Dear Waylon: 2 Months

My little man,

Two months has flown by. I am so thankful for having two months to be a stay-at home mommy. You and I have had fun spending our days playing, eating, and napping.

You smiled your first real smile at me this month and I was so teary-eyed I couldn't even get a good picture. It made my heart melt! You are still loving your swing and you're fascinated by lights and fans. You are beginning to like your activity center more now. You also like to watch TV, mostly baseball & football (your dad is starting you early). We've been practicing holding up your head. Still a little wobbly but you're getting the hang of it.

You created a schedule for yourself. You eat every 3 hours (4 oz. - still mostly breastmilk but also formula before bedtime & at the night time feeding) and you go down about an hour after every meal. Those big blue eyes begin to get heavy around that time and I put you down in your crib for a nap. You don't always think you need a nap, even though you are too tired to keep your eyes open, but you usually wind up falling asleep and the naps last about 30-45 minutes on average. Our bedtime routine is bath, bottle, book, prayers, bed. You still wake up for one night time feeding but you're taking that bottle more slowly each time. Hopefully that means you're getting closer to sleeping all night.

We've had lots of fun outings this month. You were a ringbearer in your Aunt Ashley and Uncle Matt's wedding. You wore the tiniest tux I've ever seen and you were the most handsome fella there, hands down. We also took our first family vacation to the beach and you were awesome! I wrapped you up in the Moby so you wouldn't get sunburned & you were just perfect. Such a little trooper. It was a bittersweet week for Mommy because it was my last week at home with you. We had a great time though. We watched our first Alabama game together at the beach and we're teaching you to say "Roll Tide!" Can't start you early enough :) You are just precious in your Alabama shirt. And you got to meet the Rodden's for the first time. Anna Caroline was so excited to see you and hold you. She has a little brother who'll be here in January so you helped her practice her big sister skills. She was precious holding you.

Anna Caroline and Waylon

wearing your Daddy's outfit to Sunday school at 6 weeks old

2 month stats:

newborn/size 1 diaper

9 pounds 11 ounces

22 1/4 inches

newborn/0-3 months clothes

4 oz bottles (breast milk & formula)

You are growing entirely too fast for my liking but I am so thankful you ARE growing healthy and on target. You are the light of my world, sweet pea, and I look forward to getting up and seeing your sweet little face every morning. You make each day sweeter. Your daddy and I love you so much and we pray for you daily. Happy two months sweet boy! I love you!

Love,
Mommy

Dear Waylon: 1 Month

Dear Waylon,

Mommy & Daddy can hardly believe you are a month old already! You have changed so much in the month you've been in our lives. You are a full time blessing! You have us doing things we never imagined possible. Definitely teaching us big lessons in patience & selflessness. It's completely worth it though. Even Daddy wakes up in the middle of the night to comfort you when Mommy changes your diaper at your middle of the night feeding because you do NOT like having your diaper changed. That is love, my sweet little one, because your Daddy likes his sleep :)

You are the most beautiful baby. Everyone ooo's & ahh's over you. I can't say I blame them. You are something else. Daddy & I are so proud of you & love showing you off :) You are a good baby. You usually cry only when you need something...food, diaper change, or sleep...but we think you may have a touch of reflux & you do get gas trapped in your tummy sometimes which causes you to shriek out in pain. We've become best friends with Gripe Water. It gives both you & Mommy relief. I hate to hear you cry, but especially when you're in pain.

You've really become curious of the world around you. You are really intrigued by ceiling fans & lights. Sit you up in front of a window & you are content. You are able to focus better with each passing day but sometimes your eyes still get a little crossed. You respond to the sound of Mommy & Daddy's voice now (this happened around 2.5 or 3 weeks). You like to be swaddled & cuddled. We tried out your Moby wrap today & you LOVE it! You enjoy your swing most of the time, but you are most content in our arms. I love holding you because I can steal those sweet baby kisses a million times, but I am working on teaching you to self-soothe & entertain. You are sleeping really well at night, usually between 3-5 hours. You moved into your room when you were 27 days old & you've been sleeping GREAT! Naptime is a more challenging. Because you fight sleep like crazy I usually have to let you cry yourself to sleep. You do much better at night & usually go to sleep without any issue. We are breastfeeding & you've taken to it like a pro. Starting at 3 weeks we began feeding you with pumped milk in a bottle at night because you tend to be a little lazy when eating sometimes. You haven't had any problems adjusting to the breast & bottle. You are not a fan of diaper changes or bathtime yet. You usually scream at the top of your perfectly healthy lungs. You seemed to enjoy your first tub bath....until we started to actually bathe you. I'm sure this will change with time. You certainly have your own little personality & we love watching you express it. You make some of the most adorable sounds & faces I've ever heard/seen! You are such a joy & we are blessed to be your Mommy & Daddy!

