Jack {Three Months}

+ Already growing out of his 3 month clothes.  Slow down Jack!
+ Still a great sleeper, most nights he sleeps until about five, and then goes back to sleep for a couple more hours after some milk
+ He is super smiley and nothing makes him happier than someone talking to him
+ He has become quite the chatterbox, and as soon as he has someone's attention he starts cooing away
+ Would be thrilled if he was held all day long
+ Gets his cheeks kissed about a million times a day
+ Loves to watch his big brother.  I can only imagine what kind of shenanigans they'll get into together.
+ Likes: napping in his swing, baths, chatting with people, snuggling, being swaddled at night
+ Dislikes: not being picked up right away when he fusses, tummy time

Jack's Birth Story

I'm writing down Jack's birth story mostly so I can look back one day and remember every special moment.  If reading all the details of birth is your thing, then enjoy!  If not, there are some cute pictures at the end!

Jack's entrance into the world may have turned out differently than I had expected or planned on (because these things always go according to plan, right?), but meeting him was as beautiful and precious as I could have hoped for.  He reminded us that he's his own person by making us wait as long as possible, although he's making up for it by being the sweetest little baby.

Nixon showed up eight days before his due date, so I was really hoping this one wasn't going to make us wait around.  No such luck.  At my 40-week appointment, the midwife scheduled my induction for ten days past my due date, all the while saying she didn't think we would have to go that route.  I was also scheduled for a couple non-stress tests during those ten days, just to make sure the baby was still in good shape.

I really wanted to avoid an induction, but at the same time it was reassuring to have an end date set.  I was having a lot of braxton hicks, so I knew my body was getting ready, but they never turned into anything close to real labor.  So, at 41.5 weeks pregnant, it was time to encourage little Jack to come out and meet us.

We checked in to the hospital at 3 pm, and spent the next couple hours getting settled, meeting the team, and doing a lot of waiting.  My nurse finally started the pitocin around 5, and then...more waiting.  The contractions picked up in frequency, but were still only slightly uncomfortable.  I relaxed in bed, chatted with Donovan, and hoped that things would pick up and I wouldn't be in labor all night.  The nurse raised my dose of pitocin a couple times over the next two hours and kept remarking how well I was responding to it.  I took her word for it since I still wasn't anything more than mildly uncomfortable and didn't really feel like I was in labor.  Once my water broke around 7:20 though, things got real.

The contractions quickly became more and more painful and were coming closer together.  No more doubting whether or not I was in labor!  An hour or so after my water broke, the nurse came in to check on me.  My pain level was getting pretty serious by this point, but I was still managing the contractions.  As crazy as it sounds, the idea of getting an epidural is more scary to me than giving birth drug-free, so I really wanted to do this naturally if at all possible.  I was only dilated to a six, which was a little discouraging considering how intense the contractions were feeling, but I still refused the nurse's offer of an epidural and opted to tough it out just a little bit longer.  Fast forward about fifteen minutes, and I was yelling at Donovan that I couldn't take it anymore and needed something.  The nurse came in, took one quick look, and announced that we were having a baby.  The team rushed in, the midwife got in place, and I started pushing.  I honestly have no idea how long I pushed, it felt like hours but was probably around ten to fifteen minutes.  Finally, at 8:48 pm, sweet little Jack entered the world and was placed in my arms.

Best moment ever.

While I have to say that having two kids is a whole different ball game, we are so in love with this little guy.  I can't wait to watch Jack and Nixon's relationship grow and develop as they become best friends.  We're so happy you're here Jack!

Jack {Two Weeks}

Little Jack is two weeks old already!  Despite a few sleepless nights and a bit of a learning curve when it comes to two kids requiring our attention, we couldn't be happier that this precious guy is part of the family.  Nixon is getting the hang of being a big brother and does a great job of giving Jack his blanket, announcing when Jack sneezes ("Jack choooo!"), and turning his swing on.  Aside from shaking his hand (seriously, cutest thing ever), he has yet to voluntarily touch Jack, which probably isn't the worst thing even if I have yet to get the cute picture of Nixon holding his baby brother.

Jack has been busy gaining weight and is already up to 9lbs 4oz, putting him in the 66th percentile for weight.  His length is 80th percentile, which explains why he's already outgrown most of his newborn clothes.  He's been a fairly calm baby so far, which I am extremely grateful for, and is even letting us get some pretty decent stretches of sleep at night.

