4 Months!

We have a chunker on our hands! I couldn't be more proud! At Campbell's 4 month appointment he weighed 17lb 6oz (92nd percentile), was 26" long (88th percentile) and has a head circumference of 42 cm (50th percentile). 

He took his second round of shots like a champ. I'm just so proud of him. He didn't flinch or cry at all for the first shot and then cried for maybe 3 seconds after the second one and then was fine. We laughed later that it's probably his chunky thighs that help with this. He probably felt the needle and thought "What was that? Did someone sneeze on my thigh?"

He smiled and giggled for all the nurses and the doctor. She was very impressed with his head control and has no developmental concerns.

She said we could start him on rice cereal and/or oatmeal if we want to. I think I may want to wait until 5 months to give that a try. She said we could try solid foods when he turns 6 months. She recommended starting with veggies and then going to fruits. I plan to make his food so we'll see how that goes! 

My baby is just amazing. He's so flexible, not at all like his mama! Even when he's fussy, you can usually get a smile out of him!  

He does seem to have his mama's temper though and when he gets worked up, he's worked up and you better feed him and let him sleep or it's not gonna change!

Things Campbell can do:

• He has completely mastered rolling both ways. He picked up back to belly at about 3 1/2 months. Now he can roll pretty quickly so there's no taking your eyes off him!
• He recognizes mommy and daddy now and always has a smile for us when we come home or back into a room. And loves giggling at whatever silly thing daddy is saying to him. 
• He found his feet around 3 months or so and still loves them. He tries to hold books with his feet instead of his hands! 
• We're finding he's more aware of and interested in his toys now. He loves all the hanging things on his floor gym and plays with his rattles more when we hand them to him. 
• He still needs to be swaddle to sleep - those arms are still a little 'flaily' but he does figure out how to get out of it often. 
• Still eats about every 3 -3.5 hours and 5-5.5 oz. 
• Generally wakes up once per night between 1-3 am
• Campbell appears ready to try cereal so we'll probably give that a try at 5 months. 

Mama is still pumping 3 times a day at work and still not loving it but it's definitely just routine. I still have my goal to nurse for 6 months and a couple times I've thought about going longer but then there's a day when he's tugging and pulling and scratching me (I need to clip his nails every 3-4 days) and I have to remind myself to even keep it up another 2 months so we'll see where we are at 6 months. I think the plan will most likely be to drop the pumping and just nurse when I'm with him and he can have formula while with Gamma. 

Every night from work is crazy town in our house. From 6-8:30pm we're running crazy. I get home at 6, change clothes and immediately (generally) feed Campbell while Nick gets dinner going. Then Campbell plays on his floor gym or bouncer while we hurry and eat. Nick entertains Campbell while I clean up the kitchen and pump parts/bottles. We give him a bath, I nurse him once more for just a little bit and then rock him to sleep. Then its time for mommy to relax a little bit before going to sleep by 9:30! 

We keep reminding ourselves it won't be like this forever and Lord knows it will probably only get crazier as he continues to grow but we know we'll get through it all! 

2 Months!

Campbell James is 2 months old! I can hardly believe it, he looks so much bigger in just one month!

Things he can do:

• Coo (finally caught it on tape!)
• Hold his head up for a little bit of time while sitting up (assisted)/lifts it up when laying down (started at about 7 weeks)
• Smile (started at about 6 weeks)
• Seems to try to roll over
• Likes to try to "stand" when being held up
• Still keeps his hands in fists - we're hoping they open one of these days!
• Has slept through the night (5-7 hours) - started at 6-7 weeks.

Here are his 2 month pictures. He goes for his 2 month check up on the 11th so I'll post his 'stats' then. He's definitely a chunky monkey, he's wearing size 2 diapers. We think he weighs at least 13lbs.

We've been working on trying to be in more of a routine so we can get out and do things a little more. It's working okay but definitely not a schedule of any sort. He still rules the roost!

I go back to work June 1st and I think I'm ready. Campbell will be in good hands with his Gamma so that helps me a lot. I'll miss him but I think I'll be a happier mommy with some adult interaction and brain stimulation! I look forward to knowing what I'm doing somewhere!

1 month old!

Baby Campbell is 1 month old!

