2 months old!

Dear Bauer with love ~

You are two months old this week.  Everyone warned me that it would happen, but we had to find out for ourselves ~ you are growing up too fast.  At just two months old you have lost your sweet squeaky newborn cry, your wrinkles are smoothing out and your once skinny little legs are getting the cutest little chub on it.  You've learned to smile and melt our hearts when you get that cute little grin on your face.

 

 



Mama had to box up your newborn clothes and most of your 0-3 month stuff.  She cried as she folded each little outfit.  Blame it on hormones, but she's just not ready for you to grow up quite so fast.  Your two month old pediatrician appointment (where you had to get 2 more of those ouchie pokie vaccinations) revealed that you are now 12 pounds and 2 feet tall!  WOW!  You are fitting in 3 month old clothes.  This makes Mama a little happy as you have the cutest little man button down shirts, shorts and even overalls waiting in your closet.  Mama loves dressing you and costume changes, as Daddy calls them.  You have more clothes than Mama and Daddy COMBINED.  We can't help it.  Everyone has been so generous with gifts of clothes, you've inherited some adorable hand-me-downs and Mama just can't stay away from the consignment stores or clearance racks at Target. 

 



 

Your Daddy is so amazing with you.  As this is being typed he is laying next to your crib and singing to you.  You can hear him softly sing,

Goodnight Bauer,

Goodnight Bauer,

Goodnight Bauer,

It's time to say goodnight

 

He has you (double!) swaddled and your favorite UGA  (Georgia) binkie is in your mouth.  He bathed you tonight and helped Mama massage sweet smelling baby lotion on you from head to toe.  Daddy fed you your bottle (of Mama's milk) and rocked you softly while singing slow versions of the Yo Gabba Gabba tunes. Even after a long graveyard shift he plays with you, snuggles and kisses you and tells you how much he missed you and that you are the cutest baby in the world!  You are so blessed to have your daddy, Bauer.  Mama prays that you will grow into a man with the qualities that your daddy has.  He is so tender and patient with you when you are upset AND is the first to lay with you on the floor and play with you or carry you like a sack of potatoes through the house. 

 

 

 



 

 



You are working on learning to take daytime naps.  So far naps are not your favorite.  If Mama insists on you snoozing, it will most likely happen in your swing (for about an hour) or in your car seat during errands.  All of the advice givers warn her not to get into this habit... but sometimes Mama needs a break and you need your sleep... so snoozing outside of your crib happens from time to time (almost daily!).  We'll have the rest of your infant and toddler years to master the nap thing.  Mama loves her naps, and Daddy could take them or leave them.  Not surprising, you take after Daddy.

 

 

 

 

You LOVE bath time.  We fill up your blue plastic bathtub in the kitchen sink with warm water and bubbles, strip you down and lay you down on the little tub's sling.  You relax right away.  We think you'd be content to stay in there until your fingers and toes wrinkled... but we'll save that for when you are bigger and in a big tub!

 

 

Your favorite toys are the ones attached to your activity mat.  You tolerate the bouncy seat (a lifesaver when Mama has to clean the house or take a shower) and recently started enjoying your swing... but only if it's on the fastest speed.  You have so many toys waiting for you to play with.  I wonder which ones will be your favorite?

 

Everyone comments on your sweet disposition.  We won the baby lottery with your temperament.  You continue to be super laid back.  You really only cry if you are hungry or need an urgent diaper change.  Watching the fan blades spin, lights shining, listening to music (which is on constantly) or sitting on the couch with Mama or Daddy keeps you pretty content.  You don't mind the stroller or car seat one bit and even tolerate us taking you in and out of the car multiple times on our marathon errand runs.

 

 

You are a wiggle worm and never stop moving.  Mama and Daddy laugh when we peek in your crib just as you are waking up.  Your legs are bucking, head turning from side to side and torso twists about. It's pretty comical considering you are swaddled and look like you are trying to escape a straight jacket!  We are excited to see you try out the Johnny Jump-Up when you get a bit bigger. 

