The Daily Planet

It's been a long time...

2009-07-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has, and a busy one at that!!

Eli is 5 1/2 months now, and Zach is two. Both boys are growing like weeds! Time seems to be truly slipping away...

Zach celebrated his second birthday at Conger Park in Hernando. We had a great time with good friends and good food. Zach is a little chatterbox more than ever: full of questions and keen observations. His vocabulary is quite advanced (and that's from the pediatrician, not me!), as he speaks in complete sentences, grammatically correct! I suppose my "English" genes are rubbing off! He still loves Thomas the Tank Engine and has added the Wiggles to that list. He is constantly singing and dancing...and he loves his little brother!

Eli is definitely a McKellar baby, resembling my sister's and my baby pictures. His eyebrows are so dark! He smiles all the time, and he just sparkles when he watches his big brother. I realize the boys will have their sibling rivalries as they get older, but I do see a deep friendship already growing.

Elijah is here!!!

2009-02-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

Elijah Newell Swartz actually arrived on Tuesday, February 10 at 11:38pm. He weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz, and was 20 inches long. He looks just like his big brother...with a head full of dark hair!! Everyone is doing well at home adjusting to the newness of it all...

Snow days at 36 weeks...

2009-01-28T17:39:00.001-08:00

Snow and ice blanketed the Midsouth today, and every student cheered. County schools, churches, day cares, and DOCTORS' offices were closed. I got the call around 7:15am that my appointment would have to be rescheduled because the office was closed. Well, lovely.

I expressed my concern to the girl who called, detailing my symptoms: terrible pains, amplified swelling, and more than general discomfort. She suggested I call the on-call nurse and maybe go to Labor and Delivery. After talking to the on-call nurse, that's exactly what I did.

Linda, a less than friendly and questionably competent nurse, "took care of me" in triage. She asked stupid questions and did not know that Judaism was the box to check when I said I was Jewish. I was hooked up to monitors for an hour or more and never saw a doctor. According to Linda, the doctor on-call reviewed the monitor readings and said that I was having irregular contractions. Now, that doesn't mean Braxton Hicks...these were real contractions, just not regular. So, the doctor "didn't see any reason to keep me, but if something happens...like your water breaks, do come back." Thanks, Linda. I never would have thought of that.

So I returned home to take a long nap with my sweet son while my husband called off from work, bought groceries, and made a wonderful dinner. I feel like hell with the same regular pains that were considered irregular at the hospital. I just hope to make it through the night...so I can try to get through to my doctor to reschedule my appointment...along with everyone else whose appointments got canceled today.

Not quite the way I planned to spend my day...but I must also mention that my wonderful sister was here to hold my hand, text me (while I was alone in triage), and share in my utter frustration at the entire waste of a day. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day...and this child will come soon.

31 weeks and counting...

2008-12-25T14:43:00.000-08:00

I figured it was time to update this blog since it's been almost two months... It's been pretty crazy around here: Zach is talking up a storm, and I have been on maternity leave since December 12.

My blood pressure forced me to start leave early, and now, I am on official bed rest: partial, I guess, since I can get out of bed. Just not much more. It's been less than a week, and already I feel trapped! I definitely hope this little boy comes early. I am going to go stir crazy in the meantime!!

We had a 4D ultrasound on December 13, and while our little guy didn't give us any full face shots, we did get several profile shots. I don't know how big he is, but my guess is that he is HUGE (that's based primarily on how I feel these days). He is rolling all over the place, kicking and wiggling...much more active than Zach was!

Insomnia set in when I started my leave, so that's been fun. I was getting maybe 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I don't know if it was discomfort and a racing mind. Either way, the doctor gave me some Ambien, and I am looking forward to some real sleep now.

Zach, on the other hand, is loving having Mommy at home. He definitely knows something is up as he is more clingy than ever...which is okay with me: he is a great snuggler! We gave him a train set for Hanukkah, and I don't know if he will even notice a new little brother now. If he is not playing with his trains, he is naming all of them at random times: during dinner, at 3am if he wakes up, first thing in the morning, in the car going anywhere...you get the picture!

He is still the sweetest little boy with the best smile. He is going to be a great big brother, and I am one lucky mom!

