July 29

Reid, or this would be an appropriate time to call him Feedy Reidy, had his two-month check-up appointment. Great news - he weighed in at 10 pounds and 9 ounces and was almost 24 inches long. That means he is back on the actual growth chart for weight (25%) and 50% for both height and head circumference. Just perfect! He gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks once we started adding the rice cereal to his bottles (no reflux AND he was actually eating food!).

We followed our doctor's visit with a playdate and donuts with friends. Thanks, Lauren, for having us over and thanks, Erryn, for coming to play! Lauren had her fourth child, Cade, in March and Erryn had her third child, Landrey, in April. So, with Reid in May, we had fun with our TEN children eating donuts. Good to see you two and your families!

My Little Baker

Kyle helped me (really, I helped Kyle!) make this yummy 4th of July treat. Inspired by an idea from Aunt Kelly, we took off with a 9x13 rice krispie dessert decorated like the American flag.

And who really knew that the box of red fruit roll-ups actually meant that the roll-ups would have writing all over them!?!? Not me! it kind of ruined some of our stripes!
It was a great hot-day activity and a good learning lesson about the
50 states and 13 colonies for both of the boys!

Reid at Six Weeks!

Below are just some cute photos of our little fella during his sixth week! He will turn two months next week - amazing how fast it has flown!

Go Fly A Kite

A month ago, my pledge sisters decided to try to get together! There were only eight of us who were able to make it to the park but it was a great group of eight! These girls below, along with about four others who weren't able to come, were my greatest joys in college aside from meeting Jason. So many of my great memories at OSU include some or all of these fabulous women.

Just from this group, we have people in Missouri, California, Texas, Virginia, and then four are still in Oklahoma. Most haven't been together in around six years! Amazing.

It's been 13 years next month since we went through greek recruitment and chose to be members of Kappa Alpha Theta. What a quick 13 years! We're all married; most are moms; PhD accomplished; Masters accomplished; business owners and home managers (!). What a great group!

Erryn, in the dark pink, had a baby 2 months before this, and Reid was only three weeks old! She was also my "pot luck" roommate and so it's really fun to have ended up in the same sorority, much less as such great life-long friends. Love you girls! Thanks, Courtney, for sharing the photo!!

Harry Potter series

Health Update

Reiders - Reido - Reido Mosquito - Feedy Reidy - Mr. Reid - Reido Speedo

These are just a few of the lovely nicknames our son now has. We have no idea why we call him those but we do. Won't he be thrilled? Many of you know that Reid has been a struggle when it comes to the eating department. This past week has proven no different. Just for keeping, here's a quick recap of the past seven weeks:

Weeks 1 and 2 - nursing. I thought he was doing great - proper swallowing, latch, cheek movement. I have spent 2 years of my life nursing kids so I had experience. However, Reid only eats about 1/3 of what he should while at the breast. This was awful for his weight gain as well as for my milk supply. Result: Two Week Check - 6 lb 10 oz

Weeks 2-5 - pumping 8 times a day and providing bottles. Weekly weight checks at the post office. Result: 8 lbs

Week 5 and 6 - Vacation to Minnesota. Still pumping bottles until he suddenly decides to spit up nearly everything that enters his mouth. I attempt to nurse, and Reid appears to be chugging like a champ! Woo hoo! Much better vacation. However, he starts to spit up more. We weigh him when we get home and he is in the low 8 pounds, and should be over 9 since the time he weighed 8 pounds.

I call our doctor to try to get in - seemingly important case to me - 6 week old who isn't gaining weight nor eating. However, none of the five doctors can fit him in until two days from when I call and then suggest I take him to the ER. Not feeling that much of an urgency, and also quite upset at their response, I am mad. I had previously emailed our Edmond pediatrician about this on Monday, and long, long, long story short, he wanted me to bring in Reid so I take Reid to go see him at 5:00 on Tuesday night. Reid weighed in at 8 lb 8 oz in his office. While there, he received a 2 oz bottle and in front of the doctor, continued his lovely vomiting. Doctor felt this warranted an ultrasound of his tummy. By 6:40 that evening, we were out of Mercy Hospital with a normal ultrasound result (all of this quite quicker than our local ER would have been).

Thursday I had an appointment with a lactation consultant and she confirmed what I knew - we have a great latch and he's nursing properly. During this visit, his weight was taken before and after nursing - he only gained around 1.5 oz and they hope for 3 oz. And then he spit up.

So Reid likes to nurse but just is very lazy and apparently doesn't have a hungry mechanism in his brain so he rarely cries to eat - all this has led to extremely slow weight gain. He just turned 7 weeks and has gained just over one pound.

The plan: treating him for reflux. I am now pumping again about 8 times a day. One to two tablespoons of rice cereal are added to the bottles to thicken it up which should help him keep it down. This is the first step our doctor (back to our Edmond one) wants us to take before trying medicine. The past two days have been pretty good with only a few bottles a day getting spit up heavily. I hope to continue to do this until Reid is three months old. Hopefully, in time, he will become more aggressive at the breast and be able to nurse. If by three months, he still won't gain nursing, then we'll look at formula treating reflux.

