Who Could Ask For Anything More

It's Friday morning. Jackson is at daycare. Samuel is sitting next to me sleeping. My house is being cleaned (thanks, Groupon). I still have an hour and 10 minutes before I need to leave for work. I am soaking in this peacefulness. Because most of the time, life is CRAZY!

Jackson is quite the active little toddler. He no longer walks...he runs. I can't believe how quickly he is growing up! I ask him what he wants to eat and he tells me! He says "thank you" when appropriate! He follows instructions and makes his toys have conversations!
He can sing the ABCs (minus a few letters at the end)!
**there is no picture to this video...only sound...I had to trick Jackson as he wouldn't sing it on camera (is he really my son??)



My dad bought Jackson a Thomas and Friends electric train set. When Jackson woke up yesterday, he found the unopened box. I told him he could open it after he ate breakfast. You should have seen how quickly he ate (for a normally extremely slow eater)! We put the train set together and he played with it all day.
Jackson LOVES Thomas. He can sing the theme song. I am pretty sure we will have a Thomas themed second birthday party.


Jackson also LOVES his juice. And just this past week he has graduated to a (semi) big boy cup! He rebelled for the straw cup...until he got thirsty. And then he relented and learned to drink from the new cup. Now when he drinks from it, he says "big boy". Yes, sweet pea, you're a big boy!



This week, Jackson had to come to rehearsal with me (and Samuel). I packed his Diego backpack with a coloring book, crayons, a book, some trains and cars and a snack, and off we went. He was so well behaved! He played by himself when everyone was busy. But when the high-schoolers weren't needed on stage they would come and play with him. He had a great time with them, and I have several new babysitters :)



We are still working on potty training. There is no big rush so we are taking it as it comes. Jackson can identify what he's done after he's done it, but doesn't recognize the urge to go enough to voice it. And he knows what the potty is, where it is, and for what it is used. When I have to go, he typically comes with me. We go through the process of explaining what is happening and he always says "bye bye" when we flush (HAHA).

I am also very happy with how he is doing at daycare. He loves to go, loves his friends, and loves Miss Brandy. And he learns SO much! He has a best buddy there called Dillon and a girlfriend called Natalie. Apparently, the girls really like Jackson - I was told he just sits there and they bring him toys and kiss his cheeks and make sure he eats lunch and pretty much treat him like a king! Love it! He's a cheeky one!

I keep telling my mother that this is my favorite age. And she says "so far". Subtle words of wisdom from my mother.


I have officially packed away all of the newborn clothes. It was kind of sad! Did it really go by that quickly? I guess anything would seem quicker than Jackson's transition out of newborn clothes (at 6 months!!)... I am thankful we had friends who passed on their baby boy clothes...all of Jackson's 0-3 month clothes were for the summer...nothing suitable for this cold weather!



Samuel continues to be a great baby. He hasn't slept through the night since I last reported, but he does sleep consistently in 4-5 hour stretches. I can't complain. And I enjoy the quiet at night with him. He is becoming more aware with every passing day. I love his expressions!





Such a happy baby!



Samuel is getting more used to Jackson, too. And Jackson is becoming a little less rough with his brother. I love seeing them interact. Samuel just watches Jackson, and of course, Jackson wants to kiss and hug his brother at every opportunity. (Which isn't always a good thing...like when Jackson brings a cold home from daycare...and now Samuel has a cold...hmmmm).






