Daycare, Father's Day and Another Road Trip

Daddy and Cason showing off his belly.

Cason started daycare two days a week on his 2 month birthday. The ladies in his class are really sweet and he usually gives them big smiles so I guess that is a good sign. So far it isn't that bad for me because I work a little, clean a little and I can pick him up whenever I want. Not sure I'm ready for the real thing yet. :( We aso started him on baby doses of Zantac for his gas and grunty sleeping. The first night he slept 5 hours and the second night almost 6 1/2 hours! Then the third night he woke up about every hour. He has started to sleep a little bit longer again and there is less grunting and gas so I think it's working.  Unfortunately there is not less poop! We've had several episodes resulting in baths and one particularly bad episode where I just cut his shirt off him and then we had the bath. It was not worth trying to save!!


Finally sleeping on his back in his own crib!

Terry had a fishing tournament out of town so Cason and I made the trip again to Plano.  My Dad brought his truck to Austin so Terry could pull his boat and we could take the Suburban.  We apparently do not know how to pack light.

Riding and sleeping on the way to Plano

We got to see all the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and celebrated Father's Day and birthdays.  Terry ended up missing us and drove from south of San Antonio back to Plano on Saturday.  I think it seemed like a better idea before he got on the road, but he had the boat so he took his brother and dad fishing for Father's Day on Sunday.

Hanging out with Uncle Brian and Grandpa

We are missing a lot of pictures from the weekend but I can't find my memory card reader or camera cord (I'm guessing they are in the same place) and everything else is on my mom's camera. The few pictures I have were on my phone.  Hopefully sooner than later I will have an updated post on the past several weeks of pictures.

2 Months

I cannot believe we have already hit 2 months (technically in 2 days- June4)!  Cason is growing so fast and changing every day.  Except for a little period over Memorial Day weekend he has mellowed out and lost most of his fussiness.  He still has his moments but no more colicky screaming every night.  I am crossing my fingers this new trend continues.

He has been trying to change up his schedule on me.  He now eats almost every 2 hours but usually only about 2 ounces. He has to maintain his new physique. ;) There is usually a short play time and nap after each feeding.  Cason has also decided he doesn't want to sleep much at night. He still has one longer stretch but has a little trouble in the middle of the night and is usually up and ready to go around 6:30 - 7:00.  We have our morning walk, a nap and start the day over again.

A few things about Mr. Cason at 2 months:

• He has really started to smile. He loves to be talked to and will usually reward you with a big grin.  He almost has a laugh.  He grins while he falls asleep and has started making a laugh noise now.
• He talks back.  When you start talking he coos and tries to make his own baby talk.
• He is finding his legs.  He no longer keeps his legs drawn up and tries to push back against you.
• He either loves or hates his paci.  He loves it at nap time but hates it if he is really mad.
• He loves to play on his back on a blanket or play mat.  He will follow the rattles with his eyes and tried to grab hanging toys.
• He is still not a fan of tummy time but is really trying to control his head. He pulls his head back to look around when you try to burp him. 
• He does not like it when you touch the top of his head. 

A few 2 month pictures from Grammy's photoshoot.

Look at that belly!

So handsome.

Saying good bye to Grammy and Grandaddy.  I love that it looks like he is waving.

This is what I saw when I walked in to the living room tonight. Just hanging out watching tv. So cute!

2 month family picture

Fussy Baby

Right before we headed to Dallas we started seeing some signs of colic.  He had several episodes while we were there and they have continued since we've been home.  He is still pretty sweet during the day but starting around 5:30 he begins his "sessions".  It kills me to hear him shriek and see his little limbs tense up and belly get so hard.  Terry is amazing with him during this time.  He takes him upstairs and turns on a loud fan for white noise and rocks and sushes him until he finally calms down.  Sometimes we are lucky and it doesn't last too long and sometimes he starts at about 5:30 and doesn't completely end until after 9:00.

We did go back to the doctor to make sure it is colic and nothing else is going on.  We still need some formula and we are now on our third round of new formula. It has seemed to help regulate him and a rash on his face and head also seems to be going away.  While he has colic and is still pretty gassy sometimes it doesn't seem to hinder his ability to eat.  This little boy is hungry!  He weighed about 11lbs at his doctor visit.

He never sleeps on his back but he wore himself out.  It didn't last long...

Doing what he does best.

Being sweet

Road Trip and Mother's Day

We've had several firsts the past few weeks.  Cason made his first road trip to Dallas (I'm sure the first of many!).  My parents came down to Austin and ended up bringing Cason and I back for a week.  I've had some trouble with my back so having two extra hands to lift the little man was very helpful.  My dad is retired and did the majority of the extra care during the week.  Cason and I were so lucky to have them helping us.  After two pain injections and a week of extra rest and help I am almost back to normal. Terry missed us but he did get to sleep all he wanted and managed to fish a few times too.

