3 Months

Again, I'm behind on blogging Jackson's monthly stats!!  Time just seems to always be getting away from me…imagine that!  While at the Race for the Cure this weekend, I had an older woman stop and talk to me before the race started (this is a common occurrence when I have Jackson with me…luckily, strangers refrain from stopping and talking to me when I’m by myself J).  Anyway, back on track, during our conversation, she strongly encouraged me to enjoy every minute with Jackson because I’ll “blink four times and he will be 42.”  All joking aside, this seems to be true!  Jackson turned 3 months old on Sunday, October 6^th, and in two short weeks, it will be time for his four month stats!

The last month and a half since my last post have been crazy!  We seem to have something planned every weekend.  Eric and I went to Dallas the last weekend in September for an Imagine Dragons concert.  It was our first night away from Jackson!  It wasn’t as hard as I was afraid it would be, probably because I knew he was in good hands at our house with my parents.  Eric, Jackson, and I went to a birthday party for our friends’ daughter the first weekend in October and went home to visit my parents the second weekend.  Last weekend, Jackson and I walked in the Race for the Cure (he did sooo good!) and then Eric, Jackson, and I went to my sister and brother-in-law’s for a housewarming party.  As the holidays approach, I know our calendars will just get more and more crowded!

Jackson has grown and changed so much over the last month and a half!  Here are his 3 month stats followed by a ton of adorable pictures!  Haha! J

- At a doctor’s appointment last week, Jackson weighed 14 lbs 14.2 ounces.  We won’t have official length measurements until his 4 month checkup, but I know he is getting taller too!  I put him in his Baby Bjorn carrier while grocery shopping last night and quickly realized that I won’t be able to use it much longer...

- Not surprisingly, Jackson has battled a few different illnesses since starting daycare.  I keep telling myself his immune system will be at Hulk strength by the time he is a year old! J  After his first week, he came down with a minor stomach virus, but with a little Pedialyte, we were able to nurse him back to health fairly quickly.  Shortly after this, I began having trouble getting him to eat and he wasn’t sleeping well at night.  I knew something just wasn’t right, but couldn’t figure out what because he wasn’t running a fever or even all that fussy.  After a few days of him being “off,” I took him to the doctor and he had an ear infection.  A round of antibiotics knocked that out.  Last Monday when I dropped him off at daycare, I noticed he was warm.  I had them take his temperature before leaving (I thought I would prevent being called back later) and he did have a low-grade fever.  When his fever continued to go up, we went back to the doctor for another appointment.  He had some cloudiness on his chest X-ray so she prescribed him a strong antibiotic to avoid pneumonia.  I feel like he caught some type of virus because the antibiotics didn’t help much and he kept a fairly high fever for most of last week.  Luckily, the fever broke and we are only left a with a lingering cough.  It is so hard to see that sweet boy not feeling good and be completely unable to make it better!  Again, I just keep reminding myself he will have an amazing immune system…hopefully soon!

- Jackson is wearing size 2 diapers.  He has completely outgrown his 0-3 month clothes and several of his 3 month outfits are getting too small, mostly due to length.  Depending on the brand, he is still able to wear a few 3 month outfits, but is mostly wearing 3-6 months.  Last week, I packed up another tote full of clothes he has outgrown.  Makes me sad!

- Just this week, I’ve increased Jackson’s bottles to 5 ounces of formula (Alimentum) with 2 teaspoons of rice cereal.  With Jackson’s acid reflux (he still gets Prevacid every night), we haven’t been able to give him a lot at one time because he will just spit it up.  He is still eating every 3 to 3 ½ hours during the day and every 5-6 hours at night.  In the last few weeks, he’s seemed hungrier in the evenings and isn’t satisfied with a bottle, so we started giving him a little bit of cereal with a spoon.  He took to it like a champ!  He is still going down at night around 8:30 and gets up once during the night for a bottle.  Afterwards, he goes right back to sleep and wakes up around 5:30.  He is still in his Pack N Play in our room.  We are planning on transitioning him to his crib in the next few weeks.

