I LOVE my AUNTIES!

Leo is so lucky to have such great Aunts! 

THEY ROCK! 

Showing off my outfit

Please make note of my matching socks!

Leo LOVES Aunt Reese

Leo LOVES Aunt Mary

Leo LOVES Auntie Moe

Leo LOVES Aunt Julia 

[someone else must have gotten Leo to sleep before Julia held him ;) ]

Hi and Bye!

Leo is 2 Months Old!

I can't believe Leo has been around for over 8 weeks! He seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. He is definitely awake and alert more throughout the day and this little folded up, swaddled baby is now a chubby cheeked little boy with an amazing head of hair and limbs that no longer stay folded up but flail about!

His 2 month birthday also marked a significant doctor's appointment- his first set of immunizations. I was nervous that we would be dealing with our first temperature as a result of the shots, so, not having any baby medicine here, had Kevin rush out to get some Infant's Tylenol in preparation. So, the nurse first prepped us that Leo would be getting 3 shots and one oral immunization. I asked the nurse if the oral one was flavored- makes sense right? I mean you go to any pharmacy and they will flavor your kids meds. Her response was no, it tastes disgusting, and the babies usually cry and spit it out. Well, our little Leo opened wide and took that medicine like a champ! No tears for my big boy (with the oral vaccine, that is.) The 3 injections to the thigh were a different story. Most of us adults would agree, those sticks to the arm hurt (I am thinking of my yearly flu vaccine where my deltoid is sore for several days.) Leo did cry and I felt so bad for him. But within minutes he was nestled in his car seat and sleeping. AND, remember that Tylenol Kevin rushed out to get? No need for it- Leo never had any ill effects from the vaccines this time around! YAY for a healthy baby!

So along with his vaccines, Leo got weighed and measured at this appointment. I will report his stats in a moment but I first must say this. The pediatrician told us that he was in 75th percentile for length and weight so he was pleased- mommy's response- "That's it? I was hoping for 90th percentile!" Yes...I am one of those...anyway here are his stats and some 2 month old pics!

Length: 23 & 3/8 inches
Weight: 12 pounds 12 ounces

Just for a reminder of what Leo looked like at 1 month: 

Another 1 month photo:

2 months (with my Ugg slipper as a comparison)

All stretched out at 2 months!

I took one million shots- no kidding...

These cheeks are for real!

Sitting like a big boy in the Bumbo seat- 

it's enough work for him to hold up his head 

so he is not doing anything with his hands just yet while sitting here

A Shower for Leo in Granger

A couple of weeks ago Leo had a shower thrown in honor of him at Gigi Sue's house in Granger! A special thanks to Julia and Sue for a wonderful shower! Leo got so many new additions to his wardrobe. Auntie Julia also spent many many hours creating a great scrapbook that has captured Leo's first couple of weeks of life- I love it because I have always had good intentions to be a "scrapbooker" but I have poor follow through! THANKS JULIA AND SUE!  Here are some photos from that weekend.

Leo just chillin' before all the guests arrive

Proud Mommy & Daddy with Leo

The yummiest cake ever- from Heavenly Sweets in Noblesville

What a great spread of food!

A-W-E-S-O-M-E scrapbook from Julia! 

Surprisingly, the only Notre Dame outfit we received at this shower! 

LOVE it! Thanks Crissy!

Now this was one cool gift- 

a clothes baskets with TONS of baby stuff on the clothes line. 

It kept going....

...and going...

...and going...this thing stretched across the entire room! 

Sue's friend found this book at (drumroll please)

....a garage sale...10 years ago! 

It's called "Niccolini's Song"!

Aunt Crissy and Leo

Aunt Carol and 1 year old Callie

Cousins Shelly (Callie's mommy) & Myah

Leo, Auntie Julia, & Katja (Crissy's foreign exchange student)

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend was wonderful! We had lots of family in town- Kevin's Mom and Dad, Angela's Mom, Angela's Dad and Carla, Leo's aunties- Julia, Mary, Maureen, and Reese, and Angela's Grandma and Aunt Geri. Thanks to everyone who helped out with meals and clean up! What fun!

