Mixed Emotions!

I don't know why everyone has such a hard time understanding me - I think my facial expressions are pretty self explanatory...

This is my "things that make you go hmmmm..." face.  Someone is probably making a silly face at me or talking funny.

This is my "everything is all good" face.  Most likely I just finished eating or tooted.

This is my "let's get serious" face.  Food or a diaper change should probably be on its way for me.

One Month Old!

On Sunday I turned one month old!  It's been a great month!  I've gotten to meet all my grandparents and Uncle Skylar.  I have gotten to hang out with Mom just about all day, every day.  And Dad and I have had a little bonding time, just the two of us, as well.  My brother Paul and I are pretty tight too.  He seems to put up with my crying episodes if I let him lick my feet a little.

I had my one month doctor's appointment today.  Everyone was WAY off on their guesses of my current weight.  At my appointment 3 weeks ago I weighed 8 lbs 4 oz.  Today, I weigh 10 lbs 14 oz!  But I've also grown 1 1/2 inches so I'm not looking too chunky!

Getting older does come with some drawbacks though.  The whole receding hairline thing is no fun.  But I'm told my hair will grow back - fingers crossed!  

Bathtime!

The sponge baths weren't cutting it anymore and I had become the stinky kid, so it was time for a real bath.  I liked the bath - it was very calming.  Until the end when Mom and Dad took me out of the water and it was so cold.  I was not a happy camper.  If these baths are going to continue they are going to have to figure out a better plan for the end of the bath to keep me warm and calm!

At the beginning of the bath when everyone was nice and calm...

Tummy Time

Mom's got me on a workout plan - yuck!  She calls it "tummy time".  I call it "what happened to being wrapped in a blanket and held?" time.  

Here I am working out...

This is what I prefer to do though!

Who's Keeping Score?

I know I look super sweet in this picture but lately I've been playing a fun game with Mom and Dad when they go to change me.  Well, fun for me at least.  I'm sure all my guy friends out there have played it with their parents too.  They have to get the timing just right on the diaper change or I get to squirt them!  So far I've gotten Mom 4 times and Dad twice.  Mom has been able to maneuver out of the way so I haven't actually "gotten" her yet.  But I definitively got Dad the other day so it wasn't just me having to change outfits!

They've tried to get sneaky and use these pee pee tepees that Grandma Hermansen sent, but I showed Mom yesterday that those just protect her but don't actually prevent a huge mess!  Such a fun game!

Update - 2 seconds after publishing this post, I scored another one with Dad!

Me and Oliver!

Yesterday was an exciting day!  First I was good luck again for Dad's football team - the Falcons won their game in the last seconds.  I hope I can keep up my winning streak so he takes me to lots of games in the future!

Second I got to meet my best friend Oliver!  He's 7 weeks older than me.  We're almost the same height but he's got a few pounds on me.  I'm trying to be a good eater so I can catch up to him!  

I do have to admit that shortly after this picture, I tried to eat Oliver's arm.  Hopefully he'll forget about that next time we play together...

Here we are with our moms

Just let me sleep!

Mom and Dad thought it would be funny to get a video of me waking up from a nap.  I'm not as amused as they are with the footage - it's a little embarrassing!  We all have a tough time waking up, right?  

Home Alone

Yesterday was the first day Mom and I were home alone - just the 2 of us!  (Well, 3 of us with Paul).  We survived!  I learned a lot about what not to do in the dating world from watching Millionaire Matchmaker.  I will file those mental notes away for a little later in life.  

Thank goodness Mom didn't take me out in public in this monkey jacket!

 I tried to give Dad a big bear hug to show him how much I loved him.  Couldn't quite make it around...

Packing on the ounces!

Luckily my New Year's resolution around weight will be easier to keep than most folks.  I weighed 8 lbs 3 oz when I was born but 7 lbs 7 oz when I checked out.  So the doctor wanted to keep an eye on me to make sure I continued to add weight.  When I went to the doctor last week I weighed 7 lbs 9 oz and when I went yesterday I weighed in at 8 lbs 4 oz!  So I guess I'm a pretty good eater!  

Soon, my cheeks might be too big to prop up!

Thanks Pinterest!

I'm partly to blame for all of the pictures that get taken of me - I mean who can resist my cuteness?  But I also have to blame Pinterest...

I was comfy in Mom's belly, but I'm glad I'm on the outside now!  On someone's belly is my favorite way to sleep!

I've got a little growing to do to catch up to Dad! 

Dad is already teaching me the important things in life!

 Santa was running behind a little bit this year...

My brother has been doing a good job keeping an eye on me!

My first week in review...let's hope I get these silly mittens off in Week 2.  Mom and Dad need to get over being scared of filing my nails!

New Year's Eve!

I had a wild and crazy New Year's Eve!  Watched Clemson win the Chick-fil-a bowl in the last seconds, ate/drank a lot (Mom makes some delicious food!), and then passed out before midnight!  Maybe next year I'll make it to midnight.

