Happy New Year

(I believe this is my last catch up post)

For New Years Eve we went over to one of John's friend (& co-worker)'s house along with a couple of their other friends.  We had a very nice time.  They have a little girl that kept wanting to shower Logan with kisses - it was quite adorable.  :)

Logan will always have a great New Years Eve story to tell about his 1st new year (even though he can't remember it).....he peed in his ear!  Very tricky!  Right after the new year, we were getting ready to head home, so John went to change his diaper.  While changing it, Logan peed...got it all over their changing table, wall...and yes, in his ear.  Oh Logan...  While we were thankful they have a child so they would understand, they have a girl and girls don't have 'that kind' of range to pee.

Anyway we had a fun night.  We had the best new year yet since we were with our little guy.  We wish this next year is just as wonderful.  Happy New Year to you all!!!

I'm bummed, but thankful and hopeful

I am bummed...

My day started out great...then I got the mail.  We received a letter from Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI).  It basically stated that the contract with FCI has been terminated as of Feb. 26, 2009.   They pre-filled out post cards to 'fight' Blue Cross Blue Shield - mine are already in the mail.

I am thankful...

I called BCBS and yes, the contract as of right now, with FCI, is terminated.  However, there are a couple of pieces of good news:

1) Our benefits remain the same (which is key as we have amazing fertility coverage - one of the best plans from what I've heard), we just have to go to another clinic/doctor.

2) We have had a success - Logan.  Throughout my mixed emotions of the day I am just so incredibly thankful that we have a beautiful little boy that we love dearly.  I imagined for a second how I would have felt had I received this letter last year at the same time.   At this time last year I was prepping my body for a frozen embryo transfer.....LOGAN!  I found out I was pregnant on Feb. 26, 2008.  This letter says coverage is up on Feb. 26th.  This probably would have meant that I wouldn't have been able to continue with that cycle and Logan wouldn't be here.  So this makes me so sad that this is affecting some people (actually somebody John works with) in that way - having to halt treatment, transfer to a new facility and start fresh.

I am hopeful.....

I called FCI and confirmed that as long as we pay for storage of our 5 remaining embryos (this was never covered by insurance so thankfully that wasn't messy) they will store them.   

BCBS is sending me (via snail mail) the list of other fertility clinics that I can go to (when we so choose to).  Initially when I get that list and decide where we will most likely want to go, I will call to see if we have to start from scratch or can start off with a frozen embryo transfer.  Hopefully the new clinics practices, methodologies and procedures are along the same line as FCI.  As I wrote to my insurance company...It is hard enough having to go through fertility treatment, but having to switch clinics is just unnecessary pain they are causing their members.

I am bummed that we have to switch clinics;

I am thankful that we already have Logan and our benefits stay the same;

I am hopeful that the new clinic will let us start from where we left off and give us no hassles so that Logan can have as many siblings as God blesses us with!

Logan's Baptism

Sunday, December 28th Logan was baptized.  It was a beautiful day.  We selected two sets of Godparents/Sponsors: Dawn & Steve (Paige's sister & bro-in-law) and Andy & Brittany (John's brother and sister-in-law).  They have all been a big part in our lives and we know that they will be a positive influence on our first son, Logan.

Dawn & Steve (& TJ & Michael) came over that morning to get Logan ready for his big day in the adorable outfit they bought him. 

Logan's Baptism outfit

Aunt Dawn &  Uncle Steve getting Logan dressed

I brushed his hair

Logan wore his sweater & hat that Aunt Claire knitted him - so cute!

We headed over to church and met the rest of the family there.  The service was very nice.  It was funny - John had joked just days prior that we should call the church and tell them not to try anything new.  This was the first time any of our family members would be attending our church and we wanted things to go the way the normally go.  Things did go a 'bit' differently, but all in all it was a very nice service.

The Godmother's

The Godfather's

Pastor, Logan, Parents, Godparents

John, Paige & Logan

Logan, Parents, Grandparents

After the service, we invited everybody back to our house for lunch.  We had lunch (catered from Moretti's - yum!), talked & ate some cake (my Mom made it and decorated it - she does a beautiful job).

The cake my Mom made

The Cousins

The Aunts

The Uncles

Hugs & Holds

Meghan & Logan

Michael & Logan

James, Melissa & Logan (remembering the days when they only had one child...) ;)

Grandpa B. & Logan

Grandma M. & Logan

Logan received some beautiful gifts...

Train up a child In the way he should go.  Proverbs 22:6

  We were exhausted, but it was a great day and Logan is now baptized.  God Bless Him!

Logan's 1st Restaurant Visit

The night before Logan's baptism, Dorene & Bill and Andy & Brittany came down to stay at a hotel so they didn't have to drive down in the morning.  We went out to Chili's for dinner...Logan's 1st restaurant visit.  Naturally, he slept the whole time.

Christmas at the Madorma's

(I am catching up on blogging...so sorry for the delay.)

After Christmas morning at our house, we drove to my parents house for brunch.  It was nice because we were able to leave Buddy at our house - typically my parents have to turn their garage heater on and then we visit Buddy a couple times in their garage to make sure he's not getting into trouble, which surprisingly he never did.  (My Mom is allergic to Buddy (pretty much anything that sheds) so he is not allowed in the house).

We ate a delicious brunch (including a tradition favorite - orange rolls) then immediately had the kids open up gifts.  In order for each kid to get 'their moment' and for each adult to see what they got, instead of a free for all, we wrote down each child's name along with who it was from (ex: To Logan From Aunt Dawn & Uncle Steven).  Then each adult got to pick the next name out of a hat and then we watched each child open gifts and took pictures - it worked out quite nice that I believe we'll do it that way again next year.  Logan got several new toys - it will be so exciting when he actually plays with them.

