Motherhood

My sister-in-law Ravelle included a cute note on one of my baby shower gifts that said something along the lines of "Motherhood: the world's greatest sorority with the world's worst hazing." Oh my gosh, was she right. Parts of pregnancy were awesome, but other parts were really hard for me. As a 36 week pregnant woman, I looked at the note from Ravelle and thought pregnancy was the hazing. I can assure you, nearly 2 months into motherhood that THIS is the hazing. In fact, I'm fairly certain that this hazing might continue for the next 18 years rest of my life. All that aside, motherhood really is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I am so thankful that I am able to be Samson's momma.

Perfect sweetness (1 day old) : What you expect  

Mr. Angry Face (2 days old) : What you (sometimes) get. Ah, the joys.

I know a lot of women who are lucky enough to be expecting little babies of their own for the first time and after being a mom for a month and a few weeks I already have some words of wisdom for you before your baby arrives and you get a crash course in motherhood.

• I won't tell you to sleep, Lord knows sleep can be hard to get when you are pregnant, but enjoy the peace and quiet while you still can. 
• Shower. Wash your hair AND dry it. If I'm honest, I normally go 3 days between washing my hair, but I haven't washed my hair for 4 days and I'm not sure it will happen until tomorrow. 
• Get out of your pajamas and put on real clothes and make-up. At least put on your nice yoga pants and a bra. 
• Make a meal and at it before it gets cold. Cereal doesn't count ;)
• Deep clean your house. Enjoy cleaning things yourself. Aaron has been picking up my slack for weeks, I don't even know where the vacuum is anymore...
• Date your husband. Dinner in or out, watch a whole movie without breaks, go out for coffee, walk around the mall, DO STUFF. Soon enough your time together will revolve around a very short window of time between feeding, diapers, and baby's good moods. 
• Stock pile food and basic necessities. You won't want to leave the house (unless it's for Starbucks) and when you do, you'll be surprised how little you can fit in a shopping cart with a car seat in it... or you might have a moment of panic when your baby spits out the only pacifier you brought on to the floor of Target and the whole store stares at you while your child screams bloody murder in the check out. Whatever.
• Have a hobby? Do it. You'll soon be enjoying a sabbatical from perusing the aisles of Marshalls in favor of snuggling your newborn on the couch because hauling around a carseat/stroller in below freezing temperatures with snow on the ground is no fun for anyone. 

Will you miss your sleep? Yes. Will you miss your solo Target trips on your days off? Yes. (Your husband & bank account will not). Will you miss wearing real clothes? Maybe. Will you gladly give it all up to watch your baby sleep peacefully in your arms or smiling up at you and your silly faces? Absolutely, momma.

Fact: Baby boys are sweeter with suspenders and bow-ties.

Samson: 1 Month

Time flies when you're having fun. Or haven't slept for a month. Whatever.

 I can't believe my baby is a month old already (plus a few days)! Looking at his weekly pictures makes me want to cry. He has changed so much in the past 4 weeks and I'm pretty sure he gets more cute every day! The first two weeks were so challenging, I often caught myself looking ahead to when I would feel better. I feel like I sort of wished away those precious first days, but once I recovered from the post-partum pain and we got used to the lack of sleep, we really started to come into our own as a family. However, Cash still isn't quite sure what to think when we get up in the middle of the night and don't feed him breakfast. 

Samson's personality is starting to really shine and it is SO fun getting to know this little man. Every day comes with more facial expressions, more awareness of the world around him, more noises, more coordinated movements, more spunk and more sweetness. It is a true joy to watch him change every day, I never knew my heart could be so full.

At 1 month, Samson's likes include: eating, sleeping, smiling, making loud noises in his sleep, hanging out in the Happy Baby Wrap, snuggling, listening to mom and dad imitate his every sound, country music Blake Shelton, and staring at lamps (we have a Ron Burgundy on our hands here guys). Dislikes include: dirty diapers, empty bottles, bath time, having his arms tucked in the swaddle and the attempts of big brother Cash to sit on him... the struggle is real.

Here are the stats:

Age : 1 month

Height : 21 3/4" (90th percentile)

Weight : 9 lbs 7 oz (45th percentile)

Clothes : Mostly newborn sizes still, some 0-3 month... if the above numbers tell you anything, it appears we're growing a string bean baby, tall & lean!

Diapers : Ran out of newborn diapers, so we went up to size 1 and they seem to be doing the job. No cloth diapers yet (I'm not ready for the laundry yet!)

Eating : Exclusively pumped breast milk for 1 month, started introducing formula Monday. Hoping to be on formula 100% before I'm done with maternity leave, but that's a whole separate blog post for another day. Maybe.

Sleeping : One 5-6 hour stretch at night, followed by one 4 hour stretch. Unless of course we forget that it's actually night time instead of party time. It happens sometimes... nobody's happy when it does.

Pacifiers : Yes! Moms-to-be, don't let them scare you with talk of "nipple confusion" and their judgey eyes in the hospital.. sign yourself up for a pacifier as soon as possible. We waited until the second we got home, but we haven't looked back since. Samson's favorite are the Avent Soothies, total lifesaver.

