bryce- 6 months.

Our little man turned 6 months old on October 18th! Half a year has flown by already, and we are so thankful as we reflect on the little moments and big milestones.

At Bryce's 6 month check-up:

20 lbs. 12 oz - only 9 oz. gained in 6 weeks! What a surprise that was for us!

26 1/2 inches long

16 1/2 inch head circumference

Bryce giggled hysterically at 2 different nurses and his doctor- putting on a show! He thought measuring his head was funny, and getting his ears checked. One nurse got a giggle just for fun. That laugh will never get old!

Bryce is sleeping through the night, still feeding every 2 hours while he is awake, and usually napping 3 times a day. He can sit up on his own from laying down and stay sitting up as long as he wants, and army crawls wherever he wants to go. He started solid foods at 6 months and just eats one meal a day for now.

Still a size 3 diaper, and wearing 9-18 month clothes depending on the brand. He chews on everything that he comes in to contact with, and his favorite chew toy is a water bottle. We love our unique little guy :)

Here's a few 6 month pictures taken by Pops:

Can't wait to watch him learn and grow in the next 6 months! (Then comes the first birthday party that I have already started brainstorming on- yes I am crazy) :)

4 month firsts.

 first trip to IKEA..

first time flying..to Tennessee! 

first UT game day in Knoxville..UT beat Montana! 

first bowl of rice cereal..you loved it! a fun mess! 

first wedding.. so glad it was Heather's!

first Lakeland Christian School football game..

first trip to Gigi's in Alabama..

..you are now yelling all the time-happy or mad, reaching for everything, flipping and rolling across the room if no one stops you, sucking your thumb, and sucking on your big toe anytime you are on your back. You weighed 20 lbs 3 oz. when we went to the doctor for your first cold at 4 months 3 weeks. you wear size 9-12 month clothes and a size 3 shoe. Still a size 3 diaper. you slept through the night a handful of nights this month (in your carseat because you were sick). I think you would sleep through the night in your crib if you didn't roll over in your sleep! We love all of your new tricks and love watching you learn new things- mommy and daddy love you sweet boy!

baby gadgets: what I can't live without.

So, I keep telling myself to write a post on things I love so much that I'd be willing to write a personal thank you to their manufacturers. Baby gadgets that I cannot imagine going without! Maybe this will help another future mom out there..here's my TOP 5. When Bryce gets older I will add to the list (we have only scratched the surface of the things we will need and use)

5. Diaper Pail: with our bedrooms upstairs, it could have been a pain to throw away diapers downstairs and take the trash out so frequently. The diaper pail in the nursery holds nearly a week's worth of diapers before we take them out. And no smelly nursery :)

4. Microwave steam bottle sterilizer: It only takes a few minutes for me to have peace of mind that there is no bacteria, etc. on Bryce's bottles and paci's. I question how sanitized they get in the dishwasher so really loving this gift we received.

3. aden+anais swaddle blankets : Okay, so Bryce has never been a swaddle baby. He could wiggle out of the tightest swaddle. But, these blankets are perfect for swaddling, and everyday use blankets. I've used them as rain and sun covers on his car seat, naptime blanket, and to cover with while breastfeeding. They do not change a bit when washed, are super soft, and lightweight which is great in the summer. They are pricier than most other swaddles but well worth getting a 3-pack!

2. BUMBO chair: So thankful for this cheap looking, but couldn't serve its purpose better, gadget! I heard mixed opinions about using these, as some moms believe it is used too much as a babysitter when they should be playing, etc.. Well, I am very thankful for this babysitter! I am totally okay with Bryce enjoying Dinosaur Train for 15 minutes while I do dishes or fold laundry. He can't sit up yet, but absolutely loves to be sitting up. He also hasn't mastered napping more than 30 minutes so I need a few extra to get things done.

1. Baby Trend Snap-n-Go stroller : By far the best thing we have right now! We opted to buy this instead of the bulky travel systems you can get with the infant car seats. It is lightweight, I can get it out of the car and unfold it with one hand, and the car seat sits right on the frame. Bryce can be sound asleep in his car seat, and I don't have to wake him when we get out of the car. It is very easy to maneuver, and it even has a basket in the bottom and two drink holders.

