Elias: 8 Month Update

Age: 8 Months. How? I'll never understand. I swear to you, he was just born last week. No. Freaking. Way. Is he 8 months old. No. Way.

And, I know. I'm a terrible, terrible mom for missing month updates. Ugh. I tried. I failed. I'll work on it. But, let's do a quick pic recap to make me feel a little better about my mother failure.

 

Stats:

Weight: About 20 pounds. Bub is SOLID. He's got rolls for days and I love every inch of them.

Height: No freaking clue. I think he's short for his age though. We'll see at his 9 month check up.

Diaper/Clothes Size: 6-9 month clothes, Size 3 diapers (4 overnight)

Sleep: We're a LOT better!! We did a gradual CIO method for overnight, MOTN sleep around 6 months. It took a few nights. It was miserable. It was horrible. I slept so little I was delirious. But, he started to get it. Then he got sick and it all went to shit. My life. So, we had to do it again, but it was quicker and much less painful that time. It's still not perfect. He's way, way less consistent with sleep than Bailey was, but it's better.

99% of the time, he goes to sleep mega easy. We do a bottle of about 7oz of pumped milk at 6:30pm. Then, we change into overnight diaper & PJs and get into the sleeping sack (he'll go to college wearing one of those suckers if I can help it). We read 2 books with Bailey, since You Are My Sunshine, and at 7pm put him into his crib wide awake with his paci, turn the mobile and a fan for white noise on, and walk out. 99% of the time, he goes straight to sleep without a peep. If he does fuss, it just takes 1 re-paci and he's out.

We used to do a dream feed at about 9:30pm, but we cut that a week shy of 8 months, so we're officially done with that. We cut the dream feed cold turkey with no issues whatsoever. 

Staying asleep has always been his issue. I'd say 75% of the time, he stays asleep til 5am. Which, is pretty damn good, I'd say. The other 25%, he'll wake once sometime around 3-4am simply for a quick re-paci. Stinker. Here or there, he'll make it all the way from 7pm-6:30am, but usually he's up at 5am for either a quick re-paci or h

e'll need 4-5 minutes of nursing and then he'll go back down til 6:30am. It's not perfect. We're still working on it. I have no idea when or how we'll get there. But we will. Somehow. I hope.

Schedule:

Our schedule has always had to be a bit more flexible and fluid than I ever was with Bailey. Poor 2nd kid. But, we do have a schedule that I work hard to maintain most days.

His schedule is generally:

6:30am: Wake, nurse, change

7:15am: Solids & I pump

8:30-10am: Nap 1

10am: Wake,nurse, change , play

12pm: Nurse, then solids

1-3/3:30pm: Nap 2 (also when Bailey naps)

3:30pm: Wake, nurse, change, play

5pm: Solids, then play

6:30pm: Bottle of pumped milk (6-7oz)

7pm: Bed

I work hard to try to get naps at home, in his crib. But, sometimes I have to wake him early or we do naps in the car so we can do something. It is what it is.

Eating/Nursing:

It's going well! We nurse 4 times a day and he gets a bottle of pumped BM once. I pump twice a day, once during breakfast and once after kids are in bed. I hate pumping, but it's working for us. Nothing super exciting about nursing. It's going.

Solids are going in full force! Super exciting!! We started around 5 months with traditional pureed baby foods and baby oatmeal and 1 meal. We moved to 2 meals around 6 months. Around 7 months we started really focusing on slowly transitioning away from purees and to real solids. With Bailey, we did BLW and really did very little baby food. That was always my plan with Elias, but we started earlier and I just felt he needed the food before he was ready for solids. So, we didn't start straight with BLW, but we're there now. We still do occasional purees here or there for convenience, but mainly we're doing plan ol' regular food. And, let me tell ya-- bub LOVES it. He loves every food he's tried. Broccoli, cheese, peanut butter, sweet potatoes, pears, sausage, chicken, waffles, eggs... you name it. He loves it and can't get enough. I legit have to cut him off. He's a beast. He doesn't quite have the pincher grasp down yet, but he's getting so close.

Likes:

His sister! OMG. He just loves watching her. It's adorable and makes my heart explode. He loves his bouncer, Sadie, being held by his mama, and eating. Oh, and he LOVES being outside. Often, if he's fussy, just going outside makes him turn into a totally new baby. It's amazing.

Dislikes:

He's a big mama's boy, so he's a little hit or miss when basically anyone else holds him. Stinkerbutt. He hates being poopy, being hungry, and being overtired. He's a total schedule baby and doesn't do great if I try to push him to be awake too long.

