3 Months

Has it really been 3, almost 4 months since our baby was born?? This has been the quickest (almost) 4 months of my life. I think its because of course time flies and they grow way too fast but also because Chadd leaves in a couple of weeks and we knew that would come way too soon...and it has.

So, catching up with "Baby Bryant" as most of our friends call him:
At about 2 weeks he started what I would definitely consider 'sleeping throught the night'. He stayed up pretty late and would have his last feeding anywhere from 10:30-11:30. Then, he would sleep until 11:00am the next morning usually waking up once, occasionally twice, during that span to nurse and would go right back to sleep. Ohhh but how God has a sense of humor. For the last 3 weeks we are doing well if he sleeps an hour without waking up and crying- until we give up and put him in bed with us, that is. He sleeps like a baby after that. As I'm typing he is sound asleep in our bed. I asked Chadd last night if he wanted to try putting him to bed in his own room. The look he gave me was a clear and pitiful "No". I love him being in our room. Its easy, convenient, and most of all comforting having him there as opposed to all the way across the house. However, he is getting a little big for his cradle and is obviously not sleeping well in it. He has been napping so well in his own bed the last several days so I'm afraid its about time, but I guess Chadd is going to make me do it on my own after he is gone.

Bryant has smiled since day 1 in the hospital. You know, the "I've got gas" smiles. No one believed me when I said he was smiling socially and intentionally at 3 weeks, but he was! He didn't do it all the time but he was definitely smiling at me in reaction to things I was saying. After a few days, Chadd finally saw it and believed me. Since then he has been the smilingest baby I have ever seen in my life, really. My Daddy calls him "Smiley".

He has such a pleasant temperment. I know I'm starting to sound like a delusional, biased Mom but I'm not bragging, I'm thankful. It could be much different, and still might be in the future, but hopefully not. I can only think of twice when he has cried and cried and I absolutely didn't know what to do or what was wrong- both times were nights Chadd had left and was out of town for some kind of training. Maybe I was putting off some kind of vibe and Bryant could tell I was uptight or unhappy? I don't know. I just know that the first time after about 2 hours I just sat and cried with him. Other than those times if he cries, its usually not hard to figure out the reason. Its either eating time or sleepy time. Occasionally a wet diaper seems to bother him, not often though.

I have gotten a weekly email since I found out I was pregnant. They updated me on his growth and development throughout the pregnancy and still do now. The email on his 3 month birthday told me I officially didn't have a newborn anymore, but an infant. That made me very sad. Most changes have made me sad. I think I told people he was 9 weeks for about 3 weeks in a row so I didn't have to move on to the double digit weeks. I'm happy he's healthy and growing and I'm looking forward to other stages in his life, but could we slow it down a little please??? How can he not be a newborn, he was JUST born! It blows my mind. I've had to face it this week though. He rolled over for the first time Sunday afternoon and has been a rolling machine since. He's started using his hands to grab things, slowly. That's actually pretty entertaining to watch. He concentrates sooo hard to get his hand to something and then to open it up to grab it. The first couple of days he would finally grab whatever it was and be happy then start screaming because he didn't know how to let go. Well, so after he rolled over, the same day he grabbed his feet for the first time. He hasn't since, but he looks at them. If all that wasn't enough, he also pulled his knees up under himself! He'll be crawling next week. SLOW.DOWN.
He weighed 11 lb 3 oz at his 2 month check up. I'm anxious to see what he weighs at his 4 month.

As for me, my recovery (physically) from the c-section couldn't have been better. A lot of people have said that they couldn't walk upright for weeks but I was getting around fine within a day or two of being home from the hospital. It wasn't easy to sit up and get out of bed or up and down from the couch, but I was getting around so well I had to be reminded to take it easy because I felt like I could do anything. My tummy is still a little numb on the right side and I still have a few twinges of pain and uncomfortableness and other lingering things, but I think that's to be expected. Mentally and emotionally I've struggled with it. I've been able to talk with friends that have been through the same and its helped. I've been contemplating another, maybe more than one, separate post on just that.
Its a rainly, stay in bed and snuggle with a baby kind of day, but we are going to have Bryant's 3 month pictures done tomorrow so I have several things to get done. I hope everyone has an amazing Wednesday!

This

For every stop light I didn't make
Every chance I did or I didn't take
All the nights I went to far
All the [boys] that broke my heart
All the doors that I had to close
All the things I knew but I didn't know
Thank God for all I missed
'Cause it led me here to this...







I love this song by Darius Rucker and how true it is. God's plan for us is waaaay better than we could/would do for ourselves.

Updates and a new blog to come soon :)