Month 5

I feel like Mason really changed a lot this past month!  He's starting to do a lot of new things and is becoming more interactive.  Being a mom is so much more fun than I ever thought it would be!  I already can't wait to see what else he'll learn this month!

About two weeks ago I learned one lesson the hard way.  Never, never be the one to drop Mason off at daycare!  One Friday Matt needed to go into work early (he's normally the one to drop him off) so I had to drop Mason off.  He was pretty happy that morning, but when he saw his teacher Ms. Maria he really lit up!  I tried to get him to smile as big at me and that little stinker wouldn't!  Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad he loves her, I just want him to love me more!  It really doesn't surprise me.  He sees her anywhere between 9-11 hours per day so of course he loves her!  It wasn't that big of a deal, just one of the many reasons I want to stay home next year.  Needless to say, I won't drop him off anymore unless I absolutely have to.  It is much more fun to be the rescuer at the end of the day!

Measurements

• 20.4 lbs (97th %)
• 28 in (97th %)
• 18 in head cir (97th %)
• We did measurements on our own this month since we didn't have a checkup so they may be a little off.

Clothes
Most of his 6 month clothes are too small now.  9 month fits best except in pants.  He's still wearing 6 month pants.  I feel like they run bigger than all his other clothes.

Schedule
He's starting to nap less after daycare now.  I think he's finally getting used to being up playing most of the day.

Sleeping
He still loves to take naps laying on my chest.  He will nap on his own in his swing, but will nap at least 45-60 min longer if he's on me.  I still love this, but needless to say I don't get much done while he's napping!
On November 14th he rolled over all the way when he was swaddled at night.  This really scared me so we stopped swaddling that night.  The next night or two was pretty rough but he does great now!

Eating

• He's still eating about 6 oz every 3-4 hours during the day.  At night he'll go much longer between feedings.  
• We're still trying cereal and he's still not a fan.  Maybe I need to try mixing something else with it.
• He tried sweet potatoes for the first time the day after Thanksgiving!  His Aunt Kristal made them for us.  I can't wait to get a Baby Bullet and start making things for him!
• Matt mushed a little banana on his finger one day and he didn't like that either!  I'm convinced he doesn't like food because of the texture.  We'll just have to keep trying!

Likes

• He LOVES playing with his daddy!  Matt can really get him laughing by throwing him in the air.  He can also get him to talk a lot more than I can.
• He likes to go new places and just take it all in.  I can tell he's going to be shy like I was.  He's so playful at home, but as soon as we go somewhere new he is very clingy, quiet, and very observant!
• Loves to reach for object now.  Anything that is bright and colorful goes straight to the mouth!

Dislikes

Having thicker foods in his mouth.  He won't even try to swallow it, he spits it all out.

Teeth

Still none, but still very slobbery.  He's really started to chew on things now so maybe soon!

Milestones

He started trying to roll from back to front, but can't quite get there because he gets stuck on his arm.  He's so close!  His back control is getting better too.  He can almost sit upright by himself.

Dr. Visits
Last month his pediatrician was concerned about the shape of his head.  He ordered xrays and everything came back normal! :)  He was going to refer us to a specialist anyway, but we decided to wait.  I'm glad we did.  His head is really starting to look better and is shaping up nicely.  If it isn't completely corrected in the next month or so we'll see the specialist.  God is so good! :)

My favorite pictures this month:

Fun with his cousins at Granna and Big Daddy's

Not so sure about sweet potatoes

Our attempt at a family picture with the dogs

This just makes me laugh every time!  Poor kid!

Breakfast with Santa

Helping daddy hang an ornament on the tree

He looks so grown up here!

Month 4

Measurements: 

18 lbs 13 oz- 98 %

27 in- 97 %

Head Circ 45 cm- 98 %

Diapers:

size 3

Clothes:

6 month clothes fit most of the time.  Some of them are a little tight so he's started wearing some 9 month clothes.

Schedule:

He usually wakes up in the morning at 5:30 or 6.  Daddy drops him off at daycare between 6:30 and 7 and I'll usually pick him up between 3:45-4:30.  We usually put him to bed between 7-9.

Sleeping: 

He will only take short naps at daycare- usually 2 or 3 that are about 40 min.  When I go to pick him up he's usually pretty tired and will nap on me as soon as we get home.  There's been a time or two that he'll only wake up to eat, then go straight to bed!  He averages about 7-10 hours of straight sleep at night!  (He loves to sleep like mommy and daddy... thank goodness!) 