This weekend also marked the end of months, or in some cases just mere weeks, of training for the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. Participants included Kevin, Julia, Reese, and Marquet (Julia's friend). This weekend also was the first time Leo got to meet Aunt Reese, Great Grandma Potraza, and Great Aunt Geri. What fun it was having 13 people in and out of the house from Friday to Sunday for all the celebrations, but exhausting as well! We took some great pictures of Leo with all of the family- check it out!

Great-Grandma Potraza sang lots of songs to Leo and he loved them!

Aunt Julia all smiles with Leo the night before the race.

Great-Aunt Geri takes her turn with Leo.

Mimi playing with Leo on the activity mat

G-ma Sue (aka Gigi) with the sleeping little man.

After Mother's Day brunch we went to the photography studio (ie my dining room) for some photo ops.

All the mommies and baby Leo.

A very special picture of the 4 generations.

Leo's grandmas- aren't they hotties!

And last but not least, I can not forget our oldest daughter, Jersey,

hanging out in her favorite location (the walk in shower)!

Leo is 1 Month Old!

We can not even believe how quickly 4 weeks goes by- and now Leo is 4 weeks old! He is so darn cute and his full head of hair makes him look like a little man. We have gone out a couple of times and strangers can not help but comment on how beautiful he is and how much hair he has.

What Leo is Doing
A couple of milestones he has reached so far include holding his head up when he is on his tummy and looking side to side, holding his head up/looking side to side and pushing with his arms and legs (like crazy) when he is lying on mommy and daddy's chest, and tracking toys with his eyes and moving his head to follow side to side when lying on his back. His arm movements are still sporadic, but I like to think that when he is lying on his back on his playmat that he is intentionally reaching for the toys hanging above him. He shows no preference for his left or right hand now, as he will find one, and suck on the back of his hand if he is hungry- he still has not discovered the thumb (thank goodness). He is doing well with sleeping- as well as one can expect for an infant. He is currently sleeping anywhere from 2.5 to 4 hours at a time and we are slowly experiencing more of the longer time spans at night in the last week (yay for mommy!). He truly is a good baby, only crying if he is gassy, hungry, wet/dirty, or just wanting some cuddle time.

Pediatrician Appointments
When Leo was 4 days old, we went to the pediatrician for a weight check. As a reminder when he was born he weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces. When we left the hospital he weighed about 6% less (the nurses were telling us percentages versus actual weight). FYI- It is normal for the baby to lose weight after birth and they don't want them to lose any more than 10% of their birth weight. Babies should then gain this weight completely back by 2 weeks. So, at his 4 day old appointment, he weighed 8 pounds- indicating that he was eating well!

Leo then went back to the pediatrician at 2 weeks. At this appointment he weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces!!! What an eater! His weight is in the 50th percentile. His length was 21 and 1/4 inches (90th percentile) and his head circumference was 35.5 cm (25th percentile). OK- you may be saying to yourself- in a previous blog the ultrasounds were indicating that baby Leo had a HUGE head and now he is ranking in the 30th percentile??? Yes, Kevin and I agree- the nurse measured his head incorrectly- it honestly took her 4 tries to get it because he was squirmy. SO, we don't think the head measurement is correct. And all in all, Leo did wonderfully at his appointment- no crying from this little man!

Here are some of our favorite pictures of Leo from the last 4 weeks!

A little smile while sitting his carseat

Jersey looking on as Daddy changes Leo's clothes

Whose feet do you think Leo has? Just check out that 2nd toe!

First bath: Mommy I'm cold!

But now I am clean, warm, and cuddly!

 It's so hard being a baby

Weekend visit from Auntie Moe, Mimi, and Aunt Mary

Double fist bump...

Chillin' on the activity mat. 

(This is also a good example of the "infant tonic neck reflex" for those who are nerdy like me) 

He is gonna charm the ladies! 

Visit from cousins Avery & Kalle

Fun visit from part of the Northwest Indiana family- Jen, Aunt Di, Kalle, Avery, & Mimi

I am 1 month old!!!

Soooo cute!