It's been HOW many weeks?!

Yes, you read that right. Today marks four weeks since you were born. FOUR. I want time to slow down! 

What did we do today? Well, we slept in a little, even though I still woke up exhausted. Then mommy did some chores. We watched a little tv. You ate, pooped and slept. I got you dressed in an adorable outfit I bought you yesterday.

Mommy got a little distracted from chores cuddling with you...

Auntie Shaila came over and we went to the bank and to the mall. You were a fussy boy at the bank, but I finally got you to sleep and you were okay after that. We went to the mall to get my wedding ring sized. I decided to get some food while we were there. I had the WORST lunch ever. I blame Auntie Shaila :). I ate a corn dog, shared a cinnabon with your aunt and then washed it down with a Mr. Pibb. Terrible, I know. It sure was delicious though! We had a really nice day with your Aunt. She loves you so much.

Another big thing that happened today is you smiled! You have smiled before, but only in your sleep. Today you actually smiled while awake! You are also starting to laugh, but you only do that in your sleep. It is my absolute favorite. 

When Daddy got home for work, we decided to go on a walk as a family. It was so beautiful out! We walked around the apartment complex, got the mail and then walked to a part nearby. My hip and leg have been bothering me and Daddy was walking so fast with you! He probably was annoyed I was taking so long, but he waited. You were WIDE awake. I think you are going to like being outside, which is good because your Daddy loves to be outside too. We sat at the park for a little bit and talked. It was really nice. Then Uncle Jordan, Uncle Brett and Uncle Ivan came over for a bit. 

Headed out!

Stopping for the mail

Wide awake!

Walking with Daddy

Daddy waiting for mommy

And then he started to run...

And had to end up waiting for me again :)

At the park!

One day you will be able to play here!

Some scenery shots from our walk :)

Today when I realized it has been four weeks, I cried. I was holding you, staring at you and tears welled up in my eyes. Four weeks. My baby is four weeks. This means I have to go back to work soon. How am I going to leave you for work? I know people tell me they have done it, but it doesn't help. I, YOUR mommy, don't want to leave you. I am going to miss you so much. But I still have some time and for now I will enjoy what time I have left with you. I know God is going to provide and make everything work out just the way it should be! Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and experience things over again. To freeze a certain period of time and thoroughly take it in. It's funny how in my own life there are certain events I would love to relive again, but with you, I would relive every day if I could. Relive every day. Take in every moment. It's a good thing we can't do that. I don't think my life would ever progress! It is so fun to watch you grow and change every day...and look more and more like your daddy. Are you sure you are mine?!

It's funny how you never truly understand what certain things mean until you live them. One thing I know for sure now is this...I never knew what love was until I became a parent. My heart overflows with love for you, a different love than what i fill with others. I know your daddy loves you just as much. It is so fun to watch him look at you. I can see his love for you in his eyes.

We love you so much Cash. So so much.

Your third week of life.

Man time is going in super speed! Three weeks...This was a very busy week for you.

On Friday April 13, we made the three hour drive up to Red Bluff and then Chico. It was a rough start to the morning. Mommy wanted to leave by 10:30am because I knew you had just eaten, but we didn't end up leaving until around noon!We had a little trouble getting the carseat out of daddy's truck and into grandpa's and then right as we got you all buckled and ready to go...you wanted to eat. So back into the house we went. I fed you and we were finally on the road. You did great in the car. Slept the whole time. Mommy probably should have slept too, but I have a hard time napping. Our first stop was Red Bluff. Of course you wanted to eat as soon as we got there :). You got to meet your Great Great Grandma Gow for the first time. She loved you. It was very sweet to see her holding you and kissing you. You also met your Aunt Judy, Aunt Tina and of course Great Grandma Arlene and Great Grandpa Chuck were there too.

All ready to go for our long drive!

Aunt Tina

Five Generations

With Great Great Grandma Gow

Aunt Judy

Kisses from Great Great Grandma Gow

Then we packed up and headed to Chico to visit some more family. We were a little early for our reservation so we drove around Chico looking at some of the places that your grandpa remembered from his childhood. One cool thing is a painting at grandpa's high school and he is in it! I should have thought to get you out of the car, but you were sound asleep. One day we will take you back to see it. Then we went to dinner at La Hacienda, super good Mexican food. You were a good boy! You wanted to eat as soon as we ordered. You got to see your Great Grandparents and meet your Great Great Grandma Cathy for the first time. You also got to see your Aunt Amy, Cousin Brenden and Chuck. After dinner, we headed to meet your last set of Great Great Grandparents, Great Great Grandpa and Grandma Abshier. They loved you too, I mean, you are easy to love. It was getting late so I fed you one last time and we headed home. You slept in the car and mommy slept a little too, which was nice. I was so scared you wouldn't sleep good that night because your day was so thrown off, but you slept just like every other night! It was a great trip.