 

We hope to get you in the pool more this month.  Crazy that we waited until the end of summer... but we live in southern California and we pretty much have an endless summer.  Mama wants to read you more books, catch up on documenting our days on our family blog, take you for more walks in the stroller (now that the weather is cooling down) and soak up these last few weeks before Mama goes back to work next month.  (Sad face :()  Oh, and if you can get the nap thing down Mama and Daddy will be overjoyed.

 

Things we don't want to forget:

     *Your first flight and trip to Oregon.  We stayed at Nana and Papa's Oregon house in Sisters and met a lot of their friends.  (You have so many surrogate grandparents!) Aunt Olivia, Aunt Dee and Aunt SoSo hosted a baby shower for you at Aunt D's house.  More presents, books and drooling over your adorableness.

     *The way that you break out of your swaddle (even when daddy has you double swaddled) and then stretch out as far as you can with the sweetest little yawn.

     *Mama struggling to cut your tiny little fingernails and figuring out that the best time to try is when you are eating.

     *All of the comments on how you and daddy are twins.  Mama can't find much "Hughie" in your features.  I know they are in there though... I made you too!

     *How horrible mama and daddy felt in having to have under your tongue clipped (you were "tongue tied" and had trouble latching.)  Daddy held you tight and we had to hear you scream while the doctor made the snip.  It was the worst seeing you scream.  We comforted you and, thankfully you stopped crying as soon as you were given a bottle.

     *Your first time to Church.  We dropped you at the Church nursery and then came back twice to check on you!

     *The way that daddy carries you facing front in the Baby Bjorn. You love to look around and take everything in.
     *Being a guest at your first birthday party.  Benni Wach turned 2 and had a fun backyard birthday bash.  You were content to watch all of the big kids play and enjoyed watching the leaves in the tall trees sway.

     *Your first overnight at JJ's while mama and daddy celebrated their first wedding anniversary in Los Angeles.

     *Mama working with you to nurse.  Still not your favorite ~ you prefer mama's milk from a bottle.  But if you are good and sleepy and hungry, you will latch on and eat.

     *Your first trip to the beach ~ Huntington Beach.

     *Getting your hand and footprints done in clay and made into a ceramic piece.

     *Our daily field trips to get out of the house ~ Vons, Kohls, Costco, Target, Babies 'R Us, Pottery Barn Kids, Children's Orchard...
     *Your breathing:  the way your little nose gets congested and you make little snorting noises.

     *The way that you will snuggle with your head right under mama and daddy's chin.
     *The way you will take your morning nap right after your morning feeding.  This means mama can go back to sleep until after 10AM...  this makes mama smile.
 

We love you, Bauer John-Thomas!

Always remember,

You are smart.  You are kind.  You are important.  You are loved.

    

    





1 month old!

Dear Bauer with love ~

 

 



How can it be?  Our sweet boy is one month old.  A month of so many firsts for mama and daddy.  We are adjusting to parenthood well.  It feels natural.  Mama's known it her heart all of her life ~ she was  born to be a mama!  We are getting in a good groove and loving this experience.  All of it.  The middle of the night feedings, changing a diaper for the third time within five minutes... the full time job it is for mama to pump milk and alternating feedings with daddy.  THE LAUNDRY. (Which is never ending)...  We both still have this euphoria... a giddyness when we think that you are finally here... healthy, happy and ours. 

Mama is so thankful that, as of now, she's escaped the baby blues.  A huge blessing.  She worried that she might feel overwhelmed and that her hormones might make her slip into that postpartum depression.  She didn't want that and prayed that God would spare her from that pain. He did.  Daddy helps so much with that.  He makes sure that mama has all of the help she needs with you.  And we get out of the house every day.  It's one of his rules.  And it's good for all of us! 

