Stratton is 4 weeks old!

It really seems like yesterday we were bringing him home! The past three weeks have gone by very quickly. . . that could be due to the zombie-like state I am in from lack of sleep! Stratton is now taking 4 ounces of formula at almost every feeding. He is still eating every three hours, except at night when he will sometimes go a little longer, he actually let us sleep for a full three hours last night! (that's almost 4 1/2 hours between feedings!).

I never realized how much time a baby requires. I assumed that I could just sleep when he sleeps and get by. . .haha! Live and learn! During the day our schedule is like so: Stratton is fussy and and does the "hungry whine and face", then it takes a hour to change his diaper, fix his bottle, give him the bottle and burp a few times. Then I try to keep him awake for 45 minutes to an hour before putting him down for a nap which usually only lasts about an hour. Then we do it all over again!! At night we skip the waketime/playtime and go right back to bed after eating. He does really well, almost like clockwork! However, that doesn't leave me with a lot of time to take a nap myself. And that hour that I might get when he is napping is spent doing laundry (I had no idea how much laundry babies go through!) dishes or picking and cleaning up. And if I'm lucky I might get to take a shower or eat a quick bite! (This should also tell you why I haven't been able to call some of you for a chat in the past few weeks!) I keep getting asked how I have lost all my baby weight, and it's not that hard when you aren't getting adequate sleep and don't have time to eat!! Ha! I shouldn't complain. He's a great baby. He doesn't cry unless it's time to eat and sometimes when he has a wet diaper.  I mean we've had a few rough days, but for the most part he's happy and content.  I am really lucky!

Pictures from tonight . . .

9:00 pm: Dinner time 

9:45 pm: Bath time

  

10:15 pm: Ahhh. . . he's full and clean and in his jammies, it's time for bed! 

10:30 pm: Sweet dreams. . .

 

. . . is he dreaming or is it gas?? haha!

A Long day

I had a doctor appointment this morning at 10 am. Mom was already off work today and Jarrod had to work, so she took me. I got a good report. It looks like my infection has cleared up, and unless it comes back between now and then I won't have to go back for another 2 weeks. Hopefully if all goes well next time she will give me the all clear, and I will be able to go back to my normal activities! I will be happy to go back to doing everyday things that I haven't been able to do for 2 months. . . .unfortunately, I think that involves vacuuming, too?

Mom and I ran a couple of errands and went by my office (our new office is so great! I will have to post pics about that later!) so I could get some files off my computer and got to visit for a little while. It was so good to see the girls at work, I am really getting ready to get back to work. I miss being around people and having conversations with adults during the day!!  Stratton got to meet them for the first time, too. He almost peed on the wall in the conference room and spit up on one of the girls while we were there! Ha! Little stinker!

Tonight my mom and dad babysat so Jarrod and I could run some errands and take the last of the baby gifts we needed to return to the store. It's such a relief to have all that stuff returned! I took the majority of the stuff back on Thursday while Margie watched Stratton. After having lunch with some girlfriends, my friend Amy chaffered me around all day, she was so great to do that!!  We had lots of fun and I was glad to get in on some girl talk! And the shopping didn't hurt either! I bought some new clothes that weren't a maternity size and that felt really nice,too!!

We tried to take a few pictures before we left tonight since we haven't gotten one of the three of us yet, but as usual Stratton wasn't cooperating!

 

Jarrod had to work today (and tomorrow, too). After a hard day working out in the heat he was worn out. And as for our little guy, well he is asleep 98% of the time anyway and I guess he doesn't need an excuse!!

Stratton's 1st bath

We gave Stratton his first "real" bath the last night and it was pretty funny. He didn't like it at first and kicked and screamed, but once he got used to it and after peeing in the water he decided it wasn't so bad. Just so you know we aren't totally redneck. . . we had to give him his bath in the kitchen sink because we don't have a baby tub yet. I registered for one and someone has bought it off my registry, I just haven't gotten it yet and so I didn't want to go buy another one.  We don't intend to continue to bathe our child in the sink for long! ha!

Jarrod held him and I soaped him up and rinsed him off.  .who knew a little thing like that would take two people and four hands!!

 

I think he would have liked to take a nap in the tub!

 

He didn't like being taken out and dried off at all!