Other notables:
*LOVE our Chicco Keyfit 30 carseat. We bought an extra base- so easy to ride in my car or Daniel's without moving the carseat back and forth. Money well spent!
*Don't know what I would do without Pampers Swaddlers diapers! We've tried them all and thse are the only ones that don't leak on us, especially at night. We have never had a leak at night with them, even after 12 hours! Even other Pampers have leaked..
*Definitely worth the money- our Summer Infant video monitor. Talk about peace of mind! I can scan the video to watch him playing in the floor too. LOVE IT!

(For pricey items I justified it by using 20% off  Bed Bath and Beyond coupons at Buy Buy Baby. We did this for the cr seat, stroller, video monitor, and breastpump. )

Hope this list helps someone!

4 months.

Happy 4 months Bryce!
You are our alarm clock when you wake up talking to the ceiling.. Daddy likes to go get you so he can get that first big smile of the day. (Of course he brings you to our bed so you can eat- your favorite thing to do.) Your schedule is still the same.. you eat every 2 hours and want a 30 minute catnap between every meal! Will you stretch these out for mommy? You are starting to sleep longer at night- you went 8 1/2 hours between feeds one night! Mommy loves nights like that :) Your favorite toy is Sophie the giraffe, mostly because she is one of your only toys. You are scared of your Jumperoo, and not too fond of tummy time. Your laugh is the cutest thing we have ever heard- we get to hear it when we sneeze, hiccup, or tickle your belly. Hope you know how much your mommy and daddy love you :)

4 month check-up:
  * 19lbs. 13 oz. - back on the charts in the 99th percentile :) ( you have slowed down in weight gain ALOT-     it's all those cool moves you have now )
  * 25 1/4 inches long- 65th percentile
  * 16 1/2 inches head circumference- 59th percentile
  * 3 shots in your legs and one by mouth- you got to sport some cool Cars band-aids for being so tough!
  * The Dr. says you should be getting your first tooth in SOON! we are ready to meet Mr. Tooth who    makes you fussy even though we can't see him yet..
 
I'll post pictures after our big road trip to Alabama for my dear friend Heather's wedding! Bryce's first long road trip and first wedding :) We are so excited for you, Heather and Andrew, and happy to be a part of your special day!

living with a milk protein allergy.

I wanted to share about Bryce's allergy issues for 2 main reasons- to help other moms identify milk and soy protein allergies in their infants, and to be a resource for moms out there who have children with these allergies.
Let me begin by saying I am no expert with this- four months ago I had never even heard of milk allergies in babies! But, with careful research and studying food labels like it's my job, I feel that what I do know can help others. So here is our story..

Weeks 1-2: Bryce never wanted to sleep, seemed unsettled, and my first thoughts were that I had a "colic" baby on my hands. We were exclusively breastfeeding and it was no fun for either of us- he constantly pulled away at first, choked on the milk, and had a painful latch. I went for a lactation consult and things got better- he did still pull away some because he was choking. He seemed uncomfortable and fussy alot. Most people will tell you that this is "colic". I wanted to know more, and so this is when I started to look at all of his issues as a whole..
*not sleeping well
*choking on my milk alot (I had a very forceful letdown)
*fussing ALOT- and during feedings
*tons of GAS- drawing up his knees in pain, waking up frequently day and night because of this pain
*diarrhea/ bloody stool ( didn't see blood until I knew what to look for)
* a ring-shaped diaper rash