 

 

 

You sleep in our room in a mini crib.  It's right by (daddy's side) our bed.  The first half of the month you seemed to have your days and nights mixed up.  You'd sleep all day and then want to be up all night.  As much as we tried to tire you out during the day, come ten o'clock you'd become bright eyed and ultra alert.  Somehow we managed to reset your clock and now you are such a good night sleeper.  Mama and Daddy have a bedtime routine (bath, lotion, songs, swaddle, binky, kisses, bed...) and you are usually in dreamland by 7pm.  We have to wake you to feed you every three hours to feed you ~ but that's only until we know that you are gaining weight the way that you should and getting enough to eat. 

 

 

You've had so many visitors.  Nana and Papa Oregon stayed with us for a week when we brought you home from the hospital.  It was so nice to have extra sets of hands and advice from folks who have raised five children of their own.  Everybody wants to meet you.  They drop by for snuggles and Bauer time.  Your cousins have brought us yummy meals (so appreciated) and lifelong friends call constantly to see how our special boy is.  Grandmama visited for ten days.  She cried tears of joy the first time she met you.  We were waiting for her at the airport.  You had a big sign saying, "Welcome, Grandmama" resting in your stroller.  She spoiled you with lots of new clothes, (you have more clothes that Mama and Daddy combined!) toys and baby gear. 

The pictures.  By now you are used to the camera being in your midst.  The black iPhone and huge Nikon DSLR are always in Mama and Daddy's hands.  Oh, that, and the flip video camera.  We don't want to miss a thing.  AND you are so dang cute, we can't help ourselves.  We may get a little carried away with posting your pics on Facebook... but we want your friends, near and far, to see your sweet face.

 

 

You are our binky boy.  You definitely have your preferences.  In the hospital in was only the Tommee Tippee.  Then you moved to the soothies, and now it's the UGA one from Grandmama.  Daddy and I elected to give you a binky in lieu of you sucking on your hands.  We are trying to avoid a thumb sucker!

 

 

 

 

We love you big like Heaven, B.!  You're making our dreams come true!

  

Things we don't want to forget...
     *The way Daddy can make Mama laugh by making you into a dancing machine.
     *The way Daddy props you up and says, Look mama, I'm sitting like a big boy!
     *The first time Mama attempted to trim your nails.  She cut a little too close and your thumb started to bleed. You stuck out your bottom lip and cried real tears. Mama cried real tears too and sought the advice of many seasoned baby nail trimmers.  She now uses Tweezerman nail scissors - muuuuuch better!
     *The way you stick out your bottom lip when you cry.  So pitiful.
     *The way Daddy lays you on his pillow in our big King size bed.  It's one of your favorite places to be.
     *The way that you make yum yum noises when you eat.
     *Your first vaccinations.  Mama and Daddy both cried right alongside of you.
     *The urgent trip to the doctor to see why you were so restless.  Turns out you weren't getting enough milk when Mama nursed you.  You prefer the bottle, and now we know why.  There's talk of you needing to get underneath your tongue clipped so that you can have a better latch.  Daddy and Mama are researching it.  We hate to do something that will cause you pain.
     *The kissy face that you make when you are ready to eat.
     *Your huge baby blue eyes.
     *Your first trip to the pool.  How laid back you were and what a natural you are in the water.
     *Your "air in your tummy" and how frequent you release the gas!
     *How strong you are.  You hold your head up really well and have a very strong neck.  It surprises many!
     *How easy going you are.  Not much bothers you!
     *How to-do lists get neglected because you are our priority and most things will just have to wait.
     *The presents and cards that keep appearing in our mailbox and doorstep to welcome you.  You are so spoiled!
     *Your newborn photo session and how you didn't want to sleep.  The sleepy poses we wanted became shots of your bright eyes staring sweetly at the camera!

We love you, Bauer John-Thomas!

Always remember,

You are smart. You are kind. You are important. You are loved.

