and I LOVE it. We are super happy with how things turned out.

On the Move

2009-05-01T23:03:00.008-04:00

Today James finally started to crawl (he is 10 months 1 week old). Now it's not the best looking crawl but I'm sure in a few days, he will be moving all over the house. How exciting:)

A great weekend

2009-04-22T08:19:00.004-04:00

James checking out the grass this weekend

The weather was perfect this past weekend. James spent a lot of time outside. It was awesome! On Sunday we went to a 1st birthday party for my friend Beth's little girl Lexi. It was so nice to see all of my friends. I miss them a lot!

Also, I James had his 9 month check up last week. He is doing great. Growing and progressing as expected. He only had one shot this visit. It didn't even really effect him...YEAH. Over the past few weeks he has been teething. As of today, James has 3 teeth that are trying to come in. Poor little guy. I can only imagine how that must feel. I cannot believe he will be 10 months old on Saturday. This year has flown by....

James fell asleep on Corey on evening last week

Life is good!

A Busy Easter Weekend

2009-04-13T08:37:00.006-04:00

After a long week of sickness, James started feeling better in time for the holiday weekend. We had a very busy weekend. Saturday, MomMom & PopPop came to visit in the morning. James was still super fussy but once we made it to Wargo's for lunch, he was just fine.

Later on Saturday we went out to Mexican with the Iarossi's. It was lots of fun. They came back to our house after dinner. Jack and James are about 2 weeks apart in age so it was fun to see them play together.

Jack & James Playing

This year, we hosted Easter with my family. Grammy & I made a ton of food on Sunday morning. We also set up an egg hunt for Brandon & Ryan. I bought James a special Easter outfit. He looked so cute. Overall, it was a great weekend.

Egg Hunt

My frog Prince

Mommy & bug

Decorating egg cakes

Aunt Jamie & Baby James
All the Boys

Uncle Eddie & the Boys

The Longest Week of All Time!

2009-04-08T21:22:00.004-04:00

This week has been super long and very challenging. James came down with a stomach bug on Saturday. He has been so sick. I've done more laundry & changed more diapers then I can count. We are all spent. Last night he made a HUGE mess in his crib. Lucky me go to clean it all up at 12:30 am. Fun times! Just when I think he is starting to feel better...WHAM it hits us back. Hopefully by the weekend he'll be better. We have lots of visitors coming this weekend (Mom Mom/Pop Pop & my family for Easter). We'll be super sad if we have to cancel:( Daddy is also not feeling the best now...I just hope to stay clear of this bug!

Lots of Laughing

2009-04-03T09:57:00.006-04:00

James is doing great. Eating & trying to get around. Still not crawling just yet, but he is working on it. I took him last Friday to the doctor for his last RSV shot. He weighs 20lbs 4oz. What a big boy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-17T08:08:00.002-04:00

It's Been a While

2009-03-09T13:15:00.003-04:00

I realized today that I haven't updated the blog in a while. Not much has really been going on. Things have been slow to say the least. James is doing well. No real changes there. He did go to the doctor a week ago or so for another RSV shot. James is up to 19lbs 4oz. He has one more shot and we are done with RSV for this season - YEAH!

James has his 9 month check up at the end of March. Hard to believe he is almost 9 months old. I'm thinking any day now James may want to sleep through the night or even crawl. He doesn't seem to be in any hurry:)

Photos by Erin

2009-02-21T15:43:00.002-05:00

Today my friend from high school & photographer, Erin, came out and took pictures of James. These are the first professional pictures that I have had done and I'm so pleased with how it went. Erin was so great with James. He laughed, smiled and responded to her. Mommy is so proud of him. The link below is to Erin's blog. There are a few pictures from today.

