Three Month Update

Feeding

Finn is eating 7 oz every 4 hours. He eats at the same time everyday now-7am, 11am, 3pm, and 7pm.

Weight

I think he is 13 or 14 pounds. He definitely cramps my arm but i love my big boy!

Sleep

Finn is a sleep machine! Such a good baby boy! He takes two 1 hour naps and one 3 hour nap during the day. He also goes down for the night at 8 and sleeps til I wake him at 7 am! Thats right, 11 hours!

Wake Time

He is awake 1 1/2 to 2 hours at a time and sometimes 2 1/2 to 3 hours (but then he crashed for the night afterwards). He loves his baby Einstein toys. He loves the rattle and has just recently found his hand! haha! I have a video that i will post later which shows how happy he is when he's awake now :)

Clothes

He is wearing 0-3 month clothes. They fit him just perfectly!

Fun fact

Finn has started mimicking me. I can stick my tongue out and he will copy me. Mostly, he likes to copy my pitch of voice. It's very cute!

Mommy

I'm doing great. I feel I have adjusted well to work. It's a lot of work being a full time working mom. But I wouldn't trade my role for anything. I absolutely love this! Also, Finn has made life easy now that he is on a perfect schedule. Such a good boy!

Little Finn's schedule at 11 weeks!

So, the last few days i've wondered if Finn's schedule is normal. He is such a good little boy and we are so blessed with him. Below is the schedule he has been doing for the last 2 weeks. It's not exact so thats why there are some time ranges. But, if you are a mom-please comment and let me know. I know every baby is different. But i'd love some expert advice from the moms out there :)

Around 6:30 or 7:00am Finn wakes up for the day (if he's not up by 7 am, i wake him). He drinks a 6 oz bottle (with zantac for reflux). Then we get dressed for the day. We leave the house at 7:50 for work and weekday daycare. Typically he falls asleep in the car around 8:00ish

8:30am He's dropped off at weekday and mommy goes to work. I transfer him to the crib and he sleeps til his next feeding.

Around 10:30 or 11:00am He eats another 6 oz bottle and has playtime with his friends. Tummy time is included in this playtime.

Around 12:00 or 12:30pm he goes down for another nap. Typically he will sleep for 2 hours here.

Around 2:30 or 3:00pm he eats another 6 oz bottle. This time he stays up until mommy picks him up at 4:30. We get packed up in the car and he will fall asleep around 4:45 and sleep til we get home.

5:30pm, we're home and he's up and plays while we eat dinner. He stays up til his next feeding.

7:00pm he gets a 6 oz bottle with zantac for relux and a teaspoon of rice cereal. After the feeding, we have bathtime, storytime, and bedtime prayers. He gets his paci, bear, and is swaddled and asleep for the night by 8:05. And he's sleeping til 6:30 or 7am.

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On a different note, we took Finn to meet Santa this weekend. Below is my favorite picture-i know i'm crazy cause he's crying but he's still so cute! And Santa is pretty scary :).

Jason Pendley Photography

We have had the pleasure of being photographed by Jason Pendley several times.  He has such a talent for capturing the perfect picture. Below are my very favorite from our last session. I can't wait for next time.  On top of him being an awesome photographer, he also is a great person. We got to hang out with him and his family after our last session. He's a wonderful dad, husband, and friend. His kids are adorable and his wife is beautiful (and very sweet too).  Anyway, check out his site to look at his other pictures. And Jason, thanks again for some amazing pictures of our sweet son!

When I was a little girl...

I've always had the desire in my heart to be a mommy. Just take a look at ths picture of me when I was 5...

That's me holding my adorable little bro, Matthew.  I took care of him like a second mom. My mom said that she was afraid he wouldn't walk because I always carried him. I didn't have to play with baby dolls because I had a real one :) Isn't Matthew cute, I really think Finn looks a lot like him.

My point is-I'm so thankful this year to have a sweet baby boy. He is perfect in every way. And I am blessed to be able to take care of him. All my 27 years all I wanted was to be a mommy and now I am one. I have so much to look forward to but for now i'm living in the moment and taking this all in.

I'm also very thankful for a husband who is an awesome daddy. I love seeing him with Finn.  I'm truly blessed beyond belief and for that I am so thankful.

Thank you God for making all my little girl dreams come true. A supportive loving husband and an angel baby boy.  Now, I pray I can honor you with what I have.

Do you know when your dreams come true? I love that my dream and God's dream were one :)

Two month update

Feeding

Finn is eating 4 oz every 3 hours and 15-30 minutes. 

