Lincoln -6 Months Old

Lincoln you are 6 months old and the light of our lives. You are almost 20 lb. and 28 inches long and the pediatrician says you are meeting and beating all of your developmental milestones! Still no teeth, but you love to eat. You have oatmeal cereal for breakfast and rice cereal, a vegetable and a fruit for dinner. There is nothing we have found that you don’t like. You chew on every toy, blanket, burp cloth and piece of clothing that comes near you (including mom and dads). You also chew your fingers, hands, wrists, arms and feet when you can wrestle them into your mouth. We have taken to calling you “baby bulimic” because you will stick your fingers and hands into your mouth until you gag. Your nicknames so far are Linc, Linky, Winky and Squishy. Your Uncle Matthew (age 2) says “Bye Winky” when we leave his house.

You have more personality than I imagined could be bundled into such a little body! You like to give kisses and be kissed and recently have begun holding our faces and kissing us! You smile all the time and laugh whenever we tickle you. You are ticklish on you feet, legs, belly, sides and under your chin. You hardly cry, but when you do it gets your point across quickly. It is usually because you are not being held, are on the floor by yourself or are hungry, tired or dirty- you never cry without a reason. You do not like to be left in a room alone while playing. You like to ride in the car and talk up a storm on the way to and from daycare everyday.

You are becoming increasingly mobile, rolling over and pivoting to get to toys or whatever you want. We can not just leave you on the floor anymore because you find your way to a wall or into the coffee table. When you get the coffee table you kick it and make the candles inside rattle so we know you’re there. You like your exersaucer and jumper, but not for very long.

You are a great traveler and have been to Colorado and Massachusetts already! You sleep a lot on plane rides and usually no one knows you’re there! You are very good natured and flexible, until you’re late getting a meal and that’s a deal breaker for you. You like all people and have yet to meet a stranger; you even kissed your 2nd cousin Sierra on the mouth the moment you met her! You were good in Colorado, but seemed to have some trouble adjusting to the time change, dry air or altitude or all of them. We blamed it on you being jet lagged and by half way through the second day you were back to yourself. In Massachusetts you were totally were yourself for the whole trip, so maybe staying in the same time and climate zone helps.

You usually sleep from 10-7 in you crib and still take 2-4 naps daily; more on the weekends since its quieter at home than at daycare. You have been sleeping through the night for the last month! When you sleep in your crib you move around a lot and when we go in to get you in the morning you are never in the same spot or laying in the same direction as when we laid you down. When napping at home, mom still holds you and the only way you sleep is in the infant hold you’ve always loved. You still put your hand inside mom’s shirt and hold her shoulder until you fall asleep. Before you fall sleep you use your free hand to push mom’s face around, looking at you and looking away and back again. You also put your fingers in our mouths and laugh if we pretend to chew on them. You like to rub your hair on your head while you drink a bottle and will pet mommy’s but you don’t ever pull.

Can't believe Lincoln going to be 6 months old at the end of the month!!! CRAZY! He is holding his bottle, scooting some (though, I try to discourage this, as I don't really want him crawling and walking this soon!!!), eating oatment, fruits and veggies (and LOVES them all), and says AH to every single bite!!! He is sleeping through the night some and is still a very happy baby.

Edited to add (Taken from emailed to my mother-in-law):
Lincoln was up 4 or 5 times last night. We are considering putting him in a box and sending him to you or selling him on the black market. I bet a cute baby boy gets a good price! Not really, I guess we'll keep him, but I wish I knew why it is he didnt want to sleep. We had a streak of 7 days in a row sleeping through the night... until this week!!! He's such a punk! Gotta get some work done. If you get a package on your porch with holes in it, you might wanna open it!

I am glad the email made you laugh. THat was actually the point. We let him cry for more that a half hour at different points through the night while going to check on him and give him his paci last night. I think for now he's just more stubborn than I would;ve thought and we're going to have to keep doing what we're doing. I am ok for letting him cry, I just want all of us to get a good nights sleep. Hopefully this is all related to a growth spurt or those bottom teeth moving in some, i dunno. Thanks for the support and advice. I'll send you a tracking number if I put him in the mail!

