Pictures and Update... :)

Where has the time gone?? I can't believe that my smiley little boy is almost 6 months old!!! There are a bunch of pictures I have on my camera that I haven't even shown anybody! I am going to start working on a photo book so I can have it done by his first birthday!!

As some of you know, I attempted a "natural" birth.. Free of drugs or many interventions. It is crazy how plans can change!! Good thing I am a pretty flexible person. I started having contractions on Tuesday 8/6( my due date), after my appointment for 40 week check up. My doctor did an ultrasound to check on the Baby, and noticed that my amniotic fluid levels were low, and so he thought it would be best to induce me on Friday(8/9/13) if labor hadn't started naturally. We gave this some thought, I really didn't want to be induced because I knew the rate for C-sections would increase a lot, but we decided that it was probably the right choice. However, on Thursday night, my contractions were so strong that I couldn't sleep and so we decided to head to the hospital since they were going to induce me in the morning anyway. When we got there, they decided to just get the induction process started so they started my IV pitocin at about 1:00 am. I labored naturally for 10 hours ( until about 11:30) and at that point I was SO exhausted, Ryan was exhausted ( because we hadn't slept in about 36 hours) and so I just decided to get the epidural so that we could rest until the baby was ready to come! BEST DECISION EVER. My epidural went so smoothly, ended up being mild enough that i could feel my legs through the entire labor process, and that 2 hour nap really was just what my body needed to get ready to give birth. (Ryan sure appreciated the nap as well). I had the BEST nurses in L&D. They were so awesome and really did a great job helping me labor naturally, and then didn't hesitate to call that anesthesiologist when I said I wanted that epidural. 

Finally about 4:00 I felt some pressure and had the nurse check, and sure enough I was fully dilated!  An hour later our little Scotty was born. ( I was sure glad when he came out that he ended up being a boy- I kept having nightmares that after all our planning, naming, etc. that he would end up being a girl. haha) Ryan's Mom, my Mom and Dad were all there in the room for his birth, which was really special. I hadn't planned on it being that way, but really appreciated the extra cheering section. :) 

  Ryan and his Mom had a very emotional moment when the baby was born, and so my Mom was actually the one who cut the cord! Pretty Neat!! I'm glad that they could all be there to share that special moment with us.

Born 8/9/13 at 5:14 PM 6lb 12 oz. our little Scott Ivan Olsen

Proud Daddy

Has Mama's eyes.. and big hands and feet! Gonna be a Tall Boy!

Pictures that were taken by the hospital photographers, BellaBaby

Grandma and Scotty

I love that precious, perfect, round little head!

Hated his Carseat from day one...

With cousins Eliza and Delaney

The first of many naps with Daddy. 

Loves with Grandpa Olsen

First bath at home... " MOM.. What I don't think i like this???" ( now he LOVES bath time)

Like father.. Like son

With Aunt Crissy on his blessing day 9/1/13

Scott is named after his Uncle Scott Olsen. Scott passed away on July 2, 2013... about a month before little Scotty was born. While we were in the hospital, Ryan and I both had strong impressions that we should name our little boy after Scott. Crissy( Scott's wife) gave her blessing to use his name, and that is how our little Scotty got his name!! He now has many nicknames... including "Biscotti"..." Scit Scott".... "Booger".... "Scotty Boo Boo"...

Not  so happy... but at least he is wearing the right colors!!!

I  LOVE those bright blue eyes!!!

Pretty sure i have the Smiliest baby ever!! Loved that bouncy seat until he outgrew it at about 4 months.. he still loves to bounce though! Now he bounces in his "saucer".

I call this one... "Crazy Eyes..."

Big boy in his Big Boy highchair!! Someone eats oatmeal cereal now!!

Scotty LOVES his Woody and Bullseye he got for Christmas!

Look who is sitting up!!!!

Little guy loves his "saucer"

Little guy loves being NAKED!!! I couldn't resist taking this.... ( 1/23/13)

A Realization

           I realize I never finished my pregnancy post... And let's be honest... I'm not so sure it will ever get finished. We had some pretty rough times in the last 2 months of my pregnancy... And I want to focus on the happy things. New year, Fresh outlook on life!

         One of the things I find most interesting with becoming a parent is the advice that people are so eager to give... Many times it's very appreciated and useful advice, but some pieces of "advice" that people choose to share can be condescending or make me feel like I'm a bad Mom! It took me a few months to realize that since I am the one raising my sweet baby, what really matters is what I feel is right .
           We are "blessed" with one of those stubborn babies who does NOT like to sleep. He is so alert and involved in what's around him, that he doesn't want to miss out so to him, sleeping doesn't seem like fun! I read 4 books on sleep training... Different methods, tips and tricks, etc. Looking for any insight I could to help my baby( and me) get some much needed sleep. I asked so many people "HOW did you get your baby to sleep??" What surprised me the most is that for so many parents out there, sleep never was a problem for their baby! They have little angels that sleep well, and they never really had to do sleep training, or put much effort into coaxing their little one to sleep. This made me so frustrated! I am such a busy Mom... I work ( full time at the moment) and am in my last semester of nursing school. My husband also works full time, which means that we both have been so sleep deprived and emotionally drained that our lives outside our home have pretty much disappeared.

         
                After over a month of severe sleep deprivation , things have FINALLY started to get better. We have finally started to see progress in sleeping habits of Scotty... Not by following any of these "sleep plans", not by strictly letting our baby cry.. But by a unique method which is driven by the instinct of his parents! The books on the subject were very useful, as were many pieces of advice given by multiple friends and family members. However, the most useful insight in this situation was my own instinct and knowledge of my baby's personality! No, things aren't perfect yet, but getting 4-5 straight hours of sleep inbetween waking is a HUGE step for us.  And what's even better, Scotty is learning to fall asleep on his own. No more endless rocking, shushing, and pacifiers to get him to sleep( only to have him wake when I try to put him in the crib). As I speak, he is down for a nap that he 1. Didn't take endless rocking to fall asleep.  2. Was put into the crib awake and calmed himself to sleep!
         
          I guess my point is, there are so many different aspects of parenting, and thanks to social media, all we see are these "perfect" babies and parents. It is easy to feel like a bad Mom! But I know that nothing is perfect, raising a child is HARD, and this is just the beginning!! I feel like my baby is healthy, growing physically and mentally, and that makes me the BEST mom I can be!!! I love this little guy so much!