Four Weeks Old

December 20th-26th

Loves:  Loves looking at the ceiling fan, snuggling with Mommy, his paci, getting his face washed, and being held and talked to.

Eating:  Grant is eating 3.5 oz at every feeding.  He is still getting pumped breast milk and he's growing like a weed.  His face is really filling out.  I love his little cry that he makes when he is wanting to be fed.  Maaaa!  When the nipple gets near his  mouth he jumps on it.  I love watching him eat and him enjoying it so much.

Sleeping:  I was hoping that by this point he would be sleeping more but he's still sleeping a couple hours at a time.  I'm so ready for him to sleep a little longer.  He will sleep really well in his bassinet throughout the day but at night he fusses a good bit.  I have been putting him in the guest bed beside me to fall asleep.  He is very content laying beside me and falls asleep a lot faster.  He moves his arms a lot while he's sleeping and sometimes his arms wake him up.  He still will not allow us to swaddle his arms down.  He wants those hands to be free.  He's getting too crowded in the bassinet because when he moves his arms he hits the sides and wakes himself up.    

This Weeks Happenings:  This week we stayed at home the whole week.  One day I took him out by myself to the post office, bank, and Chick-fil-a but all we did was go through the drive-thru.  I've been putting him on his tummy for tummy time and he is getting good at holding his head up.  For Christmas we made cupcakes and watched Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story.  On Christmas day we went to Steve's for lunch.  This was a pretty low key Christmas and I know that next year will be a lot more fun when he's older.

  

Clothes:  Newborn clothes...he's filling them up a lot better.

Firsts:  First big bath in the whale tub, first Christmas, and umbilical cord came off.

Fun Facts:  

*When he sneezes he does it three to five times in a row

*He has become a lot more alert. He now looks  at you when you talk to him and is checking out things in the room.

*He will stop sucking his paci when you talk to him so he can hear you better.

*He knocks his paci out of his mouth when flailing his arms.

*When he passes gas it sounds like a grown man.  He has had a lot more gas this week and we have started giving him gripe water which seems to be helping.

*He has had a bad case of baby acne.  His face looks like a 14 year old teenage boy.  It breaks my heart every time I look at him.  It started the weekend of the 17th and it was horrible by Christmas.  I was embarrassed to take him out to visit my family.

*Mommy is finally figuring out his cries.  

*Josh has been staying up late so I can go to bed early.  This extra sleep has really helped my emotional well-being.

*Grandmother sent Grant money for a baby swing so I ordered one and it's on it's way.  I sure hope he likes it more than his bouncy seat.

*Suzanne came by for a visit this week.  She stopped in and brought me lunch and stayed for a couple of hours.  It's always nice having a mommy to ask questions and get advice.

*This week he has had several nights and days when he hardly slept at all. I was thinking he may be going through a growth spurt.


                                Here are some extra pictures from the past week!

See how bad my acne is?

Proof that we can sleep anywhere...including the floor! LOL!

Three Weeks Old

December 13th-December 19th


Grant is 3 weeks old.  It's been so hard blogging lately so I've had to do a little at a time.  I may actually have some facts mixed up from different weeks but I still wanted to document as much as possible about his early life.  I love him more and more everyday and I'm so glad that we were blessed with such a sweet baby.  That being said...the first few weeks are very tiring and I never want to forget that fact.  That way when I say I want another baby I can look back and remember what the first couple of weeks were like. LOL!

Loves:  His paci, being held all day, and sleeping beside his mom.

Eating:  He has been eating really good.  He eats about 3 oz every 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Since he was killing me while breastfeeding I have been pumping all day so he can still have breast milk.  It's a big commitment but it's better than quitting altogether.  I was so sore and very unhappy and therefore it was rubbing off on him.  He was crying and I was crying.  I figure that I would pump for as long as I can.  Once I made this decision I noticed a great deal of relief and I stopped breaking down as much.  Grant was having some stomach pains so I decided to eliminate milk from my diet.  He seems to have done much better after that.