ABCs of Me

A - Age? 25
B - Bed Size? Queen
C - Chore You Hate? Cleaning a toilet
D - Dogs Name? No dogs, as people say about me, "Erin is not a dog person."
E - Essential Start Your Day Item? a smile from Lincoln
F - Favorite Color? blue and summer green
G - Gold Or Silver? silver and white gold
H - Height? 5 ft 3 and a half!
I - Instruments You Play? played violin and toy with the piano. but i'd rather sing
J - Job Title? receptionist. Lincoln's mom. David's wife.
K - Kid(s)? Lincoln Oliver 11.26.08
L - Living Arrangements? Townhome with my hubby and son.
M - Mom's Name? Lori Christine
N - Nicknames? Erin, Ewin, E, Worm (when I was little cause i wiggle)
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth? galbladder in Feb '09- 4 nights in there :(
P - Pet Peeve? chewing in my ear, talking louder than needed, getting something for one's self without checking with others around you, people who are competitive about stuff that doesnt matter... hmm, i think i have lots of pet peeves.
Q - Quote From A Movie? "Nobody puts baby in a corner." Johnny Castle/Patrick Swazey in Dirty Dancing
R - Right Or Left Handed? Right
S - Siblings? 3 Brothers, Nathan, Zack and lil Matthew! Sister and brother in law
T - Time You Wake Up? whenever Lincoln gets up
U - Underwear? never go with out it!
V - Vegetable You Dislike? i have lots that i refuse to try b/c i hear they're gross- spinach, brussel sprouts, i know i dont like sweet potatoes.
W - Ways You Run Late? cause i'd rather sleep. cause i forget how long it takes to get out the door w/ Lincoln (diaper bag, bottles, etc.)
X - X-Rays You've Had? arms, elbows, legs/kness, stomach, chest,... i am accident prone- prob. everything!
Y - Yummy Food You Make? Everything! j/k I love to bake all kinds of cookies, brownies, cakes. My friends would reccomend brownie thingys i'd think! davis is the cook and i am the baker.
Z - Zoo Favorites? Elephants. i once feel running to the elephant exibit... accident prone

Lincoln -4 Months

Lincoln is now 4 months old. At his check-up on March 20th he was 15 lbs. 5 oz. and 26 inches. He is in the 75th or 80th percentile- definitely long for his age! He has begun eating cereal in the evenings and LOVES it. We'll be trying out veggies beginning on Saturday! He is a very wiggly dude, loves to see whatever you're doing, is rolling over (sometimes) and has graduated from the infant car seat to a rear-facing convertible seat. CRAZY how fast that's all happening!

David and I are good. Just working and hanging with Lincoln, looking forward to getting out a lot more now that the weather is warmer around here. David's apprenticeship classes wrap up this month and he'll be taking the Journeyman's test soon.

In March we flew to Colorado to visit family out there. Lincoln was a great traveler on the plane, but the time change and dry air/altitude made him a bit of a grump when we got there.

Registering for Your Baby

We registered for just our bedding at JCPenney and everything else at Babies R Us. We got most of our necessities.

I didn't register for any clothes, blankets or bibs- You will get so many. I didn't register for bottles b/c sometimes babies have preferences, but we've used the Evenflo Purely Comfi and never had any problems. (David washes bottles and if cost were no object i think we'd use playtex drop-ins so there wasn't so much washing going on) I registered for one set of towels and wash clothes and got plenty others. If you don't get enough of these you should get some gift cards. I will say that his most used blankets are one that are MY favorites and i got them on sale usually.
Water-proof crib mattress pad.
Lap pads(We change him on these, we don't have a changing table)
Gerber Cloth Diapers (for burp cloths)
Extra sheets for crib and/or pack n play
Graco iMonitor Vibe- LOVE IT
Fisher Price Bouncer- Love it, He sits in it while i shower and plays with the toys and coos.
Boppy floor mat- he is beginning to really like this.
Gas drops- we've used these since he was 1 week old. They do make a difference.

I got our second carseat base from craigslist and our travel swing for a consignment store.
If there are things you don't receive like that, in my experience 2nd hand has been just fine! We've also found that Target brands are = to anything else, so when we're out of the stuff people bought us we'll get target soaps and lotions. We're already strictly using Target formula. And target makes baby tylenol too.

