Jaxson at 6 weeks

It took us a while to get eachother figured out but we are getting closer every day. There have been so many nights Jason and I went to bed in tears! Are we doing everything right? He's always crying, is he hurt, is there something we're missing? How do we make him happy? Maybe we aren't cut out to be parents?!!! We've had to figure out how to balance the pieces of our old life (pre-Jaxson days) and our new life (post-Jaxson days) and it has been a big adjustment. Probably more of an adjustment for Jason than myself because so many of the things he enjoys are outside activities and it has been so hot and it's difficult to spend time with Jaxson and build things at the same time! We have found out that Jaxson crying is not the end of the world, it really is okay if he cries. Sometimes he does cry not because he's hungry or hot or cold or hurt, but because he's just tired and cranky. And those times it takes a lot of cuddling and scheduled naptimes to comfort him, he fights going to sleep. The importance of routine is huge! Once we got the evening routine figured out, Jaxson was sleeping 5+ hours a night and that helped tremendously for both Jason and my sanity. So much more patience when you aren't sleep deprived. Breast feeding was also a challenge, so extremely painful even though he latched on perfectly right away. The lactation consultant said to stick with it 11-14 days and the pain will go away and it did just like she said. Then there's the feeling that it's all you're good for. :) A "momma milk cow" as my friend Abbey called herself, ha ha makes me laugh, describes it perfectly! I'm glad I had my family and the lactation consultant to encourage me to stick with it because I probably wouldn't have! I think it would be so much easier at night versus formula and we've saved so much money. Jaxson is now so much happier during the day then the first couple weeks but he gets so much stimulation and then is really fussy after 6 which is hard for Jason. He works all day and he comes home and Jaxson just screams when he holds him and there is not much either of us can do to calm him down most nights between 6 and 8. That is his cranky time. Doesn't help that it is also bathtime which he hates. Still through all these challenges, nothing can take away from how proud we are and how much we love him. We wanted to have a baby for so long and it really does seem extra special when you have to try so hard! He's becoming so much more aware of his surroundings and starting to smile in response to things.








Jason was playing with him the other morning and he was just grinning like crazy, it was so cute!

















Here are a few of Jaxson's favorite things. Some pictures are taken with my cell phone which aren't as good quality as the camera.














His changing pad. Not so much the changing part, although he doesn't mind that as much as he used to, it's the after changing part when he's just laying there! He makes noises and grins at the ceiling fan. So funny!




Being held. He would be very happy if he was held 24 hours a day and he loves being held with his tummy facing us and his head by ours. This is pretty much the only way we can hold him and he will be content. He will scream and scream and scream and stop in an instant if you hold him this way. Surely he isn't spoiled already?? :)










































His new swing, thanks Camdyn! He can stare at that red frog forever! He grins and tries to talk to it, so cute!

















His bouncy seats. He loves the toys and the lights and music but hates the vibrating part on both seats.





















This is what he does when we turn on the vibrating part! (Or when it's bathtime!) He shows us this lip often during the 6-8 pm times. It's so hard not to laugh! We are going to print this picture to show him what a little monster he could be when he gets older!




























And he loves his tummy time. Heather made him this awesome K-State blanket so he can play during K-State football games this fall. (Speaking of, can't wait for football season!!!) What a great gift! He's been showing off his motor skills, because of the camera delay I didn't get him all the way up on the blanket picture, he can't hold himself up for very long, the other one he is laying on my stomach holding himself up with his arms and I'm holding his arm so he doesn't roll off. :) He has rolled over 6 times. The first time he did I thought Jason had rolled him over but he didn't, so then I thought, well maybe I had layed him in a way where his arm was partially under him or something to make it easy for him to do it himself, but he's done it 5 times since! Dr. says he's advanced in his motor development. He was amazed at his head control and how he could support himself on his arms already. We're pretty proud of him!