Elijah Tate + Grass = Interesting

So Elijah Tate now will eat anything. He has fooled some into thinking we never feed him. Clearly that isn't the case. His appetite is much like that of a giant. So we started taking some pictures of him and his favorite "toy box" (that came from Travis & Holly). It's filled with lots of little toys that he can pull out and play with. This box keeps him busy for over an hour most days. This particular Sunday he was practically crawling into the toy box. Enjoy the pictures below. They are hilarious to us!

A big smile after I sat Elijah Tate up in the basket.

Then we traveled outside, which he wasn't too sure of.

What does he find within arm's reach?? GRASS!!  He's like our mini-lawn mower.

If it goes in his hands, it MUST go in his mouth!

This was his face as he was chewing on the first piece of grass (without a single tooth in his mouth).

And then apparently the grass was so good he had to get out of the basket to get more!

This time he wanted a handful of grass in his mouth!

Elijah wasn't very sure of it, but nonetheless, he kept chewing....

Then comes handful number 2....

And, of course, everything is better with dirty fingers...

This was the face after he got gagged by a piece of grass and Mommy stuck her finger down his throat to get the piece of grass!

Getting scooped up by Mommy.

And, finally a happy Elijah Tate again.....all is well with the world!

By the way, this all happened in the course of about 2 minutes.  I didn't let him a bajillion handfuls of grass.

Elijah's birth announcement

Stationery card

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Happy 1 Month Birthday Elijah Tate Bonds!

Oh no!  Elijah is growing up too fast!  He's already moved out of the newborn diapers and his newborn clothes.  We didn't even get to wear all of his cute clothes or use his tiny diapers!  Guess we will be donating some things! 

As I sit here typing this entry, it's very hard to believe I'm a mommy.  I've had almost no sleep for over 4 weeks and I'm still alive!  Who would have thought that this girl, the one that must get 8 hours of sleep, can still manage to raise a healthy baby boy with no sleep! 

Did I mention healthy?  Yes, Elijah Tate is very healthy.  In fact, at his 1 month check-up which was about 5 days before his one month birthday, he weighed 10 lbs and 3 oz.  Dr. Tatum, his pediatrician, asked me how often he was eating.  When I told her every hour and a half, she asked me how I was making it.  I just told her the truth, I'm making it.....

He was also almost 22 inches long!  He's a growing boy.  He was in the 70th percentile for both weight and length.  You'll be glad to know that his head is a completely average size....50th percentile. 

This little man never ceases to amaze us.  He make the silliest faces when he's asleep and boy, does he have some gas!  We just can't help but laugh.  He doesn't think it's funny, because those cries he makes are very piercing! 

Just last week, he started smiling at me and copying a few of the faces I'd make at him.  But, he has to be in a really great mood for that to happen.

He absolutely loves to snuggle. We (or really just me) are so torn between letting him snuggle with us during naps or putting him in his bassinet or crib.  If daddy is around, he gets to snuggle on his chest.  That appears to be Elijah's most favorite place to nap.  If it's just me around, I tend to put him in his bed or boppy so I can get things done. 

We did have a few other major milestones this past week.  Elijah traveled a whole 3 hours to Huntingdon, TN to visit Nana and Papa's house.  We stayed for 4 days and he had so much fun.  Of course, he did get spoiled by a few people ( ok, well everyone spoiled him).  He got to meet his great grandmothers, Uncle Travis, Suzanne and her mother.  Oh, boy, he loved the attention.  Our labradoodle, Molly, just really can't handle the lack of attention on her.  Thank goodness Papa knows how to deal with dogs. He's like the dog whisperer! And, thank goodness for Nana and Papa!  They took little Eli in the early mornings and at night so I could get some sleep!

I'm also glad to say we made it 3 whole hours to Tennessee without any major meltdown from Eli, Molly or Mommy!  I did pull over 3 times just to check to make sure he was still alive since he was so quiet.  I changed his diaper in the front seat during one of those stops.  He didn't even wake-up!  Coming back was almost as perfect but around the state line he was ready to be home.  I finally pulled over to change and feed him.   All was perfect after that. 

I'm happy to report that last night Elijah went 3 solid hours in between feedings and soothed himself to sleep in his bassinet after each feeding!  Major success for all of us! 

We also introduced the bottle to him this week (to allow me to get a solid 3-4 hours of sleep).  The first nite was a bit discouraging.   But, the second nite was a total success! 

Mommyhood is fabulous.  Yes, I am tired and a little (or a lot) grumpy at the end of the day.  But, it is worth all of the pains just being able to hold Elijah Tate.  He has been the most unexpected blessing of my entire life!  And, I'm sure that God would not have blessed us with him if He didn't think we were prepared! 

Elijah Tate's favorite thing to do with Papa!

Uncle Travis finally got to meet Elijah Tate!

Elijah Tate meeting Grah Doris, his great grandmother!

The best grandparents ever! 

Resting with Elijah Tate after touring Nana & Papa's new HOUSES!

Elijah Tate meeting Grah Hampton, his great grandmother!

Check out Elijah's shirt: "My Uncle's a Great Catch"....bought this just for Travis!

ET and I with Nana at the Lake House! 

Psalm 139:13-16 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Eli's New Swing

We're putting Daddy to the ultimate test today! We've got him putting together a new swing for little man!

If only he could quit watching ESPN, we might get to use the swing before Christmas!

