Michael is two months old already. He looks about 4 months old and I keep waiting for him to become playful and giggly with us. We all love him so much we snuggle him and squeeze him and smile at him all the time. He does smile back here and there and will have the sweetest cooing conversations once in a while now. Talk about melt my heart!
His little cheeks are actually not so little. Everyone comments on them! But they are clearing up now and becoming ever so kissable. His blue eyes are gorgeous. I could gaze into them all day. I just love how the eyes are the window to the soul. Poetry? Yes. But that's how I feel when I look into my baby's eyes and see someone in there, thinking and computing away. Oh I love my children!!
Mikey went to the doctor yesterday morning. Weighed in at a whopping 13 lbs 15 ozs! Pure chub. He also got three shots and was the fussiest he has ever been yesterday. Just wanting to be held and flinching when his thighs were bumped. Poor baby. I didn't mind snuggling him all afternoon while watching Hitched and eating my last plate of Thanksgiving leftovers while Claire napped. Simple pleasures.
Michael consistently sleeps through the night 9, 10, sometimes 11 hours stretches. Atta boy. I keep telling him he can have whatever he wants during the day if he will give me those kind of nights. Eat every two hours? You bet. Wanna be held? No problem.
He still has not let out his first big cry yet. I know, it sounds crazy but that's just Mikey. The two words that best describe him: Calm and Content. He started working himself up in the car the other day and I made Tyler pull over! Even after 5 children I couldn't handle to hear him sad and Tyler thought I was nuts. But I told him I know our Mikey and if he's working up I just have to help him. He needed to burp - or something - and I can't treat him like any other infant who cries here and there. Mikey doesn't.
In most recent news, Micheal Joseph was blessed on Sunday by daddy. It was a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend Sunday and many friends and family were able to be here with us. Michael of course was an angel and smothered in love.
We are blessed to have this sweet, adorable, special baby in our home for the holidays this year. There is just nothing else like it. Our hearts are full of thanks.
*
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Michael at 6 weeks
Mikey hit the milestone. He was six weeks old on Sunday. We made it!
Six weeks is a big deal for many reasons but mostly for me it means the newborn honeymoon is over - which can be a happy and sad thing.
For instance, our nights of snuggling the little one in our bed come to an end which is sad, but that usually equates to better sleep for everyone and that is certainly happy. My days of nursing around the clock come to an end and we start a better schedule which frees me up to be more normal, but not so attached to baby - again happy and sad.
For sure our family rhythm is returning at this six week mark. That is a huge relief because there were a few moments in there where I truly believed I was in over my head and life would never be the same again. With effort and constant, clear communication Tyler and I were able to manage everything and keep on the same page - and we survived. 5 pregnancies and 5 newborns have taught us a lot and we learn more every time. But mostly we know it just isn't easy.
But we made it!
Like Claire, Mikey turned a corner this week with his sleeping and honestly that right there affects everything (a sleepless mom is a problem). Almost overnight he went from waking every 2-3 hours to sleeping 10-3 and then 3-6! He's done that exact thing for the past 5 nights! We did move him out of our bedroom into the closet and his bedroom and I swear that makes the difference. He sleeps more soundly.
He is also on a pretty predictable daytime schedule. Now I know when I feed him he is set for a good couple hours. I know when he sleeps it will be for a while. It just not so up in the air like it is the first few weeks when mommy feels on-call at all times day and night.
He is starting to give a little feedback which is always appreciated, too. A smile here and a coo there melts our hearts.
He continues to be as noisy as ever. We've added machine gun, kitten and grunter to our list of comparisons. When he is awake he grunts and roots around a lot. When he eats he squeaks and gasps and when he's asleep he hums. He is taking a binki pretty well but still needs some practice and he may be trying to get a finger or thumb in his mouth, we shall see. As for his beauty regime, its always a battle keeping his neck clean as he tends to spit up (after gasping for air as he drinks from my firehouse), he does have a little baby acne this week and little lumps in his chest (all thanks to my hormones I guess) and he continues to fill his diapers (size 2). His plumbing works.
He is a sweet butter-ball bundle of love. A precious boy.
Six weeks is a big deal for many reasons but mostly for me it means the newborn honeymoon is over - which can be a happy and sad thing.
