Playing Catch Up

Ok, this is going to be a VERY long post, mostly of pictures. Just a for-warning since I haven't blogged in almost 2 weeks (so sad!!). I've had things to blog about, quite a few actually, but just haven't taken the time to do it! So here it goes...

Caleb had his 4 week appointment on Feb. 5th and he was 11 lbs. 1 oz. and 22.1 inches long! Yay, our boy is continuing to grow big and strong (just as mommy had suspected)!

Caleb continues to surprise me at how well he does with sleeping. He actually started sleeping through the night this week (10-11pm through to 7-8am) and it has continued every night except one, when he ate his late dinner super early and needed to feed at 4am.

Little man is also about to hit 7 weeks old (in two days)!! Since he has been six weeks old, we have had quite a few outings. We made it to my 6 week check up and I've healed well from my 4th degree tear. After my Dr. visit Tuesday, we stopped by to visit Nicole, my Physical Therapist, and then we were off to my office to visit all my co-workers! We had a blast, but unfortunately I didn't get pictures! I can't believe it either! However, I've got plenty of other pictures to make up for not taking any that day!

The first group of pictures below are from visits with Aunt Karla, Uncle Dustin, Noah & Haley. On Valentines Day, I got to go to the spa and get a pedicure with all my girlfriends, to celebrate my birthday. We then went to lunch and just talked. It was sooo great! While us girls were out, Aaron hung out with Dustin and the kids.

All the rest of the pictures are just ones that I've taken here at home. They go in order from oldest taken to newest taken (just today, actually). Enjoy!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

Caleb's First Boo Boo

It's official. Caleb had his first boo boo this morning, and it was all mommy's fault. As you can see in the picture below, there is a little bandaid wrapped around Caleb's index finger. Poor little guy. I was trimming his nails, which I've done multiple times before, and missed the nail and cut a little spot on his finger. He immediately started crying, who wouldn't, and once I realized what I had done, I started crying as well. I felt HORRIBLE!!! As soon as I started crying he stopped and just stared at me like I was some sort of crazy woman. I'm sure I looked and sounded like it. I just kept repeating to him how sorry I was for hurting him. He snuggled me for a bit and then we went into the bathroom and I tried to do some damage control. Thank goodness for the flex bandaids they make now and a little bit of vaseline. It took about five minutes to get the bandaid on because he was so squirmy, but he's doing fine now.

As I'm sure all you mommies out there know, there in nothing worse in the world than knowing you somehow just hurt your child. Praise the Lord that it wasn't any worse, and that he's young enough to never remember what happened, although I'm sure there will be many more things in the future he will want to blame me for, but we've got a few years until that happens.

I love you baby and I am so very sorry! I promise to be extra extra careful from now on when cutting your nails. Just remember, I do it because I love you and care about you, and don't want you to scratch yourself up!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

Gifts, Gifts and More Gifts!

Today I am going to take a minute to brag on three VERY talented people. You see, over the past week or so, Caleb has received multiple AMAZING handmade gifts and I want the world to know of the talent that has gone in to making each of these gifts for my sweet baby boy!!

First off, I am going to start with my sister. She is an amazing seamstress. She has two beautiful children under the age of 6, a hard-working husband who is in his second year of residency for emergency medicine, is a full time mommy and a part time student. And somehow, found time to not only make all of my bedding (see previous nursery post here for a look), but to also make this incredible, detailed diaper bag!! When I opened up my package yesterday, I was in such shock and amazement at the handiwork my sister put in to making this bag. Not only did she work with two different patterns, but there are four pockets on the inside, two on the outside, a keyring holder, and a small phone pocket on the inside of the bag as well! She also went the extra mile, and made a dirty diaper zipped bag and a changing mat that has one side with sherpa material and the other side with a microsuede material. I was almost brought to tears when I first pulled this bag out of the box. My wildest dreams and expectations were exceeded more than I ever thought possible!