Then and Now...an update

2008-11-05T14:12:00.001-08:00

Well, at 24 weeks, clearly I am carrying this little guy differently from the way I did Zach (current picture on the left). But that's not the only difference. I went for my checkup today to find out that I have gained only 16 pounds (no complaints there!). And I passed my glucose test, so no gestational diabetes. BUT my blood pressure is still entirely too high considering the amount of meds I'm taking. My doctor has added another medication to my roster with the possibility of seeing a specialist. She has decided to start seeing me every two weeks, even though that normally doesn't start until around 28 weeks. I mentioned that Christmas break isn't too far away (only about 29 working days), and she said that I will be lucky to make it that long. The baby is fine and will not come before the holidays, of course, but my BP is going to require bedrest SOON. I guess I better start tying up loose ends now...and then start looking forward to being home with my boys every day for a while!

Zach goes to the pumpkin patch

2008-10-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

During my fall break, we decided to make the most of it by taking Zach to Cedar Hill Farms in Hernando. He LOVED it! He got to pet the animals (all of which he called "moo"), watch the pigs race, sit on a train and ring the bell, and run around in the pumpkins. We were all exhausted by the end of our trip, but our mission was accomplished: great pictures!

IT'S A BOY!!!!

2008-10-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

We went to the doctor today to find out that we are having another boy! Once again, there is no question! What is it about my boys that they want to show their business?!?! Doc said that the body scan showed that he is perfect (of course), and he already weighs 13 ounces!!! Big boy!!

I have gained 10 pounds, and my blood pressure was great...today. Doc still wants me to stay home, but I'm winning that fight right now. This little guy will probably come early (earlier than Zach), but that's okay: we already know he's perfect!! And this one, at least for a moment, did smile for the camera!

Okay, so that's the good news... The discussion on my blood pressure really was a more serious one: Doc said that I am entering "specialist range" now and that I have three options: 1) continue to feel groggy and loopy on my current meds, 2) see a specialist to get on more meds, or 3) quit work. Hmmm....since the tree we planted with dollar bills in the back yard never grew, I guess I'm going to take option #1 for now. We'll just see how it goes...

He's upwardly mobile now...

2008-09-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Zach has been walking for several months now, and it seems that he has taken after his father and decided to move upward...He's a climber! Last week, I found him reading on the dining room table, and just Friday night, he climbed on the coffee table. I don't know how much higher I can go with some of our "needs to be out of reach items"!!

Then and now...

2008-09-17T13:53:00.001-07:00

Well, we are now taking weekly belly pictures so Michael can make another amazing video of my pregnancy. You just can't look at these pictures without wondering about the way I was when I was pregnant with Zach. Here are some pictures to compare. The one on the left is when I was pregnant with Zach; the right is now. (and yes, I did look much better then...that's what I get for wanting to try a new haircut in January...) Michael says he can't tell a difference...I certainly can!! I am carrying much higher, if that means anything. As of last week, I've only gained one pound...but I go back tomorrow, and I'll bet that will change!!

Zach and the Sprinkler

2008-09-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

We took Zach to my parents' house so we could visit with the whole family. (My brother and his family were up from Houma, LA, trying to escape Gustav) With the nice weather, Zach was able to play with his cousins in the sprinkler, and as you can see from this clip, he loved it!!

Shakin' That Thang!

2008-08-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Well, our dancing fool is at it again! One of his new favorite movies is Alvin and the Chipmunks...and from this clip, you can see why!!! (Sorry it's so dark!)

Zachary....the Over Achiever!

2008-08-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

Zach had to go for his 15 month check up today (thank goodness for Saturday office hours!!). We got to see Dr. Riikola, and he was very impressed with Zach's size and development. He currently weighs 29.1 lbs. and is 32.5 inches tall. But that's not the surprising part: when the good doctor asked if Zach could say any words, he was stunned to hear Zach's vast vocabulary! He admired Zach's walking skills as well. As a matter of fact, Dr. Riikola was so impressed that he told us Zach's 18-month appointment is not necessary! He said that Zach is already doing now what 18-month-olds are expected to do! We will have to go back for a flu shot, but he suggested combining his 18- and 24-month appointments and come back around 22-23 months. He said (and I quote) "you can do that when you have an exceptional child!" That definitely works for me....Baby #2 will be here by then!! (And I always knew my child was exceptional!!)