He loves being swaddled, snuggling, drinking milk, and tripling the amount of laundry we do around here.  Things he's not a fan of are baths and being trapped in the car seat when he's hungry (can't blame him for that one).

Happy two weeks, Jack!

Nixon: 14 Months

Here we are at fourteen months already!  Nixon keeps becoming more of a little boy and less of a baby.  He is constantly on the move and hardly ever slows down, except to eat and nap.  He's got "Mama" and "Dada" down, but no other words yet.  He does "talk" allllll day long though, so I think he's close!  He's still extremely curious and loves helping me around the house, such as turning the vacuum on and off, handing me plates one-by-one from the dishwasher, or watching me cook (the mixer is his favorite).

We've been slooooowly transitioning him from co-sleeping to his crib (which is turning out to be just as hard for me as it is for him) and we have a long ways to go, but I know he'll make the switch when he's ready.  From day one his motto has been "co-sleep or no sleep" and I don't think he's ready to let go of that quite yet.  He's also transitioning from two naps to one.  After a few weeks of fighting naps, I finally gave in and tried dropping the morning nap.  And success!  He still takes a short nap in the morning if he's extra tired, but most days he just goes down right after lunch.  Someday we'll get this sleep thing figured out.

Things Nixon has been loving/learning/doing this month:

• Being chased, although he loves the being caught part the most, so most of the time he turns around or stops and waits until you catch him.  All while laughing hysterically.
• He totally gets the concept of peek-a-boo and "where's Nixon?" and will hide behind things and then peek out with an adorable smile. 
• Now that he's walking, he loves playing outside.  He mostly just walks around and pokes the bushes and picks up leaves, but we have been working on throwing a ball and he is actually getting pretty good at it.  
• Close on the heels of the sippy cup victory of last month, comes victory over the straw cup.  So many drinking options!!

While I was putting the groceries away, he reached into the fridge and helped himself to an apple

Nixon - Nine Months

Nine months!  Our little monkey keeps growing up way too fast, but we're having so much fun in each new stage.  This boy is busy.  He's crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything, and grabbing everything he can get his hands on.  Needless to say, he's a handful these days.

We got his official stats at his well-baby check-up.  He's up to 21 lb, 5 oz. (64th percentile) and 28.5 inches (60th percentile).  His head however, just won't stop growing.  We were curious to see if it would be off the charts this time, but it squeaked by at 99 percentile.  Clearly, we have a genius on our hands.

I'm planning a post specifically talking about food and eating, but I will say that Nixon is loving solids.  We're done with purees for the most part, and his lack of teeth doesn't slow him down too much, though obviously we stick to soft/mushy foods that he can easily chew.

Nixon's thoughts on life as a nine-month-old:

• Diaper changes must be escaped from at all costs
• Baths are super fun but being dried off is the worst form of torture imaginable
• Mommy's cool and all, but Dad coming home from work is the best part of the day
• The world is my jungle gym
• I really hope Mommy and Daddy stop calling me Boo Boo McNixon before high school
• If Mom and Dad make me sit in my carseat for more than twenty minutes one more time, I'm going to scream.  Oh wait, I already do that.

Things Nixon has been loving this month:

• Bananas and broccoli
• The park - it's finally cool enough to be outside during the day, so we've discovered the joy that is swinging
• Blowing raspberries on any surface, including but not limited to: your face, windows, the fridge, and the floor.

Nixon: Eight Months

This month has been a big one for Nixon in terms of achievements.  Most notably, he's on the move!   Once he got the hang of crawling, he's become unstoppable.  As soon as I set him on the floor, he's off to explore whatever catches his eye first.  He's also mastered maneuvering into a sitting position on his own.  He still loves standing, and while he can't balance on his own yet, he's pulling up on anything he can reach.  This kid is going to be walking before we know it!

We're still struggling a little with sleep, but we're slowly finding a nap routine that works.  Hopefully consistent nighttime sleep will follow.  There are no issues whatsoever with eating, however.  This boy loves his food!  No teeth yet, so chewing is still a little tricky, but he manages.  He has no time for purees anymore, feeding himself is the only way to go!

Nixon's faves this month:

• Peek-a-boo - but just using your hands doesn't cut it, at the least you have to hide behind the couch.
• Crawling - or at least being able to get places on his own.
• Broccoli - probably his all-time favorite food currently.  I hope it lasts.

