Logan's 2 Week Check Up

Logan had his 2 week check up on August 28th and all went well! Of course we had a laundry list of questions and I'm sure they are the same questions we asked when Peyton had her 2 week check up as well.  You think you'll remember everything, but with a newborn, any little thing just seems like such a big deal.  You know, things like: he's gassy, takes really deep fast breaths, his stomach gets hard, he poops A LOT etc.. of course everything was normal so that was good.  We are kinda of friends with our pediatrician (Kyle went to Wartburg with him) so I am sure he just laughs at us half the time!  When we left the hospital, Logan was 7 lbs even and after his 5 day check he was still 7lbs so the goal was to get him back to his birth weight of 7 lbs, 6 oz by his 2 wk check.  Well, we showed him!!  Little man gained a whopping 13 oz!

2 Week Stats:
Height: 21.3 in (69%)
Weight: 7 lbs, 13 oz (23%)
Head: 37.5 cm (57%)
(Peyton at 2 wks: height 21.5 in, weight 7lbs, 6oz, head 35 cm)

There is one thing we are getting checked out.  He's got a little tongue tie which means there's just a little extra skin or something under his tongue that prevents him from sticking it out as far as normal.  This isn't a huge deal but sometimes can effect feedings and later on in life speech.  We have an appointment on Sept 6 with ENT to have him check it out and if he thinks its worth it, he will clip it quick.  Now that sounds awful to me, but the pedi assures us its an easy procedure and no big deal...  I guess we'll see.

Overall, Logan is a really good baby!  He does the typical sleep, eat and poop!  The only time he really cries or fusses is when he's hungry or has peed through his clothes!  He's been a bit of a grunter!  It started out a lot and all the time but has been reducing over the last week.  So now, when he starts grunting, it usually means he needs to burp.  He seems to eat a lot!  During the day he's been doing 2.5-3 oz every 2 hours and at night he'll go 3 hours.  He's had 2 four hour stints since we got home but that's about it so far.  I'm really looking forward to the longer overnights!!  I've started to pump and bottle feed (breastfeeding and me just don't really get along) and he takes a bottle really well.

Logan tidbits:
-when he is awake, he's very alert, big wide eyes looking all around
-he's a bit of a cuddler
-he's been taking a paci which is kind of nice sometimes (Peyton hated them)
-he likes to be swaddled as long as his arms are free.  If we tuck them, he wiggles them out every time
-his cord fell off at 5 days old when we were at the doctors office (way too early) but it's doing good
-he's cracking a few smiles, gas bubbles I'm sure, but they are pretty adorable

Until next time...

He's here!! -- Logan Paul Dirks

We are overjoyed to announce that Logan Paul Dirks has arrived on August 13, 2012 as scheduled!  We are now a family of four and couldn't be happier!  He was instant love for us all including Peyton!  Big sister Peyton couldn't wait to meet him and all she wanted to do was hold him from the very beginning.  She is so sweet with him and calls him baby Logan and gives LOTS of hugs and kisses!

Birth Stats:
August 13, 2012
8:17 am
7 lbs, 6 oz
20 1/2 inches long
{Peyton was 6 lbs, 7 oz and 19 3/4 inches long}

Day of delivery:  We were scheduled for a repeat c-section at 8 am and as you can you see it didn't take long.  We arrived at the hospital at 6 am to register, do paper work and start the IV's etc....  We got in the operating room right at 8 and 17 minutes later, he was here!  His cry sounded so different than Peyton's and the first thing the doctor said was he's a good size!  So, of course I'm thinking... Oh my, how big is he??  Kyle brought him over to see me for a minute before they took him to the nursery and of course the tears started rolling!  They did put him on oxygen for about an hour just to help him out a bit.  He was breathing on his own but just working a little hard at it.  The good news for me was that I did not have an allergic reaction to anything in my IV this time!!  With Peyton I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic and got fire engine red and itchy.  I was still exhausted after it all and I was numb for quite a while!  Overall, this time around has been much easier!  I feel better, the pain was better and I was up and moving around much much faster!  I also didn't get the chronic back pain I had with Peyton so another plus for me!  Peyton was a little concerned about me laying in the bed with all the tubes and wires hooked up to me.  She wouldn't sit on the bed with me until day 2 or 3 and still wouldn't get too close.  It got better once they took my IV etc. out and she wants to see my "ouie" a lot.

