We had a great Father's Day, and it turned into a first pool time too. We went to Pawpaw Curtis' and Pops (my dad) came in town with some good cajun food to grill. We thought since it was such a nice day we would see how Tyler enjoyed their pool. I layered on the baby sunblock, which there are three seperate types to apply to the head, face and body. Poor thing was so greased up. I had bought the cutest little swimsuit for him a while back that fit him perfect. He seemed to really enjoy himself. Bryce put him in first and he seemed to float, but I think it was the diaper swelling up with water. Then he put Tyler in a little floaty and Pawpaw took him around the pool. I kept him the shade, but still being paranoid, took him out after about 20-30 minutes. He didn't get red at all, but his little feet were pruned up! Mini B definitely had a big day, being passed around among all the grandparents and aunt and uncle, and "swimming". He slept very good after all of that, so I think we need a pool now! I put a video up of his first moments in the water.

(9wks old) As I type this our baby boy is sleeping in his bouncer seat. He is letting me put him down for a small interval, but he had to fall asleep on my chest first. I just stare at him and kiss his fat cheeks constantly, and ask what I did to deserve him. (update: he is back on my chest) I often think about the 2 years we spent praying for a baby of our own, it’s hard not to when I look at this little blessing every day. All of those times I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t pregnant, and the doctors couldn’t understand why the different treatments weren’t working, make me feel a little stupid now that I have an 11 pound answer. We all know God has a plan for us, but at some point I made the mistake of looking outside our particular situation and looking at others, both people I knew and strangers in the news. Seeing people have children that they discarded in one way or another made it really hard to grasp why they were blessed with a little life and we were not. I finally accepted that God’s plan for others is neither my business nor concern. So just knowing how miraculous his conception was, since I supposedly don’t ovulate and the meds I was on in preparation for the next fertility treatment should have prevented implantation, and his 7 wk early arrival didn’t result in any health/medical issues, I think it remains pretty obvious that he was the baby we were “waiting” to have. And now I’m fortunate and blessed to be cuddling God’s plan right now.  A lesson to be learned is that He gives you what you need and not what you want. During those 2 yrs I focused on the lesson of stop adding up your troubles and count your blessings, and then Tyler came along and showed us the greatest blessing of all cannot be counted or measured. Every cry, every smile, every blink of an eye is a blessing to us. He has been home for 6 wks and I cannot believe that we ever called this place a “home” without him. Amazing how he has enriched our lives by just “being”.  So I guess I’ll never get the answer of why I deserve this perfect baby boy, but He thought I did and I’m going to do my best to continue to love, respect, and protect him.

(8wks & 1day)  So I did a crazy mom thing already. I made a pediatrician apt for a non-existent rash on Tyler so that I could see how much he weighed, and get his 2nd round of vaccines moved up. His next apt (2 mth check up) isn't until 6/24 and I couldn't wait. I also had a few questions a/b a special vaccine for preemies (dr calls them "early arrivals") in the winter and his new lazziness problem while eating at night. Tyler falls asleep half way thru his meals at night, so of course wakes up hungry 1.5 hrs later instead of 3 hrs. He puckers his lips up at me and will not eat! I don't mind now, but I don't want this to be a long term habit. The doc said there is nothing I can do if my stubborn little boy doesn't want to wake up. In other news, he picks his head up alot now and pushes up on my chest. He also grabs at things often and has a killer grip.  He is a strong boy and growing fast. Today he was 10.13 lbs! I figured he was around 10 b/c of the clothes he has grown out of. Actually he still hasn't worn the same thing twice (except for his night gowns & socks) and a few onesies he grew out of before he got a chance to wear them. Also, there seem to be more rolls to clean everytime I bathe him, and he loves bath time by the way. The dr said that babies are suppose to gain twice thier birth weight by 2 mths, which is Sunday, and three times by 1 year. He said he will surpass that and was really impressed with his progress. He told me to keep doing whatever it is I'm doing...which is just breastfeeding and giving him a dose of vitamins a day.

I am still "spoiling" him. I cannot put him down, especially since he's growing so fast and I won't be able to cuddle him forever! He fusses after he's been sitting by himself for a few minutes, but I contribute this to a short attention span rather than being spoiled. It gets boring staring at the same dangly toys after a few minutes, I'm sure of it.  

(6wks old) I really need to upload some videos of this cutie! The faces he makes are priceless. He is turning into such the butter ball and we can now see a dimple on his right cheek. Precious! His eyes are also turning a lighter blue, but still won't know for a while if he has mine or Bryce's. He is staying awake b/t feedings twice a day now for almost the whole 3 hrs. He is also bumped up to 5 ounces of milk; I know b/c I feed him a bottle of my milk once a day to add vitamins. His favorite thing to do when awake is lay in my lap while I pull him up, he has a really good grip! Sleeping is still at a minimum b/c it takes about an hour to feed him on both sides, change him and settle him back down, but I don't miss it. When I hear him start to fuss & "fake" cry, I scoop him up and kiss him on the cheek before I nurse him. It has been our routine since night one. Just my way of letting him know that everything is ok. I just beam when I see his little eyes wide open and his mouth making the cutest O shape ready for food. I never thought a baby waking me at 3 oclock in the morning would make me so happy, but 3 wks in and I still get tears in my eyes.

And fyi, he still hasn't worn the same thing twice. Boy has a wardrobe! And I haven't let him out of my arms yet.