The painting with grandpa..He is the baseball player

Snoozing at the restaurant

Meeting Great Great Grandma Cathy

Meeting Great Great Grandpa Abshier

Meeting Great Great Grandma Abshier

Cuddles with Great Great Grandpa

All fed, in your jammies and ready for the ride home!

The next day, April 14th, we relaxed at home. Mommy wanted to take pictures of you with her and daddy, but we ran out of time. We did get some pictures of you taken. I posted them in the blog post before this one. I sent daddy to the store for some Sherbet ice cream and some water...I was craving. While he was gone, I gave you a bath and read to you. It was this day that I read you you very first Bible story. We read the first two stories out of the Bible the McEwens got for you. This will be the first of many times that you hear about God, Jesus, and the Bible. You fell fast asleep while I rocked you and read to you. I tried not to take it personally :). The next morning we went to church for the second time. Church was packed so we sat in the video cafe. You slept most of the time, fussed a little, but I had you in my moby wrap so I just stood up and rocked you when you fussed. Of course you wanted to eat as soon as church was done. We drove to grandma and grandpa's for lunch and you screamed the whole time. You would think I didn't feed you! For lunch we had In n Out. It was the first time I have had it since you were born! It was the one thing I consistently craved when I was pregnant with you. It was delicious! 

All ready for church!

During this week, you have taken to being a momma's boy. You always want mommy to hold you! I love your snuggles, but it makes it hard to get anything done! You will fuss and fuss and fuss, but as soon as I pick you up, you stop. I am trying to let you figure things out so you can be independent and content just being in your swing. Of course I make sure you are well fed and burped, have a clean diaper and have been loved! As soon as you start screaming loud, I pick you up. In the middle of the night, you sometimes don't want to stay asleep in your bassinet so mommy cuddles you in bed. This usually ends with us falling asleep together for a few hours. Makes me nervous to sleep with you in the bed, but I have to admit, I love cuddling with you.

Napping on mommy

Even daddy gets snuggles too!

You have also grown so much during this time! You are changing every single day. One thing that happened is you have now outgrown almost all your newborn stuff. This makes me so sad. You don't seem bothered. I can't believe how big you are getting! You really are the most beautiful child I have ever seen. I may be a bit biased though.

My beautiful little bean

Wearing your 3 month old Hurley jammies from Auntie Shaila

BIG stretch

The longest fingers 

And of course mommy bought you jammies to match your slippers :)

The weather lately has been cold and rainy, but we finally got a beautifully, sunny week! On April 17th, we went with Daddy to get his allergy shots done and said goodbye to our new friend Bethany. She held me and had the magic touch with you because you were content the whole time! We will see her again though. Plus, now we have an even bigger excuse to go to Disneyland...so we can visit! After his doctors appt, daddy went back to work and mommy had the brilliant idea of taking a walk with you! I probably should have started with a shorter walk, but in true mommy style, I went all out! We walked two miles...all the way to daddy's office. I made the same walk a few times when I was pregnant with you and was trying to get you out! You didn't seem phased by the walk and didn't this time either. You slept the whole way. You were very stylish in your sunglasses though. Let me tell you, it was much easier to do the walk when you were in my tummy, but to my defense, I didn't have you plus a stroller, car seat, diaper bag and everything else I brought! So I did have more weight to push around :) It was nice for my to get exercise, but kind of defeated the purpose of my exercise when I brought candy as my snack and stopped for a teriyaki bowl from Jack in the Box and Dr Pepper on the way to the office. One day I will lose this weight! We spent the rest of the day with Daddy at work. When we came home, we both gave you a bath and for the first time ever, you pooped in the bath. A lot of poop. We had to empty the bath and refill it. You had poop all over your arm, it was disgusting. Mommy took one for the team and picked you up out of it and cleaned you off. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures, but I am sure I will have many opportunities in the future to capture it on camera. One day I know you will thank me for it.

You figured out how to pull your glasses off

One cool dude!

Leaving the house

Made it to Jack in the Box

Mommy had to pee!

Finally made it to Daddy's office!

Daddy worked, mommy ate and you slept.

