Family

Family

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Three Months

I can sum up Owen's development this month in three simple words:
- giggles
- hands
- strength

We first heard his little giggle at 10 weeks and it really is the best sound I have ever heard.

This boy loves to suck on his hands and quite loudly I might add! He also likes to hold his hands together and is learning how to bring things - anything and everything - to his mouth.

Man oh man is he getting strong. He is really arching his back when he is on the ground and (spoiler alert for Month 4) has just learned to roll over! He rolled from his stomach to back over Thanksgiving weekend at 3 months 1 week old. We have a very busy and active boy on our hands!

Lots of firsts this month.
First Halloween
First concert: James Blunt
First trip to Tahoe
First time all bundled up in his bear outfit
First hike in Tahoe
Truckee River
Feeding on the go - what happens when you are on a walk and baby is hungry but there are no benches!
First trip to Carson City and first time meeting Great Grandma
 

Three month photo shoot:
 
 
 
 
 
 


Friday, October 25, 2013

Two Months

Each day this boy gets more fun. We have definitely seen a huge change starting around 7 weeks. The first 6 weeks were pretty tough and a bit of a blur. I feel like we have definitely turned a corner and found our rhythm. Owen is sleeping better and more consistently through the night, I feel like I can read his hunger and tired signs much better, and he is smiling and cooing up a storm! My heart is so full of love for this baby boy, I have no idea how I'm going to leave him to go back to work. Trying not to think about that too much and just enjoy each and every day I have at home with him.

We had a few milestones this month: first trip to the Arnold Cabin, first overnight stretch without Dad, first visit to the Pear Ranch, first immunization shots, and mom's first run postpartum.
First morning at the cabin.
Double packs: ergo on the front, camelbak and fishing pole on the back.
Meeting Uncle Jimmy.
First time at the Pear Ranch. Owen loved the fresh air and hanging out inside the tent.

We both survived his 2 month checkup including his first round of immunizations. He did better than I expected with the shots, but naturally screamed his head off when they injected him nearly breaking my heart in two. He eventually calmed down and we put him to bed early that night. He woke up two hours later inconsolable so we gave him some infant Tylenol and put him back down. It seemed to do the trick because he slept for 7 1/2 hours - longest he has ever slept! When he woke up we had our happy baby back which was such a relief.   


Two month weight: 11 lbs 12 oz
Two month height: 22 3/4 inches
He continues to stay on the 50th percentile track for weight, height, and head circumference.

He is sleeping great at night. Goes down consistently around 7pm, wakes up around 12:30am and again between 4:30 and 5:30, and then back to bed for another two hours. This mama is not complaining! So happy that his two hour 3am party time has gone away. Now when he wakes up in the middle of the night it is for a quick feed and then right back to bed.

He continues to like car rides and his car seat.
He takes a pacifier at night and sometimes in the car and for naps.
I'm happy to report that he doesn't scream at every diaper change anymore, and has actually become quite a ham on the changing table pumping his legs, smiling, and cooing. 
Bath time is still a struggle, although he seems to like it best when we bring him into the big bath with one of us and hold him.
Evening time is still his most fussy for sure, but it is getting better and better each week.

Owen's first holiday is coming up - Halloween - and he has decided to dress up as a pumpkin.
 

Monday, October 7, 2013

One Month

Fastest month of our lives!

Much of the first few weeks were spent like this, Owen sleeping on us and us trying to sleep whenever and wherever we could.
One week old
Playtime with Grandpa: 1 1/2 weeks old
Hanging out with cousin Max
Checking out Grandma at 2 weeks old
3 weeks old
3 weeks old
Hanging with Pop Pop
 
 
First time taking a bottle: 3 1/2 weeks
1 month old
 

Milestones: Umbilical cord fell off at 13 days.
                    Drank from a bottle for the first time like a champ at 3 1/2 weeks.
                    Left Owen for the first time with Grandma while mama ran errands just shy of 4 weeks.

Likes: Being held of course: Skin to skin during the first few weeks has been essential.
           Car rides: so glad he likes the car and his car seat. He will sleep in his car seat for hours!
           Being outside and the fresh air: Lots of walks up and down our road.

Dislikes: Getting his diaper changed: He screams bloody murder nearly every time we change his diaper. Hoping this is something he will grow out of soon.
               Bath time: Probably because he is too cold while we bathe him since we have been using a tub that elevates his body. We will try different techniques like getting in the bathtub with him, but so far bath time is one of his least favorite times!