- Jackson continues to be a much happier baby.  Bye bye, colic!!  He smiles a lot and has been laughing out loud…most precious sound EVER!  He likes to be held (thanks grandparents!) and tends to get a little fussy if he isn’t, particularly after spending time with said grandparents. J  He is very content and likes to watch everything around him.  It’s amazing how much more aware he is of his surroundings.  He is always taking everything in!  He recognizes Eric and I and will begin looking around when he hears our voices.  When I pick him up from daycare, he looks at me and smiles so big.  Melts my heart!  He has really become interested in his toys.  He will reach for them and hold them in his hand once he’s managed to grab them.  When laying on his play mat, he swings at, grabs, and shakes the hanging toys.  Since he’s pretty much mastered neck control, we’ve been putting him in his jumperoo.  Although he can’t touch the ground, he loves playing with the toys around him.  He has also become very interested in TV.  When he’s on his mat, in his jumperoo, or in his swing, he will turn his head and try to catch a glimpse of the TV.  When he’s able to see it, he focuses right in…just like a man! J  Jackson is doing much better with tummy time and can roll from stomach to back.  He continues to be very talkative and loves making noises.  We’ve just started working with him on sitting up.

- Likes:  Jackson still loves his stroller and riding in the car.  He still loves taking baths and has starting kicking his legs and squirming around once we put him in his tub.  Jackson LOVES being outside.  He loves music, being held and talked to, and playing in his jumperoo.  Also, oddly enough, Jackson loves laying on his changing pad. Haha!  Anytime we lay him on it, before diaper changes or after his bath, he starts smiling, looking around, kicking, squirming, and laughing…it’s the strangest thing ever!

- Dislikes: I can honestly say, there aren’t many dislikes I can come up with!  Jackson still hates diaper changes during the night and we’ve discovered he really dislikes being startled. 

 

It is so precious to see Jackson grow and change and I am looking forward to watching him continue to learn and develop!!

Look at that ornery face! Pure trouble!

Ready for the Race for the Cure!

So serious...

 

Practicing sitting up!

 

2 Months

Jackson turned 2 months old on Friday, September 6th!  This date also marked the end of my first week back to work, which wasn't as awful as I was afraid it would be.  Although I would have much rather been home loving on my sweet boy, knowing he was at home with his grandma Shirley (as well as getting to go home and love on him during lunch) made the transition back MUCH easier!  I'm so thankful for her willingness to watch him for the first two weeks after I went back to work.  Dropping him off at daycare this morning...well that is a completely different story!!  Let's just say, I'm hoping this new transition gets easier for Eric, Jackson, and I.  :)  Here are Jackson's 2 month highlights!!

Such a big boy!

 

 

- At his two month checkup last Thursday, Jackson weighed 13 pounds 9.6 ounces (84^th percentile), was 24.5 inches long (91^st percentile), and his head circumference was 16 inches (61^st percentile).  It is so hard to believe he has gained almost 6 pounds and grown 4 inches in two months!  He is such a big boy!  While at the doctor, Jackson got his two month immunizations, which were awful!  Probably more so for his mama than for him…  J  He was a little fussy and ran a fever that evening and was more tired than usual on Friday.  Luckily, he was back to his normal, happy self on Saturday. 

- I have about ten size 1 diapers left and then we will be moving Jackson up to size 2.  Although he can still fit into a few of his 0-3 month outfits, he is mostly wearing 3 month outfits, mainly due to his length.

- Jackson is eating 4 ounces of formula (Alimentum) with 2 teaspoons of rice cereal every 3 to 3 ½ hours during the day and every 5-6 hours at night.  Jackson is still fighting naps during the day, but is sleeping amazingly well at night!  He usually gets a bottle between 8:00-8:30 pm and immediately goes to bed.  He wakes up sometime between 1:30-3 am for a bottle and will go right back to sleep.   Although there have been a few mornings where he has slept until 6, he usually gets up for the day between 5:00-5:30. 

