Parker's Three Month Update

Dear Parker,

Month three has been full of firsts!  You took your first plane ride, met all of your Arkansas family, went riding on a boat on a lake, started drinking from a bottle regularly, started hitting objects in front of you, started going to daycare and overall just became very aware and curious!

 At three months you:

 

• Drink 4-5 oz of breastmilk from a bottle.
• Started going to daycare when you were 11 weeks and 5 days old so that mom could go back to work.  Mom cried really hard when she first dropped you off and misses spending all of her time with you.  So far, you don't seem to mind daycare.  In fact, the teacher asked me if you were always this calm at home?  Apparently, you can be playing on the mat at daycare and just fall asleep all on your own.  How did I not know you had this capability?!  You've never done that for me!
• Sleep 9-10 hours at night, but now that you go to daycare, we have to wake you up in the morning which kind of breaks my heart!  I'm trying to move your bedtime up some so that you get your needed sleep.  
• Wear size 2 diapers and poop 2-3 times a day, but this week you have had a couple of days with no poop!
• Love bath time and are starting to become more calm after bath time.  I thank the warm towels I give you.
• Smile a lot more
• LOVE to stand!  We practice sitting up and holding your head while mom holds your arms and you will just push yourself to a standing position.  You are so strong!  Of course, once you get standing you are like a load of jelly with your body flailing around.  But, it's so cute!
• Enjoy being in your bouncy seat.  You are still a little small for it, but mom tucks a pillow in the chair with you and puts a pillow at your feet so that you bounce yourself. 
• Are becoming very aware and curious.  You just look around with your pretty, blue eyes and take in your surroundings.  
• Will hit objects with your hands if they are above you.  
• Will hold a ball and stare at it with awe.  Then, you try to put it in your mouth.  It's so fun to watch!
• Spent a week with just mom and Aunt Kate while your dad went to Norway on a business trip.  We wouldn't have survived without Aunt Kate.
• Went to Arkansas to meet all of your family that lives there.  You particularly enjoyed your great grandma Joan.  You were like putty in her hands.
• Flew on a plane to Arkansas and you were a very good traveler!
• Hate riding in the carseat in the car.  I mean, literally, you hate it.  You don't mind it if we are moving too much, but if I so much as hit the brake and start to slow down, you start screaming.  You must be moving.  This makes it hard for mom when she comes home with you because we don't go very fast!
• Caught your very first little cold on your 9th day of day care.  At least you lasted longer than my coworker's baby... hers only lasted 3 days without getting sick.  :-)
• Seem to have found your hands, but not your fingers yet.  You love trying to put your fists all the way into your mouth... that used to be your hunger cue, but now its how you play!

We love you to the moon and back sweet boy.  I look forward to seeing what you learn in month four!

Just hanging out in my bouncy seat.

You love your T-Paw!

Your first day of daycare.

Your "official" three month photo!

 

Our Knight in Shining Armor

No, this post isn't about gladiators and knights.  Nor is it about the mid-evil.  This post is about Aunt Kate, my sister, our knight in shining armor.  I'm not sure our family of three could exist without Aunt Kate.

Aunt Kate is the dreaded middle sister in our family.  Regardless of actuality, it is always the perception that the middle child is in the background.  And some of that is probably true... the first born is busy forging the path and the parents are figuring it all out for the first time and the baby sister gets all the attention because, "she's the last one!"  Fair? Probably not.  True?  Not all the time.

I just want this post to praise my middle sister, someone who probably doesn't always get the praise she deserves out loud.  The young woman who sometimes thinks she blends into the background.  **Several people throughout Parker's existence so far deserve tons of praise and they have my complete gratitude.  ***Nor is this a post excluding my youngest sister, who is every bit an awesome Aunt. 

I was so excited when Kate told me she was moving to Houston.  It was instant relief.  My kid would have someone else besides me and his dad close by.  If there was an emergency and neither myself or Robert could be reached, there would be family in town. 

Well, Aunt Kate has gone above and beyond the call of duty.  She doesn't just play with Parker when she feels like it.  She comes over and helps feed him, bathe him, change his diaper, play with him, bounce him when he's cranky, goes to doctors appointments with me, cries with me, swims with Parker, helps me with household chores and even run some errands for me.  She is AMAZING with Parker.  Parker loves her so much.  I swear, Parker smiled at her before she smiled at me!  She does all of this out of the kindness of her heart.  She doesn't run away when he cries and isn't afraid of a poopy diaper.  She has such a way with him.  What's so amazing is that she has really stepped in to help me while Robert is away.  She is my confidant and Parker's greatest friend.

