3 Month Update

We have a 10 pounder!  Can you believe it?!!!  That's right, Jackson weighs 10 pounds!  He's really starting to fill out.  He even has some chunky thighs and some rolls on his wrists and upper thighs.  It's great that he is so much easier to handle; he's not as fragile and bony.  Jackson is now on the growth chart!  Although he is only in the 1 percentile, he is beginning to catch up.  YAY!  He's doing such a great job at gaining weight, the Dr. wants us to continue to supplement his feedings with the extra calorie formula for now and continue  to wake him up every 4 hours to eat if he is sleeping.  As long as his growth chart continues to rise consistently, we might not have to supplement him anymore (we will find out at his 4 month check up),  BUT we no longer have to wake Jackson up in the middle of the night to feed him!  YAY!  So Mommy and Jax are now getting much needed, uninterrupted sleep!  The longest Jackson has been asleep in the middle of the night is about 6 hours.  He has slept this long for a few nights now.  I'm hoping it becomes more of a routine.  The first couple times he slept that long, I panicked and checked to make sure he was ok.  All was good-he was just snoozing away.


Jackson is such an active baby.  He is awake much longer in between his feedings.  He loves going to the zoo (that's what we call his play mat-with all the zoo animals).  He likes to play football, swing, and walk from room to room.  His favorite things are seeing himself in the mirror-he smiles soooo big when he sees himself and he LOVES his pacifier (maybe too much!) He has become very observant: studying faces for long periods of time, and turns his head to see where noises are coming from.  He's doing much better at tummy time.  And he loves his bath time now!


Some new things Jackson is doing:
Speaking of bath time, one new thing that Jackson initiated us with is pooping in the tub!  Ohhhhh myyyyyy gosh!!!  What a mess!  You should have seen Nick and I trying to figure out what to do.  It was hilarious.  Jackson just looked at us as if he was saying "What?  Big deal, so I pooped."  An hour later and a ton of wipes and bleach, we finally had a clean tub and baby boy.  Ha!
A really new fun thing he is doing is beginning to smile at others.  In fact, tonight was the first time he smiled at me.  A real genuine smile!!  I got lots of wide-mouth smiles from my happy baby when I got home from work today.  It was wonderful!  Of course, he gave his daddy a smile over a week ago!  
He has discovered his hands and sucks on them.  He gets frustrated when he pulls his fists away from his mouth-he just can't seem to find them again!  
He went to church for the first time!
He had an afternoon outside with his Grandma Owen soakin' in the sun!


Last post I said we took Jackson to get professional pictures taken.  Below are some photos from the photo shoot.  The photographer's name is Laura Benitz of Tender Portraits Photography http://tenderportraits.com/ 
She is amazing!  I highly recommend her.

Here are some other random pictures of our sweet boy!

Yes she does!
Thanks for the outfit, Amanda!

Baba made this card for Mommy and Daddy!  Thanks Baba!

My baby loves looking at himself in the mirror.  So funny!

Hanging out on Valentines Day

I'm loving my bath time!  Little did Mommy or Daddy know what was in store for them this time...

Hanging out in my Dad's chair!

12 weeks...wow, 3 months old.  

Sweet baby

Giving Baba some smiles!

My handsome 13 weeker.
Thanks for my outfit, Suz!

14 weeks!  I'm starting to fill out a bit, huh?!

March of Dimes:

Do you have plans Saturday, April 21st?  We’re very excited to be a part of March for Babies this year and hope you will join our team!

Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small and often very sick. We're walking because we want to do something about this. We are walking for our baby that was born too soon.

Jackson was born 10 weeks early and weighed three pounds, eight ounces. The March of Dimes was a source of great encouragement during our stay in the NICU. We are looking forward to the chance to give back.

The money we raise will support March of Dimes research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. And it will be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in neonatal intensive care.

You can sign up for our team through the team page by clicking this link:Jax Pack . If you can't walk with us, please help the team reach our goal of $500 by making a donation. You can do that online as well.

