Pics from Uncle Ed and Aunt Laura

They always look like they're getting into something when they're together!

Henry: But wait a minute!

SJ: NO! Don't say anything.

Caught in the Act!!!

4+ Months

So SJ is now almost 5 months. It still amazes me at how fast he's growing. Everyone tells you that will happen, but you can't believe it until you spend every day with an infant. He is the best thing in the world to us. Our world is completely overtaken by him - every conversation etc. IT'S AWESOME!

Seth Jr/SJ is now 24 inches (no real growth there) and 14lbs (or he was 1 month ago). He looks so big to everyone but he really only measured in the 25th percentile on weight and height, but his big ole head (Thanks daddy) is the 97th percentile:) It's all those brains!!!

He started cereal, which he goes to town on, and has now tried, peas, green beans, and sweet potatoes. He did ok with the peas the first couple times, but when we talked to Grandmama and Paw Paw on Skype he decided to put on a show and act like he didn't like them! He's a STINKER!

He's also gotten his first tooth! ALREADY! It's broken the skin and is very visible. A second tooth is starting to come in right next to the first. We're doing a lot more formula these days:) Mommy's a little afraid of the teeth!

SJ got to meet his other new cousin this past week, Henry. Henry didn't care too much about SJ but SJ stared Henry down. He's a lucky boy to have so 2 cousins so close in age. Now we just have to get Aunt Laura and Uncle Ed back in the states!!! Seeing Henry was awesome for us too, it brought back memories of how little SJ was and made us remember some of the things he used to do.
We have some cute pics of the 2 of them on our shutterfly site. greers.shutterfly.com

I'm waiting on the pics from Laura and Ed - they took some really great ones!!!

Another Month gone by...

Our little boy changes everyday. It is truly amazing how quickly babies learn and grow...and how slowly we as adults learn! Imagine if we continued to learn as quickly as babies...wow...

So, after 2 people told us about the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby we bought it. Not that we ever had issues sleeping at night, but naps were few, and had to be in someone's arms. It was wonderful to cuddle with him and sleep with him in the afternoon - he'd sleep for 3 hours if we held him, but that's 3 hours of not moving, not getting chores done etc. And as my husband constantly tells me and my mom would agree too (from my childhood) I'm the world BIGGEST wiggle worm! I can't sit still that long! So I'm sure SJ wasn't getting the sleep he really needed. At the same time, he wouldn't sleep in his crib during the day and the doctor said he was too young to "cry it out."

Well, if there are 2 things I would reccomend to new parents, they would be that book and a bouncy seat that has lights and sounds. Not just any bouncy seat - lights and sounds make a difference once they're older!

So it's been about 2 weeks now that we've put SJ to bed at night before 8pm, let him cry (our method is to go 5 minutes, calm him down, let him go 10 minutes, calm him down, 15min..etc). So far we haven't gotten past 15minutes and he's asleep for the night until 6ish. We used to be in his room for an hour or more getting him to sleep. I guess because of that, in turn he has learned to nap in his bed. He's been taking morning naps for a week now and the last 2 days has taken an afternoon nap! Today he's been up there for 2 WHOLE HOURS!!! IN HIS BED!!! It's WONDERFUL!

Granted our first 3 months haven't been as hard as they could have been, I feel like we have truly gotten through the hardest times, and we can get through the rest...I know we've been spoiled with him...we are SO THANKFUL that he's been this easy!

Other firsts this month...giggles, a couple squeals, family pictures, rolling over from tummy to back...

Month # 2

Wow, so much happens in just a month. Time seems to go by so fast these days. Seth (SJ) just had his 2 month appointment. He's now 11lbs 11oz and 24 inches tall! He's grown 3 inches in a month and is now officially too big for "newborn" size clothes. He has found his hands and is getting so good and putting them in his mouth, although he's partial to his right hand already...we'll see if that lasts and he'll be right handed! He's also getting really good control of his head and will sit in a Bumbo and talk to us. That's the best, he smiles and coos a TON! It's awesome and amazing how quickly he's changed.
The doctor told us that because he sleeps so long at night, it tells her that he can put himself back to sleep...I LOVED hearing that...and then last night he proved it. Seth doesn't make ANY baby noises while he's a sleep...he seems to sleep pretty hard, but around 5am this morning (after going to bed at 10:30) he started making his waking up noises. Being selfish this morning I thought, please don't be ready to get up...and what do you know, the little bugger put himself back to sleep and didn't get up til 7:15!!
He's getting to be like a little baby and not a newborn anymore! He only ate 5 times yesterday instead of how he used to eat every 2 hours, now its already 5-7 times, and he'll eat as much as you give him usually...so the doctor told us if he wants 8oz that's fine...he's such a big strong boy.
Oh, and he has another new cousin! A little boy, Henry Greer born 1/22. Exactly 2 months apart! He's so lucky to have other cousins so close to his age. Andrew was born 1 day before him and now Henry 2 months after. It's going to be so fun for him growing up!!!