She truly has a way with kids and our life would not be the same without her.  Thank you Aunt Kate.  You are our knight in shining armor.  Please know how much we love you and how much we need you. 

Parker and his Aunt Kate

Parker's Two Month Update!

Dear Parker,

Guess what, it has been two months!  Boy have you changed!  Gone are the days where I feel like I'm at a total loss of what to do with you and fearful I may break you.  Okay, I lie.. I still have those days and/or moments.  But, for the most part we understand each other.  We have developed a routine and you sleep beautifully at night.  You sure are growing up fast.. I estimate you weigh somewhere around 12 pounds.

You are also becoming a lot more alert.  I can tell you can see things.  You can follow toys really well now and you love looking at the mobile on your swing.  It puts you in a trance and you promptly fall asleep.

At two months you:

• Sleep in a crib!!  Yay!  Mom is very proud of this, because there for awhile it was looking like you might be a swing sleeper.  We had to make this a goal so that you could sleep at DD Nana's.  :-)
• Take some nap in the swing still, because its easier for you to fall asleep.  But, I always try to have at least one nap in the crib.
• Sleep swaddled in a Swaddle Me Blanket.  I love this thing and so do you.  In fact, you have outgrown your newborn size and we are moving you into a size small (though the size small is HUGE!  Your daddy thought he might be able to wear it, haha).
• Still like your swing and really like looking at the mobile spinning above you.  You also like the mobile the above your bed (thanks Aunt Kate!)
• Love to be bounced.  You can sit still in mom's lap for a short period of time (10 mins), but after that you want to be bounced up and down.  I hope this gets better, because mom's legs and arms tire fast.  However, dad has a ton of energy for this.  :-)
• Like music.  And like looking at the TV.  That is probably not good that you like watching the TV this early, but when its on, your eyes are always going back to it.
• Can follow objects.
• Really like it when mom puts her finger to her lips and wiggles it up and down and makes a funny noise (what do you call this?!) and then she tries to make you do it and you open your mouth and kind of grunt and smile.  It's really cute.... you want to be able to do it, too!
• Smile occasionally, but not socially.  You can't mimic a smile, yet.  But, you will smile here and there and I love it.
• Sleep for 6-8 hours straight every night.  Though, one night you slept nine hours.  We really wore you out the day before you slept nine hours.  We shall see if you keep increasing your sleeping patterns.  I think its great!  Your dad probably won't be satisfied until you sleep 10 hours... he's such a sleeper and it seems you take after him.
• Eat 4-6 oz at a time and 6-7 feedings a day.
• Go to bed anywhere from 9:15-10:30 at night.  We are still working on finding your ideal bed time.  Mom's torn between you waking up in the middle of the night and going to bed early.  We start the bedtime process at 8:30.
• Still go for a daily walk with your dad and now that you can see more, you enjoy it awake more!  We've only missed one walk that was due to rain.  I think your dad walks you for like 4-5 miles (or for an hour).  Though, if I'm going, we walk at a much slower pace.
• Poop 2-3 times a day.
• Have gone "swimming" twice now.  I can't tell if you like it, but you don't cry.  I think you are more or less in shock.  You also don't like for your hands to get wet (that goes for a bath or in the pool).
• Wear size 0-3 month clothing.  You have outgrown your newborn outfits.
• Still have bluish-gray eyes.
• Wear size 1 diapers, just barely.  We're using the last of the size one diapers and I've already purchased your size two diapers.
• Make sounds when you are happy.
• Still get unhappy after bath time.  Though, Aunt Lori told us a trick about using warmed towels after bath time and this helps pacify you for a short while.
• Sit out on the balcony with mom and we dance to music.

All in all, you sure have grown in the past month!  We are going to the doctor this week for your 8-week shots, which I'm sure will be very traumatizing for mom.  We are headed to visit everyone in Arkansas when you are nine weeks as well, so that promises to be an adventure all on its own!  Mom and dad love you, always and forever.

Please mom, don't make me do it.

Okay, fine.  I'll roll over.

Remember When...