    

The Birth Story of Bauer John-Thomas Blalock

I don’t want to forget a thing.  So, here I  write my memories of our son’s birth.  Welcome to the world, Bauer John-Thomas.  You are smart.  You are kind.  You are important.  YOU ARE LOVED.

Baby B. (we chose to be surprised with his gender, so referred to him/her as Baby B. throughout our pregancy) had a few dates, ranging from July 1^st – July 15^th.  Because of his projected size and a few other medical variables, a Cesarean Section was scheduled for the morning of July 10^th.  Grandmama Georgia was especially excited about this date as it is her birthday!

The first week of July I was getting more and more uncomfortable.  Just the usual  stuff – pressure on my bladder, (mostly) mild contractions, back pain and an overwhelming feeling that I was ready to meet my baby!  On July 7^th, Timothy called to check on me from work.  I told him that I was exhausted and was headed to bed.  There was still a condo to pick up, laundry to finish and a stack of thank you notes needing to be addressed and mailed.  They would have to wait.  It was 8PM and I was headed to bed.

Early July 8^th I woke up starving.  I had a breakfast of champions – Goldfish crackers  and a coffee cup of milk.  I stood up and suspected that my water broke.  I woke up Timothy to let him know.  He told me to call the doctor to ask what to do.  I wasn’t so sure, and the last thing I wanted to do was to go to Hospital triage and be told that I had just wet my pants!  I called my mom and she told me to go in as well.  I told her I would call if things progressed.  I hung up and headed back to bed.  And then it happened.  There was no mistaking that my water broke!  I screamed for Timothy.  He jumped out of bed and was greeted with, “My water broke!  I’m sure of it!  LOOK!!”  He ran to me and said, “Let’s go!  Let’s go to the Hospital!”  I told him we still had time and that I would call the Doctor on call.  (My wonderful  OB , Dr. Kent,  who has  been my doctor for my entire pregnancy is on vacation). 

I called my the doctor’s office and reached the answering service.  I was told that Dr. Flora was on call and would call me back.  My friend Heather had Dr. Flora deliver her 5^th baby and told me that Dr. Flora is an amazing doctor and that I would be in good hands with her should our doctor not be available.  She called back quickly.  I told Dr. Flora that my water broke and that contractions were starting.  After some quick arithmetic I was instructed to be at Hoag Hospital at 12:30PM to check in for a 2:00PM C-Section.

I called my parents, who were already in route from their desert house, to tell them the news.  Meanwhile, Timothy and I were frantically getting the house picked up, clothes dried, car loaded, car seat installed – the last of our to-do list.  We took a deep breath, hopped in the car and headed to the Hospital.  We were giddy, had a touch of the jitters, and held each other’s hand tight as we took our last drive as parents –to-be.  There were a few people we had to call to let them know the news.  Grandmama Georgia, and our siblings got the call and a handful of our friends got a text blast telling them that Baby B. is on the way!  A facebook post was posted to keep our friends and family in suspense.

.  We were escorted to a room where vitals were taken, an IV started , fetal monitor set  up and the waiting began.  It felt like Christmas Eve, the night before our wedding and a birthday party all put together.  Timothy and I just sat there in silence and stared at each other.  It was a peaceful silence.  My parents, sister and brother-in-law arrived just before I was headed to the Operating Room.

Dr. Flora and our Anesthesiologist  arrived and introduced themselves.  We laughed at the contrast in their heights.  Dr. Flora is barely 5 feet tall and our Anesthesiologist was just under 7 feet tall!  Dr. Flora looked like Amy Poehler from Saturday Night Live, and had a bubbly and energetic personality.  They gave us the run down of what to expect and all consents were signed.

