Four Months Old!

Four months old.  A third of the way to one year old.  Crazy.  But just as my other two boys did...they grow so fast! 

I "bragged" a little too soon with Malachi sleeping through the night.  He decided to stop.  For various reasons.  My swaddling wasn't working...he kept unswaddling himself.  He (may have) went through a growth spurt, so he was hungry.  I wasn't swaddling him enough, so he was getting cold (I think).  But I've realized that if we swaddle with two blankets and make sure the ceiling fan is off, then he sleeps much better.  The past three nights have been glorious!  7-6:30.  Hoping it continues!

He went to the doctor yesterday.  He is 14 lbs (18%) and 24.75 inches (29%).  So, still small-ish but growing perfect according to his growth chart. 

We tried size 2 diapers, but size 1 still fits him best.  Just a little longer... 

Some 0-3 months clothes still fit him but needing more 3-6 month clothes. 

He's doing a lot of laughing and giggling now.  So stinkin' cute :)  Tristan can definitely make him laugh -- he loves being a big brother to Malachi. 

Finally started rolling over from his stomach to back this week...when he wants to, of course. 

Still a tummy-sleeper for naps.  When he gets cranky, just put him on his tummy and make sure that paci is in, and he is OUT. 

He's just overall a cutie-patootie!  (although I couldn't get him to smile for anything for the pictures!)

Nature Learning

We live on 10 acres of land, and while some days I question why we have this much land, other days I love it when the boys gets to go out and enjoy it.  Lately, with the cold rainy weather, we haven't been able to get out much, but there have been some beautiful days lately where we did get to go out and enjoy nature and God's creation.  Having boys, I've learned that boys need to go outside and explore...more than what a backyard can give them.  It's so fun and interesting to see what they come up with or what they find the most joy in doing/seeing while in nature.  Charlotte Mason (a late British educator that specialized in education and homeschooling) suggests that children need to be outside, with opportunities for learning, at least four hours a day.  We don't even get close to that...but we do the best we can.  Here is some pictures of our last exploration!

This is our "second pond" -- which is usually completely dried up during the summer.  However, it has been quite full lately.

 Finding rocks to throw in the pond and creek!

 Tristan looking at a spiderweb.

 Tristan pretending to row in a boat :)

 Malachi sleeping away...he doesn't get into the nature as much as his brothers :)

 Finding a Sycamore tree leaf!

 Playing in the mud in front of our bigger pond.  Because of all the rain, there is A LOT of mud!

Three Months...Already?!

I'm not sure how time flies so fast, but it does!  Three months already...that's 1/4 of the way to a year old!  I'm glad I'm documenting these months, because it is crazy how different each child has been so far.  When you think of opposites, you usually think it is either this way or that way (black/white, up/down)...but when it comes to children, opposites can go in so many different ways!  Noah, as a baby, was the opposite of Tristan, and now Malachi has been the opposite of both Noah and Tristan. 

Sleeping, for one, has been completely different.  This kid has been such a blessing with sleeping.  Oh, those sleepless nights with Tristan and Noah!  But, this kid...the one we call Malachi...he is a dream sleeper!  I remember with T&N, the first night at the hospital, I had them sent to the nursery for a few hours because I needed sleep so badly, and they just wanted to cry.  Not Malachi.  He just decided to sleep right along side us, and he's been that way since he came home from the hospital.  I'm not sure when he would have started sleeping through the night, because for a while, I was waking him up to feed him (mainly for my sake).  But then last week, I decided to see what would happen if I stopped waking him up...and what happened?  He's sleeping 11 hours straight!  Usually about 7:00-6:00ish. (I wrote this last night...and of course, he wakes up at 3:00 in the middle of the night!)  I pump before bed at night, and by morning, I'm READY for him to eat.  With Tristan, once he started sleeping through the night, I would wake up about 3:00 to pump.  With Noah, he didn't sleep through the night until 8 months, so I never really had to.  This time, I'm just "suffering" through it and deal with it in the morning!  When I put him to bed at night, I'll swaddle him, feed him, and even if he is wide awake, I put him straight to bed with paci, and he eventually goes to sleep on his own.  In the morning, when he wakes up, he just makes little noises for a while until I go get him. 

