Likes & Dislikes

Tomorrow Benjamin will be 2 weeks old.  Time sure flies when you're changing diapers, nursing, and trying to keep rested enough to do it all again...and again...and again.  lol.

I'm officially past my due date now.  I would have been 40 weeks yesterday.  I'm so glad he decided to make an early appearance into this world.  I can't imagine how much bigger than his 8 lbs 4 oz he would have been with two more weeks in the womb.

I thought I'd share with you a few of Benjamin's likes and dislikes.

Likes

Picture taken about 3 AM after a feeding, btw.  

Made waking up in the middle of the night completely worth it.  :)

Benjamin enjoys:
Being held & talked to by Daddy
Being cuddled by Mommy
Sleeping
Nursing/Eating
Being swaddled  (SwaddleMe wraps are awesome.)
Car rides
Looking around
Hearing Athena meow
Background noise..TVs, music, talking
Visits from grandparents & aunts

Dislikes

I believe this was post nap, prior to a feeding.  

Benjamin does not enjoy:
Having his diaper or clothes changed -- This is when we see his temper.  He doesn't like to be cold.

Being hungry

Bright lights

Passing gas

Hiccups (although he tolerates them sometimes)
Quiet (He needs noise to be able to sleep; I think he picked that up from NICU.  We play music at night.)

Being alone (He seems to be fairly social...I wonder why.  His parents are so shy.)

Benjamin is fairly impartial towards his pacifier.  He takes it sometimes, but 90% of the time he doesn't care for it.  It helps occasionally.  He also doesn't seem to care if his diaper is dry or wet.  I keep a schedule of his feedings & changings because I want to make sure that he is changed often enough.  He has such a good nature.  He's only fussy when he is hungry, being changed (and then he screams), or if he's trying to make us a messy present in his diaper.  

We have been amazed from day one about how strong this child is.  He was already attempting to hold his head up the first day he was home.  He can already hold his head up & look around, and he controls it most of the time with the occasional wobble.  His arms are so strong that we have to use the SwaddleMe wraps (they have velcro) because he busts out of any blankets we wrap him in.  He pulled my glasses of my face at 1 week, and his grip is amazing.  Even the doctor & nurses remarked how strong he is.  He was using his legs to kick away from the doctor the other day.  I let him practice his standing reflex on occasion, and he kicks off of the changing table while I hold him.  He rolls over on to his side sometimes, although I'm guessing that it isn't intentional yet.  I have a feeling if he keeps up this trend we will have an early crawler and/or walker.  Josh was walking without help at 9 months old after all.  

Benjamin is currently wearing newborn sleepers and pants.  He can fit 0-3 month onesies because he has a long torso.  He takes after both me & Josh with his long torso and short legs.

Overall we are doing great.  I may end up with the energy and time to write up his birth story sometime this next week.  I've been trying to fit in some housework between caring for him and napping (Yes, I do occasionally sleep when he sleeps).  I've also been battling a wicked rash that spread from my torso all the way down my legs to the soles of my feet, down my arms to my wrists, and on my back.  The doctor thinks it is an allergic reaction to something.  I'm currently on a (breastfeeding safe) steroid to help the rash to stop spreading, take down the inflammation, and hopefully decrease the maddening itching.  I'm unsure of what caused it.  I've had a ton of things going on of course, so my immune system has probably just declared mutiny.  Between labor, an MMR vaccine, a DTAP vaccine, NICU stress, taking care of a newborn, and taking care of myself, it's hard to say.

Now that I've taken some blog time, I'm going to go back to some housework.  I'm grateful for the temporary burst of energy from my steroids.  lol

Check it out.

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I recently placed an order through Audra, and I'm looking forward to my new purse & lunch bag.  I'll share pictures with you once they arrive. :)

Because his grandparents want to see some pictures...

;)

1 week old

Already?!  Hard to believe, but NICU did take up a large portion of the week.

And also, my 1 week postpartum body.  Weight loss total so far...25 lbs!  Yay. :)

Introducing Benjamin Thomas Holder

Although Benjamin had a rough start...

(at Skyridge)

(In NICU at Skyridge he needed help breathing.)

(At TC Thompson Children's Hospital NICU...Still with wires but breathing on his own.)

  

God has blessed us and given us a beautiful son.

The Lord has answered our prayers and Benjamin is currently a healthy baby boy.

HOME

 4 generations in each photo

Richmond, Papaw (Kenneth is Richmond's dad.) w/Benjamin, & Josh

Mary Jane, Mamaw (Bobbie is Mary Jane's mom) w/Benjamin, & Josh

Happy new parents...Who have had marginally enough sleep to still be smiling.

