{6 months}

HOW IS MY BABY ALREADY HALF A YEAR OLD?!

I swear this just happened yesterday.

*Sigh*

Jack weighs 13 lb 7 oz, which is almost eleven lb bigger than his birth weight.

birth w/ his teddy from great grandma Atwood

~3 months

4 months

He loves cuddling with Mama, and playing with Daddy.

He smiles and giggles when Mama sings Christmas songs.

He started rolling over on September 16.

He sleeps through the night.

He hates naps.

He loves his Bumbo.

He drinks 5-8 oz of formula every 2-3 hours.

He strongly strongly dislikes his carseat. But only when it's in the car.

He gets super camera shy! Every time we try taking a cute picture of him or video he stops doing whatever he was doing and just stares. Turkey.

We love this boy. He made his entrance to the world dramatically.. But that's how he lives his whole life! Lucky us. ;) If he isn't drastically happy he's drastically upset.

Happy half birthday, Mr. Jack! <3

Grandma Atwood

 

I've been avoiding writing this post for awhile for a couple of reasons. Mostly because my internet hasn't been working, but the other reason is this: How do you write a blog post good enough to represent everything wonderful about a person who influenced your life from childhood to motherhood, but is now gone from this earth?

Grandma, Pamela "Penny" Mae, Atwood passed away on September 1, 2013, after a long, hard, and strong battle with non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, at 69 years old. 

I never liked the name Pamela, but now I wear it with honor.

She never complained, even to the bitter end. I never heard a negative word escape Grandma's lips.

She taught me so many temporal things - how to bake, how to pick berries, how to weed a flower garden, how to cross-stitch. She also taught me many things that can't be shown - how to love your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild(ren) endlessly, how to love your husband, how to treat strangers. 

She was at the hospital the day I was transferred to Edmonton to have Jack. She called me weekly after that, to make sure he was doing okay and I was doing okay, and to tell me how badly she wanted to meet him. That was when she was really going downhill and traveling wasn't an option. My mom said Grandma called her every. single. day. to tell her she needed to meet Jack. And she did! We made a special trip to Lethbridge the weekend after Jack came home so he could meet his great-Grandma Atwood.

Grandma had beautiful red hair (hence the name "Penny"). I'm praying for a red-headed baby girl to name after her.

Grandma loved Christmas. She collected snowmen, and always made sure all of her 18 grandkids got a little trinket to show her love.

Camping with Grandma and Grandpa in the summer was a favorite of everyone who ever went. Fishing, hiking, swimming, building chimneys on rainy days, berry picking, bird spotting, pancake breakfasts, onion rings, songs around the campfire.. These are the things that define my childhood summers.

Even just sleeping over with Grandma and Grandpa was an adventure - Slurpees and cans of Coke at 7-11, swimming then Blizzards, the live-action Peter Pan starring Mary Martin ("Hey! That's my name!" - can't tell you how many times I said that!), picking up the mail, playing at the park, going to nursery as a primary child (snack time - need I say more?), and chokecherry syrup. Oh, the chokecherry syrup. I crave that crap.

Everyone loved Grandma, and Grandma loved everyone right back. 

It was so hard to see her in the final weeks, immobile and sleeping, but I'm so grateful for the knowledge we have of the Gospel and the Plan of Happiness. Although we on earth will miss her fiercely, and I don't doubt that she also misses us, I know that she is enjoying getting to know her baby boy who passed as an infant, her parents, who passed when I was a toddler, her friends and cousins and nieces and nephews who have gone on. I know that she is never going to leave Grandpa's side - how could she after 50 years?? I know that she will be there waiting with open arms to welcome us all home. 

Pamela "Penny" Mae Hancock Atwood
May 3, 1944 - September 1, 2013

Fly me up to where you are,

Beyond the distant star;

I wish upon tonight to see you smile,

If only for awhile to know you're there.

A breath's not far away to where you are.

Merry Christmas, Grandma!

Jack's Blankets

I had this brilliant idea somewhere between dream-land and cold-induced misery. And I need YOUR help to get it rolling!
*Here is Jack's story*
On my first Mother's Day, which we spent in the RAH NICU, every baby in the NICU received a baby blanket that had been donated by some ladies in the community. It was so good to feel like someone was thinking of us.

Then I started thinking of how often I think of our experience in the NICU, and the mothers that are right this second looking at their tiny, helpless baby (or babies!) wondering when they'll get to take this tiny piece of their heart home.
The NICU can be a very sterile and scary place. At times, it seems hopeless and never ending. I wanted to do something to give the parents hope and comfort.
Here comes the idea - blankets! Just like the one we were given. I want to collect enough blankets (100+) to give one to every baby in the RAH NICU for Jack's first birthday on March 25, 2014.

You can help us out by making a baby blanket! Any pattern, material, color, but please keep the size around 3 ft x 3 ft.
If you think you can support this fantastic cause, please join our Facebook group, Jack's Blankets.

Love!

This guy went and got himself hitched!

His wife is beautiful. Marshall was stunning. It was so much fun!

I've known Marshall for a long time, like since we were 13. So 8 years! Wow. 

And Carol is perfect for Marshall in every way. I love the new Leishman family! Marshall is still and forever will be one of my best friends. 