Yes, you're reading it right!!

2008-07-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

I've added tickers to my blog...one for Zach and one for Baby #2! Michael and I knew we wanted to have another baby relatively quickly, but we had no idea things would happen so quickly this time! Regardless, we are thrilled! Baby #2 is due for arrival on February 25. So far, this pregnancy is very different from Zach's: I have been very nauseous, soreness in places that weren't sore before... Maybe that means it's a girl!!! I would love a little pink bundle, but of course, first and foremost, we just want a healthy baby. I will continue to post our progress!

Zachary and the Blueberries

2008-07-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

Well, this has been an interesting summer of new things...Zach is walking everywhere, babbling on and on and on with some real words sprinkled here and there, like "oh boy!" "all gone!" "bye bye" and singing part of the Bob the Builder theme song...on key!! But the most interesting thing about Zach's development has been his food preferences... He won't turn down a piece of a cookie, of course, but he loves (and prefers) fruits and vegetables! Since he's past the one year mark, we've been offering him many new things, but the one he loves the most is blueberries!

We bought him a picture book at Books A Million, and it has a picture of blueberries in it. Zach constantly opens the book to that page and demands a bowl of blueberries! Once Michael told him no, and Zach threw the book at him! When I asked if he would like a bowl, this child dropped everything and RAN to the kitchen!! And the face he makes when we even say blueberries? Hilarious!

Now, there is a down side to this, of course... Since he's eating blueberries nearly every day, Zach now has an almost constant "blue booty!" I was told that it isn't permanent, and blueberries are so good for him that I should let him eat away.... And I do!!

Zach's first haircut

2008-06-23T06:32:00.001-07:00

Baby Einstein video (for distraction): $14.99
Small pair of scissors: $4.99
Dried apple snacks: $2.99

Realizing simply with a haircut that your baby isn't a baby anymore? PRICELESS!!

Swimming Lessons

2008-06-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Zach has been taking swimming lessons all week, and while the first day was not fun: lots of screaming and crying, the rest of the week has been a blast. He loves being in the water and playing with the other kids in his class. He's not really "swimming," but we're trying to at least make him comfortable in the water. We have put him on the side of the pool and let him "jump" in. I know it looks like Michael is pulling him in, but he's really not. Zach just plops right in!! Hopefully next week we can get him to stand and "jump" off!

Mr. Independent

2008-05-31T18:17:00.000-07:00

I knew that being a parent meant eventually watching my child discover his own independence and assert it with confidence. I did not, however, plan on seeing this happen at almost 13 months!! Zach has always loved bath time, and since he's walking and "talking" now, I guess he thinks that he can run his own bath water. I swear it sounds like he says, "ready!" How funny is this child????

He's at it again!

2008-05-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry to add another post so quickly, but...

Loves Music, Loves to Dance...

2008-05-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

In the aftermath of Zach's birthday, he is loving all of his toys. And thanks to his Texas family, he has the gift of music in one more form...and new moves to go along with it!!

There's always one guy...

2008-05-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Remember the jokesters in high school who sneaked into pictures or always made funny faces? Well, it appears that we have one in the making... How funny is this??

Here's a close up shot... I'm so proud!

Zach's First Birthday

2008-05-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Zach's first birthday today, and it was great. He didn't cry or freak out when we sang to him: he actually danced! He got lots of great gifts and had a fantastic time with his cake!!!

And his favorite gift of all? Thomas the Train, one that he can ride!

It was a wonderful day with family and friends. I just cannot believe a year has gone by...

Our little musician...

2008-05-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

Zach LOVES music thanks to his daddy, so I thought I would post one of his videos...(now that I know how to! Thanks, Lisa!!)

What happened to my baby?!?!

2008-03-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

Zach is only 10 1/2 months old, and suddenly he looks like a little boy in pictures, no longer a baby! It seems that this just happened overnight!! We went to Florida for Spring Break, and Zach loved it all: the beach, the water, everything!!

