Happy One Month Birthday!!

Wow!! A whole month already?! Can't believe it has been that long already!! Course that means my maternity leave will be up before I know it. :-(

Things are going much better. Colton was NINE pounds when I weighed him yesterday! Much better than the 6lb 5oz he was at the week after birth. Our main issues with breastfeeding now are just latching issues (but have gotten better with help from super lactation consultant in Athens) and this week he has started 'cluster feeding' which means in the evenings he wants to eat as soon as he is done! Hopefully it is a growth spurt and won't last TOO long. Makes it hard to do much of anything!! We do get out some though!! Have been going to a "new mamas" group in Athens at the cloth diaper store which has been very helpful (and the owner is the lactation consultaton and she is AWESOME in general). Only other frustration has been trying to figure out if he should be awake or sleeping? Is he awake and moving around because he is still hungry (even though he was just zonked after his last feeding) or is he wanting to play? I'm sure we'll all figure it out eventually. :-)

My First Bath!

Very excited!

Feels good Poppa!

Ahhh!! Nice and clean!

Colton has the uncanny ability to know exactly when I am about to eat dinner, regardless if it is 6 pm or 10 pm, and that is when he HAS to eat. :-) But he is SO cute...who cares?!

This picture is from his first week home, LOVE his little 'elephant skin wrinkles'! They arenot as noticable anymore as he has gotten bigger though!

Cloth diapers

Many of you had a lot of questions about the use of cloth diapers, but we are using them full time and they really are a breeze. We just do a wash every other day and they are just as easy to use out and about (although the Fuzzi Bunz are SUPER easy to use when we are out). He has a cute, giant diaper butt with the cloth diapers so he looks a little bottom heavy in his clothes, but the diapers are super cute! Seems to annoy him more when he is wet than poopy, but guess it doesn't matter, he just needs to be changed. We have both been peed on and pooped on--so we are officially parents. :-)

Will try to be a better updater!!

The first two weeks!

21

Well, I really need to get high speed internet now to show off our cutie pie! Dial up and uploading photos really do not mix. :-) These are from my cell as they are lower resolution photos.

Coming home!

"Not another photo!" he said at the photo session.

Chillin' in my Crib

Hanging with Poppa

Sorry for the delay in posting but it has been a rough week and a half for everyone. In addition to the car seat we had at the hospital missing a crutial piece and the fact that we had to have my lovely friend Shenica get me one to borrow at the last minute, Colton almost did not get to leave hospital due to getting jaundice, but it was thankfully not enought to keep him there another day, my spinal headache was awful when we returned home and I could hardly sit up, which made breast feeding really difficult. We had some freak outs over the weekend as we were unsure if Colton was getting enough nourishment and me being totally wiped out and in pain. (Although he was such a good content baby through the whole thing!)

Doctor's appointment last Monday was bad due to the jaundice still being there and the fact that he was down to 6 lbs 11 oz. Had to go to hospital for blood work for the jaundice and Brigette cried more than Colton did, thank goodness for Justin being strong. Unfortunately, the next day's visit to the doctor was worse because he was down to 6lbs 5 oz and still jaundice, so back to the hospital for a MUCH worse experience at drawing blood. It was so horrible to see him scream and they had to prick him several times before they were able to get enough blood. The issue with the weight was not that he wasn't getting enough liquid, but due to my recovery issues and the medication I was taking for the spinal headache, I had no appetite, wasn't eating enough, and therefore my milk did not have enough calories in it. SO...made plan for eating like a pig and adding a little formula to a few meals to ensure he was getting enough. Wednesday he was up to 7 lbs 1 oz!! The pediatrician has been great and very supportive.