Thank you for helping us give all babies a healthy start!

The walk is in St. Joe at Hyde Park on April 21st.  Registration starts at 9, walk starts at 10.  Let me know if you want more info!

2 Month Update

Jackson continues to make amazing progress.  We are so thrilled and blessed to have him in our lives!  God is so good!  He is such a good baby.  He only cries when he is hungry, getting burped, or getting his diaper changed.  He is sleeping every 3-4 hours and has bumped up a smidgen on his feedings.  He is much more alert now with longer awake time, which has been so fun!  He no longer wears preemie clothes!  Right at 9 weeks old he started wearing new born clothes.


These past few weeks have flown by.  I want time to slow down a bit so I can enjoy him as a baby.  Of course I want him to grow up, but it's going too fast!


I went back to work on January 30th (ironically, the day after his due date!).  It was extremely difficult to go back, but I knew he was in good hands with his Grandmas.  I can't thank them enough for the care they are providing Jackson and us.  He has really enjoyed spending some quality time with his Grandmas! 


He recently has had some doctors appointments.  At his two month appointment, Jackson got a bunch of shots and immunizations.  Poor thing-that was no fun for him or his mommy!  His pediatrician is pleased with his weight gain (at that time he weighed 7lbs, 3 oz), but still feels he is low on the growth chart so we have to continue to supplement his feedings after nursing with the extra calorie formula for now.  Jackson has an umbilical hernia that they are continuing to monitor.  It just protrudes out of his belly button...it looks awful, but it is not causing Jackson any pain or discomfort.  The Dr. said that it can go away on its own, so we remain hopeful it will eventually go away.


This week Jackson had an eye appointment at Children's Mercy.  After four uncomfortable eye exams, Jackson's eyes are finally fully matured!  YEAH!  We have no future need for eye appointments. 


Jackson had his newborn pictures this week.  We can't wait to see them.  It was a lot of fun, and Laura the photographer was so patient with him and did a wonderful job. 


Last night before bath time I weighed Jackson.  According to our baby scale he is a little over 8 pounds!  Can you believe it?!! 


As always, thank you for your continuous prayers and support over Jackson.  We are unbelievably grateful to everyone.  Much love to you all!

COUSINS!  I just love the way they are admiring Jackson!
Baba made their shirts-it has their first initial on it!

Jackson still isn't a big fan of tummy time!  He's so good at rolling over, that once we put him on his tummy, he just rolls right over!

9 Weeks old!  It was this week, I REALLY started to notice how much he was growing.  Just look at that tummy and those cheeks!

First time in the swing.  He loved it!

Playing with his daddy and his football.  Thanks Uncle EJ for the football!

Little worn out after tummy time!

This picture was taken on Jackson's due date, January 29th.  He is 10 weeks old.

Such a big boy!

Jackson is reading his favorite book.  The pictures are all black and white.  He just stares and stares at them.

Jackson is excited that MU beat KU, but he is soooo sad for those Jayhawks.  He has such a tender heart.

He loves his play mat.  It has all kinds of zoo animals on the mat and that dangle down.  He loves "going to the zoo"  (his Baba calls it!)

Hi Baby!

11 weeks already!

Sleepy boy.  Mommy didn't even have to swaddle him this time, he was sooo tired!

Mommy's Little Valentine!  Have a Happy Valentine's Day next week everyone!!

Settling In

Hi everyone!  Sorry we haven't posted a blog in a while.  We are a busy family!  A lot has happened in these past two weeks.  

Jackson had an eye exam and a weight check.  His eye exam went great.  His vessels are almost fully developed.  We have to go back to Children's Mercy in February for (hopefully!) the last time to make sure his eyes are completely matured.  Jackson's weight on this past Monday was....6 pounds, 13 ounces!!!!!  Can you believe it?!!!  It hit me this week how much he's grown and how he is beginning to fill out everywhere.  Nick and I talk about how he doesn't look like a preemie anymore.  He is looking so healthy and handsome!  He continues to roll over.  One day he did it three times in a row.  I finally captured a video of it! 

