Silent Saturday

One year stats

Birth (6/27/11): 9 pounds 0.4 ounces, 21 1/4 inches, 14 1/4 inch head circumference

1 day old (6/28): 8 pounds 10.8 ounces

2 days old (6/29): 8 pounds 5 ounces

3 days old (6/30): 8 pounds 6 1/4 ounces, 20 3/4 inches

2 weeks 1 day (7/12): 9 pounds 1 1/2 ounces, 21 1/4 inches

2 months (9w4d on 9/2): 11 pounds 14 ounces (50%), 23 5/8 inches (75%), 15 3/4 inch head circumference (40%)

4 months (11/1): 14 pounds 3/4 ounces (30%), 25 inches (50%), 16 inch head circumference (40%)

6 months (1/3/12): 15 pounds 1 1/3 ounces, 25 3/4 inches

9 months (4/4/12): 16 pounds 4 1/2 ounces (2%), 28 inches (39%), 17 3/4 inch head circumference (37%)

12 months (6/29/12): 19 pounds 0.5 ounces (15%), 29 inches (28%), 46.5 cm head circumference (61%)

WW: ONE!



6/27/11- newborn

6/27/12- 1 year old!

He turns 1 tomorrow

...and I have no idea how. I was thinking about how my little Maximilian came to be in this world, and I have no idea how we got so lucky. I had a relatively easy pregnancy; I probably only got physically sick 10 times or so. I remember driving to the Dollar Tree to buy a pregnancy test at 10pm because I was starting to feel yucky, going home and watching a couple episodes of Nip/Tuck with AJ.. then at like 2am taking a pregnancy test and being in complete shock. I mean, SHOCK. We had been trying for 4-5 months, but I was starting to think it wouldn't happen. I remember when I first felt him move in my tummy on Valentine's day. I remember seeing him via ultrasound go from a shrimp-looking alien, to a little gummy bear, to a black and white 2 dimensional picture of my baby that I was so anxious to actually SEE him. When the ultrasound tech told us that he had hair at his like 36 week ultrasound, I was in awe. I guess I knew that some babies had hair, but I hadn't thought about what my baby's hair growth would be. Black? Brown? Blonde? It was dark brown when he was born, but now it is more strawberry blonde. His eyes went from ruddy and cross eyed (but damned cute!) dark blue to a lively, lighter blue. He is now walking most of the time. I don't know how or why my mind can't save all the little things that he's done, but he keeps on going to bigger, better things. I remember the first time I breastfed him in the hospital, when all he needed was me. I took for granted when he just needed and wanted me 24/7. Now I wish he needed me more, wish I could sit all day just holding him like I did then. I want to be the only ones awake at 5:30 in the morning, both of us half asleep in the recliner in the living room watching Country Girl and Homeboy videos on the CMT Top 20 Video Countdown. I was so frazzled then, catching an hour of sleep at a time. Now my big ol' one year old usually sleeps at least from 8:30-5 or 6 straight. He has changed so much, both in appearance and personality. He can say ball, book, mama, and dada. His words just erupted the past couple weeks. He still loves reading books. I hope he will always love books. He can also point to eyes, mouth, nose, ears, and stick his tongue out when you ask him to. I am just so sad, because if the past year has gone this fast, this next year will go just as fast. And before I know he'll start kindergarten, then he'll be learning to drive, then graduating from college, then getting married and having a little one of his own. My heart hurts thinking about it. I am so excited for these things, but I just want to live all these experiences with him a little more slowly. I'm sure I've already forgotten a lot of little things that he's done. I just want to fully enjoy every minute. I want to be able to hit pause when he lays his little head on my shoulder, or gives me a kiss when I ask him to. I will love my son as long as I'm alive; he will always be my baby.

We Weaned

We weaned! It was the right time for us since Max really only wanted to nurse when I got home from work and at night. Plus, since I started working again, I remembered how much I HATED pumping. Especially since I just started a new job and pumping while eating lunch was just not something I wanted to do anymore.
We took Max for a weight check since he hadn't been gaining enough. AJ and I decided previously that if he had gained a sufficient amount we would wean. I knew I wasn't really producing much during the day anyway since at the beginning of April I was with my grandpa for 2 days and barely pumped anything.
On Friday, May 25 we began the weaning process. I went camping with some friends and decided to only take my manual pump along in case I became too engorged. It turns out I did need to pump, and people I don't know too well kept looking at me weird because I absentmindedly kept massaging my boobs. Full boobs hurt! I came home on the 27th and was still pretty engorged even though I had been pumping every 8 hours or so to take the edge off. Max really wanted to nurse and I was still hurting so we did. I wasn't quite ready to not do it anymore, and actually getting kind of emotional about it. I kept nursing him when I got home from work, but we started giving him a sippy of breastmilk when he woke up at night and formula during the day when I was at work. The last time we nursed was Thursday, May 31 when I got home from work. It was bittersweet, but I wasn't as sad as I thought I would be. Actually, when we started giving him sippies at night instead of breastfeeding, Max went from waking up at least twice at night and ending up in bed with us, to once a night, and now 2 weeks later he usually sleeps from 8 or 9 to 5ish. It is amazing!!!! Plus, since AJ can feed him at night now, if he wakes up we take turns.
The transition went really well. It was better than I ever imagined. The only time he wanted to that I didn't was the next night I got home from work, and then I just distracted him and gave him a sippy. I am glad that we decided to wean then. We were both pretty ready, and I was getting anxious to have my body back, and maybe a bit more sleep. I was still leaking until a couple days ago, though, but I am hoping that is finally done.
My baby boy is not so much of a baby anymore! He has been walking across the room for a few days now, but not full time walking just yet. Before I know it I'm sure he'll be 28 with a little one on the way and I'll be butting into my daughter-in-laws plans to breastfeed! Oh, sigh of happiness.

WW: Happy boy

Silent Saturday

Halley broke her arm 5/30/12 when she fell backwards of a gate at her grandparents' house