More about sleep, this kid knows when he needs sleep.  He's a really good baby...until he's tired.  Once he gets cranky and I know he's not hungry, I can usually just lay him down on his tummy, put a pacifier in, and he'll go straight to sleep.  If I can't get him to sleep for some reason, I'll put him in the ergo carrier, and he'll go straight to sleep there, and the ergo carrier is comfortable enough that I don't mind.  Plus, it allows me to still go outside with the boys, and he can still get his nap. 

With Tristan, I was very "scheduled" -- naps were at this time, we were always home for naps, etc...and he needed that.  Noah was a lot that way as well...I tried my best to have a good schedule for him.  Malachi has had to learn to be flexible so far.  We are always out and about, so naps are in the car, in the carrier, in the stroller, etc...and so far, it works.  I've had two parties I've attended recently that were at night, and I took him with me, and he went to sleep at his normal bedtime of 7:00 both on the floor (in the midst of games and laughter) and in his carseat, swaddled.  Noise is no problem for him...he's had to get used to it with two VERY loud brothers. 

I am guessing he weighs about 12 1/2 pounds right now...so I feel like he is still on the "smaller" side, but he is definitely filling out...getting those chubby cheeks!  He can still wear 0-3 months clothes, but starting to wear some 3-6 months as well. 

This kid spits up just like his oldest brother did...all the time.  As with Tristan, I have to warn people before they hold him that he might spit up on them.  Tristan was a spitter-upper until about 12 months, but I'm hoping Malachi won't go that long.  The boys think it is hilarious...of course.  Boys are strange...they also always want to see the diapers ("is it poop?!").  Boys and poop...I will never understand that. 

Again, I'm so blessed with my three boys.  Although they are so different in so many ways, I love them all so very much!  They bring chaos to the house, but they also bring so much laughter.  It is going to be interesting when Malachi really starts adding into the chaos! 

Malachi -- Two Months

Two months old already!  Time seriously does fly when you're having...fun?  Would that be the right word?  I guess time flies when you are falling in love with a new little one...and changing diapers...and waking up in the middle of the night...and getting spit up on...but falling in love most of all. 

Three kids...not only that, but three BOYS.  My oh my.  Me and the boys go our A LOT.  Mommy (and T&N) do NOT like to stay at home all the time.  We get bored.  So, when people see us out and about, they often enjoy making comments to me -- "Keep going and you will have a team!", "You sure have your hands full!", "Just can't get a girl, huh?" (just for everyone's information...we didn't go for three to have a girl, although we would have enjoyed a girl, we actually went for a third child...to have a third child ;)  I responded to one lady the other day by saying "I'm blessed with three boys because I have the opportunity to raise three gentlemen!"

Malachi as by far been my easiest baby, up to this point, at least!  Out of four babies (since we had the foster baby as well), it's about time I got an easy one :)  Noah was actually an easy baby during the day...it was just the night time that was so rough.  Tristan was just an active active baby, so he needed to be stimulated ALL the time that he was awake.  And our foster baby was just a high-needs baby all around.  Malachi mainly only gets upset when he is tired...then he is VERY upset.  Although he sleeps in the crib at night, so far he takes most of his naps in the swing.  Often times, he'll scream until I put him in there, then he is content and calmly goes to sleep.  It's great though because it doesn't matter what noise is going on around him, he sleeps through everything, and trust me, our house gets LOUD.  Night times, so far, are great!  He usually goes to sleep around 7:30, and wakes up once a night (or early morning).  He woke up twice one night this past week, which was the first time in several weeks, and it was the night that Tristan was sick all night...perfect timing.  Often times, I can put Malachi down awake, and he'll just look around for a while and drift off to sleep.  Not sure how I've been blessed with an easy sleeper, but I'm grateful for it! 

Malachi is starting to do the adorable smiling and cooing, which absolutely melts my heart!  I think he will be a more serious child...but I thought that of Noah, and goodness gracious, now he is not serious AT ALL.  I might need a more serious child though! 

At this 2 month appointment, his stats were 23.75 inches (35%) and 11.5 lbs (24%), so he is on the smaller side as of now, but he is still very healthy and definitely growing. 

The boys absolutely adore this baby boy, and so do his parents!

