Abbott's big day

Well, we have certainly had an interesting 24 hours. Last night before bedtime, Abbott spent about an hour being a fussy baby. I thought he was just hungry, but when I tried to feed him, he wouldn't eat. So then I thought he might be gassy, but he never passed any gas. So after about an hour of on again-off again fussing, trying to eat, trying to poot, Abbott really started wailing. I mean the kid has some lungs. He screamed at me for close to an hour, with a little rest here and a little rest there. He finally fell asleep and slept for 6 hours! When I saw that, I just figured the kid was so tired....it made sense because he hadn't taken a good nap all day yesterday. So we wake up this morning and everything is peachy keen and I have this wonderful happy baby who is eating well and is cooing and being all precious. He even has a poopie diaper without much struggle (this is a big deal in our house lately because the kid has to work hard to get it out sometimes). When I go to change his diaper, I see what looks like a couple of small spots of blood. I have a little new mommy freak out and then call the pediatrician and have to leave a message. Then, being a smart thinker, I save the diaper and wrap it in a plastic bag so that I can take it with me in the diaper bag to my lunch date just in case the doctor calls back and needs me to come in. The minute I sit down to lunch to doctor calls and he does want me to bring Abbott in for a check up and to "test his stool" so it's a good thing that I saved his diaper. Fast forward to the doctor's office and the stool tested positive for blood which could mean several different things:
1) Abbott could have a milk and/or soy protein allergy and is allergic to what I have been eating and it's being passed through my milk into him.
2) Abbott could have a stomach virus that would run its course in about a week.
3) Abbott could have something much more serious, but the doctor thinks he may be a little young for that and wants to rule out the first two options before testing for the serious condition based on the fact that Abbott is acting fine and the only symptom he is experiencing is minorly bloody stool.

What does all this mean? It means that Mommy Kelly has to eliminate all dairy and soy products from her diet for at least 2 months and see if that helps eliminate the blood from his stools. It also means that if he does in fact have an allergy or virus, his symptoms should go away within a week or two. If they don't go away in a week or two, then we get to do further testing. I'm voting for a virus since that would mean that it'll go away and mommy can drink milk and eat cheese again. I would be OK with an allergy because that means that there is something I can do about my diet to help him feel better. I am not even thinking about the more serious option 3 because I don't think that's his problem and the doctor didn't seem like he was concerned about that either.

Oh yeah, and to make this whole doctor appointment even more fun, they had to prick Abbott's finger to take a blood sample and test his cell counts. It was the worst moment of his life so far. Big ole' crocodile tears and all. Needless to say, when we left the office, Abbott took a really good nap. We go back on Friday for a recheck of his stools. I am hoping for no more finger pricks.

I am also hoping for an uneventful day tomorrow. Good night.

Happy Birthday, Abbott!!

So today is Abbott's one month birthday! I can't believe he's already a month old.....time really does fly. He is getting to be such a big boy!

Today, in honor of Abbott's one month birthday, Daddy got up and went to work, Mommy got up and did some laundry and cleaned the living room, Abbott ate, slept, pooped, looked out the window, etc. It was a big day for the birthday boy!

Happy Birthday, Abbott!

Abbott's first concert

On Sunday, Ryan had his first show since Abbott was born. This is not the rock band that he plays for but a "side project" made up of mostly the same guys in the rock band. The side project is called "Art Four Sale" (four guys....four sale....get it?) and they play instrumental music at a much lower volume. The show on Sunday was at Arrington Vineyards, a local winery that opened up last year. On the weekends, they host "Music in the Vines." You can bring a picnic, taste their wines, buy a bottle, enjoy the music and hang out on the grounds (75 acres in the rolling hills of Arrington, TN, just outside of Franklin.

Beautiful, huh?

Abbott enjoyed listening to his daddy's music even though it was rainy and a little bit chilly yesterday. The woman holding him is a friend of Steve and Doug named Denise. She and her daughter, Katie, and niece, Heather, sat with Abbott and me and we had a great time enjoying some cheese, wine, and some great music and scenery. Sidenote: Denise will be 50 this year and the day before ran the Music City 1/2 marathon! Way to go!

It's been a while.....

