Hi, We Are Your Parents. Are You Worried?

http://www.emaphotography.com/slideshow/jackson/

Last we spoke, our little dude was 5 weeks old weighing in at 9lbs, 2 oz and 21 3/4 inches.

On his two month birthday (Feb 17 he was 8 weeks), we are happy to report that he is: 11.5 lbs and 22 inches!

Like Father, Like Son

We must say - before we forget - Happy Valentine's Day!

Growing like a little weed.  A little weed that eats a lot, poops a lot and sleeps a little....and, now GRABS things and holds on....like my hair or necklace or chin.

But, 

Who needs sleep?  I don't need sleep.  Accenture trained me to not need sleep.  Except that....they didn't train me be teased with 1-2 hours...only to have to get up, walk to the crib in another room, change a diaper, feed, burp, swaddle and rock another human being.  

But, it's absolutely amazing what one can do even sleep deprived!  It's just that some days....I have to choose between eating, sleeping or showering.  I most often choose to eat.  Don't judge.

So, Jack - he has good nights and he has bad nights.  Needless to say he's not an awesome sleeper, but he's not terrible either.  We count our blessings that we get the 5-6 hour stretches that we get (which are pretty often these days!)....and we laugh off the "cluster feeding" sessions where he's up every hour.  (What do you mean there's a growth spurt at 6 weeks?!  Someone should tell us this stuff!  I need a calendar of events!)  Luckily, he hasn't had one of those cluster feeding sessions in a couple of weeks.

We mostly just do what feels right....and let him lead the way on most days.

Hell, sometimes?  We just sleep in the bouncer.

And, sometimes?  We all sleep in the same bed:

Uhm, Dad?  I'm awake.  Are you?  No?  How about now?

Sometimes?  We pass out while mom is trying to make the bed.



And, sometimes....we just pass out in mom's arms while she's trying to get a burp outta me:

....or while laying on mom's lap.



Mornings are the best....when Jack hangs with his momma...and we talk about his tubby little belly:

....and his big boy yawns:

...and how he makes the cutest stretchy face:

Some days, we hang out in our sock monkey gear (and watch the Super Bowl):

Along the way, we've learned what we need....and what we don't need, that's for sure!  We know there's so much more to learn, but it's CRAZY how much stuff we thought we needed....and how much we've really used.  Honestly?  This is our list of newborn must haves:

• A white noise machine (Thank You Becky!):  Because apparently, babies like it to sound like it did in the womb....and this machine mimics that....and, well, he sleeps.  Thank God.
• The "Miracle Blanket" (Thank You Oscar and Steph!):  It's a swaddle blanket on crack...helping you to tie down even the most hulk-like little arms.  Jack is going to be a professional wrestler (Jack the Ripper, duh.) with the amount of wrestling he does to get out of a tightly swaddled blanket.
• The Happiest Baby On The Block DVD (Thank You Oscar and Steph!):  This DVD is all about how to calm your baby down....and it is SPOT ON.  I can't believe we waited until week 4 to watch this!  It changed our lives.  And Jack's.
• Nice Burp Cloths:  ....are the ones that are actually cloth diapers.  Never buy the ones that are technically called "burp cloths."  Only buy cloth diapers...and use them for everything (even diapering, if you so choose, which we didn't...but to each their own!)
• Baby Socks:  Buy lots of them.  Thanks to Matt's genes, Jack has constantly ice cold hands and feet.  Also thanks to Matt?  We lose baby socks like it's our job.  Actually, we've been losing adult socks like it's our job for quite some time, but those little bastard baby socks?  Holy crap are they hard to keep up with!
• Nipple Cream:  Let's just say this isn't for Matt.
• White Onesies:  Because on most days, it's not a fashion show....and we change clothes a lot around here.  I mean, with the peeing and the pooping and the rookie parents/diaper issues....there are a lot of wardrobe changes.  Again, we aren't talking about Matt - although he does contribute to the overall gas problem in this house.  Living with boys is tough.
• Video Baby Monitor:  Nothing says neurotic (uhm, ME) like waking up every hour of a 6 hour sleep stretch to check the video monitor.  To be perfectly honest, I get up A LOT to make sure he's still breathing.  Do not judge.

