I'm still breastfeeding him with hopes of reaching my six month goal. I also had a goal to lose all the baby weight by now. I thought five months was enough time. Well, as someone who (thankfully) has never been on a diet or tried to lose weight, these last few pounds are proving tougher than expected. I have eight pounds to go. Some days I'm happy to eat salad and chicken and the next day I cave to pizza and beer. Maybe I'll lose it just in time to put it back on during the holidays...!
This last month has flown by. We travelled almost every weekend to see family, which means Owen got to meet lots of them for the first time - including great great aunts and uncles and fourth cousins. They all loved him, of course. He went to his first Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field. Besides it being super hot without a cloud in the sky and no breeze, it was a lot of fun. Owen did really well; he watched a bit of the game and slept quite a bit. We introduced him to rice cereal. The first few times didn't go super well, but he's getting the hang of it. He is sitting up on his own very well. He still has to learn to catch himself so he doesn't fall over and face plant... baby steps. He is so close to rolling over but hasn't done it 100 percent on his own yet.
I'm still breastfeeding him with hopes of reaching my six month goal. I also had a goal to lose all the baby weight by now. I thought five months was enough time. Well, as someone who (thankfully) has never been on a diet or tried to lose weight, these last few pounds are proving tougher than expected. I have eight pounds to go. Some days I'm happy to eat salad and chicken and the next day I cave to pizza and beer. Maybe I'll lose it just in time to put it back on during the holidays...!
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Sooo there's this thing - a 15 seater bike - that you can ride around downtown and the East Village from establishment to establishment. It's called the Big Yellow Bike. I had the chance to use it the other afternoon - it was pretty fun. It's not too hard and it's easy to talk to everyone while pedaling. Considering most of us are too lazy to walk from downtown to the East Village, this is a great way to spend time on both sides of the river. Now, it's nothing something you can just hop on and off (although that would be a good idea). You need to book ahead of time. If you plan to hit the bars, why not do it all on the Big Yellow Bike.
Time is chugging right along - Owen is already four months! This past month has been pretty fun. Owen is getting quite the personality. He's still pretty chill but has also become a bit of a ham. When people are around him, they want to see his "tricks" and be entertained. Right now, his tricks include grabbing his toes, propping himself on his elbows during tummy time, pulling his binky out and putting it back in, giggling like a toddler and standing up. Lucas even got him to take a few steps while only holding his hands. If this kid turns out bow-legged, we know who to blame. He loves "touch and feel" books and bath time. We're working on rolling over; hopefully, we'll have an update at five months for you. Breastfeeding is still going well. I nurse him in the morning and twice in the evening. Right now, he's getting two bottles of about four to five ounces while I'm at work. To keep up my supply, I'm pumping three times a day at work. Surprisingly, it's not as bad as I thought. I can bring my laptop into the room and continue on as though I was at my desk. I'm very excited I made it to four months and hope to make it to six. I'm already pumping less than I was last month, so six months may be a stretch. The doctor gave us the green light to introduce rice cereal whenever, so I think we'll wait until he's closer to five months. No need to make him grow up faster than he already is! My little man is already three months old. He is 26 inches and 16.5 lbs. I've been told if you triple a baby's length at 3 months that's how tall he'll be. Well, that would make Owen 6'6"! Watch out Uncle Dane... In the last month, he's experienced quite a few firsts: all day with grandma, story/music time at the library, fireworks, parade, haircut, swimming. Owen loves playing with mobiles, grabbing his blanket and toys, standing on our laps, having us walk with him and his binky. He has an amazing smile and an awesome belly laugh. He's also watching TV now. His vision must have improved enough to see that far away. He doesn't like tummy time. I think it's because he hasn't figured out how to push up with his arms yet. He sure does move his legs, though. He's a playful, inquisitive and mellow babe who's the light of my life and a joy to all who meet him. Well, Owen is already two months old. Surprisingly the past two months haven't flown by. I credit Owen being a wonderful baby that I've kept my days and nights and weeks straight. I haven't gone through those delirious, dazed and confused days. At two months, he is now smiling a lot, cooing more and more every day and just had his first giggles. I tell you, seeing him smile back at me melts my heart. That was one of the moments I most looked forward to while I was pregnant.
At seven weeks he started sleeping through the night. He'll go 8 to 10 hours without eating at night and 3-4 hours during the day. Even though he's sleeping - I'm not. I'm still getting up at night to pump. I realize if this is my only complaint - that's not bad at all! Owen had his two-month wellness check today. He weighed in at 13 pounds 12 ounces, which is in the 82nd percentile and 24 3/4 inches, which is in the 99th percentile. He received three shots and handled it like a champ. So far he's doing fine; I hope he doesn't get a negative reaction in the next few days. Being a mom is pretty fantastic. I've enjoyed all my time with him. Breastfeeding is going well, sleeping is going well, his development is going well. Owen is truly spoiling us! While I love every moment with him, I've also still found time for me. Again, thanks to him being a good sleeper. Let's see if his good behavior continues...! Flix Brewhouse has been on my To Do List since it opened in Merle Hay Mall back in December. It's a combination brew pup and movie theater that started in Texas. I had heard good things about it and just needed a reason to go. What better reason that Pitch Perfect 2? Yes, I'm serious. A group of friends wanted to go see it so I said sure. (I did have to rent the first flick to watch ahead of time - which I did enjoy.)
