15 weeks

Fifteen things about Drew at 15 weeks.

1. He wants to hold his own bottle. He's not a pro yet, and usually gets frustrated because he pushes it out of his mouth.

2. He coos. Ooh, aah, mmm, eee. It's all precious and is usually accompanied by some pretty adorable facial expressions.

3. He went almost two straight weeks sleeping through the night. He's been waking up the past few nights, but we are hoping it's just a growth spurt?

4. He still sleeps in our room in his sleeper. Last night he fell asleep in the swing in the living room, so we left him in there, and I had a hard time falling asleep without him in the room with us. I like it better with him close.

5. I'm pretty sure he's already teething. He is constantly gnawing on his fists, drooling, and stops eating to chew on the nipple of the bottle.

6. His belly button is no longer herniated.

7. The hair on the top of his head spikes up, but the hair in the front lies flat. He almost looks like a british rocker from the 80's. Haha! Somedays it looks like a Mohawk. Either way, it's adorbs.

8. He likes to be stiff as a board at most times. He keeps his legs straight and stiff and doesn't like to be held in a position that forces him to bend. I wonder if this relates to his tummy issues.

9. He's drinking 5 ounces every three hours, except at night.

10. He loves his swing, bumbo, and play gym. He kicks his feet to play the piano in the play gym, and stares at himself in the mirror. It's precious. Liz also just lent me a bouncer that her kids outgrew, and he likes sitting I'm that too.

11. His blue eyes melt my heart. His smile lights up the room. When he smiles, it's a big smile.

12. He usually wakes up happy. He coos and stretches and when he sees me, he gives the biggest grin, which is the best way to start my day.

13. He knows me and Zac and our voices. This is really rewarding. When he gets do excited to see one of us, it makes me want to cry.

14. He's not a big fan of tummy time, if he can't sleep through it. He loves naps on his belly, but doesn't like to lift his head. He's getting better though.

15. He has fallen in love with a blue puppy lovie. (for my non-mom friends, a lovie is a little soft blanket that comforts the child-his has a puppy head on it that rattles.) He looks at "pup" with adoration and amusement, it's pretty priceless!

3 months

I am sure this will not be the last time I say this, but THIS (this right here, this moment, this week, this chunk of time), is my favorite stage. Drew just turned three months and it just keeps getting better.

I remember our pediatrician explaining to us when Drew was about a month old, that colic usually fades away by three months. Three months old...that seemed so far away at the time. I remember telling myself on those long nights "new year, new baby," clinging to the idea that his fussiness would be gone around the new year. And just like that, it has. Well, mostly.  It was not an overnight change, so it kind of happened without us noticing. But then on January 8th, his 3-month birthday I suddenly realized that we don't have evenings with three hours of crying and screaming anymore, taking late-night drives, and taking turns. Of course he still has the occasional fussy-spell, like all babies do, but nothing like it was.

On top of less crying, he is SO FUN! He smiles, and even laughs!!! He coos and responds, and shows us new facial expressions daily. He grabs for toys and has found his fists. Oh, the fists. He loves them, and sucks on them as often as possible. He's sleeping through the night a few times a week, and pretty easy on the nights he does wake up to eat. We are starting to get into more of a routine during the day, and the predictability provides some new freedom too. Life is good.

I am so in love with him. Obviously I've loved him all along, and it's been a crazy strong love, but lately I've just been so crazy about him. He is so much fun to be around and we have this intense bond that stronger than ever. He knows I'm his mommy and it's the best feeling in the world. He smiles at me and it melts my heart. Will I ever get used to him smiling? Will there ever be a day that it doesn't make my heart skip a beat? If not, that's okay too. I could gush on and on and tell you how lucky I am, and how perfect he is, but that might get annoying. So I'll just say it one last time. I'm in love. =)

PS-He was extremely fussy all day today. I took him to the doc, fearing it was an ear infection, and luckily it wasn't. We aren't sure why he's been a little cranky lately, but the pedi upped his Zantac, since he could've possibly outgrown his previous dosage. Hopefully that will provide some relief...if that's what has been bothering him. He weighed 11 lbs, 12 oz.