Cason got to meet Uncle Jud, Aunt Barbara and his cousin Dominic for the first time.  We saw Uncle Michael, Aunt Angie, Connor and Brooklyn a few times.  Connor pretty much ignores him and Brooklyn stares at him and tries to figure out where this new baby came from.  He got to spend some time with his Grandpa and was extra sweet while Grandma Dale babysat him Saturday afternoon.

Terry came in to pick us up and my first Mother's Day was mostly spent driving back to Austin, but I did get to nap along with Cason on the way home.  Terry managed to clean the house in between sleeping and fishing as part of my Mother's Day but as soon as we arrived and brought in all the gear it looked like a tornado hit it again.  I don't know how someone so small can manage to have so much stuff and make such a big mess.

Sad because he is going to miss the extra attention.

His first pair of jeans.  Such a little man!

Grandaddy and Cason had several naps in this chair!

One of our only family pictures

1 Month

We have reached 1 month!  As of last Thursday he was 10 lbs so he is definitely growing now.  Cason seems so much bigger and I think even cuter. :)  He is still a very sweet baby although we have had some recent fussiness.  We are still supplementing with formula and think he might have some lactose intolerance.  After several tries (who would think sensitive formula for lactose intolerance was actually milk based?!) we are on soy formula and I am not eating any dairy.  It could be a coincidence but we think its working and after several days last week I will do just about anything to not have to hear those cries!

He still sleeps most of the time, but has started to get on a little bit of a schedule and almost has night time figured out.  He smiles all the time. It is the sweetest when he is falling asleep.  As of today he hates hats.  I stopped putting them on because he wasn't a huge fan but would tolerate it and we haven't really needed them.  It was a little chilly outside this morning so I tried it.  Immediate melt down.  I took it off and we were good.  He doesn't seem to mind the blanket I wrapped him in and draped around his head.  He is still sleeping with it 2 hours later.

I'm not sure how this is less annoying than a hat.

Some pictures from the past several weeks.

He has started to notice lights and if you put him on his back he will look at the lights or windows.  But as I look at all my pictures most of his time is spent sleeping or about to sleep.

Sleepy Baby

Sleeping with Daddy

So sweet

A few things about Cason at 2 weeks

Cason is a pretty good baby and as my mom says he is so sweet.  He pretty much only fusses for a reason- usually hunger, gas, or both.  Sometimes I think a dirty diaper.  He is working on getting his days and nights back to normal but still hasn't figured out exactly when night time is. 

He doesn't mind laying on his back- as long as he isn't sleeping- and doesn't mind tummy time too much.  His preferred sleeping method is in your arms or on your chest but he will sleep in his swing chair.  He also takes some great naps in his car seat after a drive.

He makes lots of noises trying to talk to us and has a million little faces.  He can't keep his hands off his face and does not want them swaddled.  He needs to move them!  Terry just noticed his biggest smile yet and says he will have dimples just like his daddy. I think he mostly looks like Terry but has my nose and my feet.  He continues to melt our hearts daily.

Here are some of the most recent pictures taken by Grammy today.

The first 2 weeks home

The first two weeks have flown by in a haze of feedings, sleeping, and diaper changes.  Grandma Dale and Uncle Brian came in the Saturday we were discharged.  Grandma Dale occupied Cason for several hours Sunday and Terry and I got a much needed nap.


Grandma Dale

Uncle Brian, Terry and Cason

 My parents stayed the entire first week to help out and I'm not sure we would have gotten any sleep without them. Cason was a little slow in gaining back his birth weight and we were waking up every 3 hours to nurse and do additional feedings with formula. Terry went back to work Tuesday and my parents took shifts and let us sleep except for waking me up to feed him.  They also went on several trips to Target, Babies R Us and Walmart looking for bottles, formula, different swings for sleeping, batteries, and the list goes on and on.  I also discovered that we had almost no pictures of my mom (Grammy) because she is the one behind the camera.  I finally got her to sit down and took a few.

Grammy and Cason

My Granny also came down for a night on Tuesday to meet her third great grandchild.  She made sure we were stocked in food but unfortunately we missed our picture opportunities.  We will have to make sure and get them next time.  Last weekend our friends Chris and Chrissy drove down from Dallas to meet Cason and Chrissy took some newborn pictures.  You can see some of them on her website:  http://capturedbychrissy.com/blog/cason-brand-new
We also got to have a little break and go out to dinner with them while my parents babysat.  It was a short break but nice!  Thanks Chrissy for the great pictures!