Don't miss our giveaway, THE LITTLE MERMAID Diamond Edition 2-Disc Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack with Digital Copy! Winner announced this Friday, 9/23.

Friday, September 16, 2011

my boobs (and baby) say thank you =)

 

I would say you all blew me away with your kindness and willingness to help as usual, but it wasn’t as usual.

{95e7ba29-8c13-4fa4-a37b-a1f456b1a9be}_4BW

 

It was above and beyond, over the hills and through the woods, ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough kind of helpful advice from the depths of your heart and from hundreds of combined years of priceless breastfeeding experience.

Even more than the 100+ comments I’ve had on the blog, I’ve received countless Facebook messages, emails, and phone calls from sweet friends of mine who took the time to read my frustrated, end of my rope ramble on breastfeeding and jumped to my rescue.

I am amazed to tears from the love and support you all gave so freely.

{95e7ba29-8c13-4fa4-a37b-a1f456b1a9be}_1BW

 

Since that post, I am so happy to report that we’ve already been doing much better over the past couple days… fingers crossed it continues. The pain has lessened which I’m sure is due largely to prayer and secondly to heaven sent nipple shields!The encouragement couldn’t have come at a better time since it seems my baby boy has hit a growth spurt since last night and has been eating seemingly non-stop. This momma with her new confidence has been handling it in stride – so far.

 

{95e7ba29-8c13-4fa4-a37b-a1f456b1a9be}_7BW

 

I feel compelled and humbly obligated to combine and share all of your information you offered me for other new mommies and ladies seeking help and encouragement with breastfeeding. One day {hopefully soon!} I’ll put together a post {or 2, or 3, or 4 posts… you all said A LOT!} with that information and add to it my own experience.

 

Thank you again from the depths of my mammary glands heart!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

2 weeks of lessons learned

 

Look what sweet boy turned 2 weeks old on Monday!

IMG_8129

 

On his 2 week birthday, Houston finally lost his umbilical cord stump {YAY for taking a real bath and NO screaming during bath time!} and at the amazement {and slight horror} of his mother, little guy rolled over to his stomach… is that unreal or what?!

Bad mommy forgot to take an official 1 week picture, but I’m hoping I can get my act together and continue to take them next to Peter Rabbit {from his “first” Easter basket} from here on out so we can compare his growth.

 

IMG_8125

 

I’ve been very surprised at how good our adorable guy has been to us for the first 2 weeks of his life. If you added up the total time he cries in a day, it wouldn’t top 20 minutes! Momma’s been getting fairly decent sleep during the night since I moved him out of the bassinet and into the bed {never planned to co-sleep, but whatever works goes now!} He’s been making the best funny faces when he’s awake, mostly due to the work of making a dirty diaper, but the laugh out loud facial expressions are worth the innumerable diaper changes. He’s the sweetest, most precious baby that we could ask for and I know no one in this world will ever love him the way I do! {Sorry daddy – that even includes you!!}

 

His 2 weeks stats from the pediatrician:

Height: 20 3/4 in (75th percentile)

Weight: 7 lbs 12 oz  (25-50 percentile)

Head: 15 1/4 in (98 percentile)

It’s official in time for fall: we have our very own pumpkin head!!

 

Speaking of growth… I have such mixed emotions on the topic. While I look forward to each “next stage” and just how fun he’s going to be, I can’t stand to think of losing my itsy bitsy boy. Everyone means so well when they keep telling me to “soak it all in, they grow up so fast”, but I cringe every time I hear it. Stop reminding me he’s going to grow up and leave me – my mommy heart can’t take it!!!! =)

 

{First bath at home!}

IMG_8042

 

After only 2 weeks of parenthood, we’ve learned a few things that have made our lives a little easier and that I would be remiss if I didn’t share them with you…

IMG_8047 

 

#1.) As soon as we assume – we’re wrong.

For example:

  • Just because he’s been eating every 3 hours for the past 8 days, assume it will be 3 hours again and decide that’s enough time to get a certain something done and *poof*, he’ll be hungry again in an hour.

 

  • Talk to people at church about how you’ve “fixed” the problem of him peeing through every diaper and *poof*, you will turn around to him screaming in his car seat and pick him up to realize his clothes are wet with pee.

 

  • As mentioned before, leave him snoozing on the couch for one minute assuming he’ll stay put like always while you run into the kitchen and *poof*, he’ll roll over and you’ll thank God and his angels when you find that he at least didn’t roll off the couch.

 

IMG_8052

 

#2.) If you need parenting advice, ask Facebook.

I just mentioned that we had changed his clothes 6 times in about 12 hours because our little dude was peeing through everything, {nerve racking when he screams through most clothing changes and they were constant through the night}, and the advice friends gave me surprised me. While I heard “make sure it’s pointed down” which I was already doing, I also heard to try a size up in diapers.

