Owen: Three months

 

So handsome! We've "graduated" from the 0-3 months outfits and moved onto the 3-6 month stash. I wish I had made the switch sooner, because he already fits in most of these pretty well. There's a lot of cute stuff in this size batch! Hopefully I'll get at least one wear out of everything before he hits another growth spurt.

We don't have a checkup for weight until 4 months, but we estimate he's between 13-14 lbs. He's definitely tall, but starting to fill out with some nice baby fat. I admit, I am so proud of all the weight and height gain we've accomplished together so far; it takes a lot of work to keep up with his appetite! I've been determined to increase my production--pumping every 3 hours and taking herbal supplements--and I'm proud to say I've been able to keep up with his feedings for the past two months or so. I've battled a few bouts of mastitis which caused a big setback in the milk production, but we made it through. Whew! I'm not sure how my body will respond when I go back to work, but I'm going to try to keep up as well as I can.

We also had some goods news when meeting with the specialist about his inguinal hernia. It turns out he actually has what is called a hydrocele, which is essentially the same complication but much more mild and generally heals on its own. We have to meet with the specialist again when he's 6 months old to check whether he's healing properly, but I'm so grateful for the chance he won't have to have surgery.

Gramma and Grampa Lamos visit!

Gramma and Grampa Lamos came out for a short visit, and we really loved having them here. The weather was beautiful, so it gave all of us a chance to enjoy the weather (especially when the forecast for Iowa was major snow!) They were so wonderful and really wanted to do whatever they could to help while they were here. It gave Nick and I a chance to get out for a short date, and Dad even washed and waxed my car. This is a notable service since my car had recently been attacked by a swarm of berry-fed diarrhea birds, and well, I have to park under the tree that produces those berries. It was pretty epic. So thank you, Dad, for cleaning my car. It was getting embarrassing to drive around town.

So glad to see Gramma Lamos again!

Gramma gives the best "face tickles"

Grampa always goes after the toes.

Lovin' the sunshine! Let's get ice cream.

Owen considered napping on the way to Foster Freeze

Owen: Two months

Made it another month! At his two-month checkup (complete with vaccination shots--ouch!) he weighs 11 lbs. 4 oz. His height is 23.25". He's definitely growing like a weed, and the doc says he measures in the 75th percentile for height. Tall already!

The doc did mention that he also seems to have an inguinal hernia which is generally treated surgically. Although she assured me it was a common issue, I couldn't seem to keep my non-panic mode intact. I hope I gain better composure as we progress through life with our new little guy, because right now I just feel guilty for all of his difficulties and can't stop the waterworks. Gah! Nevertheless, the hernia doesn't cause him pain and poses no danger to him during his first year, so the next step is to meet with a specialist. We'll see!

In other news, while discovering some of the joys and pitfalls of motherhood, I've decided to compile a short list of situations that make Mom feel like a creeper:

• Taking photos (making sure to get just the right angle) of naked son's butt to send to the pediatrician about diaper rash
• Enjoying an 80's music sing and dance party in the living room only to realize halfway through Marvin Gaye's, "Sexual Healing" that the lyrics are probably less appropriate to serenade your son than the previous two songs, "Billie Jean" and "Caribbean Queen"
• Discovering some of my keyword choices at 3 a.m. typed in Google search when checking various symptoms and remedies might be misunderstood if ever read by anyone else

Superbowl: First major outing

I've been a bit nervous to take Owen on a big outing, both because I'm not sure how well he'll do and because I haven't quite figured out my own mobility since I'm pumping every three hours. We definitely go out for an afternoon, but we're always back home within a couple hours to eat, nap, and pump. Amazing how those things can fill a day!

We decided to spend the Superbowl at a friend's house. We set up "camp" there and honestly, it went surprisingly well. I should give Owen more credit for being able to adapt and enjoy change. He did really well, and we somehow figured out how to make it work in a new place. I don't think we're ready for day trips or anything, but we can definitely handle new surroundings for our usual routine. Yay!

And for extra fun, our good friend Jenn was kind enough to take some impromptu family photos. We didn't necessarily gussy ourselves up for the occasion, but I'm happy to have some photos of the three of us. We love you Aunty Jenn!

So tall!

 

Love when Aunty Jenn sings!

Owen did not share Daddy's vision of the perfect shot

Always an attempt for smiles, and often I just get the serious face

Sickness...What a Jerk

I have not been sick in several years. Sure, a passing 24-hour thing, maybe, but not really sick. It started with Nick getting a sore throat, and then just went downhill from there.

Nick had been feeling under the weather, and we were watching Owen closely to see if he started showing any symptoms. Just when we thought Nick was feeling better, Owen woke up with one eye all goopy. We suspected pinkeye, but advised that it was probably a plugged eye duct. That same day I started feeling icky. Owen didn't have a fever and was eating well, so the doc didn't need to see him just yet, but he was behaving like a completely different baby. Anytime he was awake, he was inconsolable, and his sleep seemed restless. The doctor thinks he has baby acid reflux, so we're in the process of trying a few things to see if he feels better.

Nevertheless, when Owen and I seemed on the upswing, we both decided it was time to get out. We took a nice long walk in the park, though Owen didn't take in many of the sights. I took some photos for him to see what he missed. :)

Enjoying the sunshine

Family visits

 

Things have been pretty busy in the Mostek house! We had a week-long visit with Grampa and Gramma Mostek. The timing was really perfect because Nick had to travel mid-week for work and it was nice to have some help here so Mommy could take a nap.

An attempt to prove that he can indeed juggle.

Grampa saw some great smiles

Owen was really such a sweet baby during their visit. He shared so many sweet moments, and took a lot of naps on both Grampa and Gramma's chest. He's quite the little cuddle bug. 

During his awake time, we practiced a lot of tummy time and even saw him roll over once! Sure it was a perfect setup since his arm was already tucked, but it was exciting nonetheless. Both Betty and I were pretty excited.

Nick is even more convinced that Owen is a Dan look-alike, and we have photo evidence to review. I can definitely see the resemblance! 

It was sad to see them go, but we've been able to "see" them more often now that we both have our video chats set up. Can't wait till the next visit!

The next weekend, Nick's sister-in-law Glenda was in town for work and she spent a Saturday with us. Although he won't remember this visit, he had his first taste of Auntie Glenda's fun songs.

Owen was able to have some good awake time during her visit, but then slept for most of the afternoon. We did try to wake him before she left for one last little smile, but it wasn't quite the success story we were hoping to see. Have you heard "Don't wake a sleeping baby"? Yep, that one makes sense now.

More visits from family and friends in the upcoming weeks!

Owen: One month

We're borrowing this method of keeping track of Owen's growth--a photo in the same spot for each new month. It'll be fun to track how much he grows in the first year!