I wish I could capture all this sweetness and come back and live it all over again. I don't want to forget a single thing about this first month: how it felt to see him for the first time, how it felt to bring him home, what the top of his head smells like, how soft and kissable he is, how tiny his toes are and the tremendous love I feel when he wraps his fingers around mine and snuggles on my chest. I am so grateful that God chose us to be Samson's parents. He is such a blessing and we are in awe of the wonderful work of our creator.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Weekdays with Samson

Last week was my first full week at home with Samson since Aaron went back to work. I'm on maternity leave for the next couple of months, but once I return to work my weekdays with Samson will remain the same. It is something I have been planning for before we even got pregnant, but once Samson was actually here I wondered what it was really going to be like to be a stay home momma.

When it came to becoming a momma, I had no idea what to expect. Aaron & I didn't take any classes & I have yet to open any kind of pregnancy or parenting book. It wasn't that we didn't talk about or dream about what becoming a family would mean, but the truth is there is nothing anyone can tell you to prepare you for parenthood. There have been several times I have been heard saying "I wish someone would have told me..." in the last two (almost three) weeks and I'm fairly certain we are running Google to max capacity with all the questions we've had.

All of sleeplessness aside, I love all the time I get to spend getting to know our son. I love watching his expressions while he naps and I love watching him observe the world around him while he is awake. I've affectionately given him the nickname Little Bear and I think he is one of the cutest babies ever. I mean seriously, look at him.

Favorite milestone of week 2 : We have a belly button folks! I woke up in the wee hours of the morning last week to change Samson's diaper & feed him. To my surprise when I opened the diaper I saw a belly button where his umbilical stump had been a few hours prior. I tell you what, it's the cutest little belly button I have ever seen.

Parenting fail : Last week I experienced the first peeing while "air drying" incident (not to be confused with first time he peed/pooped without a diaper on, because that has happened, a lot). Samson was laying on a blanket on the living room floor so his skin breathe a little bit. Cash was laying next to him when the water works started and was directly in the line of fire. I worked as fast as I could to cover Samson with a diaper, but I wasn't fast enough to wipe the pee off of Cash before he licked it off of himself. Oops.

Parenting high-five : Friday I was able to simultaneously bottle-feed Samson, pump & play fetch with Cash. I was so proud. 

Momma's lifesaver : Coffee. And a combination of the mamaRoo, the bouncer & the boppy. Samson sleeps so well, but between getting stuff done around the house, hanging out with Aaron & participating in my new favorite hobby pumping *sarcasm* I rarely get enough sleep.

Adventures together : Last week we visited daddy at work, went to my dermatologist appointment, and took Cash to the vet for his annual wellness visit. The later two we were accompanied by my mom, because holy smokes, can you imagine toting around a car seat and a huge black lab 2 weeks post-partum? No way.

Yesterday, I took Samson to Target (where else?). While I was pushing him around with Starbucks in hand, I realized how amazing it felt. I'm so proud of my beautiful son and I am so amazed with who I have become. I've finally made it to motherhood: perfect baby, yoga pants, fancy diaper bag & all.

Samson : 1 week update

I can't believe Samson is 8 days old already! Time needs to hurry up and slow down. 

I won't include stats on Samson every week because 1. I don't own a baby scale and 2. Measuring this baby in any capacity is like a three person job, he can be SO squirmy. However, since we were at the doctor's office yesterday I can tell you that Samson has gotten back to his birth weight (+ 1 oz, which I personally just think was related to his wet diaper). That means at 8 lbs 4 oz and 21" long, Samson is in the 85th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. 

Tomorrow will be one week since we brought Samson home. It has been one of the biggest learning experiences of our lives. As first time parents, Aaron and I didn't know what to expect from our son or from each other and the process has been remarkably fun so far. I never thought Aaron would handle diapers like a champ, I never thought he would be the professional burper in the family and I never thought he would deal with whining (Samson's or mine) with such grace. 

The first day we came home we got to introduce Samson to Cash. Cash absolutely adores his little brother and his instincts to protect Samson and be gentle with him are spot on. I can't wait to see how the bond between them deepens as they grow up together. Sunday he got to watch his first Dallas Cowboys football game, it might have been a bit disappointing for him, because he slept right through it. Aaron loved having his little football buddy to snuggle though. Tuesday, Samson had his newborn pictures taken by Ashley Sommer, if you haven't seen the preview pictures she posted from the session, you can view them here.  Other exciting happenings from this week include Samson meeting several of our friends and a few family members. Some have even been lucky enough to be christened with a nice warm bath, courtesy of Samson. How sweet ;)

I snapped these pictures yesterday as soon as we got home from the pediatrician's office and right before Samson peed all over them. Oh the joys of being a newborn!

Welcome Baby Samson!

January 7th, 2015

3:43 am

8 lbs 3 oz

21"

I am finally excited to announce Samson August to the blogosphere. He is so sweet and snuggley, Aaron and I are completely smitten. I cannot believe that we are his parents and he is our child. I knew becoming a parent would change everything, but no one could have prepared me for the way my heart would grow and change so quickly. It is such an honor that God chose me to be Samson's momma.