If you need a great photographer - let me know. Erin was wonderful:)

http://erinleighphoto.com/blog/

Happy Friday

2009-02-20T13:41:00.002-05:00

2009-02-14T20:43:00.001-05:00

Hanging Out on the Sofa on a Saturday Morning Smile

Mommy & James

My Sick Little Munchkin

2009-02-05T08:06:00.003-05:00

James has been under the weather since Saturday. He has Bronchiolitis & Croup. Poor little guy...just can't break up the cough. We have been giving James breathing treatments every 6 hours since Monday. I am hopeful that he will start to feel better soon. We have had several sleepless nights so the sooner he gets better the happier we will all be:)

James before the cold - Happy Baby

Breathing treatment & bunny

James this morning after breakfast

Katie Came to Visit

2009-01-27T12:16:00.003-05:00

This weekend Katie came to visit us. We had a great time
and we got to meet her boyfriend as well. What a great guy.

Yummy Green Beans

2009-01-23T09:54:00.002-05:00

James is really starting to enjoy eating solids...he loves all veggies and most fruits - he is NOT a fan of applesauce

Is it bedtime yet?

Sitting Up

2009-01-22T10:26:00.002-05:00

James in the Snow

2009-01-19T14:44:00.003-05:00

James in the Snow
Walk Dog in the Snow

I took a few minutes today to take James out in the snow. He didn't really like the wet flakes hitting his face nor being in his winter coat. I can't wait till he's older and can enjoy the snow.

New Pics of James

2009-01-16T13:21:00.006-05:00

6 Month Check Up

2009-01-07T08:09:00.006-05:00

James had his 6 month check up yesterday. He weighs 16lbs. 14oz and is 26 inches long. Overall he seems to be doing well. I was hoping to pick the doctor's brain about James. James is still not sleeping through the night, solids are a challenge for his gassy belly & he hates riding in his car seat. Literally, James screams from the time you put him in the car until you arrive at the destination. Our nerves are shot by the time we arrive anywhere!

As expected, the doctor pretty much told me nothing. I actually think I may shop around for a new doctor. The last two visits to the doctor have been very frustrating. I get a little tired of feeling like doctors don't listen to you (the parent). I may not know much about the medical stuff but I do know that James is a pretty miserable baby. There is no magic pill that will fix that but man I would really appreciate a little bit of guidance and/or suggestions on how to cope. I just need to get through RSV season before I make the change.

On a positive note - we had a great vacation with James. Corey and I were both off and we spent lots of time with James before Corey started busy season.

James LOVES Walker Dog - see the video

Choo-Choo

2008-12-26T21:05:00.008-05:00

Today Corey and I bought James his first Choo-Choo Train.
He loved watching and listening to the sounds. It was so much fun.

My friend Devon also came to visit and meet James for the first time.
It was so great to see her. I've known Devon since 6th grade and the
last time I saw her was my wedding over a year ago. She is living in
San Diego so we keep in touch via email & phone. James was all
smiles during her visit.

First Christmas

2008-12-25T21:02:00.008-05:00

James had a wonderful first Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we went to Uncle Greg & Aunt Jackie's house to celebrate with the family. James was a bit of a mess. Very fussy - but we managed to get through the night.

Today was not only Christmas Day but also James turned 6 months old. He enjoyed opening his gifts this morning with mom, dad & gram. After the presents were opened we ate breakfast and James took a nice nap. All in all, he Santa was very good to James.

Picture Time

2008-12-20T06:57:00.004-05:00

34th Street Hamden

2008-12-19T07:03:00.004-05:00

Last night the family went to 34th Street in Hamden to see the Christmas lights. Every year residents of 34th Street decorate their houses like crazy for the holiday. Corey and I have been before but I really wanted to show my mom and James.

The car ride there was TERRIBLE as usual. James cried pretty much the entire drive until about 5 minutes before we arrived. I gave him a bottle and he fell asleep. SO TYPICAL! We got him in the stroller and he slept the entire time we walked. He did not see one stink'n light. Oh well. Maybe next year.