My Main Mommy Must-haves...

(Like that title? Yeah, I love a little alliteration. LOL, there it is again!)

Okay, so there are several items that I love and think to myself several times a week, thank goodness for_____.  These are my personal favorites, that I would not want to parent without....

1. Boppy

Zac has been using this for bottle feedings from the beginning, but I didn't start until a few weeks ago. I was missing out! It's so soft and helps support his weight, and saves my arms and back a little. :) He can also be propped up on it now.








2. Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag

This is my exact diaper bag. I love it! People compliment me on it wherever we go, but most importantly, it's designed really well! It has two straps and can be worn like a backpack, which is so clutch because it stays out of the way. On the rare occasion I wear the shoulder strap, it drives me crazy because it inevitably falls forward and just gets in the way. I love the pockets and fold out changing pad. It was pricey, but since I'm not carrying a purse these days, and don't dare leave home without my diaper bag, I am glad I sprung for this one! :)



3. Fisher Price Snuggabunny swing

  I didn't register for a swing and didn't think I wanted/needed one, plus thought I didn't have space for one. Then came the colic. I read several places that colicky babies like swings, and being desperate for anything that might or could help, I caved and decided to get one. I bought a used swing online and met the lady in a parking lot to get it, only to get home and realize it didnt' work because the old batteries had corroded. Luckily she met up with me and gave me my money back! I was sharing this whole swing saga with my mom and she said she wanted to buy him one for Christmas, and we'd just get it early. :) (this was the week of Thanksgiving) Once we got home and set it up, it's been such a lifesaver! He can sleep in it, be alert and stimulated in it, or just chill out. It's given me the ability to set him down more often throughout the day and do a few things here and there without him freaking out. Once he even fell asleep in it and took his entire three hour nap in there. :) Hey, whatever works! I love the looks of this one, and that it plugs in! I'd hate to keep changing batteries all the time. I like the features, like how it can swing in three different directions, make music or nature sounds, and has a spinning mobile and mirror. My vain little boy LOVES looking at himself! :) Just kidding, he's not vain. But seriously, who wouldn't want to stare at that face? haha!


4. Johnson & Johnson "Honey Apple" baby wash and body lotion

 It...smells...AMAZING! There is nothing I love more than a freshly bathed and lotioned child, and this is my absolute favorite! It's a very light scent, but smells so so yummy. When Drew is thirty years old, this smell will still remind me of him! I also love the purple bottle, the bedtime one with "calming aromas," but the honey apple is the best!

10 weeks!

I know it's so cliche, but seriously, time FLIES! Ten weeks already? Wow! Drew is changing by the day, and since I'm around him so much, sometimes I don't notice that much. But then I stop and realize how fast he's growing and changing, and get a little sad that each stage appears and then leaves so quickly. For example, as he was crying over the weekend, I realized that even the sound of his cry has changed. He no longer has that newborn raspiness. It's like a full, real, cry. It still sounds young, don't get me wrong, but it sounds so different than it used to. When did that happen? How did I not notice until that one particular moment? This time is so fleeting, and I'm cherishing every second of it! I'm so super grateful that I get to stay home and stare at him all day, memorizing every detail and behavior and expression he makes. I know in time, I'll forget those too though, so I'm trying to document as much as possible. For his 10 weeks birthday, here are ten of my (current) favorite things about him...

1. His smile! He still doesn't smile very often, but it's the greatest thing in the world when he does.
2. His palms. He only recently started opening his hands a lot. I didn't realize how much he kept them in fists until he started opening them. He does it a lot when he's eating, and I just stare at the adorable creases and the little rolls on his wrists.
3. The way he moves his head when he's sitting up. Zac calls him Ray Charles sometimes.
4. His "coy" face. Sometimes he does this slight grin, then turns his head to the side, as if he's bashful.
5. His expressions. Eyebrows raised in excitement, eyebrows raised in critical skepticism, (the thinker" (looking out of the side of his eyes, brows furrowed), there are too many to name.
6. His soft soft skin and the way he smells.
7. His belly button. The umbilical hernia makes it pop out, but I just love it, and I know one day I'll miss it. Okay, and sometimes I push it in and play with it. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt him at all.
8. His lips. He purses them, smacks them, searches for his pacifier with them...they're so kissable.
9. The fact he's hot-natured. Sometimes I wish he wasn't, so he could wear his cute clothes, but most of the time, I love getting to see his whole tiny body and feel his sweet baby skin, with no clothes in the way.
10. His hair and head. I pet it with my hand, I stroke it with my cheek, I kiss it. I love that soft fuzz.