Sleeping:  He has been sleeping in his bassinet in our room.  Josh went back to work so I've been trying to do all his feedings and make sure that he is quiet and doesn't disturb his dad too much.  That causes me some stress. LOL!  That is one reason why he got his paci back.  I gave it back one night while trying to keep him from crying so loud.  Once he got the paci back he didn't want to give it up again.  He still wakes up crying if the paci falls out of his mouth so I try to remove it when he is in a deep sleep so he doesn't notice it.  When I feed him at night I try not to talk to him and then I snuggle up with him so that he will go right back to sleep.  He usually sleeps a couple of hours until the next feeding.

See how mad I can get!

This Weeks Happenings:  This week Grant's Grandmother came for a visit.  He was spoiled to the max by the time she left.  She loved holding him and she would rock him whenever he cried. I loved seeing how calm she was with him.  Josh and I both took it all in and started using some of her techniques when she left.  She would also get up with me in the middle of the night and help with the feedings so that I could pump.  She cooked us a yummy meatloaf and made sure we were fed.  I had a doctor's appointment one morning so she watched Grant. I got to run a few errands afterwards.  We watched the movie The Help together.

Friday we were suppose to travel to Selma to spend the night.  After half way packing we decided that we weren't ready for an overnight trip just yet.  We waited until Saturday morning and left.  Grant got to meet my brothers and sister and their families.  He was passed around like a hot potato and loved every minute of it.  We figured he wouldn't sleep a wink that night but he had a great night. Here are a few pictures from our visit.

Clothes:  He is still wearing newborn clothes and we have to roll up the sleeves.

Mommy Moments: This was a hard week for Mommy.  I was very sleep deprived and had lots of pain from breastfeeding. It was a much harder week since Daddy went back to work and I had to do it all by myself.  But....we survived!  Thank goodness for a visit from Grandmother to save the day.  

Firsts:  Grant had his first trip out of town.  He loved riding in the truck and slept the whole way there.  He also enjoyed meeting his aunt and uncles for the first time.

Other tidbits:  


*Grant started getting some bumps on his face.  I think he is getting baby acne.
*He isn't too fond of his bouncy seat.  He cries when we put him in it.
*He wants to be held most of the day.
*I love it when he is hungry and tries to eat my face.  It really makes me giggle.
*We are having to change his clothes quite often because he starts peeing when we take his diaper off.
*We tried out some Huggies diapers and aren't very pleased with them.  We have discovered that we prefer Pampers diapers and the sensitive wipes.
*He loves getting a sponge bath and we are looking forward to him losing his umbilical cord so that we can give him a bath in his whale tub.

They think the world of each other! :)

Two Weeks Old

December 6th-December 12th


I didn't find the time to blog all the cute things from this week but I thought I could include some photos to show a snapshot of our week.

Here are some pictures from the past week!

This is how we LOVE to sleep!

Milk Coma

Daddy's on duty AND playing Modern Warfare!  Priceless!

Grant One Week

November 28th-December 5th


What a difference a week can make!  One week ago I was sleeping 9 hours a day and wondering just what motherhood had in store for me.  I knew that my life was about to change but didn't know how it would feel to be a mother and to finally know that little life inside me that had been growing for 9 months.  What a joy motherhood is!  It's been the hardest but most rewarding week of my life.  There is nothing like holding your baby boy and knowing that he's all yours.  

Loves:  Being held, eating, his paci, and cuddling with Mom and Dad.

Eating:  Grant loves to eat and has mostly been taking breast milk that I have pumped.  He has had a hard time latching on and gets really mad if he doesn't get fed as quickly as he would like.  Mommy has been frustrated that he isn't breast feeding like she would like and sometimes feels like a failure.  I'm not gonna give up on it though.  Sometimes he will breast feed without any problems which gives me some hope that he can do it.  I know that having to bottle feed him formula and having a paci has caused some nipple confusion for him.

