Two Months Old: All On Our Own

What fun month two has been watching Emerson grow. If every month is as fun and fast as this one, then I am so excited to see what lies ahead.

 

This month has been all about being on our own for several firsts. For a solid month we have been just a family of three. We had to cook, clean and do normal stuff all by ourselves, which was kind of nice to get back into a normal schedule, but I sure do miss people bringing food by...I was spoiled/blessed to not have to cook for almost two whole months!

Jesse had to travel a lot for work this month, and Emerson and I survived a few nights without him. For the first time I had to go a full 24 hour stretch with just me and Emerson, yikes! I was so nervous at first not to have any help, but in the back of my mind I knew I had several friends around who were there for me if I needed them. Being on our own meant me having to do bath time/bed time routine and all of the middle of the night feedings by myself, but I did it and now I am super confident I would be able to do it again.

Week six was the most challenging this month. The poor little guy hit a growth spurt and was fussier than normal. We lived through it and now my happy baby boy is back!

After we got passed the crying spell, I noticed that he started "talking" a lot more. He has even replaced some of his normal crying sessions with what I call a whiny talk, haha. Instead of waking up crying, he "talks." It starts out quite and then he will start to "whine" talk. It is pretty funny to listen to. Its like he is saying "hey, is anyone going to come get me?". After he eats is when he will talk the most in his happy voice. I am pretty sure he has said his first word, "hi". Ok, so maybe not, but that is the sound he makes. If  you say "hi" to him over and over he will make that same sound. It is so much fun to talk to him trying to get him to talk back.

Here is a breakdown of his activity this month:

Sleeping: We started the month off with his normal waking every three hours at night routine, but right around seven weeks he really started making a change and is now consistently sleeping longer stretches. He will go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m., sleep until 2 a.m. and then wake up between 5 and 6 a.m. He sometimes struggles with going back to sleep after he eats. His natural wake up time in the morning is 6 a.m. If he wakes up before then, I typically just let him talk to himself until it is time to get up. If I am lucky he will go back to sleep, if he gets fussy I get up to comfort him but make sure to leave him in this crib until 6 a.m. His naps are getting shorter, he takes several, but they only last 45 min to 1 hr. On a really rare day, he will take a three hour nap along with all of his short naps.

Eating: He is a much faster eater now. I almost miss him taking a full hour to eat, because it was a great time for me to relax, blog, read, etc. now he is all business. Jesse on occasion will still give him a bottle, which he drinks so fast!

Activity: His "play" is still about the same as last month, things only keep his attention for about 15 minutes or so. I am starting to introduce different toys during certain times of the day. For instance on his changing table I always keep a stuffed blue elephant that squeaks and crinkles that he loves to look at and try and reach for. During tummy time, I may use a rattle or another toy for him to look at. But his favorite toy of all is my face : ) He loves it when he is just sitting in my lap watching as I talk or sing to him.

Doctor visit stats:

• Weight: 12 lbs 11 oz
• Height: 24.5 inches 
• Other: he got a round of shots and did great! He cried and then slept.

Likes, dislikes and other milestones:

• He is starting to get a better grip on things you put in his hand. He loves to grab my hair and not let go. It wouldn't surprise me if his first real word is "ouch," because I constantly find myself saying that as he yanks on my hair.
• More smiles! I love it, it can make even the worst day, the best one :)
• Went on his first mini vacation to Galveston.
• Got several shots this month, but is now cleared "safe" to go out in public by his doctor.
• Has started to find his fists and will suck on them.
• Loves to take naps in his pouch while I walk around. I love it because I can get a few things done.
• Still has a head full of hair, but its starting to get lighter, and it almost has a red tint to it.
• Loves to go outside.
• Loves to look out the window, I think it is the light/dark contrast of the blinds and of the light outside, but he can stare out a window for a long time.
• Doesn't mind diaper changes as much, I think having the toy there helps.
• Loves to have books read to him, but his attention span is short, I usually read to him right before a nap. His favorite so far is the Bible for Boys (such a cute Bible book). 
• Likes to sing and talk.
• Can now stand for a few seconds, while holding him of course. His legs are becoming so strong, he will be crawling before I know it.
• He has only done it a few times, but he can roll over from tummy to back.
• He now fusses a bit more when doing tummy time. I think it frustrates him that he can't roll over every single time, he tries and tries and then gets mad.
• Likes to listen to music and the sound of my blow dryer.
• Does not like his car seat and it is getting harder and harder for him to calm down during car rides. Car rides used to put him right to sleep, but now that he is more alert, it takes a much longer drive to soothe him. 

