Halloween 2012

Halloween was all sorts of fun this year!  We went over to Merri and Richards to walk around the block with them.  Lincoln was our little football and he is the cutest football I've ever seen!  Lincoln wasn't too thrilled when we started walking around the neighborhood and I was ready to call it quits right away.  But Daddy wanted to try walking him just for a few minutes and sure enough he calmed down and fell asleep and did great!  Thank heavens for a calm and collected daddy!  Linc even got his first piece of candy from a lady in our ward.  :) 

Proud Daddy!

SCORE!!

Trick or treat!

Go Long daddy!

Me and my cousin Rhett, we are one year apart!

one month

Lincoln at 6 weeks

November 19, 2012

Mr. Lincoln at 6 weeks:

This little ball of baby is OUR WORLD!  I can’t seem to get anything done during the day because when my little man is awake and happy I want to play with him and mentally record each second so I never forget how perfect it is right now!  When his is awake and not happy I want to make him feel better and when he is sleeping I want to snuggle him, so when does that leave me time to accomplish anything?  Yeah it doesn’t really, which is challenging as Christmas is approaching! 

On Monday, November 5^th J and I were cozy in our bed staring at our perfect baby.  It was a wonderful moment that I just wanted to freeze.  As we were staring and talking to our little guy he looked right at us and gave us the most beautiful, biggest bright eyed smile we’d ever seen.  It was absolutely amazing.  I’ve seen my nieces and nephews smile as babies and I’ve heard parents talk about just how wonderful it is to see their child smile, and I believed them, sure!  But I didn’t comprehend just how magnificent smiles from my baby would be! 

Justin had this week and next week off before he starts his new job with Freeport McMoRan (I couldn’t be more proud and happy for him!)  and we have enjoyed spending the mornings in bed together, while staring at and talking to our little Linc.  Well this Tuesday, November 13, Linc was really staring at us and he smiled again and that is when it really began.  Since Tuesday (5 weeks and 2 days) Linc has shown off his precious gummy smile.  He has this twinkle in his eyes and he opens his mouth so wide like he is laughing with no sound, although occasionally we get a sweet baby coo or squeak.  Every day since Tuesday Linc will give us some great smile sessions!  I could just eat him UP!

Each and every time Lincoln smiles for me I yell to Justin or poke him if he’s next to me.  We love sharing the smiles together and I just want to capture it on a camera so I never forget it! 

Other facts about Linc at 6 weeks:

He is still in newborn diapers and newborn clothes.  J has suggested trying size 1 diapers and I did NOT like that idea.  I did humor him once and try one and it leaked, so we don’t need to try that again!  Nope, my baby can stay my newborn forever! 

We tried weighing him at Grandma D’s house on her bread scale and I think he is about 8.5 lbs.  The scale said 9 but he was dressed and had a wet diaper etc…

He is smiling much more often and it is the cutest thing you’ve ever seen!  No really, it is!

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He is still rolling over regularly.  Almost anytime we put him on his tummy he will flip right over like its nothing!

His hair is thinning out on top because his head is growing so much

He still loves to be swaddled and we just tried the MOBY wrap this week and we are both BIG FANS!!! 

Lincoln loves his rattle

Lincoln is now sleeping in his crib rather than the pack n play in our room.  We leave our bedroom door open and his bedroom door open and I can see his crib from where I lay in bed.  This helps J sleep a little better and I feel like I don’t need to run to pick our little LInc up every time he makes a peep.  Tiff also reminded me that it will mean no difficult transition to sleeping in a new room and new bed when he is older.  He is still super close to me and it is working out perfectly.

From the pack n play in our room to...

the crib in his nursery.

The last 3 nights Lincoln has eaten for about 40 min (20 min one hour and 20 min the next hour) around 11 and 12 and then he sleeps for 7, HEAR ME …7 HOURS!!  From 12-7am.  It is amazing.  My little boy LOVES ME!  I am really hoping that 3 nights in a row means it is going to be a habit! 

Lincoln has gone to his first movie and he slept through every minute of it.  He slept through Skyfall – James Bond.

Lincoln went on a trip up to the Mogollon Rim yesterday and slept all the way up and back in the car.  He loved being snuggled in the wrap as we walked him around the lake.  He loves the outdoors just like his daddy!  We hope he will continue to love the car rides too!

Lincoln survived his first full 3 hours of church today.  Last week he slept through the entire 2 hours of stake conference.  During the closing prayer in RS Little Linc made a loud poop and had all the sisters dying laughing.   Oh my little boy! 

We have to tell Lincoln to sit down in the bath tub!  He likes to be stiff as a board and he won’t relax and bend to sit in his bath chair, so mommy and daddy have to tell him to sit in the bath tub, and he is only 6 weeks!