Cookie Time

2008-12-14T20:17:00.004-05:00

What a few days...Walker has been such a handful but the good news...he seems to be getting better each day. His backside is healing and he definitely has a bit of his spunk back. Walker even managed a few barks and trips off of the sofa. I think a full recovering is on its way. We've kept him contained to the first floor of the house until the drips come out. He has a variety of t-shirts & a doggie diaper that he has been wearing to keep everything in place. It is so much fun dressing him. He HATES it! The drips come out on Wednesday and the stitches on Christmas Eve. Hopefully he'll be doing well in a few weeks.

Aside from the dog, we had a full weekend. Saturday we did our typical running around in the morning. Then in the afternoon, Grammy and I made Christmas cookies. We made peppermint swirl, chocolate chip, & chocolate chunk cookies. James sat and watched for a while. I'm looking forward to when he is able to help.

On Sunday I put together a gingerbread house. This is something I love doing but I don't have much skill. I wish I did but I don't. Again, when James is a bit older I am going to have a ball doing this kind of stuff with him. That is until he realizes that he'd rather play sports or video games:)

Poor Puppy

2008-12-12T09:13:00.002-05:00

Walker dog came home yesterday, a day after having surgery on his tail. Poor guy...it looks terrible and he seems to be in pain. He has 2 drips in until next week. The drips will help get rid of the infection (YUK). I went to Petsmart yesterday to pick up a diaper for him to wear. He hates it but it keeps everything (including our carpet) stain free. Walker has a few pills to take. One of which is a pain killer. As soon as he takes it, he goes to sleep. Hopefully in a few days he'll start getting back to normal.

Is it Christmas Yet?

2008-12-08T08:04:00.007-05:00

We have no idea what is going on with James the past few weeks. Not that he was ever a good sleeper but he would usually give us a 4-6 hour stretch each night. NOT anymore. The past few weeks have been terrible. He gets up anywhere from 1-4 times a night. We are super tired. He was eating oatmeal and carrots but I stopped everything thinking that maybe they were bothering his stomach. Who knows. I just hope one day he sleeps. Mommy & Daddy could really use a break!

I know how lucky we are to have a healthy baby and I try not to forget that. Corey reminds me everyday that he is just not a happy baby and that we will get through this. There just isn't anything we can do. Most people around us think we are full of it when we say James is miserable. Everyone has the "FIX" but nothing works. I learned a great lesson last week...the less I tell people the better. Outsiders do not understand what it is like to have a high maintenance baby. Everyone has an opinion and sometimes without even realizing it, they overwhelm us with their opinions. Not to mention, at times, my feelings get hurt. Hard to believe but they do. Although James looks like a "normal" 5 month old, everyone forgets that he was 6 weeks early. I am trying VERY hard to relax and just enjoy spending time with James. Hopefully he will turn the corner soon:)

Ok enough venting....

James had his second RSV shot last Thursday. All went well. He weights 15.1. Growing and doing well. His next RSV shot is in January as well as his 6 month check up. I cannot believe he will be 6 months old on Christmas!

Also this weekend we had our first snow. See pictures below.

The falling snow in the back yard

Deer tracks in the back yard

Walker kicking up the snow

Dear Santa

2008-12-05T20:05:00.004-05:00

James had a great visit with Santa. Truly an emotional experience for mom...not sure why seeing him with Santa brought tears to my eyes but it did. James was just so happy.

A New Chair

2008-12-05T08:44:00.003-05:00

We FINALLY got James a high chair. Take a look at him in his chair.

A New Trick

2008-12-02T20:15:00.005-05:00

Check out James on his tummy. He is starting to figure out how to hold himself up.

A Tree In Our Home

2008-11-30T19:56:00.006-05:00

James playing in his first Christmas gift - thanks Uncle Eddie, Aunt
Jamie & the boys!

Today was not a perfect day to go to the Christmas tree farm but who needs nice weather! This morning, we hopped in the car and headed to Jarrettsville Nursery to pick out the perfect tree for the house. It was cold and raining which made the experience even more perfect...ok not really. Instead of cutting down our own tree, we opted for a pre-cut tree. After only a few moments of looking, we found the one. James could have cared less but I'll always remember the first tree we picked out as a family. I took a million pictures and managed to get on every one's nerves by the end of the trip.

