Thursday, December 30, 2010

One Month Old

One Month Post

Micah, you are now one month old! Where did the time go this month? Some days seem longer than others, but mostly it has flown by. Mommy is still recuperating from surgery, but you have just bounced into your new life in Tennessee.

Stats for the month are actually coming from your checkup two weeks ago. They may be a little old, but they are a reference point since we don't go to the doctor again until two months. We went to the doctor on December 15, 2010. At that time you were two weeks and one day old.

Height:

You are 21 and 1/2 inches. We can't figure that out because the hospital told us 21 & 3/4 inches. Did you shrink? Did they measure incorrectly? Either way, you are in the 95% for height.

Weight:

The first week we visited the doctor, you had lost weight from 8 lb, 10 oz down to 8 lb, 4 oz. By the two week check up, you were back to your birth weight. Despite Mommy wondering how she carried such a big baby, you're actually in the 50% for weight. Right now, when I get on the scale with you at the house you are ten pounds. So you are steadily growing bigger every day!
Head Circumference:

Your head is now 37 cm in diameter or 14 and 1/2 inches. This falls within the 50-75% range. The doctors have been watching your head because it was oddly shaped. Lots of babies have oddly shaped heads but yours was due to how it molded to the shape of my belly. This is another thing that is common in breech babies, but so far the doctors say everything is completely normal. Your head shape is changing daily!

Sleep Patterns:

So far, you are a pretty good little sleeper! Mommy is working with you to make some patterns, but I know that takes time. You've gone through some growth spurts so your appetite has fluctuated this month. So far, you usually like to eat between 8-8:30 making bedtime around 9. If we're lucky (and many nights we are), you'll sleep to at least midnight or one AM. After our midnight feeding, I usually feed you again between 2:00-4:00. This is a wide range simply depending on how tired you are, your mood, the growth spurt, and how much you've eaten that day. You'll usually wake up for a "last" feeding around 5:00-7:00 depending on the other feeding time. Right now, I have woken up as many as five times a night with you and as little as three. Here's hoping more on the three side in the coming weeks!

During the day, you're a different man. Your daddy and I are amazed at how alert you have been all month. You like to stay up and look around. We will get you on a nap schedule, but for now...I let you stay awake so you are nice and sleepy at night time. You do nap during the day, but the times vary.

Eating Habits:

You started out eating every 2-3 hours. Lately, you are a two hour eater that we can set a clock by. It has been a little hard for Mommy because I feel I am nursing you around the clock. I'm just thankful that you have a healthy appetite, and you have taken well to nursing!

Your Accomplishments:

Micah, you are the most alert newborn Mommy has ever seen. You don't let anything get past you. You hold your head up so well, and you are very active. You constantly kick, move your arms, follow voices and things with your eyes, and have the strength to stand in Mommy's lap. Your very strong, and I'm thinking we'll have an active little boy in the future!

You hate the pacifier, and you often spit it out. You seem to like the swing, your bouncy seat, and anything that vibrates. Baths do not make your day, and you've had major issues with an allergy to Johnson and Johnson products. Thankfully, we found Aveeno, and your skin is healing.We've been to the doctor four times this month because Mommy is a worry-wart nut. Two were check ups, one was for thrush (which I knew you had despite your daddy making fun of me), and one was a complete waste of time. I thought you were congested, but you are just a heavy breather at night. When you are happy, you are very happy. When you're not happy...well, let's just say you let us know. ;0)

Special Memories:

This month brought our first Christmas as a family. That was so precious, and it is a memory we'll always treasure of our early days as a family together.

We love you!

Mommy and Daddy

Saturday, December 25, 2010

A tender Tennessee Christmas. 2010.

This Christmas was especially special because Micah entered our world! There is nothing like Christmas with children, but the first Christmas is extra special. Micah got to spend time with his cousins on both sides, both sets of grandparents, and both sets of aunts and uncles. We were so glad to share it with our families, and it was wonderful as a family of three. Micah is so loved, and he spent most of the day being held by the family. He's a wide-eyed newborn, and he was awake most of the day. When we got home that night he absolutely crashed! Here are some photos of our first Christmas day.

Ebin loving his cousin Micah.

Micah in his "Baby's First Christmas" outfit.

Aunt Kerker with Micah.

Uncle C, Ebin, Aunt C, and Micah

Cousins in their matching pajamas.

This floating head would be how I spent a lot of the evening--nursing Micah. I did this in the landing upstairs so I could hear what was going on below. However, I still had some privacy.

The magical Christmas tree.

Our family circa 2010.

Mama C and her new little baby.

Our first Christmas family portrait.