She didn't stop there either! She also took the liberty to make Caleb a precious sock monkey hooded blanket wrap as well! Absolutely adorable!! I can't wait to wrap him up like a little burrito in it!!

Julie, you are an outstanding seamstress, amazing mother and the best sister anyone could ever have! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to create such timeless pieces of craftmanship. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed and I can't wait to (hopefully) call on you again in the future, for more bedding and bags, maybe for a little girl!! I love you so very much and am constantly amazed at how well you manage your time and think of others! You are a rock star!!!

Next, I'm going to brag on a sweet friend Dana with Stitches In Bloom. Dana and I worked together last fall when she blessed me with the opportunity to share booth space with her at all of the fall trade shows! She allowed me to set up for free with my products, in exchange for helping her take orders, set up and tear down the booth. She is famous for her minky dot bunnies, but has recently added an entire new line of baby products, including full size minky dot blankets, pillow cases, lovies and so much more! As you can see below, her products are top notch and make the perfect gift set for any new mommy and baby! I've already wrapped myself up in the full size blanket and absolutely love it! Thank you Dana and Cindy for this outstanding gift set! I know Caleb (and I) will enjoy it for years to come!!

Last, but not least, is my friend Katie, from Watermark. Katie came to my baby shower with a white porcelain baby shoe. She gifted Caleb with it, but said she needed it back and I would get it once he was born. Much to my surprise, I opened up my front door today and it was sitting on my doorstep! As I opened the package I couldn't help but grin ear to ear as I took out the tiny little painted porcelain shoe! It's blue color with black painted letters was just so perfect! Thank you, Katie, for allowing me the pleasure of owning one of your precious handmade gifts! This shoe, with all of Caleb's stats will always have a special in his room!!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

Firsts

I'm a little behind on blogging, and short on pictures, but thought I'd post two of Caleb's firsts he's already had. His first tub bath and his first walk outside with mommy & daddy! Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to make the picutres turn so that they are at the right angle, but you can just turn your head to look.

The tub in the pictures below has been used for first baths for a few generations in the Smith family, so I thought it would be neat to keep that tradition going and bathe Caleb in it for his first tub bath at home ( a few weeks ago of course!). Needless to say, he didn't like it very much. We're now using a great tub with a netting seat so that we can more easily bathe him. Thank you to my Grandma for allowing us to borrow the family tub!

Caleb also had is first walk outside with mommy and daddy on Saturday and loved it! The sun was shining bright and it was a gorgeous day outside. He went in and out of sleep the whole time, but mommy and daddy sure did enjoy just watching him and talking about him! We're so blessed!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

4 Weeks Old

Caleb, today you are 4 weeks old, and I can't believe it!!! You have already grown so much and I just love spending every single day with you! You are a very laid back baby. You love to just sit and look around. And you love to eat! You're now up to 6 ounces at every feeding! I can't believe it! You also love to sleep and are going 4.5-5 hours in between feedings and are only waking up once in the middle of the night. Mommy loves you very much for this!! Each day with you is an adventure. You love to sleep on your tummy on mommy or daddy's chest. You've started focusing on your one toy that you have that makes noise, and you like to sit in your swing, even though mommy doesn't swing you because it's too violent looking:). You are still getting over your cold, but are doing much better. You are starting to fit into 0-3 month clothes, which means you are packing on the pounds. Mommy can't wait to start dressing you in all your cute little clothes, and taking you out to show you off! Only a couple more weeks and we'll be free and clear to go and visit all our friends! Daddy will be having shoulder surgery at the end of this week, so Grandma Preuss is going to come back and help mommy out with you, and I know she can't wait to get you in her arms again. Mommy is very thankful for such a wonderful, loving and supportive family who has been more than willing to help with anything we need, even though everyone is out of town. We've also started having meals delivered to us three times a week and that has been such a HUGE help for mommy! ALL the food we've received has been delicious! Caleb, you are such a precious blessing to mommy and daddy and we love you so very much!! Happy 4 week old birthday sweetheart!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

Time Well Spent

So, today is the first (well technically the 2nd) day that I am home with Caleb alone, no help. I have not been fearful of this day leading up to it, I've actually found myself very excited. While I am MORE THAN GRATEFUL for ALL of the help both Grandma's have been, I am looking forward to getting into a routine with Caleb on our own.