When thing you will learn about your mommy is she tends to overdo things. After our long two mile walk I was very sore. Let me remind you, I just gave birth to you about four weeks ago. I am still healing! One day I will learn.

That night, you gave me a big scare! I woke up in pain because I was so full. I figured it was time to feed you, so I looked at the clock and PANICKED! I had put you to bed at 11:30 the night before and the clock read 6am when I looked! I quickly checked to see if you were breathing and there you were, so peacefully sleeping. I had to pump to help relieve the pain. I pumped NINE ounces. Then of course you woke up to eat at 6:30am. I can't believe you slept so long, it was fantastic! I fed you and put you back to sleep. You then woke up every three hours, which would have been fine, but mommy woke up with a terrible migraine. Unfortunately, you wanted nothing to do with going back to sleep around 8am, so I wasn't able to sleep my migraine pain off. We got up and watched tv. Of course you fell asleep. Luckily for me, my migraine was started to go away. 

Later in the day we met both grandma's and Kim for lunch. It was the first time Kim met you. She held you and you were so content! We then went to Target and I bought you some new clothes. Next on the list was Costco and of course you wanted to eat! I brought a bottle because I thought I would be able to feed you in my moby wrap, but I couldn't. So we sat in the food court and you ate. We finished in Costco, went to pick up Grandma Vicki and went to Ross and Marshalls, where I bought more clothes for you. I spent a lot of money today. Got you some adorable Hurley clothes. 

It was a busy third week of life. I am getting more energy and feeling good. You are becoming more alert and changing every day. Crazy how time flies.

We love you our sweet little bean.

The first few weeks

The first few weeks for my sweet boy were crazy! We had a lot of trouble breastfeeding. Mommy was in a lot of pain and you just didn't want to latch. It led to hours and hours of crying in your first few nights. I was exhausted, but seeing your sweet face was worth it. You had your first appointment with the doctor on Monday. It was just a simple check up with the pediatrician. You looked so adorable in your little newborn outfit :). I am glad daddy was there to help you! They weighed you and checked everything out. They asked how you were feeding. I don't know if it was the hormones, lack of sleep or what, but I started bawling! They had the lactation nurse come in and see us and she was helpful. I was hoping it would help with your feeding that night. We scheduled an appointment the very next day for your circumcision. Mommy ran a bunch of errands with Grandma. I went and got tubing for the pump and we started giving you a bottle.

It was a lot of work to get you ready and us ready and out of the house in time for the doctor. We were late for the second day in a row, but not too late! Not to mention, I had just had you a mere four days prior, so I was healing too! We brought you to the doctor for your circ to be done and of course you were hungry right away. I had issues getting you to latch and I cried again! The doctor noticed that you were tongue tied! Mommy, Uncle, and Auntie B all were when we were young too. So now I had to take you to see ANOTHER doctor. Sheesh! The doctor helped me get you to latch on so you could eat. Then they took you back for your procedure. She said you did great! You slept through the whole thing. I think it was harder on daddy than you!

The lactation nurse came to see us again and we set up an appointment to see her that day! She helped us and gave me a nipple shield, which would later be our saving grace! Mommy misunderstood what she said and now has a very expensive bill :/ You are worth it though! Before we left we had an appointment set up with an ear nose and throat doctor for 10am the next day. Three doctor appointments in a row! And it was in Fremont.

The next day came and we got you to Fremont just a tad late. The doctor took a look at you and suggested we get your tongue clipped. Daddy and I decided to do it! They had us leave the room when they did it and thank goodness they did. I could hear you screaming while they did it. Daddy went pee. I think he just didn't want to hear you crying! When we went back into the room, you were bleeding and crying. I felt so bad for you, but I knew it would help you! I tried to get you to latch, but you wouldn't, so we gave you a bottle. You didn't seem too bothered after that. I could tell your little tongue was sore though. We decided to just give you the bottle until you and I were completely healed. I was really sad we couldn't get breastfeeding down, but at least I was pumping and giving you breast milk! Turns out, you had other plans! You decided to latch on that friday, March 30th, and we have been breastfeeding ever since!

We spent a lot of time hanging out at home the first week and had LOTS of visitors.

  

Auntie Trisha, Uncle Billy and Becky came to visit

 Shelly, Aaron, Gunner and Alyssa came. Gunner was nervous to hold you!