Oh, and put diapers on your registry so people know what you'll be using. I only got one package of diapers pre-Lincoln. I did start buying diapers early tho and that has helped alot. And i watch for diaper/wipe sales and coupons. Diaper coupons usually come out the 1st Sunday of the month. If you do pre-buy diapers, only get a couple Newborns, 4-5 of each size going up- they grow fast! The big boxes are a good buy, especially if you have a coupon (BRU has $5 off this week). Oh and you can get huge boxes of wipes at BJs/Sams club and they're a good buy too. We go through a package of diapers & refill of wipes per week.

Oh, babies get baby acne- i've been able to keep lincoln from getting it by putting vasaline lip stuff on it. keeping milk from sitting of his face makes a difference too.

Mama Survey

1. WAS YOUR FIRST EVER PREGNANCY PLANNED? Kinda, when faced w/ chemo and the possibility of never having a child we tried and got pregnant on the first try! holy crap! (side note, cancer is gone!)

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes, for like 9 months.

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? overwhelmed, excited, happy!

4. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 24

5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? took a pregnancy test after a missed period

6. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? David (the hubby), my mom and david's family, work, Michelle, Nats & Em

7. HOW DID YOU TELL PEOPLE? well I usually communicate by speaking. in person or over the phone

8.DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? we thought that there were enough unknowns last year. no surprises

9. DUE DATE? December 1, 2008

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yes! Until almost 16 weeks and I lost 15 lbs!

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? slurpees, grape juice, Life cereal, fruit, Subway sandwiches,

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? waiting, worrying about David's stuff and our money...

13. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILD'S SEX? He's a boy!

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? We have 5 nephews and thought it might be cool to have a girl; but couldn't be happier w/ our boy!

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? 11

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? yes.. one in Massachusetts and one here in Virginia! Both were amazing! Our family and friends were incredible generous!

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? The MA one was supposed to be a suprise, but was blow as soon as we arrived in MA. I knew about the VA one, but Nancy kept alot of specifics a surprise

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? low weight gain for me, but that never affected the baby

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Virginia Beach General Hospital

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? 25 Hours

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? David

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? David

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? C-Section

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? The epidural was the best thing ever, but I never could move my lower half after I got it! I really appreciated the pain meds.

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7lbs 9oz

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? Novemeber 26, 2008 at 9:40p.m. Next year his bday will be one Thanksgiving!

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Lincoln Oliver Lucier 31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 11 weeks today

25 Random Things About Me

25 Things: Random? I dunno.
1. I believe in God and rely on His presence in the craziness of my life. I seek comfort in knowing that he is our ABBA Father and knows every step and breath we take.

2. I used to be an exaggerator. I find no use in wasting my time with that anymore. It’s either a big deal or its not. And people will either care, or they won’t.

3. I think 2007 was the last year that will ever be all about me. I married the love of my life and rode the Griffin (a roller coaster) 8 times (6 in one day)!

4. I think 2008 was the year I grew up, became an adult and decided that the responsibility for what I do and what happens to me lies only with me.

5. I hope that 2009 is a year when I can focus on my life with my son and husband and we can really enjoy each other and our friends and families.

6. I hope that the recession doesn’t dismantle my hopes for 2009.

7. I hate confrontation, but have decided that nothing is worth me taking a back seat to someone else’s happiness. I deserve to be happy too.

8. I never had goals that amounted to being anymore than someone’s mom.

9. I found out why I was born on 11-26-2008. I was always meant to be Lincoln’s mom!

10. I spent my 6 weeks of maternity leave holding my baby and watching One Tree Hill and West Wing re-runs. I told Lincoln I was lowering his IQ with OTH and upping it with WW. I love to sit at home and be a complete bum. I no longer care if anything is clean or complete- I just refuse to waste a moment with my son

11. I hardly make a decision or say anything without David’s input- What we do affects one another.

12. I can word-for-word repeat the dialog for Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing and The Notebook. I am proud of this! What movie will be next?

13. I love to sing, but only for me, David and Lincoln now. I am hoping Lincoln likes John Mayer.

14. Last year on the John Mayer cruise I saw John Mayer in the “Borat thong”. Not something I hope to see again. I prefer John fully clothed and singing/playing guitar. (Embarrassment= deleting pictures you wish you’d never taken!)

15. I LOVE my 2004 Corolla and the only reason I will ever change is to get the 09 with volume controls in the steering wheel.

