Santa Baby...

So this past weekend after Truman and I came home from his sleep study we went to find Santa Claus...  We found him at Lexington Green before we went to play at Joseph Beth...  Let me just tell ya..  He was not thrilled about this AT ALL...  Last year, his first Christmas, he saw Santa at my work Christmas party..  He was fine but he was only 3 months old and did take his eyes off of us as we pulled out of the shot..  This year was no different except there was some screaming and squirming to get away from him..  lol...  We did manage to get a shot with no tears, screaming, and him sitting but his face tells it all...  so looking at this year and last years pics with Santa I almost cried..  MY BABY IS GROWING UP....

side not about the sleep study..  Truman is a trooper for sure!!!  He was so tired by the time they started putting the leads on so I sang and sang... side note "the wheels on the bus" needs for verses :)   anywho he went straight to sleep and we had a really bad night so I guess that was good so they were able to witness what he does at night..  the only thing the tech said was that most of all that he does he was not really awake for....  but we haven't heard from the Dr yet...  I hope soon...  Here is a pic

I'm so blessed!!!
Merry Christmas Everyone..

Nov what a month

so wow November was a crazy month full of illness and Dr appointments..  I do indeed thank the Lord that the illnesses are not life threatening (except we might go even more insane from pure exhaustion)..
Still we have the BIG sleep issue and with the illnesses it is made worse...
Allergy testing for foods and some allergens= negative
2nd ENT decided by just looking at him (not his throat or really listening to my recordings of him sleep) he has a milk allergy (REALLY??) no dairy for 4 weeks now and there is no change... I'm not surprised..
2 throat infections
Pink eye and a sinus infection....
Primary Ped's I'm demanding a sleep study..
Uof L pediatric sleep clinic and they were great in at least they listened and didn't act like I am exaggerating ,at least to my face, and that was refreshing..  So this Thursday we have a sleep study and I hope and pray we get some sort of answers as to why Truman can not stay asleep more than 3 hours these days it's 1.5 hours with out waking and waking almost hourly the rest of the night...  I pray it is something easily remedied and we can calm the chaos that has become our home...
Serenity now!!!!!!!!!  :)
We are trying really hard to get into the holiday season..  Kitchen table decorated, Tree is half up (thank you Travis) and we hope to get the lights and ornaments on before Christmas morning.. lol..  I am so ready for some Christmas music and glowing lights as Truman runs like a wild man with the dogs...  I am truly blessed and ready to make holiday memories with family and some friend time in there as well...

Truman's b-day gift to mama

So as we all know Truman and his very messed up sleep issues.... Bless his heart and thank God..  Truman was able to give me the best gift a VERY TIRED mama could get a FULL night's sleep..  Truman slept all night- 8hrs, the first time EVER, just for my on the night of Oct 12th my birthday...  It was amazing and there was nothing we did different that night or day than any other day so I know it was just a gift...  :)

With all Truman's lack of truly restful sleep it amazes me how well he learns and plays, and how happy he is most of the time...  Travis and I often wonder if he could really sleep what kind of child he would be because he's just amazing now..  Even now he is doing great with his signing he knows ;brush your teeth, light, moon, stars, please, thank you, eat, drink, more, all done, sleep, blanket.  He can show you his hands, feet, toes, nose, belly.  He is full of energy and always busy only stopping to listen to you read the 25 books he wants you to read a day... He is still growing like a weed and weighing in at 26lbs.

With all that being said we are on a more strict mission to find the cause of Truman's sleepless nights.  My mothers gut is telling me there are issues and it's not just that he is a bad sleeper..  He has accomplished all the "things" that he is supposed to do to sleep through the night.  He has been scoped and we know he has large tonsils and adenoids (to which they did and said nothing about except that he will have them out before he is 4 most likely).  So in talking with my allergist we are taking him for allergy testing tomorrow to see if there is something we can find that might be contributing to the restless nights of broken sleep.  If we find no answers or if nothing helps than we are off to a sleep study...  at 13 months old a child should be able to sleep longer than 4 hours without the assistance of Benedryl...

I just know that I have been patient and I have tried everything and I'm turning into a mama bear for my cub, he and we need sleep... 
even so he always keeps us on our toes and smiles on our face....

I'm the snot rag...

