Arthur: 17 Weeks

It's been raining here most of the week, so our activities were limited. Since we are currently in the middle of a drought, the rain was a nice welcome. But people around here just don't know what to do when it rains. It's comical...

Likes: Watching people do anything, especially watching me eat, all his toys, his blankie (necessity at nap time now)

Dislikes:Waiting for food

Sleeping:Arthur's been sleeping fairly consistently lately, usually a 7 hour stretch and then another 2-3 hours. Saturday night, he slept 11 hours straight. Crazy! I'm not going to expect that to happen again any time soon, but it sure would be nice.

Eating: Consistently 6 ounces at each feeding.

Playing: Loving all the toys. His new favorite one is actually his feet. He can finally grab them and roll around. Yesterday, he even came close to pulling his socks off.

Medical Milestones:

Sitting with assistance -- Check! He really really wants to be able to sit by himself, but he's not quite there yet. The boppy and a pillow makes a great sitter.
Improvement in hand-eye coordination -- Check! He's getting so much better at grabbing toys without too much trouble
Propping up on arms -- Check! Of course, he's been doing this for months now.
Blowing raspberries, laughing, imitating sounds -- He doesn't blow raspberries, but he does laugh and imitate other sounds. He does roll is tongue and make some seriously funny sounds.
Interested in other people -- Check! He loves looking at new people and new babies.

Schedule: Up by 7 at the latest, bed by 7:30, and everything in between is fairly random.

Out and About:

Walk at Shoreline — We did a 6 mile circuit this week. It was a bit chilly out, so perfect for me to walk and not overheat. Arthur loved the walk part, but started to get fussy at lunch. We left pretty quickly after I finished eating.
Valentine's Day Party -- The rain caused us to choose a different meeting place, but we still had so much fun. Fifteen moms and babies met to exchange Valentines, play, and chat. It was nice meeting some new babies as well as hanging out with some old friends.
Lunch at Boudin -- For lunch on Saturday we headed to Boudin. The rain had kept Arthur and I in the house for most of the week. I felt the need to go out for lunch.

Arthur: 16 Weeks

Another week of fun mom's group activities and exploring the world. I've been seeing a huge amount of development these past few weeks. Can't wait to see what he'll learn to do next.

Likes: All his toys, all the new people he's met (especially people who hold him), walks in the stroller, bath time

Dislikes:Dad (we really need to work on this, but he totally prefers mom), not being paid attention to, not being able to grab a toy correctly (he gets so frustrated sometimes)

Sleeping:We are now getting a consistent 7-8 hour stretch during the night. Unfortunately it's usually 7:30-4ish. I would love for him to wake at 10:30pm and then do his 8 hours, but that's not the case. He's still sleeping until 6:30-7:00am. I can do that wake up time. Before 6 and I am just a zombie for the rest of the day.

Eating: Still really interested in my food, but we're not there yet. For now, he's eating 6 ounce bottles during the day and usually one in the middle of the night. Such a piggy pig!

Playing:All the usual toys, but his new favorite is the mirror. He always wants it positioned so he can see himself. It's extra fun when he can see himself and me in the mirror. A guaranteed way to make him smile and laugh. Best $15 spent in awhile.

Medical Milestones:

More vocal -- Check! He just discovered how to roll his tongue so he's constantly making these random noises.
Doubling birth weight -- Check! We're just about there...
Imitating speech sounds and patterns -- Not quite there yet, but I can tell he's getting close. He loves to "talk" with me about a variety of topics.
Grabbing hair, clothing, jewelry -- Double check! He's always grabbing my hair and pulling hard. I've taken to wearing a ponytail most days just to avoid that.

Schedule: Still with the more or less random napping. Although I try not to let him nap after 5 so he will go to bed at 7:30.

Out and About:

Walk at Shoreline — This week our taskmaster was back and pushed us to walk 3.8 miles. Woo! I was sweaty afterwards, but it was a great workout. Plus, we met two new ladies and their babies.
Olympus Cafe -- One from our mom's group organized an informational meeting to discuss forming a childcare co-op. About 14 ladies showed up. A great turnout! We're having another meeting in two weeks to elect board members and vote on our bylaws.
Target — Arthur loved hanging out in the baby carrier while I shopped. He really likes watching other people.
Michaels -- We had to get some supplies for our upcoming Valentine's Day party with our mom's group.
Walk at Shoreline (again) -- This time it was with a new mom's group. We did another 3.8 mile circuit and chatted a bit afterward. It was a small group (only 4 of us moms), but a real friendly and motivated group. We've already made plans to tackle The Dish in Palo Alto this coming week. A 5 mile circuit with incline... I'm a bit hesitant, but we are going to try.
Card Makers Meet and Greet -- We walked down to Panera (1 mile there, 1 mile back) for my monthly meet and greet. I had fun chatting with my fellow crafters and working on Valentine's cards for our upcoming mom's group Valentine's party (Arthur's first party!).

Arthur: 15 Weeks

We're back to our normal routine... Oh wait! No we're not! We've joined three mom's groups and have an activity almost everyday. So excited to socialize with other moms and babies.

Likes: Checking out other babies (new favorite activity), the iPad (pretty pictures), going on walks

Dislikes:Dirty diapers (renewed his hatred for soiled pants), playing by himself, not eating mom's food (yeah, he's already interested)

Sleeping:Sunday night he slept for eight hours straight! Of course that was an aberration. Usually he wakes up 3 times a night. Thankfully he's been sleeping until 7 or 8am. I can do that time.

Eating: I met a mom today who is using the baby led weaning method. After picking her brain for awhile, I think we are going to definitely use this when Arthur turns 6 months.

Playing: Chewing on Sophie constantly (see below). Cuddling with monkey at night. Drooling on the taggie monster blanket. Grabbing the hanging toys. Fascinated by the toys on the jumper. Flings the links around. I'd say he's loving playing with new toys.

Medical Milestones:

Rolling over -- Check! He's got back to tummy down. The other way not so much.
Reaching for and possibly grabbing a variety of toys -- He's dexterity is really improving.
Sucking on hands for comfort -- Always always always...

