Rockin' right along...

Well....we officially completed day two with Brandon back at work and all is well. He's staying up longer during the day and giving me some good rest in between feedings at night. So I can't complain....and I won't. = )

Sam did wake up this morning with his right eye crusted over. I called the pediatrician and the nurse called me back to say that it was probably a clogged tear duct which is very common. She instructed me to clean it with a cotton ball and warm water with each diaper changing and then to gently massage the corner of his eye with my ring finger (weakest finger) for the next three days. If it hasn't cleared up...we'll need to come in and let his doctor take a peek. The good thing is that the white of his eye is not red which could be a sign of something more serious. Whew! He's definitely not a fan of the treatment the nurse ordered, but he's hanging in.

He's growing so fast! He has a little belly and his newborn onesies and diapers are almost too small. He's not even three weeks old yet! It truly is amazing to watch how quickly they change. Sam and I are definitely missing Brandon during the day, but he's coming home for lunch to check on us and hang out which makes both of us very happy.

Here are a few pics from the last two days. I'll be posting again very soon to report on how his introduction to the bottle went. We're going to give it a go tonight...Brandon is VERY excited about getting to feed him and I'm excited about the time off....and my girls sure are, too! ; )

Hope everyone is well. Ciao.



Sam and Aunt Karla's first meeting




Sam listening to momma sweet talk him







Sam hanging out in his boppy from Auntie LAC

Papa Cruz & Granma Kathie...

Sam just had his first weekend visit with Papa Cruz and Granma Kathie (Brandon's parents). He got lots of snuggles and kisses and enjoyed listening to their voices as they chatted about how handsome he was. Papa Cruz spent some time talking to him in Spanish which I love....who knows? maybe little mister will teach momma to speak it someday. It's beyond time for me to learn....*sigh.....

Sam is starting to have a few more awake hours during the afternoon and evening which was perfect timing for the visit. We did have an off night last night...he was a little fussy, but we made it through and things seem to be back on track this morning.

We went to his 2-week appointment Friday morning and all systems are still go. He is now 19 1/2 inches long and 6 lbs 10 oz....we were totally impressed with his progress and more importantly....his doctor was pleased. He grew 1 inch and gained 10 ounces in 9 days. WOW!! It's such a relief knowing that my body is doing what it should and our feedings are productive. His next appointment is at his 2 month milestone which isn't until August...WOOHOO!

I've also been working these last two weeks on collecting some baby grub so that we can introduce a bottle or two this week. Brandon is totally stoked and being able to skip a feeding time here and there makes me very happy. Don't get me wrong...I am enjoying it, but it is definitely a time commitment considering he's only going 3-2 1/2 hours between feeding starts.....yes, starts....which doesn't account for the time it takes to complete the feeding. He can get pretty lazy during feedings and it's taking anywhere from 35 to 45 minutes to get 20-30 minutes out of him. Our lactation nurse said that this timing will change as he gets older and becomes a more efficient eater.

Anyway....here are a few pics from the weekend. Once again, camera time was minimal, but produced some really good shots.

We'll chat again soon.




Sam, Papa Cruz, & Granma Kathie




Sam and me getting ready for lunch




Brandon....still excited about being on diaper duty

Staying cool...

Hello, folks. Boy...is it hot, or what? I hope you are all staying cool in this heatwave. Try not to think about August....it's already hurts!

All is well here...we're staying cool here at the house. Everything is going well. Sam is such a pleasant guy to hang out with...takes after his dad, obviously. ; ) He's still VERY into his swing and actually hung out with us this morning between feedings and took it all in for about 3 hours before he started asking for brunch. We were so pleased that he's choosing to stay up during the day. YEAH! The more awake he is during the day...the more deep his sleep has been at night. Brandon and I are both getting enough sleep and it's allllllllll good. Keep your fingers crossed that this harmonious balance continues after Brandon goes back to work. I think the little guy is going to miss him during the day...I know I will.

