Elliott's first month birthday.

Elliott:


We have loved every minute of our first month with you.  It has been a true learning experience for us, but in such a wonderful way.  Here are some milestones from your first month of life:

-At one month old you weigh 9 pounds, 1 ounce, measure 21 inches long and have a head circumference of 14 and a half inches.  That puts you in the 25th percentile for weight, 25-50th percentile for height, and 10-20th percentile for the size of your head.

-It took us 3 and a half weeks to get you back to your birth weight after your weight dropped from 8 pounds 11 ounces to 7 pounds 14 ounces.

-You still wear newborn clothes and diapers.

-You had to be readmitted to the hospital the day after our discharge for 24 hours of phototherapy because your bilirubin levels were so high.

-You love sleeping in your swing, in fact you refused to sleep flat on your back in your cradle, so you slept in your swing the first 2 weeks home.

-You now sleep in your Nap Nanny in your cradle in our room.

-You want to be swaddled all the time, day and night, or you fuss and cry. I've wondered if you can be swaddled too much, but I figure you'll let me know when you're ready to explore your arms and legs more.

-You're nursing every 2 hours during the day for 45 minutes, and every 3-4 hours at night. We were supplementing 4 oz of formula a day to get you to your birth weight, but now that you're there we've cut that out and your strictly on breast milk.

-You have slept for 5 hour stretches several nights already. This makes momma very happy!

-You have been trying to hold your head up since the day after you were born. We don't think it will be long before you're strong enough to keep it up.

-You don't like bath time, you scream until you are dressed and nursing.

-You love music- especially any kind of loud rock. It stops your crying and puts you to sleep.

-If you're awake, you want to be held, rocked and/or bounced. You're already a Momma's boy :)

-You haven't mastered the pacifier yet, but you're getting close.

-You've had lots of visitors this month, everyone thinks you are a good mix of both your mom and dad.

We love you more than words can say.  You are already growing way too fast for me.  I love to just stare at your little features while you sleep, trying to soak it all in, because I know you'll be a teenager in the blink of an eye.  We're looking forward to watching you grow and seeing your personality develop.  We still pray for you every night.  We pray that you will grow into a kind, hard working man who loves the Lord.  But, for now we're just enjoying every minute of your baby days.


Happy one month birthday sweet boy,
Momma

Life lately, according to my iPhone.

[1] Yawn. [2] My boys. [3] Day 1 of half marathon training post baby.

[4] Date night. [5] First sushi and wine in 10 months.

[6] Elliott with his grandpa and great grandpa.

[7] Play date with Audrey Mae. [8] My daily companions.

The First Few Weeks as a Family of Three.

We've been a family of three for three weeks now.  In some ways it feels like Elliott has been with us longer, but at other times I can't believe it's already been three weeks.  I know these first weeks as new parents will be filled with memories we will look back on fondly throughout our lives, and I wish I could document everything we have experienced and felt during this new stage of life, but my thoughts are so many, it's hard to get it all down.

Life is so different as a family of three.  People tell you when you are pregnant how "everything will change when you have a baby."  But, I'm not sure you can really comprehend just how much your life will change until you are there; up at 3am with a crying baby, and home on nights and weekends, because he can't go out until he has his shots.

I'm certainly not saying having a baby is miserable, I'm just explaining our new reality.  Gary and I are used to being able to come and go as we please.  We like to go out with friends, or on dates with each other, but life with a newborn has not allowed much of that.  Our evenings and weekends are spent on the couch or in bed resting between diaper changes and feedings, or rocking Elliott in an attempt to soothe him when he's crying and we don't know why.  Taking care of a baby is a full time job... night and day.

I can tell we have both changed so much in just 3 short weeks.  Friday night my parents came to stay with Elliott so Gary and I could go on a date.  We went out to dinner at Sushi Cafe so I could enjoy my first glass of wine and Sushi in 10 months.  I was looking so forward to getting out of the house, since I have not left for more than a grocery run or pediatrician visit since E was born.  However, once we arrived and were seated, all we could talk about was Elliott, wondering what he was doing, and if he was ok without us.  We even sat and looked through pictures of him on our iPhones.  Looking around at all the people dressed up for a carefree night out drinking with friends, we suddenly felt older.  We knew that unlike the other people there, we would only have one drink, and then be home with our baby by 9:30... and we were totally ok with that.

Another thing people tell you during pregnancy is how much you will love your child.  Again, I don't think you can truly comprehend how deep your love for your baby will be until you've felt it.  When I look at Elliott, I think he is absolutely perfect.  I got emotional just looking at him last night, thinking how I never wanted anyone to hurt him.  I would do absolutely anything for that little guy.  My whole life has changed to take care of him, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

So what have we been up to the past 3 weeks?  Maybe the best way for me to remember is through photos, so here are a few favorites from our first 3 weeks home:

Introducing Maggie and Lola to Elliott.  They are both very curious about him.

Getting his first bath with help from his Mom and Grandma.

He wasn't a fan of bath time.

Dad rocking Elliott to sleep to Band of Horses.  He loves music, especially Indie Rock.
The louder the better, puts him right to sleep.

We've had lots of visitors, including Elliott's first friend, (and maybe someday girlfriend) Paisley. 

He loves his swing! He even slept in it for the first 2 weeks,
refusing to sleep in his cradle until we got a "Nap Nanny".