Schedule: Depending on the day, nap times are pretty random still. I can't wait until we have more set nap times. Although it might impede on our activities.

Out and About:

Walk at Shoreline -- We restarted our weekly walk with the mom's group. Walked 2.5 miles this week! Hope to up it next week.
Target -- I had to return some pants. Arthur was so good hanging out in the baby carrier.
Donut shop -- We popped over on Friday for yummy breakfast. I needed the pick-me-up after a horrid sleep.
Brunch at Buck's -- We met some of J's co-workers for brunch. Arthur loved watching everyone and everything at the restaurant.
Book club at Le Boulanger -- Hung out with Liese, Angi, and Pam. Pam even held Arthur for the first time (he's less "floppy" now). Plus, we walked there and back, so two more miles to my exercise tally.

Arthur: 14 Weeks

After our first full week back in California, we're getting back into the swing of our routine. We've also restarted our weekly activities.

Likes: Laughing at mom, lots of toys, his new jumper (sorta, we're still working on it)

Dislikes: Middle of the night diaper changes (it's a necessity but he hates it), getting stuck on his tummy and not being able to roll to his back

Sleeping: It's been all over the place lately. We had a couple of good nights with 5-6 hour stretches and then nothing. Thankfully he's still a decent napper.

Eating: He's pretty consistent with his eating right now. I've been thinking about when and how to introduce real food to the baby. Right now, I leaning towards baby led weaning. But I guess it really depends on when Arthur gets fed up with just formula.

Playing:He's still learning to love his jumper. I turned him to a different side and he's really into the links and toys. Plus he loves the music from his monkey bouncer. He's been exploring more of his toys. The wire ball and taggie monster blanket are his current favorites.

Medical Milestones:

Mouthing toys -- He's putting everything in his mouth now. Definite check!
Pushing up with arms while on tummy -- He just started doing this in the past week. He's also attempting to army crawl, but can't get those legs working. So cute!
Making more sounds -- All kinds of sounds come out of his mouth.
Noticing when I leave and come back -- Yeppers... I get a big smile every time I go in and get him from a nap.

Schedule: I thought we were getting onto a decent schedule: sleeping for 1-2 hours stretches during day, playing/awake time for 2-3 hours, then napping again. It was a fake out.

Out and About: We mostly stayed around the house and hung out. On Saturday we walked down to the Farmer's Market for lunch and popcorn. The essentials of course! And yesterday we restarted our weekly walk at Shoreline with the mom's club. Over 3 miles walked next to the bay. Can't wait until next Monday!

Arthur: 3 Months (13 Weeks)

We're finally back in California. Thank goodness! I really needed to get back to the warmer temperatures, my own bed, and J. Tomorrow is Arthur's 3 month birthday. I'm so excited to see him grow and explore.

Likes: Toys, toys and more toys. He's really loving all his new toys!

Dislikes: Not being held, loud noises

Sleeping: It was really nice having Arthur sleep 6 hour stretches while in Indiana. Unfortunately, we have reverted to 4 hour stretches back at home. I'm hoping he's just adjusting back.

Eating: He usually eats 4 ounces at a time. But sometimes he downs 7 ounces or so in an 1:30 stretch. He's such a piggy pig sometimes!

Playing:Oh my goodness! He is really loving all his new toys. He's especially fond of his taggie monster, the wire ball, and his hanging toys. This week we tried out the new jumper. He's slowly warming up to it. He hasn't gotten the hang of pressing buttons or making the toys move, but he does love the music and lights.

Medical Milestones:

Can see up to 20 feet away -- Definitely watches me walk around the apartment. He also quiets when I come into his view.
Drooling -- Oh yeah... He's a drooling machine now.
Rolling over -- Finally! Yesterday he rolled from back to tummy all on his own! He hung out there for a while and then rolled onto his back again.
Holding toys -- He's grabbing more things and sometimes he even grabs one of his toys.

Schedule: He is all over the place right now. I'm trying to re-establish a good night time routine to encourage sleeping through the night. Naps are hit or miss during the day.

Out and About: We finally made it back to California on Saturday evening. The few days before getting back we mainly spent them in my mom's house as it was absolutely freezing in the Midwest. Since being back, it's nice to go outside and enjoy the warm weather. Yesterday Arthur and I made our first solo trip to the grocery. I stuck him in the baby carrier and we walked around shopping. He did amazingly well! No crying, just a happy baby looking around at all the new sights.

Arthur: 10-12 Weeks

Arthur and I have been in Indiana visiting with family and friends. We've been so busy, I didn't have much time to do his weekly updates. So, I've combined weeks 10-12.

Likes:Being held (so spoiled while being here), bath time (even in a different tub), his new stuffed monkey (latched right onto it)

Dislikes:The cold (right there with you kid!), playing by himself (so spoiled right now), his new baby "uggs" (seriously kicked them right off)

Sleeping:I have been so lucky while in Indiana. Arthur has been sleeping for longer periods during the night (usually 5-6 hours). And our schedules have synced up a bit. He's up and ready to play between 7-8am. I can do those hours. 5am is a bit early for me.

Eating: Usually he eats 4 ounces every 4 hours. But during the evening time, he cluster feeds and ends up eating ~7 ounces in 5 hours. Crazy kid!

Playing: Since we've been in Indiana, he's noticing more and more of his toys. He's especially loving his tambourine with a mirror in the middle. I'm still waiting for him to actually grab his toys.

Medical Milestones:

10 Week Milestones:

Responding to his name -- Sometimes, but not always
Recognizing mommy and daddy -- Check!
Grasping toys -- Nope... he tries but it doesn't really happen

11 Week Milestones:

Full-body smiles -- Check! He gets so excited and waves his arms when he smiles.
Searching for mom and dad -- Check! He follows me around the room and turns his head when I start talking. Very cute!

