Since my last post, I had a follow-up appointment on March 8th after being put in the hospital for monitoring the week before. At this point, I was beyond miserable and ready to have this baby boy. When we had our ultrasound that day, my fluid level had increased a great deal since my appointment the week before (complete opposite problem of what I had with EK). It was a little concerning to the ultrasound tech. and my doctor because there was so much extra fluid and it was very dense. When we met with the doctor, we asked if there was ANY way we could have Brantley that week instead of waiting until the following week. I think she felt sorry for me (haha) so she called the hospital to ask permission to deliver him before 39 weeks. Luckily, we were able to move his birthday up to March 10th. So, fast forward from Tuesday, March 8th to Thursday, March 10th and we had us a sweet, healthy, baby boy to add to our family.
Brantley was born via C-section at 8:19 a.m. on Thursday, March 10th. He weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and was 21 and 1/2 inches long. I have to say, I was much less nervous this time because I knew what to expect and I was more than ready to meet him. When they were getting ready to pull Brantley out, Dr. Rogers made a comment about the size of his arms and said I had a "little linebacker" on my hands. He also soaked her with pee after he was out. :) Then when they called out his weight, I think everyone was shocked that I had a baby that big (even me). No wonder I was so uncomfortable! I was glad that Brantley was able to join me in recovery not long after I came out of surgery. Within 15 minutes, he was able to come in and nurse. I didn't get to do that with Ella Kate because I had to go to general recovery (there were not enough rooms available). My mom and step-dad, Hunter's mom and dad, my dad, Sarah and Ella Kate were all there waiting to meet him that morning.
We spent the next few days in the hospital with visitors from many of our friends and family. Ella Kate came each day to visit her baby brother. She still wasn't too sure of him or the hospital. Those of you who know her know that it takes a while for her to warm up to new things. She loved giving him kisses when she came to visit and even held him a few times. We were able to bring our sweet Brantley home on Saturday, March 12th. I have to say that my recovery time was a lot quicker than last time (I guess it has to be when you have two little ones depending on you). But I think we transitioned to a family of four pretty easy. Getting a routine established was our main goal those first few weeks and we have us a pretty good one going now. But golly, I did not miss all of the prepping you have to do just to leave the house.
I will say that when we got home it really hit Ella Kate that she was now having to share our attention. She has always been such a Daddy's girl and did not like it when he couldn't do things with just her and had to help me with the baby. She also didn't like when I couldn't play with her or do things for her right away. She would test us when we were holding him and knew we couldn't get up by jumping on and off the couch, throwing things, etc. A little jealousy was there and I had a few meltdowns about it (thanks for listening to me cry Abbey and Hunter) and so did she, but after a couple of weeks and lots of spoiling by her grandparents we finally got over that hump! Now she loves to lay with him, play with him, call him all kinds of silly names, and get right in his face and make the highest pitched noises she can. He's even pulled her hair a few times for payback. :) She has recently started asking to feed him and help me wash bottles, too. Those first few weeks when people would ask her about her baby brother she would say "He always fusses and all he wants is bottle, bottle, bottle." Yep, she's got him figured out.
Brantley has had four check-ups since his birth. Here's his stats at each one:
Monday, March 14, 2016: 21.5 inches; 8 pounds, 5 oz.
Thursday, March 24, 2016: 21.5 inches; 8 pounds, 11 oz.
Monday, April 11, 2016: 22.7 inches; 11 pounds, 3 oz.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016: 24 inches; 14 pounds, 4 oz. (75th percentile for height and weight)
I took maternity leave beginning Monday, March 7th. I returned to work on Monday, April 18th. I enjoyed the days at home so much and am thankful for the time I had off with him. Brantley will be our last one so I am really soaking up this time while he is a baby.