We have several things to look forward to as we move into month three. Emerson is going to get to meet several of his aunts, uncles and cousins for the first time. Aunt Molly and Uncle Jonathan are coming to visit us in Houston next week and then we are traveling to my parents house for the Fourth of July where he will meet lots of my family for the first time. I am a little nervous about the seven hour drive, but I am sure he will do fine.

Emerson is still in the room with us at night in his pack n' play, but I keep saying that once we get back from traveling over the Fourth that we should move him into his crib, but we will see if I am actually brave enough to do it : )

In His Daddy's Shoes

I have been saving this post in honor of Jesse's first Father's Day, which revolves around these shoes...

Jesse has these old Nike shoes that he never really wears anymore but has kept them for a special reason. Several years ago he saw baby Nike shoes that matched his, so he bought them in hopes that one day his son would wear them and they would have matching shoes :) Now that Emerson is in our lives, he gets to fulfill this hope.

We got Emerson all dressed up so he and his daddy can match.

 Like father like son.

I just love Emerson's face in this one!

This is how Jesse normally carries Emerson around...it scares me to death!

  Happy Father's Day to this wonderful new daddy. We love you so very much. 

Emerson's First Vacation

Jesse had a work event in Galveston this week so Emerson and I joined him one evening.

It was more like a mini vacation because we were only gone 24 hours, but it was a vacation none-the- less. There were several firsts on this trip. 

First time to:

- drive a "long" distance in the car (1.5 hours)

- stay the night in a hotel

- go to the beach

- leave the house/normal routine (gone longer than two hours)

 In the car and ready to go to Galveston. He did great on the drive down.

Where we stayed, Hotel Galvez.

 

There was a gift shop within walking distance from our hotel that was right on the beach and had a huge porch with rocking chairs. For hours E and I sat in those chairs listening to the ocean and letting the sea breeze cool us, perfect for napping, which is what E did.

We also walked on the beach, explored our historic hotel and did a little shopping. E slept most of the time, which I fully expected. When he was awake, he loved listening to all of his new surroundings.

First time at the beach and he missed the whole thing : )

 

We purchased Emerson's first Christmas ornament. Jesse and I started the tradition when we got married that we would always buy a Christmas ornament when we took trips to new places and we wanted to do the same for our kids. Let the collection begin!

While we were there, I wanted to do my best to keep his nap and bed time routine the same as it would have been at home, this includes bath time, which was interesting. Thankfully the hotel had a tub, but next time (if he fits) I will just bathe him in the sink. He hated his bath in the hotel and I found it challenging as well. Any tips from the moms out there on bathing without a baby bath while traveling?  

My in-laws bought us this neat travel bed for Emerson which we were planning on taking, however after Jesse evaluated the size of our room (super tiny!), we opted not to take it this time. So guess were baby slept? In bed with us, yes I said it. For one whole night we co-slept with him and he did not die. In case you don't know, co-sleeping is one of those controversial parent topics. We don't co-sleep at home because we don't want to create the habit for him to only know how to sleep right next to me or on me, but my goodness it was super convenient to have him right there and not get up and down all night long. I now know why some parents are all about it, but sorry kid, it's back to the crib when we get home : ) 

The whole time we were in the hotel room I was so conscience of what our neighbors thought of his crying. He was a good boy, but anytime he made a peep, I rushed right to him to comfort him. Emerson probably loved all the extra attention. 

With all of these firsts, new environments and changes in his schedule, I was afraid the little guy would be a nightmare at night, but no! He actually slept "through the night"! And by "through the night" I mean five hours straight. I could not believe it! He slept from 8- 11:30 p.m. and then from 12-5 a.m.. Way to go, Emerson. I am one happy momma. The only downside was that he was wide awake at 5 a.m., but I would rather him do that then wake up every two hours all night long. He actually slept through the night at home the night before, so let's all hope and pray this continues. 

We have a few more vacations planned coming up this summer, one to my parents house for the Fourth of July and the other to a family reunion with Jesse's family in AZ. Can't wait for both of them!