Dear Parker,

As with anything we do, we always have funny stories to tell.  Or well, at least, I think they are funny.  This blog is dedicated to the experiences we have encountered this far and all the new meanings of life you have given us.  I know these will fade with time, so I wanted to jot them down here.

Remember when...

• The time mom used the night-time bath soap in the sink and bubbles were exploding everywhere and she had to get a bowl to scoop them out and toss them in the shower.
• The time when mom thought the night-time bath soap was indeed soap and was washing you with it only then to read the back of the bottle the next day and realize you are supposed to just put this stuff in the water.  Not scrub you with it.
• That time that mom banged you so hard against the stair railing while you were in your car seat because carrying you and the car seat together feels like a ton.  Luckily, it didn't phase you besides initiating your startle reflex.
• The first time me and DD Nana put your car seat in the car.  We literally had you hovering over the base that was strapped in the car and dropped you.  Not to worry, you clicked right in.  We only activated your startle reflex and you arms went flailing.  We've got it down now, though.
• The evenings you just cuddled up on your dad's chest.
• How mom could put you in her Boba Wrap and just bounce and "sshhh" you to sleep within minutes.
• How we couldn't get you to settle down one day so I took you for a walk in the middle of the day.  And of course you screamed the whole time.  And mom walked by a police car and thought for sure he'd stop me and turn me in to CPS because it was 90 degrees and you were screaming.  Mom then high-tailed it back home and stripped you of your clothing because she had for sure thought you were over-heating.  Then you slept naked (with a diaper, of course!).
• The time dad rubbed mom's feet while you were feeding in the evening.  Oh, heaven.
• The time me and Aunt Kate took you to the mall only to walk into Dillard's twice and you start screaming.  Our two-hour adventure consisted of walking into Dillard's, changing your diaper, walking out of Dillard's feeding you in the car, walking back into the mall, walking to Baby Gap and immediately turning around back to the car where we changed your diaper and then fed you again.  Then we left.  Enough adventure for us!
• The time that we took you to your first pool party at the fourth of July.  You learned lots of colorful language from the pool-goers (shame on them!).
• The time mom put you in your car seat so she could eat of bowl of cereal real quick as she was starving and she forgot to put the handle down at the back of the car seat so it wouldn't rock.  Well, as luck would have it, as you were screaming, you managed to hoist yourself up and tip the car seat over.  Never fear, you didn't fall out.  You were just standing up almost upside down, if that makes sense.
• The time you pooped in mom's hand while she was changing you.  Yuck!
• The time you pee'd all over DD Nana during bath time.
• How it took us 5 hours to take your newborn photos.  You ate almost the whole time and pooped in three different outfits/poses which initiated additional feedings.
• The sound of a hairdryer.  There are some car rides where that is the only sound we listen to.  Also, I'm always curious what the passerby's think of hearing the hairdryer in the stroller as we take you for walks.  Additionally, sometimes dad just walks around the house with the sound of the hairdryer playing in his pocket.

Most of all, as I look back on these days, I remember how much we loved you.

We Love Your Daddy

Dear Parker,

You've been with us for almost six weeks now.  Having you here has been such a blessing!  Over these past weeks I've been able to watch your daddy interact with you and help me.  These are moments that I don't want to ever forget.  I can see how easy it is to take him for granted which is why I wanted to jot these things down so that I can come back to them and remember how great he was with you. 

• When he changes your diaper, I usually hear things like, "Don't fire the cannon!" and "O.M.G."  These things make me giggle and sometimes the expression you give back makes it seems like you are giggling, too.
• When you start to tinkle in the bathtub, he's always the first to notice and block the spray from hitting me.
• He always wakes up with me in the night to feed you.  He changes you and re-swaddles you before I nurse you.
• He always tries to give me a "calm" baby back.  He will do anything to keep you from crying before he hands you over.
• He tries so hard to entertain you.  Sometimes, he has three different toys flailing around in front of your face.  I gently remind him that three is probably too much as its already hard for you to focus on one thing at a time.
• He makes a ton of funny faces at you, all the time.  I can't wait until you start mimicking them back!
• He loves to swing you around and bounce you around the house and you LOVE IT!  Dad can always calm you down.  Pretty soon he'll be throwing you up in the air!
• You can stare up at your daddy for hours.  This melts my heart.
• On the weekends, he does his best to do everything for you.  He burps you and when you wake up from your nap too early, he will just hold and rock you until you fall back asleep.  Then, he will just let you lay in his arms.
• He takes you on a walk every day.  He walks close to three miles with you every day.  He does this for me so that I can have one hour without a baby to write blog posts, clean up, shower, and other activities.  Don't get me wrong, you like your walks, too!
• He never backs down from a diaper change.
• When you were first born and we were struggling through the night and I was in tears because you were in tears, he would just sit with me and rub my feet to help calm me down.
• He gets me fresh water and heats me up breakfast at 5 AM when I'm up with you.

