Picture Overload

Austin has only been with us for 2 weeks, and today we realized we have over 200 pictures of him. :) We are one of those parents-and proud of it! :) I can't believe how much my life has changed in just a little over a week, but at the same time it feels like Austin has always been with us. 

The first week of poor Austin's life was a rough one. Because of the fever I caught during labor, he was high risk for infection and his protein count was high.  So, he had to be in the hospital for 7 days after his birth to receive antibiotics and fight off anything that could have been in his body. It was so frustrating for us, because even the doctors knew this was just "protocol" and although he looked like a happy healthy baby, it was something that had to be done.  So, Dan and I never left his side and stayed with him in the hospital the whole time.  I am so grateful that the hospital let me stay even though I was discharged so I could be with my baby. It was actually a lot nicer, because not as many people were coming in and out of our room at all hours of the night!

Pediatrician doing his check up

We were discharged at 10 pm since his last antibiotics were due around 9pm. We could have stayed the night, but we wanted to get out of there as soon as possible!

I almost peed my pants when we put him in his puffy coat!

His "Christmas Story" puffy coat didn't fit inside his car seat! :(

And we're off! FINALLY!!

Dan has been such a hands on dad. Especially since we've been home. He is adorable with him, and now when I look at Dan, the first thing I see is Austin. I think they look SO much alike! My heart melts when I see how Dan lights up when Austin smiles, or makes eye contact with him. I love that he is so excited to do little things like put him in his swing for the first time, or help out with the baths. I really couldn't do this without him, and I am SO lucky to have him!! 

Dan on the top and his twin Matt on the bottom...mesh them together and you get Austin!

Now that we've been home for a week, life has been so much more relaxing. Well, as relaxing as it can be with a newborn! Better than the hospital, I should say! I can already pick up on some of Austin's little quirks.  He LOVES his fingers, they are always in his mouth. In fact, looking back at the ultrasounds, his fist was always by his mouth..ALWAyS. I don't know how we didn't pick up on that before.  He also takes a Binky...kind of! He takes it, but recently, he only sucks it for a couple minutes and then loses it, guess we still need to work on that!

Austin absolutely HATES getting his clothes and diapers changed. HATES IT! I sure hope he grows out of it, because we have many more diapers to go! :) At the hospital he screamed and screamed and screamed when a nurse would come in and get his vitals and change his diaper.  He probably didn't like it because of all the poking and prodding and being naked.  Since we've been home, he still wimpers and gets upset, but it's not nearly as bad as it was. Let's hope it just keeps getting better and better! He also hated his baths at the hospital and would scream bloody murder! You would have thought the kid was getting tortured by how much he screamed at his baths.  At home, he enjoys them a little more, some days he's totally fine and loves being in the water, some days he wants out right when he gets in.  It's always a surprise.

It takes a village to get that kid bathed and dressed!

Doesn't matter if he loved his bath or not, he does not like getting out of it! :) 

Austin is starting to sleep during the night, kind of! Lately we have been trying to follow Baby Wise but our pediatrician told us to let him sleep during the night so he doesn't get used to waking up every three hours and can distinguish the difference between night and day. So we wake him every three hours during the day and let him go at night. He currently will go from midnight to 5 am.  Not bad! That doesn't mean we aren't completely sleep deprived over here! My mom has been staying with us for a week since we left the hospital, and when she leaves I might have a complete melt down! Who's gonna take him when Dan and I are zonked out?! Maybe she should just move in! :)

don't mind my chubbiness.. that's still hanging around

This picture kills me!! Why is there an animal on Austin's head? lol!

I love that he's staring at the book while Nana Shell reads to him! :) 

I can't get enough of my little buddy! He is so precious and perfect.  Lately he has decided that from 6pm-12am he is going to be a stinker! He is making mom and dad pull out every trick we know to get him to calm down.  Sometimes I feel bad for getting frustrated, but I know I can't be the only one out there who feels that way.  I also sometimes feel like the worst mom ever because I don't love nursing.  Everyone says it's a bonding moment with your baby, but for me it is just a fight.  And I am hurting so bad right now, that sometimes I dread the time he wants to eat.  That is terrible, and I hope it passes soon. I guess 2 weeks into it isn't enough time to make such a judgment call, I am just hoping it gets better and  easier as time goes on. 

Even though there are hard times, and frustrating times, I still love being a mom.  It's hard. And I've only been at it for 2 weeks.  I've got a life time to go! But it's worth it. Right now I am trying to soak up every moment I can with him being a newborn because I know time passes so quickly.  I am trying not to think about going back to work, or what he'll be like in 3 months, but to just take in the moment where we're at.  My life has been turned completely upside down, I barely have time to eat or shower, but my life has also been blasted full of a new kind of love.  One I have never felt before.  Some things will get easier, some will get harder. But our little family of three couldn't be happier together!

I love this picture!

His signature face.  Fishy lips and cross eyes...can't get enough of that!

I think I see a dimple like daddys!!! YAY!!!