Oct 30th he slept for almost 14 hours!  He fell asleep after daycare at about 4:30, sort of woke up to eat at about 7:30, then slept until about 6 the next morning!

Eating:

He's eating 6 oz every 3-4 hours.  The only time longer between feedings is at night.  The day before he turned 4 months old he tried cereal for the first time!  He did really good eating it out of a spoon!

Likes:

• Loves to pull things toward his mouth, especially his paci (wubinub) or bottle.  Likes to hold on to them once they are there.
• Loves to 'talk' especially to daddy.
• Loves to go new places and look around.  He's very talkative at home, but if we go somewhere new he gets really quiet.
• He can grab things with his hands now.  He loves to grab the animals on his bouncer.
• If we put something close to his mouth, he tries to pull it in.  Sometimes he is successful, but sometimes he pulls it into his nose or eyes and it scares him.

Dislikes: 
Being tired or hungry.  That is really the only time he fusses. :)

Teeth: 

None yet, but he is very slobbery so I think he may start teething soon.

Milestones: 

• Oct 16th- Rolled over front to back for the first time.
• He's really starting to hold himself up well during tummy time.
• Nov 2nd- Rolled from back to front for the first time!  It was during his night time feeding.  Daddy laide him on the floor to swaddle him again and he stretched really big and rolled.  I think it was an accident because when he stretches he arches his back a lot.

Dr. Visits:

We've been concerned about the shape of his head (from laying on his back so much) so we asked our pediatrician about it at his four month check up.  He has ordered an xray to check and make sure there are no serious problems.  A helmet might be a possibility.  Please keep him in your prayers that there are no serious problems!

Some favorite pictures from this month:

Sweet little cuddle bug ready for church!

He can hold his head up so good now!

Can I sleep with you?!

Meeting sweet Reid for the first time.  They are only 3 1/2 months apart!

Having a good chat with dad.

Fun at the fall fest at church.

Our little monster for Halloween.

First time trying cereal.

He did great, but was ready for his bottle!



Our big 4 month old!



Month 3

I cannot believe that our little man is already three months old.  I never knew I could experience such joy from this sweet little life that God has entrusted us with.  He is so happy the majority of the time, God has truly blessed us!

This month was a little hard on me because at 12 1/2 weeks, I had to go back to work.  I've enjoyed having a schedule again, but I never knew it would be SO hard to leave him.

My biggest fear was that the people at daycare would ignore him and leave him crying in his crib all day.  Sure enough, the first day when I picked him up he was alone, sobbing in his crib!  I managed to hold it together as I scooped him in my arms, got his things, and took him out to the car... then I lost it!  This was going to be so much harder than I thought!

I know they cannot comfort him constantly since they have six other kids in his class, but I was just so upset!  Part of it was the irrational, mother side of me, part of it was guilt that I had to leave him there.  I'm glad to say that it has gotten much better.  The rest of the week when I went to pick him up he was content, and would give me the biggest smile when he saw me.  Made me feel much better!

I successfully made it through the first week, hopefully it will get easier as time goes by.  Mason also made it through, but managed to pick up a small cold by Friday.  I knew it was going to happen, I just didn't think it would be this soon.  Hopefully by the end of the year he'll have a great immune system!  Any ideas for helping prevent sickness for a daycare baby is greatly appreciated!

The upside to him being there is that it wears him out so he sleeps great at night!  The first night he slept for over 9 hours straight!  I know that I will eventually find more perks of daycare, it's just kind of hard right now since I want to be at home with him so badly.  Maybe one day I'll be able to find a way to make enough money working from home.

Overall, it was a great month.  He is still growing like a weed.  I can't wait to go to his four month check up to see just how much he has grown!  Here are highlights and pictures from the month.