Throughout this pregnancy with you, there was one thing I was certain of:  Your dad would be a GREAT dad.  This statement is still true to this day.  It's clear how much your dad loves both of us.  Everything he does for you, he also does for me.  Your dad is my knight in shining armor.  I hope you can take this as an example of how to treat a lady when you get older and as an example of gentleman-like behavior.

Your dad and I both love you so much! 

Parker's One Month Update

Parker and his daddy.  They complete me.

Dear Parker,

We made it!  Me, you and daddy all survived the first month without any major problems or upsets.  We didn't break you like we thought we might in the beginning.  At the first month you:

• Weigh somewhere around 9lbs
• Are wearing size 1 diapers
• Make crazy faces when you are trying to poop or toot.  It's still really hard for you to poop and when you need to go, you can't focus on anything else.  This sometimes impacts our feeding times because all you do is focus on "pushing" instead of eating.
• Still toot all the time and they are loud! You like to sigh after you toot also.  Mom has started giving you some gas drops to help alleviate all of your built up gas in your tummy.
• Have not smiled at us yet on purpose.  When you are done eating, you will just lay in my arms and these smiles will cross your face.  This is adorable and sometimes I don't want to put you down, but then mom remembers she needs sleep, too!  I think you are close to smiling at me while you are awake.
• Can focus on an object and every once in awhile you will follow it side to side.
• Don't mind tummy time and can lift your head from side to side.
• Eat for about 20-30 minutes every 2-3 hours.  You can sleep 5 hours at night, but this past week you have struggled to sleep more than 4 hours at a time.  We had one night where you slept 6 hours straight, but that has not been repeated.
• Still sleep in your swing at night.  Mom is scared to mess up a good thing!
• LOVE the sound of a hairdryer.  Me and dad have apps that play the sound of a hairdryer and you will instantly quiet and usually fall asleep.  It's amazing!  Sometimes when you go out for a walk with dad, he will come back with you and the hairdryer sound playing.
• Go on a walk with me and dad in the evenings, but dad walks the farthest with you.
• Love taking a bath, but you HATE getting out of the bath and being cold and wet. 
• You will take a bottle of breast milk and when we have done that you eat about 4 oz.
• Definitely more alert at 4 weeks than you were at 2 weeks.
• Have tried putting you in the Ergobaby carrier and the Boba Wrap, but you don't particularly like either of those that much.  I think we just get too hot and will be better when you can hold your head up.
• Your head control is definitely getting better.  You can lift it 45 degrees on your own.
• You don't mind your car seat as long as you are moving or asleep.  Hence the walk in the evenings.
• You don't do well at just laying and being still/quiet.  You aren't content to just "watch the world."  You prefer to be moving if you are going to be awake.  I can play with you on the floor for about 30 minutes each day before your attention span runs out and you want to move.
• Love your dad!  Your dad bounces you, swings you, practically tosses you in the air and you love it.  You and him are my world.  It's the best thing ever to watch you two.  I can only imagine the mischief you two are going to get into once you have head control and move around.

We love you sweet boy.  I can't wait to see what the next month brings!

Some of my favorite photos that we have taken are below.  We have ordered your newborn pictures, but I don't have the digital images to share.

At the hospital in T-Paw's arms.

You and me at the hospital.

You and DD Nana at the hospital.

 

Just hanging out with your great grandma, Nana in Galveston!

Happy Fourth of July! This picture cracks me up.  You kind of remind me of a little of my Pop because you have hair on the sides and not much on the top!

Your first bath.  You can be screaming when you go in, but as soon as you hit the water you calm down.  You love the warm water!

You sleep like your mama, with your mouth open!

 

Meeting your Aunt Jordan for the first time.

Meeting your dad's parents for the first time.

Celebrating mom's birthday.

