10 Months

• Weight: 21lbs 6oz (50.16%)
• Eating: You are eating 4 7oz bottles a day and 3 meals a day. You are getting the hang of using a sippy cup some.
• Sleep: You are sleeping close to 11 hours a night.  You are usually in bed by around 6:30pm.
• You are wearing size 3 diapers
• You are wearing some 9 month and some 12 month clothes.
• You have started crawling.  You started out slow, but it didn't take long before you were off and running. (December 16th)
• You have started sitting yourself up.  We were in Springdale for Christmas and there you were sitting up in the pack n play on Saturday morning.  (December 21st)
• You started trying to pull up.  First to your knees and then to your feet but your bottom half is still really bent over (Jan 6th)
• You have started clapping (Jan 7th)
• You have cut a couple more teeth.  Looks like you are gonna have 4 on bottom first.
• Wow!  We have had a busy month. You have really taken off.

9 Months

• Weight: 19 lbs 14 oz
• Length:
• Head: 
• Eating: You are eating 4 7oz bottles a day and 3 meals a day.  You absolutely love food! We still offer you a sippy cup occasionally, but you haven't quite figured out how it works.
• Sleep: You still sleeping close to 12 hours a night.  You are usually in bed by around 6:30pm.
• You are wearing size 3 diapers
• You are wearing 9 month clothes.
• You are soooo close to crawling.  Right now you rock on all fours and cry.  You want to go places soo bad, but haven't quiet figured it out yet.
• You still love Oliver.
• You got your 2nd tooth. 
• You have really become a talker and you love to laugh.
• You love FaceTime with CiCi and Papaw.  Whenever I started to call them on it and you see your face in the phone, you just grin and giggle.

8 Months

• Weight: 19 lbs 10 oz
• Eating: You are still eating 5 5-6 oz bottles a day and are 3 meals a day.  You absolutely love food! So far you have not been allergic to anything.  We offer you a sippy cup occasionally, but you haven't quite figured out how it works.
• Sleep: You still sleeping close to 12 hours a night.  You are usually in bed by around 6:30pm.
• You are wearing size 3 diapers
• You are wearing 9 month clothes.
• You have mastered sitting up alone, but you have not yet started to crawl.  You will lean forward like you want to but you can't figure out where to put your legs.  Sometimes you do get in your hands and knees and rock, but you don't go anywhere.
• You love the dog and think its funny when he licks you.
• You got your 1st tooth.  I first felt it on October 27th, but it didn't start showing for about another week.
• You have really become a talker and you love to laugh.
• You love to play peek-a-boo on FaceTime with CiCi and Papaw.

7 Months

• Weight: 18 lbs
• Eating: You are still eating 5 5-6 oz bottles a day and are now eating 3 meals a day.  You absolutely love food! 
• Sleep: You still sleeping close to 12 hours a night.  You are usually in bed by around 6:30pm.
• You are wearing size 3 diapers
• You are wearing some 6 month clothes and some 9 month clothes.
• You sat up on your own for longer than a few seconds for the 1st time this month. (Oct 9 - you sat up for about 15 minutes on your own)
• You are starting to think Oliver is soo funny.  We caught you just laughing up a storm at him when he was shaking his toy.
• Still no teeth
• I love you soo much my heart could burst.  You are a great baby and a wonderful traveler.  

6 Months

• You had your 6 month shots on Monday and did great.  They didn't seem to bother you at all and you didn't even cry very much when the nurse stuck you.
• Weight: 16 lbs 3 oz (26.78%)
• Length: 26.9in (62%)
• Head: 17.25in (52.82%)
• Eating: You eating 5-6 ounces about every 3-4 hours (5 bottles a day).  We started oatmeal cereal about the time you turned 5 months old and a 5 1/2 months we started solids.  You LOVE food.  So far we have had apples, bananas, sweet potato, avocado, butternut squash, and pears.  We are hoping the eating solids will help with your reflux.  We switched from Zantac to OTC Prevacid and that has seemed to help some.
• Sleep: You are a great sleeper.  You go to bed between around 6:30-6:45pm and you usually sleep until I have to get you up at 6am.  You love to sleep on your tummy, with your butt in the air.
• You are wearing size 3 diapers
• You wear mostly 6 month clothes although most of your shorts are still 3 month.
• You have start rolling from tummy to back. The 1st time we saw this was on September 2nd.
• You are such a happy baby, but you always have a serious look on your face and it takes some work to make you laugh.
• You have started to hold your own bottle.  This started on September 6th.
• You have started trying to scoot, but so far you only go in reverse.
• You still don't have any teeth.
• You changed classrooms at school and your new teachers are wonderful.  I am amazed by what you have learned and I am soo happy I found a great daycare close to my work.

