Daniel's First Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving was by far the best one I have ever had. I have my husband, Brian, the love of my life and Daniel, my beautiful son. I am thankful for so many things: my family, my husband being able to provide for us, living close to our families once again and much much more. I am so glad that Daniel's first Thanksgiving was so full of love. Here is a glimpse of our Thanksgiving events.

First Photo Shoot

We had Davy Whitener take Daniel's 6 week pics. He is the same person we used for our wedding. They turned out great!

10 Week Picture

10 Weeks!!!

How Old? 10 Weeks
Weight? Over 10lbs
Clothing? 0-3 months...I just packed away all of his preemie and most of his newborn clothes. I had to keep his superman onesie out, I don't have another one yet : (
Sleep? He slept 8 hours one night this week but got up at 1 and 4 last night! Not sure what is going on. Maybe another growth spurt? I hope he slows down, at this rate he will be 30lbs at a year old!
Best moment this week? Brian and I getting our new camera and getting some GREAT pictures of our little man.
Sounds? He is talking more. He makes all sorts of noises!
Eating? Still 4oz every 3 hours
What I am looking forward to? Thanksgiving and him meeting more family!
Milestones? At this age your baby is attuned to every expression you make and will try to copy you. He'll even "talk back" (in a nice way) by cooing to you. lay "copycat" with your baby. Make a big smile or stick out your tongue, then wait a minute or two for her to copy you. Enjoy this innocent mimicking, because in a few years, the not-so-innocent mimicking probably won't give you as much joy. Stimulate baby's senses by turning on your favorite music and taking him dancing. Hold him in your arms and sway softly with the music. (You two could totally compete on Dancing with the Stars!) Your baby might be rolling from back to side and side to back at this point. Take precautions not to leave him alone on a changing table or bed. He probably won't roll all the way over for a month or so yet, but better safe than sorry.
Other notes? We saw my cousins 2 week old baby and she weighs what Daniel did when he was born. It is weird to see a baby smaller than him! He looks so big!

Benjamin's 1st Birthday

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Daniel's Birth and First Moments

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9 weeks!

How Old? 9 Weeks
Weight? 10lbs!!! He is so big
Clothing? It still depends. He can still wear newborn clothes that do not have feet in them. 0-3 months in sleepers.
Sleep? He has not been feeling very well. He has a cold and we had to take him to the doctor. He has been getting up every hour or so until last night. He seems to be back to his 9-4 sleeping period. I am not sure if that is considered sleeping through the night or not but it is pretty darn close!
Best moment this week? Seeing how much Daniel smiles and talks. He has started doing it so much more in the last week.
Sounds? He makes all sorts of sounds and has more of a "complaining" noise instead of a cry when he wants something.
Eating? Since he has been sick, he has not been eating as much but normally 4 oz every 3 hours during the day.
What I am looking forward to? Daniel being able to play more. I know I should just enjoy him being so little but I want to be able to do more things with him.
Milestones? Your baby's salivary glands have been working since she was in utero, but you may notice that she's started to drool. She's also putting everything in her mouth and producing more saliva than she can swallow. f your baby's sleeping through the night (five or six hours at a stretch), you're one of the lucky few. Most 10-week-old babies still wake up in the middle of the night. But even babies who aren't sleeping through the night at this stage should be sleeping and staying awake for longer intervals instead of cycling back and forth so much. Your baby will most likely have two to four long sleep periods and as many as ten hours of awake time in 24 hours. Your baby is learning how to rock and roll — well, maybe just roll. At this age, she'll probably be able to move from her side to her back and her back to her side. The complete roll over won't come for another month or so, though, because she needs stronger neck and arm muscles for that maneuver. Your baby's increasing mobility means that you must keep a hand on her during diaper changes. Never leave your baby unattended on a bed or any other elevated surface now that she can move around.
Other notes? It breaks my heart to see him hurting and not know what is wrong or how to fix it.