12 Week Milestones:

Becoming social -- Check! He's met so many new people and smiles and talks to everyone!
Pushing arms up during tummy time -- Nope. He still hates tummy time.
Pushing legs into a standing position -- Check! Loves attempting to stand and push his legs against things.
Sleeping for extended periods during the night -- Check!
Discovering his hands -- Check! And also his feet. He's still a bit confused by them, but so cute.

Schedule: While in Indiana, he switched to going to bed at 10 or 11pm and waking for good at around 7am. Usually he takes a nap during the mid morning and one during the mid afternoon. The rest of the time, he's wide awake or taking a cat nap.

Out and About: So many places we visited these past few weeks! Here's just a few:

Plane ride from San Francisco to Chicago to Fort Wayne
Firefly coffeehouse
Granite City
Jefferson Point shopping center
Target, Kroger, Half Price Books
The Halls, The Buffenbargers, The Waites

Arthur: 2 Months (9 Weeks)

Look who's 2 whole months old! Seems like yesterday that he arrived and now he's mastering skills left and right.

Likes: Talking, still. Even more cooing and gurgling going on over here. He also really loves bath time. We have a routine of how we do bath time. As soon as I lay him down on the towel in the bathroom and start the water, he gets so excited. He loves to scrunch down in the water and kick his legs everywhere. And he really enjoys the lavender lotion massage afterward bath time. Christmas music, especially Bing Crosby's "White Christmas"

Dislikes: Vaccinations (obviously!), waiting for a bottle to be made (so impatient!), tummy time (still not his favorite).

Sleeping: We're back to decent sleep. Usually he goes 3-4 hours during the night, but sometimes we get a 5 or 6 hour stretch in there. Overall, he's been good about going right back to sleep after feeding, but we've had a few fussy nights. I think starting him in his crib on day one was a great idea. He usually takes naps out in the living room, but I'm thinking about starting to transition him to crib naps (after our Indiana vacation of course).

Eating: Fairly consistent with our feedings now. In a 24-hour period, he usually drinks about 32 ounces of formula. Right on target for his age.

Playing: He's starting to attempt to hit his toys. No real development yet, but I can feel that it's coming.

Doctor Visit Stats:

Weight: 13lbs, 6oz (75th percentile) -- Such a solid baby!
Length: 24 3/4" (99th percentile) -- Yep, you read that correct, 99th percentile! I have one long baby. He barely fits into 3-6 month clothing because of the height issue.
He had three shots and one oral vaccination this time. Took them like a champ! Thankfully the nurse was super quick and we got them done in just a few seconds. He screamed when it happened, but as soon as I could pick him up, he quieted down. He was a bit fussy for the rest of the day, but nothing too horrible. He just needed more cuddle time and his pacifier.

Medical Milestones:

Smiling √
Cooing and grunting √
Rolling over -- not quite...
Holding head up √
Following objects with his eyes √
Staring at faces √

Pretty decent for our developmental checklist. He scoots around on his back, but isn't super interested in rolling over. I find him in all kinds of orientations in his crib throughout the night. I imagine the rolling over will come soon. I'm just afraid that once he masters that, the crawling won't be far behind...

Schedule: Still not much of a schedule, but we have started putting him in his crib for "bedtime" around 7:30-8:00pm. Some days we also do a bath around 7:00 to get the routine started. By 7:45pm at the latest, he gets a bottle and then is rocked to drowsiness. This has seemed to work well with only a few nights where he woke up right after I put him in the crib.

Out and About: We stayed close to home this week as it was freezing for the area (mid 30s at night, mid 50s during day). I ran a ton of errands in preparation for our trip, but Arthur mostly stayed in the house...

Post office and coffeehouse -- Nice little walk on a chilly day
Doctor's office -- 2 month visit

Look who's two months old this week! Highlights from our photo shoot:

Arthur: 8 Weeks

Another big week of learning and growth. This kid is like a weed! I've had to retire so many clothe this week because he's just too tall for them. Crazy stuff!

Likes: Talking. He's constantly cooing and grunting. So adorable! Mom and dad cuddles. Being warm (seriously chilly around here this past week, high 30s at night, high 40s during the day and windy).

Dislikes: Sleeping by himself (I suspect part of it is due to being cold; we've had to wear our fleece sleepers and use our heavy blanket), dirty diapers (very insistent on immediate changing now),

Sleeping: Our decent sleeper disappeared this week and was replaced by a pod child who only slept 1:30 - 2 hours at a time. It started to get better as the week wore on, but my goodness are we tired! I'm hoping he will get back to 4-5 hour stretches by Christmastime.

Eating: Sometimes he's a pig drinking 5-6 ounces in 1:30 hours and other times he'll eat 2 ounces and be done. Mid afternoons have turned into almost constant snacking instead of drinking one full bottle at a time.

Playing: Still just watching things. No real grabbing yet. But every once in a while his flailing arms hit a toy and he gets an adorable surprised look on his face. I'm anticipating reaching and grabbing to develop soon. He's also tolerating tummy time much more than last week. He'll play for at least 15 minutes before getting completely fed up.

Medical Milestones: Arthur's definitely smiling now, but usually only a few times a day. He seems to recognize the bottle when I go to feed him and almost lunges toward it. Working on that memory development! Lots of muscle development going on. I mostly notice when he grabs and pulls at my hair. Ouch!

Schedule: The only two constants -- he's awake and alert around 7am every day and super cranky around 7pm every day. Other than that, every day is different.

Out and About:

Monday -- Out at Shoreline for our weekly walk and lunch with the mom's group. We did 2 miles this week! And Arthur once again won the best behaved baby award. He really loves talking walks in the stroller.
Saturday -- Walked with mom down to the Farmer's Market to get lunch and popcorn. It was chilly, but we bundled up. Two people stopped to comment how alert and beautiful Arthur was. A bit creepy, but thanks I guess...
Sunday -- Walked with mom and dad down to the Palace Cafe to get take out brunch. Arthur slept through it...
Various walks around the neighborhood throughout the week

Arthur: 7 Weeks

So much personality development in the last week. Arthur's finally starting to seem like a little person.