At any rate, Gram and I spent most of the day decorating the tree. It is perfect.

James ready to go

Corey & Gram

Baby trees at the farm

Pick a tree

The fun begins

Corey's best side:)

All finished

The front tree

Baby James with daddy

The Day After Turkey

2008-11-28T08:25:00.003-05:00

What a great Thanksgiving we had at Aunt Jamie & Uncle Eddies. I was a bit nervous about the 2 hour drive because James doesn't do the best in the car but he did great. He slept pretty much the entire drive to and from. We were shocked!

Dinner was SO GOOD. Aunt Jamie made a perfect meal. James had a small taste of mashed potatoes. He loved them.

Brandon and Ryan were so much fun. We ran around the house & played all day. I really miss spending time with them. I can't wait for James to be able to run around with them.

Grammy is staying in VA for a few days. Hopefully she'll enjoy her vacation away from our monster. We are picking her up on Saturday.

Uncle Eddie and baby James

Food Coma

5 Month Old Turkey

2008-11-25T20:45:00.002-05:00

James is 5 months old today. I can feel it. Any day now he is going to wake up and be a happy baby...a girl can hope! He has actually been doing well. Growing and eating. James has taken a liking to oatmeal. He eats it about twice a day. Not much but it's a start. He has his second RSV shot next Thursday (12/4/08). Hopefully that will go well.

On a side note...poor Walker Dog has been having issues with his tail for the past 2 months. Not the first time he's had trouble but this time it's been pretty bad. He has been on meds for 2 months and he is just not responding. Today I talked to the vet and we have decided to have his tail removed. His surgery is scheduled for December 10. I have been so upset. While I'm sure he will be just fine...I just can't stop feeling bad that he has to feel any pain or be uncomfortable. Walker was my first baby - I just want him to be OK and happy.

Turkey Day Is Coming

2008-11-19T19:49:00.004-05:00

I am so excited that Thanksgiving is next week. By far it is my favorite holiday. I can't wait to share this FIRST big holiday with James. Tonight I pulled out his special turkey day outfit...wait till you see those pictures. Poor little guy. I dress him in some of the funniest stuff. He's going to totally hate looking back at those pictures when he's older:)

Other news on the home front...we've been having a patio installed. This is our first major project since moving in. The back of the house sits pretty low to the ground so we went with a patio instead of a deck. It really changes the look of the back of house. It will be nice to be able to open the kitchen doors and walk outside. Now we only have to wait 5-6 more months to really be able to sit out and enjoy it!

A Rainy Weekend

2008-11-15T21:02:00.003-05:00

We have had the worst weather the past few days. It has done nothing but rain:(

Here comes the broken record - James has been very fussy the past few days. Corey has accepted the fact that James is just a miserable baby. I'm not there yet. For whatever reason, I've held out hope that there is something I can do to make things better. I just haven't figured out what. This will probably sound odd but I really feel like for every few good hours we get with James he follows it up with 8-12 hours of misery. Today was a perfect example. This morning we went to Target and the grocery store. James was an angel. He slept most of the time we were out and didn't wake up until we were unloading the car at home. Well the rest of the day he was terrible. He cried and fussed from about 2 pm until the time he went to bed. It was exhausting.

The good news...he is healthy and growing. Almost 15lbs. We are super lucky to have a healthy little guy....even if I sound miserable I do know how lucky I am. I'm sure in the near future James will get himself together.

For Christmas this year, we are asking Santa for James to sleep thru the night. Hopefully he can deliver:) Santa - Hook us UP!

A Slow Week

2008-11-10T07:36:00.002-05:00

Last week was super slow and uneventful. James did have another doctors appointment. This time he received the first of 5 Synagis (RSV) shots. Being a preemie made James eligible for the shots at a discounted rate - thank god because the shots are $1500 a pop. Hopefully these shots will keep him healthy this winter.

The doctor weighed him again at his appointment. He's up to 14lbs 13oz. James definitely has no problem gaining weight which is a good thing.

