Showin' Owen: 1 Month Old

I cannot believe that one month has already flown by!  It never ceases to amaze me at how SLOWLY pregnancy can go by and then HOW QUICKLY time flies when the baby is finally here!  Anyway, we are still so in love with our little man, just sitting there watching him do nothing and everything all at the same time. . . Such a gift.  Here are a few things about Owen so far from the month he has been with us.

1. He is cuddle bug!  Seriously loves to be held and be up by you.  I am so not complaining!

2. He is working so hard at holding his head up!  He really has got it going on pretty good.

3.  He is staying awake for longer periods during the day, which is nice because hopefully that means we are moving closer to a time when he sleeps through the night.

4.  He is waking up about 2 times a night which isn't awful, but I am ready for him to settle down and sleep a little longer.

5.  He is extremely gassy like his brother, especially at night!  There is a "fussy hour" about an hour after the morning feeding (anywhere from 4-6) that he isn't happy unless he right beside you.  I have been putting him in the bed with me, just so I can catch some extra z's!

6.  He is eating about 4 oz (from what I can tell after letting him stay with mom overnight one night last week) so far, and growing like a weed!

7.  He has baby acne, which is no fun :(

8.  He smiles in his sleep, which is adorable!  He likes to take naps on his tummy at times too.

9.  He is tracking with his eyes and knows my voice, moving his head and flinging his arms to find me if I am close by.  This melts my mama's heart!

10.  He has the best big brother, who loves to give him sugars, and help me out!

I couldn't be more in love with my little ones!  I am so blessed to be their mama, and I can't wait to see how Owen grows up!  We pray diligently for him, that he would be saved, have a tender heart, conviction of a lion, and a moldable spirit full of character!

Life with Two

Hello again all!  Since I have been able to stay at home on maternity leave, you my readers get to enjoy more blogs!  Lucky you!  And since all I do at home is stay with two of the cutest boys in the entire world, that is most likely what you will be reading about!  

Life with two kids is crazy!  Especially when one of those two is almost two and a half. . . and still not potty trained (grr).  I never thought I would be one of those moms who had the almost 3 year old still in diapers (thinking about it right now makes me want to gag a little), and believe me I had good intentions in life, before I had to go back to work.  Then I had good intentions to try real hard during Christmas break, since both Mark and I would be home, but that kind of went down the drain when Mark broke his collar bone 2 days after I got out of work and had surgery a week or so later.  Then I had plans to do it when we were home with a new baby, but trying to potty train and have a new born, and not be home on the weekends is kind of ridiculous and so  much harder than I anticipated.  Any tips besides just getting in there and following him around all day are greatly appreciated.  He has YET to wake up dry from night time or nap, like not even close to it, so I am wondering if he is ready. . . 

Owen is doing remarkable well.  Mark and I were talking about how he has filled out, and doesn't look like a newborn anymore really.  He has graduated to size 1 diapers, and is beginning to out growing new born clothes.  Makes me a little sad!  It has been such a different experience this time around because I am not dealing with Postpartum Depression.  I have said more than once "So this is how it is supposed to feel?"  With Reid I just remember resenting ALL of it, the feedings, diaper changes, get ups, nursing, EVERYTHING.  I didn't resent HIM, just how my life had changed, and I wasn't ready for it!  It took me a while to bond with Reid I felt like, like 9 months (how long it took me to get over PPD), while this time I feel completely bonded to Owen.  I am so glad to not have to deal with those feelings this go around, and sad because I know what I lost with Reid :(.  

Speaking of Owen, we went to the doctor when he was two weeks old and according to the Doctor, he looks awesome.  He weighed 8.2 so that was good!  Nursing is also going SSSSOOOO MUCH BETTER this time around.  I think I knew what I was getting in to this time as far as the demand it places on you.  I had a better outlook on it going into it, having thought about it during my pregnancy and ready to bond with Owen in this way.  Another thing I think really helped was praying about it extensively the entire pregnancy.  I am so grateful it is going so well and pray it continues to! 

Ok, now here are some pictures from what we have been up to.  

Reid and Owen with "Nina" and "Pops" (Mark's parents).  I thought this was a great picture  of everyone!

So if I haven't said this before, I will tell y'all now.  In my family, February is the month of celebrations!  My mom's birthday is Feb 2, then exactly a week later is my brother's birthday on Feb 9, then 5 days after that is Valentine's day, then the next week is Mark (and Blake's lol) birthday on the 23rd.  So yeah, lots of stuff going on in February.  Last year mom and dad took us out to eat each week that someone had a birthday!  At Mark's birthday dinner they said, "Next year we are going to go out to eat at Shoguns one time to celebrate everyone!"  This was more than ok with us.  So here are a few pictures from that night!

