Monday was Dayton's Newborn Assessment appointment at the hospital. Little man passed all of his tests and check ups, but he is still a little jaundiced. The nurse practitioner told us that continuing breast feeding would be the best way to clear that up. On Tuesday, Matt, Karen, Abby, and Jax visited and Karen took some Newborn Photos of Dayton. That was fun! Wednesday morning, I was up early with Dayton to feed him and get him ready for his 9:00 am Newborn Photos appointment with Stricker Photography. Michelle had taken our Baby Announcement photos and we had previously booked her for Dayton's newborn, 6 month, and 1 year old photos. This little man was probably already feeling like a celebrity! The photos went really well and I did great driving my little man around for the first time. I drove fairly normal, but I did leave extra space between me and all other cars.
Wednesday and Thursday were fairly normal. We took Dayton with us on a few errands to places like Target or the grocery store. We always said we would not be those parents who shut themselves in their house and never left. We didn't want having a baby to stop our lives. We still plan to live mostly normally...just bringing our baby with us! Obviously, we have taken some precautions to keep him safe from germs. I mean, he was 3 weeks early and we're not quite out of flu season and other airborne viruses are always a concern for an infant. We keep him away from people (definitely no touching) and keep the car seat canopy over him when needed. We've also been taking walks each day that the weather is nice enough. It's so nice to get out and feel like I'm doing some type of exercise. I miss it!
Saturday we drove down to Cedar Rapids to spend an early Easter with the family at Beth and Gene's house. Grandma and Grandpa Bishop brought lunch with them and we ate, talked, and enjoyed some baby time. We ran to Babies R Us quickly to get a few things after we left the fam and the hubs had to tear me away from all of the baby things. It's more fun now that he's here! We got back home around 6 pm and both Dayton and I were pooped. I had to pump 2 extra times that night because I stupidly hadn't taken my pump with us - I'm still in that excess stage! which I am not complaining about.
Sunday my parents arrived later at night and Monday was filled with Nanny and Poppy time. I'm pretty sure my mom was in heaven and I told her to hold Dayton as much as she wanted - even if she spoiled him. Being 15 hours away is pretty hard on Nanny Brunner. It was so nice to have my parents here. I missed them so much and I was so excited for them to meet their first Grandson!
Tuesday, when Dayton turned exactly 2 weeks old he had his 2 week appointment. The hubs met us at the pediatrician's office and we enjoyed hearing how well little man was doing. Dayton weighed 6 lbs 11 oz when we left the hospital and the nurses told us that they would like him to get back to his birth weight by his 2 week appointment. Well, little man weighed 7 lbs 4 oz at his appointment, which is 1 oz over his birth weight! See?? Piggie. The Doctor said little man looked great and he was happy to see he had gained his lost weight back. We talked for a while, asked a few questions, got a little advice, and left feeling very good about our choice in pediatricians. The rents and I went to Panera for lunch and then headed home.
Mommy: I'm really doing very well. I have dropped most of the baby weight already. The hubs keeps commenting that I am smaller every night that he comes home and my mom told me it's ridiculous that I'm already back to being tiny. What a relief. I feel like it's pretty normal to worry about losing the baby weight and I had prepared myself to be "thicker" for a while. I feel pretty good about where I am at though and have even started fitting into some of my pre-prego clothes! I'm trying to eat plenty of healthy calories to keep up my milk supply, but I am looking forward to getting back into the gym next week.
My incision doesn't hurt at all anymore. It's just itchy sometimes. The uterus contracting cramps have stopped completely and I am feeling more and more back to normal. All of the swelling from the IV's is gone - whew! No more sausage feet! I am moving around, coughing, sneezing, getting in and out of bed, and I'm back to cleaning and cooking. Now I can enjoy my maternity leave completely!
Nursing/Eating: Nursing is still going well, but Dayton was having some trouble latching on this week. He had been doing just fine, but then this week he started getting frantic and rooting around for a while before he could finally latch on. It was getting a little frustrating. I usually nurse with skin to skin contact, but Dayton was not being soothed. One day I was nursing on the couch and Brad said, "Move him down a little. His chin is tipped down. The breastfeeding class said his chin needs to be tipped up." Bingo. That's what the problem was! Thanks hunny. That's why I'm glad he went to the classes with me. I can't remember everything! Now all is well again and little man latches quickly, eats, switches, and eats some more. Boom.
Sleeping: Dayton is still sleeping really well too. We have gotten through the eat on demand feedings and established a pretty good schedule. This week Dayton is eating every 2 hours during the day and sleeping 4-5 hour blocks at night. Our schedule looks like this: 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm, 7 pm, 9 pm, 1 am, 5 am, and 7 am or sometimes 9 am. So far so good! I am one lucky Momma that my 2 weeks old is sleeping 4-5 hour blocks at night. Whew.
Size: At his 2 week appointment, little man weighed 7 lbs 4 oz and was 19 1/2 in. long. He looks bigger and feels bigger to me already. I was looking at his head this morning thinking...your head is bigger. Stop growing! Already I'm telling him to stop growing. Oh boy. Little man is still wearing Newborn clothes. They fit him very well, but I would not be surprised if he grows out of them soon!
Development: Dayton has had a few mornings where he is very awake and alert. It is absolutely adorable to watch him make faces, wiggle, raise his arms, kick his legs, and grab and hold onto my fingers with his hands. When I talk to him he is looking at me and he seems to look right into my eyes. Love! He also looks like he is trying to smile. Most of the time I see this when he is done eating and is falling asleep. My little bug is just so precious! I love all of the little faces he makes.
Temperament: Overall, Dayton is a very happy and content baby. I could not ask for more.
Likes: Dayton loves to be held - obviously. He does love to be swaddled, he loves skin-to-skin contact, and he likes to lay on Daddy's chest. The hubs will lay on the couch and lay Dayton on top of his chest on his stomach. It's amazing how quickly he settles down and just hangs out there. Melts my heart!
Dislikes: Little man doesn't cry much but he does not like to have his diaper changed with those cold wipes before he eats. If you change him after he eats...no problem. Before...expect some crying!
Small Moments: This week I loved watching my parents be grandparents. Dayton is their first grand baby and it was so sweet to watch my Mom and Dad hold our son. They're both such good grandparents. I am lucky to have them as parents and Dayton is lucky to have them as grandparents!
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