3 weeks and 3 days old!

They say time always goes too fast...and it does. Mommy has a breakdown at least once a day because you are growing too fast, getting bigger, and filling out those newborn features.  I do love the chubby cheeks and am sure I will enjoy the next phase just as much as this one. Minus Maui I guess :)...

How are you less than a week a way from being a MONTH old. I mean, A MONTH, Cohen.  Seriously, make time stop please! Our newborn is almost not a newborn but a certifiable baby...luckily a friend took your newborn pictures so I could cry over the memories. (One of our Sunday school class members is an awesome friend and photographer...she sent us some pics as previews before we purchase the files.  Isn't this amazing??? She should seriously do this full time!!! Thanks Dyan!)  A sneak peek here:

Cohen, things we have learned about you this week:
Real Tears- As if you crying wasn't bad enough, now your little peepers get wet when you scream. I have a feeling that you might have your daddy and I wrapped around your fingers.
Hot and heat- Its no wonder that I kept the house at 68 degrees when I was pregnant. You HATE being hot. That has served us quite a few challenges in Maui where there is no A/C except in the car. The aiden and anais blankets are your favorite because they are so thin and you sleep the most soundly in just a diaper.
Growing Eyelashes- We first noticed a few lashes around week 2 and think you finally have them all the way across your upper lid. They catch your tears by the way....can you tell I have a really hard time with that?
Peeling- We put coconut oil on you to help, but mostly your face is left in the newborn skin peeling process. It's cute- you look like you are peeling from a sunburn here in Maui.
Sound sensitive- You love love love music and being sung too (you are my son after all) and are really sensitive to sounds in general. You can take sun in your eyes or a crowded restaurant, but a loud noise and you startle really easily.
Tummy is gassy- Mylocon and no diary or fried foods for momma keep the pain down a bit. Please get over this phase soon!
Know momma means groceries- yep, my voice equals rooting and a boob for a pacifier. But I'm ok with that because you know who I am :-)
Began pumping-you've had 3 bottles. One at home and two in Maui.  I've got to figure out a schedule for this when we get back to Dallas time zone.
You don't like your carseat- Le sigh...

Here's how you sleep in a pack-n-play in our room.  Yes, there are blankets in there.  This was your nap and I was in the room.  At night we only use a swaddled (the blue thing) and two rolled up burp clothes to keep you from rolling.  

Heres you sleeping on daddy's knee during a nighttime feeding in Maui.

Things we have learned about us:
We are not a cry it out family- I know there are two sides to this part of parenting, and for us we refuse to let a wee one cry it out.  First, I can't handle it :-) and second, this is your way of communicating that something isn't right.  When you have needs we solve it.  Now, later on when you have a voice and can let us know the difference between I'm high-maintenance and I'm in pain, then yes, you'll have your fair share of crying.  But until then, I get pretty frustrated with people telling us its good for your lungs. Who started that wives tale anyway?
My gluten allergy may have come back- the jury is still out but I've not been well the past few days until I stopped eating gluten.  Hmmmm.
I need to pack more clothes- when going out of the house, I always have extra clothes for you.  No one mentioned that I should pack a pair since you seem to like peeing and puking on me, too.


After all that, I'm still not really relating as a Mom, yet.  I mean, I love Cohen, and taking care of him comes really naturally to me, but I don't feel like he's MINE really.  Patrick immediately related as a proud papa and I'm loving watching them together...maybe I'm just a late bloomer?

And because he's just THIS cute....

Who does he look like?  I see lots of his cousin Finley in this one.

Blessings!

Aloha from Maui

Yes, yes, I am aware that I haven't updated in a while. Things are great-busy- but great. I have been trying to update Facebook but I know I have readers that aren't on my Facebook (I'm a bit weird about separating work and personal life- I want to make sure I don't mix boundaries.)