Aaron and I went to the hospital Monday night, January 5th to start the process of induction. It wasn't a decision we made lightly, but our doctor helped us decide what was best for us. I won't go into specifics, but my labor started approximately 7 pm that night and ramped up throughout the night while I was sleeping. They started me on pitocin at approximately noon on Tuesday, January 6th. Then it was just a (LONG) waiting game until Samson made his big debut.

About 2:15 am on Wednesday, my nurse came into the room and started getting things ready and about twenty minutes later it was show time. After what felt like the blink of an eye and a slow eternity, Samson finally arrived! He had a bit of a rough start due to swallowing a big gulp of amniotic fluid when he opened his mouth for the first time. He was quickly whisked over to the isolette in the corner of the room and thanks to the amazing team of labor and delivery nurses, NICU nurses and respiratory therapists they got our sweet baby boy breathing and crying and into my arms, right where he was meant to be. It was one of the most surreal, amazing and scary moments of my life and I am SO thankful to have had my amazing husband by my side holding my hand and re-assuring me the entire time. It was definitely a little glimpse of heaven, a moment where I had such a clear vision of God's plan and God's love. I am completely amazed by this beautiful life God has blessed me with.

First family picture

First time daddy got to hold Samson

Samson had a few more issues with breathing and so before we could be moved to my post-partum room he had to spend some time in the nursery to have his lungs cleared out again (for the third time) and they needed to monitor his oxygen levels to make sure he was stable. He was finally rolled back into our room and as soon as we got to our post-partum recovery room he was back in my arms. 

Happy birthday baby boy!

Due to vistor restrictions and being exhausted from a long labor, Aaron and I decided to only have grandparents visit us in the hospital. Samson is the first grandchild for Aaron's parents and grandchild #6 for my mom and dad. It was so fun to introduce our baby to our parents.

Meeting Grandpa West

Meeting Grandma West 

Meeting Grandpa and Grandma Eddie

This little boy has us wrapped around his fingers already, enjoy a few pictures of some of the sweetness from his first day.

40 weeks

I didn't get this up fast enough, so it's taken a while to get it online since we've brought Samson home. Aaron snapped this picture of me right before we left for the hospital, it's blurry because we were so excited I just didn't care. I wrote a few quick notes to keep up with my weekly updates while I was being induced but, didn't get around to posting them until today. One of the last ever pictures of me & my lovely bump. 

Today : 40 weeks + 1 day

Weight Gain :  30 pounds

Maternity Clothes : My end of pregnancy wardrobe includes non-maternity yoga pants or leggings and my maternity shirts with a nice long tank top. My last day of work before maternity leave I was wearing medium scrub bottoms and a medium scrub top. My clothes can’t stretch much further!

Stretch marks : None that I can see yet!

Sleep : Still fairly difficult to get and stay comfortable with this big belly. I am beyond exhausted though!

Sickness : None!

Movement :  Little man is still moving around like crazy in here! Soon he’ll stop using his energy to kick my ribs and instead have to start focusing on making his way out of here, so I’m pretty excited about that.

Cravings : Still loving Dr. Pepper… had Aaron pick me up one last one on his way home from work this afternoon before we went to our doctor’s appointment.

Exciting happenings : Full term baby! Getting induced TONIGHT!

39 weeks

Today : 39 weeks + 5 days

Weight Gain :  29-30 pounds ... at the point, this is a total guess. I had lost weight at my doctor's appointment last week, but I think I have gained a few since. At this point, I don't care one bit what the scale says, I have a fully formed, full sized infant in my belly. Pretty impressive if you ask me!

Maternity Clothes : I have worn (non-maternity) yoga pants for the past several weeks. Jeans are 100% overrated, even with an elastic waist. However, I'm stretching my maternity tops to new lengths. Literally, they are hardly long enough anymore. 

Stretch marks : Pretty sure the answer is still no. According to Aaron there aren't any. However, the southern hemisphere of my belly has long been out of sight, so I might be surprised with a few once I can see below my belly-button again.

Sleep : Between frequent bathroom breaks and needing a fork lift to roll from my right to left side and vice versa when my hips/knees get sore, I spend a lot of my sleeping hours awake. I've always been a fan of naps, so I've managed okay ;)

Sickness : A little more heartburn than usual, but otherwise feeling really good.

Movement : Samson has been moving a little less this week, which gives me hope that maybe he is starting to conserve some energy for d-day. I can't wait until we see him and I can match the knees and feet that have been poking through my belly for the past 9 months. 

Cravings : No food/drink cravings. More than anything I'm ready to meet this little guy!

Exciting happenings : We are TWO days away from our due date. Keep in mind I was born via c-section 12 days after my due date and Aaron was born via c-section 10 days after his due date. I'm trying to keep an open mind as to when and how he comes. Honestly, as long as we get to bring home our healthy little boy I don't care how he gets here. 

Aaron and I tried to take advantage of the past several days together since he was off work for the holidays. We've watched movies, shopped, worked on house projects and spent a lot of time spoiling Cash. I had to snap a picture of my guys on one of our last family walks before Samson makes us a party of four!