What we're up to

I've ventured outside the house a total of 1 time since Friday night and planned to stay cooped up inside today too. My weather app shows snow flurries but all I see is cold rain and white clouds outside my window. We've had the fire blazing for basically 3 days straight, shutting it off at night, and I've changed from one pair of jammies to the next. Ford and I are battling nasty colds (yes he has another one!) but luckily I'm on the ups today. 
Here's what we've been up to lately....
Back porch games and cuddles last week (temps were in the 80s!). Our deck was built the week Ford was born and we just got an outdoor sectional and grill, I've been meaning to take pictures to show y'all but now it's too cold and rainy :). 

Ford was the 7th wheel at dinner Friday night, sweet boy slept most of the time and wore his jammies out! I love being able to carry him on my hip these days.

We did do something really productive this weekend... took our Christmas pictures! I was bummed the weather forced our pictures inside but Jennifer Stamps did an amazing job and I cannot wait to see the rest!

I ran to the store to grab some last minute ingredients for our mini Thanksgiving meal that night and the boys stayed home and took selfies...

Since the first year we met, Jon and I have celebrated "Thursgiving" the Thursday before Thanksgiving. We whip up our own little Thanksgiving meal and spend the night counting our blessings and sharing what we are thankful for. We switched it up to Saturday this year and decided we may move it to May next year so we can enjoy all the Thanksgiving goodness in the middle of the year!

Soaking up these precious moments where Ford is sound asleep in my arms knowing that he won't be a baby forever. Before I had him I planned on being super scheduled and regimented with naps, sleeping, etc but now that he is here, we go with the flow. Babies don't keep and I want these moments will be forever etched in my mind. 

It was exactly a year ago yesterday that we found out we were pregnant! I was feeling nostalgic remembering coming into the living room seeing Jon on a stool whistling Christmas music while hanging ornaments on the tree and I shoved the test toward him and started crying tears of joy. What a full year it has been and I can't believe this holiday season I will be celebrating with my son!!! Last Thanksgiving (2 days before we found out we were expecting) I remember silently hoping that we'd be holding a tiny baby the next year. Well, Ford isn't so tiny but the Lord has blessed us indeed! As we head into Thanksgiving week I can't help but to feel abundantly blessed and eternally grateful for the intangible gifts in my life. Jesus Christ on the cross, my loving husband, Ford Nehemiah and the ability to stay home with him, stubborn little Ernie, my supportive family, a circle of friends that I consider family, my loyal blog readers. I'm sending love to each and every one of you today, this week, and through the holiday season. 

Happy Monday friends, I remember how awesome the week of Thanksgiving is during college or in the working world...laid back and extra time off. Enjoy!

Hittin the road

Our little family of 4 (including Ernie of course) survived our first road trip this week! We woke up bright and early, and by that I mean 4am, on Monday morning and headed north on I-35 to Dallas so daddy could meet with customers and Ford, Ernie, and I could hang out with Aunt Cori and Embry. Since Ford is now my full time job, I have the flexibility of tagging along with Jon on his weekly trips whenever I want. Call us crazy for going away with a 4 week old but it was so nice to get a change of scenery and stay at my sisters house where we were comfortable and had lots of fun and relaxing time together.
Embry was so excited to see her cousin and give him lots and lots of kisses

I've said before that Ford is incredibly alert for a newborn but this week he has probably broken the record for most awake time for a baby. Seriously Monday he fought and fought me on a nap and finally crashed after 6 hours. We hit up some thrift stores (they are the best in Dallas) and are convinced he hates thrifting because he was not a happy boy. It could have very well been over stimulation but man he just continues to surprise me with how long he can stay up! Now that we are home, I hope to work on a better nap schedule for him during the day. He is sleeping great at night so I can't really complain. 
Dad's and their babies got to watch the first MNF together

Ford was really into the TV...so cute

(Notice Ford's old man receding hairline... his hair is falling out like crazy!)
Yesterday we hit up more thrift stores and ran into the Dallas Museum of Art so I could feed my anti-shopper

I fed Ford and Embry had a one man band... she couldn't be any cuter folks!

Ford did great in the car, slept the whole time and we pulled over to feed twice (and pickup fried catfish and chicken and dumplings from Cracker Barrel hehe). In fact most of us slept in the car...

We are back home getting unpacked and situated and celebrating this little man being 1 month old today!

Ford 2 weeks

Stats: we had Ford's 2 week checkup yesterday and little man is 9lb 2oz (55%), 21 in (55%) and head circumference of 38.3cm (75%). Crazy how such a big baby boy is only average on the charts! He had a PKU heel prick and only let out a few pitiful noises, less than mama!
Doctor appointments take a lot out of us!