One Month Old: Where Did My Newborn Go?

I can't believe my baby is one month old already! It has been so much fun watching this little guy grow and change everyday.

In just this past week, Jesse and I have been amazed at his transformation. I found myself asking "where did my newborn go?" Technically, Emerson is still a newborn, but he has grown from a sleepy baby to a more alert baby who is starting to show a little personality. Everyday he is fun to watch as he grows.

This month has been all about learning each other and learning our new roles. I now can differentiate his cries and I know he recognizes our voices. On my part, I am still learning how to mange my new lifestyle change. I want to go, go, go all the time, but I am learning that naps are necessary and I need to slow down. Jesse and I both agree that Emerson has made us super efficient with our time. We both work ten times harder and faster to accomplish things at home when he sleeps...and then we rest : )

 I was able to capture at least one sweet semi-smile.

Here is a breakdown of his activity this month:

Sleeping: The first few weeks Emerson slept a lot during the day and in very short, erratic spurts at
night. Now he seems to have flopped a bit. He consistently takes a nap, which range from 30 min-2 hours. We have started a bedtime routine to help him establish day sleep from night sleep. It may be a little early for him to understand "oh it is night, time to go to sleep" , but it seems to help and I know it will be helpful to him even more once he is a little older. He now sleeps in 2-4 hour stretches at night for the most part. He sleeps best in his car seat after a drive around town. Thankfully, I have not had to get up in the middle of the night and go for a drive to put him to sleep, but it is nice to know he will go to sleep that way if we get desperate for sleep.

The one consistent piece of advice I received was "sleep when the baby sleeps." Well that is all good in theory, but it is the hardest piece of advice to follow. When the sun is up, I am up and I want to get things done. No matter how tired I am, I don't realize it until it gets dark and then all I want to do is sleep. Needless to say, I am working on taking more naps.

Eating: This kid can eat! His cute chubby thighs confirm that : )

Although you couldn't tell it now, in the beginning feeding was hard and frustrating. I wanted to breast feed or at least give it a fair shot. Everyone told me to give it two weeks, which doesn't sound like a long time, but when your baby won't eat and his life depends on you feeding him, it can be stressful. Thankfully after a week of working hard at it, we figured it out and now he is an excellent eater.

Activity: This is still pretty limited, but we have "play" time everyday between feedings and naps. Play time includes tummy time, playing on the floor mat, sitting in his swing, singing, reading a book and bath time. Each of these activities only last about 15 min. I have noticed in the past week, he is more alert in between feedings and naps, which has been fun to watch him interact more. First thing in the morning after he eats, our "play" time is just talking to each other. This is when he likes to mimic my faces the most and I can get the most smiles out of him.

Doctor visit stats:

• Weight: 10 lbs 14 oz
• Height: 22.5 inches long
• Other: He had to get a shot at this visit, which I was not expecting. He did great though. He cried at first, but then went right to sleep.

 Likes, dislikes and other milestones:

• He does not like getting his diaper changed. It is only manageable of he is fed first. Although, I think once he has better control over his hands and legs, is won't be as bad. Half the time I think he just scares himself moving around.
• He is starting to like bath time. We have to heat up the room, keep a warm wash cloth on his belly and sometimes a pacifier in his mouth, but hey it works! 
• He really likes getting his legs and feet massaged with lotion after bath time.
• No longer in newborn clothes. Now wearing 0-3 mo. 
• We are also transitioning out of newborn diapers.
• He definitely laughed for the first time and gave me an ear-to-ear real smile.
• He has now started mimicking some of our facial expressions. He can smile if you start smiling at him and he tries to stick his tongue out. It's very funny to watch him move his mouth around trying.
• The first two weeks he never spit up, now he spits up more frequent...I guess he is learning to eat quicker and his stomach can't keep up.
• Tummy time is hit or miss, but for the most part he doesn't mind and his neck is becoming so strong, he can turn his head side-to-side.
• He loves looking at lights. I have to shield the little night light from his face during night time feedings or else we will wake up completely and just want to stare at the light instead of eating. 

 Towards to end of the photo taking session.  

What a blessing this little guy has been in our lives! I am excited to see what new changes next month will bring.

