My baby boy is cracking up right now at his mobile on the swing. It is so cute to see. For awhile now he has been getting excited about things, so excited I think he is going to fly away. The arms and legs start flapping and he looks like he is swimming or flying!
I have not yet written down in his baby book that he is cooing since my mom said it actually sounds like they say "coo." I have not heard that yet though. I hope his babbling isn't actually cooing and I missed the boat. I would have no idea now what date or age to write down. And that makes me sad. He has been doing it at least a few weeks now.
I enjoy every moment with this little guy. Each morning I wake up and nurse him. He is my alarm clock, wakes me up with some little cries (he is a low crier, such a sweet sound). Then I change his diaper and as soon as I lie him down to do that he is just all ear-splitting grins. It's like he is so happy his wet diaper is coming off. He mostly sleeps about six hours every night. Last week after his shots when he wasn't feeling so good he was sleeping past 8:00 a.m. but now he is back to sleeping until about 7:00 or so. I bring him into bed with me and that is my favorite part of the day, cuddles with my boy! I would love to co-sleep all the time but I'm a little nervous about it and he is right next to me in his rock 'n play sleeper and I do bring him in once my hubby gets up for work.
I did wind up calling the doctor the day after my last post and she said it sounded like a normal reaction to the shots but if he did not get better to call and bring him in Friday morning. He got the shots on Monday and pretty much slept or cried all day Tuesday and Wednesday. As Thursday wore on, he seemed more like his old self.
I had been starting to bathe him every other day but I got nervous that was too often for his skin. I talked to someone whose baby is about 10 weeks older and she said she was doing twice a week and just moved to every three days just a few weeks ago so now I bathe him twice a week. I wipe him down really well in between with wipes. He always looks slightly startled when I clean him with those. I warm them in my hands first but I guess they are still too cold. I warm up the lotion in my hands too. Ahh, I just switched to Baby Magic and I love the scent so much more than Johnson's. Ir is such a nice smell!
In nine weeks he will be starting at his day care. That makes me so sad. I try not to dwell on it and just focus on the time we do have together. I have absolutely no desire to go back to work. Someone mentioned adult conversation and I said that did not matter to me. I always thought I was a career woman but I am just so sad. I keep saying to my husband, "Are you sure I have to go back?" Besides the money and benefits, the only thing good I can think about going back to work is getting back into a routine. Right now we are staying up late and waking up late. During the day I have a hard tine focusing and getting things done. I'm mostly just focused on my little guy. He is a full-time job.
I finally got around to ordering his newborn pictures that were taken two months ago! I needed MS Word to do it and our desktop computer died before Christmas. I was able to view the pictures and get what I needed to order our Christmas cards but I never could access Word on my netbook. My husband bought a new computer before Christmas and has been working on it for awhile. I finally just got on the computer for the first time and ordered the pictures. He has since had his picture taken at six weeks on January 3 by a photographer who came to the house. I still haven't seen those pictures yet. Some woman is supposed to come to the house to show us the pictures and we keep having scheduling issues. And I took him to Sears on January 19 to attempt to get a better "mommy & baby" picture since I didn't really love the one I got from the newborn photographer. I was strong and stuck to my guns and ordered only the "free collage." When I picked them up on Monday though they had three more prints in the envelope and offered them to be for $5 for one, $10 for two, or $13 for all three. Of course, sucker that I am, I bought all three. One was a calendar and I thought my husband would like it for his desk but he already has two calendars on his desk. Oh, well. I am planning to get his picture taken at three, six, and nine months as well. I will probably go to JC Penney for those. But I might do Valentine's Day as well, maybe at Picture People or back to Sears. Yes, I'm picture crazy!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Two months old!