 - It’s amazing how much Jackson has grown and changed since my last blog (just two weeks ago!!).  His colic has greatly reduced and he has become a much happier baby.  Don’t get me wrong!  He can still be fussy and have some downright cranky moments, but overall he is doing SO much better.  He is much more content and smiles often.  While in town this weekend to help my sister and brother-in-law move, my dad was able to get Jackson to outright laugh.  It was the sweetest sound ever!  On Saturday, we helped Hayley and Dunn get moved into their new house.  Even though it was a long day and Jackson was moved back and forth between their apartment, their new house, the car, and stores, he maintained a good mood and just chilled!

- We are still having some trouble with his acid reflux.  Due to insurance requirements, we are only able to get his medicine (Prevacid) if it is compounded.  Due to being compounded, the medicine doesn’t maintain it’s effectiveness, decreasing throughout the month.  This causes his symptoms to decrease at the beginning of the month and then become worse as the month passes.  We are praying he outgrows these issues as he gets older.  At his appointment last week, his doctor said she plans to try taking him off the medicine when he turns 6 months old.

- Over the past two weeks, Jackson’s ability to focus has continued to develop.  He has really started watching our faces when we hold and talk to him and will mimic some of our actions, such as smiling when we smile or laugh at him.  He is still obsessed with staring at artwork we have hanging on the walls, no matter what room he is in.  His ability to grip objects is also continuing to developing.  He still grabs our clothes, including my necklaces, and has recently discovered my hair.  He has started holding on to his Wubbanub and LOVES holding on to blankets laid against the side of his face when napping.  Although he will tentatively hold on to toys that are put next to him, he hasn’t started actively reaching for and grabbing them.  Jackson has suddenly decided he doesn’t care for tummy time, but we are working through that. J  Jackson has become more “talkative” over the past two weeks.  He has discovered his tongue and it’s hilarious watching him stick is tongue in and out and move it around trying to make noises.  Also, except for occasional bobbing, Jackson is doing extremely well with holding his head up.

- Likes:  Jackson still loves his stroller and riding in the car.  He still loves taking baths and is content to lay in the water for as long as we will let him.  Jackson LOVES being outside.  I’m really hoping we are able to spend a lot of time outdoors this fall.  He is growing slightly more attached to his paci.  Although he only wants it when tired or fussy, he has stopped getting mad and spitting it out when given to him.  Jackson has also recently developed a love for music.  When he is upset or fussy, he will usually calm down if I turn music on.  We try and do at least a little music time with him every day because we love watching him smile, move his arms, and kick his legs while we listen to music and sing. 

- Dislikes:  Although Jackson is doing better with diaper changes during the day, he hates having his diaper changed during the night.  Also, he is doing a little better with lotion, but still becomes fussy unless I’m able to distract him.  Jackson remains very impatient when hungry.  When he decides he wants a bottle, it is only a short amount of time before he gets very angry. J

It is amazing to watch this sweet little boy grow and learn and we can’t wait to see what the coming months hold!

Labor Day Weekend

For the holiday weekend, Eric and I decided to travel for the first time with Jackson.  My parents, sister, and brother-in-law camped on the White River and, although we didn't feel quite ready to embrace the whole camping experience with Jackson yet, we decided to come home and spend the weekend at my parents' house.  We left right after work on Friday and, since Jackson loves being in the car, he did really good!  He only starting to get fussy when he got hungry about 15 minutes from my parents' house.  We spent Saturday and Sunday at the White River with my family, hanging out, fishing, and, of course, cooking out!  It was SO hot Saturday that Jackson and I spent more time in the camper than out, but luckily it cooled off on Sunday so we were able to enjoy being outside more.  Jackson LOVES being outside!  We got up and came home Monday morning so I could spend the afternoon loving on my sweet boy before having to return to work on Tuesday.  He did sooo good on his first trip to Mimi and Poppy's...we were so proud of him!