Then, there are those day to day items like aquaphor, stain remover, snot suckers, saline, gas medicine, hand sanitizer, etc....that you must have on hand to survive.  Thanks to my friend Amy for a goodie bag with all of those items and more.  She knew this ahead of time....because she's got three little angels of her own!

With all of this excitement, you'd think Lucky would be bouncing off the walls, but honestly - Lucky is less than amused with the whole night time production.  He generally finds himself back downstairs on the couch rather than on his dog bed in our room.

Lucky isn't so much interested in all of Jack's amazing feats like grabbing things and holding on....or mimicking what we do with our mouths....or smiling/laughing/swatting at the little animals that hang from his activity mat.

Lucky isn't so much impressed that our little guy scootches himself across the room during tummy time or that he presses up on his (ever thickening) little legs to "stand up."

This is my rock n roll onesie from my friend, Jeneane.

Who is this weird man?

Yeah...Lucky, he'd be just fine snoozing the day away rather than be bothered with the achievements of Jack.

Lucky:  "This is my fur-less little brother"

But, he knows that he must always be calm and submissive....and patient, because Lord knows it takes us AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME to get ready to go anywhere.

He Peed On Me Again?!....or, How Life With a Newborn Will Humble Anyone.

http://www.emaphotography.com/slideshow/jackson/

There are things no one tells you about what happens during labor and delivery....and then what happens to your body POST delivery.  And, while, I will talk about MOST everything on this blog - I won't talk about ALL of that here in an effort to suppress that from my memory.

Otherwise?  Jack will be an only child.

The good thing about C-Sections?  Percocet!  They send you home with that stuff....and that's really the only reason that Jack got fed and changed those first few days after we got home.  The walk from the bed to the crib....is WAY longer than I anticipated, which is why smart people have a bassinet.  We wanted to start with the crib though and so we did.  And, I became a zombie walking back and forth.  

The bad thing about C-Sections?  See first paragraph.

Otherwise, 

We have been pooped on, peed on, puked on....

We have wasted more diapers than we care to discuss....

We use more baby wipes than will ever be necessary for any activity....

We do at LEAST 2 wardrobe changes a day because we can't seem to keep that little wee-wee under wraps....  I mean, he peed on the wall.  And, on his own head.

We have WAY over analyzed where to buy diapers and which coupons to use.... Have you met Matt?  He hates math unless doing a little means that he's going to save $1.  

We have bought contraptions to help him sleep....

We have read more about newborn sleeping issues, patterns and solutions than we thought existed....

....but, we are having a ball!  We are over the moon in love with him and no amount of sleep deprivation prevents us from enjoying the sweet moments.  Like, when he is waking up in the morning and likes to stretch and grunt and roll around in the bed.  My fave!

We have figured out a "hungry cry" vs an "uncomfortable cry" .... and we've learned not to JUMP through the ceiling at every single coo, grunt and whine.  Sometimes, he just likes to hear himself make a noise. :)

He does have a little reflux, but I understand that most babies do...and if nothing else, they all struggle with gas.  Well, let's just say he gets that honest.  Thanks Matt.  

Living with three boys has been interesting....and for those of you worried about Lucky.  Refrain.  Lucky is well under control and doesn't even bat his fuzzy little eyelashes at Jack's screaming, cooing and grunting.  He's not even interested with Jack's tummy time.  Lucky is just as exhausted as we are....since he's up for every feeding/changing too!

The boys are adjusting very well.  Lucky gets daily loooooong walks...and if the weather permits, Jack goes along too in his Bugaboo.

See?  He even lived to be a month old!  Who knew?!

He had lots of visitors.....like Auntie DJ, MeMe, Grandpa Mayo, Granddaddy Bullard and GGMama:

Grand Daddy Bullard and GG Mama

Grandpa Mayo

Mayos and Schneiders
(yes, I look near death)

Quit it, Auntie DJ!!!!

Here are a few of his professional newborn photos:

Jackson James Schneider had different plans...

....and, so, I yield to him now.  Wait.  Who am I?

A new mom....that's who.

From the last post, we were hanging onto the verdict of the next appointment to see if my fluid was low again...and if they'd "just deliver him that day" as the doctor would say.

Turns out?  It was (low)....and they did (deliver him)...on 12/23/2011 at 9:29pm.  He was our little breech baby boy, so we went the c-section route (and there is MUCH to discuss on this topic), but first - here's how 12/23 looked in my rear view mirror.