Weight

At his last appointment 2 weeks ago he was 11 lbs and 10 oz. I think he is closer to 12 or 13 pounds now. He is getting heavy :)

Sleep

Finn is sleeping much better now. He takes two or three 2 hour naps during the day. And as of 3 days ago he has been sleeping 6 hours at night! He goes down between 10:30-11:00 (depending on his last feeding) and he is sleeping til 4:30-5:00. I'm gonna start trying to get him sleeping to 7:00 over the next few weeks. 

Wake Time

His wake time has been so much fun over the last few weeks. He is awake anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half.  He can see and follow objects now. So we play with the rattle, light up toys, and stuffed animals. He smiles a lot its very cute!

Clothes

He is starting to fit in the 0-3 month size now. They are still a little big but the newborn clothes definitely do not fit anymore. I can't get them over his head, haha!

Fun fact

Finn started smiling at me this past month. He smiles when I talk to him. He also knows my voice. Last week, Greg was holding him and I started talking he whipped his head around to look at me. It was so adorable! And made me tear up for sure!

Mommy

Mentally, I'm a little nervous about my new role as a working mom and wife. I know its a big role and I'm just praying my way through it. I am also doing much better as a mom now. I feel like I have found my groove with Finn. I know him sleeping has made a HUGE difference. Physically, I'm feeling ok. I am starting to wean off the pump. We never could nurse successfully and I am really over producing. So hopefully, this time next month I will be done. I have enough milk stored up for 1 1/2 months right now. If you have any tips for weaning, please email me. 

Raising money for Cambodia!

Finn's hunger cry...

Hey friends,
Here is a fun video of Finn. It's easy to see when he's hungry because he grunts :) Enjoy the video!

One month update

October 27th, 2009

Finn is a month old today! I can hardly believe its already been a month since his arrival into the world.  Here's a recap of where he is this month.

Feeding

We had to supplement with formula for the first 2 1/2 weeks because my milk was delayed in coming in. Then as my milk started coming in we started weaning him from formula to complete "mommy milk".  He was on total breast milk by week 3. So I was going to start nursing but he got thrush and so did i.  Starting week 4, we tried to nurse but couldn't get him latched. So, we will be seeing a lactation consultant to get some professional help. He is eating 3.5 oz every 3 hours.

Weight

I'm not 100% sure but I think he is around 8 lbs. We go for his one month check up on Friday October 30th. So I will update this after that appointment.

Sleep

Finn is sleeping for 1-1 1/2 hours at a time. He is on a 3 hour rotation. He eats at 5, 8, 11, 2, 4:30, 6:30, 8:30. At 8:30 we put him down for the night and he wakes up somewhere between 12 and 2 am to eat again. Those times aren't exact sometimes they fluctuate by an hour or so. The only time that's the same everyday is the 8:30 last feeding then bedtime. He still gets swaddled but he also loves sleeping on his tummy or side.

Wake Time

He is usually up for 45 minutes to an hour and a half at a time. He just looks all around and seems to be very curious :) its very cute! During wake time, we either have tummy time, take a bath, snuggle with mommy, lay on daddy's chest, chill out in the swing, or vibrate in the bouncer.

Clothes

He is wearing newborn size clothes. They are starting to get tight so they will probably last another week or two.

Fun fact

Finn is a grunter. That's how we know when he is hungry he just grunts around. Haha! He also smiles. Mostly as he is falling asleep. Its very sweet.

Mommy

Physically, I have recovered completely. Mentally, i'm starting to get the hang of being a mommy.  It definately took the full 4 weeks to get to where I am. Now, I'm just exhausted and hoping he will sleep longer at night! I'm halfway through my maternity leave. I only have 4 weeks left. We are praying that in those 4 weeks we can get a more predictable schedule going.

Where does the time go...

I can hardly believe my baby boy is 13 days old.  The days go by so fast. He is growing and changing so much everyday. And I am really enjoying my time with him. This past week my mom was here everyday helping and we had so much fun! This weekend we will have Greg's mom with me Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I'm really looking forward to our time together as well.  I have really enjoyed all the help from family and friends. The meals, phone calls, and prayers have been amazing. I feel loved in a way that is seriously overwhelming! So praise God for that. 

I also can't wait for the last few weeks of my maternity leave. It will be just me, Finn, and Savannah. And I know we will have tons of fun and quality time! It's hard to believe how much I already love this guy. And it's amazing how much I have learned about him in our 13 days. I can tell when his cry is a "I need comfort" cry or a "I need food" cry or a "I need a new position" cry.  He is such a precious angel and I am so grateful to my great God for creating such a sweet boy. I know he was "wonderfully made" by the almighty creator. Each day, I thank God for this gift and pray I will raise him to be a strong Christian man. and soldier for Christ.

