Devlen 6 months

Oops.  I didn't post 5 months.  It was a good month with some rough patches.  D started cutting teeth, we found out his daycare was closing, family came to visit and more milestones were met.

I can't believe he's already 6 months. It's so crazy how quickly its going.  Dec I was so worried about his weight and now I'm worried about his milk to veggie ratio.  He's thriving and growing. Growing like crazy! I feel like every time we go to change him he doesn't fit his clothes. It's insane!

6 month stats:
Weight 16 lb 4 oz (25%)
Height 25 3/4 in (15%)
Head 18 1/4 in (95%)

Eat
We've started veggies!! So far its been butternut squash and sweet potatoes.  The jury is still out if he likes them.  He has swallowed it so I take that as a positive.  We're in the process of trying to find the balance of veggies and milk.  He was taking 40 oz of formula before the veggies. The doc thought that was a bit much so we're trying to figure out the right balance. But the boy loves his milk!

I've also made his food. It's been good and I've taken a friend's technique and put the food in ice cube trays to freeze and then store in freezer bags. We'll see if I can keep up with making our own foods, but so far it's working out nicely (said in week 1).

Sleep
Ahh glorious sleep. February was rough. We started putting him back in the crib which was super fun since every time we put him down he started screaming bloody murder.  He could literally be dead a sleep and when we put him down in the crib he would start screaming.  So we started the process of re-introducing him to his bedroom.  I'd feed him in there, put him in the crib to play and change his clothes. Walk in and out of the room so that every time we went in there wasn't just for sleep.  It was a process, but it worked.  This week we got 3 full nights of sleep!  12 hours!  Some days like this morning, I had to wake him up.  So we're on a good path.


Play
Oh we love to play!  We can roll from back to tummy, but that's not really a trick he likes to show off. We're working on sitting up. He'll either lean forward and hold him or wobble and topple over.  I'm not blaming his 95% head, but I do think it has something to do with the wobble we've got going on.

Teeth
Oh man!  We have 2 bottom teeth and cutting a top one. Talk about fun times!! It hasn't been horrible, but there are moments when you can tell they're really hurting him.  I feel so bad. And everything has to go in his mouth!  He's constantly chewing.  The doc was shocked he was cutting his upper tooth so early. According to my mom, it comes from my side. Sorry kid.

Daycare
Ahh, this was our issue in Feb. We found out the facility we had him decided to close their doors March 7. They gave us a 30 day notice. It was a shock to say the least and initially 30 days seemed like a 2 day notice.  But we found a wonderful daycare that's slightly cheaper and closer to home. The owner of this daycare opened and sold the one we were in. So the setup is so similar and the teachers have been with this owner for 12+ years. D's been there a full week and things are going well and they're so great with him.

Dear Devlen,

6 months is already here!  You bring such joy to your dad and I.  You wake up with a huge smile on your face like you're so glad we're here to see you. The things you can reach now are so impressive. We're always checking to make sure the things you grab are things you are suppose to have.

You continue to impress me.  You're alert and learning everyday. It's a constant reminder that we're your examples and to act and behave the way we hope you will some day.

I can't even begin to express the amount of love we have for you.  You've brought a whole new level of love that I couldn't have imagined before.  I love you and thank God for you everyday.

Love,
Mom

Devlen - 4 months

4 months - Jan 5

Man, I feel like a lot has happened in the month of December!  We fought our first virus, which happened to fall over the first Christmas.  It was also shared with multiple family members including myself and Dave. D got to meet his aunt, uncle and cousins over Christmas and definitely took notice of the younger cousin.  We had a wonderful first Christmas with my parents even though D was sick and my dad got the virus too. The virus was awful and I'm so glad we're past it. It took longer than expected to really get over it and even 7 days into we had heavy spit/throw up.  We've hit some big milestones this month too!

We had our 4 month shots today.  He cried, I cried.  He was a bit fussy throughout the day and slept more than usual, but as I type this he's telling me a very detailed story that involves inflection and hand motions. So, I think we're through the worst of it.

