Kyle said he has never gotten a Birthday call from his Grandpa it is always from his Grandma. This phone call was the best, truly Grandpa Ballard style. I love that Grandma says "Larry" in a stern voice after he swears! Grandpa is tying Gus' shoe in this picture.
One Month
This little mister turned one month old today! It is really cliche to say this, but the past month has flown by!
Sleeping: At night he will do a 3-4 hour block, then up every 2 after that just to eat then he is back to sleep.
Feeding: I haven't had any dairy since his birth, or chocolate, or onions, or tomatoes. I was eating copious amounts of peanut butter and the last time I took him to see Dr. Last he suggested I cut out nuts to see if that helps his gas and guess what it did!!! I also have either a forceful let down, or an oversupply so burping during and after feedings is mandatory. He gulps so much air and chokes during feedings it is unreal.
Awake: He can stay awake for 1-2 hours, he usually sleeps for 2 or 3 hours then is up for 1-2 hours during the day.
Smiling: he started smiling at my last week, true smiles not just gas smiles.
Temperament: He is such a peaceful baby, happy and content when fed and burped.
The Month Of Love
This past month in pictures. I had a Birthday 2 days after Oliver was born, Kyle got me a cute gold arrow necklace, and a necklace that has a G and O wax seal style. We celebrated Valentines, Gus got a new (wood and fake) Case knife. Gus got another haircut by Shane, he is so good during them. Kyle has gone trapping lots, and bike riding lots hence the last pic. He has caught 2 bobcats and 5 coyotes. Oliver has been smiling lots, and sleeping lots. We have had some cute visitors (Tennile and Montana), we went to the Bacciocco's one night and had sushi. Oliver met Great Grandma Ballard and Great Grandpa Ballard. Last but not least I haven't slept much;)
2 Weeks
2 Week Check Up
Weight 7.6 lbs 21%
Length 20.5 46%
Everyone that sees Oliver in person says he is so much smaller than his pictures make him out to be. I think it is his full kissable cheeks! He is such a good baby, only cries when he is hungry or gassy. I still haven't had dairy and he hasn't had any gas issues other than the day we ate at Cafe Rio. Oliver randomly has projectile vomit, it amazes me his stomach can hold so much milk! He is starting to be awake more which is fun, we can keep him up in the evening for a little over an hour! He loves taking a real bath now that his umbilical cord and circumcision has healed. He wakes up most nights 2 times which is a dream come true. Overall he is such a sweet baby!
The First Week
What an eventful week we have had. It all started on last Tuesday when Gus woke up from his nap. He felt hot so I checked his temperature and it was 102.7. I didn't know what to do with Gus, my sweet sister Amy said she didn't care if he came to her house with a fever so we took Gus up there. We had an appointment with Dr. Last to get Oliver circumcised, so I was just going to ask Dr. Last about Gus while we were there. Oliver's circumcision went well, other than Dr. Last complaining the scissors weren't very sharp. yikes. I told him about Gus and he seemed pretty alarmed so he said to have Amy bring him in. Gus is so good at the doctors, he let Dr. Last listen to him and luckily he said his lungs seemed clear. He has had a nasty fever and cough the past week, but every time I listened to his lungs they were clear! Dr. Last was worried it might turn into RSV and with Oliver just 5 days old, Kyle and I were a nervous wreck! Poor Gus couldn't come close to Oliver, which made life hard for everyone. My knuckles and hands are cracked I have washed them so many times the past week. Gus has been sleeping worse than Oliver because he is so sick, after every entry into his room at night I had to change my shirt and wash my hands so Oliver wouldn't get sick. We have gone on lots of walks with Gus trying to get him out of the house even though he doesn't feel good. I think Gus has made the transition into being a brother pretty good considering how sick he has been. It is fun now that Gus is starting to clear up he loves to give Oliver kisses (I only let him kiss the back of his head).
I have been keeping a sleep log of Oliver for future reference.
Night 1 and 2 were pretty much the same
Feed at 7 pm
Feed at 10:30 pm, then he was up until 3 am with really bad gas. He ate every hour
Feed at 6 am
Feed at 9 am
Night 3
Feed 9:30 pm
Feed 11:45 pm
Feed 1:30 am then up every 1 1/2 hours to eat (growth spurt?)
Night 4
Feed 8:30
Feed 11:30 then up every 1 1/2 hours to eat (growth spurt?)
Night 5, 6, 7...
Feed at 8:45pm bath at 9pm
Keep awake as much as possible until 10 or 11 pm
Feed at 2 am
Feed at 6 am
Feed at 9 am
You Down With O.B.B.
OLIVER BRUCE BALLARD
Born January 25th 2013 at 6:06 pm
7 pounds 2 ounces 20 inches long
HIS BIRTH
The night before I was to be induced Kyle called labor and delivery to see if they could guesstimate as to when we would be called in. The girl said we were 3rd and historically it is anywhere from 9-12. So we called Caitlyn and told her that she didn't need to stay the night because they wouldn't call until later.