Special Moments:

Well, like a gazillion since I've missed so many updates. He started rolling over back to belly around 7 months and rarely belly to back at the end of 7 months. He's cooing and making so many more noises. He started sitting up unassisted at about 6 months. He's not crawling yet, but he's working on it. He's getting super close to being able to hold his own bottle. He can stand on his own holding onto something, but can't pull himself up yet by himself.

Elias: 5 Month Update

Age: 5 Months

Stats:
Weight: Not really sure, but probably around 15-16 pounds. Little tank. He's just SOLID.
Diaper Size: 2's with 3 overnight diapers at night
Clothing Size: 3-6 month

Sleep: I always put him down wide awake and he generally does great at going to sleep with minimal, if any, fussing. Naps are pretty great. Night, however, is another story. He's generally down from 7pm-12am, with the DF. But, starting around 12am, he wakes several times needing me to go re-paci him or pat and shush him. I only feed him once, around 2am. Then, starting around 4:45am til DWT is a constant battle of re-paci's. It's exhausting and frustrating. I'm hoping now that I'm really working on the day time schedule and we're going to introduce solids, he'll cut that on his own. But, something tells me I'm going to need to do some very intentional and not so fun sleep training. Ugh. I'm giving him til 6 months.

Schedule: Right at about the 5 month mark, we began working pretty hard to get a better and set schedule. It's not easy and it's not fun. It's sacrificing going out and doing things during the day which can make me go a bit stir crazy, but it'll be worth it in the long run... I hope. His current schedule is (ideally):

6:30am: DWT and nurse, then play

8:30-10am: Nap

10am: Nurse and play (no nap, or at most a quick cat nap on our way home from somewhere)

12pm: Nurse and play

1-3pm: Nap

3:30pm: Nurse then play

4:30-5pm: Catnap

5-6:30pm: Play

6:30pm: Nurse, then bedtime routine

7pm: Bed

10:30pm: Dream Feed bottle

~2am: MOTN feed

Nurse/Eating: The same. We're nursing exclusively, with 2 bottles of pumped milk a day-- at about 3pm because my supply just seems to dip then and again at about 10:30pm from the Hubs while I'm asleep. I still stare longingly at the formula every time I'm at the store. I know formula would be easier, but I also know nursing important to me. So, after I stare for a few minutes I walk away empty handed. I don't know if we'll make it a whole year nursing, but I'm trying.

General: Still working through the colic. It's definitely not been easy. He's a high maintenance baby through and through. But, I do think he's getting easier and less fussy everyday. It's a slow process, but I think we're getting through it.

He LOVES to stand on his legs and to kick like crazy when he's laying down. He's got some super strong legs. Maybe a future soccer star!

Likes: Still super into the play mat. He also loves his bouncer thing.

Oh, and me. He's a total and complete mama's boy.

He loves watching his big sister which is just the cutest thing in the world.

He likes bath time until he gets out and then it's meltdown city. And, being outside. He'll be totally content for his longest stretches as long as he's in the fresh air.

Of course, with this being March in Michigan, the days we can get outside right now are limited, but we make sure to take full advantage of the nice days.  

Dislike: Losing his paci, getting into the carseat, and keeping socks on his feet. Kid is always barefoot.

Special Moments: More smiles and giggles. First St. Patrick's Day!

Little man is definitely a handful and keeps me busy. Those checks make me want to do nothing but kiss them all day! He is so very loved.  

Elias: 2 Month Recap

Age: 2 months!

 

Weight: 10.27 pounds (13% on normal non-premie scare)
Height: 22.9 inches (44% on normal non-premie scare)

He's growing great! Both his percentages are up and the doctor is really happy with his gains. He's happy and healthy... well, happy might be pushing it... :/

Sleep: Wait... what's this sleep you speak of? No, no, I kid... he's doing... ok.

MOST nights, he goes to "bed" at 7:15pm right after nursing. Then, he wakes on his own b/t 10-11pm, 1-2am, and, then again around 5-5:30am, before getting up-up for the day at 6:30am. The last wake-up is the worst. SOMETIMES, if he doesn't get up til 2:30am for the one before, he can make it to 6:30am. It's just so inconsistent and nothing we try seems to ensure 1 thing or another. And trust me, we've tried it all. Bottles, nursing, nursing and bottle, gripe water, gas drops, sleeping in Rock N Play, sleeping in crib, sleeping near us, sleeping in own room. We've tried. it. all. Ok, everything except co-sleeping. It's just not for me. But, beyond that- man. We've tried it. I think... perhaps... he's JUST A BABY and just not ready to be consistent yet. SHOCKER, I know. Keep reminding me of this, ok? I forget. A lot. LUCKILY, most nights he goes right back to sleep, so he has his days/nights figured out pretty well. I'll take that. Oh! And we moved him to his crib (and often RNP) in his room sometime at about the 1.5 month mark. We all sleep so much better when he's in his room. Newborns are so noisy! 