2 month check up

Daniel had his 2 month check up yesterday. He weighed 9lbs 9oz and was 21.75 inches long. He has gained almost 4lbs and 3 inches since birth. He is growing so fast. Brian and I held his little hands while he got his shots. I was also holding Brian's hand. I think I was squeezing harder than Daniel was : (

He has not been acting like himself the last couple of days and we found out he has Thrush. We started him on some meds for it so hopefully he will feel better soon.

8 week picture

8 Weeks

How Old? 8 Weeks
Weight? 9lbs 6oz (last week)
Clothing? He is still wearing the newborn clothes but they are getting snug. He is wearing the smaller 0-3's and just started the size 1 diapers today!!
Sleep? He is still doing well. He is really starting to sleep on a schedule. In the mornings he takes about a 45 minute nap around 8 or 9 and again around 10 or 11. He eats around 11:30 or 12, plays and then takes about a 2-3 hour nap. He dozes a little in the evening around 7 and then has bath time, eats and goes to bed around 8:30 or 9. He will then sleep until 3:30, eat and sleep until about 7.
Best moment this week? Him talking and smiling so much more!
Sounds? He makes noises when he smiles and when I talk to him. It kind of sounds like "ah-ooo"
Eating? When he sleeps a lot at night (6-7 hours) he eats more during the day. On average 4oz every 2-3 hours
What I am looking forward to? Seeing how much he weighs at his 2 month appt next week.
Milestones? The ability to hold their head steady when being held upright. Smile on their own and in response to you or someone or something else they genuinely enjoy. Can consistently focus both eyes and track a moving object. Will actively seek out the source of new sound. Will make sounds other than crying.
Other notes? Being a mom is nothing like I thought it would be. It is the best feeling to look at him and know we made such a perfect life.

7 Weeks

How Old? 7 weeks 1 day
Weight? 8lbs 13oz at last check. I am guessing about 9.5lbs now. We will find out tomorrow.
Clothing? He is out of preemie and filling out the newborns pretty well. He has worn a couple of the smaller 0-3 months but will probably not be in them fully for another 2 weeks or so. He is also growing out of the newborn diapers. Size 1's here we come!
Sleep? He has been sleeping 5-6 hours at a time during the night, although last night he slept from 8:30 - 3:30! 7 hours! I got up and checked to make sure he was still breathing.
Best moment this week? Starting him on Zantac and seeing how much it helped him...he is so much happier now.
Sounds? He is cooing and talking back sometimes when I am talking to him.
Eating? He is still a pig...eating 3-4 ounces every 2-3 hours during the day. I guess he has to make up for sleeping so long at night.
What I am looking forward to? Taking him to the doctor tomorrow to check out his ears (he has been rubbing them) and a rash on his face. I am also excited to see how much he weighs!
Milestones? Reaching out, Your baby's hands should be mostly open now — ready to reach out to the world. Learning begins now...You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning: Your baby's brain will grow about 5 centimeters during his first three months! Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to him, sing to him, describe the pictures on the walls. He may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but he's learning nonetheless. New textures for his hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding life. Eyes can track objects, With both eyes now able to follow things consistently and well, your baby can track a moving object much better, something he may have been able to do for only brief periods since birth.
Other notes? He is an awesome little man. I love holding him and just talking to him like he knows what I am saying.

6 weeks

Our little man is now 8 pounds 13 ounces and 20.5 inches. Looking at him it is hard to believe a lot of babies are this big at birth! Poor mommas! He is now sleeping so much better at night, 5-6 hour stretches. He has been really fussy and uncomfortable during the day so the doc is going to start him on Zantac. I just hope it helps. There is nothing worse for a mom that to feel helpless in making her baby feel better.

We are getting his pictures made on Saturday and I cannot wait. He is probably going to have to change clothes a couple of times and since it is Halloween he might just get one picture in his costume. Here are some pics I took on a dark sheet just playing around with my phone. I think they turned out great.

I love this little guy more than anything.