Here is a backstory for this picture.  This is my brother and you probably recognize one of my best friends Abby by his side.  They started dating at the beginning of this month and I could not be more excited!!!  I  couldn't have planned it any better myself, I mean my brother and my best friend?!?  

Aren't they Cute?!

We are working on getting him to realize he has to smile WHILE you're taking the picture!

Mom and Dad

Laughing at how he took a picture!

Me and Marky!

Adam took this but didn't zoom in!

One more attempt, no good/. . .

So there you have it!  What we have been up to lately.  For now I have a hungry toddler and newborn!

All About Owen



I know we did some "Read about Reid" posts in the past and now I think little Owen needs a turn.  I couldn't think of anything clever to title it with an "O" so I am open to suggestions if anyone has one.  Anyway, back to the reason for this post, to tell you what we know so far about our sweet boy in just these two short weeks.

 

 

Owen in his "Rock and Play"! We love this thing!

1.  I prayed long and hard the whole pregnancy that Owen would be a good eater and sleeper, and he those were answered.  He is a CHAMPION sleeper, something I am so thankful for.  He will eat and fall right back to sleep at night.  He is a decent eater, not as avid of one as his brother was (who would eat until he threw up), he usually eats really good off of one side, and then decides its not much worth it on the other side and will get fed up and just spit the milk out. 

 

2.  He doesn't seem to have the extremely sensitive gag reflex his brother does.  He still spits up and gets the hiccups when we lay him flat after he eats, but nothing like what Reid did!  

 



Best Daddy around!

3.  He is a strong little boy, already practicing holding his head up.

 

4.  As of now he appears more laid back and easy going than Reid was.  Of course this could be attributed to the fact he was born 5 days earlier than Reid was (17 days before his due date).  He stays awake right after 2 or so feedings, but just can't handle waking up after the others.  I am expecting this to change though.  

 

 

 

5.  He doesn't really ever cry (yet).  Like his brother (and even more so) grunting is his love language, and he will sit there about 20 minutes before a feeding at night and grunt and get worked up for eating.

 

 

6.  He hates a sponge bath!  Though I have yet to meet a baby who really likes it. 

 

7.  He is my snuggle bunny.  He loves to be up close to you, and enjoys falling asleep tight in your arms.  I am totally ok with this, as Reid much more prefered to be out and looking around at everything.  

 

 



9.  He is a "red man" and will turn beet red at times!  Kyndall told me he looks like Bob the tomatoe off of veggie tales when this happens!

10.  We went to his 2 week appointment at the doctor and according to Dr. Hudson, he "looks awesome"!  He is 8lbs 2 oz, and in the 54th percentile for his length!  So grateful for  my hubby's tall genes! 

11.  Nursing is going SSSSOOOO much better this time around.  I think I am in a much better place mentally, more ready for this baby, and I had really prayed it up.  I just remember hating breastfeeding with Reid and giving him a bottle when he was like 3 days old!  Not so with this little man, already two weeks old and no bottle yet.  I am so dreading giving him one too.  I think this is probably because in my head I associate him having a bottle with me going back to work, and that is something I just don't want to even think about/prepare for. 

Of course, life is still going on in different areas than just this little guy, namely in the life of one very good big brother!  I am not going to lie and say it wasn't an adjustment/ still is one, but Reid has been an awesome big brother!  He is my big helper, throwing away diapers, putting clothes in the hamper, "obey mommy and daddy" on a regular basis, and just loves Owen to pieces.  He gives him sweet sugars, and tells me when he needs his paci (which in his mind is often lol), and can't wait for him to really play with him. 



Trying to tire this boy out by writing "R-E-I-D"

 

What has been difficult is getting his schedule coordinated, and tiring Reid out when I am exhausted myself.  Reid has at times not napped (he will just stay in his bed and talk the entire time) and that makes for rough nights.  I swear he knows when Mark isn't going to be home because that is the day he does it.  We are working through it.  The mornings are the hardest when I know I have to get up and get Reid up so he will nap, even though I am dog tired! 

He ate all his lunch so he got a "pea-butter 'poon" for dessert (peanut butter spoon for those not fluent in Reid)

All in all I am so thankful to have two precious boys!  They are gifts from God and I wouldn't change them for the world.  I pray I can continue to be the mom God has called me to be with two and that I would enjoy these years mothering in the trenches, because I know that even though the days are long, the years are short, and I don't want to totally wish them away!