Lincoln also spits up pretty regularly.  It doesn’t seem to bother him much, unless it happens after he is asleep and it gets him wet and cold.

He loves to study our faces and we sure love to study his!  He can track things much better now and he loves staring at ceiling fans and the view from his changing table.

Lincoln is very vocal.  He sure lets you know when he isn’t happy.  Sometimes his cries scare his mama because his face gets SO RED and he goes silent (like he isn’t breathing) and then he really lets you have it!  Sometimes J will say, “You’re not talking very nicely to me!”  or “I don’t appreciate your tone young man” and it cracks me up and helps me relax a little.  I always wondered why many parents act like they could never let their baby cry, and now I am that very parent!  It really breaks my heart to hear him wail!  He even has REAL TEARS that stream down his face.  Seriously! Break my heart!

He still does what I call, the BABY STRETCH.  I hope he never stops!  When you lift him up and is arms go up and bend behind his head and he pulls his legs up and arches his back…oh my heaven! 

You can always hear Linc make a stinky diaper.  He is not discrete about it at all! 

His eyes are a greyish blue and we are hoping they will stay blue just like his daddys!

It sure has been great having Justin around for a little bit before he starts his new job.  We love being a family and just being together.  J is a great daddy and it has all come very naturally to him. Nothing rattles him or stresses him out which amazes me.  He loves his boy so much and watching them together is my very favorite thing in the whole wide world.  I love these boys of mine with every cell in my body!  J is a great helper, even when he was working he would come home and change diapers and burp Linc or snuggle him all night right up until J himself fell asleep.  He is wonderful and I am so grateful to have him in my life.

Lessons from a 6 week old Mom…

I have, after-all, only had this title of a mother now for only 6 weeks and some of the things I’ve learned are:

The dirty house really will still be there tomorrow – but missing those precious moments with my little man won’t be. (yes it sounds cliché but I believe this with my whole heart, so if you come to my house and it isn’t spotless it is because I chose to spend that time with my baby instead – haha or blogging)

It doesn’t just take a little longer to get out the door, it takes a LOT longer. 15 minutes doesn’t even cover it.  People warn you about this and I did believe them, but I didn’t know the extent of it! 

There really is A LOT more laundry!  We only did laundry ever 1 ½ to 2 weeks and now it is much more often.  Partially because we don’t have too many cute actual outfits for Linc (we have tons of jammies though) and because not only is it clothes you wash, but blankets, burp rags, sheets he pees on (in mommy and daddy’s bed too), wash cloths, towels, etc.  I swear people warn you but until it happens to you….

Hearing my baby cry breaks my heart every time

There is nothing more beautiful and priceless to me than seeing my husband hold OUR son or seeing our son look into our eyes and smile at us.  It is like a non verbal way of him saying, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!  

What we know about Mr. Lincoln so far...

What we know about our Mr. Lincoln at 3 and 4 weeks:

He LOVES to suck on anything!  His hands, your finger, a binky, gripe water, nursing, ANYTHING but from the moment he was born he has loved to suck!

He likes to MOVE IT MOVE IT!  Our Mr. Linc is a mover!  At 2 weeks old he rolled over from his tummy to his back and he has continued since then anytime we do tummy time.  I also believe he will soon roll from his back to his tummy because he can arch his back and has almost done it many times on the changing table or bed or floor.  YIKES!  He kicks his legs and can turn his body all around when doing tummy time.  If you lay him vertically on the blanket he can turn his body horizontally just from wiggling and kicking his legs.  Friends and family comment all the time about how much he wiggles and moves; some even say they never worried about dropping a baby until now because he won’t hold still. 

Mr. Linc goes from 0-60 in no time at all.  There is no warming up with him.  When he is hungry or dirty he will let you know immediately. 

He loves baths.  After his “tag” (as daddy called it) or cord fell off we gave him a bath and he was in heaven.  It is one of the few times that Linc will hold still and be quiet as a mouse!  He especially loves when we wash his hair.

He loves noise like shhhshing, music, mommy and daddy’s voices, ocean, rain, etc.  He also likes it LOUD.  It often calms him and helps put him to sleep. 

Our Linc loves tummy time, well at least for a few minutes. He is great at keeping his head up and moving it from side to side (it amazes us!)

Little Linc ADORES his daddy and will often calm down for him when he won’t for mommy. Daddy really has touch with his little mini me!  

Mr. Lincoln also (usually) sleeps GREAT at night.  He will generally go to sleep around 11 or 12 and sleep 4-6 hours.  I KNOW!!  How lucky am I.  We have gotten a few 5 hour stretches and even a 6 hr stretch once or twice.  We work hard trying to keep him awake before we go to sleep and then he sleeps really well in our room in a pack and play.  Mommy is very grateful!!! 

Linc also likes gripe water.  He will always quiet down and suck it down if it is offered.  I don’t know if it actually helps him at all but he sure likes it. 