Growing so fast

I can't believe how much Daniel has changed over the few weeks he has been in this world. He went from 5lbs 10oz when we left the hospital to 7lbs 12oz at one month. His personality is starting to show. He has started smiling and cooing. Most shocking is that he is rolling over. One night I laid him on his back to go to sleep and he woke up on his stomach. He is so strong.

Mommy and Daddy are starting to figure things out too. I love watching Brian take care of him it is so sweet. There is nothing that can prepare you for this experience. It is exhausting, frustrating and the most wonderful thing I could have imagined.

I can't believe it has been a month!

Well I know it has been a while. Daniel is a month old. He has gained about 2 pounds since he left the hospital! He is a little pig. It is an amazing feeling to be a mom. No matter how tired I am or how much he cries I can always smile when I look at him.

Daniel's Arrival

to continue where I left off... After they broke my water I really did not progress any further so they decided to start Pitocin. By about 6:30pm I was dilated to 5 but when the doctor checked me she said she thought she felt either fingers or toes instead of a head. She did an ultrasound and found out that Daniel was head down but he had his hands on his head. She tried to move his hands but had no luck. She told us that we needed to do a c-section. It was a little shocking. I was really scared but knew that I really had no choice. Daniel was born at 7:27 pm and weighed 5 pounds 15 ounces. He was 18 1/2 inches long and just perfect. We are so blessed.

Today Is The Day!

We came to the hospital last night with my contractions about 5-7 minutes apart. They gave us the option to go home and let everything progress. We decided to stay in the hospital. This morning they checked me and I had progressed a little. They decided to break my water at 8:30 am to help things get going. The doctor will be here in a minute to check and see how everything is going.

38 Week Appointment

The appointment went well. I am now 2cm dilated and still 70% effaced. Everything looks good and if I make it until next week we will have another appointment on 9/15. Daniel's ultrasound went well and he is an estimated 6lbs 6oz and in the 20th percentile. He has some big cheeks and still really likes his hands and feet in front of his face. That was the last ultrasound we will have so the next time we see him will be in person! Here are some of the pictures we got. The first one is a picture of him looking at us and you can see his big cheek!

38 Week Cartoon!

38 Weeks!

How Far Along? I am 38 weeks and 2 days
Total weight gain/loss? 33lbs
Maternity clothes? I am counting down the days until I get back into my normal clothes!
Sleep? I am not sleeping well at all! I finally fell asleep last night at 11pm and woke up at 3am. I could not go back to sleep until 5:30am. I have no idea what was going on.
Mood? I am in a pretty good mood, I think. I am sure I have my moments : )
Best moment this week?
Movement? He is still very active. I would not be surprised if mommy has some serious internal bruising. He really likes to stretch his foot out as far into my right side as possible. He is so accurate, hitting the exact same spot every time.
Food Cravings? Anything cold, cereal, sandwiches, ice cream, etc
What I miss? nothing really right now.
What I am looking forward to? Our ultrasound tomorrow to check on Daniel's growth and the appointment directly following. I want to see if I progressed! Even if it is just a little bit it is encouraging. Also, Friday is my last day at work! YAY
Milestones? As you know, you've arrived at the final leg of your pregnancy journey, and if you're still carrying your little love around, they've just about reached their birth weight (somewhere between 6 to 8 pounds is average depending on whether they're a boy or girl). There really isn't a lot to report on baby this week, so lets do a quick recount of where we're at: all internal organ systems are pretty much ready for the outside world, they've got their meconium stockpile building up (their first black baby poo), lots of healthy baby fat, a rapidly developing brain (that'll keep growing with them for years to come), and they've more or less reached official baby status-- all they need to do is "head out" and say hello to the rest of the world and especially their ready-to-pop momma.
Other notes? Brian painted my toenails for me last night and did a great job!

37 Week Appointment

This appointment went so much better than last weeks! I am still dilated to 1 cm but am now 70% effaced, oh yeah! Daniel's heart rate is right where it should be and he is still very active. Next week we will have another ultrasound to make sure he is still growing properly and check to see that mommy is progressing. I can't believe we only have 19 days left until his due date. Mommy and Daddy are so excited to finally meet our little man.