For instance, our nights of snuggling the little one in our bed come to an end which is sad, but that usually equates to better sleep for everyone and that is certainly happy. My days of nursing around the clock come to an end and we start a better schedule which frees me up to be more normal, but not so attached to baby - again happy and sad.
For sure our family rhythm is returning at this six week mark. That is a huge relief because there were a few moments in there where I truly believed I was in over my head and life would never be the same again. With effort and constant, clear communication Tyler and I were able to manage everything and keep on the same page - and we survived. 5 pregnancies and 5 newborns have taught us a lot and we learn more every time. But mostly we know it just isn't easy.
But we made it!
Like Claire, Mikey turned a corner this week with his sleeping and honestly that right there affects everything (a sleepless mom is a problem). Almost overnight he went from waking every 2-3 hours to sleeping 10-3 and then 3-6! He's done that exact thing for the past 5 nights! We did move him out of our bedroom into the closet and his bedroom and I swear that makes the difference. He sleeps more soundly.
He is also on a pretty predictable daytime schedule. Now I know when I feed him he is set for a good couple hours. I know when he sleeps it will be for a while. It just not so up in the air like it is the first few weeks when mommy feels on-call at all times day and night.
He is starting to give a little feedback which is always appreciated, too. A smile here and a coo there melts our hearts.
He continues to be as noisy as ever. We've added machine gun, kitten and grunter to our list of comparisons. When he is awake he grunts and roots around a lot. When he eats he squeaks and gasps and when he's asleep he hums. He is taking a binki pretty well but still needs some practice and he may be trying to get a finger or thumb in his mouth, we shall see. As for his beauty regime, its always a battle keeping his neck clean as he tends to spit up (after gasping for air as he drinks from my firehouse), he does have a little baby acne this week and little lumps in his chest (all thanks to my hormones I guess) and he continues to fill his diapers (size 2). His plumbing works.
He is a sweet butter-ball bundle of love. A precious boy.
Claire Bear turns 3!
Our spunky little girl turned three last week! Oh how we love Claire! She is such a light and little ball of energy in our home!
We had a circus birthday party for her and invited her cousins and playgroup friends. She had been anticipating her birthday for days and was so happy when the morning of her party finally came. We went all out, including asking daddy to wear a clown costume from the Halloween box to make the day extra fun.
Claire looked beautiful in her red party dress (something she had requested) and loved the attention we all gave her. She received lots of nice presents and a purple big girl bike. And she blew out her candles like a champ, not touching them before hand like she did last year (and remembers!). She got to go to the neighborhood carnival after her party and had her face painted and played in bounce houses. So - wow - it was a really great day for a 3 year old.
But Claire deserves it. She is a special little girl. She is always happy, eager to help, interested in being involved and kind to her siblings. She has become Ashley's little side-kick, those two sharing a room and being the girls in the family. She is tender with Michael and never unpleasant towards him despite having been knocked out of her position as the baby by him. She gives hugs and kisses and compliments freely and has a big spot in her heart for her daddy.
Lately her favorite things to do have been to go on scooter rides at night with Tyler to look for Halloween decorations around the neighborhood. She likes doing art projects and play dough, playing games like hide and seeks, duck duck goose and don't eat pete!. She loves family night and dressing up for church and going to nursery and playgroups. She is a social little thing and very confident (as is displayed in many of her photo poses these days).
We love Claire to pieces and wish her a happy happy birthday!! :)
We had a circus birthday party for her and invited her cousins and playgroup friends. She had been anticipating her birthday for days and was so happy when the morning of her party finally came. We went all out, including asking daddy to wear a clown costume from the Halloween box to make the day extra fun.
Claire looked beautiful in her red party dress (something she had requested) and loved the attention we all gave her. She received lots of nice presents and a purple big girl bike. And she blew out her candles like a champ, not touching them before hand like she did last year (and remembers!). She got to go to the neighborhood carnival after her party and had her face painted and played in bounce houses. So - wow - it was a really great day for a 3 year old.
But Claire deserves it. She is a special little girl. She is always happy, eager to help, interested in being involved and kind to her siblings. She has become Ashley's little side-kick, those two sharing a room and being the girls in the family. She is tender with Michael and never unpleasant towards him despite having been knocked out of her position as the baby by him. She gives hugs and kisses and compliments freely and has a big spot in her heart for her daddy.
