I went to work for a half day on Saturday and this is what I come home to- Jason and Louis snoozing on the couch while Bob Marley's "No Woman No cry" was playing over and over! Male bonding, I presume. Well, Jason is over the cold he got on the plane to Chicago but he has given it to me. So far, baby is fine ( a little hoarse last week) but no sign of a cold yet. Keep your fingers crossed! 

Baby's first straitjacket!
This is Louis in his Swaddle Me blanket-it's great! Jason and I thought we were really great baby swaddlers (having learned from and older nurse in the NICU the fine art of the swaddle) but as he gets bigger, he can break the swaddle easily. Not anymore- ain't no way he's getting out of this. And he sleeps better swaddled, that's for sure. As you can see, he's snug as a bug! Luckily, they don't make this is my size or Jason would probably buy me one (in pink, of course!)

Data, Data, Data. I'll include this in my thesis.

Louis is almost 10.5 pounds!! He's laying on the blankie his Aunt Jen made him-he coordinates nicely huh? It's super nice and soft with Winnnie the Pooh on it. Thanks Aunt Jen!! 

Is this what they mean by Shaken Baby Syndrome? 

Sorry about the fuzzy picture. Louis was wiggling all around and I guess I had too much coffee. Charlie the dog is "guarding" the baby (more likely the soft blanket was the draw!)
Louis had a fab-U-lous time playing with his playgym. It was really the first time he had paid any attention to it. He was hitting the toys and making them spin and make music. He was whooping and yelling at them-it was too funny. Dad is in Chicago for a presentation so it's just me and Big Louie. Most everything went smoothly except for his bath. I forgot to replace the plug in the bottom of his tub and I proceded to fill it without paying much attention. It wasnt until I heard the dog lapping up water off the floor that I realized I'd almost flooded the bathroom. Oh well, the floor needed to be cleaned anyway... Louis thought it was funny too. Good luck with your presentation Dad! 

Lou Applauds Plushie

This will be the final time Louis wears Daddy's favorite go-to outfit, "Plushie". Plushie was a hand me down, from a friend of a friend who had a preemie. It was perfectly broken in and had the added benefit of not requiring daddy to put pants on a wiggly boy (Daddy can't wait for jumpsuits to come back in fashion for himself.) Louis' feet are getting too big for the footies and he is getting too long for it. A moment of silence for Plushie please.

It's Mom and Louis, knitting daddy's hat. It's a double knit hat and it's taking friggin' forever. It's like knitting 2 hats. But that's what Jason wanted......So I'm using the opportunity to teach Louis how to knit-you're never to young for the fiber arts I always say. 

Happy Would-Have-Been Birthday, Louis! Prematurity is officially over, Jan. 16th was his expected due date. We celebrated by making a visit to his nurses and friends in the NICU. Louis is over 8.5 lbs and we can't imagine how big he would have been (or how big mom would have been) if he was still on the inside.

The picture is a montage of his pics from the past 10 weeks-- a short amount of time when you think that he should graduate high school in 2024 and may live to see the next century. So, as parents, we hope that we can help him through the next 10 minutes, 10 weeks, 10 years, 10 decades... Thank you all for keeping up with his progress. Love, Amy, Jason and Louis

Mommy went to work this morning. I succeeded giving Louis his first bath (sans maman) and am feeding him from our stockpile of pumped milk. These are the big knit pants that Amy made, Louis seems happy in them. Now if she'd just get that hat done for me before the winter is over...

A couple of clips I put together of Louis doing what he does... which is not much. {click here} He's up to 8 lbs 6 oz-- they rechecked him at the pediatrician and he had gained 5 oz in 4 days. He's more alert and Amy and I are trying to figure out exactly how to interact with him.

We're looking forward to his "birthday" in just three more days. Jan. 16th was to be his planned arrival date, and will be considered Louis' birthday observed for the next few years.

It's Louis, fresh from a bath! He needed a bath BAD, after drooling on himself during tummy time and then rolling in it. He looked like he had gotten carried away with the hair gel! You'll agree he looks much better now. We had a good day-we went and had lunch with daddy then went to the grocery store. Louis' carseat wouldn't fit in the front basket of the cart and had to sit inside the cart so we only had room for about 5 things! We'll have to test out the baskets at all the area grocery stores and choose our supermarket that way! Jason had some excitement, saving a neighborhood cat from being mauled by some dogs, only to be rewarded with several cat bites (but no rabies). It proves no good deed goes unpunished but Louis thinks Daddy is a hero.

Oh the Humanity! Louis had a visit with the pediatrician today. He's officially 8 lbs 1 oz, that's 25 oz in the 20 days he's been home.

He got his two month vaccines today, and is why he is peppered with Charlie Brown band-aids. That's four shots and a heel stick, he cried a little... I cried a little... and we both are a bit more tired today.

This is Louis, just hanging out in his new outfit that has pockets. Why do baby clothes need pockets? A place for spare change? I think he looks like on of those cheesy Sears catalogue models with his hands in his pockets. He needs an ascot and the look is complete.......

Here's video, if you like, from Louis' bath a few weeks ago {click here}. He enjoys baths a bit more now--

Louis is doing well, he took a mile walk in the sling today and boy was he tired. He's up to 8 lbs at least on our scale here at home which may be right because he's been eating like a champ. More later.

Go Dawgs!! Go 'Eers! Louis the superfan has been working over time cheering his teams on today. He is also cheering for the Buckeyes but, alas, has no Buckeye-wear. Who needs it when you have the spirit of the Buckeyes in your heart, right?
In between games, Louis tried bottle feeding. He did pretty well. Pretty well for Louis means not turning blue and passing out so we've made progress indeed! 

Louis is watching the Gator Bowl. He's hoping for a better second half...

Fah-reeti A-Lake ! This is how we say Happy New Year in our family! This is a botched phonetic spelling of Lebanese Arabic (sorry to all you purists out there). It's tradition to be the first one to say it to your relatives-you win a dollar if you beat them to the punch. So, you all owe me a dollar (Louis accepts cash, checks, pay pal....)

Louis rang in the new year in traditional Gillian style-- asleep... he thought the party was going to start at 4am and was getting his beauty sleep. Luckily, his Sittee (grandma) was here to party with so Mom handed him off to Sittee and went back to bed! Alas, Sittee left today to go back to Charleston so Louis will have to curb his party lifestyle.
In 2006, Louis resolves to break the 7 lb mark and learn to sit up while Dad wants to graduate and Mom merely wants to fit back into her fat jeans! Happy New Year everyone!!