4 month stats:
Weight 12 lb 1 oz (~10%)
Height 24 in (10%) we've reached the 2 foot mark!
Head 17 1/2 in (95%)

Eat
We were doing 4 feeding sessions however, after the 3 month posting I started to question whether he's gaining enough weight. After discussing it with the nurse we decided he should have another feeding added.  So the feeding schedule is now every 3 - 3.5 hours.  Because of this, we added in formula.  I really struggled with this decision.  In the previous post I mentioned wanting to keep him exclusively on breastmilk and increasing my pumping supplies. It wasn't happening.  I really struggled with this decision and shed some tears over it. But D was so easy going, he didn't care what type of milk it was as long as he was eating. So initially he was getting 2 bottles of breastmilk and 1 bottle of formula at daycare.  However, after he got sick I couldn't get my pumping supply to meet any amount he needed while at daycare. So he's now on 18 ounces of formula at daycare and nurses morning and evening. I'm still worried about his weight gain and I just want to make sure he's gaining weight at an appropriate rate even if he remains in the lower percentile.

Sleep
While we were fighting the virus he was waking every 3 hours and nursing.  He naturally dropped the midnight feeding and is now waking between 3-5am to nurse.  I can handle this especially as we work to continue to ensure he's gaining weight at an appropriate rate.

Play
We've hit a milestone! He can officially roll from tummy to back. This accomplishment came on New Year's Day.  The startled look on  his face is so darn cute. I absolutely love it.  Unfortunately for D, mommy asks for this new trick daily.  Some days he just lays on his tummy and doesn't move proving to me that this is not a party trick.  He really starting to take interest in his toys and loves to put it in his mouth.

Travel
We went to Houston for Christmas.  He got to meet his aunt, uncle, and two cousins.  The future gatherings are going to be busy and fun!  3 boys 2 of whom are 7 months apart.  I look forward to seeing them all play together.  D did great with the drive.  He was sick over the holiday and unfortunately shared the virus with family.  Thankfully, the other boys didn't catch it, just the adults.

Daycare
Has been going really well.  They really care for him and he's typically so good-natured that other teachers love coming in and snuggling with him. Today was rough because he fussy due to the shots and being sore. He teachers Ms. Norma and Ms. Janie are so wonderful. They held him until he fell asleep or walked him around the school to help keep him calm.  It's wonderful to know that while we're at work he's being well taken care of.

Dear Devlen,

Oh my big man! It's so funny to say that to a 4th month old, but the changes that have happened this month make me realize that you're definitely not a newborn anymore.  You can roll over, you hold your head up like its no big deal and you definitely have your opinions!  I love seeing you develop!  Your hands are now pulling things to you which means they go directly into your mouth!  You can put your paci in your mouth or fling it onto the ground. I have a feeling we'll soon be playing the game fetch.  And the stories you tell are getting so animated!

You met more of your family and boy are you going to have a good time at future gatherings!  It's exciting to see you take notice of your surroundings.  Your typical quiet self is slowly developing to being more vocal. You coo and babble almost any chance you get.

You have such a sweet demeanor. You still love to snuggle only its definitely on your terms.  You are able to express your opinions and make very clear what you like and don't like.  Seeing you change is exciting and heartbreaking. My little man is growing! Its so fun to see and yet parts of me ache for the 6 week old I could just coddle and snuggle.

I love you so much it hurts.  You have made being a mom so rewarding and loving. I tell people all the time you make me look like a supermom because you're just so easy going about everything.  I look forward to continuing to see you grow and develop!

Love, 

Mom

I can't seem to load any videos so until I figure it out you can see his rolling over video on my instagram account Blazer412

Devlen - 3 month

3 months - Dec 5

Oh man! I can't believe he's already 3 months. I swear every time I look at him he's changed. Growing, changing, and no longer my squishy newborn.  We've started daycare which broke my heart and I went back to work full time. We're trying to figure out a pumping schedule that will allow me to still exclusively give him breast milk.  We recently had an ice storm and thank God! Through the travels to Tulsa and not being strict with a pumping schedule we went through our freezer stash within the first 2 days of daycare. This has caused me stress as what I'm pumping is not what he's taking in the bottle.  Had he gone into daycare on Fri I would've been forced to send formula with him.  While I get that its the end of the world and lots of babies survive just fine on formula (me included, I was a formula baby) I just love the fact that I can provide nutrients for him.

