4 Weeks Old Today!

I just got caught up on my friends' blogs and decided mine was much too out of date! The last few weeks have been crazy and I finally feel like it's settling down. For one, my incision didn't seem to be healing correctly so I went to the Dr. twice for that, then I woke up with a huge spider bite on my back which is now healing nicely after a few dr.'s appointments. I finally was able to sleep in our bed again, which makes me feel so much more normal again! Mason has been a wonderful little boy. He cries when he's hungry. And we had a few fussy nights and figured out we just weren't feeding him enough. So after awhile, I had no more breast milk to give him so I got out some formula that had been given to us by the hospital. We are now happily eating 4-5 ounces of either breast milk, formula or a mixture of both. This seems to finally satisfy him. He also gained a pound this past week, and weighs 7 pounds, 7 ounces now. He's still wearing his newborn clothes, but I'm sure that won't last much longer if we keep up this eating pattern. He makes the funniest noises when he eats. He sounds like a pig kind of, but mostly just breathing hard, moving our hands and mouths if the bottle is removed, and snorting a lot. It's hilarious and we are going to try to get it on camera this weekend to share with everyone, and especially his future wife someday :) I'm so thankful he has taken to the bottle so easily, and the formula, as I find it so wonderful to have Ryon or someone else feed him every now and then. Breastfeeding was wearing me out and I'm not really sure how women do it exclusively for months at a time. I never thought I wouldn't really like it, but it was just too exhausting for me. With him taking formula and the bottle so easily, it also frees me and my schedule up so very much. I feel like Ryon and I can leave for a few hours without watching the clock. We went on a date last week for dinner and a movie and it was so nice to be alone again. Mason stayed at TK and V Daddy's along with the rest of the family bc everyone "needed" to help with the babysitting :) We have had great help the last few weeks as well. My mom came to stay a few days and boy was I thankful. I needed her so much that week too, going to different Dr.'s appointments. She took night duty two nights in a row so that was amazing for Ryon and I; and vacuumed and cooked us dinner one night! Then that same week Teri came over one night when Rick was out of town and took one look at Ryon and I sitting in our recliners and said, "kids, i'm going to get my pajamas bc yall look tired!" So that was another night of wonderful help. I'm on about 24 hours a day. Ryon is working during the day obviously and then I'm taking night duty also, since Ryon's working. It's very tiring, but it really doesn't make sense any other way. I've gotten better about hearing Mason before he has his "I hate you and I'm hungry" scream, as to keep it a little quieter for daddy. We have gone to the office twice this week because Mommy just can't seem to stay away :) (There really has been reason's why I have gone..) He was perfect and just slept the entire time as people held him. I am thankful for his quiet demeanor so I can safely take him up there if I really need to. I showed a house on Saturday, that was fun to feel a bit more normal. But my body still isn't 100% so I'm not sure I want to be showing several houses in one sitting anytime really soon. Christmas is here and Ryon and I are ready! Every year it seems we find ourselves roaming Academy for those last boy gifts, and as we walk every aisle and I learn all of those things that Ryon really wished he had, I'm beginning to really love this tradition. We took Mason with us this past weekend of course and just kept him covered in the cart. We finished up all the shopping and now I just need to finish wrapping a few things. A friend of mine came and took some newborn pictures of Mason last week and once I get the edited versions I will post a few. They are so great and Cara really is talented as she is getting started with her photography. I think I better go shower before I miss my chance!