Anyway, I better go-I have only 30 minutes before he wakes up and I need to do a few more errands in the house.

Until next time-
Rachael

Me and my lil boy

 

 So relaxed!

 

Chilling on daddy's lap

Finn Walkup's birthday story...

Well, I wanted to make sure I had this documented somewhere. That way I would never forget his special day. Below are the sequences of event by time. And I'm warning you if you don't want to see how many centimeters I'm dilated then stop reading here :)

Saturday, 9/26/09

4:15 pm Checked into Northside Forsyth hospital
6:00 pm hospital food dinner and it wasn't too bad :)
6:55 pm was checked for dilation-around 1 cm and Cervadil was inserted.
9:00 pm contractions 5-7 minutes apart and getting stronger
10:00 pm considered active labor, contractions consistently 5 minutes apart and lasting 1 minute
11:00 pm Got a pain reliever the nurse called a "margarita" it only lasts 30 minutes buts its awesome!

Sunday, 9/27/09

3:00 am Had another margarita (still not sleeping)
6:00 am Cervidal taken out, checked for dilation, now at 2 cm with a soft cervix
7:00 am Contractions are now 3-4 minutes apart and lasting over a minute each, asked for epidural and not to get the piticion
8:30 am Finally got epidural and feeling much better!
10:00 am checked again, still at 2 cm-midwife broke my water
12:00 pm checked again, now at 3 cm
1:30 pm doctor visited us because of Finn's heart rate they were talking c-section
2:00 pm Finn's heart rate got better and now when I was checked I was 5 cm, they said it should be an hour a cm for now on out
3:30 pm Started feeling a lot of pressure and asked to be checked, I was at 9 cm!!
3:30 pm-4:40 pm epidural boosts because I lost the epidural on my left side and could feel everything-OUCH!
5:20 pm Started pushing....
5:44 pm Happy Birthday Finn!

Here are a few pictures :)

Ready for labor! :)

 

 His first picture

 

 The family of 3

 

 Me with the midwife, Betsy who delivered me

 

Finn sleeping day 4

It's a BOY!!!!!!!

We had a healthy baby boy on Sunday 9/27 at 5:44pm.  I will be updating more pictures and his birth story :) But for now this is all I had time for. Thank you for all the prayers. Labor was tough and so is recovering now. But every pain was worth every second I get with this sweet angel.

Oh, I almost forgot his name is....

Finn Wallace

7 lbs 1 oz

21 inches long

Dad's perspective

As I sit here I can't beleive that shortly I'm going to be a dad. Tons of emotions and feelings rush through my head. Rachael is asleep now resting and all is quite in the room, which really allows me to reflect on everything that has gone on these last 9 months. It has been 9 months of "firsts" First postive test, first ultrasound, first time watching "how to" dvd's, etc. I have really tried to soak it in as much as I could, but this quite moment really allows me to do that now. To think I'm going to be a dad is a huge undertaking, but one I know I can do with the support of my wife and Lord and Savior. I embrace this new responsibility and wait for the many "special" moments I will share with my baby, toddler, teenager, and adult. :) For now, I just soak it all in and wait for that moment that I wiil be a dad :)

Baby update #2

I'm going to be a mom today! Last night consisted of tossing and turning and very little sleep. :) I woke up w/ alot of pain and alot of contractions. I was able to get in the sweet whirpool tub, which eased the pain a little  bit. Just when I thought the pain couldn't get any worse the epidural come to my rescue :)  and I feel great and normal, which is kind of weird. My mom, mother-in-law, and sister were able to see me, which was great. Now I'm off to take a nap and get my last rest in before it is time for baby Walkup to make its arrive! :)

Baby update #1

We spend our day being lazy and waiting for the hospital to call. Greg watched college football and graded papers while I stayed in bed resting. While my mom was over visiting I got a nice surprise when the hospital called and said we could come early at 4:00 instead of later in the evening. It then alll became reality! Greg and I checked, double checked, and then checked again our lists of things to bring to the hospital. All of emotions of like , "wow, this is really going to happen!" started to sink in. We packed up and drove to the hospital in the rain. We checked in and were welcomed by a sweet staff. While I talked and filled out forms w/ the nurse Greg used this time to get the room set up like we were at a hotel on a vacation :) It is almost 10 and I'm having painful contractions, but can't wait for the end result :) Concentrating on my happy place, which for me is a visual of the ocean from the beach on my honeymoon. I will be induced tommorrow at 7. Hopefully I'll have time to take a dip in the sweet whirpool tub. If not, I know Greg will :) For now, goodnight and pray for a peaceful night as this time tommorrow I will be looking at my sweet baby's face :)

My last post pre-baby

Hey friends/prayer warriors,
Well, we are being induced this weekend! We will be admitted tomorrow night and then Sunday morning they will start Piticon. I can hardly believe that i'm gonna have a baby THIS weekend! Anyway, i'm on bedrest for the rest of today and tomorrow because of high blood pressure. So atleast I get to rest alot before the labor begins. Anyway, I'm writing one last post with some prayer requests and praises. I would really appreciate your prayers! And remember stay tuned updates will happen once labor begins.