Eat
He's now on a 4 hour feeding schedule with 4 sessions. I'll nurse him in the mornings between 5-6 then its every 4 hours from there. If he's at daycare he almost always has 3 bottles at 6 oz since I can't pick him up in time before his last feeding. Talk about breaking your heart when you only get that one special time when it used to be 4 to 5. But we're all learning and growing with it.  I've recently picked up a 2:30am pumping time in hopes that over the weekend I build enough freezer stash to get us ahead of the game.  I did it once and it worked well.  We also did an official at home weigh-in where I step on the scale with the baby and step on without the baby. According to the home scale he's 11 lb 6 oz.   So I'm excited to see what he weighs at the doctor's office.

Sleep
This kid is amazing.  He's going 8-10 hours sleeping.  His last feeding time is usually 6-6:30 and we put him down between 8-8:30.  Most books and friends I know say to put him down immediately after his last feeding but if we did that we wouldn't have any evening time with him. Typically Dave doesn't get home from his job until 8:30 and its important to both of us that he see Devlen even for a little bit in the evening.  We're still working on our new routine now that daycare is introduced and its ever changing.

Play
When he's on the playmat he actually hits the hanging animals. It's so cute.  He also started looking at his hands trying to figure out they are and where they come from.  He did this over Thanksgiving when we were Tulsa with my parents.  He smiles all the time and he coos at us like he's having a conversation.  Melts my heart every time.

Travel
We made the trek back up to Tulsa. He was great and made the trip as easy as possible.  He met more family, more friends, and showed off his new skills of holding up his head for several seconds and cooing at you while looking you in the eyes.

Daycare
While we've only been in daycare for 4 days, he's adjusted to it fairly easily. He eats like a champ and quickly grew used to Ms. Norma and Ms. Janie who love to hold and snuggle him. The only thing he hasn't adjusted to is the noise, so his naps are super short.  He's started taking 20 - 45 min naps and up to 5 times. I'm hoping he'll get used to it so his naps are longer.

Dear Devlen,

My handsome little man! You have gotten so strong this month. You can hold up your head for several seconds and turn it side to side.  You get more and more frustrated on your stomach mainly because you want to be able to see what's going on around you.  We've started holding you on our hip where we have a hand ready to support your head if you need it. Each time you hold your head up longer and you're so interested in your surroundings.  You had your first Thanksgiving! It was such a fun trip.  Again we met more family, more friends, and you got lots of one-on-one time with Lolli and Pop!  You've really turned into a talker and its so much fun!  It really feels like you're telling us about your day and I can't wait for the moment I can understand what you're trying to say.  You have an easy smile that just lights up the room.  I love the bond we're forming and pray that it always stays this way.

Again we subjected you to our family rivalry, where the cowboys played the giants. Again the cowboys prevailed. I'm pretty sure this means you're a cowboys fan, but that will break your father's heart so we'll wait until you're a little older and can actually cheer for them!

In other news, you attended your first TU tailgate. Both mom and dad love TU and their athletics. You were a hit and of course well behaved. You showed off your smile and while you didn't stay for the game, I know you were cheering for a TU victory.

Bath times are still one of your least favorite activities, but I think you're starting to come around to them. We even caught a smile after a bath!

That belly!  No problems eating here!

That smile! Melts my heart every time!

 His Elvis impersonation 

Got to go to his first TU game!

Love,
Mom

Devlen - 2 month

2 months - Nov 5

We've gone from nervous newborn parents to feeling like we have a routine established.  His personality is starting to show.  We've made our first big road trip where he attended to 2 weddings and funeral.

2 month stats:
Weight: 9 lb 13 oz
Height: 22 1/2 in
Head: 16 1/4 in

The boy is growing!  You can never understand why your mom worries about your what your eating and weight until you become a mom.  It's all about what's going in and what's coming out!

His pediatrician is very pleased with his progress.  Devlen is eating every 4 hours and taking 5 feedings a day.  This did shock the pediatrician and immediately brought fear into my heart. But the pediatrician wasn't worried and said he's clearly gaining weight if this is working for us then its a great thing.  Because D will soon be starting daycare and I asked him how many ounces he needs to be taking per bottle. The dr said 6 ounces! Talk about a shock. We had recently increased his intake from 3 to 5 and after the appointment increased it to 6.  D seems happy and quickly dropped the 4 am feeding.  He's sleeping through the night and every once in awhile needs someone to go in and put his paci back in and he'll immediately fall asleep.