Happy 1/2 Birthday sweet boy.  I can't imagine my life without you.  We hoped and prayed for you for sooo long and you were definitely worth the wait.  

5 Months

• You had your 4 month shots on Monday and did great.
• Weight: 15 lbs
• Eating: You now drink 6 ounces every 3 hours and 15 minutes (5 bottles a day).
• Sleep: You go to bed between 6:30 and 7:30pm and we get you up at 6am.  You wiggle a lot in your sleep and most mornings we find you a totally different direction in the bed then when you went to sleep.
• You are still in size 2 diapers
• You are now mostly wearing 3-6 month clothes.  Most of your pants are still 3 month but the 3 month onesies are too short.
• You have start rolling from back to tummy.  I was totally shocked the 1^st time I saw you do this.  It took you a few tries to figure out what to do with your arm, once you rolled over but you eventually got it.
• You still smile a lot and are "talk" more.
• You still LOVE the jumparoo.  You go crazy jumping in it and love to watch Praise Baby on TV while you jump.
• You still love TV, music, and bath time
• You got your first cold.  You had a terrible cough and looked like you felt terrible for about 3 days.
• Most babies lose hair on the back of their head, but you lost it on the right side of your head from all that sleeping you used to do on your side.  From one side you look like you have a mohawk.

4 Months

• You had your 4 month shots on Monday and did great.
• Weight: 14 lbs 1 oz (31.96%)
• Length: 24.6 in (37.33%)
• Head: 16.6 in (46.92%)
• Eating: You were still eating 5 ounces about every 3 hours (6 bottles a day), but on the day you turned 4 months old we switched to 6 ounces every 3 hours and 15 minutes (5 bottles a day).
• Sleep: You are still a really good sleeper.  You go to bed between 7:30 and 8pm and we get you up at 6am.  Some mornings you start waking up around 5:30, but you don't normally cry and you are usually back asleep by the time I make it to your room to get you up for the day. You alternate sleeping on your side and back. 
• You moved up to size 2 diapers
• You are still mostly wearing 3 month clothes, but I have started putting you in a few 3-6 month clothes.
• You have start rolling from back to side, but haven't quite figured out how to get all the way to your tummy.
• You smile a lot and are starting to "talk" more.
• You LOVE the jumparoo.  Your feet don't hit the floor, but we put a pillow or towel under you and you jump like crazy.
• You love TV, music, bath time
• Your umbilical hernia is completely gone.  You now have a normal belly button.
• You now have really good head control.
• You are starting to grasp objects and you love to put everything in your mouth.
• Your made you 1st trip out on the boat and did excellent.  You lasted 6 1/2 hours one day and 5 hours the next day.
• You love school and seem to be content in the swing each morning when I drop you off.

Mommy and Daddy love you soo much.  I am soo thankful for you and can't imagine what life would be like without you.

3 Months

• I started back to work this month (May 28th) and you started going to school.  I'm not gonna lie, that 1st day was rough!  I cried all the way to school.  You started crying too and you never cry in the car.  I cried the entire time I was dropping you off at school.  I had to run back in your room after I left and you were crying which upset me even more.  I cried all the way to work and every time someone asked me about you at work I cried.  I checked on you at lunch and you were doing good which made me feel better.  After the 1st day, all the tears were gone and going to school is no big deal.  I put you in a swing each morning and you are happy as can be.
• Weight: We haven't been to the doctor in a while, but my best guess is between 12 1/2 and 13 lbs
• Length: 25 in (my best guess)
• Eating: You are still eating 5 ounces about every 3 hours (6 bottles a day)
• Sleep: You are still a really good sleeper.  You go to bed between 8-8:30opm and we get you up at 6am.  You usually starting waking up around 5:30, but you don't normally cry and you are usually back asleep by the time I make it to your room to get you up for the day.  And have I mentioned that you are a side sleeper?  You love to sleep right up next to the side of the crib.
• You made your first trip to the lake.  Lolly and Pop sold their lake house so we went to help them move into a rental while they build their retirement house.
• Your umbilical hernia is getting better.  It's starting to look like a normal belly button.
• You smile a lot these days.  You are always soo happy in the morning right after your 1st bottle.  I allow extra time in the mornings before we leave for school/work so that we can hang out.  I always get lots of smiles.
• You are starting to make noises and sometimes I even think I hear a laugh.
• You are getting better head control.  You are still a little small for the bumbo seat, but I did put you in the jumparoo.  I had to put a pillow under your feet, but you seems to love it.
• You went swimming for the 1st time.  Although the water was a little cold, you didn't seem to mind.  You love bath time so I was pretty sure you would love the pool and you do!

