Austin and the Bear - 2 Months

What's that you're saying sister?

You mean I have to take pictures with this bear EVERY month?!?

Hey!  That's my purple baa!

And, we're done with pictures!

Halloween 2013

I asked Peyton about a month before Halloween what she wanted to be, and she answered, "a blue baa".  I loved how perfectly Peyton that was, but I doubted that she would stick with that answer; so, I didn't worry about her costume quite yet.  After Sierra's princess party, I was sure that Peyton would say she wanted to be a princess for Halloween (I was not looking forward to that), but to my surprise, when I asked her again she replied "a blue baa".  She even told her teachers at school that she was going to be a blue baa.  So, I had to begin searching for a blue baa/sheep costume.  Let me tell you, this does not exist!  I settled for a white sheep costume and a blue knit sheep hat that I figure she can wear for years to come.

I first attempted to dye the costume blue, but it just turned a dirty lavender color.  I then spray painted it.  It wasn't the best paint job (you can still see a bit of dirty lavender, and it smelled a little), but hey, it was the best we could do!

Peyton's school had a Halloween parade and lunch on the 30th, and Lala, Austin, and I were able to go.  It was so much fun to see Peyton and all her friends dressed up!

And it was so fun to get to squeeze into the tiny chairs to have lunch with her  Such fun treats they had...pumpkin shaped sandwich, ghost bananas, pumpkin oranges, and pumpkin cookies!

Even I enjoyed a yummy cookie with my coffee :)

Austin slept the entire time we were there!  He and purple baa were worn out ;)

I'm not at all biased, but she was definitely the cutest one there!!

On actual Halloween day, Tia, Tio, Sierra, Reid, Poppa, and Lala all came over to go trick or treating with us which was so much fun!  Peyton was definitely more into trick or treating this year, and it was really fun to watch.  Multiple people asked Peyton what she was dressed up as, and when she responded, "a blue baa", she got quite a few blank stares.  I love my unique little girl!  She's definitely  opinionated and knows just what she likes!  A great trait to have (in my opinion) ;)

Peyton the blue baa

Princess Sierra

Pirate Reid

Her first taste of Twizzlers...she was a fan!

Silly/crazy Poppa.  Trying to be scary for Halloween.

Austin wasn't scared at all ;)

Silly, sweet girls :)

I asked Peyton to hold my hand at one point, and she said, "No, Tio's!"  The three of them sure look cute!

Our little blue baa with a blue lollipop.

Austin's 6 - 7.5 Week

I remember Peyton's sixth week being one of her roughest and reading that this is generally regarded as the peak of infant's fussiness; so, I was prepared (as prepared as you can be) for Austin to have a rough week.  Well, he didn't disappoint ;)  He had been sleeping 4 - 5 hr stretches of sleep at night, but reverted back to waking up every 3 hrs from when he started eating.  He continued this for about a week and a half until he finally started sleeping for longer stretches again.  He only had one really bad night where he was wide awake from midnight until 4 AM.  We are very glad that we are past that particular "milestone" of peaked fussiness, and hope that he doesn't revert back to it any more!

Boys Can be Gross

In our first week home with Austin, he threw up all over Matt, peed and pooped mid diaper change countless times, and peed all over me while I was feeding him.  The peeing on me while feeding him was especially fun when it happened twice in the middle of the night....there was lots of changing of clothes that night!  His burps and toots are also much grosser than Peyton's ever were.  He sounds like a grown person/man when he does them!  I know this is only the beginning too!

First 2 Weeks

 

Austin is such a laid back, easy going little guy!  He really just eats, sleeps, and poops :)  He rarely cries, and when he does, it sounds so quiet.  He doesn't appear to have the lungs that his sister has!  Amazingly, he never seemed to have his days and nights confused.  From day 1, he would eat at night and go right back to sleep.  I keep waiting for this to change, but so far, so good (knock on wood)!

 

Peyton has been very sweet with Austin, but mostly ignores him.  She is very excited to see him first thing in the morning, and asks what he's doing and where he is throughout the day, but she doesn't really try to interact with him much (which is a good thing at this point).  One day he was fussing, and she looked at me and said, "can you please feed my baby brother?"  So sweet!!

 

Austin has had quite a few visitors in his first two weeks.  Nana and Goo Goo came all the way from Georgia to meet him.  Jen R came up from San Antonio after working one Saturday, during her busy season, just to meet him.  And of course, visits from Poppa, Lala, Tia, Sierra, Reid, Tera, Katie & Sophie, and Madelyn and her mommy.  We've been taken very good care of with many home cooked delicious meals too!

 

Our first two weeks as a family of four has been a much easier transition than I expected.  Other than a rough few days of recovery on my end (as well as some nursing issues), it has been a great two weeks!  I can't wait to see how Austin's personality will develop over the next few months!  I sure hope he continues to be so easy going and sweet!!



Eviction Day

Eviction Day

 

Tuesday, September 10, 2013 was the big day.  My doctor had agreed to induce at 39 weeks since Peyton had been so big and since second babies, and boys, tend to be bigger.  So, we scheduled the induction for September 10 (exactly 39 weeks and not 1 day more).

