Drew's on the move!

We've had a busy couple of weeks in the LaGrone household. Drew is growing like crazy (check out the belly in that picture!) and having all kinds of new experiences.














Last Monday we went to the doctor for his 2 month check-up. He weighed 12 lb 15 oz and was 23.75 inches. That's over 4 pounds and almost 3 inches gained since birth! He also got his first round of shots. He was a real trooper and screamed for just a minute until I picked him up. Then he was like: "OK, what's next?"

Here's a picture of Drew sporting the sticker the nurse gave him for being such a big boy. His first sticker! I know he was proud.

And here he's pointing (I swear I didn't pose him) to the Bugs Bunny band-aids he got when he was given his first shots.

Since Drew is now 2 months old, it was time for my maternity leave to end and for me to return to work. Jim once (only once) called it my "little vacation." It certainly was no vacation! Being back at work is almost less work than staying home full time for the last two months. I've loved being with Drew 24 hours a day, but I was also glad to return to my vocation as a pastor. I've always wanted to be a working mom, and being a pastor and a mom at the same time is like my two greatest dreams come true.

People kept asking if I was anxious about returning to work, and while it was a lot of work to get us ready for the new schedule, the answer is: no. I've felt extremely at peace about the whole thing. The secret to that is that I'm so happy with Drew's childcare arrangements. One day a week my mom (Grammy) stays home with him. One day he's home with Jim and another day I'm home with him on my day off. On two mornings a week he comes with me to the church nursery where they love him and take amazing care of him.

Here's the sign for his room in the nursery. "Bunny Hollow." How cute is that?

This is what the room looks like. Drew's not in the picture because Miss Gladys is changing him off to the side. Most days when I pick him up there are about 5 babies and 3 adults caring for them. They let me know exactly how much he slept and ate and how many diapers he had, and tell me if he was in a good mood (he always is!) I can tell they love him, and when I go to get him they're always holding him and rocking him. And soon I hope he'll notice the other babies and begin making friends!

Here's a photo of the two of us on our way to his first day at the nursery. The first of many "first day of school" photos he'll have to pose for in his lifetime.

And here's Drew at Starbucks while I worked on my sermon for that Sunday. Looking down at my laptop open to my sermon (I love to preach), my baby asleep in his carseat (I love my baby) and my Chai Frappucino (well, you can see where that's going)... I really had the sense of having it all, all at once.

And then he woke up. So I've decided, ladies, you CAN have it all! But maybe for just an hour at a time. :)

Mommy Group

When Drew was 3 weeks old he and I began attending a Mommy's Group on Monday mornings at Memorial Hermann Hospital. The group is for first time moms (with a few seasoned moms) of infants. It was the first outing we went on by ourselves, and it's funny to think how intimidating that was for me for the first time: loading him up in the car, driving 10 minutes without being able to see him behind me, figuring out how to put him in the stroller and getting him into the hospital for the group. We were 7 minutes late and I was the first one there. I soon found out most of the moms arrive 15-30 minutes after the official start time! It was a great place to make friends, to talk about poop and breastfeeding and sleep (or lack of it) and all the things that we were all dealing with on a daily basis, but didn't dare bore anyone else with. It was also a really non-threatening place to practice nursing a baby away from home, changing them on a blanket on the floor, and showing up without having showered or slept in a while. Everyone else just understood.

Drew was the youngest and only boy among the regulars. We made quite a few good friends. The picture above is of baby Hadley (by far the most social) checking Drew out. By the last week he was cooing and smiling back at her.


Kate and I became good friends and went to lunch a few times. We also met up with husbands and babies for dinner one night at Berry Hill. Kate is a biology teacher and will go back to teaching for a few weeks when her maternity leave ends, and then get a summer break. Her little girl, Kalie, is just a couple of weeks older than Drew, but I think he weighs more. He's a chunk! Kalie led the way in smiling and holding up her head, and Drew was trying to catch up. I'm so grateful for Kate's friendship and the chance to talk babies, biology, and lots of other things while on break from my regular community at church.


One week four of us went to lunch together at Freebirds after the group. We got some interesting looks when we put four infant carriers up on the same table! All the babies were really good.


Here's Kalie, Madalyn, Hadley and Drew all in a row. This Monday was my last week at the Mommy group, but I'm hoping the friendships will continue and that our babies will play together again soon!

News from the Nursery

Our sleeping beauty:


Drew started sleeping in his own room in the "big boy crib" (instead of the bassinet in our room) this past week and is doing really well. Although it feels a bit far away for mommy, it's nice that his little squeaks and small cries in his sleep aren't keeping us awake anymore. After his first couple of nights in his own room he slept from 10:45 PM Thursday night to 7:15 AM Friday morning! That's 8 1/2 hours, people! Jim and I began waking up at 5 and going to check on him every 30 minutes or so, we were so worried something was wrong with him. :) Let's hope this wasn't just a fluke and that he begins sleeping this well every night.

Maybe it's just a coincidence, but this is also the week I finally finished putting decorations on the walls in the nursery. I have a feeling he's sleeping so well because he's in such a beautiful environment designed just for him. :)

Here are some pictures from the beginning, with Jim transforming and painting his messy office until it became the nursery it is today. I really wish I had taken a true "before" picture of the messy office to give you a real appreciation of the true transformation process. I also wish I had a picture of the 6 different swatches of shades of green Jim painted on the wall for me as I kept going back to Home Depot for more since it wasn't quite right. I have a very patient husband! The tree on the wall is actually a decal, not a mural. It's from dalidecals.com (a website that I love) and can peel off without damaging the paint. Let's hope Drew doesn't discover that.

Here's the journey to finished nursery in pictures:


Jim beginning the painting process. He swears this is the last room in the house he's ever painting. Keep telling yourself that, sweetie!


One green accent wall and 3 neutral walls. Now we're ready for furniture!


The furniture and bedding have arrived!


The elephants are trying out the crib.


Here's the first decal, a bird perched on the wall over the crib to watch over Drew as he sleeps.


There are several birds posted around the room in unexpected places.

Here's the big picture - the tree that arches over the crib. I love it!

And last but not least a close-up. His name hanging from the branches.

Sweet Dreams, Sweet Drew!

Photo of the day - Monday

12 pounder!

Somebody's not happy about tax day...

I'm a WHAT?

Picture of the day - April 15

Picture of the day - Tuesday

Will someone PLEASE get me some hair gel!