But now, as I am starting to plan his first birthday party (I can't get over that either!), he looks like a toddler, a little boy... I know I keep saying this, but time truly FLIES...

9 months old and crawling!

2008-02-15T03:32:00.000-08:00

Zach is nine months old, and I just cannot believe it!! He is 27 lbs and 29 inches long...big boy! He's crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything, clapping his hands, and waving to everyone. I won't be surprised if he is walking before his birthday! He is so curious about everything, but I have noticed the slight onset of "stranger anxiety." I knew it was bound to happen. Other than that, he's wonderful.

2008-01-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe January is here already! Zach is still growing like crazy, and he is starting the year off with TWO TEETH! The first one broke through on Dec. 27, Michael's birthday, and the second one on January 3. I can see one on the top developing, so at least he'll have matching sets soon on bottom and top! He still isn't crawling yet, but it's not for lack of trying. He does like to roll everywhere, so it's just a matter of time.

I can't believe he will be a year old in only four months! Time truly does fly...

Six months and almost mobile!

2007-11-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Well, our little guy is 6 months old, and boy, is he changing! He still sleeps through the night, but he had definitely found his voice: he "talks" all the time. He's added new letters to his vocabulary. He can say his m's, d's, g's, and many more that we haven't quite figured out yet! He has rolled over from his belly to his back a few times, but he can definitely get up on all fours. He just doesn't know what to do once he gets there! At our last doctor's appointment, he weighed 24 pounds and was 28 inches long. He's already outgrown most of his clothes (and I didn't think that was possible as full as his closet was!) and is wearing 12+ month sizes! Still the always happy baby, we are so lucky.

He also had his first date a few weeks ago. My friend, Brooke, from work brought her daughter, Ava (born 2 months after Zach), to a friend's baby shower. We managed to get one good picture: Zach is already the charmer at 6 months, kissing her hand!! I guess he takes after his daddy!

Zach is 5 months old!!

2007-10-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

I just can't believe that our little guy is 5 months old already! We've started putting him in the highchair to feed him cereal....he loves it!! We also fed him carrots this week, and he loved those too!! We are so blessed to have such a good baby!!

Another new year...

2007-09-23T15:57:00.001-07:00

Well, with the Jewish new year freshly behind us, we are ready to start anew!

We took Zach to the synagogue for Yom Kippur, and he was so well behaved! He was also the star of the night: everyone stopped to see the adorable baby in the yarmulke! True to form, Zach was full of smiles for everyone.

He is 4 1/2 months old now, and as of our last doctor's appointment, he was 26.5 inches long and 20 pounds!! He is wearing 6-9 month clothes and even some 12 month. I think he's going to be a big boy! The doctor suggested we start working on just cereal and maybe some other foods, like carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes. That is going to be an adventure, I am sure.

Every moment that passes with him is incredible. He is still such a good baby: laughing and smiling all the time....and sleeping all night long!! We are so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful child.

You have to do what?!?!?

2007-08-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

Boy has it been a crazy week here! I was planning to use this last week to get things together to return to work, and BOOM! I end up in the hospital! I woke up early Monday morning (3am) with terrible abdominal pains, and finally around 7 when I could take it no more, I woke Michael up and we grabbed Zach and went to the ER. Four hours, lots of blood samples, and a long ultrasound later, I was told that I had gall stones and that my gallbladder must be taken out!

I was put on a very strict liquid diet for all of Monday. The surgeon came to see me and tell me that after midnight I could have nothing at all. My surgery was scheduled for 4pm! So, after not really eating on Monday, I was happy when the nurse came for me much earlier than 4 - it was more like 11am. Once the surgery was complete, I had to remain on a liquid diet...putting me at not eating any real food since Sunday.

But I was released today, and now I am home, sore and tired. I won't be returning to work next week as planned, and I can't even pick Zach up for a week! But my mother has been here to help Michael and me; what a relief! Also a major relief? Pain meds. The four little incisions on my belly are causing lots of pain. But I can handle it, right? I mean, I made it through labor and delivery with no real problems!!

Will post more pix later when I am feeling more up to it.

Into the wild blue yonder...

