2 week check up

I took Parker today (3/20) for a weight check after last week's jaundice episode. He was 7lbs 10 oz last Monday and today he was 8lbs 6oz. His doctor said he looked great and we go back in 2.5 weeks for his one month appointment.

He is eating 3oz about every 3 hours round the clock. He usually has a couple 4 hour stretches. One at night and one during the day.

He is wearing size 1 diapers and newborn/3 month clothes.

He loves to cuddle with you to fall asleep.

He also likes the paci to fall asleep and then spits it out.

We tried tummy time for the first time and he had his first bath.

He can sleep like a champ through all the chaotic noise in our home.

He makes funny little baby noises like squeaking when he eats.

He still only smiles when he is sleeping.

He has been having some alert time during the day. He uses this time to look around and stare.

He is not a fan of going to the bus stop to get Brendan. I usually have to wake him up to put him in the car seat and this greatly annoys him. I can't wait for warmer weather so we can walk to the bus stop.

Parker has been spoiled by family and friends with so many gifts. He has so many cute new outfits to wear.

Pictures of the week...

Almost 2 weeks in (Randoms)

My mom is recovering nicely from her transplant. It is still hard to believe that after the past 3 years of her being sick, she actually had the transplant. It is amazing and surreal.

I also cannot believe that I had a baby and my mom had a transplant exactly one week apart. Talk about two life-changing events.

I also cannot believe that 3 years ago when Lila was born my mom got sick and now a week after Parker she has her surgery. This tells me that I can have no more children (for real this time since we said that after Lila) because what else could happen to my mom!!!

Parker's cord fell off yesterday. Lila was fascinated with it. She kept waiting for it to move.

Brendan moved up to a new reading level at school. He also said he read a second grade book to his teacher.

Lila dramatics are calming down a little. She is a big helper for me during the day and I am giving her big sister jobs. She still won't take a nap but will stay in her room for some quiet play.

I like that I am beginning to feel myself again. My pregnancy felt longer than usual since I couldn't do anything for so long and the fact that I was a week overdue. Talk about two extremes. Bed rest for threatened pre-term labor just to have to be induced.

I also feel like I am not in a fog this time around. I felt so out of it after Lila was born and this time I feel like I am much more rested despite having 3 kids. It helps that Parker is an amazing baby. He is so content 95% of the time and most of his fussiness stems from having his diaper or clothes changed.

My husband and I have been taking turns at night with his feedings. So last night I went to bed first and he did the midnight feeding and then the 3am feeding and brought him to bed around 430am. They were sleeping in the living room. He went back to sleep and we got up at 730 for the day and I fed him then. I slept from 10:45pm-7:30am with one wake up when they came to bed.

This is also a reason I am bottle feeding Parker. Daddy can help out lots! Ok the main reason is I do not produce enough milk and after not being able to successfully nurse my other two as Brendan was too little and weak as a preemie and Lila was losing weight consistently for two weeks instead of gaining. I decided it would be best for my own sanity and the sake of my family to bottle feed.

Parker is now eating 3oz every 2.5-4hrs. It just depends on the time of day. He tends to eat more during the day. I just upped his amount yesterday because he acted like I was starving him.

Here are some pictures from the last week or so....

Quick update

I have written before about my mom and how she was awaiting a life-saving transplant. She has been listed for over 2 years and had three failed attempts where the donor lungs just didn't hold up or showed a sign that they were not able to be used. Well on March 13 she was called for the FOURTH time ( a record at her hospital) and by the grace of God she was able to get 2 new healthy lungs.

We are so blessed that the donor and donors family made the decision to donate their organs to give others a second chance at life. We can never thank them enough for this gift.

This also happened exactly 3 weeks after her last call and one week after the birth of Parker. If she had gotten the transplant 3 weeks ago she would not have met her grandson yet. Since that time didn't work out she was able to be in the room when Parker was born and then spend time with him during the past week.

Please say a prayer for her recovery and for the donor's family.

Life Randoms with a week old baby

A third child is far easier than I ever thought it would be (you know since my experience is 6.5 days. i am an expert now).

The whole going from 1 to 2 was a bigger adjustment than 2 to 3.

The nurses kept telling me recovery might be worse this time around. It is funny because I am feeling the best this time around.

Parker had his first check-up and he is slightly jaundiced. We go back today for another heel prick test. He'll be most excited since yesterday they didn't give the heel warmer enough time to warm his heel up and it took her a few minutes to squeeze enough blood out for the test. (Update: Just got the call and his levels are normal now. Go back in one week)

Lila has turned the dramatics on since we brought Parker home. She is the classic textbook definition of a 3 year old acting out when a new baby comes home. Look it up. You will see her picture.

Brendan has adjusted well this time around too. He goes to school and his teacher told him if the baby keeps him up all night he can take a little rest at his desk:). So far he hasn't gotten to use this excuse to sleep at school. This morning he was a great helper and got breakfast for himself and Lila. This gave Jason and I about 15 extra minutes of rest.

My doctor's office called me this morning because the hospital had me fill out a form about postpartum depression. I had to check yes for 2 of the questions about my experience after Lila. They wanted to check up with me and see how I am doing this time around. Luckily I am not having any issues this time. Happy and relaxed mommy=happy and relaxed baby.

Here are some pictures from our week...

Parker...morning 2

Parker is proving to be the relaxed and calm baby we pictured. I mean he would have stayed inside me forever had they not made him come out.

His cries are fairly infrequent and usually when he is being changed, poked, or undressed.

He's a little spitter and we are not to feed him more than an ounce at a time because he likes to spit it back up on us. Then the nursery feed him 45 cc and he is still spitting it up 3 hours later. Our nurse was not very pleased with this.