Sleeping:  Grant has been a really good sleeper.  He wakes up, gets a diaper change,  and then we feed him.  Soon after that he falls right back to sleep.  Right now he is sleeping between 2 1/2 to 3 hours at a time.  Some times we have to wake him up to feed.  He has had a little trouble sleeping at night because his paci keeps falling out and I have to put it back in over and over again.  This has caused us both to be frustrated.  We are thinking about trying to wean him off the paci so that we all get more sleep at night.  

This Weeks Happenings:  We found out that Grant has jaundice on the day we left the hospital.  We were thankful that the doctor ordered a home therapy where he could lay in a bili bed at home instead of staying at the hospital.  I was terribly upset to find out that he would have to stay in the bed all day and night except for feedings but I knew it was for the best.  The first night we got home Grant started in the bili bed and seemed to be doing well until about midnight.  When we woke him up to feed at midnight he really wouldn't wake up and was very unresponsive.  We panicked and called the doctor's office and got a hold of the doctor on call.  She walked us through some things to do to wake him up and some exercises to see that he was ok.  After rubbing a wet wash cloth over his head and making him really mad he woke up and fed for us.  The following day a nurse came out and tested his bilirubin level and we found out that it had gone down from 14.8 to 11 which was great news.  We were told that he could get off the bili bed the following day.  Saturday Lauren and her boyfriend came for a visit and Grant enjoyed being held for hours.  Grant had his first visit with Dr. Barron.  He got a great report.  When he was born he weighed 6 lbs and 2 oz and when we left the hospital he weighed 5 lbs 14 oz.  At his first appointment he was back up to 6 lbs 4 oz.  Dr. Barron says that is great!

  Waiting with Dad at the doctor's office

Clothes:  He is wearing newborn clothes but most of them are still really long on his arms and his legs.  He won't put his legs down in the leg holes and gets frustrated with the outfits.  He is also wearing newborn diapers.  I'll be glad when he grows a little and can wear 0-3 month clothes since we have a lot of those.

See how big my clothes are?

Mommy Moments: I am so excited to say that I have lost about 10 pounds and it's exciting to watch my stomach shrinking.  My pelvis pain has gone completely away and I'm feeling much better.  

Firsts:  Grant had his first bath and seemed to enjoy it.  He also pooped on Mommy for the first time when getting his diaper changed.  

Food:  He is eating 2 oz. at every feeding.  He generally eats every three hours.

Favorite Moments:

Mommy's Favorite:  Watching him smile and his turtle face.

Daddy's Favorite:  All his facial expressions

Nicknames: Benjamin Button, Buddy, Little Man

Here are some pictures from the past week!

Daddy bringing me home for the first time.

Don't I look like a part of the Christmas decor?!

Daddy really loves holding me for hours on end!

My first time snoozing in my bouncy seat.

Week 39

Today: 39 Weeks

Baby Size: According to my sources the baby is the size of a watermelon. He should weigh about 7 lbs  and is 20  inches from crown to toe.


Weight Gain: At my 39 week appointment I was +25 pounds. 

Maternity Clothes:  Yes!  My tops seems to be getting shorter since they are having so much of my watermelon belly to cover.

Sleep: Still sleeping about 8-9 hours a night but I wake up a lot throughout the night.  

Symptoms:  Cramps, heartburn, restless legs, pelvic pain, back pain, and tendinitis in my wrist.

Movement: He hasn't been moving as much this week.  I've been a little worried and stressed out about it and I brought it up to the doctor at my doctor's visit.  He ordered a bio physical profile and Grant was sleeping most of the time.  The doctor wasn't satisfied so he sent me straight over to the hospital to have him monitored for a couple of hours.  I hadn't eating all day and was starving and you could tell that it was affecting the baby as well.  After watching the monitor for hours they said he was doing fine and that I needed to go get something to eat.

