Newborn Photo Session Giveaway

We had newborn photos taken of Jack when he was 12 days old. My friend, Alli from Allison Lee Photo, took them for us. We went to college together and it was to nice to have someone I knew take them. Alli took photos of Ty and I a couple of years ago and did a great job! She definitely did not disappoint with Jack's photos. It was hard to narrow down the photos to share on here, because they all turned out so beautiful. Alli is giving away a newborn photo session for anyone in the Tulsa area! Scroll to the bottom of the post to enter.

Alli was incredibly patient at the photo shoot and spent a few hours with us. She took a few pictures and then patiently waited while I gave Jack his bottle, then resumed the photos. It was nice that she was so flexible and encouraged me to take my time with him. Jack wanted to be swaddled the entire time, which was a little frustrating to me, since I wanted to get certain poses. Life with a child is teaching me to roll with things. :) Alli went with it and got some great shots of Jack in his element--swaddled and with his pacifier.

Alli does her newborn sessions in your home. This is a wonderful thing, as it can be stressful to get ready AND actually leave the house those first couple of weeks. She provides a CD of edited images, and gives you the rights to have them printed. I used Mpix to have all of my photos printed. They always turn out so good and professional. Alli also has props that can be used in the photos and encourages her clients to use their own. She has a photo of a newborn girl laying on vintage quilts featured on her website and I think that is such a good prop!

Follow the instructions below to enter to win a newborn session with Allison Lee Photo. You must be in the Tulsa area to enter, the session must be redeemed by September 30, and the baby must be 14 days or younger.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's a Breeze! (giveaway)

My sister let me borrow her pack n play, so I did not register for one. It is a nice one with a changing table and bassinet that vibrates and plays music. Since Jack came early and unexpected I didn't have time to get it set up before we went to the hospital. My mom and sister set it up for me before we came home. I was pretty happy about this. Anything to avoid putting together another complicated baby product. We used it the first night and then moved to Jack to his crib. It was big and in the way, but I waited until my mom and sister came back to visit several weeks later to have them take it down. I just didn't want to devote the time to figure out how to take it apart. I knew it wasn't something that I would try to set up again, so I sent it home with my sister. 

4Moms, the maker of the mamaRoo, has a new product coming out in September, and I was lucky enough to be sent the Breeze to review. AND they are giving one away to a lucky reader!

I pulled it out of the box and started setting it up. I didn't even look for the directions. It was easy peasy! Seriously! It took less than five minutes and there was no cursing or crying involved. It was a Breeze. ;)

 It opens or closes in just one step.  Just push down on the central hub to open and pull up to close - the latches are automatic and there's no tricky sequence of steps.  Also included with this full-size playard are a removable bassinet, a portable changing pad and a convenient travel carrying bag. It is a great quality product. I love that they didn't put a design all over it and it doesn't scream baby.

Jack is a lot more alert and loves to lay down and stretch out. The Breeze is the perfect place for him to do this. I can get things done in the kitchen, etc and don't have to worry about a certain little dog licking him. I can easily take it down and put it away when I'm ready. It will be great to travel with and I won't have to worry about taking an instruction manual with me to figure out how to set it up. It also won't take 20 minutes to assemble. I was going to make a video to show y'all how easy it is, but that would require this new mom to take a shower and get dressed. :) Instead, I'll share one from 4Moms.

 I'd say it is Jack approved!

To enter to win a Breeze of your own follow the rafflecopter instructions below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway ends Sunday night at midnight.

 

Pre-order the Breeze here.

Newborn Essentials

These items have helped us survive the first month with a newborn. I registered for some, bought others and we were given a couple of the items without prior knowledge of them.
I found posts like this helpful when I was registering and hope someone will find this useful.

Boon Lawn Countertop Drying Rack
I love the way it looks and it is so easy to just throw items on there and not worry about them falling off. I also have a tree accessory that holds Jack's pacifiers after they have been washed.


Boppy Changing Pad Liners

I was constantly washing the changing pad cover and just leaving a blanket on the changing pad. It was annoying to not have the cute cover on the changing pad. These have saved us from that cycle. It comes with three in a package and they are washable.

Aden + Anais  Muslin Swaddle Blankets

These blankets are a great size for swaddling.


Aden + Anais Burpy Bib


The aden + anais burpy bibs can be used as a burp cloth now and a bib later. Jack lets a lot of milk run out of his mouth and he spits up a lot. Burp cloths are our friend. I love the muslin ones the best.

SwaddleDesigns Burp Cloth


Boppy Newborn Lounger

Jack loves to sit and sleep in this thing. It cradles him and we have it constantly sitting out on our coffee table.

Medela Breast Milk Labeling Lids

I have an abundant supply of milk, and I am pumping quite a bit on top of feeding Jack. These lids help me keep track of how long the milk has been in the refrigerator. My mind is not capable of keeping track of this on my own right now!

Kissy Kissy Convertible Gown

Gowns are great when you are constantly changing diapers. This one is great, because it has buttons all the way down. Easy on and off--no struggling to pull it over the baby's head. It also converts to a sleeper, which is great when you need to put them in the carseat or just don't want it to be a gown. These are also really soft.

Pottery Barn Kids Gingham Hooded Towels

I have the blue and the green towel and love them. They are so thick and fluffy, not flimsy like a lot of baby towels. They have also held up well after several washings.

Best Chairs Tryp Recliner

We bought this recliner/glider at Buy Buy Baby and it was a great purchase. I love that it swivels, glides, and reclines. I have spent several hours sleeping in this chair with a sweet boy in my arms.

