Carson at 3 months!

You're growing so much!  I can't believe how much you are learning and doing!  You can hold your head up pretty well.  You have lots of conversations with me and your daddy.  You are grabbing your toys and can hold on and shake them.  Boy, you have a strong grip!  You have started to roll over! I went to the kitchen for two seconds a few days ago, and I heard you grunting.  You had rolled over onto your stomach.  You keep rolling onto your side now and can't figure out how to get that arm out from under you.  I think you'll get it soon!  I don't think that I am ready for what rolling over leads to, but we are so proud of you!  You smile at me and your dad as soon as you see us.  You make my heart fill with joy just being with you.  You love to be held after you eat- and you still eat a lot!  You still wake up every two to three hours to eat.  Come on, baby!  Momma needs her sleep!  You are such an easy going and happy baby and love everyone around you.  You've only had one tantrum so far (at a church dinner, which was not ideal timing, Sweetheart), and the only thing that would quiet you was when your daddy held you.  You love looking at lights and out windows.  You will start fussing when you get in the car, but once we get moving you usually fall asleep- except if there are stoplights.  You do not like stop lights.  I just had to put your 3-6 month clothes away because you don't fit in them anymore.  Only 6 months to 12 months will fit!  You are 19 1/2 lbs.  You have more rolls than I can count! I am afraid that you are going to grow out of your baby things before you grow out of being a baby! Lastly, you have learned to passify yourself with your thumb.  We are so proud of all you are doing and love watching you grow!  We have loved every day of the last three months with you!!

Mom Blooper #2- FORMULA!

I believe this is directly related to blooper #1.  After having Carson late on Saturday night, we were discharged from the hospital Monday morning- our supervised parenting was short lived.  I couldn't believe we were taking home a baby!  The car ride was surreal not only because we had added a new member to our family, but we also missed the whole hurricane that had come through the area and was witnessing the effects of the storm on our route home.  Our neighbors were so nice and cleaned up our yard for us, so we could concentrate on the mission at hand: Operation Baby.  When we got home, we had to change his diaper because it took forever for the discharge nurse to come get us (Also, did anyone else have to walk and carry our their belongings?  I thought I was supposed to get a wheelchair and royal treatment??  Waddling in those diapers is not comfortable or attractive).  Well, the first diaper we changed got us all soaking wet as Carson used his fire hose to sweep the area! It was our christening.  Well, the rest of the afternoon went well and the visitors started coming.  We, as parents, survived the first day on our own!  Now, nighttime is a different story.  I had to set my alarm to feed him every two hours.  It is so painful as a new mother who hasn't sleep in days (well, let's face it, a good month! You have to count the sans REM cycle weeks leading up to birth because a bowling ball was lying on your bladder) to set an alarm for every two hours, especially to wake up a baby that is already sleeping.  Well, the first feeding of the night went ok, but the next one fell apart.  It was like he couldn't get enough food!  I felt horrible, like I was starving my child!  He kept crying and wouldn't stop even when I was trying to feed him.  My MIL came in as I am standing helpless in my underwear with my newborn who is screaming bloody murder.  I couldn't take it anymore and committed the ultimate sin of nursing moms: I gave him formula. GASP! Yes, I did it.  For three whole feedings my newborn chugged 2oz of formula and he was so content.  Later that day we went for his first pediatrician visit and she let me know that I was actually being my own worst enemy and hindering my milk from coming in by giving him formula.  Bummer.  She suggested that I just leave him attached for as long as he needed it.  That sounded like punishment.  But that is what I did.  I was committed to nursing.  It was painful being so sleep deprived, but we got through it. :) Oh formula, how you sit in my pantry and torment me so...

Growing Pains

So the last week and a half have been quite the adventure.  I have said since Carson was born that he was going through growth spurts because of how much he ate.  These past few days I'm convinced was an actual growth spurt.  Carson had been having at least one four to five hour stretch of sleep at night between feedings and then would wake up every two hours after that to eat.  These past few days he was waking up less than every two hours to eat.  Shoot me.  Then he would be wide awake at 6am.  He also wasn't taking naps during the day except for two 30 minute naps.  He was so overly tired at night that he was impossible to get to sleep.  Both of us were so exhausted.  Needless to say that I have been a mommy zombie surprising myself at how well I have continued to function under these circumstances.  

