The best of both worlds

When I found out I was pregnant I really hoped that I would get big. I didn't want people to wonder if I was just getting fat. Another hope I had was that I would have a little baby. That little baby phase goes so quickly and it's barely even there if you end up giving birth to a toddler. Well I got both. This picture was taken about 13 hours before my water broke, so as you can see I got pretty big. The nice thing is Owen was a small baby (6lbs 7.7oz) compared to most other babies that are anywhere from 8 - 10lbs. On Wednesday Owen had his 2 month check-up and he now weights 10lbs 5oz and he's 22 inches long. This is still pretty small for most 2 month olds, but the doctor said he's just growing at his own rate and he's perfectly healthy. For weight he is in the 9th percentile, for height he's in the 7th, but his head circumference is in the 49th percentile. Michael says he's got a big head because everyone keeps telling him he's so cute. I just thank God that I had a C-Section.

Fingers vs. Pacifier??

Owen has never really been crazy about his pacifier. He likes it when he needs it for comfort which is usually right before he falls asleep. When he's done, out it comes. For weeks we could tell that he really wanted to suck on his fingers, but since he had yet to figure out that he could control his hands he wasn't able to do it. Now he has it all figured out and he loves to suck on his fingers. Here's the dilemma...should I put a pacifier in his mouth every time he tries to suck his finger? I mean you can always take away a pacifier, but his hand is attached to him. Here's what I think...either way he is going to have to unlearn sucking either a pacifier or his fingers. Also a pacifier can be lost or forgotten so in a time of need fingers could come in very handy (no pun intended). If you have an opinion on the matter or first hand experience please let me know.

The other side of the world

Owen is definitely right side dominant. He kicks is right leg more, he shakes his right hand more and he looks to the right....all the time! In fact his cute little head is starting to get flat on the right side. At his last doctors appointment I mentioned it and he said to try laying him the opposite way in his crib so he will want to look to the left and not at the wall. So far it's working...kindof! He still looks to the right a lot, but slowly he is discovering there is another side to this world of his.

Sleep

Last night Owen slept 7 hours!!! I actually woke up and went in and checked on him. Yeah I know paranoid mom! It was so wonderful, but at the same time my body is not used to that anymore. After I checked on him I pretty much just laid there until he woke up. Owen really is a good baby when it comes to sleep. Ever since he was 5 weeks old he's only been waking up to eat once in the middle of the night and then 2 weeks ago he decided that he wanted to be put down at night to go to sleep all on his own. We are definitely blessed!

Smiling! :)

Owen has been smiling in his sleep since the day he was born, but at 9 weeks he started actually smiling when you talk to him. Now he's cooing and telling you all about his day. I love that he's more responsive. Each day with him is a breath of fresh air filled with surprises!

He's a star!

Owen is the first blood grandchild on my side and the 6th on Michael's side. I have quickly realized that during my pregnancy I was the center of attention, but now very suddenly I have become chump change. Everything is now referred to as Owen's - We're going to Owen's house for dinner or we're going downtown in Owen's van...etc. He is the star now and I'm happy to take a bow and let him have the stage!

Love

I love Owen! It's a love that's hard to explain. It's still hard for me to believe that I carried him and he grew inside of me. I still haven't been away from him and he's almost 11 weeks old and I never grow tired of him. I do grow tired, but not tired of him. Sometimes when he's slept for a good amount of time I actually miss him and he's just in the other room. There are so many things I love about him - the way he smiles when you talk to him, his coos, the way he can entertain himself in his playpen so I can get the dishes done, I even loves his cries because they tell me he needs me. One day he won't need me as much, but I will remember the time when he needed me for everything. This is a special time in his life and I am cherishing every minute.

Anwser to prayer!

Owen Michael Martin is an answer to pray! Many, many people prayed for him, some we know and some we don't. A BIG thank you - God was listening! We've been waiting for him for 6 long years and I wouldn't change a thing! Owen came into our lives at exactly the right time. Michael and I have a strong marriage - we were able to have fun going and doing things - we have a wonderful house - we are more financially stable. So I guess it goes to show that God does know a thing or two about timing. He is so GREAT!

Coming Home

Owen came home from the hospital on Thursday, January 18th 2007. He had spent the whole night in the light box and when the pediatrician checked him out in the morning he was doing so much better. We left the hospital in the afternoon and drove straight home. Since Owen came early we didn't have the car seat installed in the van so Michael had to do that at the hospital. Come to find out that the middle seat and the size of Owen's car seat really weren't compatible. I ended up sitting in the front passenger seat with my knees touching the dashboard the whole ride home. We have since changed things so they are more safe for everyone.

Traumatic

When Owen was 2 days old he had to have light therapy. At the time it was very traumatic because all I wanted to do was hold my baby, but I couldn't because he could only come out of the box when he needed to eat. To make matters worse my milk came in during this time and Owen was having a hard time eating. We ended up having to supplement with formula because he had lost too much weight. He ended up going down to 5lbs 14oz. However, this situation really turned out to be a blessing from God because Michael and I were able to rest since Owen was hooked up to machines that would alert us if anything was wrong. It's amazing how fear can grab a hold of you when it comes to the health and safety of your child. Also since my milk came in I was able to get some advise from the lactation specialist and we ended up renting a pump to take home. All in all we were very thankful that Owen was well taken care of by the nurses and doctors at Swedish. Also the pictures of him in the light box are so cute!!

Birth - Day

In the early morning hours of January 15th 2007 I woke up to discover my water had broke. Owen was breeched so I had to have a C-Section. He was born at 6:04am at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. He was 6lbs 7.7oz and 19 1/4 inches long.

Why blog?

It's so hard to remember to email updates about Owen to everyone who's interested. I thought I would create a blog so those who wanted to could check back occasionally and see what he's is up to. The first couple of posts will be old news since he's 10 weeks old already (Can you believe it?) and I want to start from his birth. Enjoy! :)