I mean that SNOTTTTT.... How much snot can one little nose make???  He sneezes there is snot...  He coughs there is snot..  he laughs there is snot....  and goodness don't try to wipe that snotty nose while holding him or you too will be the snot rag...  I have always said I wear spit-up and a lil snot from time to time as badges of honor being the proud mama of this awesomely cute, smart, full of energy, strong willed lil man but ugh really??? lol...  I had on a black shirt (ooo ugh never wear black) and it looked like had been in a war with snot and I lost or well a really questionable situation..  enough about that it's a family blog :)-
So the child I guess has a cold or is it allergies..  WHO KNOWS...  I ask Dr Sears and well it sounds like a cold and allergies...and well there is no real answer..  We use saline spray to keep it thin (Truman likes nose spray which is funny and sad all at the same time) benedryl at night to try to dry it up some so he doesn't choke ALL NIGHT..  and a squirt of steroidal nasal spray to fight off any inflammation and help control the allergies... and still there is SNOT..  just ask my co-workers who think I don't wash my clothes :)
I try really hard not to be a crazy hypochondriac and medicate my child for everything but we must find a way to control the snot!!!  It's out of control!!!
I know it's gross and ,well probably, to most "snot" that funny :)  (had to do it) but it's my life and well that' what is up with The Conner Family doings :)
Good day and AAACHOOOO

Just catching up!!!

My baby is 1.... Where did this year go??? I take a moment and reflect at what an amazing ride it has been and I'm scared to death I will not be able to remember, I WANT TO REMEMBER... being so tired and just the natural tendency to forget makes me feel I have taken moments for granted and I never wanted to do that... so I try my best to blog so when he's 16 and off with his friends more than with his mama I can read and remember...


By 10 months he was walking with confidence and at 12 months he tries to run with ends up in a big "SPLAT" toddlers but be made of rubber all that falling... shew... speaking of falling... well we had a doozy..at 11 months Truman trying to hug Bernie Mac (who was up eating the left over’s out of the high chair) fell as Bernie moved and feel face first into the wooden kitchen table chair hitting right between the eyes.. IT turned blue and swelled instantly and off we went to the UT center.. Thank God all was alright just two black eyes for trophies of losing battle with the chair :)

He is still not much of a talker can say mama, dada, nana but doesn't most of the time mostly he grunts and makes all kinds of sounds and noises that sound a lot like Bernie Mac and a Dinasore. He is although getting really good at his sign language.. he can sign for light, bath, please, thank you, and more... and when I ask him to love or sign for love he says "Awww" and there is nothing more special...

Football started and poor Truman is going to hate both Green bay and the Philly Eagles one day as Travis and I are constantly dressing him and undressing him with each team when the other is not around.. lol... If he ends up liking the cowboys he will most definitely get a spanking... lol...

Hi favorite thing is to read and he has us reading ALL the time I think it's awesome and hope he always loves books like he does now...

The biggest change though was he started daycare at creation kingdom in G-town and although it's only been two weeks he seems to be doing well and happy and well I'm getting there!!! what made it easier is that I can log on any time and as much as I want and see what he is doing and that has been the best!!! At this point we took away the bottle and went to the sippy cup and it only took a few days..  he never has a real attachment to the bottle just took alittle getting used to getting the milk out of the sippy :) Soon he will be moving to the toddler room where he will be able to use a pillow and I am making him a pillow out of his old Dr Seuss onsies.. It's not the best but I hope he has many great hours of sleep and sweet dreams...

I couldn't be more blessed in my life than I am right at this moment...

A week of firsts

The last week of July should be one to remember..  Thursday I got the phone call all moms hate to get, nana calls "Truman has a fever"...  We had the forehead scan thermometer and with Truman such a squirmy even sick, you couldn't get a good reading and it said "100.5" So I leave early get home and use my thermometer and put under his arm it reads "101.3".. so Nana runs out to get ear thermometer as I call the Dr, because he was sooo hot you could fry and egg, and that reading was 102.8..  Yikes that is high...  Fever finally breaks at 3is in the morning..  He seems to be better so we just watch and skip the Dr..  except Friday night we have a low grad fever..  Sat morning we wake up to blisters on hands, feet, diaper area and a few here and there..  Hand, Foot and Mouth..  We head to Dr just to make sure....  I told him no more eating his toes :-}

Minus blisters and red dots he was good.. 

