10.29.2009

Tummy Time!

We had a 4 week check up yesterday for Archer. He now weighs 7 lbs 9 oz and has grown an inch in length since his birth. Our pediatrician also said that he very alert and focuses better than a lot of newborns his age. She also said that we should start tummy time with him, about 2-3 times per day for about 2-3 minutes at a time. This morning we did our first ever tummy time and Archie did a great job. He tried to lift his head a few times and let Mommy take some adorable pictures!

We have also been reading, singing and talking with him during his awake periods, which last for about 1-2 hours at a time. We listen to XM radio on our television and really enjoy trying out the different stations. Archie likes the First Wave radio station which coincidentally is also my favorite! We have a book called "Baby Plays Pat-Pat" that has a lot of great black and white pictures. He focuses really well on it.

Here are some pictures of his first tummy time and some of him just being plain cute.







10.26.2009

Flying Solo

Dave and I have been very lucky over the past 3 1/2 weeks. Both Grandmas have been here to help as well as Aunt Marlene. They helped with laundry, groceries, sleep, household chores, dinners and sanity. Yesterday Grandma R. left and Dave and I were officially on our own as parents. Since it was Sunday we both switched on and off holding, burping and keeping Archie entertained. He has periods of wakefulness that can last 1-2 hours. He has also recently been eating every 2 hours during the day.

Today, however, Dave is at work so it is just me, Archie and the animals. As far as babies go, ours is pretty content. He cries only when he needs to be burped, is hungry or is trying to push something out. As soon as his needs are met, he relaxes again. We have only had a few really long, annoying nights. For the most part we get 2 1/2 to 3 hours of sleep in between feedings. I still have tons to learn about being a parent though. It is a little nerve wracking to be the person solely responsible for keeping a little human being alive. When Dave gets home from work I will give a little sigh of relief. I honestly don't know how single parents do it. Kudos to them!

There are also the daily joys of being a parent. Yesterday, Dave held Archie for about 2 hours while he slept. When he gave him to me I started to cry because in that 2 hours I forgot how perfect our son was. Sometimes when Archie is crying and I come up to him and hold his hands he just looks at me and immediately calms down. He is becoming a lot more aware of his surroundings and when he looks into my eyes I just melt. I love him more and more every day and I cannot believe that Dave and I created this perfect little man.

Anyway, here are some more recent pictures of our beautiful baby boy.













10.08.2009

Archer has arrived! (a birth story)

On October 1st our little one decided he had incubated long enough and made his arrival 3 weeks early. I was so convinced that I was going to have a late, big baby that when my water broke at 1:30 a.m. I had somewhat of a panic attack. Being the Virgo that I am, a list of all the things that I wanted to get done before he got here started forming in my mind. Then I just had to breathe, tell myself that there was nothing I could do now and let Dave know we would be parents within 24 hours. His panic attack started shortly thereafter!

(This is the start of a more detailed birth story. You have been forewarned.)

We got to the hospital around 2:15 a.m. and they admitted me about an hour later. We had a huge laboring room that unfortunately looked out over a Wal-Mart. Oh well. Anyway, my contractions weren't starting naturally so they put me on a Pitocin drip at 5:00 a.m. and about an hour later I could feel them building. I was able to lay down and nap during the first 2 hours, but at around 8:30 I had to sit up and start that wonderful Lamaze breathing. Little did I know that sitting at the edge of the bed would be the only laboring position I could tolerate. I tried a rocking chair, balance ball, walking, standing, laying down, etc... Nope, I spent the next 5 hours sitting on the edge of that stupid bed hanging on to the side rail for dear life.

I had not ruled out getting an epidural, but I wanted to dilate to around 4-5 centimeters before I did so. My contractions started to get pretty intense around 11:30 a.m. and my Dr. was going to come check me at 1 p.m. to see where I was at. That was the longest time of my life, but when he came back at 1 I was dilated to over 4 centimeters and I asked for that epidural. It was heaven! I was able to lay down, talk, joke around and in the next 2 hours I dilated from 4 centimeters to 10 and was ready to start pushing at 3:50 p.m.

Pushing is tiring, but it didn't really hurt. Around 6:00 p.m. my Dr. was called in because we were getting close and at 6:16 our little baby boy was born. It is a very weird experience this whole birthing thing. You spend all this time growing a little one inside of you, then you spend hours, sometimes days, trying to get them out of you and then they are just there. I understand now how a woman can still smile after all of that because it all seems so insignificant compared to the little person you get to hold when all is said and done.

Here are the stats and then I will bombard you with pictures of our precious little one!

Archer James R.
born at 6:16 p.m. on October 1, 2009 (3 weeks early)
weight: 6 lbs. 13 oz.
length: 19.5"
head circumference: 14"


(about 2 minutes old)

(one of his more lucid first moments)

(making the Boppy look huge)

(sleeping in his car seat)

(hanging out with Daddy)

(another car seat shot)

(sleeping, well, like a baby)