Over the weekend, we had gone to Richmond because part of my dad's birthday present was to go to the UVA-Duke football game with the boys; my brother, husband and father-in-law.  When we were in Richmond, I got to catch up with two friends I hadn't seen in a long time and they got to meet little man!  Kate, Charlie (husband), and Charlie (K9) moved back to the east coast! YAY!  Kate came and spent some of the day hanging out.  I was stumbling over words and hoping that Carson would keep it together for the little while Kate was there.  (So sad I forgot to take a picture with Kate!) Thankfully he did well, then it was off to Panera to meet one of the matrons of honor in my wedding, Jen!  Her family had moved to NY, so I haven't seen her in a while.  She has got to be one of my favorite mommy friends and was so helpful just for listening to me blab.  Thanks for the empathy! She is expecting her second child, Landon! So excited for her growing family!  She is an amazing mother! Carson went off the deep end and I ended up having to hold him the entire time we were there.  He fell asleep in my arms after a while and I dared not move! My back and arms hurt (He's 17lbs!), but my child was sleeping! Hooray!  Jen had to feed me part of the brownie I ordered (Hey, desperate times calls for comfort food!) because I couldn't move.  It was such a great time with her.  She is truly a heart friend.  That evening, it was me and MIL hangout time.  We got subs and SWEET FROGS!!  I loaded that frozen yogurt up! Soo yummy!  Just what this pooped out momma needed.  The rest of our time in Richmond was wonderful with Jeff's family.  They love Carson so much!  

Guess what?! I think the growth spurting is over!  Halleluia! Carson has slept for just over three hours at a time now and has been taking one good 2-3 hour nap during the day! This development happened Wednesday night after having five attempts at putting him to bed!  I am glad my baby is healthy...although I am not looking forward to the next growing pains!  I am still wondering why other babies his age are sleeping through the night and he isn't...

Jen and baby Landon!  Carson is sleepy from just eating:)

Blooper love

In anticipation of my friend's, Krystal, baby's arrival, I started reflecting on the first few hours when I became a mom.  I was never one of those girls who couldn't wait to be a mommy.  In fact, infants mostly scared me.  I thought they were so fragile and really, what the heck do you do with them?  I was clueless, to say the least, especially since I never took interest in baby things.  I also didn't have much exposure to babies either.  Carson was born late at night during a hurricane, so we weren't expecting visitors until the next day.  Around 1am, the nurses were basically through with their checks and everyone was ready to go to bed- except me.  I couldn't believe that the hospital lets you have a child and then doesn't tell you what to do with them.  How irresponsible!  I knew that I was supposed to feed him every two hours. So, I just stared at him for the next two hours.  Not an awe-struck, new mommy love gaze.  It was more of a I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing babysitting gig gaze. (Of course I felt like I was babysitting!  It takes a while for you to believe that a person just emerged from your body!)  I felt much better when I could take care of him when he was inside of me.  OK, I could do this.  My task was to feed him every two hours and listen to make sure he was breathing.  Every two hours I tried feeding him but he just slept, so I figured I had potent colostrum because he ate right after birth.  I also figured he would cry if he was hungry.  Around 7am, my nurse came in and asked how he ate.  I told her that he preferred sleeping.  I was then berated for not waking up my child to eat.  How was I supposed to know that I had to do tricks to wake up my newborn to eat? I felt horrible.  Seriously, why doesn't an instruction manual pop out with the baby?  So, I failed at my first mommy task. My first of many mommy bloopers.  I have heard this before, and so far it seems to be true, that by God's grace, my child will survive my parenting. 

Proof:)

Happy Birthday, Pops!

This past weekend, we kidnapped Pops for his birthday and took him to Smith Mountain Lake.  He was so excited and we were too! We couldn't wait for this four day excursion.  This lake house is owned by my aunt and uncle, and they were so gracious not only to let us use it but got it ready for us on very late notice.  Dad was the only one that had my aunt's phone number and he was in Disney the week prior to our trip...if I were a better detective/planner things would've been a little less stressful. Especially since when I finally did get her number off his phone, we were staying with my dad for the next few days and there was no place to escape him to call her! Well, everything was well worth it! It was so beautiful traveling west across the state.  The trees were brilliant colors. I miss the mountains! We took the opportunity to try to take our Christmas card picture while we were there and got a few more precious pictures too! Carson was not that helpful during our photo session, but we still were able to get a few good ones:)

Pops just came back from Disney and bought Carson all sorts of stuff

We were all able to get some much needed rest, but Carson won the award for the biggest sleepyhead!

My aunt, uncle, and cousin came up to celebrate dad's birthday by taking us to the marina for dinner!  My aunt and uncle were relentless in hinting that they would like a grandbaby soon...sorry Jonathan!

Tuckered out from picture taking

Ahhh so precious! I can't get over this sight! Although, it reminds me of Mayberry...

One contender for the Christmas card

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS!! We loved celebrating YOU!  You are an amazing dad and "pops!"  Thank you for loving us all so much! You breed champions because you are just so awesome:)