The first two pictures definitely show Tristan and Noah's personalities.  Tristan is very much the caring type...Noah...the goofball.

Malachi -- Month 1

I didn't update my blog much with Noah.  I think I got to month 4 with him.  Poor guy...  His baby book looks about the same.  But I plan to do better with Malachi.  I regret not keeping up with Noah better -- you do forget much more than you think you will! 

1 week old

One month old

 

We have been SO blessed so far with a wonderful baby.  Not that he doesn't cry at all...because he does...but all in all, he is a very content baby.  Unlike with the boys, who had horrible nights at first, we have had very few bad nights.  Actually, none that I was up all night with him.  One night, close to the beginning, he was up about every 1.5 hours, but after a feeding, he went right back to bed.  And one morning this week, he was up at 4:30 and didn't want to go back to sleep...but that has been it.  He typically wakes up 1-2x a night...although sometimes I have to wake him up, more for my sake since I'm nursing.  He's longest stretch so far has been from 10-4ish...and that is when he decided to stay awake.  Can't have it all!  He normally goes to bed between 7:30-8:00, and I'll wake him up at 10:00 to eat, then back to bed.  He's SO easy to put back down.  Fingers crossed, it continues.  He still loves to sleep, although he is awake a little more during the day.  And he loves to nap on his tummy, although we swaddle him at night and put him on his back, and he seems to like it just fine.  He is just now growing out of newborn clothes and into 0-3 month.  But weight-wise, I really don't know.  The boys love love love him, of course.  And so does his mommy and daddy :)  

Malachi's Big Debut!

(FYI -- this is more for my memory sake!)  Malachi's due date was Sept 26.  Tristan came 5 days early, and Noah came 2 days late, so I was figuring Malachi would come sometime in the middle, close to his due date.  However, my Braxton Hicks had been so much stronger and frequent this time, I wasn't sure if he would stay that long.  Last Thursday (38 week, 5 days), I had a friend come over, and about 11:00,  I noticed that during our conversations that I had been contracting regularly, although they were not painful at all.  After she left, I started timing them, and they were consistently 5-6 minutes apart.  Again, not too concern, since they were not painful.  False labor is what I kept thinking.  I went ahead and sent Nate a text saying "Not to concern you, but I am having very mild, but consistent, contractions...but I'm sure it's not the real thing."  They continued throughout the afternoon, not changing in intensity, so I continued to brush it off.  I had already decided that I wanted a drug-free labor (I had epidurals with the boys...more on that later)...and I wasn't sure if I was ready for it!  Mom was supposed to get the boys in the morning and keep them overnight because I had a doctor's appt, and Nate and I wanted to go see War Room.  However, at 8:00 that night, I could tell the contractions were gaining slightly in intensity, and I was no longer convinced that Malachi wouldn't come sometime that night.  So, we decided to go ahead and see if Mom would meet us in Lindale and take the boys that night, which she did.  It was "just in case".   During this time, I was texting my friend, who said she would love to be my "doula/coach", keeping her informed of how I was feeling.  By 9:30 that night, I was convinced we would be going to the hospital.  We arrived at the hospital at 10:30 and went straight to triage, meeting my friend, Kim, there.  Unfortunately, I was only at a 3 (I was at a 2 at the appt last week), and still "thick".  They told me if I didn't want an epidural, they could only send me home at this point.  I was determined not to go, so we decided to walk around the hospital for a while and try to get things progressing. 

Side note on why I didn't want an epidural because several people thought I was crazy...  During the labor with both boys, their heart rates started dropping, which it took the nurses several minutes to realize (both times).  They had to give me oxygen and constantly turn me on my sides.  I also didn't like the feeling of being so numb after delivery.  It was little things, but I just felt that a drug-free delivery was something I wanted to do.  I did question my reasoning during the labor a few times ;)  Anyways...