2008-11-01T06:35:00.002-04:00

James' first Halloween was lots of fun. We dressed him as a Tootsie Roll. He didn't cry too much. Once it was on, he was fine. A few of our neighbors got to see him dressed up when they stopped over for candy with their kids. I can't wait till he is old enough to trick or treat. It's going to be a lot of fun.

I should also mention that yesterday was Walker Dog's 5th birthday. I cannot believe he is 5. He was our first baby so that fact that he is getting older is crazy to us. He had a pretty uneventful day. The good news for Walker, mommy didn't try to put him in a lame dog costume this year. James now has to deal with the terrible costumes. Looks like Walker is off the hook! We love you Walker dog!

Our Family

Mommy & James

James sitting with the Pumpkins

James in his first Halloween Costume

"I hate this!"

Grammy & James

This is how Walker Celebrated his 5th Birthday

The Night Before Halloween

2008-10-30T20:12:00.001-04:00

4 Month Check Up

2008-10-28T07:53:00.003-04:00

Yesterday James had his 4 months check up. The little man is doing very well. He weighs 14lbs. 2oz. and is 24' long. The doctor said he is the size of an average 4 month old. What great words to hear. James is doing everything that full term babies are doing at this age. Seems like he is catching up.

This visit included another round of shots. James was NOT a happy camper at all. He cried at the office and pretty much all evening. We go back later this week or early next week for his first RSV shot. Hopefully we can keep him mostly healthy this winter. The RSV shot will really help.

James Trying Rice Cereal

2 Posts in 1 Day...

2008-10-22T19:53:00.003-04:00

James usually isn't happy baby but when he is, I have to take advantage. Tonight before bath time he was in a great mood. I took a few pictures of him in his Elmo outfit from Aunt Jamie. She had surgery today so I figured it may help her smile to see these pictures & video.

Still happy after my bath:)

Another Night...No Sleep

2008-10-22T07:45:00.003-04:00

Well James has decided that sleep is totally overrated. This past week he just hasn't been sleeping at all. He pretty much goes to bed early like 7ish and sleeps till 10 or 11 pm. After that, it's all down hill. Last night he hardly slept at all. We are so tired. We are wondering if he has started teething. Seems like there is a ton of drool! Who knows...

These pictures are from over the weekend.

Family Weekend

2008-10-13T10:31:00.005-04:00

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY COREY!!!

Tons of pictures from this past weekend. We had such a busy weekend. See all the pictures below.

Bath Time

Making a Halloween Ginger Bread House

Us With All The Boys

Daddy & James

James

Grammy with Brandon & Ryan

Walker Dog

The Uninvited House Guest

James This Morning

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-11T19:53:00.004-04:00

Today we (me, James, Grammy & cousin Ryan) went to Applewood Farm to pick pumpkins. What a perfect day to be outside. James had on an orange Halloween outfit and his scary owl hat. The farm had tons of things to do - pony & hay rides, a petting zoo, a gift shop, & a corn maze. What a fun place for kids.

We took a hay ride to the pumpkin fields - James pretty much slept the entire time. We managed to find some great pumpkins including a large green one. Ryan had a great time. I cannot wait till James is old enough to enjoy this stuff.

Bye Bye

2008-10-04T20:02:00.003-04:00

What a face!

Jame in his new chair

Getting ready for Halloween

We've had a super low-key weekend. Not much going on. James is doing great. Eating, sleeping, & playing...what a life. He has been smiling and laughing at us a ton.

I'm leaving for my first over-night work trip on Sunday. I am going to Chicago for 1 night. I'm so hoping for a full nights sleep. I cannot wait. I'm sure I'll miss James but I am really looking forward to sleep! I haven't slept a full night since before he was born....that's over 3 months. I'm not counting or anything:)

Just some pictures!

2008-09-29T22:19:00.000-04:00

3 Months Old

2008-09-26T08:37:00.003-04:00

Little man is 3 months old this week. He is growing like a weed. James has really started to respond to us which is so cool. He giggles, smiles & still cries!