Likes: His activity gym (finally!), cuddles, car rides, walks in the stroller, mom's chair (laying by himself in it)

Dislikes: Dirty diapers, spit up, gas

Sleeping: Twice in the past week he slept for 5-6 hours at night. I'm hoping this is a sign of good things to come.

Eating: Such a piggy pig this past week. He will eat 4 ounces, but then two hours later, he wants another 3-4 ounces. Last night he ate 6 ounces in one sitting. Holy crap kid! Where do you put all of that?

Playing: As evidenced by the pictures this week, Arthur's really warming up to playing at his activity gym. He hasn't grab any of them yet, but he loves watching them. Usually I knocked them around a few times so he can concentrate on the swinging.

Medical Milestones: Another huge week of developments. Arthur newly found interest in hanging animals is probably due to the bright colors and shapes. He's also very big on following objects and people move around the room. Last night he kept following me flipping his head this way and that as I put away clothes and dishes. And I've seen a ton more eye contact. Most meal times, he stares right at me the entire time.

Schedule: None yet...

My Recovery: I had my 6 week postpartum appointment last Wednesday. According to the doctor, everything looks great. My scar is healing nicely if a little slowly for my taste. I can now exercise again. So far, I've only been walking. Hopefully I can start some strength training and longer walks. My endurance is still very low.

Arthur: 6 Weeks

We made it out of a very bad week. Growth spurt in both a physical and mental sense. It made Arthur a very cranky baby. Now that things have settled, he is a such a delight.

Likes: Enterprise mobile, Jedi Mickey, staring at mom and dad, talking, scooting around his crib

Dislikes:Direct sunlight (lots of flinching and fussing), sleeping alone

Sleeping: Arthur sleeps in his crib at night, but the daytime naps are in his monkey bouncer. Now if only we can get him to sleep more than 3 hours at night. We're still working on getting Arthur to bed faster without as much fussing.

Eating: Consistently eating 4 ounces every 3 hours or so. But lately he's been playing with his bottle instead of just drinking his milk. He seems to have a lot of fun spraying me with formula. Hope this ends soon.

Playing: Arthur's discovered that he can wiggle himself around the floor or his crib. He seems to get enjoyment around wriggling around. He's also actively looking at his hanging toys. Pretty soon he should start grabbing at them.

Medical Milestones:Lots and lots of big developments this week. First my favorite development -- Smiling! Finally I'm seeing real smiles in response to talking to him. I'm loving the adorable smiles. He's also working on grabbing and holding onto my fingers and shirt. Plus, I've noticed different cries for being hungry, needing a diaper change, and wanting to be held.

Schedule: No new developments yet, but I've been in many discussions with other new moms about when and how to work on a set schedule. I'm thinking of holding off on trying anything for another week or so.

My Recovery: I have my 6 week follow-up tomorrow. Hope to be cleared for exercise.

And to finish our update this week, highlights from our Thanksgiving photo shoot. Thanks to Grandma Heidi and Papa Bill for the turkey hat. Arthur tried to eat it, but seemed to grow to like the hat towards the end.

Arthur: 5 Weeks

With the acquisition of the company, we have to switch insurance. So not happy about this at all! My 6-week post-partum appointment will still be covered under Kaiser, but we're done at the end of the month. This means that we need to get Arthur's 2 month appointment with vaccinations scheduled before we leave for Indiana on the 17th. To do that, we have to have his social security card which isn't processed until 6-7 weeks after birth. We still don't have it. So frustrating...

Likes: Staring at new things, sounds from the rattle, being talked to, lots and lots of cuddles, sleeping in mom and dad's bed (apparently, this is the magic place, but I don't want it to become a habit)

Dislikes: Not being held, specific noises (microwave beeping and door closing and opening, dryer door opening, dad's coughing), time between getting out of the bath and getting a diaper on (really really hates that)

Sleeping: Not going so well. Many nights he's up every hour or hour and a half fussing and wanting food. This does not help mom or dad get any decent sleep.

Eating: Constantly. It seems like the thing he wants to do all the time. Hope this growth spurt ends soon.

Playing: Tummy time is not the horrible thing that it was. He actually seems to like it for a few minutes. Plus, he's shown more interest in looking at his hanging toys. I hung a chime/rattle thing from the bunk bed so he can look at it during diaper changes. He seems to be very interested in the sounds it makes. Still working on warming up to the taggie monster rattle and blanket. Maybe next week.

Medical Milestones:Week 5 is all about physical developments. Arthur is definitely using his body more. Lots of kicking, punching, and wriggling. He's also grabbing at things, usually my hand or his blanket. I've seen a few fleeting smiles, but have yet to capture a good one on camera.

Schedule: We were doing pretty well with 3-4 hour stretches, but those days are gone. Arthur has been going through something this past weekend resulting in very little consistency. Argh!

My Recovery:After giving up my pain meds and healing well, I regressed a bit this week. I have no idea why, but my entire body has been sore for the last few days. Not just my incision, but absolutely everywhere. Possibly I am fighting some kind of buy. All I know is that I have had to take a few ibuprofen to get through the day. Hope this disappears soon.

Arthur: 1 Month

I can't believe it's already been a month since Arthur was born. Sometimes in the early morning hours it seems like forever, but overall the time has flown by. We're still getting to know each other, but that's to be expected. We are still in the fourth trimester...

Likes:Cuddles, patterns, fuzzy blankets, being talked to, watching me make dinner.

Dislikes: Being cold (I have no idea how he is going to survive Indiana at Christmas), gas, waiting for mom and dad to make a bottle, tummy time.

Sleeping: Each day is different. I never know if he will sleep in his crib or want to sleep with someone. He seems to sleep well some nights (not long, but well), and other nights it's a struggle for more than 30 minutes at a time. He does seems to love sleeping in his monkey bouncer, but I am reluctant to let him at night. He needs to learn that his crib is his bed. I have to keep reminding myself that he's only a month old. We'll figure this out eventually.

Eating: We're up to 4 ounces at a time. We've had a few major spit up incidents, but usually he's fine with just a little spit up after eating. And my goodness the burps that come out of that tiny little body. He puts any of mine to shame. The trick is to get him to take a break in the middle of the bottle for burping and settling before finishing.

