To all my readers...

I am so sorry to keep you waiting for wonderful updates on Brice and our family adventures. I hope you stay tuned and catch up over the past five months. A lot has happened!

Two Months

Brice had his two month check up on August 24^th. This was the first time he did not cry throughout the checkup (well until the dreaded shots, four in the leg and one oral, poor guy). I was so proud of him. Two month stats: 15lbs 11 oz; 25.75 inches and 16.25 inch head. 97.5%

Our Week

I ended up taking Brice in when he was 6-weeks old, he had been fussy for a few weeks with gas, and now he wasn’t getting any sleep because of it and I wanted to make sure it was nothing more serious. He weighed in at 13lbs 4 oz, like I said he is my big handsome boy! The doctor checked him out and said it was mostly likely still gas and to watch what I was eating.

Grandma Ruth

I really appreciated having Grandma Ruth in AZ even more after the first week by my self. She visited us from July 4th -August 2^nd. She was very helpful, cooking great dinners , cleaning, holding Brice, lett ing me nap and shower. It was great just hanging out. We even experimented with getting out of the house. We went to Ross Department Store (she liked this store in CA and they don’t have it in MA), we also went on Target trips and by the end even went to the Village Inn after his one month doctors appt. for free pie Wednesday! One Friday we really braved it, Darren, Grandma and myself packed up the car and went to the Phoenix Art Museum. We figured it is air conditioned and wouldn’t have too many people. It was nice getting out o f the house. We of course never skipped Thursday night dinner at Grandma and Papa Englert’s, they need their Brice fill! We also got to skype with Grandpa McCollem one weekend so he could see his grandson live. Rumor has it Brice has Grandpa’s long arms!

The trip went by very fast. The Friday before she left Darren and I took Ruth out to The Roaring Fork for a nice meal while Grandma and Papa Englert watched Brice. It was a very nice night out. The Sunday before she left we had a Bacon Cheesburger cookout. In attendance were Grandma and Papa, Bryan and Owen, Jenny, Steve and Peyton and Janie and Steve. We said goodbye to her Monday morning and Brice and I prepared for the week ahead.

Brice’s one month stats (5 weeks): 12lbs 15oz; 24 inches long; he received his second hepatitis B shot.

Fun Facts

Visitors at the Hospital
Grandma and Papa Englert
Uncle John and Aunt Katrina
Sally (Darren's co-worker)



Nicknames
Fussasauraus/Fussalump
B-Dubs (Darren's Favorite)
Lovebug

Things He Likes
Being held (his absolute favorite)
Eating (also a big favorite)
Kisses (wait thats what mama likes)
To talk
His Swing
His bouncer

Things he doesn't like
His pacifier (He will take it after about a minute)
Being changed, although he hates having a dirty diaper as well.

Cute Facts
Brice plays with his hair while eating. Darren does this when he is tired, note the picture a day after Brice was born.


He is very strong, the first night in the hospital he was holding his head up. We still practice everyday and he keeps it lifted for quite a while until he is bored. He is also constantly moving his arms and legs!

He started smiling! Before I couldn't tell if it was gas or a smile, now he looks at you and smiles, I even heard a giggle. He started smiling at 6-weeks.



We moved him from the co-sleeper to the crib at 3-weeks. He was very chatty in the co-sleeper and we couldn't sleep. After about a week in the crib he is finally getting used to it.

We started our bedtime routine at 6-weeks, we get a bath, put on our PJ's eat and go down around 8:30. After just a few days of the routine he is starting to figure it out. We have our good and bad nights still, but now at 8-weeks he is going to sleep around 8:30-9:00 and stays asleep anywhere from 3 hours and one lucky night of 5 and a half hours!

The 4th of July

The second weekend home Brice got to meet more of his family. Aunt Kyla, Uncle Jake and Cousin Riley drove in from CA and we got to spend the weekend hanging out and taking lots of pictures.
Katie and Ryan also came in from IL for Owen's baptism. The day they left (Brice was only 4 days old) we went to the Hulihee's for a delicious breakfast. Grandma Ruth also arrived on the 4th to start the month long journey with us!

Are Growing Family

The next week Darren went back to work and I was pretty much in a tired haze, just adjusting to the new baby, snuggling a lot (my favorite next to kisses), feeding him every hour and a half to two hours and trying to take care of myself. Buddy is still extremely good with the baby, he has accepted him into the family no problem. At first he would follow me back and forth to the baby's room when I fed him, now he shoves his head under the bed waiting to get more sleep :)



Brice had his 5-day doctors appointment where he weighed 9lbs 4 oz so he hadn't lost or gained anymore weight since the hospital. He had to get a few tests including jaundice, the results showed he was perfectly healthy.

Happy Birthday Brice

Wednesday June 23rd my mom came to the hospital at 5:00am because the estimated time of arrival was 9:00am. That time came and went and the stronger my contractions got, the more the epidural stopped working. I received some more medicine which made my legs lead weights and helped with the pain. By the time it was time to push I could feel everything, except my legs :) I had a great support team with me for pushing. Darren my wonderful husband, my mom the great coach, Nurse Irene who practically delivered my baby and Dr. Linnerson who stayed calm when I was screaming at him to get the baby out! After 45 minutes of pushing, our big, handsome boy Brice William McCollem was born!

STATS - Arrived 2:36pm; weighed 9lbs 13oz; 22 inches long; 15 inch head; 14 inch chest; 10 fingers and 10 toes!



We stayed at the hospital for two days making sure everyone was healthy. He got poked and prodded and passed all his tests. We left the hospital on Friday June 25th after giving a hug to nurse Michelle who was so wonderful and helpful for my two day stay at the hospital. Darren pulled the car around in the 108 degree weather and we took Brice for his first car ride...home!

Induction Day

I went to Banner Desert medical Center to be induced at 10:00am on Tuesday June 22nd. Darren and I enjoyed Monday together cleaning and relaxing. On Tuesday morning we had our bags packed and headed to the hospital. When I went in I was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. After three rounds of gel and walking around the hospital they decided to break my water to see if it would help me progress and start contractions. Contractions started mild and by around 10:00pm I started really feeling the contractions, at around 11:00pm I asked for the epidural. I am glad I did because it helped me sleep as much as I could during the night and kept my energy up for pushing the next day. Unfortunately they had to keep flipping me from side to side and put an oxygen mask on me. The nurse did this because the baby's heart rate would drop after some contractions.
The picture is of Darren the morning of induction day, he had the history channel on and was cold in the room!

I'm Back!

For those avid readers out there that thought I would never return, have no fears, I'm back :)
I have had a very busy eight weeks as you know and I am ready to blog again. So follow along as I play some catch up and enjoy the cute photos of Brice William McCollem!