I googled some of these symptoms and came up with "oversupply colic syndrome"- it all made sense! I called my lactation consultant and she agreed with me and told me to block feed. She also suggested to me to cut dairy and soy out of my diet for 3 weeks to see if he may have a milk protein intolerance. After the phone call, I googled milk protein intolerance and entered into another world.. it all sounded like Bryce. Other symptoms with this included vomiting, skin rash (eczema), and hives.
A week into the diet I saw MAJOR improvement! His diapers looked better, he had virtually no more gas, and seemed to sleep better. I was excited and sad at the same time- I now knew that Bryce wasn't just a "colic baby". I also realized that this super hard to follow diet was going to be a lifestyle for me as long as I was breastfeeding.
So, here we are 3 months out from diagnosis, and we are still breastfeeding and thriving! We have had "episodes" with this milk/soy protein allergy since then- this stuff is hidden in almost everything you eat. We've been to the pediatrician alot and the pediatric GI doctor. Blood in the stool (from colitis) is the main concern, but thankfully we have still been able to breastfeed. If we ever have to switch, our only option is a hypoallergenic formula (Alimentum or Nutramigen). Although I do miss eating out, pizza, milk, ice cream, Starbuck's, mac-n-cheese, yogurt, etc., I am assured that Bryce is getting all he needs. Not to mention my diet is super healthy for the most part and it saves us money since I can't eat out.

Hopefully, sharing this will help some other mom out there. If you think your child may have allergy symptoms, please talk to your pediatrician and/or try an elimination diet. I will continue to blog about this as we continue this journey (dairy free/soy free recipes, safe grocery list items, etc.).

-j

3 months with Bryce- in a nutshell

Bryce turned 3 months old last Monday! WOW. It is sad to think how fast he is growing and learning new things. I just wanted to give an update in Bryce world before I forget all the milestones and memories since the last post.
*Bryce weighed in at 18 lbs. 2 oz  and 24 inches long when he went for a sick visit at 12 weeks old! He is averaging 11 oz. per week in weight gain and off the charts!
*Size 3 diaper and wearing 9-12 month size clothes!
*He rolled over for the first time at 10 weeks old. (He really hasn't done it much since then)
*He went on his first beach trip the weekend before he turned 3 months old.
*Favorite activities include laughing in the mirror, watching Dinosaur Train in his Bumbo, and talking to his overhead light.
*Still feeding every 2 hours like clockwork..but only once throughout the night most nights. He loves to eat (see first milestone :) )
*Had our first big scare and a trip to the pediatric ER this morning after a fall off of the couch head first onto the tile floor- luckily the CAT scans were all CLEAR! Hallelujah!
*Still dairy and soy free for mommy and baby- this allergy is no fun! (I plan to write a whole post just about this allergy and our issues we've dealt with)

There are a million unique things I could write about him if I had the time, but moms with little ones understand how hard it is just to find 5 extra minutes just to write a blog post! The only reason I can right now is because Bryce is still asleep in his car seat after a long day at the Emergency Room..

I'll end with some pictures from the past month:

trying on 12 month clothes!

king of the jungle

our happy little man

watching Dinosaur Train

just waking up

lounging at the beach

first time touching/seeing the ocean

pool time

Team Wilson :)

Our world is crazy but I promise I'll post again soon :)

Long overdue: Welcome to our world with Bryce!

Well, I could write a novel about life since April 18, 2011- the day our sweet baby boy entered into our world! Bryce arrived safely at 8:21 P.M. after a long day of labor. The first half of the day was slow and painful because I wanted to wait as long as possible before receiving any medications. Our doctor broke my water that afternoon and things really speeded up after that. I received an epidural and went from 4cm to 10cm dilated in about 4 or 5 hours which was fast compared to the morning. After an hour of pushing that seemed like just a few minutes, we welcomed Bryce to this world!

And now he is already 6 weeks old- time is flying by! At birth, he weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz. and was 21 3/4 inches long, and at a 3 week check-up he weighed 10 lbs. 2 oz. and was 22 inches long. I am anxious to see how big he is when we go for his 2 month check-up in a few weeks.. my guess is 13 lbs 5 oz. and 23 1/2 inches long.

Some notables so far:

*He is NOT a cry baby..He did not cry during any heel pricks, or during his CIRCUMCISION! He does not cry during diaper changes, baths, or while suctioning his nose unless he is hungry. It really is amazing what he will tolerate.

*At 2 days old, he was already able to lift and hold his head up. He can now push his upper body up for a solid minute.

