The Pursed Plecostomus

Well, AJ is 3 weeks old today and in some ways it feels like 3 months. You wouldn't be able to tell from the pictures, but we've had a bit of a rough start with this guy. He lost almost 10% of his body weight in the first few days, which is not good because at this age babies are supposed to be gaining an ounce a day. Apparently, pursed lips makes it difficult to eat - can you imagine? So instead of nursing him most of the day, I started him nursing all day and was extremely disappointed when several days later he still hadn't gained an ounce. The next visit he gained only 2 ounces over 3 days. More despair! Finally, he started gaining again and for the past week has been gaining 2 ounces a day.

The pursed Plecostomus is still nursing all of the time, but as long as he adds to those rolls we are okay. Now, if I could get the other 3 to purse their lips a bit so they weren't starving all of the time, I might actually be able to get a thing or two put away...

Earth

No, I haven't fallen of the face of it yet, although some days I feel like a bit like a space cadet on another planet.

Here is a brief synopsis of what has been occupying our time these last two months:

On a whim, Sam and I looked at a house near my mom's house. It turned out to be just what we needed - three acres that backs up to state land, 5 bedrooms and lots of closets. Two weeks later we were proud owners of a half finished house that did not yet have a certificate of occupancy.

We are still completing the half finished house, but now have our certificate of occupancy. There is still lots more to be done, but we are getting there. I just can't seem to avoid construction/major projects during my pregnancies.

Two weeks later after putting in the offer on the new house, our three bedroom house was ready to go onto the market and I was wiped out.

Two days after going on the market, we had an offer.

After the final contingency was removed, we moved out of our old house - the movers had to come back a second time and Sam took a 27' Uhaul trip... What can I say, I am a good packer.

We are still moving into our new house and I think it will be a while until things are actually put away, but no stacking in this house because there is plenty of space.

We officially sold our Ann Arbor house - it closed Tuesday and boy are we relieved given the Michigan real estate market!

Finally, and most importantly, July 10th (yes, 4 days past my due date) we welcomed AJ (Arthur James - Arthur after my grandfather and James after Sam's great grandfather) to this Earth and we are over the moon with happiness!

Photos Taken by Spencer on Day 2(not bad hunh?):

He was a surprising 8lbs 10oz (Owen was the biggest at 6lb 14 oz, followed by Laney at 6lbs 9oz and then came Spencer who, at a week past my due date, was 6 lbs 5oz).

Not unlike the other boys, getting to the hospital was a bit of an event. We were driving through town at 5:00 in the morning and right where the speed dropped from 35 to 25 was a police officer lurking. By the time I saw him, the sky was lit up with red and blue and we found ourselves in what seemed like a scene from a movie. We pulled over and Sam looked at me and said, "if you could have contraction right now it might help a bit". Boy was I feeling the love at that moment, but I obliged. The officer was taking forever to come to the window though, so Sam finally stuck his license out of the window and carefully got out of the car to hurry things along. He actually got to say, "my wife is in labor and we are on our way to the hospital". The officer came to the window and asked if I was really pregnant (jerk). He was satisfied by what he saw and let us go. Thankfully that was the end of the drama until this guy was put on the scale.

AJ is 1 week old today and is doing well. He is a typical newborn who doesn't miss a meal and dozes the rest of the time. He's a guy that knows what he wants.