Our little guy was two months old last Thursday! I took him for his two-month check-up on Monday and he weighed in at 15 pounds, 9 ounces. He was 26" long and his head circumference was 16". He is definitely a big boy. The doctor did not say what his percentile was but from what I can find online he is greater than the 95th for height and weight. His head is in the 50th so we know he did not inherit his mama's huge head! The doctor said keep breastfeeding him until the next appointment, when he is four months. I hope she doesn't tell me he needs to start eating regular food at four months. I'm not sure what she meant by that.
He received four shots that day too. Let me tell you that was VERY hard for me as well as him. I did not even want to vaccinate him and here I am there, the one signing off on his shots and watching while he screams and some blood is drawn on his pudgy little leg. When my husband got home that night he was shocked that he had four shots in one day. I had tried to talk to him about following the delayed schedule and now he is saying maybe they could spread them apart some. That is what I was trying to say all along! Oh, well.
He stopped crying after a bit and we went home and he was fine for a few hours and then started SCREAMING for hours. We gave him some grape-flavored baby Tylenol and he started babbling and smiling shortly after for the rest of the night.
However, I am a little worried about the baby now. He has slept A LOT yesterday and today. He slept past his normal wake-up time and he has pretty much slept most of the day (both days). He nurses but falls asleep a few minutes in. And he has taken some really long naps. He does smile some when he is awake but mostly he fusses and when I hold him facing me he beats at my chest with his fists. I know something is bothering him; I just don't know what. If it's more of the same tomorrow I'm definitely calling the doctor. I hate to see my little guy out of sorts. We took his temperature and that seems to be fine.
He received four shots that day too. Let me tell you that was VERY hard for me as well as him. I did not even want to vaccinate him and here I am there, the one signing off on his shots and watching while he screams and some blood is drawn on his pudgy little leg. When my husband got home that night he was shocked that he had four shots in one day. I had tried to talk to him about following the delayed schedule and now he is saying maybe they could spread them apart some. That is what I was trying to say all along! Oh, well.
He stopped crying after a bit and we went home and he was fine for a few hours and then started SCREAMING for hours. We gave him some grape-flavored baby Tylenol and he started babbling and smiling shortly after for the rest of the night.
However, I am a little worried about the baby now. He has slept A LOT yesterday and today. He slept past his normal wake-up time and he has pretty much slept most of the day (both days). He nurses but falls asleep a few minutes in. And he has taken some really long naps. He does smile some when he is awake but mostly he fusses and when I hold him facing me he beats at my chest with his fists. I know something is bothering him; I just don't know what. If it's more of the same tomorrow I'm definitely calling the doctor. I hate to see my little guy out of sorts. We took his temperature and that seems to be fine.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Christmas & New Year's!
Our little boy has been through his first holiday season already - Thanksgiving at five days old, Christmas at five weeks (and one day) old, and New Year's at six weeks (and one day old). A friend of mine bought him an adorable 4-pack of bibs for baby's first holidays - baby's first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year, respectively. I remembered when he was 5 days old to dig out the Thanksgiving one but totally forgot at Christmastime. :( I did put his New Year bib on him yesterday though. Now I will have to remember the Halloween one when he is almost a year old. Speaking of Halloween, I cannot wait to pick out his first costume! He is going to be so cute.
We spent the day of Christmas Eve with my parents, youngest sister, my oldest sister and her husband and three kids, and my brother and his wife. We were running late, which is nothing new these days with a newborn, but were able to spend about five hours with my family (and we did get there before my brother and his wife, who had to work, so we really didn't miss much) and exchange gifts with my sister and her family before heading off to my husband's aunt's house. She has the traditional "seven fishes" meal each Christmas Eve. Each year there are fewer people there, which is sad. I know my husband really looks forward to it and we spend most holidays with my family so I make sure we always get to his aunt's. Christmas Day we spent the morning and afternoon at home and then we headed to his mom's house, where we exchanged gifts with his mom and brother, and then we went to my parents'. We always go there Sunday for dinner anyway, as do my brother and his wife, and this Sunday we exchanged gifts with my parents and youngest sister.
