Our Baby Size Life!

Archive for March, 2008

Sam is one month old today (well, four weeks old anyways )! Yippee! Its unbelievable how time flies when you’re strung out and paranoid! To celebrate this exciting milestone in Samuel’s life, Mom and Dad are going out to see a movie… without the birthday boy! That’s right folks, this afternoon, Melissa and I will drop the little munchkin off at his “mamie-nounes” (which is what people call Melissa’s mom as a grand-mother) and we will take in a flick which has yet to be chosen; however, it doesn’t really matter does it? This will be our first time out together alone since Sammy boy squeezed his way into our world, so we’re really just looking forward to some ‘us’ time.

Well..OK..are we really looking forward to it? Yes and No. We’ve always had one parent at home with him, and when the parent that was out comes back, we’ve noticed a profound feeling of missing the little guy even though we’ve been gone only an hour! Its strange, because you want a little break, then when you’re on it, you want to go back and see the little pamper packer!

So to celebrate is first month, here are some pics from the month

I know its over, but this funny clip is too good not to include on this blog!

Its got two classic ingredients that come together in an unforgettable way: Muppets and the song ‘Oh Danny Boy’.

Animal RULES!!! Enjoy!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCbuRA_D3KU&hl=en]

Seems like Sam has developed eye slight eye infection. This was evident on Sunday morning due the fact that his left eye was full of gunky yellow…well gunk. This had us on the phone with Infosanté, a super helpful, free and parent calming 24 hour telephone line that connects you directly to a registered nurse with infinite patience. After we asked her about 20 questions in one breath, she calmly told us that the problem Sam was having is normal as the tear ducts of infants are not fully developed and can get infected easily due to bacteria getting caught in the under developed tear duct.

She then tells us that we should clean his eye often with sterile gauze and boiled water (that has been cooled…fool me once!…just kidding ) and that we should put little mittens on him to stop him from gouging his own eye out, which babies will do because they are crazy little humans So now Sam looks like a gunky-eyed boxer.

Long story short, Sunday night 11 pm, Sam wakes us up for a bottle and now his eye is not only gunky, but has some nice complementary swelling as well. So off to the 24 hours pharmacy I go! And, of course, the damn thing isn’t next door, its about 20 minutes away. I get there and talk to the pharmacist, who looks as tired as I am to be there, and get the medicine. Then as I walk out I notice that if you’re in a pharmacy late night, you generally fit into one of the two following groups of people:

1. Fathers, out on that emergency run to get that miracle “make baby happy” drug fix while the Moms are at home dealing with the squirt…or
2. Teens, dropping in to pickup a love glove on their way to the siesta barn for a little somethin’ somethin’ that will eventually get them back to the pharmacy but as a member of group number 1

Group number #2 was confirmed by the fact that all the dudes hovering around the rubber aisle inside were evenly matched as to the number of cars outside with a Chiquita sitting in the passenger seat waiting for her chosen one. It was pretty funny.

Getting back home and applying the meds to Sammy’s pirate-eye was a relief as he seemed more comfortable and less inclined to send his parents out shopping for an eye patch and hook. As I write this, its been almost a full 48 hours since the medicine treatments began, his eye is almost back to normal. Woot!

A happy baby once again means life is good until the next late night excursion!

From my family to yours: Happy Saint-Patrick’s Day! Hope your day is a merry one, full of Irish joy and cheer…and a little green too! Hope springs ever eternal with a little Irish optimism, so let your troubles be for one day, and have a drink or three…

Anyone catch the Montreal St-Patty’s parade this weekend? Let me know how it was! Have a pub crawl? Taste some Irish food? Get into a little Irish revelry? Merry-making of any kind? I want to hear it! Comment below! If ya don’t… I’ll fart on ye head!

I myself tried out an Irish lamb stew on some friends an family Saturday night. Along with a nice pint ‘o Guinness, wearing a t-shirt with “Ireland” across the chest and listening to classic Irish songs filling the air, a good time was had by all!

Today is also bring your baby to work day . I get to see my buds that I haven’t seen in a whole 4 weeks! Seems like forever ago! But I am looking forward to it, I guess its that whole fatherly pride thing, just can’t wait to show of the little guy… heh Today also signifies the start of my last two weeks on paternity leave. Its gone by so fast as we’ve been so focused on Sam that we don’t notice the days go by! We are always asking each other: “What day is it? Tuesday? Wednesday???”. Its been a blast so far, and yes, some days/nights have been as hard as some people had warned me it would be (see inset). But its worth it a hundred times over.

I recommend you all get kids today! Those who have some, get more! Besides, half the fun is making them! And if there’s anything the Irish now how to do… besides drinking… and fighting… its makin’ babies!!!

Happy St-Patty’s to all! May you find your pot-o-gold…

Well its Sunday again, so time for another lazy post! As promised here are a few puzzles from the Professor Layton and the Curious Village Nintendo DS game. Keep in mind that I can only post the text oriented puzzles, but the game is chalk full of graphical puzzles as well. Enjoy!

By the way, if anyone went to the Saint-Patrick’s day parade today, drop a comment and let me know how it was! We stayed home and took care of our little shamrock But next year, we’ll be there getting our green on!!!

Quiz me again Professor!

Hey everybody, quick post today, because its Saturday and people should be having fun on Saturdays, so here’s hoping you are

Most of you figured out the answers to the puzzles given out in my Lazy Sunday Post: Puzzles post. Click the link to read it if you haven’t because the link below will give you the answers to them. Look for this Sunday’s post to have more puzzles hopefully challenging enough to keep you busy a while. This time around, I’ll be pulling the puzzles from the game Professor Layton and the Curious Village( again, read my previous Puzzle post to catch up) and, who knows, it might give you the itch to go and pick up the game, because its worth the buy.