Breastfeeding is certainly difficult and hard to tell if it is going well or not! I appreciate the encouragement of those of you who have emailed and commented. What I love is that he can nurse for about 1 hour and sleep the entire time. Does he even know he if he is full?! Because I have no idea!! Sorry if this is too much information!! I was disappointed that he was not up to birth weight by his 7/20 appointment, but he is up several more ounces, his jaundice is almost gone, and the doctor was happy with his progress and gave me the go ahead to just focus on breast feeding. Have another follow up next Monday but I'll be going to a store in Athens this week to get another weighing for my own benefit.

Family has been to visit and love on Colton this week and that has been great. My mother stayed a couple days when Justin went back to work due to the medication I was on, just to make sure I had help if needed (including driving me to the doctor and such).

Had a great time getting Colton's newborn pictures taken over the weekend! Messed up his schedule some but they are SO adorable!! Here is a sample and a link to the rest of samples from the photographer's blog: http://www.stylizedportraiture.com/i-wanna-be-a-cowboy-baby/





More soon!! We are loving our son and enjoying every minute together (even the frustrating breast feeding moments!).

Thanks for all your calls, emails, cards and well wishes! We are certainly blessed.

Please welcome...Colton Augustus!!

Born at 10:40 pm 07-08-09! 7 lbs. 10 oz and 20.5 inches long!!





Well, it was a rough road! Was only 1 cm dialated Tuesday morning. Went in Tuesday night for dialation treatment. Didn't really take. Wednesday morning they induced me. Wasn't too bad til they broke my water and then the contractions hit me hard and fast (2 mins apart). Then when I asked for the epidural, it took three times and one hit my spinal fluid-so now I get to have headaches for up to 2 weeks. BUT eventually they got it right and things were going well and I flew to 8 cm quickly. THEN I got to 9 and we thought it would be soon, then we were at 9 for another hour, then Dr said if I was at 9 when she came back an hour later, we would have to do a c-section. :-( We were really upset because by now it was 8 pm and we'd been going at it for 12 hours that day and since 6 pm the night before. It was so frustrating to have come SO far and think we wouldn't make it!

BUT we did some moving postitions, increased contraction meds, and nurse did some warding off by setting up the c-section so we wouldn't need it. And it worked!! Starting pushing about 9:45 pm and he arrived at 10:40 pm!! It was exhausting but guess I was lucky to only have to push for an hour! Good thing I was working out so much!!

He is super cute and we are so happy to have him here finally!! Things are going well, we are hit or missing with the breast feeding but I'm sticking with it!! He is sweet and very content little man and we already adore him!

Will post more pictures VERY soon!! Thanks for all the well wishes!

40 weeks and 4 days and no signs of arrival!!

Just like a child to not listen to his parents!! Baby Y did not arrive on the 4th as hoped (and Happy Birthday to Caitlin by the way!!) nor has he made any indications he will be arriving any time soon! He is still active as ever and sometimes seems to be trying to come out of the top of my stomach, but does not want to follow directions. I have tried the old wives tales to try to get him out, but no luck. Even walked over a mile on Saturday night to watch fireworks, but gravity did not help!

Here is Brigette on the Fourth of July:

I am now quite tired and pretty uncomfortable generally. I am, however, at work today so that I can squeeze in one extra day of maternity leave. If Baby Y does not show up on his own today or tomorrow (which I really hope he does) I will be induced on Wednesday.

We will keep you posted!!

40 weeks and no signs yet!!

Well, today is Baby Y's due date and he is making no idications that he will be arriving anytime soon. :-)



Perhaps he has been listening to our request for him to make his arrival on the 4th!!

Have been feeling nauseous a few nights this week and one night my pregnancy bleching was so out of control I thought I might throw up or, at the very least, run off Justin for the night, but I survived! I think Baby Y has no room left and is smashing on my stomach when I try to eat dinner. Have had a little cramping one night but it was brief and hasn't returned. Doctor says baby is still looking good, just a little stubborn. I'm working today, off tomorrow. Have another appointment on Tuesday to make plans if he doesn't show up before then.

We'll keep you posted!! Keep your fingers crossing for Baby Y to come on his own, hopefully this weekend.