For New Year's Eve, we made reservations at the same place as we did last year, and we had a surf 'n turf meal. Yesterday (since it was Sunday again) we went to my parents' again. Our baby was fussier than normal yesterday. My mom thinks he was gassy. I'm not sure but I hate to see him upset.
Up until two nights ago he was sleeping in an Arm's Reach co-sleeper bassinet. I bought it used back in the summer. I'm glad I didn't buy it new since I'm not sure it's a good fit for us. Our first few nights home from the hospital he cried every time I put him in there. Then I started swaddling him and rocking and/or nursing him to sleep and then I'd put him in there and he'd stay for a bit. Once we got to 3.5 weeks and he was sleeping through the night it seemed like it was working better for him. But for me it was not really. First it was taking up all the available space between my side of the bed and the wall (widthwise) and all the space between my nightstand and the door (lengthwise). I was constantly bumping into it and it was lining up right by the C-section incision. Ouch. I was repeatedly hitting it. So we got the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper. I am not sure he likes it yet or not.
We spent the day of Christmas Eve with my parents, youngest sister, my oldest sister and her husband and three kids, and my brother and his wife. We were running late, which is nothing new these days with a newborn, but were able to spend about five hours with my family (and we did get there before my brother and his wife, who had to work, so we really didn't miss much) and exchange gifts with my sister and her family before heading off to my husband's aunt's house. She has the traditional "seven fishes" meal each Christmas Eve. Each year there are fewer people there, which is sad. I know my husband really looks forward to it and we spend most holidays with my family so I make sure we always get to his aunt's. Christmas Day we spent the morning and afternoon at home and then we headed to his mom's house, where we exchanged gifts with his mom and brother, and then we went to my parents'. We always go there Sunday for dinner anyway, as do my brother and his wife, and this Sunday we exchanged gifts with my parents and youngest sister.
For New Year's Eve, we made reservations at the same place as we did last year, and we had a surf 'n turf meal. Yesterday (since it was Sunday again) we went to my parents' again. Our baby was fussier than normal yesterday. My mom thinks he was gassy. I'm not sure but I hate to see him upset.
Up until two nights ago he was sleeping in an Arm's Reach co-sleeper bassinet. I bought it used back in the summer. I'm glad I didn't buy it new since I'm not sure it's a good fit for us. Our first few nights home from the hospital he cried every time I put him in there. Then I started swaddling him and rocking and/or nursing him to sleep and then I'd put him in there and he'd stay for a bit. Once we got to 3.5 weeks and he was sleeping through the night it seemed like it was working better for him. But for me it was not really. First it was taking up all the available space between my side of the bed and the wall (widthwise) and all the space between my nightstand and the door (lengthwise). I was constantly bumping into it and it was lining up right by the C-section incision. Ouch. I was repeatedly hitting it. So we got the Fisher-Price Rock 'n Play Sleeper. I am not sure he likes it yet or not.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
One month old already!
Everyone tells us to enjoy every moment because it goes so quickly. It sure does! I keep reminding myself of that.
Our little guy was one month old on Monday. We took him to his one-month check-up. One thing I wanted to ask about was if it was normal and OK that his umbilical cord stump had not yet fallen off. When I bathed and dressed him that morning it was still attached. When we got to the doctor's office and I undressed him I noticed it was just hanging. The doctor took a look at it and said it was fine and it would fall off soon. When we got home I changed his diaper and it was still there and when my husband did the next diaper change it fell off.
They did not tell us what percentile he is in for height or weight but he is now 12 pounds, 3 ounces, and 23.5 inches! He has gained over 3 pounds and 2.5 inches since birth! Everyone always says how big he is or how he doesn't even look like a newborn. They did not tell us his head circumference and I forgot to ask. From what I can tell online his height is 90th percentile and his weight is between 75 and 90.
I can't remember if I wrote this before but he started smiling around 2.5 weeks, those big smiles, not those little ones that people are say are just "gas." He gave his dad a huge grin somewhere around 2.5 weeks. And at 3.5 weeks he started sleeping through the night almost every night, approximately 5-6 hours, usually close to 6. It makes me very happy!
