Seven weeks to Eleven weeks old

Here's the sweetest little guy with his grandma.  He loved having Grandma and Grandpa here.  He really began smiling while they were here and they loved it. 

Seven weeks old

I put this photo on the blog so you can see his purplish little "V" on his forehead.  It reminds me of the old star trek show.  I remember from my childhood that on one of the plants a baby had a "V" on it's forehead.

8 weeks old

9 weeks old.  Look at that cute smile and baby is finally chunking out.  No more rib shots.  I love that cute little belly.

9 weeks old and baby still has his serious face

9 weeks old, baby awake and Daddy asleep.  The photo is a bit grainy because I took it in semi-darkness.  I love that baby and his Daddy! 

Check out that stylish little boy in his Levi's.  Eleven weeks old and smiling a whole lot!

Eleven weeks old and very happy!

Ten weeks and baby's newest trick is to suck in his bottom lip.  I was afraid he'd suck it off...he was sucking it for a long time that by the end of the day the bottom lip was very red.  But he only did it for a week or two and then moved onto something else.

10 weeks!

Baby's blessing day

Sunday March 17, 2013 St. Patrick's Day was also the day that SM blessed the baby.  I was frantically trying to get to the church and we were late anyway.  I didn't get any other picture of the baby in his blessing suit other than this.  It would have fit him at four months old, but he was only seven weeks old and so the sleeves and legs had to be rolled up.

We were so blessed to have SM's parents with us.  SM's father was able to stand in the circle during the blessing.

Two weeks old to seven weeks old

(2-16-13) Here I am at 3 weeks old.  This outfit was my mommy's favorite.  It took awhile before I could fit the outfit and then I grew out of it so fast that Mom couldn't believe it. 

(2-18-13) Still three weeks old.  Mom tried to get me to take a pacifier.  Nope...didn't like it.  I  got smart and started just holding it in my mouth until Mom let go and then I'd spit it out...patooeee!

(2-20-13) Four weeks old and wanting to hold my head up on my own.  But those neck muscles were still developing and so I often dropped my head onto Mom or Dad's shoulder.  Sometimes I even hurt myself when doing that but over time my neck muscles got stronger and stronger.

Dad has a magical touch...he pats me on the back and I fall asleep.  This doesn't work for Mom but it does with Dad.  Look, in this photo I still have all my hair and haven't yet rubbed it off in the back.(2-24-13...4 weeks old)

(2-27-13)  Yep, still have my very solemn face with my serious big eyes...but I am now five weeks old. 

(2-7-13) So this picture is out of the order but here I am at two weeks old.  I began to be really cranky during this time in my life and it wasn't until a couple weeks later that Mom figured it out...I was hungry.  Mom wasn't producing a lot of milk and so I was very sad and hungry.  

(2-8-13)  This is the other photo that is out of order.  Again, here I am at two weeks old.  Grandma S. came to visit and is holding me.  I cried so much during this time that Mom, Dad and Grandma took turns holding me, trying to help me not be so cranky.  I didn't sleep very much during the daytime but only woke up once or twice each night.

(3-16-13)  Look at what seven weeks can do to a very skinny boy that gets to nurse and take a bottle.  I started putting some meat on my bones...and began sleeping a little better during the daytime.  Now when Mom and Dad put me in the bath I didn't start crying. I wasn't yet enjoying the whole experience but I was just getting used to the feel of water on my body.

(3-16-13)  All clean and happy at seven weeks old.  My face is beginning to look round and a little fuller.  

(3-2-13) Another photo out of chronological order...but here I am at five weeks old.  I am alert and happy to be with such loving parents.  They can't seem to get enough of me and always are taking photos and kissing me.  I guess they are excited that I came to their family.

(3-6-13) Six weeks old and wearing mittens because I sometimes scratch my face.  Mom would at times, lay me down on this blanket and put me on the floor while she did work at the computer. She liked to have me near her at all times. 