{We're both very excited to get our 3 other friends back! Ethan is home from the Philippines in October, Adrian is home from South Africa in December, and Viktoria is home from South Korea in February!}

Congratulations to Marshall and Carol! We love you. 

BVJ13

What a cray cray weekend!

None other than BIG VALLEY JAMBOREE!!! Which is my favorite weekend of the whole year. Ever. And that includes July 1 weekend. 

This year we got weekend passes, but decided to drive back and forth between Camrose and Edmonton, a good choice considering how much I love my bed. 

We totes got to see Travis Tritt, Aaron Lines, Gord Bamford, Rosanne Cash, Small Town Pistols (also known as The Wilkinsons, my favorite childhood country band), Terri Clark, Big & Rich, Rodney Atkins, ALAN JACKSON (who is kind of old and boringish, while still being fun to watch), LUKE BRYAN (who is a stinking incredible performer. And hot. Super hot.), and TIM MCGRAW (who is my all time favorite country singer ever of all time and I love him.
Things we learned this year that we will follow through with next year:

• Taking your own food is always a good idea. We spent <$40 (minus my t-shirt cause those suckers are not cheap!) the whole weekend! Sandwiches, water, fruit, licorice, crackers, popcorn, etc. 
• Hats for everyone. Sunnies too.
• Umbrellas are not allowed. Take ponchos. Or steal them from CISN Country. In addition, waterproof stroller covers work fairly well in lieu of an umbrella. 
• Get lawn chairs with foot rests! ugh.
• Charger. Your. Camera.
• Make a portable cell phone charger There is nothing worse than finding out your phone is dead when Tim McGraw is on stage :( 
• The end.

Ready for some photographs? Ok go. 

Carter loved this little "family vehicle"

Country up!

What?

Enjoying the sunshine.

Happy little country loving family!

So there's that.

The smallest cowboy hat we could find. Next year, Jackie boy. Next year.

Happy mornings!

Mmmmhm.

Morning after. Hey there.

Getting all pumped up!

Family photo op!

Why I stopped breastfeeding.

Don't get me wrong. I loved the bond I formed with Jack through the most primal motherly duty. I loved hearing his little whimper and knowing that only I could fix his world. I love knowing that in his earliest stages of life, when he was floating between the other side and this side, that my breast milk was his nectar of everything good. I love that I was able to provide him with that one basic necessity. I'm incredibly proud of myself for maintaining the ability to breastfeed in those first difficult months. I'm proud of him for learning so early. 

When that nurse informed me that Jack wasn't growing and would need to be hospitalized, my heart broke. I begged her to let us try something new and she agreed. 

Formula. I've never been pro-formula. I never thought I would need to be. But watching my baby become more alert while staying the same size as a newborn was harder than giving up the one thing I should be able to do for him. 

On Friday, July 19,Jack weighed 6 lb 13 oz. On Wednesday, July 24, 5 days after starting formula and 3 days after giving up breastfeeding, Jack weighed 7 lb 15 oz. 

There was no contest. Jack is a formula baby.

It was hard to stop nursing. But as long as Jack is happy, healthy, and growing I'm okay. 

Bonuses: I can leave Jack and not feel guilty (or engorged). I can buy a pretty non-nursing bra. I can go back on normal birth control. I can drink as much Diet Coke as my tummy can handle. I can eat spicy food. 

Best of all: my scrawny baby is developing a double chin. 

{4 months}

mister jack has come so far!

he is 16 weeks, 4 days. that puts him 5 weeks past his due date.

he still only weighs 6 lb 14 oz, so he's having a hard time gaining weight. :( hopefully the new formula they gave us will help us boost him. fingers crossed!

jack was sleeping 6-8 (sometimes 11!!) hours at night, but we've hit the 4 month sleep regression, so for the last week he's been waking up 2-3 times a night, and only taking 30-45 minute naps during the day. but he hasn't been very cranky, thank goodness.

he loves cuddling, sleeping on his tummy, showering with dad, the ceiling fans at grandma's house, being outside, being in mama's wrap, and eating.

he very strongly dislikes being naked, being cold or hot, swimming (we're working on it!), sitting in the carseat for extended periods of time, when mama goes to the bathroom, and being weighed.

the biggest change since i last posted?

NO MORE OXYGEN!!!!!!!!

just after the canada day weekend, his RT decided he could be off it during the day. the first night we put him on it.. then kind of just stopped. i gave it to him in the carseat for a couple days after that, but then we kind of just stopped that too. the last time he had oxygen was july 8. :) even on our way back from raymond i didn't give it to him. i put a snuza monitor on him and off we went!

i'm still waiting patiently for a smile, but he can almost hold his head up!

baby steps :)

July Long

This was the weekend we've been waiting for!

Friday night we drove down to Raymond, Saturday was Aunt Susie's surprise party (success!), Saturday night was our baby shower, Sunday was Jack's baby blessing, and Monday was Canada Day!

I don't really have much to write about any of the above, just a butt ton of pictures.

[PS - Thanks a BILLION to everyone who brought us gifts over the weekend. I'm so excited to get him into all the clothes and use all the toys, etc. And to everyone who came to the blessing/BBQ. It was so good to introduce Jack to everyone.]