He was going 4 hours between feelings yesterday. I wonder if this will continue at home.

He was circumcised, had some testing, and a vaccination done yesterday. Big day for Parker.

He had a few more visitors and if he can sleep while 3 loud children are yelling and playing in a hospital room, then I think he will be just fine at home.

What is it about new baby smell? I just hold him and sniff. It is intoxicating.

I seriously would stay longer at the hospital if they let me. Room service, cleaning staff, nurses, a nursery, anything you want a phone call away... It is heaven.

I am actually letting Parker sleep in his bedside crib right now while I eat. Yesterday I was snuggling him and eating one handed. I do keep staring at him. How can you not!

We have had a lot of visitors and well wishes these last 2 days. Having your baby born a week overdue and not finding out the sex sure causes a lot of anticipation:)

Our new nurse just stopped in. They are getting nicer and nicer. I really want to stay now. Then the nursing assistant asked if we were ready to go and I told her no. She said "I don't blame you. With my third I didn't want to leave either."

Parker you are just a joy and a little bundle of sweetness. We love you so much?

Here are some pictures from yesterday and this morning...

And we had...

A sweet little boy, Parker Michael. He is 7lbs 13 oz and 20 inches. He is 6 hours old and sleeping in my arm while I type this. I had a wonderful delivery with lots of encouragement, joking, laughing, and controlled pain:). It was perfect.

Here is our little angel...

The night before your birth...

Tomorrow morning, very early, we will be going to the hospital to have our third little baby. We spent the day making phone calls, preparing, cleaning, packing, and spending time as a family of four. The kids are so excited and they will be coming up to the hospital after Brendan gets home from school. I am hoping and praying the baby is born by then!!!!

Baby is bouncing all around my belly now. I have no idea how he/she has any room left?

Brendan wants to help me push the baby out and he says he really hopes it is a baby brother. I also let him stay home from church class so we could spend the evening as a family.

Lila is excited to be a big sister. I am afraid she won't let anyone else hold the baby.

I am hoping to get some sleep tonight and not be up all night being excited/anxious.

Surprisingly I am calm right now. We really should finalize a girl name!

We are so excited to welcome you to the family baby thrice:). We love you so much! I can't wait to share you with daddy since I have been hogging you for the last 41 weeks!

Here are some pictures of how we spent our last day/night as a family of four...

40 weeks and 5 days

As my doctor said today at my appointment,

"La-di-da who would have ever guessed Marie would be our patient almost a week past her due date."

Not me that is for sure. So now I have experienced a baby born too soon, a baby born on their due date, and now an overdue baby. Talk about experiencing a little bit of everything:)

Baby passed the non-stress test today and the fluid level check. I am still 4 cm and tomorrow morning my office will call me and tell me when to head to the hospital to finally have this baby. Basically to induce me they will just break my water and have me walk around to get contractions going. I was at the office for 2 hours today and I joked that they were holding me hostage and hoping I would start labor.

My doctor is starting to get a little nervous about me being 4 cm and walking around. My last delivery was pretty quick so if I do go into labor I am instructed to just get to the hospital and they will call them once we are there.

I am hoping to get one more night of sleep and then figure it all out tomorrow. Chances are my water will break at 2am or something. My mom is most anxious for this baby and I was having to calm her down this afternoon...right mom:)

One thing we do know is that this baby has to come out and meet us at some point this week. I will not be pregnant forever!

So do you think we will be welcoming a sweet little boy or a sweet little girl? I go back and forth so my intuition is not going to help anyone!

40 weeks and 2 days and Randomness

Well thanks to the 19 weeks of hormone shots to keep me pregnant...I am now 2 (almost 3) days overdue. I had so many talks with this baby from 22-36 weeks to stay put that poor little thing is afraid to be born!

I had my appointment this afternoon and have progressed to 4cm. Almost halfway there without being in labor! Baby is in optimal position according to the little ultrasound I had to check my fluid level and my fluid looked great. I passed my non stress test with flying colors and only had some bouts of irritability on the readout. This was just the baby trying to stretch and there just is not a lot of space left inside. I go back Monday if I do not have the baby over the weekend and then we will decide then what we want to do.

I am feeling more pressure now and the midwife I saw was laughing at me since the baby's head is so low. I hope that means he/she will be born quickly:). I also got to visit with the ob/gyn who was due a few days after me and came in with her 3 week old baby! She was laughing that I was still pregnant as well.

I still have no intuition whether this baby is a boy or a girl. So naturally I have boy, girl, and a neutral outfit, hats, hair clips, and headbands packed in my hospital bag. I have four winter hats. Excessive. Yes.

We have our girl name. Sort of. We have our two favorites but I cannot commit to one or the other. If it is a girl I have to see her first and see what fits. This matters nothing to my husband because he is convinced it is a boy. For the record, if it is a boy then I just wasted a lot of thoughts on girl names over the last several months.

I found a maternity shirt in our laundry room today that I had not worn yet. The ladies at the doctor's office all said "Wow we haven't seen you wear that before." I guess I wore the same couple outfits a lot:).

Brendan keeps asking when the baby is going to be born already. And everyone else that I know. I try not to call anyone too much because they will just think I am in labor.

I was a happy pregnant woman tonight when we went to Walgreen's and they had my favorite Easter treat. Marshmallow eggs...that is where they sell them mom!!! The ones with the hard shell and marshmallow like substance on the inside. Yum!

I finally put our nativity set away today from Christmas. Yes I realize it is March 1st.

We are going (we meaning Jason) to paint our wall above our fireplace. It is a deep red now and I want it to change it to a shade of teal. I found this neat app by Sherwin-Williams that let's you take a picture of your wall and then "paint" it. So fun. Now I want to paint more rooms.