Lately her favorite things to do have been to go on scooter rides at night with Tyler to look for Halloween decorations around the neighborhood. She likes doing art projects and play dough, playing games like hide and seeks, duck duck goose and don't eat pete!. She loves family night and dressing up for church and going to nursery and playgroups. She is a social little thing and very confident (as is displayed in many of her photo poses these days).
We love Claire to pieces and wish her a happy happy birthday!! :)
Thursday, October 31, 2013
One month old Mikey
Michael is one month old! Happy day he is one month! To be honest he looks and feels like he's a good two months. But thankfully he is not and we can continue to soak in the newborn noises and snuggles before he changes too much.
Mikey is a noisy kid! The nicknames squeaky and rooster apply to this trait. When he nurses he hums, squeaks and swallows so loudly that everyone in the room (or movie theater) are well aware that I have plenty of milk for him. I guess all my kids were like this, my friend has reminded me. And we still all hum and sing and whistle to ourselves around the house - so I guess it's just a happy Hillstead thing.
Mikey enjoys a shower and bath. He is so funny when I wash his head, his eyes roll back and his head flops to the side as if to say, "Aaaaahhh." He tends to spit up some when he's laying flat on his back so I do bathe him often to clean that chubby neck roll and hair. There is nothing like a fresh clean baby lotioned up and snuggle wrapped. It is one of my favorite things these days. And showering with his newborn little body? So dang cute!
Mikey prefers to be held, as we all do. But when he cannot be he is content in the swing on vibrate, sleeping on the couch or bed, or in the carseat next to the running washer or dryer. That is my go-to when I really need to get something done. The rhythm and sound of the machines knock him right out. He sleeps and eats around the clock the same day and night. He is on a two-hour feeding schedule. He nurses awesomely for about 15-20 mins at a time and burps like a champ.
Mikey still has not ever cried a big wail of a cry. Even when he was born he cried out a few good times but then hushed up. At home he works himself up slowly with grunts and pouts and big deep breaths but isn't apt to let it fly. I'm hoping its a sign of his temperament.
Mikey is strong and big! He likes to be in the snuggly and holds his own head up like a bobble head! I weighed him yesterday and I think he is 11.5lbs! He blew through newborn diapers in 4 days, I had to give them to a friend. And he's now leaking out of size one so I am going to buy twos this week! He is filling out 0-3 month clothes and will be ready for 3-6 months soon. He is a pudgy, soft, content little guy. And also my workout buddy - since nursing is my weight-loss plan at this point! :) Fat goes from me to him…
What else? Mikey loves going on walks, drives in the car. He loves being burrito-wrapped. He is good with a binki once he starts sucking it but doesn't initially want it. He is sleeping in our bedroom, sometimes in his bed and most-times in ours at this point. He loves his daddy to wrap a warm arm around him to help him go back to sleep. And sleeps best on his tummy on my chest.
To think that we've only had this little boy in our lives for 30 days is incredible. He has changed our family so quickly and added so much to it that its hard to remember life before him. We love little Mikey!!
Mikey is a noisy kid! The nicknames squeaky and rooster apply to this trait. When he nurses he hums, squeaks and swallows so loudly that everyone in the room (or movie theater) are well aware that I have plenty of milk for him. I guess all my kids were like this, my friend has reminded me. And we still all hum and sing and whistle to ourselves around the house - so I guess it's just a happy Hillstead thing.
Mikey enjoys a shower and bath. He is so funny when I wash his head, his eyes roll back and his head flops to the side as if to say, "Aaaaahhh." He tends to spit up some when he's laying flat on his back so I do bathe him often to clean that chubby neck roll and hair. There is nothing like a fresh clean baby lotioned up and snuggle wrapped. It is one of my favorite things these days. And showering with his newborn little body? So dang cute!
Mikey prefers to be held, as we all do. But when he cannot be he is content in the swing on vibrate, sleeping on the couch or bed, or in the carseat next to the running washer or dryer. That is my go-to when I really need to get something done. The rhythm and sound of the machines knock him right out. He sleeps and eats around the clock the same day and night. He is on a two-hour feeding schedule. He nurses awesomely for about 15-20 mins at a time and burps like a champ.
Mikey still has not ever cried a big wail of a cry. Even when he was born he cried out a few good times but then hushed up. At home he works himself up slowly with grunts and pouts and big deep breaths but isn't apt to let it fly. I'm hoping its a sign of his temperament.