 

Pistol Pete meets Wild Bill

My Papa (my Mom's dad) gave all of us grandkid's rhyming nicknames when we were born [ex. Scooter, Tooter, Pooter, Cooter, Rooter . . ect. . . ].  These "nicknames" were what he called us for most of our childhood. Well, except for me. Somehow my nickname stuck.  My nickname was Scooter, and to this day he still calls me "Scoot". I don't know why I am the only one that is still being called by their nickname?? Anyway, when my cousin Kayce had her son, Cooper, my Papa started calling him Pistol Pete, who knows where he gets these names, I don't know what Pete has to do with "Cooper". So, when I found out I was having a boy, Papa started calling him Wild Bill (which at least makes some sense, William. . .Bill?). I guess the great grandchildren's nicknames are going to be cowboy themed, instead of rhyming?! I am really not sure if these nicknames will stick like mine (hopefully, not!) but so far both of these boys are already living up to their names. Kayce, Aunt Judy and Cooper came for a visit today. That Cooper is a busy little guy! He wasn't interested in Stratton, at all. He was more interested in Taki and her toys, which he carried around the entire time. . .that and the watering can that was beside the back door. We attempted several times to get a picture of the two of them but to no avail! Stratton was a sleepy head and barely opened his eyes in the time they were there. Oh, well! There will be lots of time for pictures later! I am sure these boys are going to get into all kinds of trouble in the future together!

 

Here is a picture of Stratton sucking his thumb. . . he still hasn't decided which he likes better. Sometimes he wants a pacifier and sometimes he sucks his thumb?

Tomorrow Stratton's Nan (Jarrod's mom) is coming to baby sit while I get to meet some friends for lunch and shopping! I am so looking forward to getting out of the house for an afternoon!

Valley View shower

  

 

Sunday I was honored at a baby shower at out church, and I got so much great stuff! My favorite was a diaper bag made by my friend Amy. Stratton stayed at home with Jarrod, Jarrod's dad and my dad (all the women were at the shower) and then Jarrod's parents and sister stayed with him so Jarrod and I could go to church together (for the first time in about 2 months!) we also got to go out to eat with a group of our friends from church afterwards. It was a fun day, but I was worn smooth out. This week we are looking forward to a visit from Stratton's cousin Cooper on Wednesday and I am hopefully going to get a girl's day out Thursday with some friends, and then I have a doctor's appointment on Friday that I am not looking forward to at all!

2 week check up

 

We barely made it on time due to the little stinker. Jarrod had just given him a quick bath and was trying to get him in a clean diaper and get him dressed. Well, before it was all said and done we had gone through 4 diapers, he soaked the changing pad, a blanket and peed on the wall again. The pee machine was in full force this morning. We finally got him dressed and ready to go, I had to put on my makeup in the car on the way since the fiasco this morning took up so much time. We get to the doctor's office and of course they want to take all his clothes off (which really upsets him, he doesn't like to be changed) so they can get his weight. When I took off his clothes the nurse wanted to see where he had been circumcised and also his diaper rash. Well, guess what?? Yep, he started to pee just as soon as we pulled his diaper off. He soaked the blanket he was laying on and also the wall. Again we went though about 4 diapers before we left the doctor's office. The nurse said she had never seen a baby pee so much! ha! We got a good report, he weighs 7 pounds and 9 ounces now!! Man, has he put on some weight in the last week!! He is still the same length, which is normal. He won't have to go back until the first of October when he will get his 2 month shots.

Great new toy

 

My grandparent's (Leonard and Joy Kay) got Stratton this Rocker & Seat by Fisher Price. He really seems to like it! It's the neatest thing, it can be a rocker or a stationary seat that vibrates and plays music and nature sounds. I have been putting him in it a lot it works out great for times when I don't really want to lay him down, like now when I am in the office on the computer. There is one slight problem. . . it almost always puts him to sleep!

Last night went much smoother than previous nights. I was actually able to feed him and put him right back down with little or no fussiness and crying. I hope he is getting the hang of things! We let him sleep in the crib in his room last night instead of the pack and play in our room and we used the video monitor. That monitor is fabulous!! It's such a convenient thing to be able to see him without having to get up out of bed and walk across the house to check on him! I think Jarrod and I both slept better with him in his own room, too. Even though we can still hear Stratton's noises on the monitor it wasn't as loud and noticeable. He is still waking up about every three hours ready to eat, but he is taking the bottle faster and burping so much better! We have started feeding him 3 ounces and he has been eating almost all of it every time. I hope he gets some meat on his bones soon!

I am also feeling much better today. I guess it's got a lot to do with getting more sleep and I haven't had any fever in several days. I have felt so bad for so long and I can't tell you how ready I am to feel like my normal self again! I am still really sore and sometimes it takes a little while to get up and down , but I am taking very few pain pills, so that is also a good sign! 

We are taking Stratton back to the doctor in the morning . I think if it goes well he won't have to go back until 2 months. Yay!