Jake's 1st real bath and a couple of other sweet pics...

getting dried off after the trauma (i think he liked it, but was in a bad mood in the first place b/c he was hungry and Mommy and Daddy were arguing for several minutes before we put him in over whether the temp was too hot or not :-) )

spread out on miss tara at matt's basketball game on Friday night

big yawn!! :-)

I had been wearing him around the house in the sling (blue and green paisley thing) and he had fallen asleep and my back was hurting so I took him off of me while he was still in the sling and laid him in the chair in the living room

asleep in his bassinett for a nap

Things are getting a little bit easier as far as caring for Jake. At first it is just overwhelming the amount of attention he needed, but mostly I think the stress of him not gaining weight is not as bad anymore now. We are just loving having him to hold and cuddle. He spends too much time in our bed but when he's this young it's just so sweet! He's so cute and changes so much every day.

He's most happy when we're on the move! Whether it be his stroller or the car- he wants it moving! I'm thinking speeding tickets and roller coasters are in his future! :-)

Also, he has my temper. When he decides he's hungry...which is almost always...even after drinking a four ounce bottle- he wants it now! And he lets you know! Yikes! Always have to be on your toes with him.

He is so observant! Anywhere we go he loves because I think he's already studied everything in our house and loves new places to observe. I've never seen a three week old pick their head up and follow people like he does. It's amazing to see him change and learn new things!! He's the sweetest and we are so blessed!

Finally!

Great News! Jake has FINALLY put on weight..at 2.5 weeks old. He's just a late bloomer, I guess. He took forever to come, had to be induced, and then still took forever to get here that day! He just does things in his time. He gained four ounces back this week, so where he's still less than his birth weight by over a pound, he's gaining and that's all the Dr cares about! Wohoo. We've been to the pediatrician's office sooo many times in the past week and a half that he's been home that it was just crazy. So, we are so thankful that he's okay and that we don't have a bigger problem as far as with him absorbing fats and nutrients. For now, we're going to continue to supplement with formula and with my higher fat diet until he takes off and starts to get chubby again...

He always gets worn out going to the Dr. He fell asleep in the car on the way home. He continued to sleep once I brought him in the house. It sure makes for cute pics, though! I love that his little blonde eyelashes are coming in...so sweet! :)

Weekend Update

Baby boy asleep on the chair in the living room after his pedi appt Thursday

Gran stayed with us Wed-Fri. We had so much fun and she was so much help!

We had a very eventful weekend! On Friday night Jake attended his first Basketball game. Matt's team (Magnolia West) played Magnolia. It was a great game, even though they ended up not winning after being ahead the whole first half. Jake did wonderful...he was asleep when we entered the gym and didn't budge when the buzzer went off or when people yelled.

Matt going for the jump ball

In Uncle Matt's arms after the game

Papaw feeding him his bottle




Becca snagged him for a minute! :) He's pretty irresistible!





On Saturday Jake met his cousin Kaleb and his Aunt Starr, Granny and Papa came over to visit.

On Sunday Jake attended church for the first time. He did great! We took a couple of pics before we left...

Still Losing...

Well, we went back to the pediatrician today and Jake is down even more...8lbs 2oz. So frustrating! The doctor said that I was doing everything right, but that my milk probably isn't fatty enough (I'm supposed to eat more fattening foods...yay! Just at the time when I'm done being fat and want to get thin! :-/ ) and that our bodies just haven't learned to work together yet. So, we will now be supplementing with two bottles of formula per day. :( I am sad, but obviously will do whatever it takes to get Jake to gain weight!

Please keep him in your prayers that he gains weight before we go back again next week. I think he's misleading...just look at those chubby cheeks! :) I love him so!

looking in the mirror- bright flash!

Some of Jake's First Week

We've had a great first week at home. We've enjoyed being in our own bed and eating good food again... the hospital food got old (And my mom cooked for us this week!). Also, Jake's been a great baby. He's been sleeping thru the night except for feedings. We probably get atleast 7 or 8 hours a night and because of that aren't as exhausted as we've heard new parents can be.

Also, we returned to the pedi on Friday for a weigh-in for Jake. He didn't lose any so they were pleased and now we don't have to supplement with formula. Yay!!! It had already stained one of his bibs so I was excited about that...plus after all that work of feeding him every 1.5 - 2 hours it's very discouraging to hear that you're not enough. My good friend Rachel brought over a baby scale so now we can weigh him on our own every few days to make sure he's gaining. It's been very consuming for me so I'm glad to finally see progress and to be able to know he's bringing his chub back!

We had help! :) Tues-Thurs nights we got to share the Jake duty with my mom- so nice! I don't know how we would've done it without her.

Taking a nap in his bassinett

On his first walk...the only warm day we've had (Thurs-5 days old)

asleep on Mommy

exhausted after his second pediatricians appt on Friday

On the way to his first Pedi visit on Thursday (I was STILL swollen)

One of my favorite outfits so far...from Gran :) Doesn't he look adorable?

first bath at home (sponge bath over the sink)

another bath...I think his second one

On another Note...

The Dogs. They're realizing that they're not exactly high on the totem pole anymore. They spend lots of time staring at us holding Jake, listening to him cry, staring in the back door window, and locked in their kennels because they crossed the line and got too close to Jake or didn't mind.

Look to the left in the door- notice any puppies being jealous of Jake? :) too funny!

Jeremy was in bed while my mom and I were up late with Jake. We walked out of Jake's room to find Cassie sneaking to her kennel- probably to avoid a spanking! My mom had left out some groceries...including a bag of flour. What a weird dog!

More of that precious face...

on the way home from the hospital...Tuesday night

his first night...in his sports sleep sack from my mom (grandma name undecied :-))

first time in the bouncer...he didn't wanna be put down




I love his foot sticking out!

asleep...always has those hands by his face

asleep by Daddy in the chair

love those hands!!

We are so enjoying our little Jake. We love him so much and just looking at him sometimes brings tears to our eyes.

I still have a couple of posts I plan on doing from the hospital, but we're super busy now so they'll have to wait.

We had his first pedi appt this morning and his weight is down from 9lbs 7oz to 8lbs 3oz. I was horrified at the news, especially since I'm feeding non-stop and I am devastated that he's been hungry all this time. We'll be going to see a lactation consultant this afternoon and back to the pedi tomorrow afternoon so please keep us in your prayers. We just want to get Jake back to being 'Moose'! I miss his rolls. :)

Jake pics for the Beggars :-)

Jake- 2 days old (I think he gets cuter every day)

Jake getting his antibiotics in the NICU in his 'Moose' outfit

asleep in the NICU (he's only there two hours/day)

Thought I'd post a few adorable pics of our sweet "Moose".

They tell us that's what the nurses in the NICU are calling him because he is huge...especially compared to the little teeny sweet ones they have in there. Today we put him in a fleece "forest friends" carter's outfit that is very warm and has moose on it before the NICU picked him up for his twice daily IV antibiotics. :) More on that to come later... no worries he is doing okay and is such a precious joy to us. I will post more on his birth story, labor, and visitors later.

Thanks to all of you for your calls, texts, visits, and sweet comments!

Love,

Amanda