 Summer Infant Color Video Monitor

This monitor has made me feel comfortable with Jack sleeping in his crib from the very beginning. I suffer from hearing him cry as soon as my head hits the pillow. The problem is he isn't really crying. It is all in my head. The monitor allows me to see him and know I'm just hearing it in my head like a crazy mom. It sounds so real! I also like that I can adjust the sound, zoom, brightness, etc on the monitor. The base is magnetic, so it is easy to take on and off in the middle of the night.

Britax B-Agile Stroller

I am really happy with this stroller. It is light weight and is extremely easy to fold up. I can do it with one hand. I'm a pretty weak person. In fact, I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to carry him in his carseat as he continues to grow. I don't have any problems lifting the stroller in and out of the trunk of my car. It maneuvers well and has an extra large canopy that provides a lot of shade.

birth story

The first part of the story can be found here.
The official decision to induce on Monday, July 2nd was made on Sunday after monitoring my blood pressure the entire weekend and getting my protein levels back. Sunday afternoon I was moved to a labor and delivery room. My nurse when I arrived on Sunday was also going to be my nurse the next day for the delivery. She was so nice and I was happy to already know who would be with me the next day.

I was hooked up to monitors and had a new IV put in. My original one from Friday had to be replaced after I messed it up from showering and blow drying my hair. It went into the top of my hand this time and I honestly think it was one of the most uncomfortable things of my entire experience. I hate needles! I spent the afternoon hanging out and even gave myself a shellac mani. I wanted to have pretty nails for baby Jack. :)

At 10 p.m. a low level of pitocin was started. It was not enough to start labor, but it helped get things ready. I was also given an ambien to help me sleep that night.  My bed was switched out for a L&D bed, which is incredibly uncomfortable. After a long weekend of being woken up for vitals every few hours and the awful L&D bed, I was really looking forward to the ambien working. Of course, it didn't effect me the way I wished it would. I woke up a lot that night due to having to go to the bathroom thanks to all the IV fluids and I kept setting off alarms. My IV bag needed to be replaced, my BP rose so high that it set off an alarm, etc. They let me keep my original hospital room that I had stayed in all weekend, and Ty spent the night in there. My L&D room only had a chair in it and this way he was able to sleep in a bed. I was glad they let us keep that room.

The big doses of pitocin were scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. I got up to use the bathroom at 5:50 a.m. and when I stood up my water broke. I was so happy that it happened on its own and I was hoping that it would move things along much faster. My family tends to have quick deliveries and I was afraid that being induced would mean I was in labor all day. Luckily, that was not the case. I progressed pretty quickly and was able to get an epidural early that morning. I honestly don't remember too many details. I can't for the life of me remember what my contractions felt like. After my epidural my BP rose pretty high and gave me an awful headache. I remember the nurse giving me a shot in my leg to help with it all and not feeling a thing. It was amazing!

I pushed with Ty and the nurse for about an hour. It was so peaceful and I remember joking that we should just deliver him with just us in the room. My doctor arrived at noon and Jack was born at 12:36. Everything was textbook and I couldn't have had a better experience. My doctor placed Jack on my chest right after he was delivered and it was the sweetest moment. Ty cut the umbilical cord and snapped a lot of pictures. It was an incredible experience.

One Month

Jack,
You are one month old! It seems like your birth date was forever ago, but our days go by so fast. Since you were three weeks early it has taken you a little bit longer to adjust to feedings. Thankfully, we know you are getting plenty to eat. You were back up to your birth weight at your two week appointment, and you gained a pound by the time you turned one month. I am excited that your cheeks are filling out as well as the rest of your body. At times though I miss my tiny baby. If a pound has made me feel this way I can't imagine how I'll feel as you continue to grow. 

You sleep in your crib at night and I try to put you in there for at least one nap. Naps are just better in my arms. :) The first two weeks I was waking you up every three hours to eat. Now that you are gaining weight we are letting you go longer at night. Some nights are great, others not so much. You always seem to have a very alert time after the midnight feeding. Your Daddy is working hard at the hospital and I know he wishes he had more time at home with you. He gives you a bottle at your 9 pm feeding and puts you to bed.  You are getting around 3 oz in your bottle.

We marvel at your strength. Whether you are pushing off of something or we are trying to hold down your arms when I'm feeding you. Oh those arms. You scratch at your face and pull at your ears while I'm feeding you. This is slowly getting better.

I spend my days with you snapping lots of pictures to send to your Daddy. We love all of your expressions. You spend your evenings in your Daddy's arms while he reads to prepare for the next day's cases at the hospital. 

You started life by sleeping quite a bit, but toward the one month mark you have had a lot more alert times. You love to be swaddled. Since you have gained a pound you have a few more outfits that fit, but not many. You stay in just your diaper for the most part, especially since you are swaddled so much. Nuts has adjusted to you being a constant in our house, but has recently started howling if we aren't able to calm you down fast enough when you are crying. Things become quite chaotic with you crying and Nuts howling. It's quite amusing! You are a content baby and don't really have a lot of fussy times.

You are one special, little man!

Love,
Mommy

One Month Stats

Weight: 6 lbs, 10 oz

Height: 19.5 inches (measurement from your two week appt. I think you are longer now.)

Clothes: Preemie and Newborn

Diaper: Newborn

Jack doesn't have many clothes that fit him. He is just so tiny! We bought a few preemie outfits and they are starting to get tight on him. Most newborn outfits are still too big. I pulled this bug outfit out of the drawer and noticed how small the neck was and decided to try it on him. It fit!

He spends most of his days in just a diaper and swaddled in a blanket. It is so fun to see him in clothes that actually fit him!

Nuts has been pretty well behaved around Jack, but if we put Jack on the floor Nuts can't help himself!

Daddy's Arms

Someone loves to be in his daddy's arms.






Ty may not get to spend a lot of time with him due to his residency schedule, but the time they do spend together is so sweet. Ty is so good at comforting him, entertaining him, loving him. I love to watch them together.