Playing:Tummy time is still not his favorite... He does love to lay partially reclined on my chest and then lift and turn his head this way and that. So at least we're getting some strengthening of his neck muscles even if I can't get consistent tummy time. He's also starting to warm up to his activity gym. He's finally started noticing the hanging animals and will follow them with his eyes if I move them. No reaching yet, but I imagine that will come soon.

Medical Milestones: According to the development sites, now is the start of the baby making more varied noises. Arthur's definitely starting to do that this week. He's begun "talking" back to me. It's not quite babbling yet, but we're getting a variety of noises. So adorable!

Schedule: What I wouldn't give for a set schedule... Our only constant is Arthur waking up and being alert in the mid morning hours.

My Recovery: No more pain meds! Woo hoo! Even though I'm not taking anything, I still have some discomfort and slight pain with certain movements. And I still working on my endurance. I can't wait for my 6 week appointment so I can start exercising again.

And now for the big 1 month pictures...

Arthur Update Has Moved This Week

To any family members looking for my regular Tuesday Arthur update, I've moved it to Friday to celebrate his 1 month of life.

Arthur: 3 Weeks

We're still in the midst of a crazy growth spurt. All he seems to want to do is eat...

Likes: Being held all the time. During this growth spurt he has really attached himself to us. Also, he now loves staring at the patterns in his crib, the Enterprise mobile, and my chair, which is a gray and white floral pattern. He's starting to notice more of the world around him.

Dislikes: Gas. I have one gassy baby and he gets so upset when he has it. Burping can only take care of so much. The rest comes out the other end very loudly.

Sleeping: With this growth spurt, our good 4 hours stretches of sleep are long gone. Now he only goes 2-3 hours if we're lucky. He's making it harder to get back to sleep after waking. Lots of fussing and general crankiness. Plus, he wants to sleep on us instead of in his crib. And he was doing so well!

Eating: Since we've switched to formula only, Arthur and me have both had a better time. Gone are the frustrating breast feeding and pumping sessions. Instead, we have a bottle and a bit of burping and we're finished. We have more time to play and generally be cute. Volume-wise, he's eating 3 - 3 1/3 ounces in one sitting. Unfortunately, that much formula isn't translating to longer sleep times yet.

Playing: Tummy time is less hated that it was, but he's still not a huge fan. He hasn't played with any of this toys, but he has started to grab at things more.

Medical Milestones: We're experiencing more and more awake and alert time. He's really getting interested in stretching out his body and especially pushing his legs against things. I hope this doesn't mean he will be an early walker. Don't know if I can take that...

Schedule: Still kind of all over the place when it comes to schedule. But I noticing that he is most alert in the mid morning hours (8-noonish). That's when we have a lot of fun with tummy time and tempting him with toys. I hope to start a bedtime routine this coming week to start getting our nights and days straight.

My Recovery: I've basically stopped my pain meds. I still have some Motrin lying around just in case (I had to take one yesterday), but I'm not taking them on any schedule anymore. Certain movements still cause a bit of pain and discomfort, but overall, I'm feeling pretty good. Arthur and I have been on multiple walks this past week making it all the way to the post office and back (about 5 blocks round trip). I also went out by myself on Sunday to run some errands and didn't get too tired. Plus, I seem to have escaped the worst of the post-baby blues. My mood is fairly stable although these headaches can go away any time now.

Arthur: 2 Weeks

Two weeks in and things are starting to fall into place. We still have frustrating times and I'm extremely sleep deprived. But we've started settling into a good routine.

Likes: Burying his face in his blanket or mom's chest. He loves being snug as a bug. And of course, he loves his cuddles. We tried a sponge bath this week and he loved it. After an initial cry when he was finally naked, he calmed down and seemed to really enjoy the warm water. Pretty soon we can graduate to an actual bath. Just waiting for that cord stump to fall off. He's warmed up to his monkey bouncer over the past week. He takes short naps in it and sometimes even hangs out for a little while just checking out his surroundings

Dislikes: Arthur still hates getting his diaper changed. It's about the only time he ever really screams. I'm getting really good at the fast diaper change.

Sleeping: Still sleeping about 2-3 hours between eating. But we do get at least one 4 hour stretch at some point during the day and night. It's never at the same time, but it sure is welcome relief. Unfortunately we are getting into that age where he is harder to calm down for sleep. Some nights it takes some rocking and the iTunes radio Chill channel to get him to sleep.

Eating: After almost two weeks of pumping and supplementing, I am officially quitting breast feeding. My supply hasn't increased past pumping 1-2 ounces at a time. Considering that Arthur now eats around 3 ounces per feeding, pumping wasn't cutting it alone. Plus, it's hugely time consuming and still super painful. I would rather focus on feeling better and still allowing the kid to get his food in a timely manner. So, we switching to formula only.

Playing: He has yet to enjoy tummy time or any of his toys. I did buy an entire box of toys from Amazon the other day in anticipation of his interest. He now has a couple of rattles, a taggies blanket and matching rattle (both monsters, so cute!), some chain links, and a teether toy. Hopefully he will be interested soon. Until then, we mainly focus on talking to him and moving around the apartment to allow for different perspectives.

Doctor Visit Stats:

Weight: 9lbs, 5 oz -- He's surpassed his birth weight!
Length: 22 inches -- And he gained an inch! He's in the 97th percentile for height. But of course!
Everything else looked great. We don't have to go back to the doctor's until his 2 month visit.

Medical Milestones: We've definitely reached our first growth spurt. Arthur is constantly hungry, eating 3 ounces and another 3 ounces in 2 hours. It's a bit crazy! And he's almost grown out of the few newborn onesies we have. Good thing we only had a few. He's also gaining more control of his neck muscles. And he seems to be focusing on objects more, just not faces so much.