16. I love to drive long distances, including Tennessee and Massachusetts.

17. I like to listen to my music way too loud when driving long distance. This led to 3 speeding tickets in 2002 and 2003. Ooops!

18. I thought Lincoln might’ve been a girl, only because we have 5 nephews and everyone convinced me. There was no mistaking my son at our ultrasound- it was like he was sitting on a copy machine.

19. I have taken well over 1000 pictures of Lincoln in the 10 weeks he been alive but, I have yet to have any pro-pics done. 20. I have read the Harry Potter series 3 times. But didn’t see a movie in the theatre until The Prisoner of Azkaban. Now I always count down until they come out.

21. I have a blankie. It was retired in April of 2007. Until then I took it to summer camp, vacations, even a semester of college. My mom was convinced I’d walk down the aisle with it. I have since gotten it out- it’s not that same. Now I cuddle my son.

22. I sucked my thumb- I don’t remember when I stopped but it wasn’t until probably middle school. I never need braces because of it.

23. I am a Navy brat but have only lived in 6 states. 7 if you include Tennessee for a semester.

24. I loved my visit to Seattle last year and am hoping to get back this year. Go Seahawks!

25. CANCER SUCKS but never would anything have made it clearer to me that nothing is more important than making David (and now Lincoln) the #1 priorities in my life and thanking God for them every single day. David is the strongest person I have ever met and we are committed to kicking cancer’s butt if it ever decided to mess with us again. Lincoln is a lucky little boy to have a daddy who fought to get better to be there for him. I am blessed to have them both!

Myspace Note - Thank you,

I really I have wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone for your interest, support, and of course sweet comments since Lincoln was born. I cannot believe it has been two months! I really fell off the planet while I was staying at home- trying to soak up every second of hanging out and loving being Lincoln’s mom. Now that I am back to work and he’s at daycare, we’re on a schedule and I’ve been able to keep up with email, Myspace, Facebook, etc. much better.


I want to brag and tell you how great Lincoln is. We are totally spoiled and have the most laid back, easy-going, and happy baby I have ever seen! I can tell you he gets all that from his dad! He has been a super easy baby, sleeping enough to keep us all sane and adjusting well to daycare. He is smiling a lot now and just generally making us feel like he’s happy to see us. He really is the sweetest, cuddliest and happy baby I have ever experienced! David is already joking that our next child definitely won’t be this easy since we hit the jackpot with Lincoln.

Thank you for caring! We love you all!

Lincoln- 8 Weeks

Lincoln is 8 weeks old now and very smiley. At first Lincoln was only smiling at us, but has become a social smiler and very happy baby! This week he caught his first cold at the babysitters but has been a trooper. He even slept 5 hours last night! He is a very easy-going guy, much like his dad, and a great snuggler. We love him to pieces and he is the best thing we ever did!

David and I are doing well. Work is slow in the construction trade right now, as I am sure you all know. We are just hoping it turns around soon, and our employer is doing everything he can to find work to keep the guys busy. David is not working full time hours right now, but it does give him extra time to spend with Lincoln.

Lincoln - 6 Weeks

Lincoln is doing great. He had his "two month" appointment, he is 7 weeks tomorrow. He received two shots and an oral vaccine. He weighs 11 lb. 5 oz. (50th percentile) and is 23 inches long (75th percentile). The doctor had no concerns, just commenting on his cool name, great temperament, muscle strength (thanks, David) and overall cuteness!!

He doesn't have to be seen again until he is 4 months old- and will receive more shots then. He did ok with the shots, I did give him Tylenol and had a bottle ready for him when they were done. He slept and ate a lot last night, kind of hibernating I think. David and I are doing great. We really enjoy all of our time with Lincoln. David is still working out with Lincoln all the time. He is always working with Lincoln to hold his head up and hold toys. I think David will find great relief with Lincoln will hold his bottle on his own- I however will enjoy Lincoln being my little baby boy for however long. With David's encouragement Lincoln rolled over one way on Saturday from his belly to his back. He is still smiling quite a bit.

Lincoln did start daycare with "trial" half days last Friday and yesterday. He has done very well. Today is his first whole day, so we'll see. It was very, VERY HARD for me to let him go, but we have to do it and he's going to do just fine. For now he's in an in-home daycare, and she keeps 4 other children, but he's the only infant and gets lots of attention. I think down the road we'll get him into something more structured, but we'll see.