Smell

For some reason Max smells just like a newborn baby today (I mean like in the hospital just born newborn. Not like sterile hospital...my house is not that clean lol!!! But really like a fresh newborn baby). I really don't know what it is or why he does, but I cannot tell you how full it makes my heart. So if you will excuse me I am going to continue to be the weird mom smelling her son's head! 

Oh I love that smell. What a bundle of JOY!

Look back

I did not do a very good job documenting my pregnancy with Max. I think a big part of it was because I was very tired both physically and emotionally. It had been a very emotional year in so many ways, so I just kind of let documenting slide. But as I was just looking at some pictures of a pregnant friend I realized I want to have all my pregnancy pictures of Max in one place so I can revisit them easily! And I don't want to forget any details and time has a way of blurring things. 

So here we go...a look back at baby Max. 

Here I was 15 weeks pregnant with Max! I was due April 7, 2014. My pregnancy with him was a BIG surprise. My first trimester I felt really awful. Not only was I super tired but sick, too. I started showing really early with him (8 weeks). I think I finally started feeling normal around 18 weeks along. 

18 weeks. 

At the 20ish week sono I wasn't sure if we were going to have a boy or girl. I wanted a girl so we could be 2 and 2. Plus we had a girl name all picked out and ready to go! I had a dream a few nights before that I had given birth to a boy...

And that dream was right! There was a baby boy growing in my tummy. At first I didn't know how to feel then the sono tech took some 3d images of the baby and my heart just about exploded. He was so cute! OF COURSE I wanted a boy! He was just perfect! 

Now to pick a name. That was tough. Boy names are really hard for us. But after a few days we had it picked. Max Steven Mahoney!

We found out after that sono that one of his kidneys looked dilated. My OB assured me everything else looked fine and there was a good chance it would just take care of itself. We would have a sono in the 3rd trimester to recheck but there was nothing to worry about. So I tried not to worry. 

Here I am at 27 weeks! 

During my third trimester I started feeling kind of bad again. I got a really bad dizzy spell at one point and realized I needed to eat small meals all the time just like my first trimester to keep from getting sick or dizzy. I was also VERY uncomfortable. The most I had been with any of my pregnancies. My pelvis was so sore all the time. My biggest craving was vanilla coke. His most active time in utero was 9pm. Almost every night he would start moving and grooving right about 9 and would last somewhere between 10-11pm. 

29 weeks! Starting to get bigger!!!

We had a repeat sono in the third trimester to look at his kidneys and I was sure it was going to be a non issue. However the kidneys were both dilated one being much larger than the other. My OB wasn't sure if the uterers were blocked or the urethra so we were given an option of seeing the maternal fetal specialist. I was so torn. On one hand I really wanted to see him and get Max checked out thoroughly but having then tell me that it was important enough to see a specialist freaked me out. I was very nervous. 

So after having a thorough sonogram with him, he determined it was hydronephrosis. He didn't see any blockage or inflammation anywhere else. My amniotic fluid looked good so he was not concerned. We would have a repeat sono after birth to watch them (which he had in the NICU and has another one coming up next week). Oh man, I sighed a huge sigh of relief. 

During my last sonogram they once again turned on the 3D imaging. Isn't this amazing!!! I cannot tell you how many times I would look at these pictures to help calm my worried heart. The sonographer had given me such a sweet gift. Twice!!! 

32 weeks. Getting bigger. I passed my glucose test and besides feeling very uncomfortable I was doing okay. 

35 weeks. Between now and delivery I started to feel so tired and so discouraged. The last few weeks of pregnancy are always the hardest for me. The three other kids totally picked up on my emotions and started acting out making me more emotional and tired. I am pretty sure I threw more pity parties those two weeks than was at all necessary. 

36 weeks. 

This was the last belly pic I took before Max came. Look how low he was! Oh man I was so uncomfortable! I started having contractions around 35ish weeks and really started to wonder if I was going to make it to April. A week later...

Max was born! He made his entrance on March 16, 2014 at 6:10am via c section. I was 36 weeks 6 days along. He weighed 6lbs 8oz. 

Oh sweet baby! I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. :)

Thanks for taking a quick trip down memory lane!

Pictures

Here are a bunch of pictures from the last few weeks!

Crazy hat hair

Eating donuts on his third birthday!

Fell asleep like that on our way down to house hunt. Lol!

Little buddy fell asleep in the car again!

He turned his head and look at that awesome hair!!! 

Hehe

Saffryn and me!

Saffryn at her first pedicure. It was a fun time with some good friends. Kind of our last hurrah before we move :(

Colt looking good!

Happy boy!

Cannot get over this precious face. 

Some new Jammie's he got from my aunt and uncle. So sweet. 

Saffryn drew these monsters outside. I love them!

The boys next to the Rose bushes I am so very proud of! I had them when they were just tiny and now they are the size of the boys. I will miss these roses. 

Watching cartoons with his lovey and baseball. All boy!

Well that's all for now!

Two Months

It is so hard to believe baby Max is two months old!!!

Stats: 

He weighs 11lbs 12oz. He has almost doubled his 6lb birth weight! Wow!!! He is  23 inches long. He is now in 3 month clothes and size 1 diapers. He has lost a lot of his hair on the top of his head but still has some red locks in the back! His eyes are turning more blue everyday. 

Likes:

He likes to sleep swaddled. He LOVES to be held and especially by his momma. He likes it quiet and calm. He likes to sleep in his pack n play in our room when it is dark and quiet. He just started liking me to talk and interact with him...and yes in a quiet and calm tone. Are you catching the pattern? Lol! 

Dislikes:

He hates chaos. He does not like to be put down most of the time. He is indifferent to a pacifier and bottle, he neither likes not dislikes either of them. 

Personality:

He is now starting to smile and coo. He is really, really sweet. He is a calm baby and seems very serious. He definitely has preferences and likes certain things (like being held, while standing, naturally). He is not sure what to think abut his siblings yet (though they are crazy about him!!!). 

Milestones:

He has greatly improved his sleeping! He has a very consistent bedtime of 8pm. He will sleep until at least 2am and sometimes 5am. It is great! He is holding his head up so well now. He is smiling and cooing and focusing his eyes on objects and people. 

Misc.:

He had a lot of tummy troubles early on. I had decided to cut dairy out and only saw a small change. After more reading and talking to other mommas I decided to cut out soy and bingo! His sleeping greatly improved, his disposition was more calm and relaxed and his diapers are much more normal now. I'm guessing it was more of an intolerance and not an allergy but who knows. For now I am soy and diary free but am considering trying to add dairy back soon to see if that was upsetting him. 

Anyway he is a love baby. We are all crazy about him. So thankful we get to have him in our life!!!