The nursery...my sanctuary...

Maybe that's a bit much, but that's how I feel. Brody's nursery is my absolute favorite place in the house. A lot of people feel the need to have a massive, over the top nursery. To each his own. I love that it's simplistic, classic, clean. Blue walls, white and blue bedding, black furniture. I don't know what it is, but it calms me. Plus, the invention of the glider is the best thing in the entire world. The older Brody gets, the more he fights sleep at night. He used to fall asleep in my arms and go right down. These days, we tend to put him down when he's getting sleepy and he goes to sleep on his own. Tonight, he was whining in his crib so I got him and rocked him. There is just nothing like that sweet, chubby hand on my neck...the other holding his thumb in his mouth. I rocked him just a few extra minutes to soak it all in. I guess every now and then I'm a little overwhelmed with his sheer cuteness. There is nothing like a chubby baby!

If only he would have continued sleeping as he did the past few months. Now...possible teething is waking him, not to mention all his little milestones that make him too excited to sleep. These are my personal thoughts. We are considering the rice cereal this week if he keeps waking up once to eat. He went from sleeping 12 hours to waking around 2...I need him to go back to the endless sleeping!:)

Giant Baby

So, I've seen those children that are postively massive. The kids that you look at and think are two years old and turn out to be 3 months. I've seen them...I've thought to myself how can a kid be that big...yes...I've done it. My child is not that huge, but I'm surprised at EVERY doctor's appointment how much he weighs! Taylor always throws out what I think to be an astronomical number, and yet, he's always close to the actual weight. I guess since Brody is so long, I never think he looks that big. To me, he looks like a perfect, chubby baby. Of course, Taylor is LOVING every minute of it. He loves to say how Brody will be some big football player...we shall see.

All of that to say, we went for Brody's 4 month check up (yes my little baby is FOUR MONTHS OLD!!!!). This was a MUCH better appointment as Brody smiled and giggled at every nurse and doctor he saw. He loves to be a little show off. He is 26 inches long, which is 3 inches taller than his last appointment at 2 months...and he is SIXTEEN POUNDS...12oz. I couldn't believe it. He has doubled his birth weight! But I love every perfect little ounce. So he is in the 90th percentile for both height and weight, and 75th for head size. I asked the doctor if he thought he weighed too much (yes I worry about these things), to which, of course, he said absolutely not. He told me never to worry unless my son is losing weight, but the fact that he is in the same percentile for both height and weight is a good thing. He's well proportioned.

Aside from his stats, Brody is giggling constantly, shrieking...yes...his new favorite thing, rolling from front to back, pulling himself to a seated position, and standing with help...his ABSOLUTE favorite thing to do ever. Every time he is sitting on my lap he wants to stand. He's such a happy baby...loves to be active! I think he is teething, but just can't be sure. He is chewing his hands constantly and chewing just as much. I adore this child more EVERY DAY! More to come...much, much more:)

(pic of Brody at 18 wks)

16 weeks

My original plan was to update my blog with all the missing posts from the past 10 weeks, but let's face it. That's impossible. My baby boy has had way too many little milestones and cute things to update a million blog posts! So my little resolution will be to update this now WEEKLY! That's much more doable. I've been avoiding updating thinking of the millions of pictures and things I need to include! Sooo...let's focus on what Brody is doing NOW!:)

At 16 weeks:

Brody is sleeping anywhere from 8-9:30 PM until 6-7:30 AM. Every now and then I will get a 5am wake up call, but it's rare. He is rolling from front to back...though he loves being on his belly and his back, so he doesn't really feel the need to do it much. He absolutely LOVES: cartoons, mommy singing, his baby einstein bouncer/jumper, his nana and pawpaw's house and all the toys there, sitting like a big boy in his bumbo chair, basically anything on the tv, sucking his thumb and chewing his fingers, people blowing on his belly, and peekaboo.

