Pictures for Daddy

Cute Baby Feet!

Eli sure does miss his daddy... He's being all cute and smiling these days.

9lbs 8.5oz

He has definitely gained some weight! I don't think we have to worry about him not eating good now! He's napping again, so I think I'll see if I can't do the same!

It's 6:30am....

and Eli has been asleep since around 10pm last night... WOW! I know that baby lotion said it would help babies sleep, but they must have put some Benedryl in it or something! We did have a very rough day yesterday and he didn't sleep nearly as much as he usually does. Maybe he was just worn out from being a fussy boy all day, who knows? I wish I had been able to sleep that long too, but I had to get up twice to pump out milk and had trouble going back to sleep wondering if he was okay. I made Jason go check on him as soon as his alarm went off this morning; I was just too afraid to. I thought for sure something bad had happened with him being quiet that long. He's stirred a couple of times since I've been awake, but just for a few seconds. I don't know if I should wake him or just enjoy the peace and calm. He does have to be at the doctor by 10, so I have already managed to eat breakfast and shower before he does decide to wake up. I figure it will be another day of him being up most of the time. It was very frustrating for me yesterday and I sure hope today goes much better.

One Month...

Wow... Where did the first month go already? It seems like yesterday that we were going every week to the doctor, waiting on those 9 months to be over. It has been a very trying month, but we all survived. I wish people were more open and honest about how difficult breastfeeding really is, or how rough those first few weeks at home really are. I have struggled with the knowledge that I'll never be able to exclusively feed Eli myself, but I've slowly accepted it and am trying to give him as much breast milk as I can produce. I have finally stopped stressing over it so much and realize I can only do what my body will allow. I have to be thankful that we were even able to have a child without going through a lot of medical procedures; I will always owe Weight Watchers that much!

I've never felt so helpless and incompetent in my whole life, nor have I experienced so many mood swings! I hope my emotions are starting to become more stable, but I still find myself crying for no reason sometimes. I have had *THE* best support system anyone could ever hope for though. My mom stayed with me for 3 weeks and was constantly doing things in the house or watching Eli so I could rest. Jason has been the best dad EVER and I have fallen even more in love with him now that I've watched him with our son. Eli is a very good baby and I can't complain about him at all. He slept for 5 hours straight last night!

All in all, things are going great now. Jason is working a couple of extra days this week and will be going to Cleveland next week. I do get overwhelmed when I'm alone for extended periods of time, so these next 2 weeks will be a HUGE challenge. I know I'll either be worn out from trying to do too much, or the house will be a wreck!

My Little Astro!

You knew it wouldn't be long before he was all decked out in his Astros clothes! Most of them are still too big, we had to play dress up a little yesterday! He loves his Berkman t-shirt and his cute Astros hat!

Eli's First Photo Shoot

These are just from the disk we were given, so they haven't been touched up and made all pretty. We didn't get any pictures made in the hospital, so he needed some cute newborn pics. I think they turned out good and he's cute!

19 days...

I can't believe he's been here for that long. I don't even know where these days have gone... It is all somewhat of a blur and at times, unreal. I won't say its been easy, but it has definitely been a learning and growing experience. I thought I'd take a chance to sit down and share our story for those friends and family who haven't been living it with us.

On August 2nd I woke up at my usual 3 am and instead of staying in bed, I decided to get up and do a few chores. I put laundry in and then sat down to watch a little TV before Jason got up for work. I had every intention of making him a delicious warm breakfast that morning and putting together a good lunch for him. After the first load of clothes finished, I put them in the dryer and then bent down to pick up the second load. My water broke at that point, but not the big gush I had expected, so I wasn't sure if that was really it or not. I put the clothes in and then went and jumped in the shower. Jason woke up a little grumpy that I was in the shower when he needed to get ready, but then called in to work when I told him what happened. We sat down to talk in the living room and when I stood back up, there was the gush that I had expected. We were having a baby that day for sure!

We arrived at the hospital around 6:30 and nothing really happened for hours. A little after 11 my doctor came in and gave me the stern lecture that I needed to start pitocin to get labor going. I finally agreed and after that, it all becomes a little bit of a blur. I remember them increasing the pitocin levels and I think around 4:30 I was in so much pain that the breathing wasn't helping so I had to break down and ask for an epidural. I was so disappointed, but it was unbearable and I knew I was at my limit. I think after that they kept turning the pitocin on and off and I never really progressd to the point of completion. Finally at 10:30pm the doctor came back to tell me that we were going to have to have a c-section because my water had broken so long ago and he just wasn't dropping down enough. I know they gave me more drugs at that point and I vaguely remember being wheeled down the hallway to the operating room. I was so sleepy from the drugs and tried to fall asleep, but one of the doctors kept flipping me in the forehead to wake me up. I didn't even realize they were operating until I heard him cry. It was very surreal and I'm sad that we did not have a chance for a more memorable experience. Jason was able to go to the nursery and bond with him while I was recovering, so he at least had one parent there early on.

Since that time we have had breastfeeding issues, a hospital stay, and lots and lots of tears, but we are hanging in there and taking it day by day, sometimes minute by minute. I know I have been struggling a lot with the "baby blues" and am being careful that it doesn't turn into postpartum depression. My mom and Jason have been so supportive, as has the lactation consultant we have been working with. It is a big change, much more than I could have imagined.

Two weeks!

I can't believe Eli is already 2 weeks old! Time has went by in such a blur. I have no idea what day it is most of the time. I'm sure the next tropical storm/hurricane will catch me by surprise because I am so out of touch with "the real world" right now. I had a nice outing with Rebecca today; she was kind enough to take me to Target where I got to shop for diapers and formula! You know you have a true friend when they help you calculate which package of diapers comes out to the cheapest!

We are all doing great right now. I can almost drive again, so I hope to get out of the house a little more. Mom and I are going to have girls day in the upcoming week. I think she's ready for some Olive Garden peach tea! :) Jason is having some problems with his hip so he will need to rest and get that healed up, which is easier said than done with a new little one.

All summer I had waited for my crape myrtle to bloom and it never would. Finally, after we brought Eli home, it has started blooming and is beautiful! I guess it was waiting on our new joy to arrive!

A Few Pics of the Little Guy

Eli is here!!!!!

Eli was delivered by c-section last night at 10:46pm. He weighed 7lbs, 6ozs and was 19 inches long. He's doing great and is such a cutie pie. He loves to sleep and he loves his hands near and in his mouth!

The Garden

The zucchini plants are coming right along.... I can't belive they are already so big! And.....we finally have tomatoes! Those plants were beautiful for so long, but nothing was growing on them at all. In the last week or so they have really come to life and we should have some yummy Roma tomatoes pretty soon! Now I just have to figure out what to do with them all!

Eli's New Toy

I came from work one day to find this awesome toy sitting on my porch! My cousin Tina got it off the registry and had it shipped down. It didn't take Jason too long to put together, but it might take some work to keep the cats off of it! LOL

One down, one to go...

One of the wall drawings is now finished and looks so awesome! The other one is a bit more detailed, so its going to take a lot more work, so it is still in progress!

Baby Eli

Here are a few of the pictures from our ultrasound yesterday.