So without further delay, here are the puzzle answers!

Well gang, this weekend is the longest-established Saint-Patrick’s day parade in North America! That’s right, its not in Boston where the color the river green, its right here in good ol’ Montreal! Not to say our cousins in Boston don’t know how to throw a party! Dyeing a whole river green is quite a eye catcher and I’ve always wanted to gaze upon it myself, in the flesh, one day. But until then, Montreal’s great St-Patty’s Day parade will do in spades!

The parade is this Sunday starting at noon sharp from Fort street, going east along Ste-Catherine and finishing up around St-Urbain Street. Our family traditionally stands on the corner of University and Ste-Catherine. Its the best spot, because the Old Dublin pub, and its delicious toes warming Irish coffees, are a 2 minute walk down University. So go as a gang and take turns running laps to the pub to keep yer keister warm!

The parade’s roots are military – it was started by the Montreal Irish Regiment, and the Black Watch regimental band lead the marchers. Consisting of around 40 different floats, 45 marching bands and over 4000 emerald-clad participants, its a rousing time to be had for sure so bring the kids! For more info on the parade, check out its official site… where you can check out the hot Irish lasses, including the parade Queen.

Here’s a couple quick shots of last years parade, and some video too! Enjoy!

The first pic is, from left to right, Bob Doherty, Mary Doherty, Gerry McCormick (Me Dad!), Marlene (Doherty) McCormick (Me Mum! and myself…all decked out in our Irish get-ups!

St-Patty’s Vid #1

St-Patty’s Vid #2

St-Patty’s Vid #3

We are happy to report that Sam is perfectly healthy and normal! He now tips the scales at 10.1 lbs (1lb 7oz gain since hospital leave) and he’s grown 1.5 inches up to 21.25 inches long. His head circumference is now 38.5 cm, I don’t know what that means, but the Doc seemed pleased. The Doc also complemented his nice pink complexion and body movement and flexibility. All in all, the whole appointment lasted 15 minutes and we are glad to say that Dr. B is a very nice man. I could tell this guy had good, long experience as a pediatrician…due to his extremely long ear hair!

OK, well its not that long, but it was very noticeable against the office walls’ pure white back drop. I couldn’t help but stare! Its kind of like meeting someone with a large mole on their ear or something. You can’t help staring at it and you just want to flick it off! All kidding aside, he’s seems very nice and attentive and judging from the baby being examined before Sam, he’s also very patient. This chick was asking every question on the planet and yet he answered her with a calm not seen since Hannibal Lector ate that guys face in that movie . So by the time he rolled around to us and asked us if we had any questions, we smiled at him and said: “No, we just heard them all” But seriously that mother needs to read a little…pick up a book honey, help your kid out a little… GEEZ!

I think its time to go to bed for me, but there are a couple pics of Sammy getting ready to go out! Take care all!

Finding a pediatrician here in Quebec can get you madder than a keebler elf demoted to fudge packer. But thanks to a great support network of co-workers that answered a pleading fathers emails, we have found one! This is a big deal because nothing should compromise the health of Sam, and it is a HUGE weight that has been lifted of our shoulders. Knowing that someone will be following him every step of the way is a very comforting thought as a parent. Along with the InfoSanté, 24 hour telephone hot-line, we feel much more confident now and ready to fight through those, some to come, feverish nights and runny nose days.

As my mother-in-law (second from the right, on the bottom row of the blog header image) says: “Un pédiatre c’est rare comme la marde de Pape!“. Gotta Love her eh???

So that’s it for now, got to run and get ready for the appointment which is in 45 minutes! I will update here when we get back to let everyone know that everything is fine with our Sam!

Cheers all!

P.S. I don’t know if anyone listens to CJAD 800 radio station here in Montreal, but Melissa and I won a new baby prize pack given away weekly to new parents. At my mothers urging, we entered the contest, and behold we have won! So thanks Mom for the heads up! Here’s a part of the email we received from the station, so listen in tomorrow to hear Sam’s name on the radio!

Hi,

The couple you’ve submitted have won CJAD’s Special Delivery tomorrow morning at 6:50 AM! It will be announced on the CJAD Morning Show with Dan Laxer.
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.
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Thanks for listening!

Lisa Fuoco
Promotions Director / Host “The New Lifestyles Show” Sundays 2-3 PM
Montreal’s News Talk Leader CJAD 800

Colic! Just the sound of the word cringes on a newborn parents nerves like nails on a chalk board. Its a cryptic condition causing cramps in your little angel making him scream until his throat is raw, all the while waving and clawing with his hands in search of some relief. This tortuous scene can play out for hours on end leaving the parents as helpless spectators. Fortunately, not all infants are afflicted as such, and what I’ve described is probably the worst case scenario. Our little Sammy is thankfully far from that, but last Sunday night was a true colic attack. Three plus hours of inconsolable crying… yeah it was a tough one.

Body heat works…sometimes

After trying everything, and I do mean everything Melissa and I could think of (including Gripe Water…and even Mr. Bublé failed! ), we seemed doomed to do as some of the baby books we are reading suggest, and “just let it lie”, meaning put the baby in its crib and let him cry it out for fifteen minutes. That’s little weird huh? Doesn’t seem like the best way a parent can help his child, totally ignore him like a new Wesley Snipes movie, but its just as effective as anything else. I was picking him up to carry him to his crib…

when a bizarre idea came to me!