So, it's almost 3:30pm right now, and Caleb has been sleeping since about 11:45am. AMAZING! During this time, I have been very purposeful. I turned off the t.v., sometimes a very hard thing for me to do, and opened up my Bible (what a concept, sleeping baby = time with the Lord!). I'm way behind on The Journey but am not going to give up! I'm not skipping any days either, I am just going to work on catching up, taking it one day at a time.

The Journey entry I did today was Psalm 4. The main verse was vs. 8, which says, "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." The truth from this verse that I took is that no matter what my circumstance, the Lord is fully aware of my situation and I can trust Him to take care of me.

There have been many moments since becoming a new mommy that I have been filled with anxiety and fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of how the nightshift will go with Caleb. Will he sleep or be fussy? Fear of SIDS (this is my biggest fear of all). Fear that I will get frustrated with him when he won't go to sleep. Fear that he will grow up not trusting the Lord with his life.This life altering change that has taken place, a new sweet little life, is often overwhelming for me, yet, I know that the Lord is unchanging, and He knows every hair on Caleb's head. He knows all of Caleb's days before he was even conceived! What truths and promises those are, and what joy and comfort they provide to my heart! The Lord is holding sweet little Caleb in his arms at all times, and will keep him safe.

Lord, thank you for being all I need. Thank you for your promises, so I don't have to fear the unknown. Thank you that I live in a place where I can worship you freely. Where I can read your Word aloud, and pray aloud, to and with my son. Thank you for stirring my heart towards you, not only today, but every day. Thank you for Caleb. Thank you for the blessing he is to me. Help me not be so frustrated in the middle of the night when I cna't get him back to sleep. Help me to have patience with him. Help me to remember that this is only a phase and sooner than I know, he will be older and sleeping through the night. Help me to cherish this time that I have with him now. Help me not wish for easier times, but to cling to you during the hard times. Help me to remember that he is YOURS, and that he is a gift to me. Help me to trust YOU with his life and not worry about what tomorrow will bring, but enjoy EVERY moment I have with him TODAY! Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness. Thank you for your patience and grace with me as I try to be the best mommy I can to Caleb. Thank you for times like this, when he is sleeping soundly and I get to praise and worship you through song, time in your living Word, and prayer. I love you, Lord!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

The Many Faces of Caleb

Here are some of the many faces you have made since your new life began! I love all of them Caleb! You are so precious!

Sleeping on Grandma Preuss

Sleeping on Grandma Preuss

Sleeping on Grandma Preuss

Smiling!!! I love this one!!

Daddy holding you football style, getting ready to put you down for a nap!

Your "O" face, so stinkin' cute!!

Another great shot of your "O" face!

My brown eyed boy! Just like daddy!

Smiling for daddy

My interpretation of you trying to do some type of jedi master mind trick on daddy, you look so focused honey!!

Smiling big again for daddy

and again

Ok, this one was all daddy's fault. He thought it was funny to make you look like a SharPe dog. While it's funny, I'll try to keep his antics to a minimum next time!

This is your typical face whenever mommy or daddy go to burp you. Usually your mouth is hanging wide open though. So adorable!!

And this is your "I'm in my happy food coma place now mommy" look!

Happily content with just haning out!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!

3 Weeks Old

Caleb, today you are 3 weeks old! Mommy can't believe it! The first three weeks of your life have been amazing, wonderful, difficult at times, but absolutely more thrilling than I could ever have imagined!

You've gone from newborn baby to a little chunky monkey! You eat up to 6 oz at each feeding, wow! That's double what a normal baby your age should be eating. The nurse said that it's ok to keep feeding you as much as you'll eat, there must be a reason you're eating that much to begin with!

