Brody starts soccer

We have been waiting for this day since he was first born! B and I both played sports growing up and know what a positive influence it can be for kids of all ages. So we were very excited to sign him up this fall. Brody also loves to play soccer around the house.

He, on the other hand was a little overwhelmed at practice! It didn't help that he didn't have a nap. He wouldn't do anything!! And was so intimidated and shy :( it was hard on momma! He's always been one to take his time adjusting to new things and new people, so I know he will get there ! I just hope it's sooner rather than later! Love my sweet boy

Landry: 2 months

Cannot believe a month has flown by! I barely have time to keep up with my house let alone blog :( But here we are, Landry turned 2 months today. We went to his doctor and he is looking good. He is now 7 lbs 11 oz. and 20 inches long! He gained 2 lbs in one month. The doctor checked his platelets and red blood cells before giving him his immunizations and his platelets were 233k (highest they've ever been) so we are safe to assume his platelet issue is resolved. But now his red blood cells are low and he is anemic. His red blood cells have been enlarged since birth and we aren't sure why but we were hoping it would be nothing. We will continue to watch his red blood cell production and go back to the hemotalogist on the 20th for a recheck.
He also favors his right side so has a slight flat spot that we will be working on to get rid of. The zantac that he is on for reflex is working wonders and helps a great deal!

He is sleeping pretty well at night. Usually goes to sleep around 9 pm and wakes around 2-3am to sleep. I'd be a smart momma if I went to bed when he does but that's when I get stuff done around the house or just relax from the days activities. I'm assuming I will be going to bed around that time when I return to work!

He is in newborn clothes still but is almost getting too long for them and is wearing a size 1 diaper. He nurses every 2 hours during the day and longest stretch is above and then will wake again around 6am to begin the every 2 hour feeds.

He started smiling this week and I absolutely adore it. It isn't the I'm filling my pants smile either :) he also absolutely loves his carrier! I can put him in it and he will zonk out for hours! I return to work on Monday and I'm dreading not having my 3 little sidekicks with me! I'm going to miss them so much even though work might be a vacation compared to taking care of 3 kiddos so close in age!

Landry: 1 month

I'm a week late with Landry's 1 month update but hey, at least I'm getting it done now :)

We took him to the doctor this past Tuesday and he was 5 lbs 11 ounces and 18 1/4" long. He gained almost 1 lbs in 2 weeks which is great and also grew another inch, 2 inches since birth!

Dr. Jones looked him over and gave him a great bill of health. I had a concern because he only turns his head to one side, prefers to eat on one side and sleeps with his head one side. I was worried he'd get a stiff neck from it or a flat head. His right side is a little more flat but nothing to be concerned over yet. Dr. J gave us some exercises to try. He's so stubborn about it that I will swaddle him and turn him on the other side only to find him turn to his preferred side.

We also had the Early Childhood Intervention consultant that day. Any child who is behind in development because they were born early or were small for gestational age qualifies for these services. We will get monitored to see if Landry falls behind in any development and if so then he can have therapy to catch up. It went well, he failed in all his areas just because of his weight, gestational age, birth history, etc. I'm not concerned, I think he will catch up with time in all the areas he needs to be at. But until then we will monitor him.

On Thursday we went to the hematologist and his platelets were 139, down from 2 weeks prior but there were also several clumps that the machine didn't count so we think the number is higher. His red blood cells are still enlarged so we will monitor and go again in 2 weeks

My friend Mandy came out and took some AMAZING pictures of Landry. I'm so thrilled with the shots she captured. With Jaxson, he was awake the entire time, Brody was too young to get any pictures with and we only got a few really good shots. With Landry, he was awake as well (little stinker) but zonked out towards the end to let Mandy do her work. We got a ton of really good pics. My house and work is going to be covered in wonderful memories! Thanks again Mandy! You are so talented.

