Happy One Month JD!

Jonathan hit the one month mark this past week, which just seems craaaazy! It's so cliché, but true... time is flying! But I'm not complaining. As much as I absolutely adore our newborn, I'll admit I am not really a newborn kinda person. Some women just love this time with a teeny tiny person... I do not fall into that category.

True confession: I have realized I am just too selfish. I really like predictability.  I really like feeling in control of the situation. And I realllllly like my sleep. These are all things that make this newborn stage a bit of a challenge at times. But in all honesty, I am so thankful that God is using our children to teach me to let these things go. Babies are not predictable, are not controllable and are sleep-deprivers (thanks Captain Obvious)! 

And while this newborn stage is challenging at times, there are so many greater things for which I am incredibly grateful. Pictures explain why best of all, but I'll update you on what JD's been up to this past month too: 

Jonathan is an awesome eater! I never thought I would be so happy about this, but after Caleb's feeding issues (namely reflux and aspirating which made for a very long 6 months of pumping, thickening his milk and doing everything we could to make him drink it), I couldn't be happier every time I sit down to nourish baby J. While I would never choose to go through what we did with Caleb, now that we are through that, I am thankful for the appreciation it has given me for nursing.

That face! 

Speaking of eating... Jonathan has gained over two and a half pounds since birth. At his one month check up, he weighed 11 pounds 13 ounces (compared to 9 lb 4 oz at birth).

We survived our first cold. Sadly, Caleb came down with it just one week after JD was born and inevitably passed it along to his baby brother shortly after. This made for a couple very long nights of snot sucking (if you're a parent and have not heard of the Nose Frida snot sucker, you need to check it out ASAP... you literally suck the snot out of the baby's nose with your mouth and a long tube! There's a filter to ensure you don't actually come into contact with the boogies though, so don't worry).

Sleeping is coming along. Jonathan will usually do one 3-4 hour stretch each night, which feels great after waking every 30 minutes those nights when his cold was at its worst. Thankfully he is a great sleeper during the day... he basically is awake for an hour at a time and then takes a long nap (between one and three hours). This lasts until about 7:00pm... at which point he is often awake until going to bed at 11:00ish. This was especially true weeks two-four. This fussy time is already subsiding though, so I can't complain. 

My mom came back right before Thanksgiving and was once again "all-star Grammy & mom"

Have a said that Tim is an amazing dad and husband yet?! Children definitely put a strain on a marriage (that's an entirely separate blog post), but they also create a bond like nothing else can. I have fallen even more in love with him these past five weeks as I've watched him pick up my slack around the house, immediately start playing with Caleb upon walking in the door after work, give JD a bottle at midnight so that I can go to bed at 9:00 and bounce a crying baby for two hours while I take a bath and enjoy a minute to myself.

Caleb is handling the transition as well as can be expected. He is so sweet with Jonathan... bringing his passy when he fusses, rocking his car seat when he cries, and bringing him toys throughout the day. He immediately looks for "baby" (that's what he calls JD) whenever he enters the room. 

It's not all roses though... he has become significantly more fragile since his brother's birth. We have seem tantrums like never before (changing his diaper feels like world war three). AND, he has started pushing and hitting other kids! I was mortified at first! Our sweet and innocent little man is not so innocent anymore. I'm still bummed to see this new side come out, but I do know that it is very normal and that we need to continue showering him with love and affection as I am sure he's feeling a little unsettled with someone stealing so much attention. Plus Caleb is almost two, so that explains a lot. 

I need to frame this one and look at it every time I'm frustrated during one of Caleb's fits

He smiled a few days ago! I forgot how wonderful that feeling is when this little blob that we've kept alive for a month finally looks up and acknowledges our presence... what a gift!

He melts me!

Jonathan is growing stronger each day. He actually rolled over three times at the docs office last week. He would lift his big head and as it fell to the side, his whole body would just roll with it. He seemed way more surprised than we were. 

And lastly, the thing for which I am most grateful... the birth of the One that gives our little ones hope and a future, and for whom we celebrate:

Welcome Jonathan David!

Welcome to this side of the world Jonathan David March! 

Besides the joy of getting to lay our eyes on Baby J, I must say I am incredibly thankful not to be pregnant anymore. For the past month, I have known that the little human in my abdomen was not so little. The main giveaway was the constant throbbing in my ribcage as a result of his rump being lodged right against my left ribs. My hunch was confirmed when Jonathan was born at an impressive 9lb 4oz and 22 inches long.

Jonathan's birth story is one that has brought such joy and awe...

You may recall that Caleb was born via C-section after an induction and epidural led to distress. This was hard news to swallow 20 months ago, especially as I feared this meant I would never have the opportunity to deliver a baby naturally (something I realized I really desired). Over the past 9 months, we had discussed the possibility of a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with my doctor on multiple occasions. He, like many doctors, was wary of this option as it has its share of risks - a ruptured uterus at the spot of the cesarean incision being one of the largest risks. He did say that a VBAC was an option, but only if everything went perfectly. "Perfectly" basically meant that most everything would have to be different than the labor and delivery of Caleb - this baby would have to come early (Caleb was 12 days late), this baby could not be induced (Caleb's labor required pitocin to induce contractions), this baby had to respond favorably to the epidural (Caleb's heart rate plummeted as a result of my epidural), and so on.