I admit...it's been a while since I last blogged. I can't help it....I just want to play with Abbott more than I want to sit at the computer right now! But since he's sleeping in his bed right now and he can't really play. I thought I would use the time to blog rather than do laundry. That picture above was taken the day we left to go to Knoxville to visit Jack, Jami, Jarred, Popo and Momo Jo. It is the only picture I took while on the trip.....Jami had her camera and blogged about our visit. You can read about it and view her pictures here.

Marc and Holli came up from Atlanta to visit Abbott. Marc and Ryan and I all went to high school and were in the band together. He met Holli at college and they are married now.

Marc's parents, Tom and Patti got a little bit of grandbaby fever when they met Abbott! Who wouldn't want a grandbaby after you meet the perfect child? :)

The sweetest smile

Abbott and I were having some Mommy time together this morning and I caught this precious picture on my phone. He loves me! :)

Like son, like father?

I was getting ready to take a really good picture when Abbott started to fuss.....Ryan followed suit and I took this picture. Priceless.

Visitors.....

I was going to try to post pictures of everyone who has come to visit Abbott so far in his 2 weeks.....then I realized how many people we have actually photographed with him and decided against putting those pictures on the blog. It would take me FOREVER!!! Instead, I will be working on an online album full of those pictures and will send the link out when I get it finished.

Whew! This kid is popular! :)

2 1/2 weeks!

Well, we've been home a while now and the visitors have slowed down a bit and I feel like I have a little time to put up some new pictures. I know now that my sister is back at home, the pictures will have slowed down a bit. My camera just isn't as good....or as used as hers! :)

Abbott's Aunt Jami

Great Wannie and Great Poppa

Yay for diaper changes!

"Aunt" Heidi

Uncle Justin and Aunt April

Look here too

My sister had her camera while we were out today. She has posted lots of good pictures from the day on her blog:

http://cowartfam.blogspot.com/

8 days home

Well, we have been home for a week and one day now and so I suppose it's time to write a little update. Our first night home was a disaster.....up and down, in and out of bed, lots of crying, etc. The second night was a complete contrast to the first. Everything went smoothly and it seemed like I had never slept better than I did that night, even though I was awake every 2-3 hours. It's amazing what a little perspective can do. Roxie came home 2 days after we did and was immediately trapped inside the house because of 2 whole days of constant rain. She would have been unhappy to begin with, but now she was trapped inside the house with this new little crying thing that sucks up all her mom's and dad's attention. She was not happy, but I think she has grown to love her new baby Abbott and might even be quite protective of him. Her bark has been a little more fierce lately when she sees a stranger.

Abbott is becoming more and more alert throughout the day although we can never seem to catch him on camera when he is! Here are some precious pictures we have captured over the past few days:

Since today was so gorgeous, Abbott was able to experience his first outing....and I was finally able to get out of our tiny house (which seems a lot smaller when you can't go anywhere). Jami and Jack took us to our cousin's rugby match and Abbott stayed the whole time in his baby bjorn just snoozing away. It was a great nap for him and some much needed sunshine for me.

I can't believe a week has already gone by. He has already changed so much in just 8 days! He is smiling some (I know it's probably gas, but it's still adorable), he's getting stronger every day at lifting up his little head, and he's becoming more alert and really using his eyes and trying to focus. We get to go to the doctor on Friday for his 2 week check up. We are hoping that he is back up to his birth weight by then....I think he'll do it, he's been eating like a champ. I will post some more pictures soon. His great-Wannie and great-Poppa arrive in Nashville on Monday and so we will have plenty of pictures with their time here too!

Welcome home, Abbott!

Well, the past several days have been a whirlwind, that's for certain. When I last blogged, I was expecting to go into the hospital on Friday, March 28th and have a baby. That did not happen. Instead, on Thursday night, March 27th, I came down with a stomach bug. After getting sick most of the night and seeing no signs of it stopping by the time I was to go in for the c-section, I called my doctor to see what to do. She said we needed to reschedule and let me recover and get hydrated. Bummer for all those waiting to meet the baby, but good for my poor body, which was wrecked after a night of getting sick with a belly as big as mine was. We were rescheduled for Saturday, March 29th at noon. Thankfully, everything went well the night before and I was able to go and have this baby! Abbott Daniel Pruitt was born Saturday, March 29th at 2:38 pm. He weighed 10 pounds even and was 21 inches long.