Ready to watch the game with the boys!

Dad got a little loud during the game - had to cover my ears to take a nap!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm here!  My birthday is December 27th, 2012.  I came into the world at 8lbs 3 oz and 21 inches long at 2:40pm.  I didn't quite come the way I was supposed to but I came healthy and Mom is healthy too, so that's good enough!  I promise future posts won't be this long, but I just wanted to share my birthday story with everyone!  

 Our first family picture (where you can actually see me!)

Mom and Dad checked into the hospital Wednesday night and they started a procedure to get Mom dilated for the morning.  From the loud noises, it sounded like Dad slept pretty good that night, even though he only had a padded bench.  Mom and I didn't sleep so well - lots of contracting in her belly going on.  

On Thursday morning, Mom was 3-4 cm dilated so it seemed I would be there shortly.  They started giving Mom medicine to get the contractions going even more.  Then the doctor came in and took away all of the nice, cushy water I had been living in.  No more swimming for me!  The pain started increasing and Mom was ready to be more comfortable so she had an epidural.  Maybe she felt better but I was still getting squeezed with those contractions.

Mom and Dad just waiting for things to progress

Around lunchtime (but not really since Mom couldn't eat since the previous night), the doctor started seeing some stress signs from me.  I mean, who wouldn't be stressed?  Getting squeezed, no swimming water, no food?  During the contractions my heartbeat would slow down just a bit.  So they gave Mom some oxygen to help me out and then gave her some medicine that made its way to me as well.  That helped calm me down a bit.  When the doctor checked again, she saw that Mom wasn't dilated anymore and my head still hadn't dropped to where it should be.  At that point the doctor told Mom and Dad that the only safe way to bring me into the world would be through a c-section.  My head was just too darn big and with my stress level where it was, it would be potentially unsafe for us.  It sounded like Mom and Dad were pretty disappointed (and scared) since that really wasn't the original plan and everything that had been done to this point was to avoid a c-section.  But who can plan for a too big head?

It was a whirlwind from that point for everyone!  Doctors and nurses poking and prodding, more epidural, lots of paperwork...  We were wheeled into the operating room and then Dad joined us.  There was a nice lady that told us exactly what would be happening - this helped calm us all down.  The doctor started the operation at 2:28 and I was born at 2:40!  Then Mom was all stitched up by 2:58.  The nurses were very impressed with how efficient the doctor was and what a nice job he did on Mom's stitches.  Maybe I won't leave her with too big of a scar after all!

Dad ready to go into the operating room with Mom

When they pulled me out, it was so cold and bright - I started crying right away!  That seemed to bring smiles to everyone's faces and tears to Mom and Dad's eyes.  Glad I was able to make such an impression right away!  I also opened my eyes right away to check everyone out.  The nurses tried to keep me warm but it was so cold while they weighed me and got all of my vitals.  I really was screaming then!  Dad was snapping pictures of me the whole time.  Then Dad got to hold me and sit next to Mom for a minute.  That was much more comfortable for me!

I tried to smile for Dad while he took my picture but it was cold!

I hadn't yet warmed up when Dad held me for the first time so I was still a little mad

Dad came with me to the recovery room and then Mom joined us shortly after.  Finally I got to curl up in Mom's arms.  I thought Mom's belly was comfortable, but it couldn't compare to being held by Mom or Dad!  My blood sugar was a little low so I needed to eat something - I was able to show off my sucking skills when Mom offered me some food.  

Here I am getting to curl up in Mom's arms for the first time!

After a while, Dad came with me when they took me to the nursery.  On the way, I got to see all of my grandparents and Uncle Skylar.  I heard they had been sitting in some pretty uncomfortable chairs for hours waiting for me!  But with the way they were smiling, it didn't seem that they minded much.  Apparently I share my birthday with quite a few other people so it took a while to get assigned to a room, but finally we did and it was perfect!  No more cold or uncomfortable beds for me - I just got to hang out in everyone's arms!

I must be pretty good looking because everyone wants to take my picture all the time.  I try to stay awake for all the pictures but there are just so many, I can't help falling asleep sometimes!

I love my Daddy!

Here I am with Grandma Young

Uncle Skylar had to change his flight home in order to meet me since I stayed in Mom's belly for so long.  Sorry about that!  But I'm glad he did!

Here I am with Grandma and Grandpa Hermansen

Here I am with Grandpa Young and Mom

We all spent three nights in the hospital - lots of good care for Mom and I during this time!  I had people visiting me everyday so I wasn't lacking for attention.  Mom even managed to get a little sleep when she wasn't feeding me.  Mom and Dad started figuring out the diaper change thing. Still takes them 4 hands on some of the really fun diapers though!  They learned pretty quick that I don't like my clothes changed - yet they keep on doing it to me!  On Sunday Dec 30th, we all decided it was time to go home.  Yay!  Even more snuggling time for me with my grandparents and Mom and Dad.

 Snuggled up in my car seat and ready to go home!