4th of July

We decided that even though Crew was two and a half weeks at the time a little get away would be nice. So for the 4th we headed up to the Cook family cabin a long with some of the other extended Cook family.

It was a fun time and it was nice to be out of the house.

 At the parade

One Month

Crew turned one month on July 17th. I can believe that in a week he'll be 2 months! Our first month with him was a little rough, but things are getting better and he is getting so big!

Here's our Crew man at 1 month old...

 Em loves him

It's amazing how fast these babes change in their first few months of life. I love watching their little skinny frog legs start filling out with those precious tiny rolls. I love the first smile and that they stay awake more during the day. I look at Em all the time and see her silly and fun personality and it makes me look so forward to seeing how our Crew will be.

So, like I said above the first month with him, really the first 6 weeks has been anything but easy. The first month my baby blues were pretty bad, combine that with an always crying babe and sleep deprivation and it can give you a run for your money. BUT through all the adjustment and the hardness of it all, I still just love this sweet, tiny babe. 

Things have definitely been getting easier. I knew something was up with Crew because when he ate he would cry with pain, he would arch his back and squirm. He always coughed and and always got hiccups after he ate. He always had horrible gas and night I would wake up and hear him gurgle and swallow, swallow, swallow. Then he would start crying as if it hurt. AT first we though it was just gas or maybe a food allergy. He didn't have a food allergy (thank goodness) but he was still crying all the time and I couldn't put him on his back more than 5-10 minutes at a time before he'd start crying. I did some research and took a quiz online on whether or not he had acid reflux. He scored a 90%. I took a couple more just to make sure and looked at all the symptoms. He had pretty much every one except for the projectile vomiting and stop breathing (so happy he doesn't do that). Anyway I called my doctor and poor crew has silent, acid reflux. It explained a lot. We got him on medicine 2 weeks ago and the last 4 days he has been quite a bit happier. I can even leave him on his back now. I still keep him upright after feedings for 20-30 minutes which also helps and he has to sleep on an incline. He wants to sleep on his stomach but I get so nervous about letting him. I will let him for naps though and he sleeps so good like that. 

It has been so nice to actually have a happy babe most the time rather than one who doesn't feel good all the time. I call him my precious. He is definitely a more demanding baby than Emery was but we love him so much. And seriously, he has the cutest, sweetest smile I have ever seen. He first smiled when he was exactly 6 weeks at Em, and now he will smile when mommy talks to him and it melts my heart. We adore our little Crew. Even on the hard days. He still loves his swing, his tummy and being the baby bjorn. Most of all he loves being held by mommy and sleeping on her. He also loves his pacifier, hopefully he'll be able to hold those in better soon. 

Until the 2 month post, that's our Crew man. He is already so much more filled out! 

Welcoming Baby Crew

A birth story has arrived! I swear things have flipped like a light switch since two days ago. Crew gave me an amazing gift last night...he slept 6 hours straight! He has been nursing more efficiently and his 'schedule' has been much the same these last two days. I know things can flip again just as quick, but it has been great. We really are loving this little guy. So with Em watching a show and Crew sleeping in the swing next to us, I thought now was the perfect time to post. Here goes...

Who would have thought that when I took this picture at 36 weeks exactly he would be born 5 days later. I had a feeling he was going to come early all along. He was head down at 32 weeks, I dropped at 32 weeks, I was dilated to a 3 and 50% effaced at my 36 week appointment. I swear every sign was there that signified labor was closely impending.

The day before he was born (Monday) I felt REALLY uncomfortable. I took Emery swimming at my moms that afternoon and I started having contractions. They were about an hour apart so I didn't think anything of it really except that they actually were kind of painful.

Skip to the night. I could not sleep. The contractions still were coming about 15 minutes apart and they were hurting my back. I packed my bag. I took a hot shower, they kept coming but they weren't coming closer than ten minutes apart at this point so I gave up and was finally able to get some sleep.

I woke up at 7 when Court's alarm went off for work. I was laying there and felt another contraction and then a little leak. I yelled to Court, "I think my water just broke!"
"No," he said, "really?"
"I don't know. No I am just over reacting probably" I said this on the way towards the bathroom.
Well as soon as I reached it...there was a nice splash onto our bathroom floor coming from me.
"Okay, it did," I said smiling.

A phone call to mom and a shower later we were off to the hospital and arrived at 8AM. I was dilated to a 4 and his head was at a -1 I believe.