Schedule: Still on the eat, poo, sleep schedule, but J and I are trying to divide the time between us. J went back to work this week, and I'm not going to lie, it's hard to adjust. He generally works 10am - 6 or 7pm. He's still taking the late night shift (10-1or 2) and then I take over at around 3am. This means that I am essentially awake from 3am to 10pm. Crazy stuff! I'm trying to get in a few small naps while Arthur sleeps, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. Yesterday the apartment complex was testing the fire alarm system which meant extremely loud alarms off and on for almost two hours in the morning. There went my mid morning nap. Plus, I developed a headache because of the alarms. Subsequently, I had a harder time sleeping later. Still working everything out.

My Recovery: I've finished with my Percocet and am down to the Motrin. I was taking it every six hours, but often forget until 8 hours or so have passed. I take this as a good thing. I should be able to wean myself off of the Motrin this week. Sneezing still hurts. Other than the pain, I am still weak. I went to Target by myself today and that short visit was about all I could handle. I need to get out and walking more to build my endurance. Soon, soon...

Arthur: 1 Week

It's been one week already! Time flies when you're sleep deprived. But I can say that this week has been amazing. After waiting and waiting, we finally got to meet our little man. Already he has so much personality! I wanted to do a nice weekly and then monthly updates for my own personal records and to keep family and friends who care to know informed. So, here's our first update.

Likes: Mommy and daddy cuddles. His favorite place is curled up in a ball on one of our chests. In fact, that's his favorite position to sleep in. He's slowly warming up to his monkey bouncer. We put him in there for a few minutes the other night while we tried to eat dinner. We tolerated it for about 30 minutes before he was done. I suspect that he will grow to love it, but right now he just wants to be held all the time.

Dislikes: Bright lights, loud noises, dirty diapers, gas, not being held.

Sleeping: Since coming home from the hospital, Arthur's been sleeping about 2-3 hours at a time. In general, he's a good sleeper. He eats and then goes to sleep. We haven't had too many times where we had to soothe him back to sleep (yet). The other night was a bad one. He couldn't be consoled and just wanted to sleep in someone's arms. That was a rough night. Hopefully we don't have too many of those.

Eating (bit of TMI this time): To be completely honest, breast feeding is not going well at all. While in the hospital, he latched but in the process totally messed up my nipples. We had to start supplementing with formula so that he could get something to eat. Since coming home, I have been pumping and attempting to heal my nipples. We're hoping that once they heal, we can start breast feeding normally. Pumping is still very painful and not very productive. But my output has been increasing, so that's a good thing. We have another appointment at the Newborn Club to weigh the baby and check on feeding progress. We're taking it one day at a time right now.

Playing: He has a few times throughout the day and night where he's completely awake and alert. During those times, he mainly just looks around at things. The other night he had an awake episode in the middle of the night. I didn't want to force him back to sleep, so I started reading to him from my book. He seemed to enjoy a chapter or two from The Angel's Game. I'm thinking it's about time to pull out the activity gym. He might actually enjoy playing with toys. Plus, we are going to start tummy time this coming week. He's already trying to lift his head.

Medical Milestones: Not much, but the baby can recognize our voices. He definitely turns his head towards us when we talk. So cute!

Schedule: We don't have much of a schedule right now. Mostly Arthur sleeps for 2-3 hours, eats, and pees/poos. Repeat.

My Recovery: I'm still sore but slowly I can feel myself healing. I'm still reliant on my pain meds to get through the day, but soon I should be able to decrease how often I take them. This time I didn't require staples, only dissolvable stitches. The incision looks good. I can finally sleep on my side again without grimacing in pain. And it's getting easier to get in and out of bed. As my strength improves, I hope to start being able to lose the weight I gained.

Arthur's Birth Story

I never really documented the twins' birth story, but I feel like I should write these thoughts down if only for my own personal record. Looking back to the events 10 years ago, I have either forgotten or simply blocked out a ton of things. Hence, here were go...

The Plan

Nearing the 40 week mark of my pregnancy, I was given a few options in regards for Arthur's birth. My previous c-section did not preclude me from trying to have a VBAC. Or I could schedule a c-section. After some reflection and discussion with my doctor, I decided to try for a VBAC. I have nothing against c-sections and had a decent experience last time. I just wanted to leave my options open for this baby. While we wanted to shoot for a VBAC, the next question concerned what to do if we hit 40 weeks with no baby. I had the feeling that Arthur was not going to come early or even on time. Turns out, I was right, but we'll get to that later. After talking with my doctor, I opted for a scheduled c-section instead of inducement. My doctor hasn't had great results of induced VBACs. Usually labor does not progress well and the patient ends up having a c-section anywhere. So the plan was to hope for a VBAC and then schedule a c-section for the 40 week mark.

Birth Day

The 40 week mark arrived and no baby had arrived. So we checked into the hospital at 11:30am for a scheduled 1:30pm c-section. We settled into the room and the nurses proceeded to run through the preop questions and procedures. Multiple times they remarked that I was very quiet and calm. I found that to be very funny. What else should I be like? Being crazy and crying? There was nothing for me to do but lay there, answer their questions, and get my body prepped for surgery. At 1:00pm we rolled into the OR for surgery. I was given my spinal tap and slowly started to lose feeling in my lower half. They started the procedure and I felt the same weird pressure/tugging sensation but no pain. It's definitely an odd feeling... After what seemed like forever, the doctors informed me that it was going to take a little longer to get him out. Turns out that after my c-section, I developed a ton of scar tissue. The scar tissue is normal and healthy in terms of healing. It just turns out that my amount of scar tissue was a bit excessive. The scar tissue was attaching my uterus to my abdominal wall. This resulted in a smaller space in which to pull the baby out. After more tugging and pressure and bit of vacuum usage, the baby was pulled free. Just like last time, as soon as I heard the crying, I burst into tears. The anesthesiologist was concerned, especially after me being so quiet and calm throughout. Nothing was wrong, those were tears of joy.