 

 

Peyton went to stay at Poppa and LaLa's house the night before because we had to be at the hospital at 7 in the morning.  As soon as we were checked into the room, they hooked me up to the contraction machine and I was already having contractions.  This wasn't surprising to me because I'd been having Braxton Hicks contractions for months (from as early on as the beginning of the second trimester).  The contractions weren't regular, but I was dilated to a 3 - 4 and 75% effaced; so, we figured/hoped everything would go quickly.  Once they got my IV in (took 3 times again, just like with Peyton), they started the Pitocin.  The doctor came in to try and break my water but wasn't able to.  So we just waited.  Tera came by on her way to work to say hi and see how we were doing.

 

The doctor came back around 9:30/10 and broke my water.  The contractions started to get a little stronger; so, I went ahead and asked for the epidural.  Once that was in, we just hung out some more.  Tera came back to visit around lunch, and there hadn't been much progress.  The doctor checked me and I was still only 4 cm dilated and negative 1.  We told Tera we didn't think he would be ready until closer to 5 since I hadn't progressed much.

 

The nurse came in around 1 and kept asking if I was feeling any pressure, but I wasn't feeling anything.  Matt left to go to the bathroom, and all of a sudden I felt A LOT of pressure.  Then a minute later I felt A LOT of pressure again.  I let the nurse know; so, she checked me and I was 10 cm and positive 2...ready to push!  I couldn't believe I had progressed so quickly!  I immediately texted Matt to hurry back because I was about to start pushing.  The doctor came in along with 3 other nurses.  Thankfully, Matt made it back in time (I was really starting to get nervous)!  I started pushing at 1:20, and Austin Copeland Walker was born at 1:35!  Only 15 minutes of pushing!!  It was very surreal because it all happened so quickly!

 

 

He was so quiet when he came out, that I was a little nervous, but he was completely fine!  He weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and was 19 inches long.  He seemed so tiny!! 

 

 

LaLa headed over as soon as she heard I was starting to push, and met him shortly after he was born.  Tera also came back to meet him right away.  Big sister was still napping; so, Poppa was waiting for her to wake up before bringing her up to the hospital to meet her new baby brother.  When Peyton got there, she was so excited to see Austin!  Her expression when she first saw him was priceless!! 

 

Tia, Tio, Sierra, and Reid also came up that evening to meet Austin and every brought cupcakes to celebrate his birthday!  Sierra, Reid, and Peyton all sang Happy Birthday to him (in whisper voices).  It was very sweet :)

 

Can't believe our little guy is finally here!!

Blast from the Past

Does this look familiar?

Poor, poor bunny!

An Apple a Day

When we gave Peyton a whole apple for the first time, this is how she proceeded to eat it...

From the bottom up!  I've never seen anyone eat an apple like this before, but I guess when your mouth is so small and the apple is so big, this is the easiest way to eat it!

Turtle Cup!

I had a thing for turtles in high school and college, and it looks like that has been passed on to Peyton!

This picture is one of my absolute favorites!  I could stare at it all day long!

Love that little Cheerio on her hand :)

Perfecting the Pout

I'm not sure if Peyton wants to be a model or what, but she's been perfecting her pouty lips lately.

Easter

Peyton had her first Easter basket this year from Poppa and LaLa.  She was very interested in the eggs (this was one of her favorite things last year when we got a purple, plastic egg from Sierra).

You sure I can open this Momma?

Oh wow, there's something in here!

Mmmm, Cheerios!

Wow, this is one big bunny!

Heehee, this remote is more fun because I don't think I'm supposed to have it!!

Artist in the Making?

Sick Baby

We have been very fortunate that Peyton hasn't been sick very often.  She's only really had a fever once, well that was recently.  It was so, so sad to see her sick like this.  She just laid around and was constantly whining/whimpering and seemed to have absolutely no energy, not even to stand up at times.  

We called the doctor who said it is probably just a virus that needs to run its course; so, we just had to wait it out.  Well, Reid was sick too and tested positive for strep; so, we decided to take her in to get tested for strep just in case.  The strep screen they do in the office came back positive.  The doctor was surprised by this because Peyton didn't have the symptoms of strep; so, the doctor sent the test off to the lab to get a culture done.  Since this would take a few days, she gave us amoxicillin to start giving to Peyton just in case.  The culture came back negative a few days later; so, we stopped the amoxicillin, but the next day she broke out in this rash.  This is what it looked like in the morning.

We took her into the doctor around lunch and the doctor said it was probably just related to the virus she has.  Well, later that day the rash started to spread and get worse and looked like this.

I was worried it was an allergic reaction to the amoxicillin (I'm allergic to penicillin), but we took Peyton in and the doctor still thought it was just related to the virus.  She had this awful rash for 4 - 5 days and she was so miserable.  It itched and she would scratch at her arms and belly and look up at us w/ these sad eyes like, "what is wrong with my skin?  why does it feel like this?"  Benadryl didn't help and we eventually took her back to the doctor for a steroid shot and a different medicine to help with the itching.  After that, the rash got a little better and the other medicine helped with the itching.  It was a long week for all of us, and we are so glad that it is in the past now!

This was at its worst.  Her entire chest and belly were one big red area :(