Update

It's been a while and I was reading up on my friend Michelle's blog and figured I'd update ours. So our little man has had his 2 week appointment (2 weeks ago) and had gained 10 oz since birth. He was 7lbs 11oz when we left the hospital so he'd gained a whole pound! We go Monday for our 1 month appointment. Big Seth's guess is that he'll be 10 1/2 lbs and my guess is 10lbs. He's a BIG eater. He took a 6oz bottle the other night before bed and eats every 1-2 hours lately. He's sleeping better during the day now too now that I know he wasn't getting enough to eat.
He's still sleeping through the night too, from about 10:30 or 11 to 5 and then again til 8 or 9. I guess the 7am thing was short lived but 5 works too!
I'm loving my days off too. I enjoy getting out when I can don't get me wrong, but the days with my son are priceless. I taught 1 class this past week though, well I say taught losely, my kids took a dance exam and I wanted to give them their grades so we invited the parents, I sat in a chair and we went through the exam for the parents. It felt soooo good to get back.

To see updated pics, our shutterfly site is greers.shutterfly.com!

I have to brag on our little man!

So Seth is only 13 days old now?!!?!?!?!!? Actually he's going for his first doctor appointment today so I'm sure there will be a blog about that later. He was supposed to go Monday but he has some kind of yellow gunk in his right eye and it's a little swollen so...here we go with doctor visits! I don't mind at all though. I don't mind anything the little guy does at this point!

And how could I mind, he is truly a wonderful baby. We have fussy times during the day - usually after 4pm til around bedtime, but we'll take it! The first 2 days home Seth slept in his pack n play at the end of our bed. We didn't get much sleep those nights. The 3rd night we put him in his bed and he slept from about 10pm - 3am and then til around 6 or so. That went on for quite a few nights. Then he started going to bed around 11pm and not getting up until 4am and then sleeping til 7am. I put him down one last time after that in his bed and he sleeps til around 10 or 11am. So I can get stuff done in the morning. Slowly that 4am wake up time has gotten later, it was 5am, then 6am, now...today...he slept from 11:30pm til 7am!!! Only 13 days old! We're so excited that he sleeps so good through the night. Some people thing it's a little strange we put him to bed so late, but when I go back to work I want to be able to nurse him for his last feeding before bed and I won't get home until 9:30 usually. Now, if he stays sleeping til 7am I'll be able to get up in the morning for work earlier than him, get showered and ready and then just worry about getting him fed and packed up to go to the babysitter! This little man is really spoiling us...but we're so proud of him!

He's a strong little guy too - he's holding his head up and looking around alot, and yesterday was turning his head toward voices. He's so amazing, and we're so blessed to have such a well behaved child! Well, at least well behaved for now!!!

My Wife

I know I just wrote a blog about our labor experience, but I couldn't let another day go by without talking about the person that has been the rock in all of this: my wife, Kellie.

From day one she has been so positive and strong. Even as the days turned into months with the pregnancy, her complaints were few and far between. Hell, even during and after labor, she rarely opened her mouth to complain about anything.

During the pregnancy, Kellie was working two jobs. Not to mention, one of those jobs was teaching dance five nights a week. She still worked that job, along with the other one, up until a week from the due date! Yes she could have complained about every little pain, and milked it for everything. But that's not the person she is. She is determined, self-sufficient, strong, selfless, and hard-working. Sometimes I wonder why she really keeps me around!

During labor, she never complained about much. She just sat there mentally preparing herself (by eating popsicles and playing Nintendo DS). And when the time came for her to really push, she just stepped up to the plate, grabbed it by the nuts, and twisted (please excuse the analogy...just wanted to paint a picture). After labor, they had to stitch her up for an hour and a half, and she handled that like a champ. If I would have plopped a load of unfolded laundry in front of her, she would have tried to get that done then too.

She was up going to the bathroom and walking around the next morning, just daring someone to try and stop her from getting better. Even after we got home, I had to stop her from trying to carry crap up the stairs! I try to be the best husband I can, but I can't keep my eyes on her every second of the day. And trust me, it only takes a second for her to get it in her mind that she is going to do something. The woman is a machine, and I admire her to no end.

I say all of this to try and explain just how mentally and physically strong my wife actually is. I think the fact that she is a tiny little thing really fools people, and she is constantly underestimated. But not by me.

I know a lot of this sounds scatter-brained, but once I get a thought about her in my head, another one pops into my head that I have to get out. But that's how she makes me feel.

So to everyone out there, go ahead and underestimate her. Really, go ahead. But be prepared to be crushed and left in a wake of determination, will, and love.

And to my beautiful, strong, hard-working wife/mother of my child, I say, and I can't say it enough, thank you, and I love you. You have done such a tremendous job throughout not only this pregnancy, but our life as well. I know that our boy is in good hands. I couldn't dream up a better person to be with, or to ask help raise a child. I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together, making memories with that little turd, and any other little chaps God blesses us with.