Life as a family of 5 & Csection recovery

We have settled into a new routine as a family of 5. Landry has been with us for 5 weeks now and it's as if he was a missing piece to the puzzle. The boys absolutely adore him and going from 2 to 3 kids has been a lot easier than from 1 to 2. I think it is because Brody and Jaxson have each other to play with and entertain one another, where before I was Brody's playmate and then couldn't play with him as much once I had Jax.

Logistically it is harder. Getting 3 kids ready to go, finding shoes, packing bags, getting them in the car is exhausting just to go for a drive or over to the parents house. I haven't ventured out by myself with all 3 yet except to go to my parents. Even just running an errand I ask if someone will go with me and then they sit in car with kids while I run into store. I can't imagine going by myself into the store with all 3 or going out to dinner, that might have to wait a few years :) It's a lot of work but it is definitely worth every ounce of sweat and tears, lol.

My recovery is going slowly which is extremely frustrating. With the 2 older boys I was fine after a week or two, could lift, clean and do all the things I like to do just fine. Here I am 5 weeks out and I'm still in some pain in one area of my incision (I think I have a stitch sticking out still that didn't dissolve! yuck ) and still can't do the things I want to do. If I lift Jax out of his crib or help Brody onto the potty I pay for it later in the day and am in pain around my incision site or my muscles around my pelvis are sending sharp pains throughout. I don't know if this is normal or if I've done too much from the beginning that has slowed my recovery but it's not fun. I can't not pick up my kids or do things around the house! I go back to the doctor the 24th so hopefully I will get some reassurance that it is normal and will just take time.

Landry: NICU Week 2

Saturday, July 14th: we got to put Landry in his first outfit that night. Everything was still big on him but he looked adorable :)

Sunday, July 15th: probably my hardest day! I went home to see the boys that morning, that was amazing!! They were so excited to see me and I them. We snuggled, hugged, ate breakfast and just loved on each other. We then went back up to the hospital, ate lunch, went to Build a Bear and then the boys went home with daddy. It tore my heart out to say goodbye to them.

Brody would say "I be a good helper and stay with you and baby brother"
or he would ask if daddy could stay with Landry and I come home with him. He would tell me he was gonna miss me and it just tore me in two. I get teary eyed just thinking about it. I know they were well taken care of and that they won't remember this but wanting to be with them, knowing they want me and feeling guilty for not being with them was my worst pain!

This is the day/night that I say I lost my shit. I was in pain, exhausted, missing my family, worried sick about Landry and what was causing his low platelets. I was just mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted and this was definitely my low point. That night I had nurse Brandy and a great charge nurse. We had to do a lot of blood work that night with Landry and I just lost it. You know the ugly, snotty, I can't stop crying type. I wanted to be home, I wanted Landry to be ok, I wanted to not be hurting, I was just done!! Luckily my nurses were AMAZING and picked me up! They told me it was ok that I was here and not home, that my 2 older boys would survive and forgive me for not being there with them, etc...They understood and got the stress and pain that I was in. The head nurse even said she would sit with Landry while I go and take a hot shower and just let it all out, get all my crying out and that I'd feel much better. You are in such a vulnerable spot being so emotional and feeling such raw pain and I will be forever grateful for those 2 ladies that night as I lost my shit and then got it back together again!

Monday - Thursday: I stopped journaling but basically everything began to stabalize for Landry and he spent those days just being a baby and eating, pooping, sleeping, etc. Wednesday the buzz was that if Landry could pass 4 test: gain weight, maintain temperature, pass carseat and hold steady on platelets that we would be able to go home Thursday!! And boy things started moving fast! Brandon and I both had to watch several videos together. CPR and don't shake your baby to death(so sad we had to actually watch this!) and then get the car seat, make sure it was for a baby under 5 pounds, get some vitamins that L needs, etc...and then we began what Cooks calls "rooming in". It where they take Landry off all monitors, warmer, etc and I'm to do everything (although I was doing that anyway) for the day/night. We both did great and come Thursday morning we were being discharged!! Landry passed all his test although he was making us very nervous during the carseat test as he was having several little decels but he passed!

We came home and life has been great. We are so abundently blessed and in love with our family of 5