Venturing out...

This morning I ventured out alone with both kids. I needed to get out of the house and get some adult interaction so I decided to go back to the mommy group (Nurturing Your Newborn) I had gone to with Sebastian.

I have to admit I was dreading it at first. Nathaniel HATES being in the car and it's such a battle to put Sebastian in his car seat. Much to my surprise, both kids totally cooperated. Nate slept the entire time we were out (except to eat of course) and Seb was a little angel.

While we participated in the group with all the newborns, Sebastian went to the daycare and played with kids his age. He knows the teachers there and ad a blast. When I picked him up e kept saying "fun fun fun mommy" :)

Later on that afternoon, I took Nate for his 2 week checkup. According to his pediatrician, he is doing great. Nate had left the hospital at 7lbs4oz (2 days old), at 5 days he weighed 7 lbs 12oz and 7 days ater he was at 8lbs9oz!! ( a 1lb5oz gain in 10 days). The dr was very impressed and I was super proud!

a few more pics

Just because he's so cute!!!

SAY CHEESE!!

Today we took Sebastian to the dentist's office for the very first time.
I was planning on going alone with the two kids but thankfully Eric was able to get off work for a bit to help me out. I am SO happy he did because I would have never been able to do it alone.
Sebastian FREAKED OUT when they tried to take x-rays of his teeth and even more when they did the cleaning.
He was excited though afterwards and kept talking to us about brushing his teeth (which he loves to do). My baby is growing up too fast...

My babies

I couldn't resist this scene. My two boys asleep ... isn't it adorable??

Home alone!

Today Eric went back to work... yikes! I freaked out a bit in the morning thinking I was ALONE to watch the kids for the first time ever.

Sebastian slept until 9am which NEVER happens but decided that he would not nap AT ALL!! Instead he decided he would wreck the house, drive the dog crazy and try to escape from underneath the fence in the back yard. (Lord help me!).

One positif thing: for the first time in 2 years, I was able to get a decent picture of Belle & Sebastian together! :)

Nathaniel slept all day so all in all the day wasn't too too bad. I tried aking a few pictures of him but everytime (without fail) that I would try to take a picture of him he would wake up, poop and cry.... nice huh??- I did though manage to get ONE somewhat decent picture.

At the South Florida Fair

I know, I know we're nuts! Taking a 9 day old baby to the fair... Sebastian was going stir crazy at home though and I felt bad so we packed the entire house up ( not really but it sure seemed like it) and headed to the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Nate sucked on my pinkie the whole way there but did not cry (thank godness) and Sebastian talked the whole way there.
Once we got there Sebastian was super excited. He kept screaming : YAY YAY FUN FUN FUN. (so adorable)
We saw a bunch of cute animals, rode ponies, went on great rides and ate tonsssss of yummy (but junky) carnival food. We even ran into Tyler (TYTOR as Sebby would say), Cheryl and Dave. Sebastian lovessssssssssssss Tyler and was so so happy to see him and had a blast going on rides with him.
The baby stayed in the sling almost the entire time and we did not hear a peep from him.

Here are a few pics :)

Nathaniel's first doctor's visit

today we had to go to the pediatrician's office for a simple checkup. He gained 8 oz in a 3 days (little chunker). He left the hospital on Sunday at 7lbs4oz and on Wednesday (the 23rd) he weighed 7lbs12oz. I am so proud.

According to Dr. Blanco, everything is looking great and Nathaniel is a very healthy little man! YAY!

yes, we're dorks we even take pictures at the doctor's office!

HOLD HOLD HOLD

... that's the most popular word in our home at this moment. Sebastian constantly wants to hold the baby. Wether it's with the support of the Boppy or having Nathaniel lay down on his chest.
It has to be the cutest thing I have ever seen.
He also LOVES to give him kisses through out the day. It's SO CUTE!!!!!

Our first night as a family of 4!

January 21st 2008

It still seems so surreal to me... we are now officially a family of 4!! How amazing is that?

Last night was a good night. Nate needed to be woken up to et (sleepy head) and Seb spent most of night in our bed (4 people in a bed... thank godness for King size beds ;) ).
Around 4am , I woke up to nurse the baby and Sebastian was sleeping in our bed. I couldn't help it... I started to cry. I cannot believe how in love I am with my boys. I feel so incredibly blessed.

At home... at last.

January 20th 2008

We're home...at last. I should have stayed a few more days, but I couldn't wait to get home.
I had never been away from Sebastian before going in to have my c-section so these 2 night away from him were hard on me. I know he was well taken care of, but I could tell he wasn't himself when he came to visit us.
It feels so good to be home. Sebastian was super excited to find all his toys again.

He's here!!!!!

January 18th 2008

Nathaniel Victor Hartman is here. He was born at 8:04 am, weighed 7lbs14oz and is 20 inches long. He looks alot like his big brother and his back is covered in dark hair (hehe).

The c-section went very well. Much better than we had anticipated. I was in the OR at 7:56am, got my spinal and Nathaniel was born 8 minutes later. What an amazing experience. Once they sucked out the fluids out of him and covered him in a blanket, the handed him to me (while they stitched me up). I wasn't able to hold Sebastian when he was born so I had begged the nurse prior to my c-section to allow me to spend some time with my son before they wisked him away. I was lucky, I had wonderful nurses. Not having to wait hours (like I had to with Sebastian) to hold your newborn, is priceless.
I cannot begin to explain how wonderful it was to finally meet him. He was even more beautiful than we could have dreamed he would be.
Once I was all stitched up, I was rolled into the recovery room. I felt great and I couldn't wait for Nathaniel to be brought to me so I could nurse him. A few minutes after 9am, my nurse Dolores, rolled him by my side. I layed him on my chest and he nursed like a champ.
Around 11am Sebastian arrived to meet his baby brother. I had waited for this moment for the past 9 months. He walked into the room with his "Big Brother shirt" and immediately came over to kiss Nathaniel then asked to hold him. My two boys together right next to me... I was in heaven.

Mommy brain....

I was warned, when I got pregnant with Sebastian that "mommy brain" was horrible. That soon after his birth I would start forgetting things I had never forgotten. I think the lack of sleep definately made me forgetful, but things weren't "horrible". Then I got pregnant with Nathaniel and I lost half my brain....
I would tell people the same thing, the same stories over and over and not even know I was. I would forget to return calls, emails... so I decided to start this blog so wouldn't forget the daily things that happen in our household.

I am not a great writer but keep this page in you "favorites" and feel free to check up on us every once and a while. I'll even try to add pictures every once a while!