Loving this picture.  We've fallen absolutely in love with our sweet Benjamin.

I want to share his birth story with you, 

but this mom will need to have a little more time & a little more sleep first.

Welcome Home, Baby Benjamin

I will have to upload pictures soon, but in the meantime for those of you who follow this who don't get my text messages...Benjamin Thomas Holder has arrived!

Born Sunday, June 15th, at 4:21 PM.  He weighed 8 lbs, 4 oz and was 20 inches long.  I managed to stick to my birth plan and had a natural delivery.  Long story short, Benjamin had respiratory distress at birth, and we've had a long week which included Benjamin spending 3 days in the NICU.    Needless to say, 4 days later this new mom is sore but recovering, exceptionally exhausted, and it may be a while before to Have and to Holder has a flood of pictures of our son.  I'll try to post one or two in the next day if at all possible.


Thank you for your prayers, and please keep praying for us as we try to rest and take care of Benjamin.  I must say that my husband has been such a wonderful support to me both during the delivery, at the hospital, and now at home.  As much as I love being a mom, I am enjoying just as much watching my husband become a dad.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have God not only give me a beautiful baby boy who is now healthy, but also such a wonderful man who is showing his love to me in so many ways.  


Please keep praying.  Benjamin has some elevated Bilirubin numbers which are being monitored by the doctor.   We are hoping that they have decreased tomorrow (4th day of life is usually when they are at their peak) so that we don't have to use special lights this weekend.  We are hoping for the best.  We let him have  a few minutes in the sunlight today, and he's been eating and soiling diapers like a champ.  ;)

Pregnancy Update -- 38 weeks!

Here I am with that much awaited pregnancy update.  

First, a few pictures of me slowly turning into a small hippo.  lol

Last week, at 37 weeks.

Last weekend w/my hubby

Yesterday, in my most recent (and biggest) photo yet

I'm officially 38 weeks today, and taking that in to consideration, I'm doing well.  I had one of my first real bouts of misery yesterday afternoon & evening when I couldn't get comfortable no matter what I did, my entire torso ached, my digestive system was in turmoil, and to add insult to injury I started boo-hoo-ing part of the way through the afternoon from the hormonal rollercoaster that is me as a pregnant woman.  I kept telling myself..."This is good.  My body is preparing for labor.  Misery means I'm getting closer.  I actually want to the contractions to come now.  Go on...hurt more.  BRING IT ON!"  lol.

On the upside, I'm feeling a little better today, and I had a FANTASTIC visit to the doctor on Wednesday.  After being told for 2 weeks that I'm measuring large, they scheduled an ultrasound.  Benjamin is looking great (and is consequently, still a boy, btw).  He has plenty of fluid, his size is completely normal & on par with what it needs to be, and his heartbeat is still going strong.  They guesstimated that he is 7 lbs, 2 oz -- which can usually be off a pound in either direction.  He's completely in position -- head down, facing back.

Because I've been feeling pressure & crampiness off and on (plus having some Braxton Hicks contractions) I requested that they go ahead and "check me" at this visit.  I was glad I did because I found out that I'm 3 cm, 70% effaced, and he's between -1 & -2 station.  That's helped encourage me to keep sitting on my exercise ball, walk plenty, and do squats.  I had my moments yesterday when I thought he had finally dropped, but I think that he was just trying to get my hopes up by settling in a little lower for a while.  Oh well.


My belly has itched like crazy off and on for a few weeks, and I'm looking forward to that stopping. :)

In the interest of "everyone's who had been pregnant has been there" moments, I thought I'd share the questions and comments that I have heard the most over the past few months.

1)  Inquiries about mine & baby's health:  How are you feeling?  How're you doin' Mama? How's the baby?  How are Amanda and Benjamin today?  How are you?  Sleeping well?  Is he moving a lot?

2)  Inquires and comments about time:  When are you due?  Really, that close.  It won't be long.  You're getting closer.  Wow, that close already?  How long now?  I bet you're ready.  When's that due date again?  How many weeks left?  I think that he's going to come early/late.  You'll have him by ____.

3) Inquiries about doctors & medical choices:  Which hospital are you using?  Who is your doctor?  Are you going to have an epidural?  You're going natural!  Oh honey, take the medicine.

3)  Inquiries about our anticipation to become parents:  Is Josh getting excited?  Are you guys ready?  You're going to be such great parents.  Are you getting excited?  I bet your parents are thrilled.


And, the list goes on.  I'm thoroughly appreciative of all the love, prayers, and well wishing being sent our way.  Personally, I'm quite ready to see him, and I know with the Lord's timing it won't be long.