Eat
As mentioned above he's eating only during the day and 4-5 times.  We're still exclusively breastfeeding and its going well.  He's starting to use his hands more. Where in the first month it would be up by his ear he now has jazz hands and keeps it above his face. It's really cute.

Sleep
The kid is sleeping through the night.  I know its crazy. Like I said, he makes me look like a supermom.  After our 2 week appointment the dr suggested I no longer wake him up at night and let him tell me when its time to eat.  During the day I don't allow him to go longer than 4 hours.  This has allowed us to quickly get him sleeping through the night.  At 7 weeks old we move him up to his room.  It was a necessary change even if it made Dave and I nervous. We weren't sleeping well with him in the room and every noise had me jumping up and attending to him. Plus I really didn't want it to become a big deal when it was time to transition to his room.  While I think if we would've wait he would've been fine, it would be me who wouldn't want to him to sleep in his own room. This has also allowed Dave and I reunite as a couple rather than just parents.

Travel
We took him to his first Oktoberfest. It was much calmer than Tulsa's version, but we all had a great time. We only stayed a few hours, but he was so well behaved and allowed us to walk around and look at all the crafts.  They have a kids zone that I'm sure we'll be visiting in the years to come.

We went to Tulsa when Devlen was 5 weeks old.  We had 2 weddings back to back weekends so I decided that Devlen and I would stay the full week in Tulsa.  While the initial drive was bumpy - as Devlen lost  his cool on 635 during a construction zone where there was no way I could get to him which in turned had his mamma in tears.  We eventually got to an exit, got him calmed down and were on the road again. After that it was smooth sailing.  He did great at the weddings and got to meet so many people. He met my family, Dave's family, and lots of friends. It was a wonderful week!  After we made it back home my grandfather passed away. So on Mon evening we drove back up to Tulsa attended the funeral Tuesday and drove home Tuesday night. He was a champ.

We also had our first Halloween! So fun, we went to a pumpkin patch and dressed Devlen as a lion.  He slept most of the time and it was a super short trip, but I'm so glad we went and put the effort to do it.

Dear Devlen,

This 2nd month has flown by. You're growing and growing. We've transitioned out of newborn clothes and you're in 0-3. You still allow us to snuggle you, but you're definitely becoming more active.  You've started smiling and cooing.  Your voice is my new favorite sound.  You love moving your arms and legs and we've done more floor time with you.  Your eye contract is increasing and you'll start tracking movements.  You're such a happy baby and make everyone feel like their a special person to you when you look at them. You've spent a week getting to meet extended family on both mommy and daddy's side, attending weddings, and your first funeral. You were such an angel the entire time. You got some one-on-one time with your Lolli and Pop (my parents) and the soaked up every minute of it.  Everyone is already so in love you and you've enriched all of our lives.

You also got to celebrate your first fun holiday. Halloween came and you got to dress up as a lion! You were the cutest lion I've ever seen. While we stayed home on Halloween and passed out candy, it was so great to think in the years to come we'll be going door to door with you and experiencing the excitement that comes with Halloween.

Oktoberfest in Southlake, TX

Your snazzy wedding attire!

Love,
Mom

Devlen - 1 month

One month - October 5

It's been an amazing month.  We've all learned so much about each other and while not every moment of every day has been smooth they've all been spectacular.  September 5th is my new favorite day.

Devlen's birth stats
Weight: 8 lbs
Height: 20 1/4 in
Head: 14 in

2 week stats
Weight: 8 lb 5 oz
Height: 20 3/4 in
Head: 15 in

From day one Devlen has been an excellent breastfeeder.  He has made this process so easy for me. As easy as it can be for 2 people who've never done it before.  After three weeks I started to pump once a day just build some supplies.  We have a week of weddings in Tulsa which will require me to be away from little man and allow someone else to feed him. My mom and Dave are very excited about this.  I totally get it, I love my one-on-one time when I'm nursing.