Brandon has been doing tummy time with Sam everyday to build up strength in that cute little neck. I gotta tell you, folks...this kid is STRONG. He's already wanting pull up when he has a grip on your fingers and he's putting weight on this feet when you 'stand' him up. Unbelievable when you consider he's only 12 days old. We're totally impressed and convinced that our prediction that he would be a genius was right on. = )

We ran a few errands the past few days and he's totally chill with the ride and listening to mom and dad sing along to the radio. It's a good thing since the both of us will break out into song at any moment...not sure if that will last when his hearing gets sharper, but it works for now.

Anyway....here are a few more pics from the last week. Picture taking has been slow yesterday and today, but Brandon's parents are headed in this weekend for a visit so you can guarantee there will be more pics to share soon.

Check back in on us.


Resting with dad




Snoozing in his most excellent swing




The new dads

Handsome Sam....

Just wanted to post these pics from Sam's little photo session this evening while hanging out with mom and dad during the UT game. Hook 'em.

Man! I have a new respect for photographers that work with infants. It's really tough to get a good shot when they are in this wiggle worm mode. We're getting better at it...slowly, but surely.

In comparing these with last week's pics, you can already see the changes in his face. We're totally amazed at how quickly he's growing....and still shocked by how handsome he is.

Pics from Aunt Lisa...

Lisa, Max's mom, stopped by today and dropped off a CD of pics she was able to catch during Sam's first official week here on the planet.

Max is about 2 1/2 weeks ahead of Sam and we're positive they are going to be great buddies...unless they end up developing a sibling type relationship and that kind can go either way and quick! ; )

The two little guys will also be attending the same day care starting the exact same day. We're all totally stoked about having them in the same class. Puts some serious depth on our backup contact list with the school.

Hope all is well out there in the business world....this girl ain't missing it one bit.

Here are a few highlights from the CD.

Check back again soon!


Sam and Max's first meeting




Sam and Uncle Joey




Sam and Aunt Lisa




Sam and our godson Austin




Sam and Max....road ready




Sam and Max...post lunch and happy




Sam and Max...checking each other out




Me, Bran, and the boys

Finally...

We finally had a chance to catch me and Sam together this afternoon. I noticed yesterday that the only pic we really had with me and the boy was the shot at the hospital and I gotta be honest....those hospital gowns are comfortable, but look like their straight from the 80's.

Anyway...here we are.

Another one...

Sorry....I had to sign back in and post yet another sleeping pic of Sam. What can I say, this is what he does these days and he's just too darn cute...I have to share.

Don't let him fool you...that furrowed brow is not because of the flash. His little forehead goes there a lot. He's very serious about his naps....oh, and feedings. Such a boy already. ; )

Great weekend....

We just finished up a great weekend with Sam. Everything is still rocking right along....he is still sleeping and eating like a champ and I'm feeling well rested. Luckily, some of the fall-out from the delivery is wearing off for me and I'm slowly getting back to normal. YEAH for momma!

We had a few outings this weekend with him and he played along very nicely. He loves riding in Brandon's new mini-van and listening to Sirius radio. I think Brandon is going to turn him into a talk radio kid....god, help me. With the two of them....I'll be listening to jibberish all day long. *Sigh...... ; )

We went over to Joey and Lisa's for lunch on Saturday and after Sam and Max were fed, we had a huge photo session. Lisa will be handing over the pics for posting from that day real soon. Don't you worry.

Yesterday we went over to my aunt and uncle's house for a little Father's Day dinner. Sam got to meet some of his cousins. He was very alert and spent quite a bit of time with dad watching and listening to all the goings on there. And believe me, there was a lot going on....always a lot going on with that side of the family. He's going to have such a blast over there when he's a little older. I know I'm not supposed to want to rush him in growing up, but I can't help wanting him to play and interact with everyone.

Anyway, here are a few pics from the weekend....more will follow, folks so just settle down out there.

Have a great Monday back at work. Hope the day flies by for everyone.


Brandon's first Father's Day with the kiddo.



Taking a little cat nap on Dad.



