Six Weeks

Well week six has been fun so far. Last week Jacob was sleeping from 11:00pm-5:00am each night (well for the most part). We were spoiled! This week he has decided he needs to wake up at 3:25 instead. It is crazy but it is like clockwork. I wanted him on a schedule and I got it. The schedule is just not the one I had hoped for! Eventually we will be able to strech that time out. I am however very thankful that he sleeps as well as he does. Afternoon naps still are not his favorite but we get through them. He is learning to smile at us so check out the videos in the posts below. They are not the best quality videos (I used my phone), so I will do my best to get some better ones up soon. In the pictures above Jacob is sitting in what is called a Bumbo seat. This helps babies of all sizes to be able to sit up. There is a little tray that will fit on it for when he is older that he can put toys or food on. Sammie decided she needed to help this morning by licking Jacob's food. He just smiles at her. He loves to watch Sammie.

Jacob and Mommy (Six Weeks)

I absolutely love that he will smile at us now. It makes my day to see that sweet smile. He is learning to giggle too. It is the sweetest sound a mother can hear I do believe. I know it will only get better and better. We have the sweetest baby boy!

Good Morning Video

Jacob's favorite time of the day (besides bathtime) is the morning.  He is all smiles!  Click on the link below to see the video of Jacob smiling.
Jacob Smiling in the Morning

More Smiles: Another Video of Jacob Smiling

Jacob and Ali

A number of our friend's children have been anticipating Jacob's arrival. They have been trying to figure out how a baby is going to come from Mrs. April's tummy.  Iliya wanted to know if there was a bed in my tummy for the baby to sleep on. Everytime we spoke before the baby got here he would ask to see the baby. He believed by lifting my shirt (no worries, we did not allow him to do this, it was simply his belief) he should be able to see the baby. Iliya's had so many questions and his wheels were always turning as he attempted to understand this baby thing. Tennison had plans to teach Jacob how to do everything.  I have confidence in his ability to do this since Tennison is just about the smartest kid I know.  Ali had big plans for Jacob from the start.  She was ready to spoil him with kisses even before he was born, and couldn't wait to hold him.  The moment she did hold him, she fell in love.

Ali Holding Baby Jacob For The First Time

During our second stay in the hospital, Miranda and Ali brought me lunch,  Ali couldn't wait to hold Jacob.  Miranda told her she had to finish her lunch first.  After shoving the remainder of her chicken nuggets in her mouth, Ali held out her hands and said "I hold him now."  Miranda had to fight her just to get a turn to hold Jacob.  After a while I took Jacob and laid him up in the bed with me.  Ali crawled up there with us and just cuddled up to Jacob.  That moment will forever be in my memory.

 

Ali Loves Jacob

Ali just had her third birthday party.  It was Jacob's first party and he was excited to go (really I was just happy to get out the house and have some social interaction).  Ali had a wonderful princess party.  You will see her Cinderella dress in the video.  Throughout the party she would come over and check on Jacob and wanted to hold him.  If you watch the following video you will be able to see the love Ali has for Jacob.  Jacob at Ali's Party Video

Jacob Headed to His First Party

Iliya and Jacob

     Tennison and Jacob

"He has a heavy head for such a little tyke." ~Tennison

Jacob Watching His Crib Mobile

Jacob Watching His Crib Mobile Video

One day Jacob will have to actually sleep in his crib.  This is a day I don't care to think about however it is a reality so I must prepare for it.  Every day Jacob and I try to play in his room.  May it be on the playmat, reading books, or laying in his crib.  This video is from his very first time in his crib.  I loved watching him take everything in.  His bedding is very bright and he just stared for a while at it.  He then focused his attention on the crib mobile.  He watched it for a long time.  When it stopped, he began to cry.  One day Jacob will have to move to his crib, until that time we will be mobile watchers instead.

Jacob On His Playmat

Jacob On His Playmat Video

Jacob is learning to play on his playmat.  The first time we put him on it, he hated.  Over time though he has grown to enjoy the playmat.  He bats at the toys and looks at the lights.

Jacob's Sleep Schedule

We have been working on getting on a good schedule. So far Jacob has adapted to eating about every three hours from the end of one feeding to the beginning of the next. This was a bit of a challenge but so far he is really adjusting well. After tackling the eating schedule, I said we would begin working on his sleeping schedule. Well, we waited for the weekend to begin. The weekend went so well! He slept for 6 hours straight each night. I thought we had it all figured out. Then came Monday. Jacob slept 4 and 1/2 hours, his norm. This threw us completely off schedule for the rest of the day. He resisted every nap except his morning nap and cried for most of the day unless I was holding him. I know he is exhausted but is still fighting sleep. The time is now 11:30 p.m. and his Mommy is ready for bed, but Jacob is fighting bedtime and wearing me out!  I think at this point even the dog is feeling the effects of Jacob's lack of sleep.

Jacob's First Walk

I decided we needed to get out of the house last week so Jacob and I went for a walk around the block. Literally. That was all I could handle but still we got out of the house for a bit. Jacob loved it! He was alert the whole time and just took everything in. We started out the walk with his "Baby Banz" sunglasses on but eventually they came off. Luckily it was shady most of the way. I have been wanting to go for another walk but we just haven't had another pretty day.

