Roll Tide Roll

Jess had been waiting for this day for a long time - Bama wins the National Championship!! Canon was so excited too! He pretty much stayed up to watch the game, which was WAY past his bed time.

Roll Tide Roll!

Love,

Rachel

First Sunday at Church

We were advised by the pediatrician to not take Canon to church until he had his 2 month shots due to cold and flu season, so January 3rd was Canon's first time at our church! I was a little nervous to put him in the nursery, but he slept the entire time! The second Sunday he was awake the entire time, but did great! All the ladies said he talked and smiled the entire time! They asked if we talked to him a lot b/c he was so vocal. Canon and I have a lot of conversations through out the day and when Jess comes home they have lots of conversations as well. I think Canon will be a talker (just like his momma)!

Here he is looking like a stud!

his sweet shoes from my mom (the nursery ladies loved them)

Love,

Rachel

Christmas at the McNeils

(Rachel's Family)

My favorite photo!

After spending time at the Rainer's, we drove to IL to spend time with my family for Christmas! I was able to spend my birthday with my family! Jess and I were able to go to eat by ourselves on my birthday and then later that evening my mom cooked a delicious birthday dinner! After dinner some our family friends I grew up with came over to meet Canon. It was a great time had by all.

On Christmas Eve we went to my home church's Christmas Eve service. I hadn't been there in so long, it was good to be back and see a lot of familiar faces and introduce Canon to more people.

On Christmas day Jess and I were able to sleep in because Canon slept in. We were the last to get up, Miss Emma Grace was very patient to wait on us to start opening gifts. It was such a sweet time being with family on Christmas. We read the story of Jesus' birth and had a fun time giving and receiving gifts! We are truly blessed beyond belief! After gifts we all pitched in to get Christmas lunch ready (even though my mom and dad did most of the work). My grandparents came over and we had a wonderful meal! After eating some of us took much needed naps while my mom cuddled Canon and Jess worked on a puzzle. After yummy leftovers for dinner my mom, dad, Jess, and I played phase 10 (Jess and are obsessed over this game, ha). It was such a wonderful day!

We were so sad to leave on Saturday, but were grateful for the time we did have with our families. What a blessing to have both grown up in Christian homes and genuinely enjoy our families.

Here are a few pictures!

Mom reading to her grandchildren

Attempt at a family photo

Jess is such a wonderful husband and father!

Emma Grace and Canon

Uncle Bryan and Aunt Sarah

Pops and Canon in their matching hats!

Love,

Rachel

For Ms. Peggy

These are for you Ms. Peggy

Here are some pictures from our Christmas time with the Rainers!! We had a wonderful time!

Now we are off to IL to spend time with my family!

Love,

Rachel

Busy Busy Busy

Quick Update

Canon does not have pyloric stenosis! Praise the Lord! No surgery! The radiologist said everything looked normal and he thought Canon just has reflux pretty badly! Canon was a trooper. He had to be done eating at 7:30 a.m., but his ultrasound wasn't until 11:30 a.m., but even though he was really hungry he did really well.He is such a good baby! So, now we are trying a different reflux medicine to see if we can get his tummy under control! It is our prayer this one will work and work for a longer period of time than the last one did.

Canon had his 2 month appt. He is a whopping 13 lbs 10.5 oz and 24 inches long. I can't believe how big he is! He isn't roly poly, he is solid and muscular. He is doing so much now! He smiles pretty much all day and loves to look at you and he could study your face all day long. He is now repeating some noises we make to him and just coos and tries to talk. He is also standing up (of course while we balance him). The dr. said that is a little advanced! ha! She said reflux babies tend to have muscle control earlier because when they don't feel good they are tense, which is totally true. Before Canon got on medicine he would never relax, he was always stretched out straight. The dr. said he is healthy and she was impressed on how alert and observant he is. He also got his shots. :( He cried for just a few minutes after he got them, but about 3 hours later he was not a happy baby. He screamed for an hour straight. It was tough on me and him! Thank goodness for Infant Tylenol.

Here is his 2 month picture!

My bestfriend Brook (from home) was able to come out for a few days and visit! We had such a great time! We have known each other since birth and even though we don't see each other too often we are able to pick up right where we left off. It was so good to have some girl time even though Canon tagged along! We shopped, dyed hair, made dinners, made fudge and white chocolate covered pretzels, played games with Jess, and lots more. Thanks Brook for taking the time to come to NC! I will see you in about a week!