Highlights:

•  2 months 1 day- 14 lbs 11 oz- 97^th percentile, 24.5 in- 93^rd percentile
• Still loves to be swaddled at night.
• He has really started talking a lot more now.  He likes to try and mimmick sounds we make.
•  Will smile really big when you talk real sweet to him.
• Still love morning time the most!  He’s so happy when he wakes up!
• He has found his tongue and loves to stick it out now. He also found out he can put his hands in his mouth!  We caught him sucking his thumb during a nap at 11 ½ weeks.  I hope he doesn’t make a habit of this!
• At two and a half months we started putting rice cereal in his milk at night, he started sleeping much better.
• At 11 weeks, he slept through the night for the first time, over 8 hours!  I was so excited to finally get some sleep, but woke up really worried!  I had to go check on him to make sure he was okay after 7 hours.
• He has pretty consistently slept through the night since then!  (I hope I don’t jinx it!)
• September 23^rd- 11 ½ weeks he went to Bible class for the first time.  Our neighbor Mrs. Jacinda was his teacher.
• Oct 1^st was his first day at daycare.  When I picked him up he was very upset, crying in his crib.  Mommy made it out of the daycare without crying, but lost it in the parking lot.  I just hated to see him so upset.  I’d love nothing more than to stay at home with him!!
• The night after his first day of daycare he slept 9 hours! It must have really worn him out!
• Still loves his paci.

Pictures:

Meeting cousin Keely for the first time!

Playing with cousin Mallory.  He really does love her even though he looks a little unsure! haha

Watching his first Aggie game vs. Florida, he wasn't impressed!

Deep in thought! ha!

He looks like such a big boy in his jeans!

After his first day of daycare!

He wanted to go dove hunting with daddy... maybe in a few years!

Such a happy boy!  We are so blessed!

Month 2

Highlights

• One month, one day- 11 lbs 13 oz (93rd %) 23 in (92nd %)
• 7 weeks 5 days- 14 obs 5 oz (98th %)
• He has to wear mittens because his little hands are always by his face and he scratches it.
• Loves to take naps on mommy.  I love this right now, but needless to say, I don't get much done! He will nap in his crib for short amounts of time.
• The hair on top of his head started falling out.  It looks like he has early male pattern baldness!
• He loves to be held tight and cuddle.  
• He LOVES his paci! If it falls out, he lets you know.
• If he really wants his paci, when we first put it in his mouth he shakes his head back and forth a bunch.
• His eyes are focusing much better now.  He can track objects and loves looking at mommy and daddy.
• At his monthly check up this month he did much better than mommy did when he got his shots.  He stopped crying as soon as daddy picked him up to love on him.
• He loves when I sing to him.  He gets really still and stares at me.
• He is still sleeping through church... thank goodness!  No crying outbursts! :)
• He is staying awake more during the day now.  Usually for an hour or two in between feedings.
• Eating 4-5 oz every 3 or 4 hours.
• Right at 7 weeks he started sleeping in his crib at night!  He'll sleep for about 4 hours at a time.

Doctor visits- Only one extra visit this month!  At seven and half weeks his tongue was green on the top middle part.  I had never seen or heard of this, but apparently it's pretty common.  It was thrush, a yeast infection in his mouth.  It was pretty easy to treat.  Paint his mouth with and anti-fungal 4 times a day for 7 days.  It was funny at the Dr. office though because a few of the nurses had never seen it before and came in our room to check it out.

This months favorite pictures:

Ready for church!

Helping Daddy at the office

Month 1

Being a mom is the best feeling in the world!  Mason is so sweet, and we feel so blessed to be his parents.  

As much fun as it is, it can also be scary.  There is just so much uncharted territory and I feel like pretty much everything is trial and error.  Thank goodness I watched kids during college, or else I think I would feel completely lost sometimes!  

I'm going to try and post monthly updates about our sweet little man, mostly for me to remember these sweet times, but also to try and save other new mommies some trips to the doctor!  Who knew you could worry so much about a person over such little things! ha!  

Here are some highlights, doctor visits, and pictures from Mason's first month:

• 9 lbs 1 oz and 22 inches when he was born
• 5 days old- 8 lbs 10 oz (66th percentile) 
• 19 days old- 9 lbs 15 oz (75th %) 22.5 in (94th %)
• He sleeps in his rocker beside our bed.  This made it easier on me since I was getting up to feed so often.
• He loves to be swaddled and won't sleep at night unless he is.  If he's not, he wakes himself up with his arms.
• He sleeps A LOT! Probably about 20-22 hours a day!  He even sleeps when he eats!
• He's a very serious little boy.  He gets what I call 'worry wrinkles' on his forehead.
• He is very good tempered and really doesn't ever cry.  He'll grunt when he's hungry.  The only time her really does cry is bath time, then it's total mind loss!  He hates it!
• He still can't focus very well so he goes cross eyed a lot, it's really cute.
• He made his first trip to church at 2 and half weeks and did great!  He slept the whole time.
• We also made our first road trip with our little man.  We went to Carley and Patrick's wedding in Boerne, then spent the weekend with Matt's parents in Jourdanton.  He was a great traveler.