I'm opening the popular gift of choice for me this year: baby stuff! Just kidding, this is Micah's present from his Kaykay.
Pawpaw got a Kindle. C and Ebin were very interested in examining it.
Uncle Dale playing while Pawpaw watches.

About to being the festivities! Dale is enjoying his toy!

Kaykay holding Micah while opening her gift.

Daddy on duty with his son.

Uncle J and Ebin opening up presents for Ebs.

My parents holding Micah. (Pawpaw and Kaykay)

Kaykay holding Micah

Uncle J and my hubby

Kaykay bought the boys matching pajamas to take pictures in before the present opening began. Ebin managed to find his present and ripped into it. He then happily brought it back to the photo shoot with Micah.
Ebin loves "Baby Micah" his first cousin. They are two years apart in age, so I know they'll have lots of fun in the future!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Eve 2010.

Welcome to our Christmas Eve! We started the day off at lunchtime at my Mama's house. This year, we thought we'd try to fondue everything not just dessert. So, we had marinated chicken and steak to fondue, veggies to fondue, and fruit to fondue. We used oil, cheese, and chocolate!

Keren and Mama prepping the food for our fondue feast.

C & I arrive with little man who was immediately greeted by his cousin, Ebin.

What a spread! Don't you wish you Christmas fondued, too?

Oil is ready to cook our steak and chicken.

Our family (left to right) Uncle Jason, Pawpaw, Daddy C holding Micah, Mama C, Kaykay, and Cousin Ebin. Aunt KerKer is taking the picture.

Mama C (that's me), Aunt KerKer, and Kaykay

Aunt KerKer and Uncle Jason holding Micah

Proud parents. Hard to believe three weeks ago it was just us two.

Our precious little Christmas Elf. Love that movie, had to make him wear the hat.

Uncle C holds Ebin.

Then he's on Daddy duty so Mama C can have a little break.

I think this shirt says it all. Love a newborn yawning shot!

The End.

A special thanks to my sister who took most of the pictures since I was otherwise engaged most of the holiday every couple hours feeding, holding, or rocking Micah.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Day. A change of tradition explanation.

Christmas Day started off differently this year than our previous six years as a married couple. Usually, we head to my parents' house for Christmas Eve dessert fondue. This was a tradition started by my mother back when I was a child. Basically for Christmas Eve dinner, we get to eat all the desserts we want! Such a fun tradition of dipping fruit, pretzels, marshmallows, and whatever we can think of in chocolate. Think chocolate fountains with a seventies era twist. Following that, we always head to C's parents in Mississippi to spend the night. We wake up Christmas morn, head to my BIL/SIL's to watch my niece and nephews open their presents, have Christmas #2 with the in-laws at their house, then head back to Tennessee for Christmas #3 with my family on Christmas evening, and finally we spend the night at my parents' house Christmas evening. Tired yet? Then I usually go shopping with my mom on the 26th, and C goes home (or to work depending on the year).

This year, the thought of dragging a three week old around all over Tennessee and Mississippi did not exactly excite me. C's family lives an hour south of our home, but that still ends up being a two hour trip each time. The thought of packing for two nights with a newborn? Impossible.

C and I have always talked about wanting to have a "family" Christmas with just us if we ever had kids. So this year we tweaked it a bit. We went to my parents' house for Christmas fondue at lunch time. Then we headed to Mississippi for Christmas Eve with his family that evening. We came back to Tennessee to sleep at our own home in our bed; we woke up in our own home that morning for "our" Christmas. Only, I'm sad to say that we slept in. We didn't really open presents (although Micah got some--we skipped giving the presents to each other this year since I'm trying to stay home for a long time). Eventually, we left the house and headed to Mississippi for Christmas #2 with the in-laws followed by a trip back to Tennessee for Christmas #3 with my family.

(Author's side note: C's family is not into internet photos. I will probably never really post their pictures per their request. Please do not think it is because we don't love them as much as my family. I'm just respecting their wishes.)

Anyway, that is our change in Christmas tradition. See, Micah? You changed everything that cold November day you came into our world! More blog posts to come as I play "catch up" on Micah's little life thus far with his crazy parents.

Love,

Mama C

Friday, December 10, 2010

Micah's newborn photo sesh.

In order to fully document the little man's entrance into our world, we had professional pictures taken by Crystal Brisco Photography. She did a wonderful job, and I walked away with fifty-eight pictures that I could reproduce in any size or format! Not a bad deal! My mom gave me this as my Christmas present, and I really appreciated it. She came to our house, so I didn't even have to brave the cold Tennessee winter temps to take him somewhere. She just worked with whatever we had in the house. Crystal even featured him on her blog. If you ever need someone in this area to take your pictures, I would recommend her. She was extremely nice, affordable, and we love the pictures. Enjoy some of our favorites below.