Sat morning he took his first three steps unassisted.. before laughing and throwing himself in my arms..  It's too funny to watch..  He's so unsteady, thinks it's funny to step, laughs, and falls...  we love that giggle box...  He also started really going with his music walker..  can't quite turn corners but gets better at manipulating it everyday...
Another big first was Truman being easy enough with Mago that has he chewed on his paw Truman was able to sneak in and give Mago a hug before Mago knew who had him...  It was the sweetest thing we wish we had more than just a mental picture of that but maybe we can get a picture of the next time... Truman really does love the dogs..

In a day

It seems that things can change in a day... I noticed the other day that Truman woke up different in some way.. 
He played with more drive to learn an activity not just do it... 
His eyes seem to say more as he looked at my face as I spoke, like he was soaking it all in.  As I noticed this I waited with such anticipation for him to truly speak his first words.  He didn't but I know it's coming soon..  He crawled faster and cruised furniture and cabinets with ease, barley holding on... 

I love every second seeing him change and grow..  becoming his own little self with his big personality....  but I'm sad that things change so fast, scared I'm going to miss something or I will forget...
I hope I never forget
-the feeling of is warm cheek on mine as we rock before bed or in the mornings when I lift him out of his crib.
-the wrinkled nose snorting laugh that makes him look like a wild child
-the infectious belly laugh when we smell his feet and say "shewy shew shew"
- the smile that melts you from toothless to his little front teeth
- the way he loves to watch us brush our teeth..
- the way he speed crawls into my lap when he hears a sound that frightens him like the dogs barking or the carpet cleaner..
- the way he can always find that perfect fit in my lap to snuggle even as he has grown taller.
- the way he would say "mmmm" after every bite when he finally got the real stuff
- the way he claps after almost every bite as he feeds himself
- the way he adores Travis in a way different from me
- the way he crawls after the dogs to play
- the big smile, giggle, and wave as Nana holds him in the kitchen and I come through the door from work.
- the way his hands will pat our back while we pat his
- the way he pulls on your pants to let you know he wants you to pick him up
- the smell of lavender baby bath and the feel of cotton night close as we rock and sing before bed
We try so hard to take in the sights, sounds, and smells that are Truman for things change so fast and at times it seems in just a day..

Bumps & Bruises

Truman is  very determined and has a strong will, traits I hope will help him succeed in life..  He hates no (like most children and well adults for that matter), regardless if it's from our mouth or an inanimate object that will not succumb to his will...  As Nana tells it..  he tried soo very hard to open the kitchen cabinet door (the hinged side) and as he pulled and pulled he got mad and determined..  so he moved to the other side and with all his frustration and will, still fresh in his mind, yanked that side (unhinged) and well it flew open and BONK right in the head... to leave a nice little bruise... 
Lesson : when things don't go your way in one situation don't react in the next situation as if it were the same as the one before, it could be completely different.. 
Thus you might be able to avoid some bumps and bruises...
Not too sure Truman really learned that lesson but he did open the cabinet doors slower the rest of the day..  lol

The hardest part and the Best

so today I am WAY OVERTIRED and feel completely nuts..  which brings me to the worst part of being a mom...  Truman doesn't sleep..  bless his heart he can wake up 3-4 times a night and still wake up with a smile, although much after 4 he is a bear the next day :)   I'm a bear all the time, or at least that is what I feel like, these days and it's really sooo not me...  I keep telling myself this too shall pass and as I do I look at all the things that are the best..  The morning sleepy face and half smile as I walk in the room, the feel of his warm face and heavy head as he lays it on my shoulder..  The way he crinkles up his nose and snorts a laugh..  watching him chase the dogs and try to get in the middle of the wrestling (he thinks he is one of them I fear)..  the pull on the bottom of my pants as he pulls up to stand  or to get me to pick him up...  The way he laughs at random things we do and look at us like we are stupid when we try to make him laugh... watch him figure out how things work and how he always picks up the same books for me to read..  REALLY I COULD GO ON...  but all you mommy's and daddy's know these things..  so I will leave you with a picture of our weekend mall outing..  nothing like a few puffs and some water to make a happy baby and a wild lil man..

First July 4th

Sorry to announce but there were no first fireworks for Tru, although it sounded like a war zone for a week but he slept right through it all.. Truman had been fighting a stomach issue and we felt it was better if we followed schedule so he went on to bed.  We were planning on going to Uncle Shane and Aunt Ta's but uncle Shane was sick too..  so We ventured out for a trip to the Mall.  He was great..  He loves to people watch (get's it from his mama).  After that he went to visit Aunt Steffie while Trav and I went to get a bite to eat, it was the day before our Anniversary..  we look forward to next July 4th because I know he will love the fireworks... with that said I don't want to rush this next year because he is growing too fast now....