Sleep: Ford is a rockstar sleeper! He is so alert during the day and has distinct awake time. He will snooze here and there and usually has one long nap during the day (4hours or so) and at night will do usually 2 4-5hour stretches which is awesome for mama! We took his newborn pictures Saturday and he would not go to sleep! I swear he acts like a 2 month old and is so bright eyed and awake. 
Eating: big boy is a great eater. Breastfeeding is going really well for us (not hurting me much anymore yay!) and we are getting really efficient. He takes about 20-30 min total to feed and will cluster feed for about 2-3hours at night before his long stretch of sleep (yesterday he cluster fed ALL.DAY.LONG). Totally worth the extended sleep though. I pumped last week and Jon fed him his first bottle Saturday night, he sucked down 2oz and wanted to eat more! He took a bottle last night as well and I hope to do 1/day if I can get enough. 
Diapering: we are no longer using Pamper's or Huggies NB diapers because they are pretty small on him but using Target brand NB which are a little bigger. At the pedi they didn't have NB diapers so we put him in a size 1 after they weighed him and it was clearly too big. I think we'll stick to Target for a few more days then try our Pamper's size 1. He doesn't have a problem filling his diaper that's for sure! Surprisingly his toots are so loud for such a little person haha. Oh and last night I had a boy mom fail, I was putting some butt paste on his bottom and forgot to cover the wee... let's just say poor boy was covered in pee and we took a wipe bath as he was screaming haha. 
Clothes: some NB are getting pretty tight but 0-3m are still baggie. I wish all brands were consistent! I can't wait until he is in 0-3m because he has lots of cutie outfits. 
Social: again, most alert baby ever! He loves his playmat during awake time and loves staring at the ceiling fans and into people's eyes. Even though they are probably just gas, he has been giving us lots of smiles! He has the funniest stink face though with furrowed brows. Oh! And his left dimple like his mama. Yesterday we were in the car quite a bit for errands and my doctor appointment and Ford let us get a good listen at his lungs. We thought he loved the car but for some reason he was NOT happy in it yesterday. I realized he was wet and I am hoping that's why he was upset.
Mama: feeling really good! I tried a day without pain meds last week and was a little sore so I am just taking one in the morning and one at night. Walking is getting easier by the day and we've taken a few walks around the neighborhood. I have finally ventured upstairs (not holding baby though) and it feels good. I am still cautious of what I pick up/how I bend over and want to take it easy for the next couple of weeks. The only thing I notice is my incision stings a bit and my ab area is sore. I had my first postpartum appointment yesterday and it went really well! My sweet doctor was still so shocked by my birth story and told me that 2% of women have the low platelet issue...how I became a part of that 2%, I don't know. She took off the sterry strips from my incision and was admiring her handy work saying how small it is and I'll be in a bikini in no time...hmm yeah right! I got blood work to check my platelet levels and I go back in 4 weeks. My doctor instantly said Ford was a mini me and all of the staff thought he was a cutie with tons of hair! Emotionally I am feeling really good...but talk to me after my help leaves on Friday ha! Being surrounded by family has been so great for me and Ford, good thing fall TV is about to start up because we will need some extra entertainment! 
To Mimi's house we go! (I only picked up his carrier for the picture, my sister seriously won't let me lift a finger! I could get used to this hehe)

Daddy: Jon is getting lots of sleep thanks to Ford being a good sleeper and back to work full time. He works from home so checks on us every so often and gets his little man fix throughout the day. He is taking his first day trip to Dallas this week and although we will miss him, my sister is here to help and keep us company! Jon had a 24 hour allergy thing over the weekend and was so sad that he couldn't be around Ford but is feeling tons better. 
Outings: We went to missional community group last week and it felt so good to be out and about! Ford slept basically the whole time and I fed him at the end. Besides that and doctor appointments, we haven't really been anywhere but loving all the company! Daddy hosted his NFL Fantasty Draft and he had a fun playdate with his buddies Ethan (a week older than him), Ezra (4 months) and his cousin Embry (11 months). We plan on taking him to church this upcoming weekend and are going to a wedding on Sunday evening... big plans!
Cleveland Browns fan like daddy

Baby party 

Every 10 day old needs a popped Polo collar

Visitors: my mom (who lives about 20 minutes away) left us last week after staying to help for a full week and Friday my sister, brother in law, and Embry came! Cori and E are staying until Friday and are such a help around the house...how did I get so lucky?! If you follow me on Instagram you have seen lots of cute cousin pictures, she is so sweet giving Ford lots of kisses and breaking in all of his toys.... I think I may have to do a whole post dedicated to Embry and Ford pics lol! We've loved introducing Ford to friends and family and have more visitors throughout the week!

Cousin loving... too sweet!

Mimi & Papa & their 2 grandbabies

Uncle James

Finally figuring out the paci...ish. This is awesome during cluster feeding times when he just gets a full feeding and is a little fussy. Can't you tell by his stink face that he loves it?

Cori caught a smile this morning!

Ford's 1 week update  Ford's birth story

#InstaFord

Instagram and iPhone pics of our little hunk over the last week