What?!

Going up a size to contain the pee? How does that even make sense? I would think it would be too loose and defeat the purpose… but my assumptions were wrong again. We moved him out of the newborn diapers {even though he’s yet to reach 8 pounds} and into size 1… works 90% of the time!

 

IMG_8058

 

Hopefully when Wyatt gets here, he won’t have the same problem since I passed our newborn diapers onto Britney.

IMG_8063

 

If Wyatt does end up in the same situation, I know that at least Brit’s first born will make good use out of them like she did on this day with “Poo-buh”…

IMG_7477

 

Cutest girl in the whole world and best soon-to-be big sister too!!

IMG_7479 

 

Finally, my biggest learning curve:

#3) Breastfeeding {for me, personally} has been beyond difficult.

I share this hoping I don’t scare anyone away from making the decision to breastfeed, but for the first time ever, I am fishing for encouragement!!!

My tiniest lady parts feel like they’re about to shrivel up and fall off. The pain sometimes shoots through to my shoulder pains. The engorgement is beyond frustrating when I’m so full he can’t even latch on to help me out and we’re both left in tears.

I can handle the loneliness I sometimes feel as the sole feeder of the babe. I can handle the crazy scheduling difficulties of trying to plan outings and visits from friends around when the babe will need me. But the pain – it is near unbearable. I have good days and bad, but the bad feel like 2 tiny torches burning inside my bra.

UGH.

Comments people… commiserate if you can… tell me it will get better… or even tell me you finally made the decision to switch to formula so I can feel less alone if I decide to throw in the towel.

The only thing keeping me in the game now is his benefit. I’ve been a quitter so many times in my life, mostly only letting myself down. But now I’m in it for someone much more important than myself. While I use to encourage myself with the bonuses of thinking of how much money we can save by not buying formula or the calories I’m burning without having to workout =) those reasons no longer mean squat to me.

Hearing the pediatrician tell us he’s gained over an ounce a day for the past 2 weeks gave me the boost I needed. If he had told me otherwise, I probably would have picked up some formula on the way home today and said to heck with it all.

 

Only the health of this precious little guy is worth it to me now:

IMG_8103 

 

WOW!

Long post.

Can you tell Mimmie and Poppy {my parents} are here to visit and I finally found time to sit in front on this computer???

Just the break I needed!

Now if only one of them could lactate… =)

Thursday, September 08, 2011

Houston’s newborn photo shoot

 

I’ve yet to find the time to write about the most amazing past 10 days of my son’s life, but I plan to… along with a 100 other things that are building up on my to-do list!

Until then, enjoy a sneak peek of just a few shots from Houston’s newborn photo shoot on his fourth day of life. Robin did an amazing job and I can’t wait to share the rest with you!

 

293225_10150284815100671_168803265670_8453364_744102797_n

301423_10150284814720671_168803265670_8453349_1678362152_n

305479_10150284814655671_168803265670_8453347_1671181247_n

308952_10150284814850671_168803265670_8453353_1070670063_n

309591_10150284814985671_168803265670_8453359_198975767_n

314079_10150284815145671_168803265670_8453365_1578919453_n

314492_10150284814795671_168803265670_8453352_2136960399_n

314893_10150284814945671_168803265670_8453357_533903277_n

319250_10150284814895671_168803265670_8453355_87404987_n

320014_10150284815030671_168803265670_8453361_699661997_n

Monday, September 05, 2011

pre-labor day photo shoot

 

Okay… so before I start posting non-stop pictures of the love of my life and y’all stop dropping in because you’re so sick of my sweet child’s face and this becomes a blog strictly for the entertainment of his grandparents… I’m going to bore you with ONE MORE post of my preggo belly.

It’s my “Pre-Labor Day Photo Shoot” if you will =)

hardee-har-har

Photos by Robin Allen Photography

Roberts 06 bw

Roberts 16

Roberts 20 bw

Roberts 21

Roberts 22 bw

Roberts 25

Roberts 26 bw

Roberts 28

Roberts 31 bw

Roberts 33

 

Hoping everyone is having a relaxing and fun Labor Day weekend!

{and be sure to brace yourself for the hurricane Houston that’s about to hit this blog.}

Friday, September 02, 2011

Introducing…

 

Houston Michael Roberts

Born August 29th, 2011

11:51 am

7 pounds 5 ounces

19 inches

100% perfect and bringing his parents more pure baby bliss with each passing day!

 

 

IMG_7943

IMG_7976

IMG_7968

IMG_7988

IMG_7989

IMG_7974

IMG_7963

IMG_8012

IMG_8032

I will be attempting to say much more about the joyful, blessed occasion when momma has a little more time on her hands! We are extremely busy soaking in our beautiful boy for now =)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