As for me, I am doing great. I am working and doing everything I did in the fall. It gets easier as the routine becomes more established. I treasure Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings when I get to stay at home with my boys and play. I feel great. Most of the time I feel rested (there are those occasional nights when one or both boys are off). And I am happy. Genuinely happy.
As for my weight loss, over the past 2 weeks I have lost another 2.2 lbs. That brings my total since Jan 1 to 9.8 lbs gone. I have 10.2 lb left of Samuel weight and 10 lb left of Jackson weight. I feel optimistic about it. I am eating way healthier than I have in a long time. I am more aware of what I am putting in my mouth. One challenge for our group was to eat 5 serves of vegetables and fruit a day. I was able to complete it, and am still eating 4-5 serves a day now. The current challenge is drinking 64 oz of water a day (that's 8 8 oz glasses). So far I'm good. I have my 32 oz mug that I got while in hospital with Samuel and I fill that up twice a day. Most days I am done by 2:00pm. And I am still thirsty! I must be very dehydrated. Drinking that much water also curbs my appetite so I am not wanting to snack as much. The first day I drank 64 oz of water, myfitnesspal (the iPhone app I am using to track my caloric intake and exercise) told me that I had not consumed enough calories to maintain a healthy level of nutrition (which isn't good because I need an extra 500 calories a day above what I normally would need just to make breastmilk). I was surprised! So now I am consciously trying to add a couple of healthy snacks in the afternoon so I don't screw up this great thing Samuel and I have going on. I've also thrown in a bit of exercise as well...mainly elliptical machine work and abdominal crunches.
So here I am, 6 weeks post partum and 32 lbs lighter (since giving birth).



Other interesting happenings with my post partum body...
I have started leaking. I didn't have that with Jackson so I wasn't expecting it at all. Well, one morning at church as I was up in front of the congregation leading the music doing my job I feel wet on my right side...all over...my side, my arm... yeh... good thing I was wearing black or it would have REALLY been noticeable.
Also now getting the post partum hair loss, but even more disconcerting is the chemical change in my scalp. My hair was SO greasy. But it was only greasy in the center near the roots. It was disgusting. I changed shampoos three times and nothing cleared it up. I washed it and it still looked dirty. Gross. I finally went to my lovely hair dresser and she mixed baking soda in with the shampoo. Took it right out! So now I mix baking soda in with my shampoo every morning. Clever Katie! Katie also said (for anyone else out there who might be experiencing this...lots of my friends are having babies) that if you didn't have baking soda to use Dawn dish soap first, then use your regular shampoo. No conditioner.


I just feel really lucky. Really grateful. Really thankful. I have to pinch myself sometimes...I am a mother. A MOTHER! My husband and I put our genes together and made two little boys who are amazing! I am responsible for the well being mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually of two tiny human beings. Yes, at times it is overwhelming and I wish I could have some more "me" time. But that will come later. I wouldn't trade this time for anything in the world. To watch a newborn discover a whole new world and a toddler develop a new skill every day... Could there be anything better in the world than being a mother?

The Wild One

SO how has that sweet Samuel been since bringing him home?

Well, let me tell you... I was so nervous about how Samuel's temperament would be. Jackson was and is such a well-behaved, easy child. I was told by more than 1 person (to say the least) that Samuel would be a wild child - totally opposite of Jackson - because "no one has two good babies". Right. To quote my friend Katherine, "I was terrified of my own child"! Well, I wasn't terrified, per se, but I was certainly nervous! Had I been spoiled by a perfect first child? Could this sweet face be the beginning of my downfall?

After nearly 4 weeks of getting to know this so-called "wild child", I can tell you that he is just as good as Jackson was. He is definitely his own little person. For instance, Jackson loved to be held and rocked and sung to. Samuel has his moments of wanting to be held and rocked and sung to, but generally he prefers to be left alone in order to fall asleep. Jackson fell asleep E-VER-Y TIME he nursed. Samuel doesn't. Samuel has consistently slept 3 - 4 hour stretches at night since I brought him home. I recall having a greater feeling of sleep deprivation with Jackson, but my body wasn't used to it. I don't feel nearly as tired - most of my tiredness comes from taking care of a newborn and a toddler every day than the broken sleep. I still take a 30 - 60 minute nap everyday, but it wasn't anything like the "sleep when baby sleeps" routine I had going on with Jackson.


I am able to work with Samuel attached to the front of me without any problems just as I did with Jackson.