(3-9-13) Six weeks old and enjoying one of my favorite spots...laying my head on Daddy's shoulder.   Mom thinks we are her two favorite guys in the world and she'd be right, we are.

First Bath (2 weeks old)

L's first bath was a big thing for me.  I'm very grateful that my mom was here to help me and tell me that I could  do it.  Those crazy pregnancy and post-pregnancy hormones are AWFUL and really affected me...and not sleeping very much too!  Anyway, I was terrified to give L his first bath but we did!

Here's my sweet little SKINNY angel!

Not a fan of the water...it took a bit of time before he learned that he really does like to take a bath.

Poor baby has red eyes from crying during his bath.

All clean and I was very happy to have successfully given L his first bath.

One week old

Here is L at one week old.  He now weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces.  

While we were at the hospital, the bishop's wife decorated the house with balloons and a couple signs announcing we'd had a baby boy.  My next door neighbor (an older grandmother) was so sweet and brought us over a gift of banana bread because she saw the balloons and sign.  There are some sweet people here in the South.

My poor baby had lots of bandaids on his body from all the holes where he had had IV's put into his body.  He actually has small scars from those IV's.

Here we are leaving the hospital (sorry the photo is out of order) and all three of us are super excited to finally go home.  Yippee!!

One week old and L only fits into a couple outfits.  Here he is in the carseat...oh so tiny! 

One week old and awake with big eyes!

Baby L coming home from the hospital

Baby L at two days old.  SM continued teaching his contracts and payments classes at the law school, though he did cancel classes the second day of L's life.  My blood pressure was really high and so my OBGYN was concerned about me.

Baby L slept under heat lamps until he was off of the oxygen.  Once he got off the oxygen, his blood sugars were really low and so the IV that they had removed from his hand was now replaced with an IV in his foot.  Poor baby was full of pricks and pokes.

I wasn't going to comment on this picture but I have to...look at how swollen my eyes are.  This comes from crying for too long.  I wasn't crying because of pain (I was on pain pills) but I had been crying and crying when I found out I was being induced and then the drugs used to induce me caused me to retain water.  And so I had super swollen eyes for three or four days.  I actually got up in the middle of the night to put cold compresses on them.

First day home and five days old.  I was so excited to get my baby home and there is a funny story about the ride home.  Keep reading and I'll tell you all about it.

Here I am sitting in my new chair.  This was my Christmas and birthday present.  The chair reclines and swivels!  Notice the balloons?  SM went to a baby shower that the law school held for us the day after the baby was born.  Needless to say, I didn't go because I was still in the hospital.  It was very kind of the people at the law school to throw us a baby shower.

So here's the story:  On Saturday Jan. 26th, Jeremy and I showed up at the NICU  hoping to talk to the neonatologist.  We knew that the baby was doing better and had been told that the earliest we could possibly take him home would be Sunday morning.  So we were very surprised to be told that the baby would be released to us after his circumcision that morning.  SM ran home to trade the van for the car and bring back the car seat.  I stayed at the hospital and visited with the lactation specialist (Diane) who had now become a good friend.  SM got back to the hospital and we realized that the baby's clothes were still at home.  So Baby L got to come home in his diaper, hat and a little robe.  And look how small he was in the car seat...this photo still makes my heart melt.  We were so excited to take our baby home.

Baby L

Here is Baby L just a minute or so after being born.

Baby L struggled with breathing and so after he was measured and weighed he got to spend a minute with his mom and dad and then he was taken to the NICU for some oxygen.  He weighed 6 pounds and was 20 inches long.

Here Mom is holding him for the very first time.  It was a very special moment.

Here Baby L is one day old and Mom is holding him for the first time since she gave birth to him.  He has his oxygen on and monitors for his heart and lungs.  He also has an IV in his hand.

And then Dad got to hold him.  The babies in the NICU are only touched every three hours and so Mom and Dad had to wait and hold him only at certain times during the day.  That was so hard for me.  My heart hurt every time I had to leave the NICU and leave my baby there.