Weight-ing game...

Okay, so really it's not a game. It's not that fun at all, but actually it really is fun when you see progress. Sooo, anyone remember that last post about weight, when I said something like "I hope the weight just keeps falling off, and I don't get to the stubborn pounds for a long time?" Yeah, that was a jinx. The very next week I stopped just 'shedding' weight. But I've been consistently trying to eat healthier (while still allowing myself a cookie here or there), and I plan on rejoining the gym in January. I started to join this week, then remembered we will be gone two weeks out of the month, and I didn't want to pay for a whole month when I wouldn't get to use it half that time, so I just decided to wait. Anyways, I'm going on walks when I can (time, baby, and weather permitting) and trying to drink more water. This morning when I weighed, I was 164, which means I've lost 30 pounds in nine weeks. My real goal? My real goal is to lose 30 pounds by my 30th birthday. I set this a few pounds ago, so my goal weight is 137, by May 31st! I think I can do it! And I know it'll feel good working to get there.
READY...SET...oh gosh, here come the holidays...okay, when they're over we get serious...GO!

Two Months!

Firstly, let me say that I am DONE with the Blogger app! I have written two LONG and meaningful posts on my phone and just looked at my blog on the actual computer and realized they never published. Ugh! I was wondering why no one was commenting! :)

Okay, now about this past Saturday (Drew's 2 month birthday!). The only plans we had were to meet Stacy and Chris for breakfast at a place called Norma's. The food was amazing and catching up with friends we hadn't seen in a long time (since the day Drew was born!) was delightful. After breakfast, since it was a beautiful day and we were in the neighborhood, Zac and I decided to go walk around the Bishop Arts area. When we got there, we saw there was an "urban bazaar" going on, which meant that booths were set up in the middle of the street and there were lots of people selling stuff they had made. It was busy, but not overly crowded or unpleasant in the least. Everytime we go there it feels so happy. People walking dogs on leashes (most of the shops allow the dogs to come in!), and strollers and slings everywhere. I felt bad we didn't have Molly with us. :) Zac bought a new shirt with a gift certificate I gave him for his birthday. After we'd seen all the sights and walked all we wanted to, we headed home. Drew was a perfect angel all morning, so I was certain he'd be awake and lively when we got home. Instead, he slept so long. He took a long deep nap (in tummy time position!) and I was able to address and stuff all of our birth announcements and christmas cards. It's so nice to be able to be productive! When he finally woke up to eat, I'd missed him so much (he'd been asleep practically all morning long!) that I sat down to hold him and just cuddle and stare at him. After his bottle I laid him on the floor to play with him and talk to him. He seemed to be in a really great mood, so I called Zac into the living room to see how happy he was. I asked Drew in a real high pitched (baby) voice "Do you know how cute you are!?" and he gave us the biggest open mouth grin! I instantly got a lump in my throat, and tears filled my eyes! I'd seen him smile in his sleep before, but this time he was smiling AT ME! I made him smile! Right on his two month birthday he gave us his first social smile! It was priceless! I was on cloud nine! We played some more and he smiled some more, but that first one was (and still is) my favorite so far. By about 5 we were getting pretty hungry (hadn't eaten since breakfast) so we decided to go eat at Schlotzsky's. Yum! After dinner we went to Bethlehem Revisited in Waxahachie. It's a really neat experience, with actors and livestock (chickens, sheep, camels, etc) and you feel like you are walking the streets of Bethlehem. There are tax collectors, shephers, kings, guards, etc. It's so cool. When we got to the manger and I saw Mary and Joseph cradling that little baby, I kind of lost it. I've been so so emotional about Christmas this year. I have a totally new perspective and appreciation for the miracle of a baby, Mary's point of view, etc. (One of the great posts I wrote that never posted was about Christmas and my new feelings towards this very holy and special day. Boo to the blogger app! Maybe I'll try to rewrite it.)
Anyways, Drew's 2 month birthday was an awesome day. I put on instagram that it was my favorite day. It was a perfect day with Zac, with Drew, the right amount of time at home and away, relaxation and productivity. I couldn't ask for a better Saturday! :)