::Requests::
-My blood pressure will stay until control through now, delivery, and afterwards
-Baby will be kept healthy through now and delivery
-Labor will be safe, good, and quick :)
-Gregory and I wont be overwhelmed with whats about to happen
-Gregory and I lean and depend on the Lord and each other this weekend
-I will be able to endure the pain of labor (until I can get the epidural)
-No complications during labor (praying for a natural delivery-no c-section)

::Praises::
-I've carried this baby 39 weeks
-Baby has been healthy the whole time
-We are getting to meet our baby early
-We will be delivering at a hospital 10 minutes from home
-We have everything we need for this newborn at home
-We're having a BABY!!!!!

Look how far we've come...

Here I am 10 weeks in...

And then here I am 39 weeks in...

I praise the Lord for this beautiful gift and can hardly wait to meet this little baby that has made me sick, kicked me, kept me company, and grown inside of me!

I'm looking forward to so many things :) This is going to be an amazing new chapter in my life.

Once we head into the hospital, my good friend Ashly will be updating the blog with my progress. So stay tuned!

Crafty friends and a sweet puppy!

I've come to realize I have some really crafty friends :) This was made by my friend Kim. Aren't these onesies and the burp clothe so cute! She made these for Baby Walkup and I absolutely love them, thanks Kim!

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My good friend Karin come over a two weeks ago to help me get my nursery organized. When she was here, I tested our dog Savannah to see how she would do with a 1 yr old. She did awesome, once I gave her boundaries she was good to go. Here are some fun pictures of the two of them. We couldn't get a great one of the both of them-but we did get an adorable picture of David :)

Isn't David precious?

Wait David, stay right there! haha!

Great picture of David, but Savannah-look at the camera!

Savannah was in a trance and David didn't want to sit there anymore-oh well! :)

The waiting game...

Yes thats right, just the waiting game! Last week, we had a false alarm. I went into labor but turns out it was just my body preparing. After 2 doctor visits and actually checking into the hospital we are left just waiting again :) We have 11 days til our due date and they are going by so slowly! Especially now that we had a close encouter with this sweet baby arriving. So the plan now is to rest and wait patiently. We go to the doctor next week on Thursday and they will discuss induction dates with us. We'd obviously like to go into labor on our own-but we will see.

I am resting on these words of the Lord. This is from the Message:
"But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind."
Isaiah 40:31

Only our BIG God knows the true due date of this sweet baby. So we must be patient and wait upon the Lord.

The good news is everything is ready at the house. Gregory and I can totally rest and spend time together. And for that I am very thankful. I'm in pain and could use LOTS of prayers. This baby is totally out of room and this first stage of labor is LONG!

Thanks in advance :)

The nursery completed and homemade gifts....

And the nursery is all complete! Here are some pictures, let me know what you think...

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For those of you that know me, you know i'm not a gifts person. I mean I love gifts, but I receive love through words. My love language is words of affirmation.However, lately-I have gotten some really sweet gifts for Baby Walkup. And you can see below why I love these so much. They are so precious and I will cherish them for years to come. Thanks to Jenni, Mata, Lynn, and Michelle for the awesome gifts!

This monkey was made by my sweet friend Jenni. It's completely handmade, isn't that awesome!

And these two hats/booties were given and made by Mata (our Slovokian sister) and a coworker of Greg's.  I think they are so sweet!

And these paintings are hand painted by my friend Michelle. They match the nursery perfect!

Nursery tour....

Here is a tour of the nursery. I just have to hang 3 frames and add a few pictures on the dresser. Let me know what you think!

Prayer requests...

