Fall!!!

Well, let me say, boy have I been busy!!! I thought I was a busy person before having Stella, but sheesh!!!! There are not enough hours in the week to get everything accomplished! I am not seeing how a person can function and have more than one kiddo.....but I guess you learn how to do that when they come - lol!!! =)

Stella is almost 9 months old now, and I can't believe it. I was only pregnant for about 8 months, and now she is older than that. And BIG!!! I am sure she will be tipping the scales at 20 pounds come October 6th (her dr's appt). She also has 4 teeth coming in on top, to go with her 2 on the bottom. Yet, she is still not a big fan of food.....I am hoping that will change soon.

Not only am I excited about how much Stella has grown, but I love love LOVE this time of year. October through New Year's is my favorite time. I love the cooler weather, the fall/winter colors, and all the fun and goodies that come along with this time of year. I hope Stella learns to love this time as much as I do. But with my luck, she will be a swimmer and Summer lover (since she already love the water and being outside)!!!

Stella with Grandma in Market Street.....what a little fashionista!!


Stella and mommy at the Grotto for Grandma's bday.....doesn't she look cute in her little sailor dress??!! I also think Weight Watchers is in my future - lol!!!


Stella getting ready for Halloween!

Emergency Room

So, Monday was our first trip to the ER with Stella. That is not something I would like to relive. She ended up having croup.....where she got that, I don't know.

She started with a little cough Sunday, and already had an appt Monday to get an immunization. So, the doc checked her out and said it looked like she had some allergies (which we already knew), and gave us a prescription for some Zyrtec. I got home from work and she was fine - just a cough a little runny nose. Well, by 8pm she sounded worse and was getting very cranky. My mom came over to listen to her since I thought she sounded weezy and thought she may be having an asthma attack. We call the doctor and she called in a prescription for a breathing treatment (we have a nebulizer because I have asthma). We did the treatment and she sounded ever worse! At that point she was inconsolable and not breathing well at all. My mom said it was time to go to the ER and the doc agreed.

Well, poor Stella was just feeling awful. We got to the ER about 10:30 and were there until 2:45. It was one of those stand alone Memorial Hermann ER's, so we didn't have to wait to be seen, which was good. Stel had a fever of about 103 and ended up having to have some xrays to rule out other problems. She had xrays twice, another breathing treatment, a steroid shot, Tylenol and Motrin (it took a while for her fever to start to come down). She couldn't have any milk while she had a fever so the nurse gave us some Pedialyte - which I think Stella actually enjoyed and it helped to calm her down a little around 1am. By the time we left she was tuckered out and was able to sleep with me holding her upright until 7am.

Not a pleasant day at all. She is feeling better now, just has a cough and is a bit horse. The doctor said the cough should go away in a week or two. All the precautions I take to keep her from getting sick, and the first time she does we end up in the ER.....oy!!

It's already August?!?!

I can't believe Stella is already 7 month old. It feels like she was just born yesterday!

Since going back to work in May, time has really gotten away from me. I feel like I am going 24/7, and yet I don't really get anything accomplished. I get up at the crack of dark, work 9-10 hours, come home and play/feed/bathe Stella, put her to bed, clean up some, and then go to sleep only to be woken up 1-3 times over the next 7 hours.....then I have to start all over again! Needless to say, I feel like a zombie most days. If I could just get Stel to sleep through the night and stay in her own bed, I think I would feel better - lol!!!!

Andy goes back to work in a week, and that makes me sad. Now, instead of leaving Stel with daddy all day, she will be with a nanny. Now, I know most people have to work and put their kids in daycare - I just didn't think I would have to do that. I am so sad =( Andy and I went through an agency in Houston to find our nanny. She is nice - 49 years old, been a nanny for 20+ years, had wonderful references, and speaks Spanish so she can teach Stella some. I am happy that we are getting a nanny so Stel can have 1 on 1 time with someone. I was not a fan of having to put her in daycare - I didn't care what I had to do, she was just not ready to be going to a place with more than 1 other kid her age (my opinion, not shared by most other people, but that is a whole other story). With the nanny she can get all the attention that she needs (which is a lot according to her, lol!!) and we will hopefully ward off many of the illnesses that come with daycares. I hope she will be happy and understand mommy and daddy are not leaving her (and don't want to leave her) with a stranger - that we have to work to take care of her. But, I think that might be asking too much from a 7 month old =)

As for Stella's development - she has cut 2 teeth since July 23rd and started crawling August 6th. She also says "da-da-da-da" constantly......she really needs to throw in a "ma-ma-ma" once in a while!!!

Stella Esposito-Thorson - 4 to 6 months

Stella's Day @ the Pool - May 23, 2010

Stella got to go swimming with Grandpa and Daddy on Sunday ... and she loved every minute of it splish splashing in her grandparents pool!

Manhood for Amateurs: Reflections from Fatherhood

Well it has now been 4 1/2 months since Stella has been born, which in and of itself is incredible because it feels like it was just yesterday that I witnessed the birth of my daughter. Looking back at the past few months I have to say that I am still continually in awe of that little girl ... she is literally the center of my world and I look forward to watching her grow. My one regret is that I don't get to spend nearly as much time with her as I would like ... between teaching and graduate school I feel like I am missing so much. I know that Stella loves me from the way she smiles and giggles when we are together, but it is still very hard to get up in the morning and leave her to go to work or go to College Station for class.

I have also found I am constantly worried - not only about her, but in my abilities as a father. I am always thinking am I being a good father? Could I be better? Will she know how much I love her? I know this is probably not unusual for new fathers - I just want to make sure that Stella always understands that she and her mother are my number one priority.

When it is all said and done like most parents I wish for the best for my child and that she knows that I am always there for her no matter what ...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2010

Today is Lauren's first Mother's Day as an actual Mom - and she is a WONDERFUL Mother to Stella and wife to me. We love you honey!!