After doing the initial screen, the doctors brought Arthur over for some skin-to-skin time. I didn't get that with the twins. This was definitely the way to go. I got to cuddle with my new baby boy while the doctors finished patching me up. After a few minutes, the doctors wrapped up their business and baby and I were whisked away to our recovery room. We stayed in the recovery room for about an hour while the nurses did their monitoring of both of us. We then made the move to the mother/baby unit for the rest of our time.

I have no idea why, but as soon as they got me into the room, I started throwing up. It was a horrible feeling... The next few hours are a bit of a blur. We tried to breast feed a bit. I tried to sleep a bit. I threw up some more. Eventually later that night, I managed to keep down some jello and beef broth. I was in and out of consciousness. Anytime I was awake, we tried to breastfeed and get some bonding time in. I thought things were going fairly well.

In the early morning hours, the nurses removed my catheter and got me standing to start the healing process. I absolutely hate that feeling of helplessness. Eventually the nurses got me up to use the restroom and wash my face. The pain was intense, but I was expecting it. I don't believe it was more or less than last time. The level seemed just right for major surgery. Wednesday passed in much the same way. Lots of crying, eating, some sleeping. And of course, we had the parade of hospital personnel through our room. I started to have more and more pain around my incision and in my breasts. They switched me to Percocet and Motrin every few hours.

Going Home

The doctors cleared me to leave on Thursday afternoon. All we needed to do was finish our checklist (vaccine, hearing test, peds check, birth certificate, etc). At around 11am, I tried to continue breastfeeding, but the pain had become extreme. I couldn't get Arthur to latch correctly and every time he tried, I had shooting pains through my entire breast. Not good! The nurse called for a lactation consultant to come visit me before we left. Her visit was absolutely horrible. She was pushy and did not give me any real plan except to stay in the hospital another day. I wanted, no needed, to go home. I needed a shower, my own bed, and some sort of routine for all of us. I told the LC that I would keep working on it, but I needed to get out of there. I also decided to ask the Peds resident for formula to feed Arthur. I had a feeling that a lot of his fussiness was from a lack of food. And I was right! As soon as he got an ounce of formula in his system, he calmed down and was content to hang out. So they let us go home with some formula. I wanted to continue trying to breast feed, but I was in so much pain that I needed a bit of a break to reassess.

We arrived home Thursday afternoon where i promptly showered and ate. That was the best shower I have ever taken in my life. I felt like a new person! And it helped with my pain (probably all in my head, but I'll take it). Throughout the night, Arthur woke and ate every two hours. Between J and I we each got a bit of sleep here and there although the transition was a bit rough.

Friday

After a bit of a restless night (for our first it was pretty good), we woke up and started to prepare to head out to our Newborn Club appointment. Kaiser schedules a Newborn Club visit 1-2 days after being discharged from the hospital. They are there check baby's vitals, set up peds appointment, discuss on any issues/problems/questions, and discuss breast feeding. Can you figure out which one I spent a ton of time on? After explaining to the LC all of my issues with breast feeding so far and checking out the physical evidence, she became very concerned and helpful. So different than the LC that had visited me in the hospital. She was most concerned that it looked like I was developing mastitis (infection of breast tissue) and my breasts were definitely engorged. I was to keep baby off my breasts for 48 hours and pump every 2 hours to relieve the engorgement. They made another appointment for Sunday to reassess the situation. Hopefully...

In the mean time, we are settling into a routine and getting to now each other. Looking forward to what comes next.

Pregnancy Update at 40 Weeks

As this post goes live, I am sitting in the hospital getting ready for my c-section at 1:30pm. Hopefully all goes well and an update will be put on here soon.

Due Date: Today. Somehow I always knew that Arthur was not going to make his appearance before his was forcibly removed on my due date. Stubborn and independent, just like his father.

Weight Gain: In total, I gained 40 pounds. Definitely over the recommended weight gain, but I'm completely okay with it. It happened, it's done, now I just need to start focusing on losing the weight and regaining my strength and endurance. Thank goodness I have access to a pool and gym steps from the apartment.

Symptoms: The BH contractions stopped this past weekend. I didn't have any more. So much for labor progressing naturally.

What’s different this time: Another c-section, but I know what to expect this time. Just hoping that recovery goes well.

Cravings/Aversions: Absolutely none. It's weird, but overall I just didn't have any unusual cravings. Early on, my nausea caused all kinds of aversions, but thankfully those let up after a few months.

Sleep: The past couple of nights have been rough. I haven't slept well at all. Not good considering I won't be getting any sleep now.

I am loving: Feeling that I got so much done before the baby came. I have most of our Christmas cards done. I finished a ton of Thank You and Arrival cards. I prepped our Project Life albums. Introductions pages are done, supplies are organized. Now I get on to the business of being a mother again.

I miss: Sleep. I hope that I can at least get a few hours here and there going forward.

I am looking forward to:Meeting Arthur!!!

I’m spazzing about:The fact that J hasn't installed the car seat or hung the curtains. I hate loose ends...

Best thing about this week:Finally meeting my new son.

Milestones: We made it to 40 weeks.

Movement:Not quite as active as he was a month ago, but he loves being fed.

Exercise/Diet:Nothing really to report. I hope that I can get back to swimming soon.

Labor Symptoms:Nothing at all.

Preparation:I've done all I can do at this point. I'm sure that I forgot a few essentials, but that's why we have Amazon Prime.

Arthur’s Stuff:I haven't bought him anything this week. Eventually I'll pick up a few things here and there, but he's flush with clothes for the first few months.

Pregnancy Update at 39 Weeks

It's Tuesday, which means another week down and still no baby. I don't think he has any intention of coming out on his own. So, we have another weekly update.

Due Date: Still on the schedule for a final appointment on October 14th and then c-section on October 15th. If all goes as planned, I should be home on October 17th or 18th.

Weight Gain: No idea if I've gained any weight this past week (we don't have a scale in the house), but I imagine it might be a pound or so.

Symptoms: Everything hurts... Feels like I completed a triathlon yesterday. Every bit of me hurts, but it's a constant ache with no real fluctuations.

What’s different this time: Actually it looks like I'll be having a c-section just like last time. Although I at least know what to expect this time. I feel like I'll be able to prepare better and gauge my recovery. Hopefully I will be able to heal just as quickly with no complications.

