Eli - 5 Months

Holy Cow! Where has the time gone? How can my sweet babe already be 5 months old? I feel like I'm still figuring out this whole parenting thing, and we are almost half way through his first year!!

Eli is growing SO fast! He LOVES to babble. He says "hi", although I'm sure he doesn't know what it means, will mimic monkey sounds, and is constantly "talking". It's the sweetest sound. His voice is low and raspy, just like mine was when I was a babe.

He is a rolling over machine, and never stays on his back anymore. He is ALMOST crawling, and can sit up like a big boy (when he is in the mood) but we are still working on that skill. His crawling is really more like scooting, and it's only backwards, but we are getting so close. We've already had to baby-proof the living room.

Eli is still dealing with some tummy issues, so I am taking some digestive enzymes and have cut foods such as beans, coffee and sweets out of my diet. He seems to be doing much better since we've made these changes.

We are also working on sleep habits with him. He is still waking up every 2-3 hours at night, and has never slept through the night. We are on a tight schedule with his day and night sleeping, and have been following the "Healthy Sleeping Habits, Happy Baby" book. He seems to be getting better, but we've still go a long way to go. On the plus side, he did learn how to sleep without being swaddled (I thought the day would never come)!

Eli is SUCH a happy little guy. He just started to laugh at things he thinks are funny, rather than just when we would purposefully make him laugh. It is seriously the cutest thing ever! He's full of smiles, and loves to play (his favorite toys are his octopus, Johnny Jump up and pop-goes-the-weasel toy). He loves being outside too. He loves walks in his stroller and sitting outside looking at the animals next door.

Eli currently has a HUGE crush on his dad. He gets the biggest smile when daddy comes home from work and always does lot of giggles with daddy. I am still his comfort blanket, and he has been getting more and more snugly.

We are so blessed with such a happy, sweet, smart and loving little man and are enjoying watching his little character come through. We pray that God blesses him with courage, strength, dedication, perseverance and a gentle spirit.

Eli - 2 months

Our little one is two months! How has that much time gone by already? He is 24.5 inches long, 13 lbs, 11oz, and is in 75th percentile in height and 85th in weight. He's our chubby little man! :)

Elijah is such a sweet, happy little guy! He is full of smiles and is "talking" more and more everyday. He also has started to drool like crazy. We have to started to have to use a bib to help control the mess! :)

He can hold his whole upper body up when he does tummy time and is rolling from his back to his side, getting frustrated when he can't roll all the way over. He definitely is a strong little man! Speaking of man, this kid is 100% boy, he cracks up every time daddy says "poop", does lots of big toots and burps, he hates if mommy changes his clothes more than once and LOVES to be naked!He is also VERY active all the time, he is going to keep us on our toes for sure!

We are still on a limited diet due to Eli's sensitive little tummy. We have also found out that Eli doesn't do well with cherries and spicy foods (which makes me very sad!) He really thrives on days when I eat clean and avoid foods he doesn't do well with.

Eli is sleeping for 5-7 hour stretches at night, and then usually 3-5 more after a night feeding. He is a great sleeper and doesn't fuss at all at night time (nap time is a different story, we are working on that!) He moved into his own room a week ago, and he seems to love his crib; its much more roomy than his bassinet. We love having our room back to ourselves as well. His room is right next to ours so even though we have a baby monitor, and use it, we can hear everything without it.

As I mentioned above, Eli doesn't do great with nap time during the day. He SCREAMS when he starts to get tired, and we still have to kind of rock him to sleep. We are slowly starting to sleep train him, by letting him cry it out, but he really fights sleeping during the day. He doesn't want to miss out on anything! I would gladly take a baby who doesn't sleep great during the day over a baby who doesn't sleep well at night! :)

We celebrated his first big holiday, the 4th of July and he did so great. He slept through all the fireworks and was smiley all day!

We have  found he loves the Baby Bjorn, and will calm down almost instantly once he's in it. He is really starting to get interested in his toys and loves to sit outside (in the shade). Its just starting to heat up here in the Pacific Northwest, and it's been a big adjustment to his little body. We've had a few fussy days due to the heat (and a little stomach bug). We are doing our best to keep him cool and get him outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather!

Everyone told me that every stage is fun, and I am finding that is SO true. I am loving this stage and am so amazed at how fast he is growing. Thank you Jesus for this little boy!!