1 month stats:

Food: 30 min to an 1 hour on the breast during the day
          2-3 oz of breastmilk every 3-5 hours at night
Sleep: 30 minutes to 2 hours naps during the day
          3-5 hour stretches at night

Diapers: 6-8 diapers a day. You are still in newborn size, but not for long.

Clothes: Newborn or 0-3 month

Weight: 7 lbs 14 oz at 2 week Dr visit
            8.6 according to my calculations last week

Height: 21.75 inches at 2 week Dr appt

Head Circumference: 14.50 inches at 2 week Dr appt

Likes: Eating, tummy time, pacifier, cuddling, being swaddled

Dislikes: Diaper/clothes changes, bath time, falling asleep anywhere but our arms during the day

Milestones: You can lift up your head. We noticed you doing this for the first time when you were 4 days old. You are very alert & able to follow things with your eyes now. You follow the mobile on your swing now & you follow our voices with those big blue eyes.

Love at first sight

During our first week at home we had lots of visitors. Although it stressed Mommy out to have people in my not-so-tidy house, they enjoyed loving on you & didn't notice the mess (or at least pretended).

We visited Dr. Simpson for the first time on July 22 when you were 2 weeks old. They pricked your heel & took all of your measurements again. You gained 5 ounces from the day we left the hospital & were up to 7 lbs. 14 oz. Dr. Simpson said you perfect. We already knew that though. 

You also took your first overnight trip to Grandaddy & Granna's house. You did awesome! You slept great, ate great & were very sociable when you were awake. You met Mamaw for the first time. I'm certain she was completely in love with you. She didn't want anyone else to hold you because that took away time that she got to hold you. You were exactly the medicine she needed.

You went to church for the first time at 3 weeks old. You helped us welcome our new pastor, Jeff James. We kept you in your carseat & took you into worship with us & you did great. Slept through it all.

We went to church again yesterday & you stayed in the nursery for the first time. Mommy had a little bit of separation anxiety but the sweet ladies who took care of you made sure you had plenty of love while we were in worship. For that, I'm thankful. I'm pretty sure they never put you down :)

Happy 1 month baby boy! Mommy & Daddy love you more than anything in the world!

Welcoming Waylon

Now that I've got almost 3 weeks of motherhood under my belt I'm finally finding a moment to share about the day we welcomed our son into the world.

*Please note the following is an account of the labor & delivery. If you don't want all of the details skip the next several paragraphs because they are an account of my experiences the day Waylon was born. It's not gross, but I understand that not everybody wants all of the details. Consider this your warning.

Above is our last photo as a family of two. W was definitely running out of room in Mommy's tummy.

Now for the rest of the story. Our due date was July 6th. At my week 39 appointment no progress. At my appointment on my due date nothing, nada, zip. Waylon was extremely comfortable in my tummy. We had an ultrasound which showed he was healthy & predicted he was a whopping 8 lbs 11 oz! After the ultrasound we spent 30 minutes doing a non-stress test to make sure W wasn't under any stress. He wasn't. But my doctor couldn't be certain from the short version so she had me do another NST to get a more accurate read & it confirmed that he was just fine. My doctor then told me she didn't feel comfortable letting me go another week. We checked into the hospital at 8p on Thursday night & I was scheduled to be induced on Friday morning. I was given the first dose of Cytotec (a pill used to ripen the cervix - it was inserted into my cervix) around 10p. At around 2a, I was given a second dose because I hadn't progressed much. The second dose did the trick. By 4:30a I was having contractions. I hadn't had the first contraction my whole pregnancy but there was no denying that the pain I was feeling was the result of contractions. By 6a I was in serious pain & when checked I was dilated between a 3 & 4. They called the anesthesiologist & the Dr broke my water in the meantime. By 6:45a I had my epidural & finally begin to feel some relief. After giving birth myself, I am a advocate for the epidural. I understand some women want to do it all natural {my brave mother delievered all three of her children naturally & she is my hero} but that is not for me. I'm not sure I would have made it without the medicine.

We had a plan for advising our families it was time but it kind of went out the window because I progressed so quickly. It all worked out really well though because they didn't have to sit around & wait for hours. I never had the first drop of pitocin. Once the cytotec began to work my body kicked into gear & I was pushing by 10:30ish. Side note I forgot to mention. My doctor left on vacation the day that I was induced. She'd forewarned us that she was not going to be there for "the big show" as she phrased it. But she left us in really good hands. The doctor who delivered W was absolutely fantastic. He was the only doctor in the practice I hadn't seen in the nine months worth of visits. But it was completely a God ordained set up. And I had the best coaches & nurses a girl could ask for. Jake & my mom were in the room with me. Jake was right beside me holding my hand & encouraging me. My mom couldn't be right beside me but it was comforting just knowing she was in the room.