Here's the view from where I am typing on my iPad :-)

We are on day six of our Maui vacation. It has been exactly what we expected and Cohen has been a real trooper. The time difference of 5 hours has been harder on us than him. He still sleeps and eats every two hours or so, with a couple of 1 hour or 4 hour longer 'naps' in between.  Breastfeeding has really been the best thing so far.  Its portable, painless, and easy for us both.  I am looking forward to getting back home and pumping some so that Patrick or a babysitter! can take over a feeding or two for me.  To all you would-be moms, breastfeeding is the way to go! I am curious how to transition when I go back to work and how to pump enough milk without getting a huge supply boost.  Anyone have a good way?

I'll do a seperate post on Cohen coming up....lots of things we've learning in a short three weeks! Here is his cuteness in his favorite position...sleeping!

(We are sleeping on a pull out couch because it is MUY comfortable for my c-section angle.  Never thought I would enjoy sleeping on a 3 inch mattress as much as I have this week.  Oh, and thank to the Grafs for our co-sleeper for Cohen - he loves it!)

My sister's wedding was perfect here on 10-11-12.

The weather was a bit breezy but it kept the temperature down so we couldn't complain!  Cohen was the impromtu ring bearer and carried them up to the alter in his pocket.  Isn't he adorable?

Here's us at the ceremony.

And us at the reception/dinner cruise.  It was unbelievably windy, not that it looks that way in this picture at all)

So far he has braved his first airplane flight, a luau, a boat ride (reception and it was CRAZY windy), several dinner dates, walks on the beach, and time in family's arms.  I'd say the trip was worth the stress ;-)

For those of you that asked, I am doing better every day from the C-section.  I have now gone almost 48 hours without any pain medication.   The internal stitches still catch my breath sometimes and I really notice the outside insicion pain by the end of the day.  I thought maybe I'd been lucky and kept my ability to eat gluten but I've felt pretty crummy the last couple of days.  I am already limiting dairy because it gives Cohen a rash on his cute little butt, so the thought of no wheat and no dairy is pretty depressing.  TMI alert if you don't want to read further...  My deflating belly hangs over the incision spot and rubs it -Yowch!  I keep finding more stretch marks on my thighs, UGH, and my belly button is looking back to its old self.  I can honestly say I hate the way I look most hours of the day, but I know Cohen was worth it and I'll just have to be patient while I heal before I exercise again.  Plus, the body image thing is compounded when you are at the beach in a maternity bathing suit :-/

Oh, and daddy finally got to give Cohen a real-not-sponge-but-running-water-bath.  He did a great job and Cohen enjoyed getting scrubbed all clean!

How's that for a random update!  Blessings!

Hospital Pictures and update

Because I promised :-)

The hospital pictures are a little more advanced than when I was born.  A nice lady came in and made a photo studio out of our bed linens.  To be honest, it was a bit too time intensive for me, but we did have a couple of good pictures.  And because we are first time parents, we were suckers and paid for them.  I think they turned out pretty good!

Cohen had his 2-week appointment today and he is doing so great. He is back up past his birth weight at 7 pounds 9 ounces and has grown an inch to 20.5! Even though our pediatrician isn't into the percentile thing (as long as he is growing and healthy) but its fun to know them. Cohen is in the 25% in head circumference and height, and 50% in weight.  We'll go back in two week for another follow up.

So far things have been a bit crazy here with learning this parent thing and visits from family.  We have loved every minute of it!!  Cohen has been pretty content with us and is a lovely baby.  He is easy to feed, loves his 2-3 hour naps and generally is good-natured. We have had a couple nights with gassy fussing, but so far are feeling pretty lucky.  I am healing....getting better every day....and rejoicing in the little things (like being able to take my own shower, laying down in my bed, etc!)  I have not loved the recovery - c sections are rough people- but I guess he's worth it. See pictures below :-)

I'd appreciate prayers for my followup appointment tomorrow.  I'm pretty nervous about the pain on my incision and them taking the steri-strips off.  Also, we are going to talk about the chances of going to Maui and how I'm feeling and if its safe for us to make the trip.

Blessings,