2 weeks old!!

Here is a pic of our wonderful baby boy at 2 weeks!
My how time flies when you are sleep-deprived!

This is one of the neatest gifts we have received...it is a wooden block
engraved w/ all Ben's birth stats....I only snapped pics of 3 of the sides...
thanks Jackson Family!!

Here is our tiny little Christmas tree for this year!
Adorable, huh?

Two weeks truly has flown by! It has been quite a challenge but worth every moment of lost sleep, worry, and frustration. The most recent development is congestion....all three of us have had it but Ben's has been the most worrisome. We have been suctioning him, using saline nose drops, and Brad even made a 5 am run to the store for a humidifier this morning. In more positive news, Ben gained 10 oz from last Friday to this Friday and has now graduated from the lactation consultant! Yeah! I am now permitted to drive so I am going to wrap up our Christmas shopping on Monday. Brad will have his first round of solo baby care and I have plenty of confidence in him....I will probably be worried sick regardless during my time away though! Another point of interest, I invested $35 in a "hands-free" breast pump corset...and yes it looks as hilarious as you are imagining but it is GREAT! I can eat a meal, or answer my phone, or BLOG while pumping (yep, you guessed it! This is a multi-tasking entry!). Hopefully I can also finish our Christmas cards to mail out on Monday so they actually get to people by Christmas. I would skip them all together this year but it is the perfect opportunity to spread the news, and even some pics, of Ben's arrival! We are certainly feeling blessed this year for the holidays!

Ben's due date...ha...

(Ben..."cordless")

Today was Ben's due date! Needless to say he and God had a hardy laugh at any plans that the docs and I had. We are so very happy to have him here! We are getting in a better routine. Nights have improved because we are beefing up his midnight feeding. We are still consulting w/ a lactation consultant because he is gaining but closer to the lower end of ideal. We go back to the pediatrician for a weigh in tomorrow and to the lactation consultant for a review of his latch and before and after feeding weigh ins. In other news, his umbilical stump fell off today! It got roughed up on picture day at our house so I think the shedding process got sped up a little that day! :( The photographer ( http://www.robinsphotography.com )stayed all day...he is an old co-worker of Brad's so they did a lot of catching up and playing w/ photography software. We have been busy bees this week, squeezing in laundry and cooking between feedings and diaper changes! Brad has been great about changing diapers and welding bottles when we supplement (we are supplementing w/ additional breast milk at every 3rd feeding to boost his intake...per the lactation consultants advice). Overall, things are less overwhelming and we are enjoying having our little guy around. Henry has been angelic and only has to be scolded not to sniff or lick the baby! :)

1 week old!

We started the morning at the lactation consultant
on Ben's 1 week birthday (Saturday). Woo-hoo!
I got some practical insight re: decreasing painful
latches and some peace of mind that he is getting
plenty to eat w/ before and after feeding weigh-ins....
he took in more than 3 oz at that feeding despite
all the latch practicing and switchng him around!
Plus he weighed 7 lbs 2 oz BEFORE the feeding
which was his birth weight .

Ben's hairy big bro is feeling both jealous and
protective of his new pink little sibling.

Ben tried out a binkie but I decided it was a big pain in the butt....
it pops out of his mouth every 15 seconds which is way more
annoying than providing direct soothing!

The swing we borrowed from 'aunt'
Jenn on the other hand was a big hit!

Bath #2 was quick but fussy....except the hair
washing which is apparently his happy place!