I say this every month, but I really can't believe it's been another month.  You have become such a good baby and are getting to be so much fun.

2 Months

• You had your 2 month check-up yesterday and did really well.  I wasn't sure what to except getting 4 shots, but you handled it like a champ.  The screaming didn't last as long as I feared and the only side effect you seemed to have was wanting to sleep the rest of the day.
• Weight: 11 lbs 1 oz (25%)
• Length: 23 1/4 in (52%)
• Head: 15 1/2 in (27%)
• Eating: I started exclusively pumping and giving you a bottle and this has seemed to solve the weight gain issue.  You now eat 5 ounces about every 3 hours (6 bottles a day)
• Sleep:  We moved you out of our bedroom and into your crib when you were six weeks old.  You started sleeping through the night just a few days before you turned 2 months old.  You did it all on your own.  I hear you on the monitor some nights wiggling around, but you usually put yourself right back to sleep without ever crying.  This is a huge accomplishment since I am about to start back to work.
• You made your first trip to Northeast AR this month to see CiCi and Papaw at their house.  You were excellent in the car.
• You were diagnosed with Eczema and I think we have that under control now.  
• You have an umbilical hernia, but the doctor says not to worry this should correct itself by the time you are 2 years old.
• You have started smiling more and you love to stare at the TV.
• You don't really like tummy time.

I just can't believe you are 2 months old.  These first couple of months have been hard, but worth every bit of it.  I can't imagine life without you.  Mommy and Daddy love you sooooo much!!

Mother's Day 2013

Last year on Mother's Day weekend, I went home to see my parents.  While I was in town, I also met with a doctor regarding my issues with infertility.  That appointment resulted in the decision to have surgery which removed tons of endometriosis.  I am soo thankful that God led me to this doctor and Scott and I decided to have the surgery.  Because of that, I spent Mother's Day this year as a MOM!!!

My parents came down for the weekend and we cooked out and did lots of projects around the house.  My dad built me this awesome planter.  Now I just have to find something to put on it to tone down the brightness of the paint.  But hey, I scored that paint for $5 at Lowe's because it was apparently the wrong color or someone didn't like it.

I am soo grateful for this little guy and I am soo happy I was able to spend my 1st Mother's Day as a mom with family.  The weather was great and we spent lots of time outside.  

1 Month

I know I am way behind, but I wanted to document a few things from Carter's 1st month.

• We made several trips to the doctor in the 1st few days you were home from the hospital to have your Bilirubin checked because you were jaundice.  Finally on the 3rd check if was starting to go down. 
• Your hair is still brown but your eyes have turned from hazel to blue.
• Weight:  You weighed 7lbs at your 1st dr appointment, the second appointment you were 7lbs 3oz, and the 3rd appointment, which was the next day, you were 7lbs 2 1/2 oz.   At your 1 month appointment you weighed 8lb 2oz.  You have had some trouble gaining weight, but we are working on it.  You were given Zantac for reflux because you have been spitting up a lot and the doctor was afraid that it was part of the issue with you not gaining a lot of weight.  When you were 3 weeks old I knew something was off with your weight so I took you in for a weight check.  You were 7lbs 4oz.  You had only gained 1 oz in 2 weeks.  They told me to start offering you a bottle after each feeding so that is what we did.  In 6 days you gained 7 oz so you were up to 7lbs 11oz.  A week later you were up to 8lbs 2 oz.  The doctor asked that we come back 3 days later and have it checked again and you were up to 8lbs 9oz.
• Length:  You were still measuring 21 3/4 in at your 1 month check up.
• Sleep:  Some nights are better than others.  We actually got a few nights were you slept 6-7 hours and there was even one night where you slept 8 hours.  Lots of nights you were up every 3 hours.  Sunday nights always seem to be the worst.
• Eating:  You eat about every 3 hours.  Since we started offering a bottle after breastfeeding it seems like one meal takes an hour and a half so some days it seems like all we do it eat.  

I can't believe how fast this 1st month has gone by.  While it has been very stressful at times, I have loved every minute of it.  We have even caught you smiling a few times and I can't wait to see more smiles every day.  You make some pretty funny facial expressions.

Mommy and Daddy love you sooo much!!