Meet our little man...I think he looks a lot like Peyton when she was born.

{love at first sight}

{headed home!}

{all four of us at home}

Until next time...

39 Weeks: Nesting and Home Stretch

Nesting (kind of):  The baby's room....well, we thought we were done with it, but my version of nesting had other plans..... Something about it, just wasn't right so I decided to change a few things.  Remember when I said I've been wanting Kyle to paint the walls gray...... well folks, he did it!  YAY!  So now the walls are gray, new sheets and bed skirt, and a couple other little tweaks.  I tried to change the mobile (gray and white elephants instead of the colored ones) but Kyle put his foot down there.  It all started with the hanging letters on the wall.  When they arrived, the color of the ribbon wasn't quite what I was expecting and didn't match the rest of the blues in the room.  Most people said they didn't notice, but it was driving me nutz!  They still aren't quite right but look better against the new walls and I'll live with it for now.  I still may decide to re-do the ribbon but will save that for a later day.  And like my mother said.....the room will look perfect once he's bundled up in it!  (she's always right!) Here's the before and after.

{before}

{after}

Home Stretch: The last few days have actually been a bit miserable.  I almost made it with no major issues but Wednesday morning my back decided it had had enough and gave out on me.  I barely leaned over the kitchen sink to turn the water on for Peyton and BAM!!  I about fell to the floor but managed to stumble 3 steps over to a chair.  Peyton was so sweet and concerned asking, "are you OK mommy?"  I told her my back hurt and she went straight to the freezer and got the ice pack out!  How she knew to do that, I have no idea but how adorable!  Three visits to the chiropractor and no sleep but hey.... tomorrow is the big day!!

How far along? 39 weeks - belly measured 37 cm
Baby is the size of: a mini watermelon (yum, that sounds good) and we'll know just how big soon!
Latest developments: basically just fattening up!  Doc says she's pretty sure he's head down
Gender: Boy 
Total weight gain: up 27 lbs
Sleep: Not great!  Added back pain doesn't help
Food cravings: cereal and chocolate dipped ice cream cones from McDonald's
Happy or Moody most of the time: pretty neutral
Looking forward to: Tomorrow! 

Logan Paul Dirks will be making his grand entrance tomorrow morning!  The last nine months have flown by and gone so slow all at the same time.  We, especially me, are beyond ready for him to get here!  Peyton talks about her baby brother (even though she calls him baby sister, haha) a lot and asks questions like, "can Logan come out soon?" and "can Logan come to our house and see my big girl bed?"  It's hilarious!  I have a feeling she might be wanting Logan to go back in after she realizes she's not the center of the universe anymore!   We shall see!

After tomorrow we will no longer be t|k and peyton mae, to be continued............

Baby #2, 37 Weeks........and counting!

The countdown is on!!  Only 12 more days until our little man will join us!  We're 37 weeks and scheduled for his c-section on August 13 at 39 weeks.  That is unless he decides to surprise us early!  Yesterday, I had contractions all day long!  Nothing painful but enough not to ignore so I called the doctor.  They were pretty much on and off every other hour and would stop if I laid down.  With in a minute of getting up though, they would start back up.  I never went into labor with Peyton and definitely did not have this many braxton hicks with her either!  Doc said to lay down and if they last 2 hours straight, go on in.  Well...it's today and still pregnant.  Of course, I'd like to leave him in there a little while longer but I am SO ready to get this show on the road!!

How far along? 37 weeks, 4 days
Baby is the size of: a stalk of Swiss chard (not a very fun analogy for this week), aprox 6 1/3 lbs and 19 inches.  
Latest developments: He's now considered full-term and lungs are likely mature enough to adjust to life outside the womb.
Gender: still a Boy 
Total weight gain: up 24lbs
Sleep: Let's just say I sleep, but not very comfortably!  I role back and forth a million times a night and really just want to sleep flat on my back!
Food cravings: nothing!  I have the opposite of cravings.
Happy or Moody most of the time: pretty neutral
Looking forward to: AUGUST 13 can not come fast enough!

Our next prenatal visit is Friday, Aug 4. Until next time...