Awake Time/Schedule: Right now, his schedule is pretty good... it's a lot more fluid and changing than Bailey's was (poor second kid) because we're on the go and our schedule changes day to day. Baby's gotta fit into family, right? So, his schedule is:

6:30am: Desired Wake Time (DWT). Wake, nurse, change, play. We also get big sister at 7am and she joins us for some playing

7:30-9/9:30am: Down for nap and big sister and I go down for our breakfast and I do my work from home stuff. This is an important nap that I TRY to have be consistent everyday and try to have be in his crib.

9/9:30am: Wake, nurse, change, play. Often, we're getting in the car right after this feed to go to a play date or something.

10:30-12: Nap (often in carseat or being worn b/c we're on the go)

12-1: Wake, nurse, change, play. We're usually just walking in door from somewhere, so I get Bailey her lunch, then nurse him.

1-3: BOTH KIDS NAP. This is the #1 most important time to my mental health. OMG. I'd lose it w/o it. BOTH kids go to their rooms, in their beds (I try to do Elias in his crib, not RNP), for 2 solid hours. It's all that keeps me sane. I eat my lunch, prep dinner, clean, do some work, and SOMETIMES take a shower or a nap myself.

3: Wake, nurse, change, play. Then, we get big sister (who RARELY actually falls asleep) from her room and all play.

4:15-5:15pm: Cat nap. He fights this one the most. We're working on it.

5:15pm: Wake, nurse, change, play. No nap b/t this feed and the next.

6:45pm: Stories, song, nurse and bed, in his crib in his room.

MOTN Wake-ups and feeds around 10-11, 1-2, and sometimes 5ish

Nursing/Eating: Going well. I wish he'd stay latched on better instead of pulling off every 2 minutes, but it's going. He's gaining so I assume it's going ok. He's getting more efficient and our nursing sessions are quicker now. I'd say he averages about 7-8 minutes a side each time, when it was about 12-15 minutes per side. B never got faster, so this is a nice change. BUT, I still just DON'T enjoy nursing this time. I'll do it. I'll give it all I have to stick with it, but MAN, I'll be jumping for joy when we're done. Maybe you're not supposed to say or admit that, but I'm saying it. I just don't like nursing. There. Said it.

Likes: He's a mama's boy. Poor Hubs. Elias sometimes will only stop screaming if I'm holding him, esp during the witching hour. I'm hoping it's a short lived phase, b/c man it's rough. He also loves looking at lights and his big sister. He'd rather be held than anything in the world. He loves his paci, even if he spits it out constantly. He likes to be

elevated. Tummy time is either a total miss or a total hit.

Hates: Getting into the car seat and being confined to it unless we're moving. Not being held. EVERYTING IN LIFE between the hours of 4-7pm. The doc said he has "a bit of colic". YAY. Super fun times.

Special Moments: First Thanksgiving! First Christmas! (ok, I guess technically that was after his 2 month birthday by a couple days). SO MANY FIRSTS! He's still so little and certainly doesn't "get" anything yet, but it's fun to have the first ones with him and makes me even more excited for when he does "get" it next year!

Nicknames: Eli, Nugget, Chicken Nugget, Bub, Snuggle Monkey, Baby Brother 

Can't believe it's already been 2 moths. I barely remember life before him and can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Love this little nugget!

Elias Birth Story

I've been wanting to write Elias's birth story since... well, since he was born so I won't forget even the smallest of details. But, life has had other plans. Turns out, having a new born is HARD. And exhausting. And, having a newborn while also having a toddler is really, really freaking hard. Like really hard. Like way harder than I anticipated. Anyway- it's more delayed and less detailed than I wanted, but here it goes... sit back and get some popcorn... Elias's birth story...

I had my last doctor's appointment on Wednesday, 10/19 when I just shy of 36 weeks. I got my last progesterone shot (which was SUPPOSED to stop pre-term labor... spoiler, it didn't) and had my cervix checked. I was 1 cm dilated. I went home and carried on life as usual. There was no sign anything was moving down there.

Thursday, 10/20: I lost my mucus plug. SO SEXY. Anyway- again, not a big deal and not a sign anything really was happening. No big deal. I'll admit it did make me wonder if we were getting close to D-day but I brushed it off and told myself not even to think about it til after Halloween (spoiler: I did not make it to after Halloween). I had no contractions or anything.

