Sleeping through the night!

I have to start by shouting from the roof top that Porter has been sleeping through the night. Wooohoooo. I feel like a new woman. I am hoping this post does not jinx it. Lately, it seems like the minute I say anything it backfires. I hadn't been following any real "plan", per say, since he was born. I have just been nursing him every 3 hours during the day, letting him nap when he wanted to, and letting him sleep during the night as long as he could. Weeellll I decided that 3am feeding was starting to get old. I bought the book Babywise when I was pregnant, but just kind of flipped through it. I know many people that have sworn by this book so I decided to go ahead and give the strict feeding, wake time, nap time routine a try. At 9 weeks we started. Boy let me tell you doing it felt like a full time job, but totally worth it.  By 10 weeks he had dropped his 3 am feeding. I did notice when he would wake periodically during the night he would have a hard time falling back to sleep because of his flailing arms. Either one would wack him in the face or would start to relax, startle him, and wake him back up. He also has been been chewing on his hands a lot and scooting himself up to the end of the crib, which has been making the SIDS monitor go crazy. We swaddle him every night with a blanket, but he seems to get out of it really easy. I decided to get a velcro swaddle to keep his arms secured. It worked like a charm the first night. He didn't budge the whole night, or at least when I was staring at the monitor he didn't. The second night he managed to wiggle his way out of it!! I immediately went in there and tightened the swaddle thinking there was no way he would manage to get out of it a second time. Well, lo and behold, at 630am I woke up and both arms were completely out. Every night since then he manages to get one arm out. I do plan to stop swaddling somewhere around  3 months or so, but until he has been sleeping through the night for a while, I will continue to. Hopefully by then he will have a little more control over his arms : )

Having fun

Besides focusing on P's new routine, we haven't had too much going on. We went to church for the first time since he was born. He was 10 weeks. It went a lot better than expected. We sit at the end of the pew in case we need to run out, but he has done good so far!  We made a trip to Jackson to see family and friends, but that's about it! At my 7 week check up,  I was told I could start back light exercise. I have recently started feeling up to running again. The first time I went running outside was so freeing. I am learning that running is going to be some good quiet time these days versus not looking forward to it. I have also started to crave my herbal teas again. I couldn't drink them when I was pregnant so I think I just lost my taste for them, but it is definitely back! I am feeling more and more back to myself every day. I have been trying to psych myself up for going back to work on Feb 12th. It will be very hard, however I am very thankful that I am able to go back part time so I can have some week time with my lil booger.

Ready for church!

Getting my tea on

Don't worry I have checked to see which teas are okay for nursing. This Pukka brand has some pretty awesome teas. I have only been able to find them at T.J. Maxx. I've tried to order some directly from the website, but they don't ship internationally.

I have been practicing my calligraphy when P is napping. I usually do a more traditional font but I am trying new strokes and styles. I am thinking about starting a little business doing it for cheap. Be looking for a facebook page. : )

Old man

Mimi Cherry

P's cousin Jacob

Aunt Angie

Our friend Shelly came home to visit from Seattle with her new sweet baby, Miller. We decided to all get together to visit and meet all of the new kiddos. I am usually unable to go when everyone gets together, being that we live in Hattiesburg, so I was super excited.  Everyone got to meet Porter who hadn't yet. I also got to meet Lindsey's sweet Noah and Mandy's sweet Charlotte. We were lucky enough to get the chilens to sit long enough to snap a shot. We have a lot of precious babies in this group! We even have more that aren't pictured! 

Loving these rolls!!!!

Liking tummy time a little better.....

There's my neck!

Loves bath time these days

The many faces of Porter......

I'm a sucker for a cute paci : )

Porter was 11 weeks old this past Sunday! I know I probably say this is every blog post, but he is growing too fast : (

Two Months!

Porter is 2 months old!