A shot of Sam and his cousin Hazen Joseph ready for their rides home.

Sweet dreams...

Sam just finished eating and I'm about to hop back into bed for a little shut eye, but wanted to share this pic with you guys.

Isn't he the sweetest thing?



Hope you all have a great weekend. There will be more pics on the way. Check back soon!

More for your viewing pleasure...

God, he's cute!



Have you ever seen a happier dad?

Already growing…

Sam had his first appointment today and was measured at 18 ½ inches and is 6 lbs. That puts him almost back to his full birth weight. Doctor was VERY happy with his progress and said he looks perfect. YEAH!! It’s such a relief to know that our feedings have been productive. It’s pretty tough keeping up with the demands of breastfeeding, but I’m on the right track. His doctor’s office has a lactation nurse on staff and I was able to meet with her yesterday. She was AWESOME and gave some great info and advice that we’re already putting to use here at the house.

I gotta tell ya….Sam is a really good baby. We are so lucky to have him. He hasn’t been super fussy and is sleeping and eating like a champ. He absolutely loves his crib mobile. It plays classical music with sounds from nature and he just totally zones out on the movement and noise. It’s really awesome to watch. We’re having a hard time keeping our eyes off of him. I understand what all the parents in our life have been talking about all these years. I finally get it….and it was so worth the wait.

We tried out his swing that my cousin Ashley kindly passed along and he seemed to really like it, but then wanted a little cuddle time with dad. He actually hung out with us in the living room for a good chunk of time yesterday and during the day time, too. YEAH! We watched a little college baseball together. He is very alert and is always checking out his new digs and parents. So far so good....I think he likes us. ; )

That’s all for now, folks. Momma is going to chill out before little man wants an afternoon snack. Enjoy the pics and we’ll chat again soon.

He's here...

The little guy arrived, as most of you already know, and we're home and settling in. We couldn't be more happy with our Samuel and are extremely grateful to be home.

His arrival was quick! I went to the doctor Friday morning and she confirmed that I was 3 cm and told me that I could go at any time, but went ahead and set me up for induction for Friday, 6/19...just in case. She did a pretty aggressive exam and told me that I would have some cramping that day so when they started later that afternoon...no big deal, right? Well as the evening progressed the 'cramping' continued and then....ashamed to say it...while I was outside filling up the dogs' water bowl I ended up not making it to the bathroom and ended up having to take a quick shower. Oooops!!

I went to bed after that darn Stanley Cup Final game with the cramps still going. At about midnight, I woke up still 'cramping' so I decided that I would soak in the bath. To be honest folks, I really thought at this point that this was residual from my exam at the appointment and some Freebirds gas....boy, was I wrong. Just goes to prove that you can read all the darn books they have out there and still get it wrong. Everything I had read and heard about identifying true contractions was 'back to front'....my contractions were all up front. Go figure.

Once I got out of the bathroom, they were about 4 minutes apart and becoming more and more serious. It hit me at this point that I was probably in labor and I decided it was time for dad to wake up from the couch. It was 1:20 and Brandon got up and started packing his go bag....he had plans to do it the next day, so it took awhile to get everything out the door. It was a tough wait because the contractions were coming harder and faster and I was starting to get nervous...very nervous! We rolled into labor and delivery around 2:30 and it was clear that we were staying by 2:45. I was almost 5 cm and things were rolling so we called our folks to hit the highways and meet us at the hospital.

Between 2:45 and 4:15, I dilated to 8 cm and found myself losing control over the contractions. Man! I really underestimated the power in them. I had been committed to doing it without and epidural and had been pretty adamant about it...stubborn, some would say....but our delivery nurse sealed the deal for me when she said that either way you go the outcome is still a beautiful baby. So I told them to bring order it up. I was ready for some relief. It was happening so fast!

I got the epidural about 4:45, and within the next 45 minutes I was at 10 cm and it was time to push. I pushed for about an hour...the good thing was that I could still feel when to push even with the epidural which made my delivery nurse VERY happy. She and Brandon were awesome in getting me through it. I couldn't have asked for better support.