Friday, 10/21: The Hubs took Bailey to his parents for the weekend because it was our anniversary Saturday, 10/22. He got back that evening at about 8pm and I told him I was having some crazy Braxton hicks. They went away when I changed positions and I slept pretty well that night, so I really do still think they were Braxton hicks and I wasn't actually in labor just yet. Soon, but not just yet.

Saturday, 10/22: We woke up that morning after sleeping in because we were kidless (HA! Not for long!). When I went to the bathroom that morning, there was a lot more mucus than before. Still not a sign of labor, but I just knew something was off. I told the Hubs that morning I had a feeling today would be the day. I told him about the mucus, but that I was having no contractions or cramps at all. He said I was insane and we carried on our morning. The Hubs had a doctors appointment and I took a late morning nap. Still, no cramps or anything. We left to see an afternoon movie (The Girl on a Train) and thankfully had some food during the movie (though I had cheese fries which would give me insane heartburn which I later was super pissed about during labor). After the movie, I went to the bathroom and there was blood. I debated about not calling the doc because I was sure they'd make me come in and it'd be for nothing. But, after leaving the theatre, I decided to call. Of course, I was right and they said to come in so the hubs turned the car around and we headed to L&D. I kept saying over and over that it was stupid and it would be nothing but still, we went.

We got to the hospital around 4. We parked and walked to L&D, me feeling totally fine with no cramps or contractions. We checked in and they got me undressed and hooked me up to the monitors where it was very quickly very clear that I was having contractions. All of this was very new to both the Hubs and I, as with Bailey there was never any time for any of this and I was never hooked up to any machines.

The doc said he wanted to monitor me for 30 minutes to see if the contractions got closer together. While we were waiting and I was laying down attacked to a machine monitoring my contractions, I called my sister and was on the phone with her when I said "Either I peed myself or my water is breaking slowly". She immediately called it that I was having this baby that day. The doc came back and checked and sure enough, my water broke and the doctor told us I was having Elias today. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I was SO SURE I was going to go full term, I think I was more caught off guard this time than with Bailey. We called the Hubs parents and let them know what was going on. Thank goodness B was already with them and we didn't have to figure those logistics out. Best timing ever in that way. The fact that it was 4 weeks early and the stinker wasn't due til 11/20.... well, that wasn't great timing.

Anyway- for the first 2 hours or so was fine. I wasn't in any pain and thought things would progress quickly. The Hubs ran home to grab some stuff. I started feeling more pain about 6:30pm just as the Hubs was getting back so I went in the tub for a bit. It helped but I was sure I was having contractions very close together so I got out and asked to be checked. I was shocked to find out I only 4cm! I thought they were going to tell me I was 9 and it was going to be time to push. I was very disheartened to learn I was only 4cm and it was really starting to hurt. From 7-9pm is sorta a blur. I got in and out of the tub one more time, walked circles around the L&D floor and just waited to get further. The contractions started coming closer together and got more and more painful. By 9pm I thought I was gonna die. For real. I thought it couldn't possibly hurt any more (spoiler: it did). I asked for some IV-given pain meds. It meant I couldn't get out of bed, as many women get light headed but I needed something to help with the pain at least a bit and I really didn't want an epidural.

I got checked again and was happy to learn I was 7cm and got the pain meds at about 9:45pm. I stayed in bed for 20 minutes or so and felt like I was given nothing. It hurt more than ever. I got out of bed to try to bounce on a birthing ball and told the Hubs I just couldn't do it anymore and I wanted an epidural. The Hubs supported me, but, as I told him to do, asked the nurse about the risks. As the nurse started explaining the possible risks I already changed my mind and was going to tell her never mind. Before I could even say that though, I literally yelled "I NEED TO PUSH RIGHT NOW!"

It was unlike anything I experienced in my life. Totally unlike Bailey's birth. I literally felt like I HAD to push RIGHT THEN and it was that quick. They raced to get the doc and I was suddenly fully dialated and effaced and it was go time. I'd love to say I was calm and cool and collected, but I was soooooo not. I cried and felt like I couldn't do it. I asked them to pull Elias out of me (to which the very matter of a fact doctor replied "Meagan, there is no medical reason to do that at this time. You need to push."). I said a million times I couldn't do it. I honestly felt like I wouldn't be able to do it. It hurt more than I could ever imagine or explain. It took a few contractions of small pushing, then 1 contraction with a big push got his head out a bit (where I LITERALLY could feel myself tear--- OOOOUUCCCCHHHH!!) and then one more contraction and a reallllllly big push and he basically came out in his entirety. After only a few minutes of pushing, Elias was born at 10:43pm weighing (what we would only later learn for sure) 6 lb, 15 oz.