 

Carter's Birth Story

Everything was pretty normal leading up to me starting to have contractions.  I went to work on Monday, March 11 and planned on being back at work the next day.  Around 3:30am on March 12th, I woke up from the pain of what felt like period cramps.  I laid in bed about 30 minutes before I determined that these really were contractions so I got up to see if changing positions would help ease the pain.  At this point the pain wasn't extreme, just uncomfortable.  I went upstairs for a bit and after about an hour decided to take a shower.  When nothing seemed to be working, I decided to time them to see how far apart they were.  The contractions were 5-6 minutes apart and stayed that way for over an hour.  Around 7 I heard Scott get up (luckily he didn't have to be at work until 9am) and I told him he might want to call into work and go ahead and take a shower that we were probably going to need to go to the hospital.
Finally around 8:30am, we headed to UAMS to Labor and Delivery Triage.  We got situated in a room and hooked up to the monitors.  A doctor came in to check me and she stated I was between a 1-2 dilated.  We had a short discussion about this b/c my doctor had been telling me I was between a 2-3.  She stated everyone is different, but no big deal.  They monitored me for about an hour (during which my contractions slowed down) and then she checked me again.  Since no change had occurred, they sent me home.  They told me to go for a walk and maybe I would be back later that day.  I was royally upset at being sent home again, but back home we went.  There was no way I was going to work so Scott and I just hung out most of the day.  I went for a walk, took a bath...nothing seemed to help.  Finally around 3:30pm the contractions had gotten really bad so I called my OB and left her a message.  She called me back around 5pm when she was on her way to the hospital (luckily she was going to be on call Tuesday night!!).  Dr. L told me to come back up to triage and she would check me again, but from the sounds of it I was truly in labor.  I told her that if she sent me home again with medicine we were going to have problems.
Around 6pm, we headed back to UAMS.  Dr. L came in to check me around 6:30 and I had dilated to between 4-5.  Then she said the magic words.."looks like you get to stay and we are going to have a baby!  Do you want an epidural?"  I was soo excited and not shamed to admit that I was like "epidural...yes..how soon can I get it?"  We called our parents and texted our friends and shortly after we were moved to a real room.  Before I knew it there were people everywhere.  Two nurses trying to start my IV (it took 3 tries..apparently I have small veins), a doctor performing an ultrasound (she guessed Carter would be 7 1/2 lbs), and the anesthesiologist getting everything ready for the epidural.  I have always been terrified of getting an epidural and the thought have having to sit really still while a needle is stuck in my back have never been a fun thought.  He told me it could take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to get it in properly and that I had to sit really still even if I was having a contraction.  My legs were already shaking so this was not going to be fun.  I was pretty much in tears from the pain so I was willing to do whatever was necessary.  Then he said words that were music to my ears..."I'm going to numb the spot with Lidocaine".  I was instantly at ease.  Let me say getting an epidural was super easy.  I really didn't feel a thing and the quick relief it provided there after was wonderful.  I had a couple of spots that didn't go numb from the epidural so they had me lay on one side for a while to let gravity help deaden the areas.
At 10pm, Dr. L checked me again and I was dilated to a 6.  She came back at midnight and I had dilated to a 7 so she broke my water.  The nurse projected I would make it to a 10 by about 6am so our friends who had come by the hospital went home to rest and Scott's parents came back to our house to sleep for a bit.  My dad opted for napping in his truck and my mom dozed in the recliner in the room.  I never really slept b/c nurses were constantly coming in to check something and the dang blood pressure cuff was going off every 15 minutes.
Finally around 5am, after being at between 9-10 for over an hour, Dr. L came back in and said "Are you about ready to push?"  Awesome.  I figured this baby would be here within the hour.  Scott asked Dr. L what he limit on pushing time was and she said 2 hours.  I started pushing at 5:15am and of course my contractions slowed down for a while.  At about 6:45am, Dr. L ordered a nurse to get a bag of Pitocin to try to speed up my contractions.  When I had been pushing for just over 2 hours, Scott asked Dr. L what happened to her 2 hour max?  Dr. L told him we were soo close that there was no way we were having this baby and not going to have a csection at this point.  After 2 hours and 40 minutes of pushing, Carter finally made his arrival at 7:55am on March 13th.  He weight 7 lbs 10 oz and was 21 3/4 in long.  He was perfect and Scott and I cried our hearts out.  Everything we had worked soo hard for the last 3+ years was finally a reality.  They laid a beautiful baby boy on my chest and I was instantly in love!!

Before 1st trip to hospital

Last picture before we officially become parents

1st family photo