The Big Day

40 Weeks and 1 Day

Every book you read as an expecting mother tells you that you should write out a birth plan.  Have in your mind what you want, put it on paper, inform those around you of your desires.  After all this is an important day and each mother has an idea of how the birth of their child will be.  I was no exception.  My birth plan was in mind (not written down because I am a procrastinator), and I had given Matthew the rundown.  I had planned on delivering at Baptist East Hospital without being induced.  I wanted that "hop out of bed in the middle of the night moment."  To be able to look at Matthew and say "honey, its time!" I never had that moment.  Even now a month later as I type that sentence I am sad.  I know that I will never have that moment.  Keep reading and you will know why. 

I went for my 40 weeks check up with my sister who was in town awaiting the arrival of our little one.  I had been having contractions for days and Braxton Hicks contractions for months.  All the tell-tale signs were there that I was about to go into active labor.  My doctor however informed me that I was still only a "good centimeter" (I had been for three weeks at this point).  How disappointing! He also told me that my blood pressure was a little high.  He recommended that I be induced.  This absolutely went against rule #1 of my birth plan.  I was NOT going to be induced.  My exceptions, something being wrong with the baby or for my health.  Well, that was that.  For various reasons I decided being induced wasn't all that bad, after all I was full term.  The doctor got on the phone to set up the appointment.  He normally didn't induce that day at Baptist East but was willing to make an exception.  Disappointment #2, East didn't have any room for me!  I was going to have to be induced at Jackson.  It's not that Jackson is a bad hospital.  I just never thought of it as an option for me.  I have a good friend that works in the nursery at East.  She was planning on admitting the baby and taking care of him while we were in the hospital.  It made sense to have the baby at East.  Regardless, my appointment was made for the next day and I was to arrive at 6:00 A.M. to be induced.

We made it to the hospital that morning both super excited for what the day would hold.  Finally after nine long months we would meet our sweet baby boy.  I was all hooked up and ready to go when family began to arrive.  After a time the doctor came by and broke my water.  That is when the pain really hit.  I was crying for that epidural like it was my job.  Oh it was horrible!  I don't know how women give birth without pain meds.  I must be a wimp, but bring on the drugs!  Once I had my epidural (which by the way was not bad at all) life was good again.  I was progressing along getting ready for the big push.  Well the doctor came back in to check me around the eleven o'clock hour.  He said I had progressed to 7cm but the baby was breech.  What? Breech? Not again!  At my 35 weeks appointment I had found out that the baby was breech.  The doctor said nothing could be done so I turned to Google.  Many suggested going to a chiropractor for the Webster's Technique.  I tried it.  Anything to avoid a c-section (Rule #3 to the birth plan...NO C-SECTION).  When I went back to the doctor's office after a few sessions with the chiropractor he said the baby had turned.  Hooray! No c-section.  I was so excited.  That morning when they originally checked me, both the doctor and nurse said they felt the baby's head.  I was so relieved.  Imagine my surprise when at 7cm and about four hours into the process they tell me the baby is yet again breech and I have to have a c-section immediately.  Can you say disappointment #3.  Oh I was devastated.  Absolutely crushed.  In fact, my family was in the hallway and could hear my sobs.  They just knew something was wrong with the baby.  Not the baby, just me.  I knew at that point that I was being robbed of the most sacred moment a mother can have, meeting her baby for the first time.  I longed to hold him close to my chest and nurse him for the first time.  To hear his first cries and cry with him.  Instead I was strapped to a table and heard my baby crying across the room. 

7lbs. 15oz.

20 inches

11:56 A.M.

After what seemed like hours Matthew brought him to me. I was only able to kiss his little head. I wanted to hold him so badly. They whisked him away to be taken to the nursery and I was left alone with the doctors and nurses. I waited in recovery for 45 minutes just dying to hold my baby and kiss my husband. I just wanted our family to be together.

I finally made it to my post partum room where all of our family was waiting.  After a short time the baby was brought in.  I was so excited to finally hold him and check him out.  Now Matthew and I had decided to wait to name the baby.  We (and by we I mean Matthew) wanted to see him and make sure the name fit.  I hate it when Matthew is right.  I had been saying the whole time that I wanted him to be named Silas Allen.  Matthew wasn't 100% on the name so we had a list of about five names that we liked.  Joshua was Matthew's top pick and mine was Silas of course.  All day I tried to call him Silas in my mind.  It just wouldn't work.  Even when I saw him in the operating room I told Matthew he didn't look like a Silas, rather he looked like Jacob.  All day I kept coming back to the name Jacob.  We wanted to wait until we were alone to name him.  That time did not come until around nine o'clock that night.  In a way he chose his own name.  Watch the video to see how.  Naming Baby Jacob

I can't imagine now calling him anything else. Jacob Allen Beasley fits him so perfectly. Even though my day didn't go at all as planned I still realize how incredibly blessed I am. Jacob is a healthy and amazing little boy. I thank God for him every day.