*At about 3-4 weeks old he found his voice and is now cooing, grunting, and making any noise he can- including the girliest shrill I have ever heard. His favorite place to talk is on his changing table.

*He loves being outside, and he loves being on his changing table. He does not like his swing or his bouncer, and hardly takes a pacifier.

*He got his first bottle from daddy at 5 weeks old. He took it like a champ and continues to have one bottle from daddy every night.

*He has a milk protein allergy, which means mommy is on a dairy-free and soy-free diet. (this is harder than you think-soy and dairy are hidden in so many things!) After 3 weeks on the diet, we have seen drastic improvement with his colic-like symptoms.

Here are some pictures of life with our little man so far:

  

 

I'm not biased or anything, but he is the most adorable little thing I have ever seen!  I will update again soon..

38 weeks 3 days: we have a date!!

Big news from our appointment yesterday: we have an induction date! We will be going in on Sunday evening..so only 5 more days unless he comes on his own time before then! Our butterball Bryce weighed in at 8 lbs 5 oz. according to ultrasound measurements- which I will repeat myself and say they have a 10-15% inaccuracy rate. Either way, he is a very healthy size and my mommy guess is that he will weigh around 8 lbs. 9 oz. at birth. Also, we found out that I am 2cm dilated, 50% effaced and he is at -2 station. Yay!!
We are so excited to know that Bryce will join us here in this world in less than a week- FINALLY!

With that said, the next time I post on here it will be about Bryce's arrival! Please pray with us for a smooth and safe delivery, and for a healthy baby boy. Thank you for sharing in our journey- it has been such an exciting time in our lives, and we look forward to what lies ahead.

As I promised, the finished nursery:

Bryce in his nursery: 38 weeks 3 days

37 weeks! just waiting...

37 weeks 4 days..and counting!

 Officially full-term and if I do my math correctly, Bryce COULD (we can never know for sure) be weighing in at around 8 lbs right now. Mommy would love it if you would just come out now, little man!

This week has been a week of re-finishing the nursery, cleaning, organizing closets, and also resting. Our 37 week appointment yesterday was short and sweet- the normal routine with our weekly NST test. Have I mentioned how much I love hearing his heartbeat for 20-30 minutes? The first few seconds alone brings me so much peace and joy, so I cannot even imagine hearing his first cry! He did great again, so now we just wait around until our next appointment on Monday.

... I will post pictures of the finished nursery next week and give an update after our appointment. Or, maybe our Bryce man will decide to come before then :)

"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." (Psalms 127:3-5 ESV)

Thank you Lord for our sweet little reward!

36 weeks- nesting gone wrong.

Today we are 36 weeks and 5 days..almost full-term! I have been in nesting mode full force this week, mostly motivated by my intuition that he might come early. We have been cleaning and organizing the house, running errands, and buying all of the last minute things we will need before he arrives. Somehow that list grows everyday.. I know that all of the mommas can sympathize with that!

Tuesday was our 36 week appointment- now we will go every week! We had an NST (non-stress test) done because of my hypothyroidism and Bryce measuring so big. He did great and we loved getting to hear his heartbeat for 30 minutes straight. We will now have NST's performed every week until he comes as a precaution. For anyone who is curious, a non-stress test basically records baby's heartbeat and movements to make sure his heart rate goes up and down according to his movements. It also measures any contractions I may be having. The doctor also checked me and I am 50% effaced- any progress sounds good to me!

And now you may be curious about the blog title..
My plans for this week's post were to show you pictures of the nursery, since it is almost completely finished. However, the Lord had other plans and decided to allow a tornado to come through Lakeland today before I took pictures. The winds blew rain and hail at such a speed and angle as to make it's way into our house through the window seals. I know that sounds crazy.. only us! Luckily I was home to dry everything up, so no damage in the nursery. Not so sure about our wood floors down in the den though.. a moment to be glad about renting!
 I'll stick to my plan and show you pictures of the once finished- now disaster nursery (nesting gone wrong):

The water in the den was much worse:

Just one more reason I think Bryce might come early.. it's things like this that could send a pregnant woman into labor! :) until next week...

34 weeks- a "BIG" surprise!

