Nolan is 4 months old today - almost 3.5 times his birth weight!!

Nolan's four month stats:
Length - 25 inches tall (50th percentile)
Weight - 15 lbs 4 oz (50th percentile)
Head Circumference (75th percentile...lots of brains!!!)

Needless to say, our little boy isn't so little anymore. Looks like he's catching right up to his friends and leaving some in the dust! Go Nolan! He continues to amaze us and show us what a strong little guy he is! It's amazing how such a small person can carry so much strength. Ever since he was the little munchkin weighing 4 lbs 14 oz when he was born and dropping down to 4 lbs 6 oz in the NICU, he's proven just how strong he is.

Nolan is finally getting better from his little virus that he had. Last week after heading to urgent care, they told us that if he wasn't better two or three days later that he should go to see his pediatrician. So last Friday to the doctor we went. He had a very nasty sounding cough and wasn't acting like his normal self. Well, I'm sure glad that we went. He had an ear infection and she also thought that he had RSV. NOOOO!!! RSV is what he had gotten the shots for two months ago and one month ago to prevent him from getting a serious case of it. The test did come back negative and he's getting better and better each day. We continue using his nebulizer to help get the gunk out of his chest and he'll be on an antibiotic for one more week. We can't wait for spring!


Tessa continues to be a goofball and a great big sister. Nolan is starting to think she's the silliest thing. Soon enough he'll be up chasing her around and they will be playing together, like perfect little angels:) Of course they will never fight:) Here is Tessa playing with one of her favorite toys. The blocks from Daddy's classroom that she loves building towers with and spelling words (with the help of others of course).


This is what happened a few days ago when daddy was getting Tessa dressed to go sledding outside. I think he was in such a hurry because he was so excited himself. When he was getting her dressed I heard her say, "Daddy, that is too tight", a few times but never thought anything of it. Sure enough...her pants were too tight because both of her legs were shoved into one pant leg. Nice job daddy!! We all got a good laugh out of that one!

A Night Out for Derek and I

What a night it was! We were lucky enough to have our kiddos stay at Grandma and Grandpa's for a slumber party while Derek and I had a slumber party with our friends. (Yes we are 28 and 29 years old and we still love the slumber parties...who doesn't!?!) It was great to get out of the house together with the two of us and socialize with our friends together. The last time that we really socialized with our friends was in July, one month before I was in the hospital and before our world started spinning a bit. Of course we did a lot of socializing with our friends while I was in the hospital but that doesn't count!!

So to the Mayfield's we went on Saturday night to an "ugly" sweater party. Now don't be offended...just because the sweater looks "ugly" on me doesn't mean that it looks "ugly" on you. Derek and I both sported the holiday sweater, mine compliments of St. Vincent's and Derek's compliment of a friend of Jess'. We also both had the most comfy pants on. Derek's were my dad's from the 70's and mine were my mom's from the late 60's to early 70's. My oh my were they comfy. Not to mention my stud of a husband won the "ugliest outfit" contest of the night for the guys. And what a prize he won. Thank you guys for the beautiful rooster lamp with no shade that looks 100 years old...but oh, sorry that we "accidentally" forgot it there the next morning. Nice try Mayfield, slipping it into our blankets that we forgot...and now the present was pawned off onto the Baron's. Rosie - Merry Christmas, we knew you'd love it God-daughter of ours:)

Nolan's first trip to Madison...to urgent care :(

Last night was Nolan's first trip to Madison. He's been in the car riding home from Madison when he came home from the hospital on October 30 and hasn't returned until last night. Starting Sunday he started to get a pretty nasty cough. Over the past few days it has gotten progressively worse so yesterday evening we took him to urgent care to be checked out. With his once premature lungs, the biggest fear of him getting sick this winter was having his cough turn into pneumonia. We want to nip this in the butt right now so it doesn't come to that. We have been living in a "bubble" for long enough now that our "bubble" is full of germs. We didn't want the germs to enter but they found their way in...darn. The doctor last night didn't seem too concerned and said that everything that is going on seems very normal for an infant with a very bad cold or virus. We just need to keep a close eye on him and make sure a fever doesn't develop. After we got home last night, mister man slept right through the night like he's been doing lately. I wasn't expecting that after his day yesterday.

Then he woke up today and he seemed okay in the morning. He went to Jess' today and he needed quite the snuggles. He didn't want to be put down for very long and wasn't very interested in his bottles. He is spitting up quite a bit but it's all normal with his chest and nasal congestion. He has had moments where he struggles with his breathing but will then catch his breath and be fine. We just want this nasty cold to go away!! We don't want it to turn into anything worse than a cold! I've always been paranoid when Tessa has gotten sick and now with Nolan, it's a whole new ballgame. The poor doctors are going to be sick of me but that is why we pay for insurance, right?? If Nolan continues to stay the same or gets worse we will be heading to see his pediatrician on Friday. She's great but she's going to fall over when she sees that he now weights 14 pounds 12 ounces (with clothes and a diaper on)!! The miracle formula is sure doing it's job!!

Those tiny, cute preemie outfits!

Today I was cleaning out Nolan's clothes because he is growing out of his clothes like a madman! I couldn't help but take a picture of him with one of his old outfits sitting next to him. Right after Nolan was born he didn't wear clothes. All he wore was his diaper since he was nice and warm in his isolette. When he was two weeks old he started wearing jammies...preemie size just like the picture. I can't believe how much he's grown! Those jammies that are laying next to him are so tiny and so cute! They are even too small for most of Tessa's babies that she plays with. We love watching our little guy grow bigger and bigger and bigger! (And yes, that is a "circle" you see in the upper right-hand corner of the photo...I'm not too surprised to see that show up often!)


Tessa loves building towers with her blocks (or anything that can be stacked on top of each other).


She also loves the binoculars that Mason gave to her. This past week I went to get Nolan from Jessie's after school. I was just about to walk out the door and Mason came flying up the stairs screaming, "Wait, wait. You need to take Tessa her pwesant from me. I wapped it and it's weady for her." (He talks so cute, almost like he's living on the East Coast.) I guess around Christmas time Mason found some Dora wrapping paper and wrapped this present for her. When we got home she tore it open and it was a pair of Mason's binoculars. She loved them and it was so cute how excited he was to give them to her. Tessa had to call him right away after opening them to say how much she loved them and to thank him.


Of course dancing with Nolan is always a favorite! He just keeps that straight face on as she flys around him and sings really loud. She's a crazy monkey and he loves watching her!


Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle. There is always time in a day for some snuggles.