Psalms 127:3-5 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Eli - 6 week update

Our little squirt is now almost 7 weeks old, and has changed SO much! 

Eli has so much personality and starting to be SO much fun! He is moving from the always asleep infant phase to the smiley, playful baby phase. He has the sweetest smile and LOVES to look around at the world. Eli currently loves when mom and dad say "ha ha ha, he he he, ho ho ho" and when we say " I love you" to him. We always get big smiles.

He also has rolled over already! He rolled over at 5 weeks old, which is amazing! He LOVES tummy time and can hold his whole upper body up for a long time. He's definitely a strong little guy!

He is eating like a champ (which is obvious from the pictures!) and sleep 3-5 hours at a time. He is never fussy unless he's trying to fight falling asleep, which is his new favorite thing to do!

He does great in the car and usually falls asleep in his car seat. He loves being out and sleeps better when we have big, busy days.

Eli does have a sensitive little tummy (just like mom and dad) and have had to change my diet to keep his little tummy calm. Here is a GREAT blog post on foods that can upset a newborn's tummy, I found this so helpful:

Foods to avoid

I am so excited to watch our little miracle keep growing, and am loving every phase he goes through. We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful baby and feel SO blessed to be his parents!

Elijah Jon - My Birth Story

Our son, Elijah came into this world on May 4th, 2012 at 4:18 AM. He weighed 8 lbs, 1 oz and was 21.5 inches long. He is perfectly healthy and SUCH a good baby.

My birth story is truly a testament to lots of prayer, chiropractic care and is definitely a miracle. God blessed us with such a beautiful experience.

On Wednesday night, May 2nd, around 3:00 AM I woke up with some strong feeling contractions. They weren't super painful, but they were definitely different than I had felt before. I tried to not focus on them and to get some rest, as I knew that was the most important thing if I was going into labor soon. The contracts came and went until about 8:00 AM, but they never got stronger or closer together. Around 8:00 AM on Thursday, the contracts had stopped all together. At this point, I was more than a week over due, and I was bummed that progress seemed to stop.

We had an appointment with our Midwives scheduled for Thursday anyway, so we went in to see how things were progressing. We met with Nicole and student midwife, Kim. They said that most likely things would pick up again that night, after the sun went down. They wanted us to try and get lots of rest that day. They offered to check my progress and see if anything was going on down there. I was happy to let them. When they checked me at around 11:00 AM, I was 2 centimeters dilated, but still had about 3.5 centimeters of cervix left, which meant I had a ways to go. Our midwives recommend we get some Evening Prim Rose Oil and start taking that to help with thinning my cervix.

I took three evening prim rose pills when we got home, and decided to lay down and take a nap. I woke up around 4 PM having some contractions. I tried not to get my hopes up, as I knew my body still had a ways to go. They contractions kept coming, so around 5 PM, Mike and I started timing them to see if they were consistent. They were coming every 5-7 minutes and were lasting about 45 seconds. My contractions at this point were uncomfortable and definitely present, but nothing that I couldn't breath my way through. The contractions stayed at about 5 minutes apart and 45 seconds to a minute a part until around 8 PM. During this time we watched two different movies and tried to stay distracted. We decided to call our midwives and let them know about what was happening.

They said that it sounded like things were progressing nicely and recommended that I keep moving around and getting as much rest as possible. They wanted us to call back when the contractions got more intense or were in a 4, 1, 1 pattern (4 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for at least one hour). Around 10:00 PM, the contractions started getting a lot stronger. They were harder to just breath through and I had to keep moving to distract myself. We kept timing the contractions, and at this point they were 3.5-4 minutes apart and getting very strong. We called the midwives around 11:00 PM, and they said it was time to head in to the birthing center. They wanted us to meet them there at midnight.

As we were getting ready to leave for the birthing center, my contractions got a lot stronger. As we were leaving, my body started getting the urge to push, which was a new feeling. I told Mike we better get there fast!

When we pulled up to the birthing center, my contractions were coming every 3 minutes and were very intense. Tonya was the midwife on call that night, and student midwives, Terah and Kim were there as well. They had the room (room 1) all set up for us and the first thing they did when we got there was check my progress to see how far along I was. I was hoping that they would give us good news, as I was not ready to go back home and have to come back! When they checked I was 6 centimeters dilated and 100% effaced. They said that my progress was great and the baby was on his way!