What an awesome week! He has been home for 1 wk & 1 day and I have no complaints about motherhood whatsoever. He is on a 3 hr schedule and he knows it. He awakes every 3 hrs to eat, so we are keeping him in the pack n play next to the bed so it is easy access for me to nurse him and change him. His nighties, or gowns, are way too big so he sleeps in long sleeve komono shirts that fit him. Odd the gowns don't fit b/c all of his other newborn clothes do. He also only likes a half swaddle b/c he likes his arms above his head. The first night that I had him home it took about 30 seconds for him to turn onto his side. So I let him do whatever is comfy. I put him down after his 9pm feeding and we get up for the day at his 9am feeding. That is the only time that I put him down, seriously. I just hold him and stare at him all day and tell him how much I love him. I have learned to do everything with one hand, including type. When Bryce's mom comes over I let her hold him, so he hasn't really tried out the swing or bouncie seat yet. I know I'm "spoiling" him, but I'm pretty sure I can handle the consequences. I just can't get over how perfect he is. I knew this months ago, but all the time spent staring at him has confirmed this.

His 1st pediatrician appt was today too. He has gained 1lb 6ounces and grown 1 inch since he has been home! We call that "thriving"! He is such a good baby and hasn't cried once since he's been home, he gets fussy with his gas but that is it...and he got that from daddy. I just hope he knows and feels how much and how long I have loved him.

Bryce Tyler is home!! Wednesday 12:30 pm. Nothing beats this feeling. But after 3 weeks and 1 half of a day our baby is home, where he belongs. He didn’t cry at all in the car ride home either. He truly is a good baby. But remember what I said, he would be home before Friday. Done. Yesterday I had a little chat with one of the doctors (there are 4 that alternate), and discussed how Saturday, the desat episode day, should count as 1 day in there stupid 5 day rule since it occurred in the morning; and that the 5 day rule isn’t really a procedural rule, but more of a precautionary guideline that should be adhered to on an individual basis, and upon Baby Boy Watson’s evaluation, he had not had another episode…nothing alarming at all in 3 weeks. And b/c of a persistent mother, he had competed all 3 tasks for discharge. So when she said maybe Wednesday, I took that as the green light and couldn’t sleep at all last night. Probably not smart, but I have never been so excited in my entire life. I brought up his going home outfit and a nice gift for the nurses. I got 15 $10 gift cards to Jason’s Deli. That’s how many nurses he had and doctors. They were all so kind and great with him. I heard them talking to the other parents, b/c I saw about 23 come and go, and they didn’t tell them how pretty and well behaved their babies were. But that is all we heard about Bryce Tyler. Not that I needed affirmation on my baby’s perfection. So now the fun begins!  

Oh yeah-6.25 lbs & over 18 in long

Baby boy got circumcised today. I am only telling the world this b/c the point is that it was the first time I have seen or heard him cry. The nurses always tell me how good he is and I’ve personally witnessed this. Pure perfection my little prince is. Anyway, it was heart rinching to hear my child cry. I cried, probably not as hard as he did, but it made me hurt to hear his pain in his cry. Most moms aren’t there for this, intentionally, but I wanted to be the one to consol him afterwards, not that this is something consolable for a little boy, but I wanted him to know that I am here and will always be there to wipe his tears. My OB is the one who did it, so she came out and said most of the crying was taking the diaper off. I told her I knew better than that b/c I’ve changed his diapers many times and he doesn’t get bothered.  He was given Tylenol afterwards and I immediately fed him so that helped too. The Tylenol kicked in after 40 minutes and he was out. I called throughout the night and the nurses say that he hasn’t cried since, not even when diapers are changed. Good boy.

Car seat test complete. Of course he passed, he’s perfect. We’ll just say I called a few times last night with gentle reminders that he needed his car seat test. He hasn’t had another episode, the only one he had was at 9 am yesterday while eating. I had a break down with the dr that was there today. She said he needed the 5 day monitoring again, and it was around the time we were leaving him. I just lost it when I laid him down. I never let the nurses or doctors see me cry, and I do cry everyday, but I couldn’t stop myself today. I just love that little angle so much and need him home. The doctors and nurses always tell me that I’m spoiling him b/c I just sit there and hold him all day, but I’m in utter shock that I’m the only mom in there “spoiling” my baby. Of course I am! He is a miracle in every since of the word-from conception to birth-and I want him to lie on my chest and listen to that familiar noise that beats only for him right now.  So the dr and nurse try to console me by telling me that it is for his best interest and I don’t want him to come home and then have to end up at Texas Children’s like a lot of preemies do. They make sense and I in no way want to interfere in his medical care, but I know my baby and there is nothing wrong with him. He has shown his strength time and time again, both health wise and physically. He was lifting and turning his head at 2 days old, that’s 33wks and 2 days old. Pretty impressive. He was also always breathing on his own even thought the steroid shot I got on admittance only had 24 hrs instead of the usual 48 to set in. Tyler also took the bottle and the breast at first introduction, without any coaxing. And let’s not forget how active he was and ready to come into this world from 26 wks. God blessed him with early development, I am convinced. But b/c I’m not crazy, I still believe in a need for the medical community’s involvement in my little preemie’s life. But he’s fine! Just a small rant. Bottom line-I’m not waiting until Friday morning to take him home. Mark my mommy words!