Eating:
Brantley has always been a great eater (as you can see by his rolls). I started out breastfeeding and did that for a little over two weeks with some formula supplementation. But, I'm just going to be brutally honest here- it's just not for me. I felt like all I was doing was feeding or pumping and it left me no time to do anything else. I know that sounds selfish, but I just couldn't stick with it. So off to find the best formula we went. We started with Similac Advance (that's what I supplemented with, too). Then, we noticed he was having lots of tummy/constipation issues. We tried another type of Similac but he spit that up and still had tummy/constipation issues, so we switched brands and tried Gerber. We noticed with each one he spit up so much and we were still having to "help" him go to the bathroom. We even tried mixing his formula and refrigerating it to reduce the bubbles, giving him gas drops, etc. After a few more changes over the past four months, we finally have found one that works for him thank goodness. And the best part is it doesn't stink like a lot of the others. Woohoo! He still spits up here and there (not near as bad though) and we're going to talk with the doctor as his upcoming four month check because we are pretty sure he has acid reflux. Anyway, he loves to eat and is pretty much like clockwork. He knows when it's been three hours and you better have it ready or you will endure his loud crying. Seriously, it's LOUD! He is currently eating 6 oz. every three hours.
Sleeping:
Oh how those newborn days were not missed when it came to sleeping. Like I said earlier, he wants to eat every three hours, so me and Hunter took turns each feeding (every three hours). Did I mention he ate every three hours like clockwork? HA! He was really good about eating and going right back to sleep though thank goodness. He slept through the night for the first time on Thursday, May 5th. I was hoping this was a sign and hoping it would continue. But, it didn't. However, his sleeping habits did start improving and he started waking up only once during the night (around 2:00/3:00) and then would sleep until around 6:00. By the end of May, he started sleeping through the night pretty regular with maybe an off night once or twice per week. At the end of June, he started waking up around 12:30/1:00 for about three nights in a row. So, we started putting some cereal in his bottle and that helped him sleep through the night until around 6:00/7:00. Then when we switched to this latest formula, it had a rice starch in it, so we quit doing cereal in his bottle and he has slept through the night fine. He goes to bed around 9:00 each night and usually wakes around 5:30/6:00. YAY!!! He is still sleeping in a rocker beside our bed but he is outgrowing it quickly. We have noticed him moving a lot during the night trying to get comfy in it. We are hoping we can make it last until we move, but if not we will use the pack-n-play until then.
Riding:
OH MY GOODNESS!! Brantley DOES NOT like to ride. He slept in the car most of the time for the first few weeks, but after that I needed ear plugs. He cried every time you even put him in his seat. That made for many interesting trips with my butt in the air while I tried to calm him down from the front seat. He's gotten 100 percent better over the past few weeks since we started playing Baby Einstein in my car's DVD player. Thank you, Jesus!
Baths & Diaper Changes:
The first few baths- he wasn't a fan...cried the whole time, peed in the tub almost every time, etc. Now, he kicks, smiles, and splashes away. He was the same way about diaper changes. He cried every time you changed his diaper that first month, but now he just kicks you like crazy while you change him. :)
Brantley loves to be held and always has. He's finally gotten to where he will let us put him down for long periods of time in his nap nanny to watch Baby Einstein or play on his play mat. He loves to be held while he sleeps during the day and this summer I have been very good about just holding him because I know he won't be this little forever. I have truly learned to relax this summer and have spent many days just holding my babies (both of them). Brantley and I have gotten into a little routine of a morning nap together for about two hours on the couch while big sister is still sleeping in the bed. I cherish those sweet cuddles each day. He is working so hard on rolling over from back to front and gets pretty much all the way over, but can't get that arm out from underneath. He is constantly kicking and moving his legs and sucking on his hands. He loves to be tickled under his neck and giggles when you do it (it's the sweetest sound). He slobbers A LOT and chews on his fingers and hands all the time. I love his big, chubby smile, his big eyes and long eyelashes, his spiky hair, his rolls, and I love being his mommy. He has been such a blessing to our family and we can't wait to watch him grow up.
Now on to Miss Ella Kate. She loves her baby brother and loves talking to him and making noises and silly faces at him. She calls him "little boy" "pig" and "chunk" more than she calls him "Bwantwee". And even though she is usually about an inch from his face, she tells me or Hunter to tell him things for her. For example: As she is staring in his face she will say "Mommy, tell Bwantwee big sister is here." She is a mess!