I got to the delivery room and my mom got there about an hour after us. My contractions were coming closer together and were all in my back. Not comfortable! We had fun talking and I was feeling grateful that everything was progressing so smoothly. I was nervous since I was having a Vbac.

I had to lay on my side for awhile with the peanut ball between my knees to flip our Crew man because he was sunny side up and thats why I felt the contractions in my back so strong.

 I love the feeling I have before my babies get here. I loved it when I had Emery and I loved it this time. Knowing, waiting and just anticipating that little one coming. That in just a moment away you will have all this love for a new little person. You wonder what they'll look like and just can't wait for your life to change forever once they're out. 

4 Hours after we got to the hospital I was dilated to a 6. I got the epidural when I was dilated to a 7. Baby had turned the right way and I was pushing about 20 minutes after the epidural. Pushing was kind of hard just because I couldn't feel a thing any more. Towards the end of pushing I could feel the pressure from a contraction so it was easier to push. After 1 hour of pushing out he came! 

It was a surreal moment for me. I had wanted a regular birth with Emery so bad and was so sad when I had to get a c-section. I was so happy to have this experience and truly loved every part of my labor and delivery. I soaked it all up. It is really such an amazing thing to go through. And then when this happened...

 His perfect, little body placed on me. My favorite part by far . The love that just surges into you and in the room hits like a ton of bricks. 

 

 Everyone kept saying how handsome he was. I have to agree :)

 6lbs. 15oz. , 20 1/4 inches long. Not bad for an almost 37 week-er.

 This was another 'love surge' moment. Having my sunshine Em meet her baby brother. She just kept saying baby and then came and sat with her mommy and held brothers hand. 

 Best Daddy around. I sure do love these two guys.

 Leaving the hospital.

 At home.

 Life has been an adjustment since that wonderful day one month ago, but it is starting to get easier. Crew is a pretty good little babe. Nursing has been a little challenging for him but he is getting much better!  He likes to eat every 1.5-2hours.  I am getting so good at doing things one handed!  He usually only eats about 20 minutes, but he likes to eat a lot longer in the evenings. He tends to get fussier in the evenings too, but during the day is sweeter than can be. Poor little guy swallows and gulps and gets lots of air when he eats because my milk flows like Niagra Falls so he gets pretty gassy and that makes him fuss, but that seems to be improving as well.
He does not like being tired. He will cry until he is swaddled tight, or put on his tummy with a pacifier. Nights are getting better, with longer stretches between feedings (hallelujah!!!).
He is so cute when he is all awake. He just looks and looks around. He looks so curious about everything. I love his eyes all open and that he is awake a lot more during the day now. He has such cute, big eyes. I think he is nice and use to Em's loud-ness and not so gentle cuddles. I love when she wants to hold him.
He loves being in the baby bjorn, hates being in the car seat and loves his swing and being on moms chest.
We sure are glad our guy is here now and are enjoying the somehow calming spirit that always comes with the presence of a new babe that can be felt even among the more crazy times :)

Nesting

Em's big girl room got finished awhile ago and sleeping in that big bed of hers is going great. She can't get out of it by herself which is kind of nice haha. Her room is sweet and simple. (I apologize for the lighting)

Eventually she'll have a head board

 There is one wall left I have to get frames for but other than that we are good to go. She loves to put coins in that piggy bank on her dresser.

Now for the nursery....

 We love this little boy nursery, now we just need to fill it with our cute, adorable boy!

Court also worked on this project for a couple days. Since we had to use our office for the new baby room, he did a built in desk down stairs in the dining room/kitchen. He is amazing isn't he? I think it turned out great, and it has been really nice to have. 

Baby Boy Shower

Saturday was my shower for baby brother (yes, we still don't have a name hence the baby brother). My sisters threw it for me and it was so much fun.
I had a lot of fun at my shower for Emery but this one was a little more fun I think just because it was a little smaller and with just close friends. I told Lindsay that she did not have to go all out, just keep it simple but let me tell you she did A LOT and it was perfection. She kind of went with the theme of his nursery-blue and orange and a little bit nautical. I loved everything about it.

 This little girl and I have been taking advantage of our last few weeks of one on one time. I can't get enough of my Em. 

 My cute sisters. I don't know what face I'm doing here, but just go with it. 

 Don't worry the heart on the belly wasn't done in seriousness. I love those two girls! 

Thanks to them and my Mama for the best baby shower I could have asked for! 

Pretty much 35 weeks. Let the count down begin! 

I absolutely can't wait for my sweet baby boy to get here.