That said, he loves a lot more, but those are the main things. He desperately wants to sit up and bring his feet to his mouth, but he can't just yet and gets so frustrated! Sitting up will be a while, but he so wants to! As far as weight and height go, his 4 month checkup is the 25th, so we will know in just a few weeks! At 9 weeks Brody was 13lbs 8oz and 23 inches long. He was in the 95th percentile for weight, 75th for height, and 75th for head size. Such a sweet, chubby, happy baby!!!

In the beginning...I absolutely loved him more than life, but it is true that they just keep getting better. He is SO much fun now. I love hearing the cackling laugh, seeing his big gummy smiles, and hearing him make his funny noises. He has just really learned how to shriek and squeal...and boy is he LOVING IT!!! I love his personality. He and Ella have so many similarities as far as personality that I'm seeing!

Well, that's it for now. I'll update SOON!:)

Brody's 5 week checkup

I wasn't nervous about this doctor's appointment, because I had no knowledge that I would have to endure the pain of seeing my son get a shot. I had prepared myself that I would need to go through it at 2 months, but not at the one month appointment. Brody weighed 11lbs 8 oz and measured 22 and 3/4 inches in length. He was in the 95th percentile for height and weight and in the 50th percentile for head size. I just love his cute, perfect, little head! He screamed every time I had to set him down to be weighed, measured, and checked out. He was NOT a happy boy for the doctor!

After discussion of his discomfort on his back, the doctor prescribed me Zantac with the thought that he may have "silent" reflux. I wasn't sure since he didn't spit up much, but he gets the hiccups constantly and freaks out about 20 minutes after he eats if I lay him down. SO, I thought...it can't hurt!

I thought I was ready to leave when he said, "ok...well the last thing will just be his Hep B shot and you can take him home."...I gave him a look that indicated I was NOT aware of this! He told me not to worry that it would be quick. The nurse came in and gave the already unhappy Brody this shot...I was NOT prepared. He looked at me with this pitiful "how could you let her do this to me" face!!! It was terrible. Like most moms, I shed a few tears once the nurse left the room while I held and rocked him. The good part is that all the commotion put him right to sleep for the next few hours. Poor guy.

I am HAPPY to report that after the Zantac...I have one seriously happy little boy. He no longer has the painful tantrums and seems to be doing wonderfully! I'm loving this sweet face!!

Splish splash I'm takin a bath...

And NOT enjoying it!!!! Brody had his first bath during his second week and hated every minute of it. He criiiieeeeedddd but had that sweet baby smell after his first little bath! Mom helped me out since I was a bit squeamish about doing it alone...and Taylor was the photog:)...here's the cutie getting all clean...

Brody...week 2-3

Not a lot of change from the first week. I've become much more comfortable, but still not a lot of sleep! Some nights are better than others, but his longest stretch is usually from about 8 to 12...rarely he will last until 1am. After that it's 2 hours stretches. With breastfeeding, he eats for about 30 minutes and then takes a while to go back to sleep. He likes to stay awake a while! Luckily, I don't have a screaming child. He may wake up a lot, but he does not cry much at all! The first week he had lots of fussy times, but that went away pretty quickly! He's starting to crack little smiles...so precious! He is still trying to nap off and on most of the day! Here are a few more pictures of my cute little man!

My Little Pumpkin

Brody was born only a few days before Halloween so of course we had to get some pictures of him in his cute little "My first Halloween outfit". Brody is a wonderful baby. Sleep is challenging, but we are getting the hang of it. I was extremely nervous the first few nights home from the hospital. My mom was soooo amazing to stay with me for the first few nights and help me get up with him. He spoiled me by sleeping a few 4 hours stretches, but after the first few nights, that stopped. For the first 2 or 3 weeks, Brody woke up every 2 to 3 hours to eat. He kept the same pattern through the day. It was so difficult to help him learn his days from nights, but he's precious when he sleeps!

We kept a pack and play in our room for him to sleep in. After about 1am, I would bring him downstairs and let him sleep in his swing or make him a bed on the loveseat while I slept on the couch...not a lot of sleep for me!!! So worth it though. I loved just staring at his little face. Here are a few pictures from the first week!