Growth Spurt & Baby Class

Dear Conor,

Wow!  And we thought Friday and Saturday were tough.  Sunday (01/08/2012) and Monday (01/09/2012) were your worst days yet.  You spent the majority of the day screaming and fussing and doing everything but being quite.  Because of this you spent the majority of these days in my arms - the only place you seemed to be content and nursing.  You went from eating every 2-2.5 hours on Saturday to eating every 30 to 60 minutes.  It felt like you and I did nothing for that 48 hours stretch other than feed and change diapers. 

On Sunday your Dad took care of you for a little bit so that I could get a little break from you (and your BAD attitude).  What did Mom do?  She took a nice long HOT shower and I cut my finger and toe nails - nothing spectacular I promise!  I guess this is my official "welcome to mom-hood". 

You might look like a sleeping angel in the above photo but I assure you - you really did spent the majority of the two days screaming your little head off.  Of course, what kind of a mom would I be if I didn't carefully document this growth milestone!

The face of a growing boy!

Your Dad and I also found you to be suffering from extreme gas which only added to your pains and troubles this past weekend.  We ended up having to purchase you some tummy medicine (Little Tummies) which we give to you a few times a day after you eat.  After talking with some of the other mommies from the baby class we go to and reading online and watching you eat I believe that I have an overactive milk supply and a forceful let-down which means you have to work twice as hard to keep up and therefore you gulp a lot and air gets into your little digestive system.

To help with the gas you and I are feeding in particular positions, I am giving you the tummy medicine, we are rubbing your belly after feedings in a clockwise motion and exercising your legs in a bicycle motion.  All of this is to help the gas make its way out of your system - one way or another.  And come out of you it does!  Your burps and toots rival your Dad's!

My nautical boy!

 On Tuesday we took a risk and went to baby class despite your behavior over the previous few days.  Of course, you were as good as gold there!  Of course, I put you on the scale - you weighed 9lbs. 14oz.  This as an increase of 10 oz. from last week!  You are my growing boy!

Because you were SO good at class I thought we both deserved a little shopping trip.  I needed to purchase some pants (your mom is officially out of maternity clothes but not quite into her pre-pregnancy size) and while we were at the mall I noted that The Children's Place was having a sale and they had a preppy nautical line.  Of course, that meant that I needed to purchase something for you so I did!  I bought you the outfit above (in 6m-9m size) as well as a navy blue polo shirt and Nantucket red pants.  I can't wait for you to wear them this spring/summer!

Hopefully we are over this growth spurt and you will go back to my wonderful and good natured little boy :)

xoxo

Mom

PS.  After we got home from shopping we moved you up to a SIZE 1 diaper!

Week 31 & Pictures

Dear Conor,

We are 1/2 way through week 31 which means there are only 9 weeks until your birthday (if you come on time).  I have continued to try to take pictures every few weeks to document your growth.  There hard to take and I honestly do not like how I look in the pictures.  While I look normal in person for some reason on camera I just look different.  But, all that aside - it is important to document so here goes :

Since August 20, 2011 you have grown a lot and therefore so have I!  I will find out tomorrow how much you have grown in the last month and if we are still measuring one week ahead.  Certain clothes make me look much bigger than I really am, especially later in the day when I am tired and retaining a lot of water.

This week you and I have not been sleeping.  Well, we have been sleeping just not a lot.  We seem unable to fall asleep before midnight and I have to be up no later than 7 more days.  With the multiple bathroom breaks during the night and the shifting to get comfortable I would estimate that we sleep about 4-5 hours a night. 

This last week there has also been a lot of itching.  But not on my stomach - on my legs, hands, feet and behind my ears.  Weird I know.  I am going to mention it to the doctor tomorrow.  I continue to use lotion in an attempt to keep the stretch marks away and keep my skin nice and moist.  You seem to like when I rub lotion on my stomach at night because it usually makes you move around a bit.

Last night I am certain I felt you roll over for the first time.  It was a very odd feeling but one I wonder if you will repeat tonight so I can determine if it is really you rolling over.  Your movements are still concentrated in the mornings and the evenings (usually once I have layed down for the night); you tend to sleep during the day which continues to allow me to get my work done which I greatly appreciate!

Well, that's all for now.

xoxo
Mom

Growing Bigger & Week 21

Dear Avacado,

Today I am 21 weeks and 1 day pregnant.  I have not been very good at taking weekly "belly" pictures because there hasn't been much growth on a weekly basis.  What I have tried to do is take monthly pictures with my cell phone - they aren't the best but I am posting them below.

           From Left to Right these pictures were taken on May 28, 2011; June 29, 2011 and July 15, 2011.

It's just about time for a new montly photo and I can tell you that I am starting to feel more pregnant as each day passes.  I am using lotion on my stomach twice a day to help keep my skin moist and drinking so much water to help stay hydrated.

Since Monday I have felt you move several times now but not as strongly as that night nor have you "kicked" in the same spot twice again since then.  It's starting to become uncomfortable to sleep on my side without a pillow alongside my stomach and this is another indication that both you and I are growing.  I have also had a lot of heartburn this week - so let's try to cut back on that one because it's not a sign of pregnancy that I enjoy. :)

We are also working hard with Hunter to get him ready for you - he is learning to sleep at he foot of the bed and he is spending some time in his crate at night while we get ready for bed and during the day when we run errands.  I still need to purchase him a new carseat so that your carseat will fit nicely in the car.  I'm pretty excited for the day I will look into the backseat of the Xterra and see my two "boys" sitting side by side.

xoxo
Erin