Mikey is strong and big! He likes to be in the snuggly and holds his own head up like a bobble head! I weighed him yesterday and I think he is 11.5lbs! He blew through newborn diapers in 4 days, I had to give them to a friend. And he's now leaking out of size one so I am going to buy twos this week! He is filling out 0-3 month clothes and will be ready for 3-6 months soon. He is a pudgy, soft, content little guy. And also my workout buddy - since nursing is my weight-loss plan at this point! :) Fat goes from me to him…
What else? Mikey loves going on walks, drives in the car. He loves being burrito-wrapped. He is good with a binki once he starts sucking it but doesn't initially want it. He is sleeping in our bedroom, sometimes in his bed and most-times in ours at this point. He loves his daddy to wrap a warm arm around him to help him go back to sleep. And sleeps best on his tummy on my chest.
To think that we've only had this little boy in our lives for 30 days is incredible. He has changed our family so quickly and added so much to it that its hard to remember life before him. We love little Mikey!!
Kindness
There was a nurse in the postpartum area of the hospital after having Mikey who I keep thinking about. She was a little rough around the edges and stood out from the others because of it. On my first morning she came into our room around 11am and seemed surprised, "You're still here?" I replied, "Yeah - I didn't have the baby until 11:30 last night" and she said, "Oh, I know. I just thought you'd have left by now because you're doing so well."
I sort-of chuckled and said, "Nope. I'm going to enjoy this quiet time with the new baby today. There are a lot of excited kids at home waiting for us and grandma's got them handled just fine while we're here."
That's when she told me how nice that must be. When she had her children she didn't have the support of her husband/the baby's father or family. She said she had to have her babies and get on out of the hospital fast because a neighbor usually had her other children - and there was food to be made, laundry to be done, things to take care of. She had her babies and got right back at it. Ouch!
I felt bad for her. That would be so rough having a brand new baby whom all you want to do is hold and stare at and get to know, and to have no support at home to allow you to do that and take some days to rest? It has made me very thankful for ALL the kindness people have shown me this month. I have SO MUCH support, I feel so blessed.
Dinner has been brought in several times not counting the ones my mom and Shauna made while staying here. My kids have been hustled out the door for school, with lunches made and agendas signed by dad and grandmas while I slept in. Gifts have been delivered to the door by friends and neighbors. Teenage girls have volunteered to come sit and hold the baby during busy afternoon hours. My friends have come over to watch the baby and Claire while I run errands. Tyler has stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to let me sleep before the baby needs to be fed again. The ladies I work with at church are covering my responibilites in young women's this month and next. And just generally, so many people are lifting little bits of my load and making it so manageable!
I feel so grateful and lucky for this. I recognize our blessings.
I sort-of chuckled and said, "Nope. I'm going to enjoy this quiet time with the new baby today. There are a lot of excited kids at home waiting for us and grandma's got them handled just fine while we're here."
That's when she told me how nice that must be. When she had her children she didn't have the support of her husband/the baby's father or family. She said she had to have her babies and get on out of the hospital fast because a neighbor usually had her other children - and there was food to be made, laundry to be done, things to take care of. She had her babies and got right back at it. Ouch!
I felt bad for her. That would be so rough having a brand new baby whom all you want to do is hold and stare at and get to know, and to have no support at home to allow you to do that and take some days to rest? It has made me very thankful for ALL the kindness people have shown me this month. I have SO MUCH support, I feel so blessed.
Dinner has been brought in several times not counting the ones my mom and Shauna made while staying here. My kids have been hustled out the door for school, with lunches made and agendas signed by dad and grandmas while I slept in. Gifts have been delivered to the door by friends and neighbors. Teenage girls have volunteered to come sit and hold the baby during busy afternoon hours. My friends have come over to watch the baby and Claire while I run errands. Tyler has stayed up into the wee hours of the morning to let me sleep before the baby needs to be fed again. The ladies I work with at church are covering my responibilites in young women's this month and next. And just generally, so many people are lifting little bits of my load and making it so manageable!
I feel so grateful and lucky for this. I recognize our blessings.
Monday, October 21, 2013
3 weeks
We're three weeks in. "Rollin rollin rollin, keep this family rollin..." It goes without saying (I've already said it in my previous posts) that life in the Hillstead home this month is full. There have been many moments where I think to myself, "Wow. Our cup runneth over!" And that's the nice way to put it.