Reiders - you're a toot! This makes three for three of our kids that has been a poor eater at birth but Reid's is the worst case. If you have a healthy eater, say a prayer of thanksgiving!

Lemonade For Sale!

Grant and his good buddy, Hudson, decided during kindergarten that they were going to become businessmen like their dads and earn money this summer. And so begins the classic lemonade stand!!!

Hudson has a twin sister and an older sister - all four of them worked to set up their stand outside one of their dad's restaurants in town, which is good for lemonade traffic during 100 degree days!

They made $49.00, and after taking out expenses, each child earned $11.00. Grant has decided to thank Hudson's dad by taking his $11.00 and going to buy an Eskimo Joes t-shirt from his store! At least he is learning a little bit of a business work ethic. He said his allowance would then go to savings and the church since all of his work money was going to be spent. :)

Jason stopped by during his lunch hour to enjoy a delicious cup of lemonade, and then Hudson and Grant's buddy, Brody, also came to support their efforts! You may remember Brody from last year's NBC Kid's Newscaster competition - he was in the Top Four in the nation for the Today Show!

Fair Hills, 2011 Version

It's (around) my 20th year and Jason's more a fan nowadays than me, too, after his six years of heading north to Fair Hills Resort in Minnesota. We had a great trip - even with a five week old baby - and love the true joy, friendliness, relaxation, and beauty of this resort.

Our pictures each year are pretty repetitive but it's fun to capture the boys different ages doing some of the same activities. This year marks a different experience for us - not only did we have a teeny tiny wee one, but my parents were unable to come. We missed their presence, their golf cart and their grandson time! :) Yet we were able to spend quality time with my lifelong friends and their spouses and get to know the personalities of their kids.

Here we are! Off we go! This was the only nap the two big boys took the entire 29 hours we were in the car. And it only lasted around 45 minutes. At least they did it together!












Pelican Rapids, MN - annual tradition. Except this year, as they went down to the Pelican, Kyle tripped and fell into the water (melting snow I would add - brrrr)














Reid and I were there, too!












We asked the boys what they'd like to do first - jump in the lake of course! After several individual jumps, the three (tried) to jump together. Someone was always off so this is the closest they look in any picture.












Here are two of my longest time friends - over three decades for Molly (black) and a year less for Carrie since she is younger than me! These are the girls that make up the "other Halls." We grew up down the street from each other, attended the same church, and their family is who got my family 28 years ago to try out Fair Hills. Each family also has a big brother, too, so we were all the same ages. And, both honored me by being attendants in our wedding. Molly has three girls while Carrie is pregnant with boy #4!












The ONE bad thing about Minnesota summers: MOSQUITOES!!! Jason ordered a mosquito net (which I did make fun of him for) but it served great as a guard for Reid!


















We vacation typically on 4th of July week (makes sense being self-employed). Pelican Lake, where the resort is located, always has a boat parade - this year, the resort's Big Pelican boat and kids joined in - here they are returning.












Ridiculous. This was our first attempt at a family photo since the hospital - I doubt we'll ever have a picture in the next five years where all of us are looking and smiling (normal) at the camera.














I received this Moby wrap at my baby shower and love it!!! Most importantly - Reid loves it even more. This was taken at the water slide where I did not participate this year.


















One of Kyle's favorite things was to play Army Guys in the huge park area with Jason. This was just the beginning of their long water tunnels and .... well, I don't even really know because this stuff I leave up to Jason - out of my league and one of the things I don't understand about boys. :) Equivalent to Jason fixing hair bows.












It was a busy week - soooo sleepy!












SHARK ATTACK!!!! My mom took the boys to the Dollar Store to buy $5 of stuff to take in the car - both included a baby shark hat. The reason? Each year there is a campfire on the lake, and Larry usually sings this song about a baby shark. They wore the hats and were called up to sing it with Mr. Larry, and they both loved it! I don't have shy kids!




































Here's Kyle and Jack (Carrie's oldest). They would be best of buds if they lived near each other. This night, they were pulling around the golf club carriers and just laughing a lot. Good times. Behind me as I am taking this picture was a huge t-ball game where I think Grant and his friend beat their dads!












One neat thing about Fair Hills is the friendships that are made each year and fortunately, because the resort is truly a fabulous family vacation, the same families tend to return each summer. One of our friends is a photographer for a Chicago newspaper and she is great at capturing photos. She just happened to snag a few for me this year since I didn't take near what I usually tend to take. So here are the infamous water slide pictures, compliments of Jean Lachat photography.

We're Back!

After 14 1/2 hours in the car yesterday, we arrived home safely from yet another year at Fair Hills Resort in Minnesota. The weather was perfect - highs of low 80's and around 60 at night. This heat in Oklahoma is crazy and we are so thankful to have missed 9 days of it!

Also, thanks to Aunt Kelly for sending in more quarters for Grant's collection! We appreciate it.

Pictures following soon - 7 loads of laundry today and trying to get the house situated to begin another week!