Life as a family of three has been a major adjustment.  It's true what they say, "a baby changes everything!"  Our lives have been changed for the better with the addition of sweet Elliott.

Elliott's Newborn Photos.

At about 10 days old, Elliott had his first photo shoot.  He was an excellent subject!  He slept the whole time, and let us pose him however we wanted (as long as we had the space heater nearby).  Amy and her husband, Jeff, were so patient with us.  She's such a talented and creative photographer!  We were very pleased with her and how our photos turned out.  Here's a sneak peak:

On weight checks and nursing:

Being a first time mom has come with many challenges.  One of the biggest challenges has been nursing.  Elliott's jaundice caused him to loose quite a bit of weight, dropping from 8 pounds, 11 ounces at birth to 7 pounds 14 ounces when we left the hospital.  As a result, we have had weight checks with our pediatrician every 3 to 4 days since we left the hospital, and they will continue until Elliott reaches his birth weight again.

At E's first Doctor's appointment.

Before becoming a Mom, when I would hear about women who chose not to nurse their babies, I would instantly judge them.  Why wouldn't you want to nurse? It's better for your baby, it saves money, and helps your body return to its pre-pregnancy state.  I thought these women were being selfish.

On the other side, I now regret ever judging a woman's decision to not nurse.  Nursing is hard work, for Mom and for baby.  Nursing takes 30-45 minutes per feeding, whereas bottle feeding takes 10-15 minutes per feeding.  Nursing a newborn is just plain exhausting.  Elliott will be 3 weeks old on Thursday and has yet to return to his birth weight on a diet of breast milk.  We have tried multiple techniques and I have worn myself out trying to get him to his birth weight on breast milk alone.  I have left the Doctor's office heartbroken multiple times, feeling like I did everything I could and yet my child had not gained a single ounce.

The first week home I thought I would never sleep again.  Elliott wanted to nurse all night long.  As soon as I would pull him off, he would start screaming as though he hadn't eaten anything.  I cried too, because I didn't know how to help him, and I wanted more than anything to breastfeed.  I felt like I would be failing if I gave him formula.  However, after multiple weight checks with no progress, I realized I had to quit beating myself up and do what was best for my baby, even if that meant supplementing formula when needed.

I've been determined to stick it out, even though it hasn't gone how I envisioned it.  Elliott is now up to 8 pounds, 8 ounces, just 3 ounces shy of his birth weight.  This progress didn't come without sacrifice though.  We started "triple feeding" two weeks ago, meaning I nurse Elliott on both sides for a total of 30 minutes, then give him a bottle with 1 oz. of pumped milk (if I have enough) or formula (when I don't have enough pumped milk).  After he's fed, I pump for 10-15 minutes to increase my milk supply and have milk for his next bottle.  The whole process takes about an hour, and we do it every 2 hours (from the start of one session to the start of the next) during the day, and every 3 hours at night, meaning I have about an hour (2 at night) between feedings (if he goes to sleep) before starting again.  Oh, and then I have to wash and sterilize all of the pump parts after each pumping session.  See what I mean? Exhausting, right?

Dr. Davis checking Elliott out.

But, it's been a rewarding experience too.  There is no better way for a mother to bond with her baby than nursing.  It is a wonderful feeling to be able to provide nutrition and comfort for Elliott any time and any place with just my body.  My milk supply has increased, and I now only have to give him a bottle about twice a day, meaning I can start storing my pumped milk for when I return to work next month.  I don't know if we will make it to the one year mark nursing, but I'm determined to try it as long as I can, because I know it's what's best for Elliott.  However, I'll never again judge a woman for formula feeding her baby.  Every woman and baby is different, and you have to do what's best for you and your baby.  If nursing is exhausting you to the point that you can't enjoy time with your baby, maybe formula feeding is best for the both of you.  I had to learn to swallow my pride and do what was best for Elliott, even if it meant supplementing formula when I could tell he was still hungry.


We return for what I hope will be our final weight check on Friday morning.  I couldn't have made it to this point without giving up nursing, had it not been for my supportive family and friends.  My mom has helped do laundry, run errends, stayed with E while I got some fresh air, and even spent the night rocking him so I could sleep between feedings.  Gary has also helped tremendously, rocking and comforting Elliott when he's fussy so I can pump or have a break.  


Being a Mom is hard work, but it's more rewarding than anything I've ever done.  I've learned more about myself through this experience than I ever thought possible.

Life lately, according to my iPhone.

[1.] Elliott rooting for the Hogs during the Cotton Bowl.

[2.] "Push present" from my honey. [3.] Sweet hands.

[4.] Home in our own beds. [5.] Our tiny miracle. 

[6.] Bright eyes. [7.] Newborn photo session. [8.] Rocking E to sleep. 

[9.] My two boys.[10.] Mommy time. [11.] Lazy day in bed. 

Gary's 28th Birthday.

Today we celebrated Gary's 28th Birthday.  We had a low key birthday party at home with family and a couple of close friends tonight.  I was very pleased with the Razorback birthday cake I got from Community Bakery. Not only did it look good, it tasted pretty good too.

I'm so thankful for Gary.  He is a wonderful husband and father, and it was a joy to celebrate his life with our loved ones and new baby boy tonight.  Happy Birthday babe, I hope 28 will be a great year for you!