The kids went downstairs to play with their new toys and the adults opened gifts.  We all had each other's name in a grab bag.  We tried to keep it a secret, but by Christmas morning some people knew who had who. Everybody really got some nice things.   Here are some pics of gift-opening:

Michael got an acoustic guitar...

Logan got several new toys including a cell phone,

squishy building blocks,

and a play house.

Isabella enjoyed her new 'band' set (courtesy of John and I....which James, Melissa, Dawn & Steven all plan to get Logan the noisiest toys to get us back)...

TJ (& Michael) got 'swings' for their bedrooms....

Jakob got a dart gun....

Lexy probably had the best Christmas she's ever had...she got two "American Girl-type" dolls, which Grandma made her several outfits for them....and she got a horse and an armoire for them....oh, she was in heaven!!!!!  (still is)

We made my parents a Grandchildren calendar.  We do this every year and they love to see new pics of their grandchildren every month.  This is a pic of everybody gathered around to check it out. 

Grandma & Grandpa playing with Logan.

We relaxed, napped, ate dinner...and then we came home.  

Yeah, and out of all 3 houses, we somehow managed to NOT get a picture of our family by the Christmas tree....so we took it on Jan. 11th (better late than never)!

My tall drink of water...

Today Logan had his 2 month checkup (technically 2 months 4 days...but who's counting!).   Here are his stats:

13 pounds 8 ounces (90th percentile) - gained 3 pounds

25.5 inches (100+ off the charts!!!!!!!) - grew 2 inches

head: 15 3/4 (50th percentile)

Wow!  So for those of you out there that were concerned that he eats only 4 times a day (about every 6-8 hours)....no need.  He is gaining weight perfectly fine.  He eats between 6.5 - 9.5 ounces at a sitting (I pump and give him a bottle at least once a day so I can see how much he drinks).  When I told the doctor he goes about 6-8 hours between feedings her first response was 'oh, at night?'.....no, all the time.  She was amazed as it is 'quite' unusual.  But, he has done this since the beginning (I can't relate to those moms whose kids eat every 2-3 hours).  But he has the 'right' amount of wet and dirty diapers, he's gaining weight and looks 'very' healthy - so no need to alter his schedule.

As far as his height....well this would be why my darling little baby boy is not fitting some 6 month clothes!!!!!  He may very well be the only 2 month old that I know that will be in 6-9 month clothes.  He is just a tall drink of water.  :)

They were also very impressed that he holds his head up so well - and I must say that when he meets somebody new they say that he's so alert and holds his head up so well.  When he does tummy time, it is rare that he lays with his head down - he always has it picked up and is looking around.  Also, when we prop up some pillows behind him he tries to sit up - the nurse said that is a question they don't usually ask parents until 9 months.  :)

He coos and smiles up a storm!

Logan did receive two shots today...of which he did cry initially (who wouldn't?)...but he calmed down shortly after.  I have the Baby Tylenol on standby in case he gets a fever (common side affect from the shots).

Another great checkup...his next checkup is in 2 months for  a 4 month checkup.

Just wanted to give an update!

 - Proud Mom & Dad  :)

A new cousin...

Yay!  I am too darn excited right now.  I just received a text message that my cousins Justin and Jen just had their baby boy, Dylan!  Logan can't wait to meet his new (2nd) cousin (which will require a long drive or a flight...but nonetheless!).

Christmas Morning

Ah, our first Christmas as a family (we've waited so long to have a Christmas with a baby).  And oddly enough this is also the first Christmas Eve/Morning John and I have ever spent together in our own home - we've always either drove down to my parents on Christmas Eve or stayed at his parents Christmas Eve and then drove to my parents in the morning.  It was a little weird...but nice.

So after we arrived home from the Battermann's, I jumped into gear.  I still had a few gifts to wrap for my parent's house and for John and Logan.  I stayed up until 2am wrapping gifts, cleaning up the house (I didn't want to wake up to a mess) and helping 'Santa'.  Here are some pics from Christmas Eve & Morning:

We left Snickerdoodle cookies (we heard they were Santa's favorite this year...oddly enough the only cookie I baked this year, what a coincidence) & a glass of milk for Santa.

I wrapped the last gift for Logan from John and I.

And Santa left Logan a present (Santa gave Logan a Christmas book)

Santa filled up Logan's stocking...

And Santa filled up Buddy's stocking (& hung it high on the banister so that Buddy would not rip it open in the middle of the night).

And of course, the proof that Santa was there...an empty glass of milk and crumbs on the plate.

Christmas morning, Buddy and Logan (in his Bumbo) soo eager to open presents (yes, they both look very patient in this picture...but they were excited!).

But first, Logan and I took the last hershey kiss out of the Advent Calendar from Grandma & Grandpa Madorma - yay!

And John and Logan played a bit...

We opened gifts....John helped Logan...

Wow, what a HUGE bone for Buddy to chew on (which that morning he could've cared less about...until a few days later when his 'cousin' Oakley came over and showed interest...then Buddy was all about it!).

And I got my Christmas gift...a fireplace 'key' to turn on the gas in my fireplace - yes, I've lived in this house for just over 2 years and have never had a fire...so sad.  So Logan and I cozied up by the fire - it was very nice.  :)

And Buddy ripped apart a stuffed toy his 'Golden' friend Codi gave him...all over the floor (while in the background, John played Guitar Hero World Tour).  Everybody had a great Christmas!