Timothy put on his bunny suit, shoe covers (which barely fit) and hair cover (which I found comical since he is bald!) and I slipped on my hair cover.  The nurses (who were absolutely wonderful!) gave us the “Go sign” and I was helped out of bed.  Timothy, my IV pole and I headed down the hall to the Operating Room.  A quick, See You Soon  and a kiss, and I was escorted to the O.R. for my Spinal and Timothy was showed where to wait for me.  I wish Timothy could have been there to hold my hand, but I put on my big girl face and hopped on the table and assumed position for the Spinal.

The Aneshesiologist was amazing.  I had myself all worked up for excruciating discomfort.  It was easy peasy!  Hardly hurt at all! The nurse held my hand and helped me to relax as the Spinal was administered.  It was over before I knew it. 

Timothy was ushered in once I the Spinal took effect.  The Anesthesiologist was at my head the entire time and was always one step ahead of any nausea or pain.  Dr. Flora and her assistant surgeon  started the Cesarean and told me what they were doing every step of the way.  I felt completely calm and kept focusing on the fact that in a few minutes I would meet my son or daughter!

My sweet husband held my hand and held his finger on the camera ready to snap away.  As Dr. Flora pulled out our baby, Timothy revealed, “IT’S A BOY!”  Our sweet boy was here!  He was crying a loud strong cry.  I got a quick peek and then he and daddy were taken to the corner of the room to get cleaned up while I was getting put back together.

Bauer John-Thomas was born at 2:06PM and weighed in at 8 lbs. 9 oz. and was 20.5 inches long.  He was projected to be a 10 pounder, so we were a little surprised by our “small” 8.9 pound baby.  Bauer’s weight was always a topic of conversation with our doctors.  Our first and second trimester we were followed closely for suspected growth restriction.  This is caused from my thyroid levels since I am on total thyroid replacement.  At one point we were told to expect Bauer’s  birth  weight to be 4 to 5 pounds.  He quickly caught up during the third trimester!

Daddy took lots of photos (the first of many).  Then he was ushered to the recovery room to wait with Bauer - sweet bonding time for the both of them.  I joined them soon thereafter.  Bauer was placed on my chest.  He immediately latched on and I nursed him.  I couldn’t believe how alert he was.  I marveled at his big bright blue eyes and the perfection from his head to his toes.  His head was perfectly round (a benefit of not hanging out in the birth canal!) and he had the sweetest chubby cheeks.  Surprisingly he totally resembled his 4D ultrasound.  Technology is amazing!!

Timothy and I had some quiet time as a family of three and were joined by family one by one.  Nana and Papa Oregon and JJ all came back to the recovery room to meet Bauer.  Family was called to announce Bauer’s birth and then it was time to be wheeled to our room.

We joked that we were at Hotel Hoag.  Everything was first class.  We had a corner room with breathtaking views of Newport Beach’s Lido Island and the Harbor.  Our team of nurses were available with just a push of the call button.  They helped me to  get all comfy cozy in bed ( I was completely numb from the Spinal) and was waited on hand and foot!  Timothy took to fatherhood right away and was initiated with many poopy diapers and cries for food.  Bauer gobbled up the colostrum (which we referred to as liquid gold!) and we alternated between syringe and breastfeeding.

Bauer had his first bath.  Our nurse warned us that he would scream.  He didn’t!  Bauer looked like a little peanut in the big pink basin, and just laid back and enjoyed the pampering.  It was precious!  Daddy swaddled him up (and learned the burrito wrap and quickly perfected it!) and patted his back until he fell asleep.  My heart swelled as I watched my husband tend to Bauer’s every need.

After our visitors said their good-byes (Nana and Papa Oregon, JJ, Uncle Mark, Kathi Salley-Randall and Heather Kaufman) Timothy and I said a prayer of Thanksgiving to God for our healthy, beautiful, precious baby boy.  We whispered into Bauer’s ear, You are smart.  You are kind.  You are important.  You are loved.   We drifted off to dreamland.  Our dream came true.  We are a family.  The adventure of parenthood is ahead of us and we are thrilled at all that lies ahead of us.