Today is a big day for me

Today is a big one, Mr. Bishop is 6 weeks old today! I know, I know you probably think I'm crazy and actually have every right to think so. I however am very grateful for today. Today marks 6 weeks of successfully breastfeeding AND he is gaining weight! That and right there, that is what I am so happy about. He's gaining weight. He's getting fat, pudgy, rolly polly like. He's not losing or staying at one steady weight. This means a lot to me. It means it's working. It means he's getting all the nourishment and filling his belly from breastmilk.

Now, you are probably wondering why I'm so ecstatic. If you don't know (which I'm sure few of you don't) is because I tried breastfeeding Dane. At 6 weeks old, Dane wasn't gaining weight. He wasn't losing. He stayed at a steady weight that eventually started to become concerning to his doctor. She who is very pro-breastfeeding was uncomfortable with how he wasn't gaining. With how he didn't seem to be getting enough to fill and nourish him like he should. It made me feel like a failure, like I couldn't do this one thing right. At 3 months we started supplementing but at 6 weeks she started taking notice in his weight gain or really lack of.

My biggest fear when Bishop arrived we would suffer the same that we did with Dane (photo of him at 6 weeks to the right). Once Dane started to supplement he flourished. He gained weight so fast that he went from our skinny little baby to the nickname chunkamunk. He self weaned at almost 9 months. So he had some, not  lot at then and the formula was his main source but we made it far even if it wasn't just me.

So yes, 6 weeks this time around with the weight gain, the fat face, legs, thighs, wrist rolls and chunky tummy, yes I am happy. Very happy. I think I have every right to be. The struggles we had with Dane broke my heart and now i get my chance at success. I wish everyone who wanted this could experience it.

Our next nursing milestone is 3 months and at this rate I have no fear that we won't make it and he won't be even fatter! I have hope and that hope will keep me going. So yes, laugh at me if you must but this makes me feel good inside. It makes me feel happy that its going great, that we're getting the bond I wanted with Gage and lost with Dane. I feel like we finally got it right. Ups and downs are always there with nursing. Bishop and I have had ours but he's been like a pro from day one. No issues latching and surpassed his birth weight by 3 weeks. As well as the weight Dane was at, at 3 months. They weighed the same, if you need an idea of how the weight difference was. At 3 months Dane weighed what Bishop weighed at 3 weeks, they were both the same weight at birth.

So I feel I earned this and cannot wait until we earn our 3 month award as well :)

ps, a little side note - the outfit bishop is wearing both parts are 3 months old and he fits just fine in them. Dane never would have at that age!

6 weeks!

Saying Goodbye to the bink

Time to say goodbye to our old friend the bink. It's a lot sooner then we had planned honestly but he seems to be doing very well. He started off by chewing 95% of the binks he had and we told him, when you chew and break the last one they're gone. No more. He however lost his last bink and we cannot locate it. So we kinda were pushed into the no more bink situation sooner then we thought we would be. Dane seems to be handling it like a champ though! He took a nap yesterday sans bink and even went to bed without one. He was supposed to take a nap without one today but the whole nap thing didn't happen. He did just go down to bed without one and so far no peep.

He's doing very well, a lot better then I figured. It may sound bad but the bink was his comfort item. He adjusted so well to Bishop being here that the bink seems to just be another thing of the past. Which is good. He did not ask for it once today which I figured he would. Nope. I'm so proud of him! He's doing so well with this. 

So, Goodbye bink! I hope you make another baby happy like you did Dane.

It's the great pumpkin! Or not..

October is by far probably my favorite month out of the whole year. Where we live the tree colors are changed, the air is crisp and the temps are nice and cool. Its my ideal weather. If only it could be like this all year. Comfortable and beautiful. Ha, if only! This past weekend was a very good one, one we haven't had in a long time. Saturday we got the boys their halloween costumes and then had my mom and step-dad over for homemade pizza and a few rounds of Euchre (you-ker). Jason and I beat their butts by the way, but thats another post to brag about.

Sunday we decided since we knew this would be the only time this month we'd have extra money to do it, we'd go to the pumpkin patch. This is one tradition we do yearly. I grew up going with my mom and apple picking as well that it was something that I wanted to continue with my children. It's fun going out in a tractor into the fields to search for your perfect pumpkin, instead of going into a grocery store and just grabbing one.

We had a great time, everything came together how we wanted. Dane was cute because he was afraid of the big tractor as it came back to pick us up. He held onto me and Jason got a photo of him. He looked so afraid! Gage had a blast picking out the gigantic pumpkins. He kept wanting to take them home haha. We finally settled on 3 pumpkins. Gage got the biggest, Dane the medium and Bishop the smallest.

Both boys enjoyed the tractor ride and Bishop slept soundly in the moby wrap. It was an all around good day despite a few setbacks, we all had fun. Oh and got some very yummy donuts and cider!

I love this time of year because of these things. Making special memories for my boys that I had when I was growing up. Each year it'll get better and better. These are memories I want my boys to have forever.

See the rest beyond this link!

Mr. Bishop!

Mr Bishop is finally 1 month! Time sure is flying and I can't believe it. I swore it would take forever for him to send me into labor and here we are, he's a month old already. Well, yesterday October 1st he turned a month but I didn't get a chance to make a post.

We are getting coo's now, nursing like a champ as well as social smiles! I am loving every moment with him. I love seeing the older boys interacting with him as well. Melts my heart :)