Newborn Pictures

Here are some of Parker's newborn pictures, done by Katie Davidson. Check out her website. I can't stop looking at these great pictures!

One month Post

Happy One Month Mr. Parker!!

At one month...well, he still seems like a newborn, but less teeny! His face looks more like a little person, sometimes, a grumpy little old man when he's angry with me. He's still wearing his newborn clothes, but he's starting to wear some 0-3 month outfits. They are all so cute!

I realized he's eating 3.5-4 oz. during each feeding. I've been pumping to increase my milk because he always seemed hungry. Yesterday, we started a feeding schedule (every three hours) and he slept better last night. He went down around 8 30, woke up at 1 45, and woke up at 5. He woke up crying again at 6, but I made him go back to bed and eat at 8. He's snoozing now. So it's a work in progress for sure.





Parker throws me for a loop every day. I never know what to expect. We have good days and bad days. But-it's practice!

Parker's Newborn Pictures

My amazing friend and talented photographer, Katie Davidson, came all the way from Alpharetta to Douglasville to capture Parker's early days. Check out her blog for a sneak peek--they are awesome! Thanks again Katie!

http://www.katiedavidsonphotography.blogspot.com/

So that I remember...

I think that people block out the sleepless nights, the unstoppable crying, and the 15+ dirty diapers a day of the first few weeks with a newborn. I know I did with Lily. I just changed her adorable outfits and gazed at her lovely face all day. You remember them being all cuddly, soft, sleepy, and smelling like baby shampoo. And they are-but certainly not ALL the time. I really want to use this blog to remember exactly how Parker was-so that I can have a point of reference (either for friends...or myself, if Shane keeps trying to form a baseball team.)

Feeding: Parker is nursing really well. I had soreness for the first two weeks-never any bleeding or cracked nipples. I hardly used any lanolin at all. I've been needing breastpads still. I can tell when I'm getting really full, and when I have a letdown. I have a really fast letdown-so Parker is a quick nurser, but if he's not careful, he may get sprayed in the face. It's also pretty cool that I have decent sized boobs for the first time ever.

I'm not saying I'm a pro or anything, but we're really getting the hang of things. He seems to be eating every three hours, but sometimes its every two hours. During the evenings, he acts like he hasn't had a bite to eat in days...something I saw online called it "cluster feeding." Scheduling just doesn't seem possible yet. He will scream and scream if I don't immediately offer him my boob, and other times, he will have his little mouth shut super tight and won't take any. He also loves to snack, which we are trying to get away from, but he does that more when he has a bottle. I started pumping during the second week. I try to only pump and give the bottle when we're somewhere I don't feel comfortable nursing. He's gotten more used to the bottle, but he really prefers the breast, and to be honest, breastfeeding is SOOOO much easier than bottle feeding. I never realized it-the milk is always at the right temperature, you don't have to wash any bottles or use the right water, and you never forget anything!

Sleep: Like I said above, we really don't have a concrete schedule. Parker is far away from sleeping through the night, and I still have a hard time getting up and being chipper. I just feel so tired...! I'm ok during the day, and I manage to converse and feed Lily of course. The longest he'll go is three hours, and it gets shorter once the morning light appears. For example, I'll try to stay up til eleven to feed him one last time, then he'll get up at two and five...and then it's like, six thirty...eight fifteen...and then I finally give in and get up for the day. I think he's just ready for human interaction.

We started Parker in our room in his bassinett, and last week, I moved him to his nursery (still in his bassinett.) I think the three hour stretches of sleep I get are deeper now because I'm not on pins and needles listening to him breath or wondering if he's going to start fussing.

I'm a terrible swaddler, but last night, I realized he was finally big enough for his Swaddle Me Blanket that I got from my shower, and he seemed to enjoy that (it seemed like a straight jacket to me.) He really likes taking a paci, but I try to stay away from it in the evening because it will drive me insane. I just got a Wubbanub yesterday, and it does seem to stay in his mouth a bit better, but he's months away from being able to handle the paci himself.

Parker loves to nap during the day-most of the day. He loves to be held while he's sleeping, especially on your chest. He will sleep in his carseat too, but if he wakes up and realizes he is in his carseat, he will totally freak out. I'm still not sure why.

His Loves and Hates:
1. Loves-his swing (life saver!), his bouncy seat, his paci, his Daddy!, his Boppy seat, rocking in his glider, sleeping on people's chests, nursing, being outside, riding in his Moby wrap, getting his hair washed, fans, having his hair brushed, getting lotion put on, and newly, his Swaddle Me blanket

2. Hates- having his diaper changed, waking up and realizing he is in his carseat, getting dressed and undressed, not being held immediately when he realizes he isn't being held, visiting the doctor, when his paci falls out, when I try to pretend like I'm in charge

What a long post! The other thing I was going to write about was my c-section recovery, but I'll save that for next time! I'll leave with some more pictures of course...

Thoughts on a new baby

Happy two week birthday Parker!

