Plugging Along

Life around the Giles home has been 24/7 Andrew, Andrew, Andrew.  

We are starting to figured out how very

 different our lives are with him in it.

We love this little guy so much!  

His little personality is starting to show a little. 

We aren't very good at catching his spit ups so we go through lots of clothes, burp clothes and blankets.

He has lots of funny expressions everyday that make us laugh!

He is starting to enjoy looking around and 

has recently enjoyed playing under the jungle gym.

We catch a few smiles here and there.  

They are really sweet and they just melt our hearts.

He seems to really smile alot for his daddy... after all they are really good buds.

My sister in law Kat, and my nieces came over this past week.

Kat couldn't get enough of Andrew... which was really nice for me!!

(I hold him all day long, it's nice to get a break 

once in a while and watch someone else enjoy him.)

Kaite has wanted to hold Andrew ever since he was born,

she finally got the chance and she grinned ear to ear!

He's already a little ham, sticking his tongue out for the camera.

Proud Mama.

Daddy and his little buddy! 

 They always have a good time together!

 He likes to sit up like a big boy and look around.

He's also enjoying going outside more.

He likes to stay up late...

Aww!

We are still learning all about his little boy.  I'm learning all about my new role as a mother and how very different everything is compared to my "old life".  Sometimes I feel like I can't be myself anymore... but Briant reminded me that I am still adjusting to this "new life", and things will start falling into place soon.  My role as a mother is very important to me.  I know Heavenly Father has trusted me with this little man to nurture, sooth and teach him.  I'm learning that it really is the most selfless role there is.  I also learned that you can never say, "My kid will never do that" or, "I will never do that with my kids."  You can also never look at another mother and judge because being a mom is hard and we do everything we can just to survive!
We know how special Andrew is.  We are trying to do our very best to give him everything he needs to be healthy and happy.  He's a great little guy and we love watching the little milestones!

3 Years!!!

Today marks our 3rd Anniversary.

It also marks the 4th Anniversary of the day we held hands for the first time.  AWWWW!!!

Oh what fun we have had in the time we have know each other.  

I was recently thinking of all the fun times we've shared since we met and I realized something.

I am so much more in love with my husband today than I ever was the day we were married.  I know I sound all guh-she, but it's the truth.  Briant is an amazing man, and my life would not be the same without him.  He makes me a better person everyday.  

I have seen a totally different side of him since he became a father.  Watching him hold and talk to Andrew has made that love increase to a whole new level!

Here's to many more years!!!  Let the good times roll!!!

I love you Briant!  Happy Anniversary!!

Adventures with Andrew...

  Life with a newborn has not been easy.  I guess I knew it would be hard, but you never really know what hard means until you are living it. And then things happen that we NEVER expected to happen.   Andrew has sent us through quite a few loops since we brought him home.

#1 - Screaming the whole first night.
Because I hemorrhaged my milk didn't come in as fast as it should have.  So no matter how much we tried to feed Andrew, he wasn't getting enough.  We tried everything to calm him, and didn't understand why he wouldn't go to sleep.  At 6am, after we had tried all we could think of, and he was still frantically crying beyond reason... we gave him some formula.  For the first time all night, he slept for more than 10 minutes.  That's when we knew there was something up, along with the other signs including: his mouth being really dry, & red crystals in his diaper (a good indicator that he was dehydrated).
We called the Docs office the next day and took him in for a weight check. He left the hospital at 8lbs 2oz, and since then he had lost 5 more oz.  We felt like terrible parents.  The doc said it's common for your milk to be slow coming in for patients who hemorrhage... I wish I would have know that when we left the hospital!

#2 - Not having a bowel movement for 3 1/2 days!
We left the hospital on Friday evening.  Andrew had had his last BM on Thursday evening.  So when we took him to the docs on Saturday, they were concerned that he hadn't had one in a while.  We kept watching and hoping.  On Monday morning, with still no sign of poop... the doc scheduled a x-ray for us.  As soon as we had the little guy naked on the table in the perfect position for the x-ray... he peed all over us and himself, then..... HE POOPED!!  It went everywhere!!!  It made for a good laugh after the fact.

#3 - Umbilical Cord
Andrew's UC has a little sharp point on it.  I should have noticed in the hospital and asked them to trim it, but we were sort of in a hurry to leave.  Well, this little point catches on everything.  We've been really careful, but it has snagged on his shirt and then a few days ago, it snagged on his diaper while we were changing him.  It tore a little but didn't come off completely .  Then last night, I opened his diaper to change it and the stupid diaper had come apart and those little jelly crystal looking things had gone everywhere!  Including underneath his UC.  As I was cleaning him and around the cord the best I could, trying to get all those crystal things off (impossible!), Andrew was having a fit (what baby loves having his diaper changed?) and he whacked off his already loose UC.  The doc had looked at it earlier and said it would be fine.  I called the on call doc and he said to just rinse it in warm water.  I hate those diapers!!  This has happened to me 3 times now.  I'm not sure I will ever use Pampers again!!

and last but not least...
#4 - Nursing
I have had a rough time with this.  I am really sore and after seeking help from the lactation consultant found out we weren't latching on properly because Andrew's mouth is a little small still.  I've had to pump alot (so glad I bought that thing!), and feed Andrew formula (which I was so passionate about not doing before he was born).  Some days I feel it is getting better and can feed him, others I'm still in pain and I feel like a bad mom.  I'm sure once I heal, everything will be fine and nursing will be a good experience.  Until then, I'm going to keep trying, because I feel it is important.

Here are a few pictures & a video of the handsome little man:

He hasn't sat in this bouncy chair since...

Watch close, he flashes his gang sign.

 Proud Daddy

Funny face.

Look at that face!  It's hard to resist giving him a big kiss when this happens.

Even though it is hard sometimes, we love Andrew so much.  He is such a sweet little guy.  He smiles in his sleep, which does wonders for my soul.  I love this little guy so much, and want him to be happy and healthy.