Mommy & Jude

The Good Life

First Bath

Jude got his first bath the other day. He wasn't too impressed. He likes taking a bath with mommy better, but I couldn't take a picture of that:)

7lb 8oz

I weighed Jude today and he weighs 7lb 8oz! Last week he weighed 6lb 12oz. That's 12 oz in a week he's gained. It's hard to believe that this is a kid who has trouble nursing. He does seem to be getting the hang of it a lot better though. Sometimes he'll nurse quite easily, and other times he acts like he's never done this before. Hopefully the latter will become fewer and fewer.

BIG YAWN!

Jude loves riding in the car. He almost always falls asleep within minutes. It is so nice that he rides well. It will make travelling much easier.

Jude 2 Weeks Old

Jude turned 2 weeks old on Memorial Day. I still can't believe he's two weeks old already. People weren't kidding when they said time flies. He's changing a lot and gaining some weight. He's able to fit into his newborn clothes a little better now. I've been rotating among 5 onesies that were the only ones I had that would fit him. For some reason Gerber newborn onesies are much smaller than other brands of newbown onesies. I had to buy him a pair of preemie pants and a preemie hoodie so that he would have something to wear on the cooler days because he was swimming in everything else. I also had to buy him a package of preemie diapers, but he has filled out enough now to wear his newborn ones. He gets weighed again Wednesday so I'm eager to see how much he's gained. He's still having some trouble nursing, but he is improving. I've been going to a lactation consultant once a week that our hospital offers for free and that's been some help. They were able to identify the problem. Apparently, my milk comes too much too fast for his little mouth to handle and so he pulls off. The consultant said that as time goes by, my milk should adjust to him more and he will get bigger and more coordinated so he'll be able to handle it better. I can't wait til that day comes. Aside from my nursing woes, I love being a mother. We love this little guy so much.

Jude Enjoying His New Swing

We got this swing off of craigslist. He loves to be rocked and to ride in the car so we thought he'd pobably like a swing, and he does. That's the start of a big yawn there.

Our Sweet Little Boy

Don't you just want to kiss his sweet little face?:)

Jude 1 Week Old

Grandpa and Grandson

Glow Worm

This is the phototherapy blanket that Jude had to wear for a couple of nights. He's our little glow worm:)

First Doctor Visit

Jude had his first outing today. My mom and I had to take him to the doctor to check on his jaundice which he had a little of when we left the hospital. They weighed him and he is down to 6lb 5oz right now, but the doctor said that he's doing fine and that it's normal to lose weight during the first week. He hasn't been nursing as often as he was in the hospital, but the doctor said that that is also probably due to the jaundice. Apparently, it can make a baby very sleepy and lethargic. They took some blood to test his bilirubin level and it's a bit high, so they are delivering a fiber-optic "blanket" (a sheet of plastic that has fiber-optic tubing running through it so that the entire blanket becomes a light source) tonight that is supposed to help and then we are going back to the doctor tomorrow to see how he's responding.

What an Angel

Dakota Meets Jude

Our friends have been taking care of Dakota for us while we were in the hospital. They brought her back today and she got to meet Jude for the first time. I don't think she knows what to make of him yet.

Tiny Hands and Feet

Grandma and Grandpa

My mom and Dad came to help out for a few days.

A Kiss From Daddy

The Birth

At 12:00a.m. on Monday the 12, I was lying in bed almost asleep when I had an intense contraction. I got up and my water broke. I instantly had intense contractions that were 2 minutes apart. I woke John up and told him that it was time, so we got some last minute things together and headed to the hospital. By the time I got to the hospital I was already 4 cm dilated and almost completely effaced.

My friend Becca Willis came and sat with me all night.

6 1/2 hours after my water broke, Jude Thomas was born.

6lb 13oz and 19.5 inches long

Daddy holding Jude for the first time.

The Laurie Family

Our boy Jude

It is amazing what bringing a little life into this world can change for you. It happened instantaneously for me upon just meeting Jude for the first time. A lot of people say that life is going to change, or life is over for us. Whatever! - I say bring it on and that life is just beginning in a new way!! I love this little guy so much and am looking forward to the days ahead!! Thank you Lord for blessing us with this child!!

John

Jude Thomas Laurie Has Arrived!

3 Days Old

2 Days Old

2 Days Old

He was born Monday morning at 6:30am. He weighed 6lb 13oz and was 19.5 inches long. I'll post more pictures later, but I wanted to hurry and get some of him on here now.

Thursday's Checkup

I went into my doctor's appointment Thursday. She said I had only dilated another 1/2 cm, but I had thinned out a lot so that's good. I hadn't felt the baby move that day, and it was past what's normally his most active part of the day, so they were a little concerned about that. They decided to put me on the fetal monitor to trace his heart beats and any contractions. I was on that for about 45 minutes and they still weren't getting much activity from him so they decided to give me an ultrasound. Everything looked good on the ultrasound, though he still wasn't moving around very much, even after I had some sugary drink and about 10 tick tacks (that's all the nurse had to eat). They said it was probably because he's running out of room now that he's dropped further into my pelvis along with the increase in contractions, so they didn't seem too worried, but I do have to go back Monday to be put on the monitor again. I'm feeling him a little better today though so I'm not concerned. It was pretty neat to get to see him again on the ultrasound, though I didn't get to see his face because he's dropped so she wasn't able to get a profile. The only pictures she was able to get for me was one of a foot and one of his boy stuff:) Can't wait to meet the little guy soon. I wonder who he's going to look like.

38 Weeks

Well, I guess it could be any day now. I'm hoping for this coming weekend. It would be nice to have a Mother's Day baby:) Just in the last week I've started to be really uncomfortable so I am ready to be done being pregnant! The baby has dropped and I was 1 cm dilated at my last visit. I go again Thursday so I'm interested to see what kind of progress I've made. I'm really hoping he'll come early and not late.