2007-08-15T03:36:00.000-07:00

Zachary turned three months old last week, and he celebrated by taking his first airplane ride! We went to Connecticut to see Michael's family. Zach did wonderfully: he slept on all flights and never fussed once! We had a great time visiting with relatives and going to Mystic Village. One of the best things about our trip was the weather: it was 80 degrees and NO humidity!! It really made coming home to triple digits hard!!

But all good things must come to an end, so we are back at home, in the sweltering heat, praising the invention of air conditioning! I return to work on August 27, so we are trying to keep Zach on a reasonable facsimile of a schedule. Although I must admit, he has been sleeping rather well: when he goes down for the night, he tends to sleep at least 6-7 hours before waking up for a bottle then going back to sleep. Let's just hope Daddy can handle it all when I'm not around!!

He's at it again....

2007-08-01T04:57:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems that Zach's constant growth has inspired Michael to do a little more graphic work...our poor little guy!

....

Zachary is 2 months old!

2007-07-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

Our little guy turned two months old yesterday, and I just cannot get over the changes in him! He's really starting to laugh and "talk." We don't know for sure, but he seems to like watching television....even when Baby Einstein isn't on! He's around 14 pounds now, and 23.5 inches long. I think we're going to have a big boy on our hands! I've already started a bag of clothes that no longer fit...some he never wore! The doctor said that we can start putting a little cereal in his formula, and even with that, he's still hungry every three hours!! UGH! Good thing for teachers' summers off!

Is it gas???

2007-06-26T09:56:00.001-07:00

Just had to share this picture...Zach has started smiling! At first I thought it was gas, but no, it's a smile!!! He's also started sticking his tongue out and babbling to the shadows on the walls. Every day brings something new!

29 and holding....

2007-06-24T18:55:00.000-07:00

Well, not really. I actually don't mind turning 35 this year: I've got a lot to celebrate! I spent a wonderful day with Michael and Zach, and my mother came up with the twins. We had a fun day feeding turtles and eating birthday cake. Michael, Zach, and I had a nice dinner later. Not a lot of bells and whistles, but who really needs all that anyway??? I have a wonderful family, and for that, I am truly grateful.

Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus!!

2007-06-22T09:17:00.000-07:00

This was taken at my parents' house. We were celebrating the girls' 4th birthday....but today is another reason to celebrate: my brother was awarded full custody of the girls!!! Zach will have his cousins, Hope and Faith, close by!

Adding a picture...

2007-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Well, if you know my dear husband at all, you know that Michael is an artist...with paints, charcoal, and yes, even graphics. He turned bath time into a trip around the world! And no, I can't imagine letting him take any like that of me!

Funny how time flies...

2007-06-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

Today, Zach is one month old! I can't believe that the first month is already over. Although it seems like I've had this little guy in my life forever. Every day brings something new. He is much more attentive now, focusing more and more on everything. He is also much bigger...close to 12 pounds!! We are still trying to figure out a schedule, of course, but he is pretty consistent with his eating habits: every three - four hours. Michael and I are also trying to figure out a system, but that is taking some time. Good thing I have the whole summer off: I can't remember the last time I slept more than two consecutive hours in my own bed! But it's all worth it.

On the bandwagon...

2007-06-04T16:10:00.000-07:00

Everyone else is doing it, so I figured why not??

This seems to be a much easier way to keep up with all of the exciting events in our lives!

To date, the only really exciting news is that Zachary is growing like crazy. Daddy is constantly taking pictures and singing to our son. Now, if I could only get him to change the dirty diapers all by himself...

Being a mom is truly wonderful. I won't offer all of the cliches about motherhood that people say, but I will say that they are all true! While we knew that having a child would change our lives in a multitude of ways, I never dreamed the impact that this little guy would have! It's not just the 45 minutes it takes to get a diaper bag ready to go to the grocery or the many wipes used for one little person, no, it's so much more than that. It's knowing that despite the insanity and the chaos in this world, there is some divine goodness. Something awe inspiring that Michael and I created together.

I will do my very best to keep pictures and family news updated, but being a new mom, I can't promise perfection! I hope you enjoy the pictures of Zachary.