They put Elias on my chest for a few short minutes before taking him away to check him and then wisking him off to the special nursery (not technically a NICU, but essentially a NICU). They assured us he wasn't in any significant danger, but they wanted to keep him at least overnight (spoiler: it was more than 1 night). The Hubs stayed with Eli the entire time, never letting him out of his sight. I finished birthing the placenta and getting stitched up and eventually (after what felt like hours but was actually only 45 minutes or so) got to go to the nursery to see my beautiful baby boy again.

And just like that- Elias was born, our world was forever changed, and we were officially a family of 4.

(More on the non-NICU-but-NICU stay and experience later)

Big News!

I've been quiet lately. I can blame it entirely on the below news, but that'd be a lie. I'm just a bad blogger. But, I'll blame it at least partially on the below news. So-- what news?

(I feel like I should warn that the below news might be emotional for some, especially if you found this blog from secondary infertility searches)

Without further ado....

Baby T 2.0 Coming Your Way This November!!!

After trying for 16 months, lots of doctors visits and tests, we (finally) got pregnant. While we didn't know when we cancelled our cruise and decided to stick in the US, we did make that decision due to the Zika Virus-- but only because we wanted to get pregnant and didn't want to stop trying for the recommended 6 months. In fact, I was damn sure I wasn't pregnant. We were ready to start Clomid, a common fertility treatment drug, on my next cycle.

Then, we got back from Florida and a week later I was due to start my cycle and decided to take a test, even though I was sure it would be negative. I took the test and legit walked away and forgot I took it. Again, I was just so sure it'd be negative. When I walked back by it a half hour later I about crapped my pants. Was that a line? Could that be a line? It was so faint... but, it looked like it might be a line! I packed Bailey into the car as quickly as I've ever moved... ever. We raced to Walgreens and I got a fancy digital test that would say the word pregnant or not. When I got home ready to take the test, the Hubs had just gotten home. Gah! I wanted to take it and know before telling him anything. So, I basically threw Bailey to him and raced to the bathroom (all while looking like a lunatic). Of course, the test was positive. I grabbed Bailey and took her into her room without the Hubs (all while looking like a lunatic... still) and put her in a "Big Sister" shirt and then had her go tell the Hubs "I a big sister!" The Hubs was SHOCKED and so happy.

And that's how we found out Bailey is gonna be a big sister. I'm currently about 15 weeks along. Expect a full first trimester update soon!

To say I'm surprised and excited and happy would all be a drastic understatement. I couldn't stop smiling for days. In fact, I'm still smiling! We're having another baby!!!!! I almost don't believe it, but I've seen an ultrasound and heard the heartbeat. It's true! There's a baby in there! Gaaaaaah!!!!  It took so long (to me). I was so discouraged and had convinced myself it just wasn't gonna happen. I was SO sad everytime I read a story line mine above. But, here I am. I'm pregnant!!!!!!!! Simple as that. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lately

Life lately has been relatively uneventful.

Well, perhaps not totally uneventful. The Hubs and I had a last minute vacation to Universal Studios to check out Harry Potter and to Disney. It's a long story, but the short version is we were all set to go on a cruise to Mexico, but decided the Zika virus was a little to scary for us and bailed on that plan. The night before we were supposed to leave. Yup. It was a hectic 24 hours of replanning and changing plans and calling everyone under the sun, but I'm happy with out decision. We had a great time, even if now whenever I tell people that was our vacation and they ask "Aw! Bet Bailey had a blast!" and I have to reply "Errrr.... she didn't go." It was great to get some time together just us, especially in the happiest place on earth. I won't bombard you with pics, just one.

Beyond our Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter fueled vacation, it's been business as usual.

Bailey naps are a thing of the past.

Rascal. Girl is killing me. I'm still hoping it's a phase but I'm not optimistic.

I've been running. Not a ton... 15ish miles a week. I'm training for a 10-mile run. Very slow, but running.

The best news is my gym just started letting me leave B in the child care while I run outside. I am beyond excited! I've only taken advantage of it once so far, but plan to do at least 1 outdoor run, in addition to my long run which is also outside, per week. OUTDOOR RUNNING! WITHOUT A JOGGING STROLLER! Wahooooooo!!!!!!

Other than that, we're just chugging along. Little girl is obsessed with egg hunts and swinging right now. We're loving the slightly warmer weather, even if we are still in hats and gloves most the time we're outside. I'll take it!

That's that for now.