Our handsome Samuel arrived at 6:28 weighing 6.2 lbs and measuring 18 in. He was a smaller guy than any of us expected, but I'm not complaining one bit...he's absolutely perfect and we are so excited to have him here and HOME!!! Don't get me wrong...we had the best medical care at St. David's. The nursing staff there is top notch and we are so grateful for their care and concern. We feel extremely lucky in meeting them. We have plans to go back and deliver goodies and show off Sam a little. ; )

So, we're home now and I actually had a window of opportunity to sit down and make an update and start taking some pictures. We don't have tons of pics right now b/c we've been so busy, but don't you worry...more will come. In fact, here are a few I took before I sat down to post this. Enjoy!






I'll post again tomorrow or Thursday with more news and pics. Have a great Tuesday, folks.

PS. BTW...today was my official due date.

Still waiting…

We’re still here awaiting the little guy’s arrival. We’ve had two appointments since my last post…I’ll get you all caught up.

Our appointment on 5/29 went well. She confirmed that I was 1cm dilated and 40% effaced. We heard his heartbeat and he still sounds strong and happy. I was retaining quite a bit of water at this visit. We had a few late nights and busy days at the office and my feet/cankles weren’t looking so great. She told me that I needed to take it easy, stay away from carbs, and elevate…retaining too much water could mean an elevation in my blood pressure and we don’t want that. I was a good girl and the swelling went down considerably. Today’s appointment revealed a 6 lb drop in my weight since last week. Doc is pleased and so am I….Thank god!!! I decided not to even ask what I put on during last week’s appointment…I had a feeling it wasn’t good due to the condition of my feet. The office staff and Bran were thankful with the decision on that….reeeeeally thankful. It’s no secret up there that I’m extremely sensitive about my weight gain during this whole process. It was a relief for all that there was good news on that front this week. My blood pressure is still looking great making the limitations all worth it.
We’re still at 1 cm. I was hoping for 2+, but kinda suspected this might be the news. This week was super slow on Braxton Hicks. There was more sustained pressure, but no BHicks. Doc said that pressure is sometimes more ‘effective’ in getting things going than the BHicks….it means that he is wiggling down into the canal in prep for the big day. He’s doing all of the right work in there, just not on the quick schedule everyone would like…he’s pacing himself. Doc did say that we would discuss induction at my appointment next Friday if I don’t see her before then. She gave us a homework assignment that could help get things rolling, so we’ll be giving that a go this weekend.

I mentioned we had some late nights last week…Our friends, Joey and Lisa, had their little guy on 5/27. His name is Max Liam. We hung out to meet him his first night here, and I ran by the next day to get a snuggle. He’s a cutie…and he has these wonderfully long legs and fingers, and sweet, soft hair. We’re totally stoked he’s here and are very honored to be his god parents. = )

My mom made a trip up here last weekend to bring us the mini-van Bran is now driving. Yes…you read correctly, Bran is a mini-van dad. He got some not-so great news about the Blazer and we had to make a move. Luckily, my grandparents back home still had their well-kept 2000 Honda Odyssey for sale and my folks helped us make it happen. We’re still trying to find a new home for the Blazer…there have been a few bites, but no takers yet. He’s already installed the carseat base, his Sirius radio, and the Kenseth sticker is in place.



Bran’s not the only one with a new toy…the kiddo had a few deliveries this week. We spent our gift cards on some essential items that were still left and then the rest went to fun stuff. The little guy got some super cool cloth books, a music cube, a mobile, and rattler/teether gift set. Bran put together the travel system and rocker/bouncer seat, and the baby monitor is in place. We are SO ready.

My last shower went down at the office and it was AWESOME. I was blown away by the number of folks that joined the party. It was a lot of fun and once again….YUMMY!!! We want to thank everyone for their generous gifts, and for the hosts…well, you ROCK!!!!!! Here are a few pics from the party.







That's all for now. I'll check back in next weekend.