Getting ready for Christmas this year has been more challenging. I mailed his birth announcements on the 12th and just got the Christmas card pictures out this week. People probably think we're nuts sending all these pictures. He is gorgeous though and I want to show him off!
Our little guy was one month old on Monday. We took him to his one-month check-up. One thing I wanted to ask about was if it was normal and OK that his umbilical cord stump had not yet fallen off. When I bathed and dressed him that morning it was still attached. When we got to the doctor's office and I undressed him I noticed it was just hanging. The doctor took a look at it and said it was fine and it would fall off soon. When we got home I changed his diaper and it was still there and when my husband did the next diaper change it fell off.
They did not tell us what percentile he is in for height or weight but he is now 12 pounds, 3 ounces, and 23.5 inches! He has gained over 3 pounds and 2.5 inches since birth! Everyone always says how big he is or how he doesn't even look like a newborn. They did not tell us his head circumference and I forgot to ask. From what I can tell online his height is 90th percentile and his weight is between 75 and 90.
I can't remember if I wrote this before but he started smiling around 2.5 weeks, those big smiles, not those little ones that people are say are just "gas." He gave his dad a huge grin somewhere around 2.5 weeks. And at 3.5 weeks he started sleeping through the night almost every night, approximately 5-6 hours, usually close to 6. It makes me very happy!
Getting ready for Christmas this year has been more challenging. I mailed his birth announcements on the 12th and just got the Christmas card pictures out this week. People probably think we're nuts sending all these pictures. He is gorgeous though and I want to show him off!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Things are going well.
We are settling into some sort of routine, my little man and I. One night he slept approximately 5 hours which was great, and another for approximately 4 hours, but mostly he sleeps 2-3 hours at a time and wakes up to eat in between. I deal with it better some days than others. If he eats, gets his diaper changed, and goes right back to sleep, it's fairly easy. But when he fusses and fusses and won't settle afterwards, it's hard to function. I am not one who does well on little sleep. I wind up just sleeping when he sleeps til about noon and then I stay up except for maybe a nap or two til sometime after midnight.
Yesterday I did not even get a shower until my husband got home from work. Last Tuesday and yesterday were definitely his fussiest days thus far. He is doing better today than yesterday. I feel so bad when he's fussy because I think it means something is wrong but what I do not know.
He is doing better with sleeping in his cosleeper bassinet. And on days he wants to be held my Moby wrap comes in handy. He stayed in it for quite awhile yesterday but then today he wanted no part of it. I haven't quite figured him out yet.
He is such a doll though and my husband continues to dote on him as well. He is really great. When I get exhausted and teary he is always there for me. I truly don't know how single moms do it. I totally need my husband's support and for him to take the baby some days when he gets home so I can have a little break.
Our portrait session went well last week. We have some adorable shots of him and a few family shots as well. I'm working on designing our Christmas picture card now at the same time as trying to get address labels ready for the mailing of the birth announcements.
Yesterday I did not even get a shower until my husband got home from work. Last Tuesday and yesterday were definitely his fussiest days thus far. He is doing better today than yesterday. I feel so bad when he's fussy because I think it means something is wrong but what I do not know.
He is doing better with sleeping in his cosleeper bassinet. And on days he wants to be held my Moby wrap comes in handy. He stayed in it for quite awhile yesterday but then today he wanted no part of it. I haven't quite figured him out yet.
He is such a doll though and my husband continues to dote on him as well. He is really great. When I get exhausted and teary he is always there for me. I truly don't know how single moms do it. I totally need my husband's support and for him to take the baby some days when he gets home so I can have a little break.
Our portrait session went well last week. We have some adorable shots of him and a few family shots as well. I'm working on designing our Christmas picture card now at the same time as trying to get address labels ready for the mailing of the birth announcements.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Nursing like a champ!