Celebrating mom's birthday as a family of three!

 

 

 

 

The First Two Weeks

Well, we made it through the first two weeks as a family of three!  It has been filled with many adventures!  My mom was home with us the first week and Robert took a week and a half off as well.  My sister Kate has been able to stay with me during most of the week days as well.  They have all been a huge help!

Mom has kind of struggled with feelings of being completely overwhelmed and struggled with some anxiety.  Mom has had some days where she just cries and has big bouts of anxiety.  But, it does appear to be getting better.  In fact, we made it through our first day together all by ourselves on Tuesday without fault.  This helped mom a lot with her confidence!  I still have to remember to take one day at a time and enjoy every moment so that I don't get completely overwhelmed with anxiety about the future.

Dee Dee Nana is back in town for the fourth of July, so she is helping me to get out of the house with you for short trips.  We've already been to see Aunt Kate's new apartment in Houston! 

Mom has struggled some with breastfeeding.  You lost over a pound when we left the hospital and then went on a complete feeding frenzy when we got home.  There were some days where I feed you more than 14 times a day!  But, we haven't had to resort to formula yet.  I had some cracked and bleeding nipples, but I seem to be heeling and they certainly don't bother you!  But, boy was it painful for momma!  Luckily, no infections have happened.  I've met with a lactation consultant who also helped me.  When we weighed you after you ate, you ate 1.5 ounces in just 15 minutes.  You're quite the eater!  We are slowly getting the breastfeeding thing down and I have started pumping so that we can begin to introduce a bottle to you in the next few days.

That's enough about momma, so here's a quick review of what we have learned about Parker so far!

• You came home in newborn diapers and while we were at the doctor they said that you needed to go up a size!  So, we still have a few newborn diapers we want to get through, but then we will be into size ones!
• Your umbilical cord still hasn't fallen off.  But, it is hanging on by a thread so it should fall off soon.
• You aren't a huge fan of sponge baths.  But, if I can get you to calm down, I think you enjoy the feeling of the warm water.  I can't wait to put you in some water once that umbilical cord falls off.
• At your two week appointment you peed on the nurse and on momma!
• Dee Dee Nana once had to change your diaper three times in a row because you kept pooping.
• You have some explosive toots.  Sometimes I feel like they could rival those of an adult.
• You are developing a little diaper rash because you toot all the time and every time you toot, you poop just a teeny, tiny bit.
• The first week you did not sleep very well.  We can't keep you swaddled because you are like Houdini.  You love your arms and hands.  You sleep with them out by your head or folded across your body.  You sleep very open, which I think is a sign that you will be independent and are comfortable in your own skin.
• Over the past three days, you have extended your sleep time at night to 6 hours!  Mom was very nervous about this because we had to have good weight gain at the doctor or we would have to switch to formula.  But, we got the blessing at the doctor to let you sleep.  Woo hoo!  Barring you changing your sleeping patterns on me, you sleep about 5-6 hours at night and then eat and sleep every 2-3 hours during the day.  We try to keep you awake in the early evening so that you will sleep better at night.
• You sleep in your swing in your nursery at night.  You also like sleeping in the Mamaroo during the day.  But, mom loves it most when you sleep right on her chest. 
• You sleep with your mouth open most times just like your mama.
• You don't have too much awake time right now.. you seem to like your sleep if you aren't eating just like your daddy!  We have a hard time getting you to fall asleep on your own if you haven't eaten.  Once you're alert you pretty much just want to eat!
• You love going on walks with your daddy.  Mom goes too, but she is still healing from surgery and doesn't walk nearly as far as you and daddy.
• You get hiccups all the time.  They don't seem to bother you, but you can't sleep through them.
• You don't spit up too much, but I have started to notice some more spit up recently.
• While you know the smell of me, you also know your daddy.  You do really well with him and enjoy having him bounce you around the house.
• My favorite time with you is in the morning when you have just woken up and are still a little drugged with sleep so you just look at me with those big gray eyes and curl up into me like I'm your favorite person in the whole world.  And of course, because I'm your food source, I am definitely your favorite person.  :-)

We love you so much Parker James!  I hope you keep up these great sleeping hours and I look forward to watching you grow and can't wait until you smile at me on purpose instead of because you pooped!

You love your walks!

Sometimes, we cover our noses when you poop, too.

Nope, bath time is not your favorite thing.