Today we are 34 weeks 4 days into this fun adventure! I finally remembered a 34 week picture:

Bryce and I experienced our first Strawberry Festival that evening, which is something everyone around here has been to at some point in their lives. It was like traveling back in time to my childhood for sure- same games, same rides, same food as the fairs I grew up going to. And of course, strawberries! We had their famous strawberry shortcake and a chocolate covered strawberry to be festive.

On another note..

Yesterday we had our 34 week appointment, and since Bryce has been measuring small the past few appointments they scheduled an ultrasound and were considering a NST (Non-Stress Test) pending how the ultrasound looked. The NST part was news to us, so it made me slightly nervous. Well..Bryce never fails to surprise and amaze us! We loved seeing him again as the tech took measurements- he seemed so much bigger than I remember! She showed us his sweet chubby face and I melted. The doctor came in to look on with us and told us everything we were seeing. I had to lay on my side away from the monitor, but Daniel was able to watch him "take a breath".

After the tech was finished, the doctor gave us some BIG news.. Bryce was not as small as they had thought.

He actually was weighing in at 6 lbs 8 oz.! Are you kidding me?? I will do the math for you.. he is in the 90+percentile in weight at this age. He is measuring the same as the average baby does at 36 weeks 6 days. By estimation he would be close to 10 lbs. by our due date! So, needless to say the NST was not necessary and my nervousness had made a turn in another direction! I must note that ultrasound measurements are not 100% accurate.. but the doctor said that induction at 39 weeks might be an option. Since we met with a doctor in our rotation this time and not our main doctor, we will discuss it more with her in a few weeks. All along my prayer has been that we would be able to go into labor naturally, so I do covet your prayers that labor will come before 39 weeks if this is what the doctor chooses to do.

Lord, we praise you for a BIG, healthy baby! We can't wait to teach him about You, his Creator and the Lover of his soul. 

Week 32-33

Week 32 has come and gone..already in week 33! We were very busy last week, and now I see that I don't quite have all the energy I thought I did. Sleeping is gradually becoming more difficult, and when you add a day full of errands I am exhausted! I am just thankful to feel good enough to get things done, so I'm okay with it. I have also had the luxury of experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions for the past few weeks. They only bring mild discomfort, and the doctor said that they are normal and good. My cravings have been pretty intense the past few weeks- topping the list are fruit smoothies from Tropical Smoothie. I was awake for 2 hours at 4:30 AM planning out a trip to Tropical Smoothie before church yesterday if that gives you an idea of what I mean by intense. Other cravings have been for sweet potatoes, pineapple, and cookies from the 7-11.

Last week the rocker came in to complete the nursery furniture- yay! this is what it looks like:

We had our 32 week appointment last Thursday- it is hard to believe how close we are getting to D-Day! We will have an ultrasound at our next appointment (34 weeks) so that they can measure him and see how he is positioned. He is measuring about a week smaller than he actually is from my belly measurements- which is perfectly normal and completely okay with me :)  We are just excited to get to see him again in a few weeks!

We also had our baby shower last Thursday night, which was hosted by some of the women in our church.   We are so thankful for the acts of love like this by friends and family to remind us that we have a community of support, and most of all a loving Savior who is our Provider. (I had my pregnant thinking cap on and took zero pictures of it so none to share on here..sorry! )

The only picture I have to show for the past few weeks was from the Magic game we went to. We were 12 rows behind the bench:

-j

31 weeks: at the beach!

We are in the 31st week now! The weather here has been much different than what I am accustomed to, but we took full advantage of it on Saturday and headed to the beach! This was our Valentine's Day date, so we went to Anna Maria Island and had a sunset dinner on the beach to end the day. Ironically, our Valentine's Day date last year involved dinner out with alot of snow in Atlanta. Just a little different this year :) Our little trip reminded me of how blessed I am to have such a loving husband who desires my happiness. Thanks D for all you do for our family!

Bryce seemed to enjoy his first beach trip.. and of course we documented it with pictures. Now we are ready to take little man back to the beach when he can touch the sand and see the water for himself!

Until next week...