Flirting with his Mimi :)

Hanging out with Uncle Dunn

 

He kept pulling the grass...

and putting it in his mouth.  A boy through and through!

 

Such a happy boy!

 

 

 

6 Weeks

It was my goal to post monthly stats for Jackson, but with all of the craziness, I missed the one month mark!  I'll start with his stats at 6 weeks and hopefully get back on track when he turns two months old! 

- At his doctor's appointment last week, Jackson weighed 10 pounds 12.7 ounces, which is almost a three pound weight gain since his birth!  They didn't measure him as they were checking his weight to make sure he is still gaining as he was still having lots of issues with his acid reflux, but he seems to be getting longer/taller every day.  As I mentioned in my previous post, it's so hard to believe how much he seems to grow each day. 

- Jackson is wearing size 1 diapers, but he has been waking up for feedings during the night with leaky diapers, so we may be moving a bigger size at night very soon.  He has outgrown most of his newborn onesies and clothes and is now wearing mostly size 0-3 months. L

- Jackson is eating approximately 3 1/2 ounces of formula (Alimentum) with 2 teaspoons of rice cereal every 2 1/2 to 3 hours during the day and every 3 1/2 to 4 hours at night.  In regards to sleep, Jackson is notorious for fighting sleep during the day.  It is usually a struggle to get him down for naps.  However, luckily, we have developed a good nighttime routine!  Between 7:30-8:00p, I will give him a bath and then get him changed and swaddled.  By the time we are done with this, he is ready for a bottle.  After his bottle, I put him in bed; he still in his Pack N Play in our room right now.  Sometimes he will go to sleep right away and sometimes he will lay in bed and look around for a while before falling asleep.  Either way, he usually goes to sleep on his own.  Even on the nights he fusses a little, he usually only needs his paci to calm down and fall asleep.  He typically wakes up between 12-1a and 4-5a for bottles.  For the past week and a half, he has been falling asleep right away after the 12-1a feeding and will stay sleep until his next feeding.  However, he usually wants to stay awake after the 4-5a bottle, which is a struggle for this mama! J

 - Jackson is still a pretty colicky baby, but seems to do a little better every day.  He usually has a pretty fussy period after waking for the day (usually between 5-6a - again, a struggle for this mama!) and then just randomly throughout the day.  Thankfully, these periods are decreasing!  For the most part, he is now able to be consoled when upset, whereas before there was no calming him!  Oddly enough (and thankfully!), he does really well when we are out of the house, whether we are at the park, shopping, or just taking a walk through the neighborhood.

- Last week, we were still having trouble with Jackson's acid reflux so we went back to his doctor for a checkup.  His doctor decided to switch him from Zantac to Prevacid, which we feel has made a big difference.  He is spitting up much less and isn't screaming after eating.  The doctor told us she feels his acid reflux will be less of an issue once he is able to sit up and becomes more mobile and we are praying this is so!

- Over the past two weeks, Jackson has started focusing on our faces when we are holding him or talking to him, which is awesome!  In general, we've noticed his focus sharpening, as he has become very intent on watching the mobile on his swing, staring at pictures on the wall, looking at the toys hanging from his play mat, and watching items throughout the house/while outside.  Jackson has started gripping on to our clothes when we hold him.  When I go to set him down, he really latches on and refuses to let go!  Just this week, he has started reaching for the toys on his play mat and the bears hanging from the mobile on his swing.  When I put him on his play mat, I usually position him so that when he kicks, he will hit a noisy toy.  It's hilarious to watch him kick the toy over and over.  Jackson's neck strength is also improving daily.  When on his tummy, he will hold his head up and look around for longer periods of time.  This week, Jackson has also started "talking."  Usually while playing or being held, Jackson will coo along with making other noises.  I love watching these skills develop and can't wait to see what the coming weeks h0ld!!

