A month already???

Well, my original intention was to try to write a little every week once Parker was born.  Boy was I wrong!  I had NO CLUE how tired I was going to be!  Those of you that know me know that I am a bit OCD when it comes to getting prepared for things, so of course, I "assumed" I had an idea of what was in store for our new little family.  While many things have been just as I imagined, I really didn't anticipate to be this sleepy all of the time! 


Parker Wyatt Marsh made his debut on March 21 at 4:39pm (Thomas Hospital).  He was 8 lbs 13 oz and 21 inches - big boy!  Let me tell you I was pretty nervous about being induced and sincerely terrified that my epidural would stop working as soon as the doctor said "push!"  I can honestly say that I had the BEST labor experience ever!  We got to the hospital at 6am and they started the pitocin.  Around 8:30am, my doctor (Dr. Wells) broke my water.  I immediately asked when I could get the epidural (I'm not much for any kind of pain...lol) and the nurse told me that I could get it whenever I wanted.  Well, I wasn't going to sit around and wait for the painful contractions to start - I told them I wanted it right away!  I had my epidural around 9:30am and I spent the rest of the day napping and relaxing!  It was so peaceful laying in the bed and not being uncomfortable.  The only "complaint" that I have is that the epidural made my feet itch like crazy.  It was the funniest thing ever because I couldn't lift my foot up to scratch it!  Luckily for me, Justin and my mom took turns rubbing my feet to help ease the itchiness :)  Delivery was also a breeze and my epidural worked just fine!  Once I was 10cm, I had Parker within 10 minutes ( on my 2nd contraction once Dr. Wells came in).  I'll never forget the feeling I had when they laid that precious boy in my arms or the look on Justin's face when he saw him.  I had thought about how I would feel, but no one could ever really prepare you for that unconditional love that hits you at that very moment.  It's wonderful and scary all at the same time. 


Being a new mom is the most amazing experience I could have imagined.  The love that fills my heart when I look at this precious baby boy is immeasurable.  He'll be 4 weeks old on Monday and the time is flying by :(  He has a head full of dark hair and looks just like his daddy!  He even makes little "serious" faces like Justin!  We had a great 1st week home and then the exhaustion hit during week 2.  My mom has been wonderful helping me with keeping the house clean and laundry.  Parker got his days/nights mixed up this past week, so we've both been a little frazzled lately!  Last night was much better and he slept from 10:30 -3:30 (YAY)!  Hopefully we can continue with this new schedule :)  We're trying to get a routine in place to help us get more rest! 


Here are a few updates from Parker's first weeks!  We went to his 1-week check up on 3/25/11 and he weighed 8lbs 2oz and was 19 3/4 inches ( the nurse informed us that the measurement taken in the delivery room is a "rough estimate" and that the baby's head is normally a bit longer right after delivery).  The doctor wasn't too concerned with his weight loss just yet, but did schedule for us to come back that Monday for a weight check.  On the 28th, Parker had only gained 1 oz.  I was terrified that they were going to make me supplement formula (not that I'm against formula, but being forced to supplement would make me feel like I "couldn't" do it on my own).  Once we went back on Friday (4/1/11), Parker had gained another 2 oz and Dr. Wiggins said that he felt he was making good progress.  He did tell me that if I was completely exhausted it would be fine to give Parker a little formula after feedings to help keep him full.  I decided to try this and soon realized that he can't drink the powdered kind, so we are supplementing about 6-8oz of formula each day (the ready-to-drink kind).  I'm really glad that I made this decision because it helps to relieve some of the stress that comes with breastfeeding.  Another bonus is that if we are out and he's hungry, I'm now comfortable with giving him a little formula, so leaving the house is less stressful too!  I also have a huge respect for moms that ONLY nurse their little ones.  I've learned in the 3 short weeks that pumped milk is PURE GOLD when you have an infant and also doesn't come out by the gallon...lol! Having just a few ounces of formula added to our day has made me relax and be able to enjoy the experience more.  Justin is able to help with the early morning feedings before he leaves for work AND I'm able to save a little that I pump for when we are away from home.