Things have been going pretty well so far. Parker has taken to nursing absolutely wonderfully, and I have really had very little pain. It's been slightly stressful hoping he is getting enough and attempting not to get engorged. I'm still learning! However, I have to pat myself on the back because I was absolutely terrified of nursing, and I think I've done a good job...thanks to alot of help from several great mommy friends who nursed, and a wonderful book I borrowed from a friend. I've been a little sore, but other than that, I REALLY cannot complain. I've already nursed in public too-sort of. An Old Navy bathroom(blech) and the aisles of Kroger (no worries, he was hidden by his Moby wrap, which I also love.) Shane asked when I'll start pulling my boobs out in front of everyone, but as long as there's a quiet bedroom I can go to, or at the very least, a blanket to cover up with, I really don't see that happening. However, I think I scarred his little brother Chase at the hospital. But, I was pretty out of it, so I can't be blamed too much. Is eight too young to see your first boob? Hopefully it was scientific for him.

I've already started pumping, and he has had a couple of bottles. At first, he acted like it was poision, but now, he seems to be getting the hang of a bottle. He still prefers the boob though! Lily is dying to feed him (and Shane too-well, maybe). Plus, in a few weeks, I wouldn't mind escaping for a quick dinner, so it would be nice to have some milk stored up.

Life with two kids will continue to be an adjustment for a while. I realized how stressed I was over perfection when I got home from the hospital. It killed me not to be vaccuming every day and making the beds. I finally mopped Friday, and it was such a relief. I'm just a big weirdo I think. I'm trying to relax for sure...but it's easier said than done. This week, we plan to pretty much sleep as late as Parker will let us, enjoy leisurely meals, and keep up with the laundry. We have lots of movies to watch, and Lily hopefully will get some more swimming in. We're going to eat oysters and gator on Wednesday for Cousin Garrett's birthday, and I'm very much looking forward to that. Plus-Shane is off this weekend, thank goodness! Last Saturday was a LONG day!

Lily has been a great big sister, but she hates it when Parker cries. Both kids had a nuclear meltdown one night in the car. Parker was hungry, and Lily had tears in her eyes, covering her ears, screaming, "Do something! Pull over! PLEASE pull out your boob and feed this guy!" I was half laughing, half crying myself. Good thing we were three minutes from home. She's acted out a little, but I think she's actually behaving the same way she always has, I just expected a bit much from her. Now when she wanders up the grocery aisle too far ahead, I'm more frusturated, as I'm handling two kids. But, overall, everyone has been spoiling her and paying attention to her, so she's been doing good. Shane and I MUST continue to have some patience. Easier said than done. But we're trying! Shane let her put hairbows in his hair and brush it the other day, so we're both working on it.

I need to upload more pictures-I will soon!

:o)

Warning-EXTRA long post!

It took me a lot longer than I anticpated to get on here and actually blog about Parker's birth. I forgot how much work a newborn is. We're loving every minute of it though. Parker is such a joy, and we are so so happy that he is part of our family now.

Deep breath...so, the story of Parker's birth.

We arrived at the hospital around 615 the morning of Monday 6/28. I got signed in, and I went back to get ready. First, they took my blood pressure and monitored the baby. All was going well. Then the nurse had some big white bag/blanket thing that I had to put over me to heat up my body temperature (the way she explained it, it was good for recovery?) I had never heard of it. I also got my IV. When I was laying there, I started to get really hot and claustrophobic, and I think I freaked myself out a little. People kept coming in and introducing themselves to me, nurses, etc. But I just felt a bit freaked out-this was really happening.

I got wheeled back to the operating room, and Shane had to wait behind. I was then really freaking out. I got my spinal, and things got weird. It's so weird not being able to move/feel your lower body. I felt very very out of it. I got some oxygen, and they put in the catheter (which I didn't feel, thank goodness.) The next thing I knew, the doctor was there, and someone ran to get Shane, who had suited up in his scrubs and grabbed the camera.

The whole process seemed to take awhile. I felt really really tired and generally out of it. Shane watched the whole thing and took lots of pictures. Parker arrived at 8:16 am weighing 7 lbs., 5 oz. He came out SCREAMING. I cried when I heard him cry.

They brought him over to meet me, and I got to kiss his little cheek.

After I met him, they took him to the nursery to get cleaned up, and Shane followed. I had to hang out in the OR to get stiched up, and then they wheeled me to recovery. I wasn't in recovery long at all. After less than an hour, I was wheeled to my room. My mom and my sister were waiting for me. After what seemed like forever, they FINALLY brought Parker to my room so I could nurse him. He actually latched on right away.

L came by in the afternoon to visit. The rest of the time at the hospital was a slight blur. We had lots of visitors-including Shane's parents, his grandmother, his sister and brother, my dear friend Katherine, and Shane's uncle, aunt, and cousins. I finally got up the next day, and it was slow process, but I walked a bit and took a shower. I was so glad when we got to go home.

We took Parker back to the doctor on Friday because he seemed a little yellow. Unfortunately, his levels of the chemical (I can't for the life of me spell it) were extremely high and we had to take him to another hospital, which was 45 minutes from our house. We were in the pediatric ward, and he had to lay under special lights from about 2 pm-6 am the following morning. I hated seeing him laying there naked, even though I know he probably was cozy. They took blood every four hours, which he HATED. He also had an IV, which he also HATED. Luckily, his levels were down enough to where we could go home Saturday evening. We've been back to the doctor three times since then, and thankfully, his levels have continued to go down, so he is out of the danger zone now. :o)

Parker is nursing wonderfully...and he is so sweet and good. He is very laid back, unless you change his diaper or he realizes he is hungry. I look forward to posting lots more on this precious baby!