Flix has a restaurant area and ticket lines at the top of the escalators. You can order food and drinks and hang out there or wait to order until you head into the theater. When we ordered in the theater, several of us had issues. They didn't have tortillas for quesadillas and never brought one person's pizza. Another friend couldn't order a margarita because they were out. When I tried to order the Saison de Walt beer, I couldn't because it was a seasonal - even though it was listed as a mainstay on the menu. Instead I ordered the Flix Golden Ale, which was good but nothing extraordinary. I would like to chalk this up as bad luck or a really busy night, but it was a Monday and they've been opened now for 5 months. I'm not sure they have a good excuse. On the up side, everyone enjoyed the food they did get including a burger, chicken sandwich, popcorn and baked potato skins. As for the movie, it was really good. I couldn't believe the amount of celebrity cameos including some of the Green Bay Packers. It was surprisingly more sexual than the first movie - so people with younger ones, beware. I was sad with how little Jesse was in the movie. He was a central character in the first one and appeared in maybe five scenes this time. Most sequels don't stand up to the expectations, but I think this one does. It was a beautiful moment seeing my little baby becoming a child of God. During Owen's baptism, Lucas and I made the promise to raise him loving and knowing Jesus. He also has two awesome godparents to help him do that. I thank God every day for the blessings He has given me and look forward to Owen knowing Him too - especially as being a Christian becomes less and less accepted. I'm so grateful he has lots of great Christ-loving people in his life!
It took way longer than I expected, but I'm excited to finally show off Owen's travel-themed nursery! Hot air balloons and airplanes don the walls, floor and blankets. Fresh white trim against the gray walls looks clean and modern while accents of blue, green and orange brighten the room. This is a huge difference from the floral wallpaper and dated green carpet that decked the room when we bought the house a year ago. Lucas doubted my design plans but admitted it looks great now that it's complete. I had a lot of fun picking out all the pieces and am excited to make many memories in this room including 3am feedings, diaper changes, outfit changes, reading books and rocking away. However, I can't take credit for the Star Wars shelf... that was all Lucas. Owen is already 2.5 weeks old, and today is the first day we are home alone... all day. Without Lucas and my mom around to keep me company, I've got a little time (in between feedings and changing diapers) to catch up on blogging - and specifically - to write Owen's birth story.
I tried for three weeks to get baby Spud to turn head down. My efforts failed, and possibly for a good reason. Lucas and I headed to Mercy Medical Center downtown on the morning of Friday, April 10 for a scheduled C-section. We were holding out hope for one last attempt at an external version where the doctor manually turns him - if the ultrasound showed his umbilical cord had moved away from his neck. However, shortly after arriving and getting hooked up to heart rate monitors, his heart rate dropped. It stabilized, but the doctor said that was concern enough to not attempt the version - regardless of the position of the umbilical cord. Exactly two hours after checking in, I was walking back to the operating room. I'm not going to lie - I was pretty nervous. I understand c-sections are very routine, but it's still an evasive surgery with risks. I decided it wouldn't do me any good to freak out. Much like natural labor and delivery, I went to my happy place. I thought about the amazingness of having a baby in just a few short minutes. It worked, and I calmed myself down. The medical team prepped me and brought Lucas in just before beginning. Within five minutes I heard the frantic, desperate cry of my baby boy. I'm not one to cry, but at the sound of his voice, I started balling. I couldn't believe he was finally here. Regardless of how a baby arrives in this world, it's truly a miracle. Over his cries, the nurses and doctors kept saying what a big baby he was. I couldn't see anything - so I was imagining a 9 lb baby. Was I wrong... no one was expecting Spud to be 10 lbs and 22 inches! No wonder he wouldn't turn head down. Lucas brought him over to me pretty quickly and put him on my chest. I was still balling when he asked me if I wanted to name him Owen. It was way too much to process; he would remain Spud for a little while longer. It was an amazing feeling to have my baby there with me. Nine months I had been waiting for that moment, and it's one I'll never forget. After a few minutes on my chest, he had to go get cleaned up while I did to. I started having discomfort under my sternum - that part of me wasn't numb - which turned decently painful. The anesthesiologist said that's not unusual and gave me some extra juice to subdue it. All said and done, I was back in the recovery room in one hour. The next two hours were the longest ever... Turns out Spud wasn't breathing perfectly; it was a little shallow and quick. He went to the nursery to receive oxygen while I was stuck in the recovery room. Lucas went with Spud to the nursery to keep an eye on him. It was so hard for me to not be with him. I just had the most amazing moment of my life holding my child just to be separated from him moments later. When his breathing finally stabilized three hours later, we were reunited. I started crying all over again - tears of joy. I can guarantee that won't be the last time this little guy causes me to cry... Week 39 Preview
Ahhh... I'm having a baby this week! Well, a week of chiropractic appointments didn't give Spud enough reason to flip. So today I had my first acupuncture appointment. Yes, little needles stuck into my skin for 20 minutes while listening to tranquil music and laying on a heated bed. The needles went in my wrist, finger, top of my head, side of my knee and pinky toes. After she removed them, she put little magnets on my pinky toes that I am supposed to leave on until they fall off. As always, I'll keep you posted if he flips... On another note, all his stuff is washed and put away, his crib is ready, and we've picked a pediatrician and insurance. We feel pretty darn ready to bring Spud home - physically, emotionally and mentally. I can't wait to see what he looks like, give him a name, lay him on my chest and make a million memories together. Baby Bump Who am kidding? There's no denying that I officially gained 40 pounds. It took seven months to put on - hopefully it takes less than half that to take it off. |