Challenges: Adjusting to life with a baby brings many challenges, but here are just a few major ones that come to mind:
                     5-7 pm: Owen's witching hour. You can't put him down, he is super fussy, and nothing we try seems to calm him down. Holding him and walking around outside are about all that works which makes getting dinner ready a major challenge. Luckily, we have been blessed with some amazing friends and family who have spoiled us with so many dinners that we haven't had to worry about making too many ourselves.
                     Sleepless nights: He consistently goes down around 8pm no problem, wakes up between 11 and 12 and goes right back down, but then wakes up around 2:30am and decides he wants to be up for 2-3 hours. Thank goodness for dvr! I've watched more episodes of Say Yes to the Dress than I care to admit.
                     Breast infections: While we haven't had to struggle with breastfeeding as far as milk supply or latching issues, I have had to deal with breast infections as so many breastfeeding mamas do. I've come down with a 102 degree temperature twice, finally giving in and taking antibiotics the second time my temp got high. It wasn't mastitis, but an abscess that formed. Doctor finally decided it needed to be lanced. I'm just glad to finally be on the mend after dealing with a large lump for nearly four weeks.
                    C-section recovery: The first two weeks were really difficult adjusting to taking care of a newborn, not being able to drive or climb stairs, and trying to recover from surgery. Literally once the first two weeks had past, I felt so much better and each day that passes, I feel even stronger.

It is so amazing how much Owen changes every day. The last doctor appointment was his 2 week check up and his next one isn't until 2 months so I don't have one month statistics to share. At his 2 week appointment, he weighed 8 lbs 3 oz and measured 20.5 inches long which put him right in the middle of the growth chart. We are very interested to see how things look at his 2 month appointment because he has really been putting on the pounds and growing like a weed since his last checkup!


Thursday, August 29, 2013

It's a BOY!

Owen James Young arrived on his own terms, nine days before his due date and five days before our scheduled c-section. I was having such a hard time with the idea of picking his birthdate via the scheduled c-section, and this little guy ended up picking his own date after all! Beyond having the car seat installed (literally checked by the Highway Patrol hours before we went into labor), we were not prepared. Bags were not packed, work was not done, the last few items at home had not been taken care of because we still had five days, or so we thought! Here is the story of Owen's arrival.

Wednesday, August 21, at 2:30 am I got up to go to the bathroom and quickly discovered that I was leaking. That is the best way I can describe it. Every time I would try to walk back to bed more and more water would run down my leg. I thought, could my water be breaking? This went on for two hours. When I started feeling mild, but consistent contractions I decided to call the hospital and explain to them what I was experiencing. They told me to come in right away. I was stunned, could this be it? Could we be having this baby? I quickly started charging my camera not knowing if the battery was dead or not. I started packing a bag for the hospital, but my mind was totally blank. I almost didn't even throw in an outfit for the baby to go home in because I was so skeptical about this being the real deal. At 4:40 am I woke Luke up and told him what was going on. He said, do I have time to take a shower? When we were both dressed and ready to go, Luke said "Should we take two cars? No, we can take one car, I guess you will have to come back home anyway and get ready for work." My favorite line of the night.

It was the full moon on the 21st and my Aunt Peggy always says babies are born on full moons. How right she was! After getting checked in, the doctor quickly confirmed that my water did in fact break and we would be having this baby within 2-3 hours. Wow. So exciting and scary all at the same time. The ironic thing was we were scheduled to meet with the dr. performing our surgery, dr. Sullivan, that morning at 9am. The dr. on call the morning of the 21st who would be performing our very unscheduled c-section happened to be dr. Sullivan.

Luke is ready for the arrival of Baby Young
Final belly shot
Once they gave me my spinal and had me fully prepped for surgery, they allowed Luke to come into the room. He stayed right by my side and helped keep me calm. He was able to watch them pull Owen out and exclaimed "he has a doodle!"


It's a boy! And he has some pipes! 7 lbs 7 oz, 20 inches long
First time meeting my baby
They brought Owen over and he was crying. The nurse said, "talk to him, he will recognize your voice." He immediately stopped crying when I started talking to him. It was such a special moment.


Happy mama
Proud dad
First family photo
Loves to suck on his fingers
So in love
Owen and Mom
Owen and Dad
Meeting Auntie Lisa
 
Cousins meeting for the first time
Uncle Sam and Owen
 
Father and son

Gotta sleep when the baby sleeps


 
We stayed in the hospital for 3 1/2 days - all of which are a complete blur of visitors, nurses, lots of baby snuggles, and working through the pain from the c-section. The nursing staff was amazing. So supportive and helpful. They made our stay fly right by and took great care of us.
 
Ready to go home



First car ride - headed home


Welcome to your home Owen!