As you can imagine, I was not overly hopeful that a VBAC was part of the plan. In fact, I had basically given up on the idea by the end of my pregnancy.

My doctor did not want me to go past my due date, but was okay with giving my body every opportunity to go into labor before then, and so we scheduled a C-section for my due date, Friday, November 8th. It was not until the Tuesday before that I remembered just how badly I wanted to give birth to a baby naturally. I know that a healthy baby is really all that matters in the end, but there was just something about a natural birth that I so badly desired (plus, you're not supposed to lift anything heavier than the baby for 6 weeks after a C-section... how was I supposed to do that with a 30lb toddler??)

And so, it was on that Tuesday that I began pleading with God that I would go into labor before Friday. I can't recall a time in my life that I have prayed with such fervor, boldness and expectancy as I did in the three days leading up to Friday. Now I must admit that I am still unsure of the exact power of prayer... was it really my prayers (and the prayers of all those interceding on our behalf) that brought about this natural birth? Did these prayers change the plan as it was originally designed? Who am I to say? What I will say though is that I am so thankful that God placed it on my heart to pray in the way that I did. I am full of joy and wonder and awe at how He brought His child, Jonathan David, into this world and entrusted him to our care. Had I not prayed for this outcome perhaps I would not be so quick to praise and glorify the One that made it happen.

As I said, we had a C-section scheduled for Friday the 8th. With our bags packed and after a few tears shed (tears of both excitement and a bit of sorrow as we ended this sweet chapter with just one child), we called it a night. To my surprise, at 11:30 p.m. on Thursday my water broke, a mere 7 hours before we were to leave for the hospital for the C-section! We drove to the hospital unsure of whether the doctor would let me labor or perform the C-section as scheduled. Thankfully, he approved the former and so for the next 7 hours I labored. Can I just say that labor sucks! It's amazing that I did not remember that from the first time around, but it's so true. In between prayers that God would give me to the strength to endure the next contraction were curses at Eve for eating that damn apple! Thankfully though, the doctor came in at 7:00 that morning and informed me that I was 7cm dilated and all was going well. Because of the risks involved in a VBAC (the ruptured uterus being the main one), he was very forward about his recommendation that I get the epidural so that if something were to happen and an emergency C-section were required, the numbing agent would already be in place and no delays would be necessary. Initially (before labor) I was very hesitant to an epidural as it was the epidural in Caleb's labor that began his distress. But honestly, after 7 hours of contractions, my arm required very little twisting before I conceded to the epidural. And WOW, am I glad I had one! Even though laying in bed for another 9 hours was less than ideal, I was amazed and relieved each time I saw a contraction starting on the monitor, knowing that it meant we were one step closer to meeting our boy, but thankful that I was not going to feel the pain of that progress :)

And so, after 15 hours of labor it was time to push... 35 minutes and five pushes later, a crying, bloody, chunky and adorable Jonathan David was born to two very proud, exhausted and hungry parents!!

That's Jonathan's (long) birth story. And on the other side of the story is our eldest son. How has Caleb handled Jonathan's birth? I am so thankful to say that he has handled it incredibly well. We had high hopes knowing how much he loves babies and how eager he was to give Baby J (my belly) hugs when I was pregnant, but we were still worried how he would really react once there was another child with which he had to share our attention and affections. But he has been a champ! Granted this is likely due to how spoiled he has been by the attention of both sets of grandparents and Tim so far. The real test will be in a couple weeks when the company is gone, Tim is back at work full time, and it's just mom and the two boys at home. I'll update you then :)

Here's life so far as the new and improved family of four:

Jonathan's first moments

Caleb was more interested in the food than the baby at this point :) 

A very tired and frazzled mom

A doting dad

And a shocked babe

Skin to skin with pops

Grammy and Grampa were in town for the first weekend, meaning we came home from the hospital to a spotless house, a perfectly groomed yard, a clean car, laundry done and dinner in the oven. We can't thank you two enough! 

Sizing each other up

The dudes

First doctor appointment. Thankfully Jonathan only lost 3% of his body weight which just
proved what we already knew... this boy can eat!

He loves his brother! 

First bath - wasn't a fan

Caleb and Jonathan's Poppy and Gagu were in town for the 2nd week... can I just say I hit the jackpot when it comes to in-laws? Once again, we enjoyed a week of meals prepared, dishes cleaned, clothes washed and Caleb entertained. THANK YOU!!

And here is the picture evidence of why Caleb is handling this transition so well:

A photo shoot with dad at the hospital:

A trip to the Dupage Children's Museum with Poppy & Gagu:

Daily viewings of Thomas the Tank Engine:

Swimming with Poppy & Dada:

He loved the bubbles

This was one of his less graceful exits from the pool