I am so relieved to report that breastfeeding is going very well! Our little guy was weighed again today at his doctor appointment five days after his last weigh-in when he was 8 pounds, 13 ounces. He has since passed his birth weight of 9 pounds, 2 ounces, and is now 9 pounds, 5 ounces.
I also had my staples removed today. It was slightly uncomfortable, stung a bit, but no big deal. We had a very busy day with doctor's appointments in the late morning and early afternoon and then a shopping expedition today. I got a bunch more baby stuff I needed from Target and Babies R Us, but the one thing I set out to get was a hamper and Target did not have any (well, in the baby section anyway) and Babies R Us only had brown, pink, and blue in the style for which I registered for (in sage). I'd have even settled for the ecru but that was out of stock too. :( They had a nice wicker one but it was $50. I'll just look elsewhere. I did get a baby book for him and I'm eager to start writing stuff down! We also got the contoured changing pad and changing pad cover. My hubby and brother-in-law picked up the furniture on Saturday but did not get it put together yet. I'm hoping my husband can put it together tomorrow night, maybe after our portrait appointment. Oh my word, we got the cutest little Santa costume for him to wear. I might do a baseball outfit too and a bear outfit for his third change of clothes.
Oh, well, little man is fussing right now. It's time to go feed him again. :)
I also had my staples removed today. It was slightly uncomfortable, stung a bit, but no big deal. We had a very busy day with doctor's appointments in the late morning and early afternoon and then a shopping expedition today. I got a bunch more baby stuff I needed from Target and Babies R Us, but the one thing I set out to get was a hamper and Target did not have any (well, in the baby section anyway) and Babies R Us only had brown, pink, and blue in the style for which I registered for (in sage). I'd have even settled for the ecru but that was out of stock too. :( They had a nice wicker one but it was $50. I'll just look elsewhere. I did get a baby book for him and I'm eager to start writing stuff down! We also got the contoured changing pad and changing pad cover. My hubby and brother-in-law picked up the furniture on Saturday but did not get it put together yet. I'm hoping my husband can put it together tomorrow night, maybe after our portrait appointment. Oh my word, we got the cutest little Santa costume for him to wear. I might do a baseball outfit too and a bear outfit for his third change of clothes.
Oh, well, little man is fussing right now. It's time to go feed him again. :)
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Swaddling...ahh!
I swaddled my baby the last two nights. The first night (Thanksgiving) was our worst night yet. It seemed he would never settle and go to sleep for good. He'd go to sleep but would wake right back up seeming to want to eat. I was so scared I was going to be holding him and drop him if I drifted off! Last night I tried swaddling again and I was shocked when one time he went three hours without waking! It's funny to think I'm excited about a 3-hour stretch! Maybe my swaddle was better the second night. I use either receiving blankets or a SwaddleMe. I'm praying tonight is another good night. He really is such a good baby. He usually only cries if he's hungry or if his diaper is soiled. My husband has been a HUGE help with the dirty diapers. He changed them way before I did and probably has done a lot more than I have although I get to do all the middle-of-the night ones now.
My little guy got to meet his aunt (my sister who is a year younger than I am), his uncle (her hubby), and his three cousins (ages 9, 7, and 3) today. My sister brought us some homemade soup too which she heated up for lunch for us. Yum! My hubby and I have a hard time remembering to eat! My little nephew (the 3-year-old) kept telling me the baby had little hands and little ears. But when I was changing the baby's diaper and asked if he wanted to see his little feet while they were uncovered he said no. Kids are so funny.
My little guy got to meet his aunt (my sister who is a year younger than I am), his uncle (her hubby), and his three cousins (ages 9, 7, and 3) today. My sister brought us some homemade soup too which she heated up for lunch for us. Yum! My hubby and I have a hard time remembering to eat! My little nephew (the 3-year-old) kept telling me the baby had little hands and little ears. But when I was changing the baby's diaper and asked if he wanted to see his little feet while they were uncovered he said no. Kids are so funny.
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