Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

This is my first Christmas and I wanted to tell you some stuff I wanted you to bring me. First and foremost, keep the milk comin'! Mommy's millk is my favorite and I want to keep eating it for as long as I can! I don't really need a lot of stuff because, let's be honest, I'm not gonna remember this Christmas. I would really like some sun shades for the car windows. That bright Southern sun shines right in my face sometimes and I don't like it too much! I would also really like some church clothes and a few "I love Mommy" bibs (because let's face it...I do!). I only have one of those that fits but I have lots of "Daddy" bibs and a "Daddy" outfit or two. I would also really like the ability to laugh. I get so excited, especially when Mommy sings, and I try so hard, but nothing comes out. That's all I can think of for now. As evident by my bib, I have been very nice in my three short months. I only cry when I'm hungry, need my diaper changed, or just at bedtime. Even when I lived in my Mommy's belly I was very nice to her. I didn't make her sick or anything! I'm looking forward to a nice, long relationship with you Santa, so let's get started on the right foot! Thanks! I love you!

Love,

Reese K. Garvin

12 Weeks a Passin'

On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 12 weeks a passin'. Another week has flown by and Reese is twelve weeks old today. I am so amazed at how much he has changed in even a week. He is still not laughing, but oh he wants to so badly! Something new he is doing this week is deliberately reaching for things. When I put him on the floor with his little play gym he loves reaching for the yellow bug. He also is rolling to his side from his back sometimes, but not all the way over. And he hasn't rolled over from his tummy to his back again since the one time he did it twice almost two months ago. I "weighed" him a couple of days ago and he weighed 12.5lbs. As you can see, his little cheeks are getting so chunky. We've also been battling a nasty case of cradle cap. It doesn't seem to bother him, but it bothers me! Next week will be three months, so I'll have much more Reese news and pictures!

Our good friends, the Crofts, came to visit us yesterday. It was the first time they'd seen Reese. They have a two and a half year old son and he was so cute! He kept looking at Reese and saying "Baby Reese" and wanting to share his toys with him. However, when Ellison was holding Reese, Ethan ran over and said "my Mommy!" They used to live in Americus, which is 45 minutes away but now they live in Gainesville which is about 3 hours away. We miss them being so close! It was good to get to see them, though.

In other baby news, congrats to two of my college friends on the births of their boys. My friend Virginia had her son, Ashley, on December 15th and my other friend Emily had her son, Barnes, on December 19th. Congrats ladies (and Daddies). Little boys are the best!

Such a Big Boy!

Okay...photoshop is being tempermental, but has decided to work for the time being. So, I'll run with it! Reese is amazingly strong for such a little guy! I mean, granted I don't have any real basis of comparison since I don't have other children, but I think he's pretty strong for his age. He'll be three months old in 11 days. I've put him in his Bumbo chair and he seemed to do okay in it. I wouldn't leave him in there for very long, but for a few minutes I think it's fine. He's always had really good neck control and I'm amazed at how he can hold up that big 'ol noggin'! He can sit for a minute in the middle of his rocker, but it doesn't last very long! Here are some pictures of my big strong Little Man...enjoy!

It is much easier to talk to you this way!

I think I'm about to outgrow my basket.

Sittin' up like a big boy in my rocking chair!

Uh-oh...going, going, going....

GONE!

**DISCLAIMER: No babies were hurt in the making of this blog post!**

11 Weeks!

Reese is 11 weeks old today! That means I only have three more weeks to be home with him before I have to go back to work. I'm very sad about that. But, as I've probably said before, it's only 3 days a week for now, so that makes it a little more bearable. Reese has changed so much in the past couple of weeks, I feel like he changes daily. I haven't weighed him since his doctor's appointment, but he feels heavier. The doctor said 12 lbs was the magic weight where babies started sleeping longer at night. But I think the "longer" part is what Reese is already doing, which is 6-7 hours. I am still having to get up between 4:30-5:30 but I just put his paci in and he's good. He's been doing it since right before he was 8 weeks old. Since then I've only had to nurse him maybe three times before his usually waketime. I really think if I just left him alone when he does wake up, he'd go back to sleep because his eyes are always closed when I go in there. I just don't like listening to him! And I don't want him to wake up Cameron because it's usually not too long before he has to get up anyway. I know, I'm so thoughtful. Reese and I usually stay up for about an hour and fifteen minutes first thing in the morning, including nursing, and then we both go back to bed for about an hour and a half. We're still on a pretty regular 3-3:30 hour schedule during the day. He is such a little piggy, too. He knows when he is positioned to nurse that the milk is coming and he starts grunting. He knows I nurse him on both sides every time and yet he pitches a fit when I switch him like he's gonna starve! Cameron told him last night he was only half-redheaded but had a full redheaded temper. Reese has become fascinated with his hands and loves staring at them and putting them in his mouth. He has become so much more vocal, too. He talks to his bouncy seat friends and the friends he has on his floor gym. Of course his favorite things to talk to are Mommy and Daddy. His smile melts my heart and I'm just waiting on him to laugh on a regular basis. I can feel his whole body tense up when he opens his mouth and smiles really big, but nothing comes out! Soon, though. They just grow up so fast. I mean, he's already reading (see pic below)...kidding!

I'm doing okay, but I am still recovering from my third (or fourth) bout of mastitis. I know I mentioned earlier that it resolved on it's own without antibiotics. Well, I don't think it did because a few days later I got a worse fever, chills, pain, blah, blah, blah. I'm so tired of dealing with it, but I'm sticking it out. We may have to re-evaluate when I go back to work and supplement with formula. We'll see! Well, I'll post some more pictures soon. We're having some issues with our Photoshop.

Tummy Time

Dear Mommy,

I hate tummy time. You know I hate tummy time. I know I hate tummy time. Why do you make me do it? I don't need to learn how to crawl. You can just carry me everywhere! I'll make you a deal. I'll keep being sweet and snuggle with you when you pick me up and carry me around and you quit making me do tummy time. Deal? I love you!

Love, Reese

2 Month Well-Baby Check Up

Reese had his two month well baby check up today! He had to get his first round of shots...five total! He was so pitiful, but only cried for a couple of minutes. The doc said basically he is right where he needs to be. Reese weighs 11lbs 10 ozs, is 22.5 inches long, and his big ol' noggin is 15.5 inches around. Dr. C continued to be impressed with Reese's strength (he had commented on how strong Reese was when he was three weeks old). We go back in two months.

I have been having a bit of an issue with mastitis again. It was in the right breast again. I am very frustrated and am not too sure why I keep getting it. But I've had it three times in one month. This time I started feeling better the next day and didn't even have a fever for 24 hours. So I decided to wait it out to see if it would resolve without antibiotics. My doctor called me in some anyway just in case my fever returned, which thankfully it didn't. I really want to keep breastfeeding for another couple of months, but if I keep getting mastitis every other week then I may not be able to. Reese is doing fine though, so it is not affecting him. He is gaining adequate weight and dirtying up plenty of diapers! So, I'll try to stick it out for his benefit.

We only have a 18 more days till Christmas! I've got some shopping to do. Well, first I have to figure out what to shop for. But, we're starting to get out more, so it should be no big deal to take Reese with me. I've already nursed him in the car (don't worry, I'm not driving...or moving!) a few times and it's fine. We are so looking forward to our first Christmas as parents. And even though Reese won't remember it, Cameron and I will!

More Two Month Pictures

Clean Baby!

Gettin' ready to go huntin'!

Don't tell Mommy what I'm telling you...it's a secret!

Strong Little Man!

2 Months Old