We had a dr. appt at 2:00 pm to recheck my fluid and to do a non-stress test.  Jack looked really good on the monitor, responding well to contractions, movement, etc.  The fluid, however, was still super low.  This concerned the doctors just because it seemed silly to let me leave with a healthy baby that could go into distress at any moment due to low fluid.  Why risk that?  

So, as we are waiting on the dr. to come in and talk to us, I'm busy on my phone working on my next meeting back at the office....and trying to get a few things wrapped up before the team departed for the Christmas holiday.  I thought..."even if they want to deliver him this weekend or next week, I'll have time to go back to work, go home, finalize a few last details....yeah, this will be totally fine and uneventful"

Enter dr...."We're going to go ahead and deliver him today, so make a few phone calls and then let's get you admitted into labor and delivery"

Me:  "I'm sorry.  Today as in TODAY?  I need to go back to work.  I'm hosting a meeting in an hour...and we really need to have this meeting before the team leaves for the holiday."

Dr.:  <smile>  "You're having a baby today....it would have been right now, but you just ate a yogurt, so we'll need 6 hours for that to digest before we give you the spinal tap for the c-section."

Awwwwww Hell.  My first thought is that I need to make a list! 

Cancel meeting. 

Send lots of mass emails detailing what's happening.

Try not to freak out. 

Call my mother.

Call EVERYONE.

Think of all the stuff I need for a 4 day stay at the hospital....and try to help Matt figure out where all of that stuff is. (Did I mention that Matt handled this all VERY well.)

About 6 hours later....

I walk my happy self into the OR where there's a full team of people standing there all in blue scrubs and all I can think of is Grey's Anatomy....and wondering if Meredith Grey is going to get involved (she's not that great of a surgeon).  And, I start to get reeeeaaaallly nervous.  The anesthesiologist comes in with her assistant and pretty much proceeds to put me in the worst possible pain I've ever known....a spinal.

After that, I feel nothing from my stomach down.  

Jackson James Schneider was born in true dramatic fashion complete with some questionable breathing (WHAT?!).  There was a lot of pressure, but no pain....and I hear the doctor say "here he iiiiissssss!"  Matt, because he's really just not into blood (and who is?)...baaaarely peeks over the curtain.  All I can see is Matt's smile from ear to ear at sight of his son.  It was honestly the most excited I've ever seen Matt....and what a sweet moment.

As I'm laying on the operating table unable to move my lower half (have we reviewed my anxiety/claustrophobia issues?), I see the NICU team and the incubator roll in.  Of course, I FREAK OUT (because that's what I do).....and continue to freak out throughout recovery as the doctors keep coming in to tell me that he's having trouble breathing and that we probably won't take him home with us when we go home in 4 days.

Oh, you wanna make a bet?  I'm not leaving that kid here.  We made him.  We are taking him.  Now, give him some oxygen and let's get on with it so that I can actually hold him!

A Very Proud Dad
(Jack in the NICU)

A Very Worried Momma

Grandma Schneider made it to the delivery!

After all of that excitement, I can tell you this - by the time 4:30 pm rolled around the next day (less than 24 hours!)....Jack was out of the NICU and in our room.  He stayed there with us for the next 3 days and then went home with us on December 27.  

We learned SO MUCH in 4 short days at the hospital that I really wanted to take the nurses home with me.  Although, the way they throw newborns around in the hospital made me super nervous, but a bit relieved as I learned that newborns are tougher than they look!

Thank God for that.

More sweet moments from the hospital:

The Little Monster is Going Home!

Holding on to Daddy's finger in the NICU

Merry Christmas from Virtua Voorhees Hospital!

Morning Time with Momma

From there....well, it's been like a comedic sitcom complete with bad jokes and all the things that you would expect to happen.

(So, what you're saying is that if you wipe the warm baby boy with a cold baby wipe - he will pee all over you?  Check!)

(Also?  He will actually poop on the changing table WHILE you are changing his current poop filled diaper?  Check!)

(And, while he's getting his newborn photos taken...he will actually poop and pee in your bare hands when you are holding him?  Check!)

It's been an amazingly funny adventure in only 9 short days....and there's SO much more to tell you about. 

For now?  I have a baby to feed, change, snuggle and stare at!

More soon.

Love.

Best. Christmas. Present. Ever.