She started t-ball in April. We weren't sure how she was going to do. She can be really, really shy, but she LOVED it. The first night she played, she face-timed her Aunt Sarah and said "I hit dat ball just a little bit but not a long way and then I runned to those white things." She had the best time and we enjoyed watching her play. Her sweet Daddy helped her on the field all season. She wasn't much for running after the ball when the other team hit, but she loved running the bases. She will begin dance in August and she already told us that at dance class "you spin like this and you can't fall down". I think she's got the hang of it already.
While I was on maternity leave, EK would stay home with me a couple of days and it made me realize just how grown and independent she was. Where did my little girl go? And this summer, oh my goodness she has kept me laughing. You never know what will come out of her mouth. Hunter tells me all the time that she acts just like me.
Here are just a few funny things she's said over the past few months:
*Brantley was crying in the living room one night while we were eating supper and she says "You hear dat wittle boy? I think he's hungwy."
*She went to one of my follow up appointments with me after having Brantley and while I was checking out she let me know she had to go pee. I told her to wait just a minute and I would take her. As soon as I opened the door to leave (which opens into the waiting room) she announced very loudly "Mommy you better hurry and take me, it's about to come out." We got lots of laughs and stares. Thanks kid.
*One night I was teasing Hunter about something while they were cleaning up her toys. Hunter tells EK "Ella Kate mama is being ugly to me." So Ella Kate comes up to me and says "Mommy, Daddy said you're ugly." Hunter said that's not quite what he said- she forgot the word "being". :)
*July 1, 2016
"Mama you know what Brantley did in the baftub? He burped. It was ascusting. And nobody was even burpin him. He just did it."
*July 5, 2016
EK: We gonna get a bath when you get back.
Me: When I get back? Where did I go?
EK: To jail.
Me: Why did I go to jail?
EK: Cause you went too fast. But it's ok Mommy.
*July 14, 2016
Me: "Ella Kate I love you very much."
EK: "I wuv you very much too but don't ask me anything else because I'm tired. Ok?"
Me: Speechless
*This is almost daily now: When Brantley cries she will say "Bless his little heart."
*Another day, Hunter was talking to Brantley and Ella Kate says "He don't even know what you're sayin."
*Just the other night, she came running into the kitchen ready to give me a big hug and says "You're da best mommy in the whole world." She melts my heart!
Ella Kate is always on the go and always planning out her day. She constantly invites herself places (especially to Grandma's and KK's houses). Her favorite thing to do is eat at Cracker Barrel with Grandma & Papa Greg and ride the mule with her "Big Granddaddy". She likes to tell us what all she sees on their trips, too. So far she has seen "deer, cow-oties, skonks, and hunkinbirds." She also enjoys playing with every color play-doh under the sun with her KK. She has to know every night before she goes to bed where she is going the next day and she also asks many times during the day where we are going after we do this or that. That girl is a planning machine!
She has sort of gotten over her love of trains. Don't get me wrong, she still plays with them now and then, but her new favorite thing is Shopkins, Littlest Pet Shop "Blind Bags", and any other itty bitty toy that is out there. She loves to stuff her plastic Easter eggs with all these little toys and take them with her everywhere she goes. She also began packing her a toy bag, and I mean packing it full, for her trips to Grandma's and KK's and when she dumps it out at their house she says "Look at all my jonk (junk)!" And this may be too much information, but she loves to talk about poop. When she has to go, she announces it to everyone in the room and when she's done and we come to wipe her, she tells us what color it is, if it's big or little, and if it's wobbly or straight. We recently introduced her to the word "weggie" when she kept complaining of her panties in her hiney. We told her to get used to it.