Linc loves to eat and he is pretty good at it now.  He also likes to eat often in the evenings.  Mommy doesn’t mind at all though as long as he keeps sleeping like a champ!

Linc also loves music.  The other night mommy and daddy sang to him and he just laid in daddies arms and listened.  It was so sweet. 

Linc is starting to look at us much more and for longer periods of time.  I love staring into his little face.  

Linc LOVES his changing table.  He rarely (almost never) cries when we change him and lay him on his changing table.  He looks around (I think he likes the contrasting colors on the wall and the shelf above his head)

Linc loves to be swaddled when he is ready to sleep

Mr. Lincoln HATES the sun in his eyes.  Guess we will need to find him some baby shades :)

First bath with help from Aunt Merri

splish splash he just took a bath

Fuzzy Head after bath - we LOVE that profile

He loves music - Merri and Rylee singing to cousin Linc

he loves his Daddy!!

I let you know when I'm not happy!

I love to be swaddled

One week old

I love tummy time

Im a pretty great sleeper!  But I usually sleep best if I'm swaddled!

What they don’t tell you can happen after having a baby!

Saturday night after I fell asleep I woke up and knew I had a fever.  I felt lousy but figured it was part of recovery.  I was sweating but freezing and I knew I had a fever.  The next day I tried to ignore it but finally took my temp and it was 101.6.  The nurse and discharge instructions told us if I got a fever over 101to call the Dr.  So we called but of course it was the weekend and the answering service told us to go to urgent care and I most likely had a breast infection, even though there were no signs of one yet except the fever. 

J took me to urgent care and we had to leave our sweet newborn baby with Grandma Thornburg. Thank GOODNESS she was there or I would’ve panicked.  I didn’t want to take my sweet baby to a hospital or leave him with someone.  But if you have to leave your baby with someone, Grandma is the best!  And thankfully with all of my struggles with breastfeeding I had been pumping plenty and Linc was great at taking a bottle (probably another answer to prayers that I had pumped and he knew how to take a bottle)

When we got to urgent care they said that they didn’t feel comfortable seeing me and they sent us to the ER.  BOO!  So we headed over to the ER.  Once they got us settled they had to draw blood and put in an IV port in case I needed an IV.  Well I HATE IV’s and I told them this.  I warned them that I get sick occasionally and sometimes pass out.  So the nurse attempted to start one when she says, “whoops, it didn’t work.  Oh, and you’re going to have quite the bruise.” 

WHOOPS??  Don’t tell me WHOOPS!  How about an, I’m so sorry or an apology of some kind?  UGH! 

Thankfully the second time was the charm. 

Then you’ll never believe all I had to go through just 1 week after having a baby.  They had to do a catheter to get a clean urine sample – NOT FUN after having a baby and being swollen down there!  They also had to do a pelvic exam – yep, once again NOT FUN!  It was awful and I didn’t get a reward like a baby afterwards like I did after labor. 

My fever continued to go up and all of the tests came back with no conclusive results.  Very frustrating.  They also kept the room freezing cold but wouldn’t let me have any blankets because of my fever.  How rude!

They told me to continue taking Tylenol and IBprofin to keep the fever down and to call my dr the next day.  Well thanks for nothing.  After a $100 copay and leaving my baby all day that’s all I get?  I was disappointed and felt awful.

Well my fever seemed to go down some with the medicine but 2 days later I still had it and my left breast was sore, red, hot, and very painful AND I had awful awful cramps, so I called my Dr and got in to see them.  It is no fun going out after just having had a baby and feeling awful.  I also was so nervous to take Lincoln out because I didn’t know when he’d need to eat etc.  Thankfully Grandma came with us and was my support! 

The doctor reported that I had a breast infection and the beginning of a uterine infection and I got a Rx for antibiotics.  I was grateful for some answers but frustrated that I was feeling so crummy and wasn’t able to enjoy each second of my new baby boy.  I think we are blessed that we caught it early on, especially the uterine infection because I don’t think I could’ve handled much more. 

My mom was so great at helping to take care of me, especially with J back to work.  She would bring warm compresses for my breasts, keep me hydrated with lots of fluids, feed me, keep the house spotless, and tell me that I was doing great.  I couldn’t have survived without her.  Thanks Grandma!  We sure love you! 

My home team! LOVE THEM!

I’m just glad that all ended and now I can finally completely enjoy my precious baby!