Celebrating My First Mothers Day

I have been a mom now for about three weeks and yet it feels like it's all I have ever been : )

Whether it has been three weeks or 30 years, I think a celebration is in order. After all, from here on out I will always be a mother, the most important role I will ever have (no pressure).

Happy Mothers Day to all you wonderful moms and soon-to-be moms!



 

 

The 27th Year Has Begun

My 26th year was a really good one. It was the year we decided to start a family, the year we got pregnant and the year Emerson entered our lives.

Today I get to smile as I start a new journey as a 27 year old! Here are 10 good reasons for me to smile today:

1. It's my birthday, of course this makes the top of the list
2. I got to spend the whole day with my little man
3. I held my baby to sleep as I started typing this post and he smiled
4. We went out to eat as a family of three for the first time tonight
5. I forgot to get the mail the past few days so when I went this morning to check, I had tons of birthday cards waiting for me
6. I got more sleep last night, which meant a better start to my day
7. Emerson is three weeks old today...one step closer to consistent better sleep (hopefully)
8. I got to take a shower and feel pretty (a huge accomplishment right now)
9. Jesse and I are going to watch a movie tonight after Emerson goes to sleep
10. It's Friday! Which means Jesse is home all weekend and I can get some extra sleep

Wow, I just realized that five of my above talk about sleep. You can tell it is obviously really important to me right now, haha.

I look forward to seeing what this year of surprises lies ahead for me. I look forward to watching Emerson grow and our family bond.

Us at dinner.

 

I love this little man!

 

 

Over Read = Overwhelmed

My head has been spinning with too much baby information.

I first thought that reading books before Emerson arrived would help better equip me in parenthood. Knowledge equals power, right?  Well, not so much in this case, especially when you read too many different theories.

The following (including a brief synopsis) is a list of books that I have read front to cover and certain sections twice:

• What to Expect When you are Expecting - a general overview of questions you may have when pregnant including some postpartum and baby stuff.
• Baby Wise- a book that focuses on how to get your baby on a scheduling system so your baby learns to be a part of your family and not the only family member. It follows a strict eat, active, sleep routine about every 3 hours. It encourages waking the baby if you reach that 3 hour mark to eat if necessary. The pay off is a baby that work with your controlled schedule (parent directed), ultimately working towards sleeping through the night at an earlier age (8 weeks instead of 12).
• Secrets of the Baby Whisperer- written by a British nanny, this book focuses on learning to read your baby and understanding what they need and respecting them as a person. This book also agrees with the eat, active, sleep routine, but doesn't focus on the clock like Baby Wise. It is more about establishing a consistent routine so your baby learns what is/should happen next.
• The Nursing Mothers Companion- this book covers all things about breast feeding and of course promotes the importance and benefits of breast feeding. The most important information I took from is book was the importance of establishing a good latch and not creating nipple confusion, meaning no sugar water, pacifier or bottle/formula while in the hospital or for the first two weeks until a good feeding has been established...haha, all of that went out the window when he was born. In the hosiptal, the nurses gave him all of that, sugar water, pacifer and bottle...but I did finally consent to it due to certain circumstances (i.e. Emerson had jaundice).
• The Happiest Baby on the Block - this focuses on calming a fussy baby and follows a simple formula, the 5 S's: swaddle, side, swing, shhh and suck (pacifier or feeding). 

All were great books and made good points that made perfect sense, unfortunately, besides their general statements, their main points contradicted each other. So who is right? 

Can you spoil or not spoil a newborn by holding them to much? Does a pacifier really create bad habits and nipple confusion? Is letting them "cry it out" a bad thing? 

Every book takes one side or the other and the conclusion I finally came to was no one really knows, so do whatever works best for you and your baby!

Obviously there are good practices to be learned and for that, I am glad I read all those books, but now that he is here, I am learning there is no simple formula or plan to follow, which is frustrating for someone like me. I like plans, check lists and seeing things in black and white, but obviously babies don't come with a manual.

It has been tough, but I am working hard on just going with the flow the best I can and enjoy this time with my newborn. It won't be long before I look down and see a little boy instead of my baby. 

To sum it all up, a friend shared this article that is pretty funny and makes me realize I am not alone in all of this confusion. If you don't want to read the whole thing, you will get the point within the first few statements, so please read, you will get a good laugh :)