This morning in my quiet time, the Lord reminded me to "be still and know that [He] is God". I know the power of prayer is huge, so I thought I would post some prayer requests on here. I would love it, if you could take a moment each day or once a week for the next 3 weeks to pray for me, Baby Walkup, and Greg. Please comment and let me know if your praying, even if I don't personally know you I would still love your prayers and i'd like to thank you :)

-I start progressing towards labor (they won't induce me before 10/2 unless i'm atleast 1 cm dilated-and i'd like to schedule with a doctor i know that week)
-Or that I go into labor on my own and don't have to be induced-God knows ths baby's birthday already!
-I can get some sleep over the next 3 weeks (haven't been sleeping much which is making me pretty irritable)
-That this baby will be healthy, a good eater, good sleeper, etc
-That Greg and I will lean on the Lord to prepare us for the baby
-Patience for me, I keep thinking 3 weeks isnt far at all but thats making it go slower
-Comfort for me when my body is very much in pain
-Safe delivery (if possible no c-section)
-That this experience has made my marriage stronger and we can rely on each other in the weeks to come

Thank you all so much! I'm excited for this new chapter to begin!

Ps-here's a picture of me from this past week...


Be sure to go to my blog and vote if you think Baby Walkup is gonna be a girl or boy :)

i know, i know...

I needed to update bad! I have been feeling so overwhelmed that I haven't even had time to write on here. I think its because I haven't been able to completely nest because I don't know where to put anything. I look in the drawers and think what would go best here? I look in the bins and think what would I be reaching for in here? It's all so hard to imagine since I don't know what life will be like with a newborn. So my nursery just has piles and piles of stuff on the floor. Lucky for me, my good friend Karin is coming over this week to help me organize!

So, other than those feelings-I'm also getting really excited. I see a light at the end of the tunnel of pregnancy and cannot wait to bring this sweet baby home. I also can't wait to find out if this baby is a girl or boy! Be sure and vote on my blog site, only 4 weeks left!

If you can be praying for me I would appreciate it. I am getting increasingly uncomfortable as the days pass. My right foot is VERY swollen and I can't seem to get the swelling to go down. I'm going to the bathroom almost every hour. Even with sleeping pills, I'm not sleeping more than 4 hours. I know I won't get to sleep that much once the baby is here but i'd like to sleep before he/she arrives! I'm having braxton hicks contractions ALOT. And they are painful :( Oh and I have feet in my ribs! Other than physical stuff, emotionally I'm kinda crazy too. I've been randomly crying for no reason, feeling anxious about delivery, and nervous about bring home a child to raise. I know this is all due to hormones and lack of sleep but it still makes it very hard to work all day then come home to a house I can't completely nest in then go to bed to do it all over again.

Thank you in advance!

I can't end the post without a few pictures from my last shower. It was thrown by the lovely Kristen Owen and Megan Gwinn. Here's a few of my favorites...

Here's me with my hostesses!

Me and Christy-our babies are only a few days apart!

Me and the sissa!

Me and Abuela (the mom in law)

Isn't this the cutest cake!?

Friends since high school, crazy to think we graduated almost 10 years ago! ahh!!

Big Rachel and Lil' Rachael reunited! So thankful for her words of encouragement!

**I wish I had pictures of me with everyone that was there. The shower was AWESOME! And Baby Walkup got TONS of gifts. Thanks to everyone for coming to celebrate with me! **

The start of the baby showers...

It's been so exciting to start having showers and getting cute stuff for the baby. It sure does make things feel more real. I get home and unload the stuff and realize a little person is gonna be using this stuff. I just can't wait! Anyway, I just wanted to post a few pictures form the last 2 showers. I have 3 more to go. I am so blessed!

Shower #1 (This was a surprise family shower when we went to Destin, FL for Memorial day. It was thrown by my mom, Aunt, and Grandma. So much fun!)

This is me being surprised!

Me with the hostesses-from left to right-Maw, Mom, Me, and Aunt Tavie

All the gifts and the cute cake

And this was one of my favorite outfits, it has little monkeys on the feet :)

Then we have shower #2. This shower was hosted by my good friends Candace, Karin, and Ashly. It was for all my friends from mentor group, mission trip, small group, and friends from church (Browns Bridge).

Here is me with my hostesses (from left to right-Candace, me, Karin, and Ashly)

This was so sweet-it;s a table set up for my guests to write notes of encouragement to me. I will really cherish this at 3 am feedings :)

I love this picture-it's Ashly and I, she is 3 weeks ahead of me. Our babies are saying hello to each other. Both of us are being surprised with the sex of the baby so it's been a fun journey so far!

And here is me and my momma!

YAY-I got the lil' lamb swing! I was really excited about this one, thanks mom!

So, that's it so far....

I have one on August 22nd in Kennesaw (hosted by Kristen and Megan), a work shower on September 10th (hosted by Brenda, Kelli, Gidget, and Elizabeth), and on September 19th (hosted by my moms). Much more fun to come!

....to be continued!