She has completely given up on napping as I have mentioned in earlier posts and is a night owl. She wants Hunter to hold her in the recliner until she falls asleep which is usually around 11:00. Then she will sleep until 10:00/10:30 the next morning. She is now pretty regular about coming and getting in our bed in the middle of the night. She did it here and there, but since Brantley has been born she does it almost every night. If he wakes up crying, she sleeps right through it. We have got to her her sleep habits back on track SOON!
We've had to make her have some time-outs this summer for doing things after we've told her not to or for her talking back. Her new line is "But I was just..." She knows she has to sit in her room until she is finished crying and can be a big girl and she has to apologize and tell us why she got in trouble.
And other days she's three going on sixteen. Sometimes she will sigh real loud and tell us she's just had a long day. And when she gets frustrated she'll let out a little growl. When I ask her why she makes that noise she says "Cause I'm just stubborns." But, for the most part she is a sweet, sweet child with the biggest heart. She just has her days like we all do. I cherish the time we have together at night while Hunter checks on the chicken houses. She will crawl in my lap and ask me to "hold her like a wittle baby" and of course, I do.
Times are busy and many days come and go too fast. But I never want to forget these sweet memories we are making. We are looking forward to moving into our new house and watching EK and Brantley grow up together. Now that I've caught up on blogging, I hope to never get this far behind again. We will see. Until then, here's what's been happening the last four months in pictures…
EK stayed with my mom the night before Brantley's birthday.
This was her blowing us kisses before she went to sleep.
Last bump shot: Thursday, March 10th @ 5:30 a.m. We then headed to the hospital to meet Brantley.
Brantley's card on his "rolling bed." They had our doctors mixed up though! HAHA!
Getting checked out right after delivery.
First photo as a family of FOUR. They let Brantley come in and nurse about 15 minutes after my c-section was finished.
Kisses on the way from Big Sister.
Watching him get a bath in the nursery.
Her bag of goodies from her Daddy and me to keep her entertained.
Aunt Sarah with EK & Brantley.
Loving on baby brother. :)
Brantley with KK & Big Granddaddy!
Brantley with Grandma & Papa Greg!
Big Sis & Lil Bro
Aunt Sarah sent me this picture while I was in the hospital of EK taking care of her new baby named Brantley. Such a sweet little mommy she is!
These are my people! Love my family so much!
On Friday night, EK and her Daddy went on a date to Cracker Barrel.
Hanging out with Mommy & little brother.
Sweetness!
Taking pictures in the hospital before coming home.
Getting dressed so we can head home. YAY!
EK wanted to hold Brantley's hand on the way home.
First night at home. Snoozing away.
EK feeding Brantley the next morning.
Such a big helper.
On the way to his first check-up on Monday, March 14th.
ONE WEEK OLD!
I don't know why but this is one of my favorite pictures of him.
He always has that "thinking" face on- even when he sleeps.
First real bath: Monday, March 21, 2016.
Not a fan of it.
Of course, I had help…
These are just a few of my favorite pictures from Brantley's newborn session on Sunday, March 20th. He tried his best to stay awake this whole session.
God sure blessed us with these two precious children.
Easter treats for Ella Kate's daycare buddies. Thanks for helping Aunt Sarah!
Dying eggs at daycare.
Going through her goodies from daycare. She wanted to know who each treat was from. :)
We took these two to see the Easter Bunny at the Statesboro Mall on Saturday, March 26th.
Dying eggs with Mommy!
The Easter Bunny stopped at our house!
Easter Sunday: March 27, 2016
Who taught him how to do that?
EK and I on a lunch date before my doctor's appointment.
We had an ice cream date after daycare one afternoon. Just me and my girl!
And we ran into Bud/Turner! Train lovers unite!
On Saturday, April 9th, Hunter, me, Aunt Sarah & Uncle Brent took this little cutie to the Jacksonville Zoo. We had a fun day!
Excuse the face. She wanted to get in the water.
One of her many toys she talked her Daddy into at the zoo's store. Meet "Baby Cheeto" everyone.
And the next day, this little guy turned ONE month old!
Shopping at Wal-Mart with me! :)
Big smiles while I got ready for work one morning. This was one of his very first smiles. So sweet!