I tried to take a mold of his hands and feet last night. He didn't like it very much. The finished product is a total mess but I will keep it forever. See pictures below.

Giggles

2008-09-21T20:08:00.004-04:00

A little hard to hear, but super cute...James giggles!

First Week Back to Work

2008-09-21T08:57:00.004-04:00

Big Kisses

Go O's

Last week went pretty well. I started back to work and James was with Grammy all week during the day. Things seemed to go pretty well. I had a few appointments so was able to be in and out all by myself. The first week was a little overwhelming but I'm sure in no time we'll be in a groove again.

As for James - he has started to smile more often and we've even heard a few giggles. It's really cool to have him respond to us. This weekend we went to Karen's 30th birthday party. James had a great time. He slept and ate...the usual!

Best Buddies!

Melinda, James, Kara & Jack

Football Sunday - Go RAVENS!

It's all about the hat!

2008-09-13T13:30:00.004-04:00

Not much going in with us. James has had a pretty good week. We're still working on getting him to sleep in his crib. He seems to like it thanks to the new mobile my friend Katie sent.

This was also my last week of maternity leave. I'm looking forward to getting back into work. It will be nice to have my own routine again.

James in his Crabby outfit.
He's Crabby just like his Daddy!

Update

2008-09-09T10:18:00.003-04:00

I realized this morning that I have not updated the blog in forever. I've been really busy since moving into the house. We have been getting a lot accomplished since moving in. Our house is finally starting to feel like a home.

James is doing pretty well. He still cries a lot during the evenings and I think we still have a ways to go before the colic is gone. We have been working on establishing an evening routine that includes James sleeping in his own crib. So far, this has proven to be very challenging but we are going to make it happen.

This is my last week of maternity leave so I've been spending a lot of time with Grammy. Helping to get her ready for when I'm back to work. Hopefully the transition will go smoothly.

Lots of pictures below. Enjoy!

A Big Week

2008-08-28T22:11:00.003-04:00

What a week...Finally some good news to report. We settled on the house Monday and have started the moving process. At last, James has a nursery and I'm just thrilled about it! The walls are a bit naked but who cares. We also moved Grammy up from Virginia. She seems to be settling in nicely. The movers arrive tomorrow. YEAH!

Also this week, James had his 2 month doctors visit. He is up to 10lbs. 10oz and is 22" long. This visit included 3 shots. He actually handled it better then I thought he would. The doctor said his colic should start to subside by the time he is 4 1/2 months old...thanks to him being 6 weeks early! GOOD TIMES! We are hanging in there. He has had 2 great days. I feel very lucky! Now if we could only get him to sleep in his crib:)

James after his shots

Look at Those Chicken Legs

2 Months Old

2008-08-25T07:26:00.005-04:00

Tummy Time

I cannot believe James is 2 months old today. He has grown and changed so much since he was born.

We had a very busy weekend so there are a million pictures to post. I couldn't just pick a few. Enjoy!

Check Out My Many Outfits

Grandma & Grandpa Visited From Florida

The McLaughlin Men

8 Weeks

2008-08-21T19:51:00.003-04:00

Not much to write about this week. James seems to be doing a bit better this week. The Zantac must be helping a bit. Don't get me wrong, he still cries but it's not as bad as before. Hopefully he will continue to improve.

The weather has been awesome this week so we have been spending a ton of time outside. James really likes it outside. It seems that whenever he is fussy, a stroll outside settles him down. It's the strangest thing.

We still have not moved yet which totally sucks:( Hopefully we will have good news early next week. We are SO eager to get moved. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Singing the Blues

2008-08-15T19:55:00.010-04:00

Well today was suppose to be our move in day at the new house. Since our well has still not passed inspection, everything had to be postponed. Corey and I are so upset and very disappointed. We have been waiting for this move for 8 months. I think we were both really looking forward to finally bringing James home to our home. Hopefully on Monday the well will pass inspection and we will be able to move next week. Being disappointed again may kill us both.

Aunt Laura with James

Our Favorite Real Estate Agent - Jean