Gus was up a LOT that night!!!! At 5:20 am I get a call from Kim Postma from labor and delivery saying did you get our message? I guess they had called at 4:30 am, one of the times I was up with Gus. Kim said they wanted us there by 6:00. I hurried and called Amy so she could have Caitlyn come down, and we hurriedly got ready. It was a slightly drizzy drive over, I was crying already thinking that I was shafting Gus. It was such a weird emotion. I was afraid the love I would have for this new baby would take some of the love I had for Gus. Strange. We got to Labor and Delivery around 6:30 or so. I got hooked up to the IV by 7:00, that is also when Dr. Lunt broke my water. Then the waiting game began. I was handling the contractions pretty good until 12:30 or 1. I was dilated to a 4 with contractions every two minutes. After the epidural at 12:30 I fell asleep for an hour (much needed after the horrible night with Gus). At 2:30 Dr. Lunt came in and I was dilated to a 5+ or 6, at 3:30 the nurse checked me I was a 6+, then the next hour they had me rotate side to side which helped a ton (they did this with Gus at hour 22 and the next baby I have I am going to start laying side to side at hour 1). By 4:30 I was a 8 and my mom and Ashlee showed up (Amy and Naomi were both home sick). At 5:30 I was dilated to a 9+, the nurse called Dr. Lunt he showed up close to 6:00. When he showed up I pushed through 1 contraction and he said ok ok thats enough, he hurried and got ready. I pushed through 2 more contractions and out popped baby Oliver. I was the one who cut the cord!! I loved my epidural this time, I never pushed the pca pump, by the time I was ready to push I could move both my legs but felt no pain. I felt everything during the delivery besides pain it was amazing! My sister Amy said she could have been drinking a diet coke when she delivered her 2nd (Caitlin) and I felt the same way. Everything about this pregnancy, labor, and delivery has been much easier. My tail bone doesn't hurt HALLELUJAH , which makes life easier I can actually do normal daily activities this time.
Oliver has been such a good baby since the moment he was born. He has a much milder temperament than Gus has ever had. He breast feeds like a champ and will go 3-4 hours between feedings, which makes nights a dream come true! I haven't eaten dairy since the first 2 days, both nights I ate dairy Oliver had the worst gas, it was so sad. I cut out dairy and he hasn't had issues since. Oliver takes a binki which I have mixed emotions about. Kyle's Aunt Shelley came and visited us one night and she is all about horoscope signs. She said Kyle and Gus are both water signs, and Oliver and I are air signs. Then we told her about their temperaments which she went crazy over. lol.
HIS NAME
Oliver gets his name from my Mom's side. Her great great great grandpa was Oliver Stratton Sr. Who was asked by President Brigham Young, along with 11 other of the most successful farmers, to go to Virgin, Utah and raise cotton and molasses cane. Oliver was very well educated and helped build the St. George temple, and held the priesthood of the seventy. Now this is where it gets interesting. I am named after Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton, who married Oliver Stratton Seniors son, James Albert. Here is a link of a story published in The Friend about Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton. CLICK HERE
Oliver Senior's wife Harriet died leaving a 6 month old baby. Harriet asked Emily Amanda to take care of her baby and other children. So Emily Amanda along with James Albert took care of the children along with Oliver Senior who lived for 8 years after Harriet passed away.
Oliver has been such a good baby since the moment he was born. He has a much milder temperament than Gus has ever had. He breast feeds like a champ and will go 3-4 hours between feedings, which makes nights a dream come true! I haven't eaten dairy since the first 2 days, both nights I ate dairy Oliver had the worst gas, it was so sad. I cut out dairy and he hasn't had issues since. Oliver takes a binki which I have mixed emotions about. Kyle's Aunt Shelley came and visited us one night and she is all about horoscope signs. She said Kyle and Gus are both water signs, and Oliver and I are air signs. Then we told her about their temperaments which she went crazy over. lol.
HIS NAME
Oliver gets his name from my Mom's side. Her great great great grandpa was Oliver Stratton Sr. Who was asked by President Brigham Young, along with 11 other of the most successful farmers, to go to Virgin, Utah and raise cotton and molasses cane. Oliver was very well educated and helped build the St. George temple, and held the priesthood of the seventy. Now this is where it gets interesting. I am named after Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton, who married Oliver Stratton Seniors son, James Albert. Here is a link of a story published in The Friend about Emily Amanda Gardner Stratton. CLICK HERE
Oliver Senior's wife Harriet died leaving a 6 month old baby. Harriet asked Emily Amanda to take care of her baby and other children. So Emily Amanda along with James Albert took care of the children along with Oliver Senior who lived for 8 years after Harriet passed away.
I cut the cord
Gus facetiming with Dad and Oliver
Dr. Lunt. The Best!
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