1 Month with Carter

November 5th-27th

Our first month as parents to baby Carter was quite the learning experience.  We kept telling him how sorry we were that he was our "practice baby" because we had to learn how to do everything on him.  But, we all miraculously survived!

When Brent went back to work, I realized that things around the house were simply just not going to get done the way they had before. In order to feed the baby every 2-3 hours for 20-30ish minutes, then burp him really good and get him back to sleep without waking him by laying him down, I would barely have any time until it was time to change his diaper and start all over again!  Most days I had trouble even finding time to feed myself.  I credit that and breastfeeding to me losing the weight so fast!  So, laundry, cooking and cleaning were put on the back burner for the first six weeks until we got things figured out.  Some nights/weekends when Brent was around to help, I could accomplish a bit, but really for the most part I just ignored those chores the best I could.

I was so happy when Carter lost his umbilical cord stump!  It made bath time so much less worrisome and even diaper and clothing changes much faster.  Also, the circumcision really healed up well around the same time, which was another thing that freaked me out when changing/bathing him.  Both of those took about a week and a half.

I had Carter's newborn pictures taken right around 2 weeks, on his actual due date!  Here is a link to those pictures.  Taking them was very interesting, as Carter got really hungry and fussy about the time they started.  He also did terrible at the no diaper thing.  He pooped that yucky, runny, yellow newborn poop all over the photographer's blankets and on me!  But we thankfully were able to manage a few cute little pictures.  Another funny note about these...I had taken an owl crocheted hat for him to wear and it was so big that it will probably fit him at one year old!  Thankfully, she had another tiny one on hand for him to wear!

We took Carter to church for the first time at 2 weeks old.  My grandpa started his "deer camp" up a long time ago with his buddies.  They have a lodge & lake where they cook a meal and get together one night a week and they stay there during opening weekend of gun season.  Since a normal church time would be right in the middle of prime morning hunting, a priest my grandpa had become big buddies with started coming and having Mass at the deer camp on Sunday night when all the hunters got in from their stands.  Well, opening weekend just so happened to come around this year when Carter was only 2 weeks old.  But I knew we wanted to get back to church soon and knew it would make my grandpa (who passed away almost 3 years ago) very happy and proud that he was there.  So, we dressed him up in his cutest camo and met Brent over there.  Everyone was very understanding that he was very new and didn't try to get in his face or bother him much, which was what I was most worried about.  We also have a potluck supper after Mass, so Brent & I ate very quickly and headed back home just in time for another nursing session.  

The next day we took him in for his 2 week check up.  All was well, and baby boy was up to just over 8 pounds, 19 1/2 inches long, and a head circumference of 14.  I was thrilled that we had surpassed his birth weight, which gave me so much more confidence in nursing him.  Although, I don't really know why I was NOT confident in nursing him, as he was definitely having well over the minimum amounts of wet/dirty diapers. Really, the number of diapers I changed in that first month is crazy!  

One night that week, I was letting Carter have some tummy time on a blanket on the floor, and he got really mad and started fussing.  The next thing I know, he had turned over from his belly to his back! My two week old baby rolled over!!! Now, I know it was totally a fluke and happened because he was mad, but still, he just is growing too fast for me.

Thanksgiving also fell in that first month.  We were able to take Carter to all of the family gatherings, and it was so nice because several family members were able to meet him for the first time that day.  We went to Granny Mac's the Sunday before Thanksgiving, to my dad's side & step-family's side for lunch, and to Brent's grandparent's on Thanksgiving night for supper.  Carter did great!  We nursed a few times on the go and that went better than expected.  

Then it was time for Black Friday sales.  I had been saying since before he was born that Black Friday would be my first time away from him (besides a couple of small grocery/hair appointment type errands).  So I pumped a bit and got him a couple of bottles ready & left him with Brent and my little sister while my mom & I headed out for some deals.  At that point, I was actually kind of ready for a break, as it had been almost a month of constant caring for the baby.  It was nice to get a little time to not be the mom for awhile and spend some time with my own mom.  It was funny, though, I had to pump in between stores, and we were also super hungry.  So we drove through the Steak n Shake drive thru while I was pumping!  I just did my best to hide with my jacket!  They never noticed, of course, but it was quite the experience for a new mom. 

Brent & Claire did great with him for the night, and I truly enjoyed myself, but I was SO happy to get back to my baby.  However, when I did get back, I was so exhausted and really questioned my thinking on staying up all night shopping when I knew I wasn't going to get to come home and catch up on my sleep!  I found myself wishing I had just went to my mom's to get a full night of sleep instead!  I did manage pick up a few random clothes for Carter man, including a tiny little pair of jeans that he wore to church that weekend.  As far as Christmas shopping went, I barely even touched my list! 

That weekend, Brent was dying to get the Christmas decorations up.  I am always the one chomping at the bits to get it out, but obviously my hands were already pretty full this year to be worrying about it!  So I never realized how much Brent loves getting the house all decked out for Christmas as well until this year.  He finally talked me into it by pretty much pulling it all out and putting it in the middle of the living room so I had no choice!  I really had figured I would only get out a small tree and that's pretty much it this year.  But, of course, once we got started, I got in the Christmas spirit very quickly and did much more than I was anticipating doing.  We even did a couple of Pinterest projects!