Jess, Canon, and I are heading out on Friday evening for Christmas. Our first stop will be Nashville, TN to stay with the Rainer's for a few days. After Christmas with the Rainer's we will head to IL to spend time with my family! Jess and I are so excited to be going "home". It is an exciting time, it is Canon's first Christmas and he will be meeting a lot of family for the first time. Neither one of our grandparents have met him and Jess's older brother and sister in law haven't met Canon yet either. What an exciting time Christmas is spending time with family and celebrating Jesus's birth!

Please pray for safe travels! We are flying and I am not too thrilled about it!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Love,

Rachel

adding on to the last post

Pray for Canon

In the last post I talked about Canon having projectile vomiting, well the next day he was still doing it so I called the doctor. Well I actually called the dr. about his medicine, but mentioned his vomiting. The nurse freaked me out and told me I needed to come in that day and how soon could I come in. I immediately got really scared. She told me there could be blockage and projectile vomiting isn't something you mess around with at Canon's age. Anyway, there is a condition called pyloric stenosis which is a "condition that causes severe vomiting in the first few months of life. There is a narrowing of the opening from the stomach to the intestines, due to enlargement of the muscle surrounding the opening, which spasms when the stomach empties" (wikipedia). So anyway there is a chance he could have this condition. If he does have this condition he will require surgery. Canon will have an ultrasound of his belly this week. They will call me on Monday to tell me when his appointment is. The doctor is not convinced that he has it. Most babies that have it have vomiting after every feeding and Canon doe not vomit after every feeding. The dr. said he could just have a little stomach bug. And the encouraging part is Canon is not dehydrated or losing weight. He is a whopping 12 lbs 14 oz. Canon is also acting normal and is happy as can be. I as well am not convinced he has this condition. I really don't think he does, but I am glad we are being proactive to make sure. Another positive is if he does have it the surgery is done often and it will not cause any long term effects.

So if you would please pray for Canon. Pray that God will protect him from this condition and if he does have it that God will give Jess and I peace about him having to have surgery. Also pray his belly will start feeling better!!

Thanks!

Love,

Rachel

All you can do is laugh sometimes

All you can do is laugh sometimes...

I really don't have time to be writing this post because I am have to be out the door in an hour and a half, but I need to rest for a minute. ha! This morning started out really great. I actually felt rested (thanks to Jess for doing a feeding at 4 a.m.) and Canon didn't wake up til 7 (which he usually is up at 6:15) and he took a morning nap which NEVER happens. The day was going smoother than I could have imagined and what a good day for it to go smooth because I have places to be today and lots to do before leaving. Who would have ever thought getting a newborn and yourself ready would take so long. So anyway I fed Canon and he started spitting up which isn't too unusual due to his acid reflux, but he was spitting up way more than usual. Then when I was almost done feeding him he projectile vomited. Yuck!! So I cleaned that up and took his pjs off and just left him in his onesie. I needed to change so I took him in the bedroom and laid him in his lamb seat and put it in the middle of the bed so he could see me. He started making a weird noise so I went over to him and sat him up right and he projectile vomited again EVERYWHERE and he started choking so I started patting his back and he did it again, this time much stronger and it was coming out of his nose. He started crying so I took my top shirt off and just held him. So I proceed to clean up as best I could (the vomit was in puddles on our comforter, I mean ALL over) but wanted to give him a bath ASAP.

So I am giving him a bath and he is being his sweet self and all of sudden he is peeing all over me. He finishes and he does it again, this time on me and all over the floor (I still give him bath in the kitchen sink). I back up for a second and step right in the pee. All I could do is laugh!! I have found that since I have been pregnant and now a parent I tend to just laugh when things seem to be going crazy. In previous years I would have freaked out because I had somewhere to be and didn't have time for unexpected things to happen.

How can you get upset at little things when you have this sweet face to look at...

Sorry if I bored you with my story.

Oh I did check his temp to make sure he wasn't sick, I think he vomited due to his acid reflux. If it happens again I might check with a nurse at the pediatrician's office.

Love,

Rachel