Bryson: Month One

Weight: I weighed you at home today.  10.8 pounds!  That's about a pound a week!

Height: As of 7/13/12, 21 3/4 inches.

Eating Habits: Depending on the time of day, you eat 4-5 ounces every 3-4 hours.

Accomplishments: Besides sleeping for 6.5 hours straight [once], you are holding you head up for 30-45 seconds at a time.  You are also obviously able to see a little better now- you concentrate on anyone who speaks to you and are enthralled by your reflection and colorful lights.

Favorite Things: You aren't really a paci baby, but love your blue teddy bear Wubba Nub paci.  You don't keep the paci in your mouth long, but like to hold on to the bear.  We held off on getting a swing for awhile, but I'm glad we broke down and got it.  You love it, especially when the room is dark and the lights on the swing are on.  You love to cuddle with Mommy & Daddy and LOVE to eat even more.  You gulp it down and sound so happy doing it.

Not so Favorite Things: Diaper changes are evil and putting on lotion is just no fun!  Bathtime is your least favorite time of the day.

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It's been a few weeks since I've had a chance to write.  Life with a newborn is very challenging, but the rewards far outweigh the exhaustion and exasperation.  The first month of our little guy's life has been one of the best of my life.  He changes every day and his personality is already developing.  He's stolen our hearts and we've fallen deeper in love than we ever thought imaginable.

On Saturday, July 7, we spent our first night together as a family of 3. Of course, it was in a family room at the NICU, but we were all together, and that's all that mattered.  Clay got us supper and we lounged on the bed, watching TV and enjoying cuddle time with Bryson. We fell asleep early but Bryson decided he liked hanging out too much to sleep. He and I spent 4 hours just hanging out. He wasn't fussy... ya know, until I laid him down and tried to sleep. He just wanted to be held and honestly, after the 9 days he'd had, I was glad to oblige.

We met with the doctor shortly before lunch and were on our way home. He took his first trip outside at 12:25 PM. Riding immediately put him to sleep.

When we got home, the girls were waiting anxiously. Clay went in and took them out while I snuck in with Bryson. They were very excited to meet Bryson and INCREDIBLY curious. They sniffed him for awhile and when we laid him in his rock 'n' play, neither Bailey nor Jenna would leave his side.  They are still very curious and don't like it when he cries.  For the first few nights, they were up with us every time he woke up to eat.  Jenna has even jumped on the bed during diaper changes to make sure her baby is okay.  

We spent the first week camped out at home for the most part. Fortunately, Clay stayed home with us and we were able to adjust to life with little man without a schedule or anywhere to be. Although he doesn't have much experience with babies, he's been incredible with Bryson. He's a natural, for sure!

Daddy & son heart-to-heart

On Friday, July 13, Bryson had his first doctor's appointment. He was up to 8 pounds 7 ounces and had grown 1/2" since birth. Dr. Johnston said Bryson is the picture of health. It's always reassuring to hear that about your baby, but after being in the NICU for 10 days, it's especially sweet!  This visit was the first time we had met his pediatrician since the doctor we had scheduled with informed us after Bryson's birth that he wasn't accepting new patients.  Bryson's doctor is GREAT.  He's very compassionate and obviously cares about his patients.

Bryson's cord finally fell off on July 19, so we were able to give him his first bath.  He isn't a fan of baths, but does like the water being poured on his head.

For the most part, he is on a 3-4 hour feeding schedule. Instead of trying to apply a schedule, we are letting Bryson determine when he eats. We'll start a schedule soon.  He usually sleeps great and nothing disturbs him. He's even slept a solid 6.5 hours at a time. That night made this mama very, very happy.

Last Monday, we hit the 3-week growth spurt and he was insatiable.  For roughly 16 hours, he wanted to eat every hour.  It was a really rough day to say the least.  We were both exhausted, but neither of us could sleep.  We are gearing up for another one in the coming week, but at least we know how to handle it now.

Nursing is umm... a learning experience. Because I began pumping while Bryson was in the NICU, my milk supply took awhile to regulate, so I had to exclusively nurse for awhile when we got home. That left me exhausted because it could easily take 90 minutes to change his diaper, feed him and get him back to sleep in the middle of the night. Less than 2 hours later, he'd be ready to eat again. We have since figured out a better system, but it seems like his needs are changing every day.  Learning how to venture outside of our walls has been difficult.  He eats so often and nursing in public isn't always easy.  Unfortunately, at the same time Bryson hit the growth spurt, I experienced a clogged duct.  Along with being the worst pain I've ever felt, it was very frustrating.  We've had to supplement with formula some, but are getting closer to being back to exclusively breast milk and B and I are close to being nursing pros!

He is still sleeping in his rock 'n' play in our room, but we are about to start transitioning him to his room by letting him take naps in there.  Besides the rock 'n' play, he also likes to nap (supervised) in his Boppy pillow, a.k.a. the baby recliner and cuddled up with Mommy on her pillow.

We have tummy time on his Baby Einstein play mat daily.  He loves to look at himself and will stare at the flickering lights until he falls asleep.

Being mommy to this little boy is an incredible and rewarding experience, one that far surpasses my every dream.  He is precious and I am so blessed to be his mommy.  While I love his cuddly phase, I am so excited to watch him grow and see his personality continue to blossom.