Cravings/Aversions: Honestly the thought of eating food feels a bit gross at this point. Everything is so compressed that I don't think I can fit any food in there.

Sleep: Back to hit and miss. Some nights I sleep like a rock, others I toss and turn. No matter what type of night I'm having, I have to pee at least 4 times before morning.

I am loving: Packing my hospital bag and diaper bag. I'm a planner. I like everything organized and planned out in advance. I finally got these packed and ready to go (not that I will need the diaper bag anytime soon). I also organized my under the crib diaper and wipes stash. Feeling very accomplished this week.

I miss: Alcohol. Feels like I list this every week, but it's so true...

I am looking forward to:Next Tuesday (or before if he decides).

I’m spazzing about:The fact that J just told this weekend that the new company wants to send the PMs to various offices in other countries! He's planning on taking the rest of October off for paternity leave, but beyond that, no idea. I just hope the company doesn't want him to leave before the middle the November. I would like to be physically healed before my live-in support system leaves for another country!

Best thing about this week:Seeing all the babies being born from the October board. I love seeing all the baby pics. Makes me really anxious to put my up next week.

Milestones: We've made it all the way without any major health issues. Very happy about this fact.

Movement:He's a little less active, but I'm convinced it is because there just isn't much room in there. He still gets pretty excited after I eat, but it's more like slow movements instead of kicks and punches.

Exercise/Diet:Don't make me laugh, it hurts...

Labor Symptoms:Nothing lately. The BH contractions have even stopped. I get maybe one or two a day and that's it.

Preparation:J still needs to install the car seat and hang the curtains. I keep telling him that I'm not supposed to be standing chairs. I would also like him to put together the bouncer we got from his parents this past week. Other than that, I made a few final purchases with our Amazon gift card from coworkers. I remembered to order a foam insert for the baby tub (until he can sit up on his own in the duck bath). I also decided to buy a monitor for night use instead of a bassinet. If it becomes absolutely essential, I can always sleep in his room on the twins' bunk bed. We discussed and decided that a monitor has more long term use than a bassinet. And through all this, I didn't buy any clothes. Very proud of myself!

Arthur’s Stuff: At our work baby shower last Friday, we received four very geeky onesies: one Star Wars themed and three Star Trek themed. This kid is going to be dressed awesomely! We also received a baby play gym and some sleepers and onesies from friends in Nebraska. Very cute!

Pregnancy Update at 38 Weeks

This week's update is coming a day late due to my appointment being a day later than usual. I wanted to get any new information from my check-up before finishing this week's update.

Due Date: October 15th, 2013. We now have a c-section scheduled for October 15th at 1:30pm if he decides to hang out until then. Actually I was given the choice of Oct. 9, 14, or 15. I really liked the 15th if I was going to pick a birthday for my newest. We'll see what he decides... I also have an appointment scheduled for the 14th to do some final checks. That's his last chance to come on his own.

Weight Gain: I've surpassed the 30 pound mark and I just don't care. What's done is done, I'm looking to the future weight loss after having a healthy baby.

Symptoms: Everything that I've been feeling: insomnia, constant need to pee, lots of pressure, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, nausea, and indigestion. At this point, everything hurts. My entire body aches. And he's as active as ever which makes it even more painful.

What’s different this time: The same is that it looks like he has no intention of coming naturally. What's different is that I know what to except with a c-section. Many of the ladies on the pregnancy board have expressed fear of the the procedure. Not me. It will be painful and uncomfortable (but that's having a baby no matter the method), but I think I'll be able to manage just fine.

Cravings/Aversions: I've been sticking to my one PSL a week rule. I get my craving, but don't go overboard. However, I've been noticing that I have a major sweet tooth lately. I can't tell if it's due to pregnancy or the fall season. I want to make cake and cookies and muffins.

Sleep: Surprisingly, I've been sleeping a lot better this past week. I still have to get up to pee many times a night, but I've been falling right back to sleep once my head hits the pillow. Hopefully, we can keep this up even after the baby's born.

I am loving: Nothing at the moment. Just ready to move to the next stage.

I miss: Alcohol. I know I've listed it before, but this past week I've really been missing it. I want a seasonal beer or a nice glass of wine. it didn't help when J ordered a glass of wine when we went out to dinner last weekend. I wanted to snatch the glass away and gulp it down. A few more weeks...

I am looking forward to: Meeting this little guy. I am not waiting patiently at all...

I’m spazzing about: Having all these random contractions, but no real progress toward labor. Geez, he is really liking faking me out.

Best thing about this week: My baby shower last Sunday. We had food, fun, and friends. It was nice to get out of the house for something. Plus, I got some great gifts. Thanks to everyone involved!

Milestones: He's officially beyond full term.

Movement: Still super active, but it feels like there's no more room in there. So now the movement is more painful to me.

Exercise/Diet: This is now a complete joke...

Labor Symptoms: I feel like I'm just rewriting the paragraph from last time. Per the doctor, baby is head down right above my cervix. However, I am not dilated at all yet. Still having the random BH contractions, but none are in a pattern or consistent. The doctor stated today that he doesn't the think the baby will be arriving on his own and I completely agree.

Preparation: The room essentials are all done and ready to go. I want J to install the car seat this week, but he's dragging his feet a bit. I still need to finish packing my hospital bag. And there are a few things I need to pick up at Target: diapers (not a single one as a gift), bottles (just in case), pacifiers, and curtains (too bright in there). Hopefully I can make it to Target later this afternoon and wrap up my shopping. I just need to remind myself that no matter how cute they are, he doesn't need any more clothes at the moment. I need to avoid that section at all costs.

Arthur’s Stuff: I received quite a few gifts at my baby shower and even some of those were from my registries. I don't mind when people buy off registry, but I've always found them useful from the gift giving side. The decals are on the wall, but the A-Z space print is currently laying on the bed unframed. I need to decided how nice of a frame I want for it. Other than that, his crib is ready for him. Just waiting now...