Update: mission completed! We have a happy baby in a new swing!

Pictures

 Last belly picture taken about 7 hours before I went into labor

Belly/cup holder during labor & delivery

First time holding our precious miracle!

The only picture of Tony & I in the hospital....we were too focused on Elijah Tate!

Elijah Tate in the NICU

Door hanger

Elijah Tate is perfect!

His perfect tiny feet!

Molly meeting Elijah Tate for the first time!

A standoff with Daddy!

Big Update!

Elijah Tate is here.  If you didn't know this, then you must not text or have facebook!  We are so excited to announce our bundle of joy came into this world on 10/2/11 at 2:58pm.  He weighed 7lbs 12.5 ounces and was 20 inches long. 

Our our last doctor's appointment, Dr. Callison had asked me to come back in on 10/10/11 for one last measurement ultrasound and for us to make a final decision on whether we'd attempt a regular delivery or go with the C-section.  She gave us information to read about c-sections, but luckily we didn't need it. 

Around 12:30am on 10/2/11 my water broke!  What a relief that all of this was going to happen naturally.  I've heard it's so much easier for it to happen this way.  The crazy part is that my regular doctor was out of town during that entire week.  So once we got to the hospital and they confirmed that my water had broken, we were told Dr. Kakani would be handling the delivery.  She immediately said she didn't do c-sections simply because they were a preference and that we would attempt this naturally!  So, at 6am I was still 2 cm dilated (I was also 2 cm dilated the Wednesday before at my doctor's appointment) so they started the pitocin. By the way, Dr. Kikani was the most supportive and amazing doctor.  She was a blessing in disguise!

I thought labor and delivery was pretty easy until around lunch when I actually started feeling those contractions.  They are no joke!!  Thank goodness for modern medical advancements and the epidural.  The epidural literally saved my husband's life.  I would have probably killed him without it!  It's absolutely the most frustrating thing in the world to be having those awful contractions while people just stare at you with that pitiful look!  But, the epidural.....oh, it was wonderful!

After about 5 or 6 good pushes, Elijah Tate was here!  Boy, he came quick!  He knew mommy and daddy were so ready to meet him!  He came so fast that he had amniotic fluid in his lungs and his little head was bruised.  So I held him for a couple of minutes and away he went for 4 hours of observation in the NICU. Luckily, he improved quickly and we were able to bring him to our room shortly after observation!

I can just say that mommyhood is the best.  It's the weirdest thing that I don't mind being awakened every 3 hours by a baby that makes the most precious faces and sounds.  He's just perfect.  I tell him every day how perfect he is and how mommy prayed for him every single day while he was in my tummy.  And the best part of my day is now when I pray over him at night.  He just seems to listen so contently! 

So, thank you for all of your prayers!  They have been answered.  We have been blessed with the most perfect and good baby.  We could never imagine he's be so happy! 

And for those who have been lucky enough to meet our other baby, Molly--you'll be happy to know she is transitioning to the big sister just fine!  She gets very excited when we have visitors.  Otherwise, she just lays beside Elijah Tate during his long naps and even sits on the corner of the bed at night so she can see in the bassinet.  When he cries, she goes to check on him.  And, when he has a stinky diaper, she always sniffs it first so mommy doesn't have to! 

What an amazing journey this is going to be!

37 weeks! Oh My!

Well the past couple of weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind!  During my 35 week check-up, Dr. Callison told me I was still measuring ahead (just a reminder that we were told that was abnormal for tall women) and when she checked my cervix, she said she was pretty sure Elijah Tate was breech.  So, it was looking like a c-section was in order since I was having a large baby and he was going to be breech.  So, she had me come back the next week for a measurement ultrasound.  The measurement ultrasound showed that Elijah Tate was around 7.5 lbs and we were told that could be off up to a pound either way.  So technically, ET could be 6.5lbs or 8.5lbs (and that was his weight at 36 weeks).  Keep in mind that babies can gain more than 1/2 lb per week until delivery at this stage!  So, doing the math properly tells me I will have a normal baby or large baby (a small baby is not an option at this point)!

Since Dr. Callison was out sick for my 36 week appointment this past week, we saw the practitioner.  She said that the baby's head was down (way down) and ET is no longer breech!  WOOHOO!  And, she said that she really didn't see a problem with me having a successful vaginal delivery no later than 39 weeks.  THAT'S IN 2 WEEKS!!!!!   So, we are keeping our fingers crossed that on Wednesday we hear the same from Dr. Callison at our next appointment. 

Seeing ET again during the ultrasound was so sweet.  Now I know exactly which limb he keeps jabbing in my ribs.....it's his long legs!  And, his little tush is making me terribly uncomfortable because it literally feels like he's breaking my breastbone.  In fact, most of the times when he's poking out of my belly, it's his little tush that's making the impression that we get to see!

So, we've been doing all of the last minute preparations for ET to arrive EARLY!  Today, I'm making the hospital door hanger and the house wreath (because it really irks me to let others do those things for me).  And, Molly got groomed yesterday just in time for her new brother to arrive!  We are so excited that we can't hardly stand the anticipation any longer!

And, at this point, it literally hurts to walk...get out of the bed....sit down.....get up....you get the drift! 

Thank you all so much for your prayers.  My iron level has stayed normal the past few weeks and all of us have stayed well and healthy!  We are truly blessed by our prayer warrior friends & family!