Happy 1 Month, Austin!

I cannot believe how fast the first month has gone!  It seems like just yesterday we were dealing with the whole NICU ordeal. We have yet to get our bill from the hospital and I'm sure I'll cringe when I see it...not looking forward to that mail day!

We don't go to the doctor until this coming week to see how his weight gain is going. I've put him on our scale at home and he isn't quite at 10 pounds yet. I'm hoping the scale at the doctor's office shows that he's at least back up to his birth weight, but we'll see. He eats great, at least every 2-3 hours!  I'll update on his weight/height after we go. The girls were both slow, but steady growers so maybe he's just following their lead after having an extraordinary birth weight!

Weight: 10 lb 9.6 oz
Clothes: 0-3 newborn stuff is too small, but 0-3 is slightly too big...he's in an awkward stage, but 0-3                 work much better than newborn
Diapers: size 1...I tried to shove him into newborn the first week we were home, but that didn't last.                    He wore size 1 while in the hospital too!
Hair: still brown
Eyes: still grayish blue

Milestones: I swear he is already smiling sometimes and not the 'gas smiles' after just eating, like legit smiles when you talk to him. If he doesn't start to roll early, I'll be surprised because he seems to want to try already! He's starting to coo a bit and he loves when his sisters talk or sing to him. He enjoys sleeping, eating, and pooping...typical baby!  He has the 1 month old baby acne all over his face. The #1 comment we always get in public has to do with his hair!  He does have good hair!

First Bath

Austin got his first real bath in the baby tub we have tonight. I gave him a sink bath the other day, but this one he actually got to lay in the water. He didn't fuss and seemed to enjoy it. Hopefully he enjoys the water as much as his sisters do!  The girls were with Bobby at the park, but I'm sure they will be wanting to 'help' with his future baths!

Hobson's Fun Farm

My family came down this weekend to spend time with us. Amanda hasn't seen Austin since being in the NICU, so this was her first time being able to hold him outside of the hospital and the first time she's seen him awake. Bobby and my dad got a couple of things done in the basement. We need to really get going on getting the drywall up so the toy room can be moved downstairs!

Saturday, we ventured to Hobson's Fun Farm in Rockville with my parents, sister, the Vandiver's, and the Sebastian's. It was a beautiful Fall day and actually warmer than we all thought it was supposed to be. The kids all had fun and we were there for about 4 hours.

Natalie and Aubrey had a great time running around and getting dirty. Aubrey was exhausted toward the end and probably sick, but we didn't know that until Sunday. Austin slept most of the time and fussed a little when he wanted to eat, get a diaper change and just go to sleep. I wore him in the Moby wrap most of the time, but then eventually we put him in the carseat/stroller and he fell asleep. Not that this is a bad thing, but he seems to like to just lay down when he's tired instead of being held/rocked, which I think is probably partly from being in the NICU and only being held every 3-4 hours and then just resting in his bassinet while in there.

They have added a couple of new things. This was also Bobby's first time being able to jump on the big air pillow. The girls and I have been on them several times at different places, but Bobby has never been with us. He had fun, too!

Pumpkin mid-air

Just before impact 

smashed pumpkin

At this point, we were trying to get a picture of the kids all looking, but Aubrey was knocking over her pumpkin and Natalie and Aubrey were fighting. Bobby then comments "Can't you just take that picture at home?" So, more pumpkin pictures in the future!

On Sunday, after church we had a quick photo taken for my Grandma who is making something for Christmas.  Bobby was super thrilled with having his picture taken! Austin was hungry and Aubrey was not cooperating, but later to find out, she was running a 101.4 fever, but went away with Tylenol and a long nap and has not returned...fingers crossed it was just a quick sickness and doesn't return because she has been acting normal!

3 Weeks

We survived week #3 without Bobby! We had a trial run on Sunday because Bobby went to the Colts game, so it was me and 3 kids, alone. We made it and it went surprisingly smooth. Getting the girls to school by 9am was more of the challenge since Austin likes to keep me up throughout the night and then trying to get the girls dressed, feed Austin, get myself to look halfway presentable and out the door without grumpy attitudes is the trick. Tuesday went great. Wednesday I had 3 crying kids at once, but by the time we were buckled in the car, everyone was fine. Thursday, went well especially considering I forgot to pack their lunches the night before.  Mondays and Fridays are definitely busier with 3 kids, but hasn't been too bad. The girls are great with Austin and are helpful. He loves to be talked to and the girls are usually always willing to talk to him or sing to him, which he loves!

Next weekend, Austin will be a month old! How is that even possible?

Last week, we had our 2 week check-up and he weighed 9 lb 9.6 oz. Everything looked good, but the doctor said Austin was being a little pokey with his weight gain. He was happy he was gaining and not losing, but wants us back on October 21st instead of his 2 month check-up just to monitor his weight. 

Austin has been holding on strong to his umbilical cord and it finally fell off last night!  So, he officially has a belly button!  Time for his first real bath today or tomorrow!

I think Rusty has enjoyed getting to be out of his "cage" and the daily car rides to take and pick up the girls.

 

Apple Picking

We headed to Ditzler's today for some apple picking!  Bobby got to go with us too since today is his last day off of paternity leave!  We will miss him for sure next week!

It was a sunny, cool, windy Fall day!

Luckily, Bobby was with us because as soon as we got out to pick the apples, Austin wanted to eat. I was wearing him in the Moby wrap and we were the only ones picking apples, so I was able to feed him while walking around the orchard so I was still able to somewhat participate in the apple picking. We picked 2 pecks of apples: Golden Delicious and Jonagold. Now onto making applesauce!