Here's something else: Jackson's umbilical chord fell off when he was 5 days old. Samuel still has his. Yes, nearly 4 weeks old and STILL has his umbilical chord. The poor baby has never experienced a true bath. He gets a sponge bath every night, but I can't wait to give him a true bath!


I haven't had any breastfeeding troubles. Samuel is a voracious eater. He does suck in a lot of air and if he isn't burped probably he suffers from gas. I learned that the hard way. Jackson was a spitter. Samuel has yet to make me smell like sour milk.


Samuel had his first doctor's appointment when he was 1 week old. He was doing so well that we were told to skip his one month well check and wait for his two month.

When Samuel was born he weighed 7 lbs 15 oz
At discharge he weighed 7 lbs 9 oz
At 1 week old he weighed 8 lbs 1 oz
And at 3 weeks he weighed 9 lbs 4.8 oz


Samuel is SO strong. Almost from the day he was born, he was holding his head up.

Samuel is becoming more aware with each passing day. I love it when his big blue eyes are opened and checking things out.

But more often than not he is napping. And I enjoy watching him sleep and cuddling with my sleeping beautiful boy. I think I realize the need to enjoy this stage more because it goes so fast and soon there is too much to explore to snuggle with Mommy.

I can't say that this is an "official" first smile, but one day while Samuel and I were playing he started smiling at me. This was what I was able to capture on my iPhone...he's 2 Weeks 5 Days here.

I have had many people comment on whether he does look like Jackson or he doesn't look like Jackson... I can't decide. Sometimes he does and sometimes I just don't see it. However... when you put a picture of 3 week Samuel and 3 week Jackson together, you can definitely see the similarities!
Here is Jackson:

And here is Samuel:

I am amazed by how much love a Mother's heart can hold. I was anxious about whether I could ever love another child like I loved my first born. And you know what...as soon as Samuel was born, I loved him as much as Jackson. It was equal. It was complete. And it wasn't hard. It was easy. It was love at first sight.


A LIFE IN PICTURES

Dec 15, 2010 - The Day Samuel Was Born

5 Days Old

1 Week 5 Days Old

2 Weeks 1 Day Old

3 Weeks 5 Days Old

Baby Of Mine

Welcome to the world!

Samuel Wrye Bennett
Dec 15, 2010
7:52am
7 lbs, 15 oz (3.24 kg)
19.5 in

Hold Your Head High

12 Weeks gone! I can't believe it! My little boy will be three months old tomorrow. The end of the 4th Trimester. How fast was that! I don't remember being pregnant at all (which could possibly explain why I suddenly have decided that I want another one... or three). I can't remember the last time I was bored...
He is getting so much more aware... talking and playing with his favorite toys - his hands! He makes the best faces and continuously makes David and I laugh. We are amazed with his little personality. He continues to be easy going and good humored. We have settled into a nice routine this week...
He goes to bed at 9:30
He wakes up around 7:00
He then has a feed and snuggles and plays until around 9:30 (he sits in the bathroom with me as I take my shower and get ready, and we sing sing sing... he likes to sing Janis Joplin and Somewhere Over The Rainbow. He sings right along with me. He has such a sweet voice).
He usually has another meal and then has his morning nap (usually in the carrier attached to my front) until 11:30
He is awake until 1:00 or so. During his awake time we play and he eats again.
Then we take a nap together until 3ish.
He has another feed and is awake until 5:00.
The last nap of the day lasts till between 6:00 and 6:30.
He has a feed and plays until his bath at 8:30.
His bedtime routine is bath, boob, bed and usually takes about an hour. We sing I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing while David fills up the tub. He loves that song! And he loves it when his daddy gives him a bath!
He goes to bed at 9:30 sometimes awake and sometimes conked out, but we very very rarely have to go back into his room to settle him.

Tummy Time has proved to be working. We have some spectacular head holding up... still no rolls yet, but we're really close.


This week Jackson started to discover that he could make the toys on his boppy move. And he likes to talk to them (and everything else).