"AHHHHHH we're at Lowe's- again!"
Mother's Day: Sunday, May 8, 2016
A couple of days later, Brantley turned TWO months old!
Saturday, June 4, 2016: Aunt Sarah's Bridesmaids Brunch
Brantley decided to come to the party, too!
Sweet smiles!
We went to pick up our dresses for the wedding from alterations and EK wanted me to take a picture of her in her princess dress. She also decided to toot while sitting in the metal chair you see behind her. After she did it she asked me if I heard it, which I replied "yes". She then said "Oh and it smells berry bad."
Took these one day while he was playing on his activity mat and checking himself out in the mirror.
Ella Kate had her very first pedicure on Thursday, June 9, 2016!
The next day, this growing boy turned THREE months old!
At Aunt Sarah & Uncle Brent's Rehearsal.
Getting ready to be a flower girl for the first time: Saturday, June 11, 2016!
All dolled up! Cutest little flower girl I ever did see.
The flower girl and the beautiful bride!
Sarah and me. She looked gorgeous! It was a perfect day!
Sweetest little gift from Aunt Sarah: A hankie for her to hold on her wedding day and a cute little pearl bracelet EK wore in the wedding. This was one of many gifts Aunt Sarah spoiled her with. It says: "Ella Kate, Today you hold a basket of flowers, one day it will be the bouquet. Here's something old to carry on your wedding day!" So very sweet. :)
I already have this put away and saved for her wedding day in 100 years.
Priss!
No matter how old she gets, she will always be my little girl.
About 20 minutes before the wedding. She did good all day, but she was tired.
Daddy and his little princess after the wedding. She did so good walking down the aisle and throwing petals. Once she got on the stage, well…let's just say that was entertaining.
Four generations of Davis men!
On Tuesday, June 14th, this girl had her first dentist visit. All was clean and cavity free!
Cool chic!
That night (June 14th), Brantley took his first bath sitting up!
June 15-19th Hunter and I took an anniversary trip to San Francisco. We celebrated 9 years! Such a fun trip!!
EK began swim lessons with cousin Anna on Monday, June 20th. She had the best time.
On Tuesday, June 21st EK had a date with these two to see "Finding Dory". This was her first time to go see a movie in a theater and I think she loved it. She asked me the next morning if she could go back.
She found where they sell popcorn.
And ate every bit!
Nana "Winda" came to visit and play with EK. They worked on writing "E's" and drawing animals.
Being silly in the cow hat Papa Greg got for her!
A little tummy time (he hates it).
Helping me wash bottles.
He's almost got this rolling over thing!
Such a big change from last year. This year she loved the beach, the water, the waves, the sand, EVERYTHING! Yay for our big girl!
She dumped this out all by herself and was so proud.
Hanging out with her Daddy!
Swimming in the big pool. She wanted to swim all by herself and show us how she could float.
We met "Jake" at the Salty Dog Saturday night. He danced and played with EK and she loved every minute.
When I look at pictures like this, it makes me realize how fast she is growing. I love her more than she will ever know!
We promised her ice cream at the beach and she didn't forget.
Pool time fun!
We now have a FOUR month old. I think he gets cuter every day!
Modeling the blocks for us.
Love that smile!
We had a pool day at Aunt Julie's on Tuesday, July 12th. He lasted in the pool about 15 minutes before he fell asleep on my shoulder. When I put him down to nap, I couldn't help but take a picture of all those rolls.
We are finally pull-up free at night time. She's been keeping her pull-ups dry for a while now and the other night we ran out of pull-ups so we figured we might as well start letting her wear panties at night. So far- no accidents. I was texting with Grandma before this picture and telling her about it. She told me to tell EK she was very proud of her and this is the face she made.
Over the last four months, our lives have changed so much. There are many days I feel defeated, exhausted, and just pure frustrated. But writing this blog and looking at all these pictures makes me realize that I am healthy, my family is healthy, we are loved, and we are blessed more than we know.
For that, I am truly thankful!
