12.28.10 :: 4 years & 4 weeks

Sean is 48 months old today // 4 years old.
When I asked him if he had a good birthday, he said he did!

Quentin is 4 weeks old today.
(Lots of number 4's today).

When Sean woke up, we gave him his birthday presents. It seems to be tradition in our house to give birthday gifts first thing in the morning. I think it's something fun to wake up to. From mommy & daddy, Sean got a Roberto Luongo Team Canada Goalie figurine that he was eying the last time we went out shopping. He also got a Crayola Dry-Erase tablet to learn how to write numbers and letters (he knows a lot already, but needs help practicing writing them in the right direction (from north to south and not east to west for example). (I love the tablet so much that I've already given it as gifts to Sean's friends too and have some for a few other upcoming birthdays we have in the Spring). We also got him a Roberto Luongo 300 piece puzzle. He loves doing puzzles and this one will be a challenge (because it's 300 pieces) for him to do with daddy.

Mackie & Quentin got him Habs slippers.

Lat morning we headed into the city. We had lunch (at my fave) pizza joint, Tasty Food. I used to order from there all the time when I was living and working in the city. Besides having whole wheat, they have the best pizza around. I'm not a big pizza fan, but I LOVE their pizza.

After lunch we headed to Sean's 4 year old check-up and Quentin's first check up with our general practitioner. Our doc confirmed what Jamie's cousin (who is the receptionist there - but wasn't in today) told us - the medical clinic will be closing it's doors on February 18th. Our doc will be moving to another location - and I am hoping it's not too bad. The location itself is not that far, it's probably just as far as where she is now from us, but in another direction. I'm just worried about parking. There is a paid lot - and free parking on the street up the road. I will have to find out the address once I get the letter in the mail that she is moving, and drive by the area to scope out what the parking is like, etc. I'd rather be prepared than to show up for Quentin's appointment and not be sure where to go, etc. Quentin will be seen one last time at the medical center she is currently at - for his 2 month check up and then after that, at the new place. I'm glad she's not going too far, or that would be very disappointing.

So...! My boys. They're growing! The birthday boy went first. Weighed/measured. He's now 37 and a half lbs and 105.5 cm (41.5 inches or 3 feet 5.5 inches). For height & weight, Sean is in the 75th percentile. (Meaning 75% of kids his age are smaller than him and 25% are larger than him). Sean totally looks proportional, since he's also very tall. The thing that gets me, is that he's large for his age, but still needs 2.5 lbs to gain before he can be switched into a booster seat. Apparently by age 4, they're supposed to be in a booster seat already. I'm going to check the height requirements of my booster seat, (and what the maximum is for my forward facing car seat) and if he's too tall, then I might switch him, as with his winter coat and clothing, he's definitely over 4o lbs dressed. He's just so close to 40 lbs... and a booster seat for him would make it SO much easier for him to go in Jamie's car when they go out just the two of them. It's a pain in the buttox to move the car seats. I'm going to look into it.

I kept Mackenzie home from daycare today (they actually had daycare today) as I wanted our doctor to take a look at Mackenzie as well. Our doctor just came back from maternity leave and I wanted her to see Mackenzie's skin, as he has been scratching the daylight out of his legs, bum, arms (and wherever he can reach). He does have mild eczema, but I thought it was getting worse. It's not. She recommended I check what the humidity is in the house, put a humidifier in his room, and she gave me a prescription for a cream for him to use when it's really bad. Otherwise the Aveeno Baby Lotion for Eczema is perfect to use (what I've been doing). I was also concerned about Mack's eating, and some days he barely eats (which apparently is normal) and wanted him weighed too. She weighed and measured Mackenzie and he's at 2 and a half 28 and a half lbs and 91 cm (35.8 inches which is JUST under 3 feet tall (36 inches)) tall. For height, Mack is in the 50th percentile for his age and for weight he's in the 25-50th percentile - which is right on his growth curve.

Quentin...! My little peanut. At 28 days old, he's now 2870g (28.7 kg or 6 lbs., 5 oz.) He has gained about 46g a day since he was last weighed 8 days ago (last Monday). He's 50.8cm tall (or 20 inches) and his head is 35cm now. This puts Quentin in the 3rd percentile for weight, 3rd-10th percentile for length and 3rd percentile for his head circumference. Our doctor was telling me that his head circumference at 4 weeks old is that of an average newborn on the day they're born. What can I say... I just have tiny babies. (And there is nothing wrong with that). I totally didn't think that he'd hit 6 lbs by the end of the year, but he's surpassed it even! I'm so glad.

Our GP convinced us to get the flu shot today, so Mack, Sean, and I got it. She would like Jamie to get it too - and anyone who is always around/holding the baby. My mom was with me today and said she would go with my dad to get their as well.

Before we left, she re-filled my prescription for Quentin's formula, and now we're good until he's 1 year old. Because he was premature, and tiny, we'll keep him on this formula, which has a few extra calories than normal formula, which is good for him to have. She asked me if I wanted to still nurse, which she could "get me started up again" with medication (since the hormones are still in my body, I could still nurse if I wanted to) and lots of pumping and a lot of work, and she told me that if after 3 kids, I'm just "done"... that she understands. She did remind me again that it would be a LOT of work. I told her I was just done. That I'm a walking zombie as it is - and chasing after 2 toddlers... that I am done. It's just not for me. It's not for everyone. She respected my decision.

After the doctor's office we ran one errand and Mack fell asleep in the shopping cart. It was too cute. He totally does still need his naps, but at home - he doesn't anymore. (Too busy running around with his older brother, who doesn't nap).

They even convinced my mom to let them go on this ride.

This evening at a work Xmas dinner (belated), I got to baby wear Quentin in my Azure Wrap (which is black and you can't see it really since I'm wearing a black shirt). I think Azure Wraps have gone out of business, their website no longer exists. A store in Montreal used to sell them and I picked up one in January 2007 shortly after I had Sean.

The birthday boy with his slice of cake!

Mack wanted a picture with his brother, these 2 boys crack me up on a daily basis. 4 years ago today I became a mother for the first time. I wouldn't trade any single moment of it for the world.

Tonight at the Xmas dinner, we had a raffle. We do this every year. The proceeds I believe will be matched (by my dad) and donated to the Montreal Children's Hospital. This year, I won a really nice blue pen, and a harddrive for my computer. Jamie and I were just talking about finally upgrading my home office computer and this harddrive will be awesome. He's been bugging me to upgrade since I have Windows XP on my computer (which I am happy with) to Windows 7. (I have Vista on my laptop). Jamie won a golf shirt, in a size one too large for him (and we're going on strict diets as of January 1st to both get back into shape) and he gave it to someone else who would fit into it before we left tonight. I really wanted to win the Sanyo digital camera that they had (for Sean) since the Habs digital cameras we go them aren't exactly the best quality and the Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet that was up for raffle. Oh well. The Bamboo is not even that expensive... I could always get one later on. And Sean doesn't really need a full working camera. He's still a kid who breaks things (but I love him anyhow).

To my readers who collect Pampers Gifts to Grow Points here are 3 codes for bonus points: CONGRATS2NEWMOM, NEWWIPESPACKAGE, and GTGWELCOME10PTS.

Whew... what a long day.