Truman's Birth to now

Sept 11, 2010 what a special day Truman Lee Conner came into this world and I was overcome with emotions. Grateful, blessed, and oh so scared... Labor was a mess.. I was in labor for 36 hours. Approx 10 hours without an epidural then rest with but it only worked on one side.. No food completely starving pushed and then ended up with a c-section. And Oh was I sick right before and for a whole day after.. I didn't get to hold Truman for a good 1/2 day because I could not stop getting sick and was very drugged up. Travis fed him his first bottle and changed his first two poopy diapers (to which think entitles him to never have to change a poopy diaper again :) ) And somehow Truman never seems to poop on his watch AMAZING....

I was able to stay home with Truman for 3 months and I still would love to be home with him now but I'm blessed that Nana has kept him for the first year... What a wonderful BLESSING... Breast feeding never did work really well at all.. I tried and tried to make it work for a month but then I had to get back on my blood pressure meds for my kidneys and had to stop. We had to switch formulas a couple times to find one that Truman could tolerate without so much spitting up. I won't say Truman was colicky but he was very high maintenance. He only liked being held. He didn't like his baby swing, chairs, swaddles, or a thumb or paci. He has never been a good sleeper. After the first two weeks at home he started fighting being swaddled, and he would only sleep for 30-45 minutes at a time.. After a month I started putting him on his belly during the day and he would sleep so at a 1.5 months he started sleeping on his belly.. This allowed for at least a couple hours in-between waking.. At 3 months he would sleep for 4 hours straight and that was his best until about 9 months when he will have some nights of 6 to 8 hours but those are few.... He ALLWAYS wakes at 4 am and then wakes every sleep cycle 35 to 45 minutes until we go ahead and get him up at 6 or 6:30. He takes good naps and they are pretty predictable (especially if I'm at home with him) 10:00 am and then again at 2 or 3 and goes to bed between 7:45-8:30.... Now at 10 months he is only taking 2 1hour naps during the day and I'm trying to get him to go to sleep later at least 8:30 (not working well). He loves food but we are having a harder time getting him off of the pureed foods.. He just doesn't want to eat solid foods except puffs. He will pick those up and eat away but other things like cubed carrots and fruit he doesn't like to pick up and eat but will eat them if you put them in his mouth. But he hates to be in a highchair. He is still taking 25- 30 oz of formula he will only drink 5-6 oz at a time.. His stomach can't handle more or he will spit-up.. and he is still high maintenance. He pretty much only plays with someone (mostly me at the moment) he wants to crawl around or jump on you. He doesn't like to sit and play with toys much and those times are very short. The best thing he loved was the Einstein Bouncy seat.. He would jump in that thing for hours and hours each day until he started crawling and that is now a thing of the past... So today July 7th Truman is 9 months old soon to be 10 months and he is a mover and a shaker always on the go.. very physical and makes sounds and knows some signs (that he doesn't use often) but he will not say anything no mama or dada or baba yet... and absolute favorite things are to watch the birthday and anniversary names scroll up during the morning news on channel 18 and to watch and try to get involved in the dogs wrestling...  He loves a bath or to be in the baby pool.  oh yes and being a mama hip rider... To date he has never been sick except with a possible stomach bug started @ 3am June 28. This vomiting off and on lasted for a week to week and 1/2 but it only slowed him down for 2 days... We are not convinced it was a stomach bug but think it's more the drainage that always comes with teething.. Last few times it's made him have a stuffy head at night, this time more drainage being swallowed..

Some of his milestones so far:

Started teething at end of 3 months

1st bottom incisors 5 months

1st top incisors 6 months

Eating pureed food 5 months (favorite foods yogurt and peas and carrots)

Sitting up on his own at end of 5 months / 6 months

Standing at 7 months

Cruising furniture at 8 months

Clapping at 8 months

More intentional sounds with pitch and volume at 8 months

1st pair of walking shoes at 9 months (stride rite)

Started sippy cup at 7 months

First time to bite mommy 9 months first part of July as he started teething again


Although these past 10 months have been trying at times and trying to function being completely sleep deprived has been a challenge and made things seem a blur, I wouldn't want anything more than my lil man..  He is my world..  I love him more than life itself and there is nothing that can make me feel more inadequate, make me smile so much, laugh on the stop or make me more proud...
Here are some pictures from the past 9 months.