Mommy and Daddy cuddled you a lot

 Snuggly with Pabst

With Uncle Brett

And Uncle Grant

Of course both grandma's and grandpa came to visit. Auntie B was here until Monday after you were born and then she had to fly home. Elainna and Jillian came to visit and brought us dinner! Elvira came up and brought you a gift. Uncle Ivan came too. It was lots and lots of people!

Unfortunately your Great Great Grandma Minnie was too sick to make it until you were born. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on March 20th. I did get to tell her all about you and got a sweet picture of her hand on my stomach for you. She had two monkey's that your Great Grandma Betty bought her. She loved them. Great Grandma Betty decided to give them to you. What a special thing for you to have. On March 31st, just a week after you were born, we went to her funeral. Everyone loved you. You were a good boy!

Great Great Grandma Minnie

With your Great Grandma Betty

Uncle Jordan in the smallest chair in the place...even if he is the biggest guy

Mommy loves to dress you in cute outfits and jammies, but contrary to everyone's belief, I only dressed you once a day...unless you decided to explode your diaper, which you love to do!

You weren't happy about getting dressed this day!

Love your little slippers :)

You spent some time on your tummy, which you don't like. You would much prefer to be laying on mommy or daddy's chest, so for now I consider that tummy time! You are very strong already though. You like to lift your head and legs!

You love to sleep. And eat. And poop. They are your favorite things to do. I don't remember when you sleeping switched exactly, but you started sleeping for a five hour stretch at night. It was nice for me! Then you are up every 2-3 hours after that, but at least I get five good hours!

Milk Coma!

My sleepy boy

And the classic poop face! You have gas like your daddy!

You even watched the Giants game with your Daddy. You actually seemed interested! Maybe you will be a baseball player. You have long fingers so Daddy thinks you will be a pitcher just like he was!

You managed to pee on mommy and daddy during your first few weeks, even though we have the pee pee tee pee's. We don't use them all the time, but we probably should! You have also pooped on Daddy, I have yet to experience that.

Mommy took some newborn pictures of you. I wish they would have turned out better than they did, but the more I look at them, the happier I am with them. I tried to capture all your little features, the things I never want to forget as you grow. It is amazing how fast you are changing. I have a feeling you will have thousands of pictures by the time you are one. You are by far my favorite thing to photograph :)

I took molds of your hand and foot print. I am going to put them in a shadow box with some other special things from your birth and such. Don't worry, I threw your umbilical cord away, which fell off by the way! We will get to that :)

You had your two week check up and you had already grown so much! You were 8 lbs 5 oz and 21 inches when you were born. When we left the hospital you were 7 lbs 13 oz. At your first check-up you were 8 lbs even, so you had gained weight in four days. Pretty good! At your two week appointment, you were 9 lbs even and 22 inches! The main part of your umbilical cord fell off, but there was still a little piece left, so the doctor put silver nitrate on it to dry it. A few days later it was time for your first bath! You loved it! You hated getting out though. You were so cold!

You may kill me one day for this picture :)

We made many trips out. Daddy had to go back to work after a week, so I took you to your two week appointment and follow-up with the ENT on my own! I did it. We took many trips to Target...I swear mommy lives there. We went to Safeway too. A few trips Daddy was there to help :). We went to lunch with Auntie Shaila at Cheesecake Factory. That was my first experience nursing in public. Harder than it seems! Another thing we did with Auntie Shaila was get a pedicure! You were a good boy until my massage, then you wanted to fuss! I picked you up and you fell right asleep in my arms. You are a big momma's boy already.

We celebrated your first holiday during your first few weeks of life...Easter! We also took you to church for the first time. I wore my Moby wrap and you slept the whole time. Pastor Gary saw you and thought you were adorable :). You met a lot of family for the first time that day. Great Grandma Arlene had to take a trip to the ER, but all in all it was a good day. I can't wait until you are old enough to realize what the holidays mean! 

You dyed your very first Easter egg! Okay, we dyed it, you slept, but I held you while I did it!

You weren't too thrilled about your first Easter basket

 

You met your Aunt Amy

And your cousin Brenden

Hung out with Daddy

Met your Great Grandma Bille

Your Great Grandma Don

And your Great Grandma Arlene

You even hunted for easter eggs...with the help of daddy and grandpa

You had such a cute outfit for Easter, but would you expect anything less?!

It was a busy first few weeks of life, which was good and bad. It flew by. I can't believe how fast things go. It makes me sad to think I will never get the time back again! Makes me wonder if I missed something, but I am so excited to watch you grow, learn and discover all the things life has to offer.

We love you Cash boy.