4 MONTHS!

Ben was 4 months old on August 3rd and is over 7 lbs! YEAH! I just checked in with the doc to see where he is in comparison to a full term baby and he is about 3 lbs off - for a smaller full term baby. I was origianlly comparing him to my friend's baby Mason who is one month older than Ben but 17 lbs - and that was just a bad comparison. Mason is a very large baby! (Lindsay, you have big kids!! :) Mason is just blowing him away - I mean he has TEETH!!! :)

Ben is gaining a pound every 10 -12 days! He has been eating baby food for alomost a month now and is scooting across the floor. Ben is doing all 4 month old baby stuff...he is a just a peanut!

Sarah took some great pics of Ben the other day. I try to take him for a walk everyday when I get home from work - provided I am not about to drop from exhaustion!

Ben loves his bath time!

The New Meaning of Exhaustion!

Sorry I have not been keeping up. I barely even know where I am half the time these days. Ben is such a great baby but he is still sleep only 2 hours at a time day and night and when he is done eating every 2 hours he is up with horrible gas for an hour. So I am back to work with maybe 4 1/2 hours of broken sleep per night. I am getting a little worn down. My parents have been great. They take turns coming over every night from 7-11. I usually can get about 2 - 2 1/2 hours of sleep during that time then the fun begins all night.

Since Ben was born so early his stomach is still so little and not fully developed. It can be hard cause for me Ben is almost 4 months old but for him he is just almost a month old going by his due date.

I know it gets easier....just wish it was sooner than later. Being a single mom is by far the hardest thing I have ever done but I wouldn't change a thing....wellll...maybe add a couple 3 hour sleep sessions in there :)

Here is a recent pic. I think he is about 5 1/2 pounds now. My next doc appt was not for 2 more weeks but I just made another one for this Friday. I just want to make sure he is gaining weight and that he is getting enough food. I know...paranoid!!

Tubby Time!

Love Love Love giving him tubbys! John went with me Saturday morning. I gave Ben a tubby and then John fed him. John is doing better and better..perhaps the shock is starting to wear off.

I got a call from the discharge nurse today! That is a good sign. I am keeping my fingers crossed for only 2 more weeks then hopefully home!! It is all up to Ben now.

My favortie picture so far is the one with Ben and me...we are so in love!!

A Couple Pics...

As I mentioned in the last posting, Ben's pic was going to be on the wall at Maine Med...and voila!

Home Soon...I Hope!!!

I have been very bad about updating this blog....but so has Julie so it is ok.

Anyway, Ben is now in the Continuing Care Nursery (CCN) and is almost 3 1/2 lbs! Amazing! He is taking almost all his feedings by breast or bottle now. He pretty much has to take all feedings that way and grow a little more and he can come home! There is not a weight requirement but he will probably be closer to 4+ lbs anyway when he comes home. I am thinking that the third week in June or last week in June I will be able to take my little nugget home! BTW - Nugget has caught on pretty well as his nickname. A nurse heard me say it once and loved it.
And I know every parent is biased and thinks their child is the cutest in the world - I know mine is - but I have confirmation from a Maine Med rep that he is indeed a cute baby! Ben's pictures have been taken and will be appearing on the main wall as you walk into Maine Med sometime next week. They are also using his pics for fundraising to help buy new isolettes for the NICU.
It is getting harder and harder leaving him each day and his room is all ready and his cradle is even made up...am I anxious? YEAH!
I will try to get some pics up soon but let me tell you he has grown into all his wrinkles and actually has a few fat rolls! The pic is one I took with my phone the other day after he was done feasting and looked a little milk drunk. And NO - that is not my boob as everyone has asked. It is my arm. I had already put the girls away. :)

My Little Piggy!

Thank goodness this week is over! I am always pretty tired by Friday. Getting up at 3:45 am each day to go see Ben then go to work tends to be a little exhausting...but so worth it! He is so cute. He actually is awake and waiting for me when I get there at 4:30 am and pm. Eating is so not an issue! He nurses for a little bit then still gets his full meal. This is a good thing and it is paying off! He gains at least an ounce a night!

I think I get to give him his first tubby this weekend! :)

New Experience!

Ok...I am assuming most of you moms out there have already experienced what I am about to write - but this was a first for me and I was in shock at first....then quite impressed!
I went in to see Ben at 5 last night and I change his diaper when I get there. Well he was a bit gassy so I kinda hold his little legs up and he gets it all out. Well I must have held him up a little high cause all of a sudden he had projectile poop across his entire issolette. I mean like a 2 foot shot and hit the plastic wall on the other side. It was so much poop that they had to actually get a new machine for him. Then when I finally get him to the non-poop side of the issolette and start to put on yet another diaper the little guy pees all over the place. I am just not quite fast enough with the pee-pee cover yet. I have been peed on before so that wasn't anything new but the other thing....that was incredible. Like I said - shocked at first then I was quite impressed with the little guy's power! :) (I know this was kinda gross but I found it so amusing)

He gained another ounce overnight. He is getting big fast (well to me anyway)...2 lbs 7 oz as of this morning. I think I also found a day care. I of course am not 100% in love with it but I think I will find something I don't like in each day care. I wish I could stay home with him but that is not gonna happen so I need to just deal with the fact that I wont like dropping him off each day but I am a good judge of character so I am sure he will be just find and I have to trust my instincts. Also, this day care is right next door to the police station and the fire station and there are nurses there all day. It is located about 3 miles from my house and 2 miles from my parents - right in between. So I am gonna sign him up and I figure worst case scenario it does not end up being a good fit and I look for another establishment.

Up next...Sarah (she and her boyfriend have been amazing helpers) is going to paint my bedroom. I think we are going to do it this weekend. Ben is going to be sleeping in his cradle in my room so I wanted to get it all nice before he comes home. I can't even out into words how incredible my Dad has been. He has refinished a bureau and a changing table, painted Ben's room, washed all the rugs in my place, stripped and repainted and re-puddied my windows, and been a huge emotional support. On top of all this he is trying to get ready to climb down and up the grand canyon. He leaves this Sunday and is gone for 3 weeks. Incredible huh! My Mom has been wonderful, too. I could not have been so prepared for Ben's arrival or had so much support during/after pregnancy with out my parents. I have always known I was lucky but even more so now.

My brother, Ryan, just graduated from Grad school in Denver - yeah for him! Miss him terribly and cant wait for him to meet Ben. He is planning a visit in July so that Ben will 100% be home and he can spend time with us. I am hoping he gets a job closer to me so he can be really involved with Ben but either way I know Ry will play a huge role Ben's life. I am so excited to see him!