Motivation -> anxiety -> relief -> hurry -> accomplishment -> joy -> sadness -> pride -> LOVE

This was the series of emotions I felt today as I pumped for the first time, Brady woke up unexpectedly, and Gary fed him with his first bottle.  If something this simple is this rewarding and exhilarating, I can't imagine what other milestones will be like.  I love being a mom and I love my family.

Love this kid!!!  He slept 6 straight hours last night for the second time this week!  Mom and Dad are super appreciative.  Had some friends over yesterday to grill out for Memorial Day and Brady wore his first Hawaiian shirt.  Smiles are becoming more frequent and he is such a flirt with our guests. Have a safe weekend everyone!

  

Week 5 -

Brady got to meet and spend time with his birthday buddy Uncle Erik this weekend.  Erik brought him a copy of the April 20 2012 Boston Globe featuring the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park - what a great gift!  Brady enjoyed playing and napping with his Uncle E.

Brady turned 1 month old this week measuring in at ~9 lbs and ~21 3/4 inches long.  We've read at this age that they grow 1 inch and gain 4-6oz per week, wow!  Suzy is jealous, where was that growth spurt when she grew up.  He's outgrown his newborn clothes, and has moved up to Size 1 diapers (a couple blowouts later that Erik got to witness firsthand).  Brady continues to be more awake and alert during the day and we continue to look for ways to play with him and teach him about the world around him.  He likes the mobile in his crib and some of his toys that rattle or squeak. He likes being held and shown objects that he can stare at and try to focus on.  He loves things with color contrast staring frequently at picture frames on the wall or images on the big screen TV.  We rock him and read to him, but this doesn't satisfy him for very long.  He sleeps best in his lamb swing, Moby wrap, and at night in his co-sleeper.  Now that nursing has been well established we introduced a pacifier.  He quickly got the hang of it and enjoys sucking on it until he falls asleep in his swing or stroller.  He's also finding and sucking his thumb more making a loud sucking noise that drives Gary crazy but is really cute.  He does seem to be slowly gaining control of his arms and legs.  He holds onto your shirt or cuff when you hold him in the cradle position.  He's also used his fist to hold the pacifier in his mouth although it's 50/50 sometimes pushing too hard and knocking it out.  His legs are getting stronger allowing him to stand under his own weight.  He doesn't sleep as soundly during the day, mostly in active REM sleep which we read is normal for brain development at this age.  In addition to more frequent smiles, he's started cooing making "ah" and "oooh" noises and blowing bubbles.  With all this activity, Grandpa Bob predicts he will be a very active toddler.  And yesterday we saw his first tear as he was straining to poop, poor guy.

It's hard to believe he's 5 weeks old and over 1/3 of Suzy's maternity leave is gone already!

 

Week 4 -

Wow, Brady will be 1 month old on Sunday!  Brady is enjoying his new swing (and so are his parents, our arms needed a break).  Today Brady did something he'd never done before - find an object and put his mouth on it.  It was a one of the soft blocks in his play yard which he discovered and gummed on for a while. His arms aren't coordinated enough to hold it there, but he kinda knocked it toward his mouth (probably accidentally). He is finding his thumb more often, still manages to give himself hickies on his arms on occasion, and seems to have gotten enough control of his arms to no longer pull his own hair and wake himself up screaming from a nap.  He has a bit of baby acne so we wash his head, face, and neck with baby soap and water every morning.  We're trying new sleepwear to help with nighttime gas.  We started with the swaddle pod until he outgrew that, then went to the swaddleme which we think was too tight on his tummy, to the sleepsack which seems to be working.  The sleepsack is a wearable blanket which doesn't put pressure on his tummy keeping him warm and allowing him to poop in the night.  Uncle Erik flies into town tomorrow for the weekend, time to break out the Corona!

I had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day today!  My boys got me cards, a beautiful yellow orchid, and breakfast in bed.  I also met my 2 goals for the day - to drive again for the first time in 3+ weeks and to go on our first family walk to the park with the stroller.  Brady continues to grow.  This may be the last week he can wear his going home from the hospital outfit (Baseball) and Ralph Lauren newborn PJs.  We also had to move his straps up a notch in his car seat.  Brady, don't grow up too fast!!! (sniffle, sniffle)

Happy mother's day to all the wonderful mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers out there!!! And thank you to my awesome family for making my day special, I am very lucky to have you all in my life!

Week 3 -

More developments this week.  At 19 days old Brady began to SMILE! :) It's such an awesome and rewarding feeling after all the feeding, diapering, and cleaning. He also started getting some gas, which takes him a little time to pass. We try to help him by burping him intermittently during feedings and massaging his belly.  He had a 4am spit up that required us to change the sheets, and a subsequent diaper blow out, but he did feel better!  His muscles continue to get stronger.  This week he started to focus more on people's faces, pictures on the wall, and his mobiles.  We can also put him on his belly and he'll pick up his head and can almost roll over from his stomach to his back (checkout the video).

We celebrated another birthday this week - Grandpa Dave's birthday was May 10th.  Nancy made a pot roast and apple pie.  It was delicious and our house smelled amazing!  We also had a Skype party with the Muzzey family at Great Grandma Muzzey's house.  Thanks to Aunt Rose and Aunt Diane for setting it up!  It was great seeing everyone.  Can't wait to bring Brady up and introduce him in person.

Our little guy had his 2 week pediatrician visit today.  He did well weighing in at 7lb 7.5oz and 20.25in long - that's up 12.5oz and 1.25in from birth.  Guess we should call him our big guy!

Week 2 -

This week the Seminara’s were in town.  Jennie was here early in the week, and Dave and Nancy came midweek.  They have been a big help keeping up with the cooking and cleaning and helping Gary finish projects outside.  Looks like it’s going to be a hot summer in Texas, we already broke the 90 deg mark and it’s only the first week of May!

We are settling into our new role as parents.  Brady continues to nurse well and grow, developing the signature chubby cheeks and double chin.  His diaper tabs don’t overlap as much anymore and he’s finally starting to grow into his newborn clothes.  He has started cluster feeding between 9pm and 1am where he gets fussy and wants to eat every 45min to 1hr and only eats for 10-15min at a time.  These make long nights for Mom and Dad!  The flip side to all this eating is all the pooping.  Our baby has some LOUD poops!  He wakes up, puts on the scowl face, and fills his diaper.  Yesterday he managed to poop from his changing table over 4ft to the wall!  Gary is impressed.  Developmentally, he is more awake during the day (~3-4hrs), has started sucking on his fingers for self-soothing, and while it takes him a few minutes he can roll over on his side from his back.  He also lost his umbilical cord stump (day 11) and plastibell ring (day 13) this week.  At 10 days old we had his newborn photos taken.  He did well during his photo shoot…mostly.  He was asleep for the first couple shots then woke up and did NOT like the flash.  Thankfully the photos came out precious, can’t wait to send out the birth announcements!

As for us parents, we get sleep when we can and we’re starting to get into a routine.  Poor Gary had to go back to work this week but was able to get approved to work part time from home.  My first postpartum doctor visit went ok, it appears I’m healing well.  Oddly they seemed more concerned with birth control than healing.  And with all going on with the baby, appointments, and visitors, Gary and I almost forgot about my birthday.  Jennie and Nancy were great, they made us dinner and celebrated it with a rich chocolate mousse pie, yum!  We took advantage of the free baby sitting and made our first trip out without Brady (to Walmart).  We also took Brady out for his first restaurant experience at Pappas Burgers - he slept through the whole thing. And he got his first at home real bath, cried the whole time!  Dave and Nancy caught it on film.  Until next week...yawn, we're off to bed!