Dr. visits-  We had one extra visit this month.  When he was 12 days old I noticed some irregular breathing.  He would breathe really fast, then slow down a lot, and sometimes hold his breath for a few seconds and gasp for breath.  It was late at night so we took him to the ER.  Turns out it is called 'periodic breathing of a newborn'.  Scientific name, I know!  Click the link to read more about it.  The ER visit was unnecessary but at least it gave me peace of mind!

Now for a few of my favorite pictures from his first month!

Playing with Granna and my cousin Braden is so much fun!

He has already grown so much!  I couldn't turn the first picture for some reason :/

Such a happy sweet boy!

The Greatest Gift

Introducing....

Mason Rollie Norwood 

Born July 5, 2012
6:08 pm
9 lbs 1 oz
22 inches

We could not be more proud!

Time got away from me!

Amazing how fast the summer goes by! I had really good intentions to post this earlier... but I guess better late than never! On Wednesday, July 21st, we got to help welcome to the world our precious nephew, Case Michael Tolbert! He weighed 7 lbs 7 ounces, and was 19 precious inches long! It really was such a joy to get to be there the day he was born. Matt's sister Jennifer and her husband Quinn are the proud parents!

This is Quinn, Case, and big brother Cy.



Holding sweet Case for the first time!



Matt was such a natural! :)



I was disappointed that I didn't get a full family picture! However, I saw today that they had some newborn pictures made, and there is a great family shot! A fellow aggie and AFCer, Allison (Cloud) Brockman did such a great job! Take a look at her blog to see the wonderful pictures. She did such a great job!! Just click here!

I can't wait to make more wonderful memories with this sweet family, and watch our nephews grow up! They are such a blessing in our lives.

The week that Case was born, we had lots of company stay at our house and it was great to catch up, and even meet new friends! On Wednesday night, Matt's good friend Kevin stayed with us. He made frequent trips this past year to come visit his sweet girlfriend Danielle, and would stay the night at our house. Unfortunately, this visit didn't end up so great! That night he complained that he had a stomach ache and needed some tums. I didn't think too much of it, got him his medicine and went to bed later that night. I woke up the next morning to Matt telling me that he was taking him to the ER!! Several hours later, I called Matt to check up on Kevin and turns out that Kevin had appendicitis! That Thursday afternoon he had surgery to remove his appendix. Needless to say, the tums were definitely NOT what he needed! I hope his next stay at our house is a little more enjoyable because we love spending time with him!

He was in good spirits after the surgery since the pain was gone!



On Friday, Matt's dad and youngest sister Emilie got to come stay with us for the night so they could finally meet baby Case on Saturday. It was great to have them, and is always nice to see family again.

Saturday we all got to go see Case, then that evening Matt and I met Patrick and some other friends in Houston at Papasitas to celebrate Patrick's birthday. We also got to meet Patrick's sweet girlfriend, Carley. She also stayed at our house for the weekend while she was visiting. She seems like a really great girl and we are so happy for Patrick. He deserves the best! I was terrible about taking pictures, so I'm borrowing one of Carley's (hope she doesn't mind)! :)

Here's a picture of the cute couple!



I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of her this coming year! It will be so fun to go on double dates!

Other than that busy week, things have been relatively calm around here, which has been so nice! It's just the calm before the storm though. I start work in two weeks and it is going to be such a busy time! The beginning of school is always pretty crazy, but I'm looking forward to having a schedule again. I can't wait to meet my new kiddos! Matt finishes summer school this week and he's real excited! It has been a very busy summer for him and he is ready for a break, even if it is just a week or two before he starts the Fall semester.

We're leaving Friday afternoon to go to New Braunsfels to float the river with some of my high school friends. I'm really excited about catching up with them... I really miss them a lot! Then from there, we're going to Matt's family reunion on Sunday. I'll make sure to post pictures and blog earlier this time! I can't wait!