At your two week appointment, you weighed in at 8lbs. 14.5oz., which means you've already gained over a pound. Most babies are just getting back to their birth weight at that point, so you're ahead of the game. You also ranked in the 50th percentile for weight and height, which is perfect, since mommy and daddy are both the "average" american size.

You love to sleep, well, during the day that is! Night times are a little rough, but we're working through them, and daddy has been a HUGE help with that! He comes in and saves the day when mommy gets a little too tired, frustrated and emotional. Thank you for that daddy, you are AMAZING!! You sleep on your side sometimes, but have found that sleeping on your stomach is your favorite position, especially if it's on mommy or daddy's chest!

You also love to make a ton of different faces. We find ourselves sitting and staring at you, just laughing because you are so stinkin' cute! I'll post more of your faces next...

You are very alert and STRONG! You have been able to lift and move your head on your own since about 10 days old. Sometimes, we don't know where you're going to go and have trouble holding you still. You often fight us when we're trying to change your diaper and/or changes your onesie, but somehow, we always get it worked out, even if it does take and extra 5 minutes!

You LOVE to grunt when burping, and espeically when you're making a dirty, like most babies. It's so adorable to see your grunting face, you squint your forehead and sometimes curl your lips. Mommy just can't get enough of you!!

You also LOVE bathtime. Thank goodness our bathroom is the warmest place in the whole house, I think that definitely has something to do with it. You don't fuss hardly at all, and mommy loves getting you all wrapped up in your little hoodie towel when we're through, and holding you tight (with the exception of when you decide to pee pee in your towel and all over mommy as well)!

You now have a double chin, and no visible neck. Thanks to all that extra food you're getting, no doubt! You're also starting to get some serious rolls on your thighs. Mommy is still praying against the 25lbs. at 4 months like your daddy was. I want to continue to be able to hold you and love on you without having to worry about my arm falling off from you being so heavy. I think you'll fill out nicely, and I know that chunky babies are much healthier and cuter as well. Keep packing on those pounds, in moderation of course honey! You will only continue to get cuter with time, I know it!!

Things I want to remember most about this time with you...

1.) I LOVE BEING AT HOME WITH YOU!!!! I feel like for the 1st time in my life, I'm actually living out what I was created to do, be a mommy!! Thank you Lord, for this, as I know it's only because of you that I am able to do this full time!!

2.) You sometimes coo and talk in your sleep. Mommy is starting to learn all your different noises and cries and it's so fun!!

3.) You have laughed twice now and smile all the time (all while dreaming of course)! Daddy missed the 1st time you laughed, but you did it again while he was holding you the other day and his smile was ear to ear!! I can't wait to hear you laugh and see you smile on purpose, not just because you're dreaming!

4.) You like to be swaddled, but you have to have your arms loose. Just like you were in the womb. I always felt you moving the little parts of your body and now I'm realizing that it was probably your arms and hands tht were always tickling me!

5.) You have sucked on daddy's face and nose many times hoping to find more food, but are always disappointed at the outcome. Of course, daddy teases you pretty bad, so he's got it coming to him anyway!

6.) You are done with newborn diapers and are already in size 1! I can't believe it! They are still a little bit big on you, but you do a great job of filling them to the maximum capacity. That's how we knew you were ready for the next size up.

So, here's my current favorite picture of you, smiling of course! You are precious and such a blessing and gift from the Lord! I love praying with you during the night, and praying for you during the day. You are healthy, beautiful, fearfully and wonderfully made and such a JOY to my heart, each and every day! I love you Caleb!!

Here's the cutest picture yet, you smiling! I've tried at least two dozen times to get this shot, and I'm so glad I finally did!!! You are precious, and so stinkin' cute!!! I love you baby!!


Be Blessed and Encouraged!

Addendum to Friday's Post

I forgot to add to our eventful day on Friday, that Caleb found his thumb!! That was another huge moment, and while I don't have visual proof yet (as in a picture), I'm working on getting one and will post it asap!

Be Blessed and Encouraged!