Trying on winter clothes to see if anything still fits.  Obviously, he was thrilled.

Taking a break from crawling to do some baby yoga.  He's a pro at downward dog.

On The Move

The little munchkin is officially mobile!

He's been crawling for a couple weeks now, and while I'm not convinced he actually likes crawling (probably the fault of his huge head), he does like being able to get around.  Nothing is safe from his curiosity.

He's already moving on to pulling up on anything and everything, so I'm giving it another couple months before he gets fed up with crawling and starts walking.

Eight month update coming soon!

Six Month Stats

Due to all the moving business and getting settled and taking our time scheduling Nixon's six month check up, he had his appointment a little late.  I'm sure he didn't mind putting off the shots a few more days, although he handled them like the brave, strong little guy he is, with only a few moments of screaming and tears.  I was curious to see what his stats are this month, since he's definitely been growing.  6-month clothes are starting to get tight, and he's moving on to 9-month and 6-12 month sizes.  As it turns out, his head is unstoppable, clocking in at the 94th percentile.  Obviously, we have an extremely smart baby.  Weight is up to 18 lb, 13 oz (67%) and he's getting taller at 27.5 inches (75%).

This child's going to be crawling before we know it!

Nixon: Six Months

Somehow we're at half a year already.  Time, please slow down.

Nixon's biggest accomplishment this month has been rolling over.  After weeks of trying, he finally made it all the way over while we were visiting my parents in CO.  Apparently, he was just waiting until Grandma and Grandpa could watch.  Now, he doesn't tolerate being on his back for more than a minute or two before he flips over to his tummy.  He's already moving on to pushing his little butt up in the air, so crawling will probably be happening soon.

This has been a tough month for the little guy, full of upheaval as we moved back from overseas.  He's been a trooper through it all, but I'm sure he's ready to settle down again (as we all are).  We've been trying to keep things as normal for him as possible, with the same schedule, same bedtime routine, etc.  However, we're living without our furniture right now, so the poor guy is also having to adjust to sleeping in the pack n play rather than in bed with us (an air mattress isn't the safest for babies).  I also suspect that we're in the middle of a growth spurt plus possible teething, so all that combined means naps and bedtime are a bit of a struggle right now.  Aside from sleep issues though, Nixon continues to be his smiley, happy, playful self.

Things Nixon has been loving this month:

• His walker - one of the first things we did after we arrived in NC was buy the little guy a walker.  He's been taking advantage of our lack of furniture and cruising all over.  It's so much fun to watch him enjoy his new-found independence and explore his surroundings.
• Sitting up in the boppy - he can sit on his own without any support for a few seconds before toppling over, but with the boppy he's a pro at sitting.  He loves being able to see what's going on around him.
• Evening walks in the stroller - right before dinner (Nixon's fussiest time of the day), we head out for a loop through the neighborhood.  The fresh air and being in the stroller helps him get in one last quick nap, which makes bathtime and bedtime much, much more enjoyable.

Meeting Great-Grandma

Nixon: Five Months

How are we one month away from half a year??  I know I say this every month, but time is flying.  Baby Nixon keeps getting bigger and bigger (especially his cheeks) and his little personality is really starting to come out.  He's still extremely curious, which works out great when we're in crowds or out and about doing things, because he's usually too busy looking around to be fussy.

This month has brought quite a few changes, as we're in the process of moving back to the States, but Nixon has been taking it all in stride.  We've been able to keep his schedule pretty much the same, despite living in a hotel.  We try to be extra careful not to wake him up during naps and after bedtime, and so far he's still sleeping like a champ, although I expect that flying back to the States will change that for a little while (since I'm getting around to posting this after we've made it to the States, I can say that the only thing that's messed up is his schedule is shifted by a couple hours).

His favorites this month:

• Bath-time has become even more fun.  Nixon has officially outgrown his baby bathtub, so all baths are in the big boy bathtub.  He has discovered that with the extra room to move around, he can take splashing to a whole new level.  We put a few inches of water in the tub, lay him down, and let him splash around to his little heart's content.  Best part of his day.
• Still loving his daily dinosaur shriek practice sessions (lets hope he doesn't do this too often on the plane in a few days...)
• Being outside - he loves the fresh air and abundance of things to look at (unless the sun's in his eyes, then it's the worst thing ever).
• Playing with Daddy - nothing puts a smile on this little guy's face like his daddy.