About 30 minutes after walking, and increasing contractions 2 minutes apart, I was convinced I had made some progress.  We went back to triage, and the nurse checked me again...I had not progressed...AT ALL.  "Go home...labor there...you will be more comfortable...we hope to see you back before we get off at 7."  At this time, it was 1:00 am.  My contractions at this point, even at a 3, were as strong as they were with Tristan when I got the epidural at a 7...so going home was not a very good option for me.  Thinking of riding in the car for 30 minutes home...and back...not comfortable at all!  At this point, I was VERY discouraged.  I wasn't sure if I could do it without drugs if I was going to progress this slowly.  We decided to go to Walmart and walk around there for a while.  We were a scene at Walmart ;)  I was leaning on something every 2 minutes with either Kim or Nathan pressing on my hips to relieve some of the pain.  Several people asked if I was ok...and Kim would say "Oh, she's only trying to have a baby."  To clarify, however, I'm a very quiet laborer, so noise wasn't the issue.  After an hour of walking around Walmart and getting a snack to give me energy, we headed back to the hospital...and again, laboring in the car is miserable!  I had decided at this point that if I had not progressed enough, I would just get the epi just to be able to stay at the hospital.  Once we got back in, the doctor was there, and by the looks of me, he told the nurses "Skip triage...just admit her!"  It was about 2:30 at this point.  They checked me, and I was at  7!  Huge relief there!  I labored for an additional 30 minutes with Nate massaging my lower back (back pain...ugh!) and Kim encouraging me.  They checked me again, and I was at a 9, so the nurses called the doctor and got things ready for the pushing.  My saving grace during this time is that I never had contractions back to back...I always had a small break between each one.  I will boast a little and say I did very well during laboring...very quiet and focused.  HOWEVER, saying that...I'm horrible at the pushing stage, although pain-wise, it wasn't as bad as I had thought.  I just had a mental block there, thinking this is going to be impossible!  Pushing was my freak-out time.  Luckily, it was over in 10 minutes, and Malachi was born at 3:11 that morning.  He was perfect at birth -- APGAR scores were all 9.  However, to back up a little, my water never ruptured until halfway during pushing (I remember the doctor and nurses wondering if he would be born with the bag still intact around him), and there was meconium in the fluid, and before they could suction his mouth, he took a huge swallow of it.  So, for a while, they were busy suctioning him out because he would only grunt instead of true crying.  He also had a low blood sugar count, so they had to test him several times during our stay, but all ended up well.

I was thinking this morning and comparing the three labors.  With Tristan, I had the epidural, his heart rate started dropping, I had a hard time pushing (can't feel those contractions!), had several stitches, had a bad recovery, had strong pain killers, and ended up on antibiotics for infection.  With Noah, I had the epidural, his heart rate started dropping, pushing was much shorter, but because of his heart rate dropping, they rushed to get him out...in short, putting me on strong iron pills later for blood loss.  With Malachi, the nurses told me afterwards that his heart rate was beautiful the whole time, not even dropping during contractions, which was typical, needed only a couple of stitches, and recovery has been great.  For me, I think my body does better without the drugs.  It wasn't fun or glorious...and I wouldn't do it again in a hospital but instead at a birth center (hospitals are just not used to drug-free labors)...but it was worth it in the end. 

I don't have my pictures yet, but I plan to share some soon!

Third Trimester with Malachi

Nothing really spectacular happened during the second trimester -- pretty much identical to the boys' pregnancy.  No true cravings, no food adversions, no strange pains (other than Braxton Hicks much earlier this time around).  Just another easy trimester, and I'm so grateful for it...BECAUSE third trimester was not as fun.  The beginning of it was easy, nothing much different.  However, starting about 36 weeks, I started getting hip and pelvic pains.  SO BAD!  Every time I got up in the middle of the night, I had to take some good breaths before moving because pain would just shoot through my left hip and pelvic area.  And the next morning, I would usually be limping, trying to get breakfast ready for the boys.  I finally gave in and paid for a chiropractor (insurance wouldn't help) to help me feel a little more comfortable.  One session was all I needed to feel good "enough" to not need to pay for another appt...although I was still pretty miserable, especially during the night and morning.  The boys couldn't understand why I was not up for running around and playing.  I was always ok with the other boys' pregnancy on going longer, even past due date, because I felt so great.  This time, I was ok going a little early to have this baby...which, surprisingly, did happen!  Every time I would go to the doctor, she would also repeat "Wow...this baby is SO low", which is probably why I had so much pressure down there.  Blood pressure was always good, and other than being anemic and having to take extra iron, everything else was great.  I'll be posting about the actual delivery in the next post -- out of the three boys, his is the most interesting!