Lincoln’s first Doctor’s appointment

We came home with Linc from the hospital on Tuesday, Oct 9.  We had his first doctors appointment the next day on Wednesday, Oct 10.  Mommy was a mess and very sore and had no idea what kind of clothes you are supposed to wear 4 days after having a baby, but we ventured out to the dr.  Thank goodness Daddy was able to come.  (Sadly daddy had to go back to work that next day)

The appointment went well and Linc looked perfect.  When we left the hospital Lincoln weighed 6lbs 10oz and at the Dr. he had gone up to 6lbs 12oz.  When the nurse weighed him she asked us to take off his diaper.  I told her, “Wow you all live dangerously here!”  And sure enough little Linc peed all over her and us.  It was like a hose, it shot up over his head and got the nurse and her paper work first and then I used my hand to cover it up as it pooled around Linc.  The dumb nurse seemed irritated and I was hormonal and annoyed with her.  What did she expect and I know this must happen all the time!  Oh well.  J

The appointment went great and Linc was perfect in every way. 

Our first outing, off to the Doctor

This is not fun!

Found his fingers

Who says breastfeeding is easy?

October 29, 2012

Baby Lincoln is the most adorable baby boy!  I love every inch of him and I love staring at him ALL DAY every day!  I don’t get much done because I’ve waited my ENTIRE life to hold him and I don’t ever want to put him down!  It took me 3-4 weeks just to post pictures and write my birth story because all I want to do is stare at and snuggle my little man!

Coming home started off with a bang!  My milk came in the day I got home and WOW that was a challenge.  I had heard that breastfeeding could be challenging but it had gone so beautifully in the hospital.  However since I knew it could be hard I saw a lactation consultant each day I was there.  They told me that Lincoln and I were doing great and to keep it up.  Whew what a relief.  But then after I got home Lincoln could not latch on anymore because I was just so full of milk and hard as rocks there was nothing for him to latch too.  It was awful!  I pumped constantly and tried to empty them (but I didn’t want to make my body think I had multiple babies either so I had NO idea what to do!!)  The first night I texted Merri at midnight (the night before she was leaving on vacation) and she volunteered to come help me.  Lincoln had been crying for a long time and he was trying his best to latch on.  I was trying my best too and I just cried with him.  Nothing was working and I was a hormonal mess who just wanted to feed my baby!!

After Merri arrived it took a few minutes and many prayers and finally Lincoln latched on.  This gave me hope that it was going to be ok, but I was wrong.  The next few days seemed like an eternity and they were rough!  I was engorged and I couldn’t feed my baby which is all I wanted to do!  I would pump and he would take the bottles but he just couldn’t latch on and Merri had left town.  Thank goodness my mom was here and for Tiffany who kept encouraging me over the phone and through texts.  I would cry and pray all day just trying to feed my Lincoln.  We would sit in the nursery for what seemed like forever just trying to get him to latch on.  And if you’ve held Lincoln you can imagine how difficult this may be because he just wiggles and squirms and shakes his head back and forth.  At one point Lincoln had been crying for so long and so hard that J had to leave the room because it was so hard on him and we had been struggling for so long.  That was the hardest moment for me. 

During these few days I didn’t know what to do.  I prayed and prayed.  Very rarely Lincoln would latch on and I was always so grateful and relieved, but then the next feedings he wouldn’t.  It was a breastfeeding roller coaster.  Then one night J and I ran across the street to Target to get something and we happened to stumble upon breast shields (totally out of the blue).  I texted Merri (who was still on vacation) and she hadn’t heard of anything that you actually wear when you are breastfeeding, but she looked it up online for us and thought it sounded ok.   We didn’t know if it would work and we were hoping it was something you wore while breastfeeding (we weren’t completely sure what it’s purpose was, the packaging wasn’t 100% clear) but I was willing to try ANYTHING.  So, we bought it.  As soon as we got home I tried it and it was another answer to prayers, a MIRACLE!  I loved it and would’ve paid over $100 for this amazing gadget!  Lincoln latched right on AND it took a lot of the pain away.  I was in heaven and I cried with joy and relief! 

After using the nipple shield for a few days I started to wean Linc from it and it went well UNLESS we used his binky.  He LOVES to suck on anything and so of course he loves a binky (especially since he usually can’t find his hands yet).  And with all of our visitors we would try to hold him off on eating until guests left and the binky could often help tide him over.  But it also confused him and he wouldn’t be able to latch on again without the shield.  Thankfully now at 2-3 weeks we’ve got it and no longer need the shield and I will put it away until baby number 2 J.  Linc can now use a binky anytime (we still have to hold it in for him, and he prefers the soothie binkies) and he will latch on great!  However it can still be a little challenging getting him to latch on because he moves so darn much and will often shake his head back and forth searching for food and arch his back or use his hands to push away.  But as soon as he starts eating he is totally relaxed. 

I think what my body  is doing is a miracle.  I am in awe that I could create a life with my husband, carry our baby for 41 weeks, deliver our baby, and now feed our baby.  What an amazing thing!  I am so grateful for my body and for all it is capable of.  I’m grateful to be a mother and that I am able to experience all of challenges and joys that come with it!