Sorry, this is a novel, since I haven't blogged at all about his first month. I'll hopefully get better once we get into a better groove and then even when I'm back at work :P

Here's a quick recap, at his 2 week check up he was in the 50th percentile for weight (8lb 13 oz) and height (21 in) and 25th percentile for head circumfrence (36 cm).

At his one month checkup today he was in the 75th percentile for weight (10lb 13oz) and height (22 1/2 in) and in the 45th percentile for head circumfrence (37 1/2 cm). He's also meeting all of the milestones that he should be. He got his second Hep B shot and took it like a champ (it was in his thigh and it's chunky). He got his first bandaid! I took a picture :). He came home and ate and then took a nap (hence how I'm getting to blog!).

I really like our pediatrician so far. She answered all the questions we had today and I feel pretty good about things. We do need to start him on vitamin D supplements daily and work on tummy time daily.

He's definitely growing well! I'm so proud! I feel like I'm doing my job. As much as I don't feel like a good mom sometimes (when I can't get him to go to sleep or figure out why he's crying) knowing that I'm giving him what he needs makes me feel good. I have no idea how much he's eating since it's pretty much always from the breast, my guess is about 4oz. He eats on average about every 3 hours and the longest stretch of sleep is about 4-5 hours.

This month has gone by pretty fast, my mantra is to take one day at a time but I can feel the weeks flying by. I'm okay with that for now. It's been a tough month. We're adjusting to no sleep and trying to figure out our baby. Nick and I think he's kind of fussy but I assume he's just being a typical baby; it's hard to deal with it when you've gotten no sleep though. It's also really hard to keep a newborn entertained because you don't want to overstimulate them and they really can't do much anyway!

At night Nick is still a big help even though he has to get up for work at 630. He puts him down when we first go up to bed (which is so early - like 8 or 9. Nick used to go to bed at 1230!) and then gets him up and changes him when he first wakes up in the middle of the night and puts him back down after I feed him and then gets him up and changes him when he wakes up the second time and I put him down that time (unless it's like 6am and then we stay up for a while, against my will!)

Breastfeeding is going okay - today. It's definitely a two steps forward, one step backward kind of thing. I've dealt with mastistis (a breast infection) already and am praying that I don't get another one. We've had a lactation consultant come out to the house, which helped a bit - Campbell definitely is a good sucker :). Now I'm just trying to take each day as its own, there's at least one time every day I want to say forget it, I'll just pump or switch to formula but I try to keep going.

I live for the weekends when Nick is here all day. When Campbell was born he took 2 weeks and 2 days off and then worked 3 half days. Now he's back at work all day and it's a little tough being with Campbell all by myself all day but my mom has been coming over to take some of the stress off and playing with him and helping with chores (I haven't done any laundry since coming home from the hospital). She's been priceless, she loves holding him and seems to have no problem getting him to sleep! I would not be here without all the help from her and Nick. Nick has done SO much around the house - pretty much everything, he's made dinner, cleaned up, etc. He's been the most amazing daddy and husband, I can't imagine that all husbands and daddies aren't like him.

Each day is trying and I remain on edge that I'll get post partum depression (PPD) because of my past battle with depression but after talking with my counselor I understand that past depression doesn't put a mark on my back for PPD. I felt reassured after hearing that and so far I feel okay. I definitely have some down days and hours but I think they're normal and partly because I've been cooped up in the house and bored. I'm going to try to get out for walks more. Campbell and I haven't ventured out to run errands, Nick usually stops on his way home for groceries, etc. Nick has been amazing through everything, reminding me that what I'm feeling is normal, we're doing the best we can and I'm still his first concern, he wants me to be okay and we'll deal with everything that comes at us. Words honestly can't express the love and appreciation I have for him. I thank God every single day for the man, father, and husband he has made Nick and for bringing him to me.

Today was the first time I've driven him by myself (to the doctor)! Last Thursday (April 1st) was the first time I had driven (to my doctor's appointment) since before he was born! Crazy huh?

And personally, I'm still healing from delivery, darn that tear! I can't believe I am still sore! It's ridiculous! I can't wait for my 6 week check up to see if everything has healed right.

If you've made it this far, here are some pictures from this month!