Sleep
He's a sleeper and I feel very blessed by this.  We're nursing every 3 hours and it goes through the night. I don't wake him, but let him tell me when he's hungry during the night. During the day, I'll wake him up if necessary.  I really feel its important he gets as much nutrients during the day as he can and then at night, he can tell me when he's hungry.  D does sleep in our room in a bassinet so getting to him is super easy. However, he is not a quiet sleeper and apparently I have developed mom ears and every movement and sound wakes me up. He sleeps peacefully as fret if he's breathing appropriately.

We are swaddling. Have been since in the hospital. While the nurses are super pros, Dave and I use the halo swaddle blanket. It makes it super easy and quick to swaddle D.  Currently we only swaddle at night. He's sleeping during the day in his monkey chair and doesn't startle himself awake.

We introduced a pacifier.  It was while my mother-in-law was in town and she really wanted to see if he would take it.  All the books and notes state to not give a pacifier until 4 weeks or later to ensure proper latching and sucking, but this kid had no issues. He loves his paci and it helps soothe him and he's never had a latching problem.

He's been to the pediatrician once at 2 weeks and got one vaccine shot. He took it like a champ with just a few moments of crying. I, however, did not handle it as well and had many more tears than my 2 week old.

We also did our first outing. We went to a restaurant at 3 weeks old. I needed to get out of the house and Dave convinced me that we could handle him at a restaurant. We went during off peak hours, but Devlen was great.  No issues and he slept the whole through it.

Dear Devlen,

You have made my whole world complete. You make this whole baby thing look easy and I thank God everyday for you and your laid back demeanor. You love your monkey chair and take most of your naps in it. You'll let us hold you and snuggle you and I just cherish those moments.  You've recently started looking at ceiling fans and seemed to be in awe of them.  You're moving your limbs more and becoming less squishy. We've given you a couple of baths. The first time you seemed to love it, after that, you haven't been the biggest fan and have definitely let us know! We've now made bath time a quick as possible for you!  You'll typically sleep 4-6 hours at night.  You're starting to make eye contact and its so sweet. You are also all boy. Your burps could easily come from a full grown man.  You rarely make a noise unless it comes to diaper changes. You're not a fan of those and you let everyone around you know! You do this super cute move where your hand finds your ear.  You do this nursing, falling asleep, or just when the arm seems to move without you knowing it.

Your dad and I have already subjected you to football.  We're both NFL fans only for rival teams. On your first day home it was Giants vs Cowboys.  Sorry kid, this will be your life and eventually you'll have to decide on a team.

Love,
Mom

I'm back!!!

Holy hell ya'll.  It's been awhile. Right?!  Well, I left off where we were moving to the Big D and trying to sell the T-town house.  I was whining about not knowing how to define myself because I was out of work for 1 week.  Geez, where was my cheese tray with that whine!

Well life is different now.  We're living in Grapevine and recently bought a house to set permanent roots.  We still own the t-town house and have become landlords.  I have a job.  A great one that I'm really happy with. My husband is still with the company that brought us to Texas and he's moved up in the company. Life is good.

Even more recently we expanded our family. So along with 2 fur babies we have been blessed with an actual baby.  So here's my warning, I've come back to this blog so I can document about him and have a place for all those memories.

So here he is.  Devlen Michael.  Born September 5 weighing 8 lbs and 20 1/4 inches long.  Let me tell you folks, God knew what he was doing when he gave me this precious child. He's awesome.  He makes me look a supermom because he's just that awesome.

Hospital pic - 2 days new

I'm sure at some point I'll post about his birth story.  I'll also be updating about his development especially since he's now 3 months old and is no longer a squishy newborn.

I need your feedback!

Well, its been a while.  I know.  I didn't think you guys wanted an update on no changes.  So instead of boring you with my networking and job hunting, I have a question.  We haven't had too much luck on our house, I truly believe it has more to do with out of season than the state of the house.  So now what?  Stay in T-town until I get a job and see my beau on the weekend?  Rent the house?  Anyone else have experience with this?  What did you do?  Any thoughts even if you haven't been through it?  I've made my own positive and negative list about being a landlord.  Have any items that you think I should consider?