 Jackson has been improving on his nursing, too.  He definitely is beginning to build his stamina when eating, and is becoming quite demanding when he is hungry!  He wakes up about every 3 hours to eat.  He still needs supplements with the extra calorie formula after nursing.  I am hoping at his two month check up we can reduce his supplements.

We are enjoying Jackson's awake time.  This past week he has become more alert, looking around checking things out, and making eye contact.  I still tear up when he looks up at me with his sweet blue eyes.  It is such a wonderful feeling!  I love being his mommy!!!  

Here is Jackson's 7 week photo.  He loves his bouncy seat.  Thanks for my handmade blanket, Marie.  And thank you for my guitar blanket, Lisa!  I am a little rockstar!

Last week we also celebrated Uncle EJ's birthday.  He is 14 years old and way taller than me, and just about as tall as Nick.  It was nice having Grandma Mari, Grandpa B, and Uncle EJ over for the day.

Grandpa B holding Jackson.

Jackson spends most of his day sleeping, but we've noticed he is much more active in between feedings lately.  Thanks for my quilt, Marlina!  You are very talented!  And thank you for my blanket, Heather.
   

Aunt Crystal, Sami, and Isabella came to meet Jackson.

Sweet Sami and her cousin.

Love love love him!

The weeks at home with Jackson have flown by.  I cannot believe he is 8 weeks old.  He is almost full term!

Tummy time.  It's definitely not Jackson's favorite thing to do!

Tummy time wore both my boys out!  Nick went back to school and work this week.  His anticipated graduation date is in May!  Whooo-hooo!  We are so proud of him!

This week my sister Katie and nieces, Adley and Ella, came to visit.  We are having so much fun together!

This is an old photo, but new to the blog and one of my favorites!  Jackson's cousins showing their support while he was in the NICU.  Their shirts say 'Team Jackson'. Thanks, Kate, for making them for the girls and being such awesome supporters during our stay in the hospital!!

Some quality time with my Papa.

Cousins!

Baba and Papa with their three Grandkids!!  Oh boy, what a handful!!!

We love you Aunt Kate!  Thanks for helping my mommy out this week!

Thank you for your continued support and checking in on us!  We are so blessed and thankful!

There's no place like home...

2012 began with a little sorrow.  Grandpa Ed was laid to rest.  We are thankful he is no longer in any pain or discomfort, and is now reunited with Grandma Darlene.  We are also so happy that Grandpa got to meet his Great Grandson just a day before he passed.  Although he will be missed dearly, we are looking forward to sharing Grandpa Ed stories with Jackson as he grows up.

We are settling in at home as a family of three, building lasting memories.  We love having our little boy home.  We've had a couple of doctors appointments this week.  Jackson had a medical procedure done~everything looks good.  We also had a few weight checks.  He currently weighs 5 pounds 13 ounces!!!  His preemie clothes are starting to get to be a little snug on him.

Here is what we've been up to:

Jax sleeping on his Daddy.

Jackson loves to be swaddled, arms in.

Baba time!

First time in the bouncy seat.

Mommy's new favorite picture!

We love our Papa!

First bath at home...he was not a fan at first~but loved getting his hair washed.

Getting warmed up after bath time.

Tummy time is definitely not one of Jackson's favorite things to do!  He rolled over twice this week, from tummy to back.  Yup, we know he's gifted.  ; )

Grandma Mari came to St. Joe to visit and spend the day with us.  YAY!

On Daddy again.  

Jackson is six weeks old now!

Look at those hands!  Jackson has big hands and feet like his Daddy.

Thank you for continuing to read about our sweet baby.  We are so proud of him and he continues to bless us everyday.  Thank you for your continued prayers for Jackson.  We hope the New Year blesses you and your family.