Best Moments this Week:  When I went to the doctor's office I was one centimeter dilated.  Dr. Sharp decided that I would go into the hospital on Sunday night and get a Cytotec induction.  He said that he hoped it would thin out my cervix.  He said that if it didn't work then he would send me back home and he would check me again on Wednesday and induce on Thursday.  I'm really hoping that it works cause I would hate to have to go back home after getting my hopes up.

Food Cravings: Cakes and cupcakes

What I Miss: I miss my old body and feeling good.  I'm ready to have my body back!

Looking Forward To: I'm ecstatic about being induced on Sunday.  It has really kept me calm knowing that we are moving forward.  I so hope that I will be meeting Grant on Monday.  I'm looking forward to adding a member to our family but also a little sad that it won't just be the two of us anymore.  I have relished the time I've spent talking with Josh lately.  I want to cherish this time together.

Week 38

Today: 38 Weeks

Baby Size: According to my sources the baby is the size of a watermelon. He should weigh about 6.8 pounds  and is 19 1/2  inches from crown to toe.


Weight Gain: At my 38 week appointment I was +25 pounds. 

Maternity Clothes:  Yes!  My tops seems to be getting shorter since they are having so much of my watermelon belly to cover.

Sleep: Still sleeping about 8-9 hours a night but I wake up a lot throughout the night.  

Symptoms:  Cramps, heartburn, restless legs, pelvic pain, back pain, and tendinitis in my wrist.

Movement: He is moving a lot and crowding me out.  I should have permanent footprints on my right side.  He moves a bunch when I'm sitting up cause I'm guessing he doesn't have as much room in my short torso.

Best Moments this Week: One of the best moments last week was my doctor's visit where I found out I had dilated a 1/2 a centimeter.  This week I hadn't made any change.  I was a little very disappointed but at least there is an end in sight.  Josh has been taking great care of me and I know he will be a great dad.  He got Modern Warfare 3 and has been playing it all week.  I'm being patient since I know he won't have much time to play it once Grant gets here.  I really enjoyed my visit with my mom a couple of weeks ago.  We went shopping, put a puzzle together, and talked for hours.  I really hate it that we live 2 hours away from each other.

Food Cravings: I'm still loving some cupcakes.  I made some homemade cupcakes this past week and they were delicious!  I'm looking forward to the Edgar's birthday cake that I'll get on Thursday.

What I Miss:  I miss my old body, being able to take medicine for pain, and getting up and down easily.

Looking Forward To: I'm really looking forward to my birthday this Thursday.  I've asked Josh for an Edgar's birthday cake, a pedicure, and dinner at Carrabba's.  We know our date nights will be few and far between so I'm gonna enjoy this last birthday before I become a mom.  

Week 36

Today: 36 Weeks

Baby Size: According to my sources the baby is the size of a crenshaw melon.  He should weigh about 6 pounds  and is 18 1/2  inches from crown to toe.



Weight Gain: At my 36 week appointment I was +25 pounds. 

Maternity Clothes:  Yes!

Sleep: Sleeping ok but it's uncomfortable and Josh says I moan a lot.  

Symptoms: Heartburn, restless legs, pelvic pain, back pain, and tendinitis in my wrist.

Movement: His feet are way up near my ribs and he moves a bunch.  He moves the most while I'm trying to eat.  He's been a lot more active and his kicks are a lot harder.


Best Moments this Week: We got his dresser in and his bed it put together so his room is almost ready.  I bought his bedding last week and I've already had both of my showers so things are going well.  I just have to pick up a few more things and then get my bags packed for the hospital.


Food Cravings: Cupcakes!!!  I've been on a cupcake kick for a few weeks.  The best are the ones my mom makes for me.

What I Miss:  Being pain free and being able to move about without getting winded.

Looking Forward To: I'm really looking forward to this week with my mom.  She's coming up today to help me finish up my shopping.  I'm also looking forward to the Alabama vs. LSU game on Saturday.  I hope we can pull this one out!