- Likes:  As I've mentioned before, Jackson loves being in his stroller and riding in a car.  We hope this continues, especially since my family lives 3 1/2 hours away...it will make trips home much more enjoyable!  Jackson also loves taking baths.  He can be screaming and the minute we put him in his tub, he immediately stops.  He is perfectly content to lay in the tub and look around for a long time!  Jackson LOVES being outside.  When we are on walks, at the park, or even sitting under the back patio, he becomes very calm and looks around.  For the most part, Jackson also enjoys being on his play mat, both on his back and tummy. 

- Dislikes:  Jackson does NOT like having his diaper changed, although he does better during the day than at night.  Jackson also hates when I put lotion on him after bath time.  I haven't figured out why, but the minute I start, the screaming begins!  Jackson is pretty indifferent to his paci.  We are usually only able to get him to take it when he is fighting sleep and fussy.  Otherwise, he usually spits it out or refuses to take it at all, shaking his head back and forth.  Most of all, Jackson HATES having to wait for a bottle.  When he decides he is hungry, he wants his bottle right then! I have no idea where he gets that... J

The last few weeks...

Everyone always talks about how time seems to speed up and fly by once you have kids and it is so true!  It's crazy how fast Jackson is growing...he seems to get bigger and change every day.  The last few weeks have flown by and our sweet boy is already 6 weeks old!  I will be going back to work in two weeks and although part of me is ready to get back to a regular schedule, the other part of me already dreads the thought of losing all this one-on-one time with my sweet boy.  We've been pretty active over the past few weeks and I doubt there will be any slowing down!

Jackson was four weeks old on August 3rd and we spent the afternoon with our friends, the Cunninghams, at Pinnacle Mountain, playing and walking a trail.  Afterwards, we all went out for dinner at Larry's Pizza, our first time out to dinner with Jackson.  Other than waking for a bottle while at the park, Jackson slept throughout the entire outing.

 

Eric's birthday was August 8th and we celebrated that evening by having Eric's parents, my mom, and my sister and brother-in-law over for dinner.  We had a great time hanging out and eating yummy food!  We continued his birthday festivities the following Saturday, inviting several of our friends over for dinner. My brother-in-law cooked some delicious food and we all just enjoyed hanging out and visiting.  Our group of friends doesn't get together as often as we use to so it was wonderful spending the evening with everyone!

 

Eric & Jackson taking a nap before his birthday dinner.





Last week, my mom and I went grocery shopping with Jackson for the first time.  For those who don't know, my mom and I work for the same company and she is actually covering for me while I am out on maternity leave.  She has been staying with Eric, Jackson, and I and has been the biggest help!   Once I return to work and she goes home, I believe we are going to be in for quite an adjustment...  Eric and I are so very thankful for her help and will definitely miss her when she leaves!  I'm glad she was able to help with this first.  All I can say is from now on, any grocery shopping done with Jackson will require the help of my sweet husband.  It's impossible to shop with a car seat...there is NO room for the groceries!  Luckily, Jackson did very well and, again, slept most of the time.

 

Jackson & Mimi (5 weeks)

 

This week, Eric, Jackson, Zoe, and I took advantage of this amazing weather (is it really August in Arkansas!?!) and spent some time outside at Two Rivers Park.  Jackson, Zoe, and I met Eric there after work to walk around, eat a picnic dinner, and just enjoy the beautiful weather.  We had a wonderful evening and can't wait for fall so we can be outside more often!

 



Besides these outings, Jackson and I have spent more time out of the house recently.  Jackson LOVES going for walks in his stroller so Jackson, Zoe, and I usually try to get in at least one walk through our neighborhood a day.  We have made many trips to Target and Babies R Us, along with several other stores, and even went on a short shopping trip to the Promenade this past Friday.  Jackson also loves riding in a car.  He will usually fall asleep right away and typically stays asleep while we are in the stores.  On the few occasions he hasn't fallen asleep, he just chilled in his car seat and looked around while I shopped.

I startled him when I took this picture, haha!

 



Here are a few more pictures I've taken recently.

Jackson loves tummy time!

Jackson also LOVES bath time.