Everything is good. Everyone is healthy, everyone is happy (for the most part), everyone is active. There is lots of love. Lots of noise. Lots to do in the kitchen and laundry room. Sheets to change, diapers to change, nursing pads to change.
Tyler is working at max capacity to WORK then come home and WORK alongside a wife that, admittedly, hasn't been herself recently (or for the last 10 months if we're really being honest). Not as fun for him, but he does it amazingly! Raising a large family is a team effort and dad carries some serious weight after a new baby is born. He has been putting the kids to bed, cleaning dinner dishes and leaving me with a clean kitchen for the next morning and helping me as much as he can with Mikey during the night (and usually that's just a supportive comment in his sleep or a warm arm to wrap around the little guy). I SO appreciate him! Work is always busy but on top of that we had Mikey right at quarter end which is an extra busy time. Tyler is also in school right now for his CPA so trying to get through homework and exams (last Friday, put him getting home after 7pm - bust). He is Elder's Quorum president at church which has it's busy moments - he was gone helping a new family move in Saturday morning and has several meeting every Sunday morning. He serves on the HOA board and what else... oh yea, has me bossing him around most the time. So he has very little free time. And yet, he is an example to ME of keeping his cool. Maintaining his priorities. And being pleasant to be around. Honestly he never loses his temper. He never walks in the door grumpy. We are all lucky to have his influence, love and support in our home.
Wow - so that paragraph went longer than expected but maybe that's where the focus needs to be this week. On my man. The other half to this picture. He is amazing.
After I had Jake I went through the same emotions/hormones that I've been facing this week and during a quiet moment of reflection I came up with an acronym for what I need to focus on in times of fatigue and stress. I wrote it in my journal. Its the girl's name: LORA. If you add a P before each letter it works:
pLesant
pOsitive
pRayerful
pAtient
These attributes are at the core of who I want to be and what I want to do as a mother. I try to remind myself of these basics often but frankly sucked it up this week most days. That's the truth. HOWEVER, I am getting better, feeling better and doing better. So Week 4 is looking promising. :) And that's a really good thing for me and the kids and Tyler!
Everything is good. Everyone is healthy, everyone is happy (for the most part), everyone is active. There is lots of love. Lots of noise. Lots to do in the kitchen and laundry room. Sheets to change, diapers to change, nursing pads to change.
Tyler is working at max capacity to WORK then come home and WORK alongside a wife that, admittedly, hasn't been herself recently (or for the last 10 months if we're really being honest). Not as fun for him, but he does it amazingly! Raising a large family is a team effort and dad carries some serious weight after a new baby is born. He has been putting the kids to bed, cleaning dinner dishes and leaving me with a clean kitchen for the next morning and helping me as much as he can with Mikey during the night (and usually that's just a supportive comment in his sleep or a warm arm to wrap around the little guy). I SO appreciate him! Work is always busy but on top of that we had Mikey right at quarter end which is an extra busy time. Tyler is also in school right now for his CPA so trying to get through homework and exams (last Friday, put him getting home after 7pm - bust). He is Elder's Quorum president at church which has it's busy moments - he was gone helping a new family move in Saturday morning and has several meeting every Sunday morning. He serves on the HOA board and what else... oh yea, has me bossing him around most the time. So he has very little free time. And yet, he is an example to ME of keeping his cool. Maintaining his priorities. And being pleasant to be around. Honestly he never loses his temper. He never walks in the door grumpy. We are all lucky to have his influence, love and support in our home.
Wow - so that paragraph went longer than expected but maybe that's where the focus needs to be this week. On my man. The other half to this picture. He is amazing.
After I had Jake I went through the same emotions/hormones that I've been facing this week and during a quiet moment of reflection I came up with an acronym for what I need to focus on in times of fatigue and stress. I wrote it in my journal. Its the girl's name: LORA. If you add a P before each letter it works:
pLesant
pOsitive
pRayerful
pAtient
These attributes are at the core of who I want to be and what I want to do as a mother. I try to remind myself of these basics often but frankly sucked it up this week most days. That's the truth. HOWEVER, I am getting better, feeling better and doing better. So Week 4 is looking promising. :) And that's a really good thing for me and the kids and Tyler!
Monday, October 14, 2013
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