I pushed every other contraction for about an hour and at 11:43a on July 8, 2011 our precious baby boy breathed his first breath & let out his first cry. It was the most beautiful sound my ears have ever heard. He weighed 7 lbs 12 oz & was 21 3/4 inches. My delivery was somewhat traumatic. W was head down but was facing the right side of my body. The doctors worked for an eternity {or what seemed like it} to get him turned face down. And he used forceps to help speed up the process for mine & Waylon's benefit. That was the worst part of the pain, the pressure I felt from Waylon's head trying to come out, the doctors' hands trying to get him turned, & the forceps. Not enough space for all of that, but I perserved with help from the Lord, Jake, & my nurses. For all of you who prayed for us, I felt your prayers! Thank you!

My epidural began to wear off toward the end of pushing because I began to anticipate contractions. They called the anesthesiologist but he didn't make it in time. The moment they laid my sweet baby on my chest for me to get my first baby sugar the pain I'd just been through was long forgotten. I did have a 4th degree tear, which is apparently as torn as you can be. All of my nureses throughout the weekend were sympathetic & took such good care of me that I've had a very manageable recovery as a result. I cannot say enough great things about St. Vincent's Birmingham. They are fantastic!

Waylon Scott Eldridge

Waylon was absolutely perfect. He did not have any marks of the typical vaginal delivery {no cone head}. His complexion was perfect. The marks from the forceps were gone by Saturday morning. He passed all of this hospital tests with flying colors. We did send him to the nursery overnight both nights so that we could get some sleep. I don't regret that at all.

I really wanted to breastfeed but I'd decided that if I was unable to for any reason {if it was too much for me or W} that I'd be okay with formula. Thankfully, Waylon latched on the first try & was able to get what he needed from me. He only lost 3 oz in the hospital. Since coming home I've had my ups & downs but so far, so good. I'm starting to find my groove with feeding & pumping so that I don't feel so much like a feeding machine as I did in the first week or so.

Mommy & Waylon

Our sweet boy

We were in the hospital from Thursday night & were discharged around 10a on Sunday morning. We brought Waylon home in sweet little blue jeans & an Alabama t-shirt. He got a "Roll Tide" on the way out to the car.

I've always been told children change your life. It's not that I didn't believe it but that I didn't understand the extent to which it is true. It is the biggest blessing but it's a change you have to experience for yourself to truly appreciate the change & transition it brings about. Jake was off the first week after W was born. It was great having him home to help out during the day. We had lots of visitors in the hospital & in the first week after we were home. I experienced quite the emotional roller coaster during the first week. Life changed overnight. I should've anticipated that would have some type of emotional recourse, but I didn't anticipate it at all. My emotions were all over the board. I found myself crying thinking about going back to work. I cried when too many people came to visit. It really stressed me out for some reason. I cried thinking about Jake going back to work. I cried because I missed it being just me & Jake. And then I cried because I felt guilty for thinking that in light of the amazing blessing I'd been given. I had a touch of the baby blues. My mom, dad, sister & my friends have been my life savers. They allowed me to talk about it & have assured me that I am not abnormal for feeling the way I have. I am glad to report the emotions are beginning to calm down & I'm starting to feel like myself again. Motherhood is not an easy role. My best friend offered this insightful quote as encouragement to a fellow new mommy.

"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” - Bhagwan Shree Rajnees

Daddy & Waylon

Grandaddy & Waylon

Granna & Waylon

Aunt Ashley & Waylon

Pop & MeMe with Waylon

Waylon had lots of family come to visit once we were home.

Nana came to visit Waylon. She was head over heels.

Granny said that Waylon was the sweetest baby boy yet.

Uncle Cody holding Waylon.

Mamaw loving on Waylon & he was loving on her too! This is one of my favorites!

Waylon meets Aunt Syble for the first time.

Aunt Ashley & Uncle Matt getting some loving from sweet Waylon.

Uncle Kyle & Waylon

Waylon will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. He has changed so much! And he has added so much joy to our lives & our home. I will be back to share pictures of his nursery, to share the experience of his first bath, doctor's appointment & more pictures soon. Thank you again for all of your thoughts & prayers. And thank you, thank you, thank you to our friends who've brought us dinner! We appreciate you more than you know. Going to bed. Cardinal rule #1 for new parents....sleep when baby sleeps :) 

Goodnight!