Waking up on the Right Side of the Bed

For the last 6+ weeks, I've been anxiously awaiting a sign that Grayson has taken after me in some way, even if it's small. He looks so much like Michael overall and we've matched other characteristics to our family members:

Face: mostly Michael
Eyes/long lashes: Grandmother Carol (my mom)
Long fingers/nails: Michael's maternal grandfather
Strong burping ability: Aunt Amy (my sister...sorry Aim-O but it's true, you should hear how this kid can belch. It reminds me of you right after drinking a Coke. You would be proud.)
Long, skinny limbs: Pappa Steve (my dad)

You get the idea. Lots of traits...nothing from mama. It's a good thing I carried the child, because otherwise I might question if he's mine. But that all changed this morning when I got a little glimpse of me.

As a baby and toddler, I woke up from naps with a smile and in a generally happy mood. This morning Grayson not only woke up happy and stretching, but he flashed his first real smile. The smile alone melted my heart, and now I am also clinging to the hope that he'll have my sunny disposition. I wanted so badly to capture his adorable stretches and cooing on video, but I couldn't risk running into the living room to get the camera and miss the fleeting moment.

So I've spent the rest of today trying to at least capture a smile on camera. This has resulted in a lot of weird, close-up pictures (like the one above where Grayson is thinking to himself, "what is this crazy woman doing?"), none of which accurately capture his new expression.

I'll keep the camera handy and continue to work on recreating the moment, but for now you get to enjoy today's unsuccessful paparazzi-fest.
P.S. There are more new pictures uploaded on the Grayson photo website. See the link in the left margin. Be sure to scroll through both pages because they didn't get posted in order for some reason.

Our Little Pumpkin

Last Sunday we took Grayson to his first pumpkin patch. He got decked out for the occasion in his Happy Halloween outfit, pumpkin hat and knit booties. Doesn't he look like such a big boy in his carrier?

Even though he had no idea where we were or what we were doing, Michael, Nana, Popper and I enjoyed picking out pumpkins and taking advantage of the adorable photo opportunities.




The farm we go to isn't just full of pumpkins...it also has a hay maze, hay slide, petting zoo and several other fun agricultural experiences. I'm hoping this becomes an annual event and am excited to see him enjoy the other activities over the years.

It amazes me that many children don't realize where pumpkins come from or that they grow on a vine along the ground. Grayson will be one of the first to know that they don't come from a bin at the supermarket.

Back to the Grind...and I need a nap

Over the last two days I temporarily returned to the workforce for a conference. It was nice to catch up with my coworkers and remember bits of my pre-baby life, but man am I tired. This may have something to do with the fact that Monday alone was a 14+ hour day which was a shock to the system, compounded by the fact that Grayson isn't quite sleeping through the night yet. 

It's not like I haven't been working around the clock at home over these last six weeks, but this was a different kind of exhaustion. Plus, being away from Grayson for so long required a lot of planning in terms of a milk supply. It was a relief to have Nana and Popper (Michael's parents) in town to babysit and they thoughtfully provided update phone calls and pictures throughout the day to reassure me that things were under control. 

This experience was a good trial run for when I go back to work full time. I learned it can be very difficult to work in time for pumping while still getting things done on a schedule. Part of the issue was finding a comfortable place to pump at the convention center, but I also had to work around a set conference agenda that required me to be in certain workshops at certain times. When I was able to break away, I would return to find out I missed out on a great speaker or something else I wanted to see. Hopefully pumping will be a little easier when I'm back at my office and can shut my door and work meetings around my needs a little easier than these last few days. 

I was also reminded how much I love coming home to my family. Seeing Grayson recognize (and need) me is the best feeling ever. He's getting very close to flashing his first real social smile and I'm so thankful I didn't miss it. I'm looking forward to having Grayson all to myself tomorrow and we may even stay in our pajamas all day together just to celebrate. 

Boomer Sooner

GO OU! BEAT TEXAS!

Reality Check-up

This morning I had my six week check up with the OBGYN. Technically next Monday marks six weeks, but I had to go early since I'm temporarily venturing back into the work world for a two-day conference. 

As Grayson and I were hanging out in the waiting room, I enjoyed people watching the eclectic group around me. There were several pregnant women there which made me reflect on how much has changed in these last few weeks. Not only do I now have a child, but it's kind of incredible to think about everything my body has gone through in that short amount of time. 

My uterus shrank from the size of a watermelon to a pear, and I went from carrying around 25 extra pounds with lots of  heartburn, waddling and lower back pain to sitting in the waiting room in a pair of real jeans that don't have a maternity waistband (whohoo!). While everything isn't exactly back where it was pre-pregnancy, I am thankful to no longer be dealing with the pains of a pregnant body.

There was a bit of bad news when I asked the doctor if the dark stripe on my stomach and the loose belly skin would ever go away. In her blunt, honest way that I somehow found endearing while pregnant, she explained how sometimes they do go away, but it often takes up to a year and a lot of women have these marks of motherhood forever. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I have genes like Heidi Klum when it comes to a post-baby body, but somehow I doubt this will be the case since Victoria's Secret hasn't come calling. 

At any rate, I just need to stay focused on Grayson's adorable face instead of the mirror and it will all be okay. He's worth having to do a few extra sit-ups. 

Turn up your speakers

...and get ready to hear the most adorable snoring EVER!

One Month & Counting

Grayson has changed so much in just a month. He is starting to look less like a newborn and more like a boy. Overall, I still think he favors Michael except for maybe his eyes.

For the most part, Grayson is a pretty laid back baby. He doesn't fuss much unless he is ready to eat, has gas or needs a diaper change. He is starting to vocalize in other ways besides crying and is able to focus his eyes on your face or other things like lights and ceiling fans.

There are still a few times he goes cross-eyed or gets that deer in the headlights look like in this picture. It really cracks me up how wide he can open his eyes. Makes me wonder what thoughts are going through his head when this happens.

He's also doing well with both breastfeeding and taking a bottle. Here is daddy feeding him his first bottle a few weeks ago. As a sign he is eating well, Grayson is up to 8 lbs. and 20 1/2 inches long and is beginning to fill in the excess skin around his knees and elbows.

Other things Grayson currently enjoys include his pacifier, the adorable booties our friend Michelle knitted, and goofy hats. Here are some photos of him with a few of his favorite things:

This picture and video pretty much sum up how Grayson feels about tummy time.