Mike called my parents, his mom and my best friend to come meet us at the birthing center, as I wanted them there for the labor and delivery. I labored from midnight until about 2:00 AM, with my contractions getting closer and closer together, and much more intense. At this point, however, my water still hadn't broken. The pressure on my back and bum were getting really intense, and I knew I must be getting close, as the pressure was almost too much to bear. I was laboring in the birthing tub at this point, and with a very strong contraction, I felt a "pop" and knew right away my water had broken. Immediately, the contractions changed in intensity and feeling. I had officially transferred to the pushing stage. My whole body started to get the urge to push with every contraction. It felt nice to have break from the contraction pain, and to know that things were progressing forward.

Around 3:00 AM, Our midwives recommended I move from the tub to the birthing stool, as the baby had one little bump to get over still, and it would be the best position to get him around that. I started pushing on the birthing stool and pushing with all my might. I was tired and shaking, but I knew that our baby was SO close to being born. Each time a contraction came, I used all my might to push as hard as I could. It was definitely a 2 steps forward, 1 step back process. I could feel his head pushing lower, and then when the contraction ended, moving back up. Finally, with one BIG push, the "ring of fire" started. Holy cow, no one can prepare you for that feeling. I wanted to cry, but tried to remember that it was ALMOST the end. I pushed harder, and Eli's head came out, and the rest of his body followed, without needing another push.

Michael was able to catch the baby, and the midwives noticed that his cord was already done pulsing. They had Mike cut his umbilical cord right away. My placenta had already disconnected from my body, and it easily fell out with just a small push.

As soon we saw our boy, Michael and I were both in tears. He was so perfect and healthy.

The best part? Elijah was born on Mike's 31st birthday. Eli waited until dad's birthday to be born. May 4th is officially the most important day of our lives!

I honestly cannot say enough good things about our midwives and students. They were SUCH a huge support and coached us through the birthing process perfectly. They never intruded in the process, but made the best recommendations and offered so much support. I am so thankful to each one of them. I am so impressed with Puget Sound Birthing Center. We will definitely be going back when we decide to have another.

While birthing naturally was definitely intense, I wouldn't have had it any other way. It is such a miracle to be able to feel every part of the birthing process, and the sense of accomplishment after the baby was born is a feeling I wouldn't trade for the world.

Michael was such a HUGE support during the entire process; praying for me, holding me, calming me, and encouraging me. I could not have done this without his amazing support and love.

We are so blessed to have this baby! He is so calm, already sleeping 3-4 hours at a time, and is never fussy. He poops every time he eats and cracks us up with his silly faces. Our hearts are SO full and bursting with love.

My Favorite Pregnancy Snacks

One of the biggest changes in my life since becoming pregnant is my constant desire to eat!

I am not typically a big snacker. I am a “three meals a day and a snack before dinner” type of person, always have been. I never really got hungry enough to snack during the day, and if I did, I would ignore it until it was meal time.

Not. any. more. I am hungry ALL the time, and this hunger is not like any hunger I’ve ever experienced. It’s urgent and immediate. I cannot wait to until meal time to eat, usually I can’t even wait 5 minutes to eat!

It is super important to keep healthy snacks around for when these hunger pangs strike so that you can give your body (and baby) the nutrients you (and they) need!

Here is a quick list of snacks that we now keep stocked at the Weir household.

Pregnancy Snacks:

Larabars (Cherry Pie and Peanut Butter Cookie are my favorite) 

While I wish these were organic, I love the fact that they only have 4-6 ingredients in them. They are all natural and a great source of protein and nutrients! They are also gluten free, and have a lot of dairy free flavors!

Ener-G Foods Sesame Pretzel Rings 

These are great for the first trimester when you can’t hold anything down. They are a great gluten free substitute for Saltines.

Organic Apples w/ Organic Peanut Butter

It’s probably the time of year I’m pregnant as well, but apples with peanut butter are one of my favorite snacks lately. The peanut butter gives you a great amount of protein, which is super important during pregnancy. Don’t forget to get organic peanut butter though! (Peanuts are one of the most sprayed foods out there!)