Today (Monday the 10th) was Drew's 2month checkup. I love getting his new measurements and tracking his growth, so I was looking forward to that part. His head circumference was in the 50th percentile, so perfectly average. His weight was ten pounds and ten ounces, which was 25th percentile, and his length was 21.5 inches, and only 5th percentile. :) He's a small fry, and I love it. If some of my cousins have it their way, he'll be an olympic gymnast. hehe! Unfortunately, he also had to get several immunizations. :( I'd been kind of dreading it, and tried to find someone to go with me, since my pediatrician told me last time that I might want to bring moral support. Zac had to go out of town to tour another high school, my friend Steph had a tax workshop in Ft. Worth, my mom was in Katy with my sister (who just had shoulder surgery!) and my in-laws had a work Christmas party in San Antonio over the weekend, so I hated to ask them to drive up and back in one day, just for the appointment. Turns out I was not giving myself enough credit, because I did just fine, even though it did kind of break my heart. Turns out that the colic kind of paid off today, because I've been a little desensitized to his screaming and crying. (That's trying to see the silver lining.) Anyways, he had three shots and one oral administration. He did turn very bright red and scream, but luckily he calmed down within a few minutes, and by the time I got to the car he was asleep. Phew! He's slept most of the afternoon and evening, which is why I'm able to sit down and blog! I sure wish I made a point to write down more, but it's so hard. When he's asleep during the day (which is getting to be less and less as he gets older), I either want to nap or need to be getting bottles washed and ready, or moving laundry or whatever. Writing this reminds me that I need to update his baby book! Maybe he'll still be sleepy tomorrow, and I can do that then. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was Drew's first thanksgiving!!! It really deserves a long eloquent post, but I'm so behind on blogging that I'm afraid it won't happen if I wait until I have lots of time to really do it justice. Instead, here are the highlights...
-I was surprised at how easily the tears and lump in throat came. All day, I was happy and emotional at how truly thankful I am to have a baby. Sometimes I look at him and it feels like it's the first time I've ever seen him...his perfection takes me aback and I feel so overwhelmed. How did I get so lucky!? I just felt really particularly thankful for him and just grateful in general this year.
-We are staying with Grammy and PaPa so we spent the day at their house, but went to Eli and Ryan's amazing downtown condo for the thanksgiving meal. We had dinner instead of lunch and ate around 6:30. Ryan's mom did most of the cooking and it was delish!
-All of Zac's family was there, plus Scott's little brother and Ryan's parents. We had a long beautiful table and all got to sit together. There were 11 adults, a five-year-old, 18-month-old, and 6-week-old. :) Lots of joy and togetherness. Great evening!
-After dinner, desserts, and visiting, some of the men went downstairs to play pool, Tatem and the kids went to the top floor to run around in the big exercise room, and Zac and Eli and I took Drew and Matty (Eli's new doggy) on a long walk. :)
Favorite memories-
-Ezra giving Drew "kisses" on top of his head. It usually entailed just leaning in and putting his cheek on top of Drew's peachfuzz, but one time he stuck his tongue out at the last minute and licked him! Ha!
-Eliza and Eli making a gingerbread village. Eli is such a great uncle and bought a kit for them to work on. She was very focused and it looked beautiful!
-Standing on the balcony talking to Tatem. We are both busy mommies, so it was nice to get to really chat and visit.
-Just watching all of our family love on and hold our sweet baby. :)