It blows my mind how fast time has flown. He had his 2 month checkup and let me just tell you, we have a healthy boy on our hands. He weighed in at 12lbs and 4 oz!!! I am one proud momma. We have been weighing him at home every week and he has been consistently putting on the pounds. He has gained over 4lbs in a month! That was the good part of the appointment. The bad part was those mean ole shots. I couldn't hold back the tears. He has never cried like that before but, as advised from a couple of friends, I nursed him right after and he was easily soothed. He ran a low grade fever that night, but didn't act fussy, just really sleepy.

At 2 months Porter is:

• 12lbs 4 oz - 50th percentile
• 22.75 inches long - 40th percentile
• 15.25 inches head circumference - 40th percentile
• Sleeping a 5-6 hour stretch. I put him down between 9 and 10. He usually wakes up for a feeding around 3. At 6 weeks he gave us a tease and slept through the night for 2 nights in a row. Hasn't happened since.
• Sleeping in his crib consistently. Started at 7 weeks.
• Ohhing and ahhing. So sweet
• Nursing 10 minutes
• Had his first pumped bottle at 6 weeks and has a couple a week.
• Wearing 0-3 month clothes and 6 month socks. His feet have been pretty big since he was born.
• In size 1 diapers. Just started using wipes. Have been using warm wash cloths for his sensitive little booty
• Eyes are still grey/deep blue
• Slowly refusing the paci more and more
• Has new hair coming in that sticks straight up. So stinkin cute.

 My stinker is not a fan of tummy time

 

He does good for a bit but then gets a little fussy : )

 Fun with Daddy

 Milk drunk. Want to eat those cheeks

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We took our first road trip with P to Atlanta to celebrate Christmas with Meme, Poppy and Uncle Larkin. It was also my mom's birthday. Everyone has always told me how much stuff you have to take when traveling with a baby. That reality set in real quick when the back of the Yukon was slammed full with the back two seats taken out. Nursing and changing diapers on the way wasn't easy either. Especially between Porter and Paisley's car seats. Porter slept in the bassinet of his play yard in the room with us while we were there. I had forgotten how much noise he makes in his sleep since he has been sleeping in his crib. #neverslept. Of course my Meme helped with him a lot though so we were able to get some R and R. Chris and I were also able to get out alone for a lunch date. : ) The trip was great.

Meme was ready to get her hands on P

Night time lovin

Uncle Larkin feeding P

Mom gave Porter a lil massage every night before putting him down. He loved it.

                                           

Happy birthday Momma!

We bought her some obnoxious balloons to be funny

 

Porter got some NFL gear for Christmas. It's safe to say our family and friends are scattered. 

 Chris says P will only be wearing the Saints gear, but we just couldn't resist getting this pic.

Lunch date at Taco Mac

 

Pretty view from my parents backyard

We had a wonderful visit! 

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Chris and I have been talking about getting a juicer for a while now. The benefits of juicing are great.  I think it would be a great thing to do while breast feeding because I don't get near the recommended daily servings of veggies. My brother has been juicing for some time now and while in Atlanta he told us about a 3 day juicing detox he was about to start. Chris decided it was a good idea so the day after we got back, he went and bought a juicer and the detox began. It was a long, long 3 days for him of course, and myself. I felt awful eating in front of him. He wasn't very pleasant to be around. : ) I don't blame him though. I know I am feisty when I am hungry so I cannot imagine. After it was all said and done he said it made him feel a world of difference.

 Day 3 of the detox. I was very proud of him for sticking with it because I know I sure couldn't

Here is one of the better juice recipes we have made. None of them are wonderful, but they sure do taste healthy. This makes about a quart.

• 1 cucumber
• 4 green apples
• 8 carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• hand full of spinach
• 2 inches of ginger

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We had some visitors the weekend we returned home from Atlanta. Two of my sweet friends, Meg and Brittany came to meet Porter. Also, my sister Erin and my niece Bailey came to visit. It was great spending time with them all.

Meggie and P

 

Brittany and P

 Aunt E and BB

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One of Chris's business partners gave Porter this little onesie when he was born. It has a little quote embroidered on it that says "the most important things in life are right in front of you".  I thought it was such a special gift and such a true statement.

 That's all for now!