Organic Corn Chips

 

We get a big bag from Costco. Another great mild food for when nothing else sounds good. Easy to pack as a snack or to keep by your bed for those middle of the night hunger attacks!

Cherry Tomatoes and Carrot Sticks

This is definitely a second trimester snack. I wouldn’t have been able to even look at these foods in my first trimester. Getting vegetables back into your diet in your second trimester is super important, and these snacks are great starting point! Any veggies you can stomach would be great to add to this list!

Stretch Island Organic Fruit Leather 

Sometimes you just gotta have something sweet. These treats are a great healthy option for when the sweet tooth kicks in, as they contain no added sugar or artificial ingredients!

Applesauce 

This another great sweet snack, that is super easy on the stomach, and feels great on the throat if you get a cold or sore throat while pregnant. My first 8 weeks, I had a constant sore throat and I lived on this stuff.

There are so many other great ideas for snacks out there, but these are the ones that I have found to be the most helpful (and easiest) to have on hand.

Curious what foods I’ve been craving since being pregnant? I’m sorry to disappoint, but not very many. I am kind of bummed that I didn’t get any of those weird cravings! I would love to freak people out by asking for pickles and ice cream, but ewww!! The biggest craving I have had is actually Skittles! I am definitely not a big candy fan normally, and if I do ever want candy, it’s typically Jelly Belly’s or gummy candies (think peachy-o’s or those blue shark gummies!) But right now?  I am all about the Skittles!. I am trying to be good and ignore the craving most of the time, but I have had a bag or two :) 

I am still dealing with lots of aversions, such as animal protein (of all kinds), coffee, the smell of red wine, spinach and most Asian foods (especially teriyaki). I’m not sure if these will last my whole pregnancy, but for now, I am simply avoiding them when I can!

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

One of my husband's favorite side dishes is roasted potatoes. I don't make them very often, but it's a real treat when I do. Come to think of it, I don't know why I don't make them very often, they are so easy and SO good!

These potatoes are the perfect side dish for fall!  They warm you to your core, are full of robust flavors and fill the house with the best aroma! We will definitely be making these again soon!


Roasted Potatoes:

8-10 small red potatoes (or golden would be good)
2 Tbps Olive Oil
1.5 tsp chopped Rosemary
3/4 tsp garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat over to 400.

Cut potatoes into eighths. Or Sixths. The smaller they are the quicker they cook. Put potatoes in a large bow. Add Olive Oil, Rosemary, garlic powder and salt and pepper. mix thoroughly until well combined.

Lay potatoes flat on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and stir. Bake for 15-20 more minutes, or until browned.

We had ours with Steak (for the hubby) and Salad for me (still having my animal protein aversion). It's the perfect side for any meal!

What We Have Been Eating Every Night....

 

If you missed our big announcement, you can check it out here.

As I mentioned, our little tater tot has had me completely worn out for the past 8 weeks or so. I would wake up tired, go through work exhausted, come home, lay on the couch until about 7:00 PM, when I would then get ready for bed and I was out of the rest of the night.

I’m not sure if all pregnant women get this amount of exhaustion, but I think that this is the worst pregnancy symptom I’ve had. I am so lucky to have escaped the non stop vomiting and nausea.  I did have some slight nausea and some strong food aversions, but for the most part, my stomach behaved itself quite nicely!

During my first trimester, I absolutely dreaded the thought of cooking and making dinner every night. Most food smells were too strong for me to handle, and I was so worn out I didn’t want to move.

This being the case, we had breakfast for dinner, like every. single. night.

I tried to switch it up by making gluten free pancakes, omelets, eggs sunny side up, tater tots, bacon, or whatever combination of breakfast food I had in the house. Thank God for sweet husband, who LOVES breakfast food and was happy to eat it every night.

Eggs are a great source of protein, especially for a momma that gags at the site of any kind of animal protein (that is still me.) They also have a very low odor and can be prepared a number of different ways. They have definitely been a life saver for me the past two months!

I am happy to report that this week has brought about new energy, and my stomach is much more relaxed than it was. I have been able to cook again and enjoy a lot of the foods I did previously. I have a lot of new recipes coming soon (including a pumpkin muffin recipe that is to die for!)

Also, just for fun, here are a few pictures of my sweet niece, Madalyn  who is 4.5 months old. She is such a sweet, lovely baby! Totally chunky and adorable!