for the love of july : Baby Boy

Showing posts with label Baby Boy. Show all posts

Monday, October 15, 2018

welcome to this world sweet baby tatum

we are all head over heels in love with this precious soul who God has gifted us.
he is pure love and perfection.
a whole sixteen days now we've had our sweet tatum ross in our arms.

after a birth experience that was not what i was expecting and quicker than i could comprehend.

this little is such an angel.
sweet, calm, content. and truly hardly cries.
he's gotten an extra special place in my heart as he has been letting me get some sleep!
all the praise hands!
i'm up 1-2 times with him in the night. it's a quick diaper change, swaddled back up, nurse, and then he's back to sleep.

and here he is! the first moment of holding him in my arms.
emotions resurface as i look at this picture and i see all the love and support surrounding me and our newest baby who had just entered this world. no better feeling than holding my baby for the first time.

...Tatum Ross Hjelseth...
born september 29, 2018
5:14 am
8 pounds 2 ounces
20.5 inches long

weights since birth:
birth:: 8 lbs 2 oz
2 day:: 7 lbs 10.5 oz
12 day: 8 lbs 10 oz

the last two weeks have felt like such a smooth transition for our little family.
with the support of my mom staying with us for the first week and a half, and then brandon taking time off work to be home, we have all been able to soak in these first precious days.
tatum fits in so perfectly and has the best brother and sister who give him all the best loves and kisses.

i have such a thankful heart for my amazing midwife, susan (who has helped me to bring all three of our babies into the world). she is such a blessing to me and gives me strength and support to help my birth wishes come true.
also how grateful i am for the birthing inn. to have a beautiful, peaceful place for me to birth my babies... i can't imagine it any other way.

we love you sweet baby tatum!! so thankful to have you in our arms to love and kiss on you. i can't get over your sweetest hair and beautiful features. what a pretty baby you are and your mama loves you ever so dearly my precious baby.

(i'm working on our birth story, so that to come!)

Xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth

Monday, September 3, 2018

35 weeks || littlest brother bump update

i've gotta get another bump update in before it's too late. i've been meaning to for about 5 weeks, and if i wait another 5, chances are i'd be too late!
the last update i did was at 23 weeks. over 10 weeks ago!
TIME.FLIES.
so here's a quick little recap/summary from what the last several weeks have been for us.

how far along? 35 weeks + 4 day

total weight gain: 30 lbs

baby is the size of a: pineapple

maternity clothes? pretty much the same outfit day after day over here. my favorite maternity full panel denim shorts, paired with a gap maternity tank (the most comfy ever!). i try and think of some other pieces to wear to mix it up, but this is what i tend to go back to day after day. and i'm fine with it, because i am allll for comfort at this point!

stretch marks? just those leftover from my previous two pregnancies. i haven't noticed new ones yet, but we will see! my skin has been itchy lately so i am moisturizing at least twice a day!

sleep: snuggle me up in my pregnancy pillow, turn the diffuser on with some of my most favorite oils inside, most nights a quick calf massage with my favorite essential oil lotion mix (for those calf cramps) and i am out in no time!

best moment as of late: baby's movements are so big and so obvious, it makes me just so happy every time i feel him. i'm expecting him to be another long little babe just like his brother and sister were/are! i feel him pushing way down into my hips and all at the same time i can feel his long little legs up at the top of my uterus by my ribs. my favorite is when i can feel with my hands on the outside a little nob, which i can only assume is either a knee or heal :) he has been in the perfect position for delivery (head down, back to my left side), and we pray he continues to stay that way the next weeks to come before he's born! i'm savoring these last weeks, yet so anxious to hold him for the first time. it's such a sweet time over here :)

excited for: getting the nursery finished up! we had chosen furniture that then happen to be backordered, and it finally got here last week!! now it's time to hustle and get all the things in their place and the final touches before this sweet boy joins us. a little bit of stress and a whole lotta excitement! i've been washing all the sweet baby things (in dreft- the best smelling laundry detergent EVER!)

current symptoms: gosh, other than my braxton hicks contractions increasing, not a whole lot here! i'm thankful for that. i do get tired and uncomfortable at times, but at this point in pregnancy with tanner i was uncomfortable from swelling as well as carpal tunnel. i'm so happy that neither of those are bothering me at this point this time! i still go into the chiropractor (and have been for months) about every 2ish weeks for an adjustment. it's key for me to manage sciatic pain as well as help my body + baby prep for labor/delivery.

midwife update: i go in next on wednesday this week. i'll be 35 weeks + 6 days. almost 36 weeks! baby's heartbeat has been sounding so great and strong at all the previous appointments we've had. and he's growing as expected. i measure right on track to my corresponding week. we're starting to do some prep for him before he comes, i've stopped taking my fish oil supplements (still taking my prenatal, iron, vitamin d, and calcium) and have added in an herbal gentle birth formula. at 35 weeks, my midwife always has me begin this as it's meant to start toning my uterus in preparation for labor + delivery. a few weeks ago, i also had to go in for a morning fasting glucose test as i didn't quite pass my initial glucose test. thankful to say that all is good and my blood sugars were right in range from the fasting draw!

miss anything? right now, no. i love pregnancy. and as it's going to be over for me in just a handful of weeks, i am cherishing this time. i know i will miss being pregnant once i no longer am.

movement: oh yes :) sometimes i think he's been my most active baby, but then not so much. i'd say he moves about as much as tanner did while in my belly. my boys seem to be a little busier and have more wiggles than harper did. typical ;)

food cravings/aversions: meh.. any cravings that were on before have now faded off. right now i just go with what is currently sounding good, which can depend on the day or time of day. we'll be going to the fair in the next week or two, so i'm sure i'll find plenty that sounds good while we're there ;)

gender? sweetest little boy :)

looking forward to: repetitive to up above, but every prenatal appointment, getting the nursery done, and enjoying these weeks! i have so much excitement for having baby three at the birthing inn again, just like his siblings. and hope that he too can be born in the same room as harper + tanner were. praying that all stays well with baby and i where i can have the birth that i have hopes for.

how i'm preparing: we've still got a name to decide on! brandon and i are torn between two. two that we both love, but we each love one a little more.

P H O T O D U M P

Xoxo

-Brittney

follow along on instagram @brittneyhjelseth

Friday, October 20, 2017

Tanner Ross || 15 months

ah my TANNER boy!!

goodness gracious how we love you.

we've already had a whole 15 months with you and somehow it feels like you were born just yesterday, and yet as though you've been apart of our little family for always and forever.

you are so dear to us all and have the absolute sweetest little spirit. you've surely got some fire in ya when you get worked up/upset about something (daddy says one day you'll use that on the football field) we shall see!! ;) but along with that you are also the happiest. so calm. love your family. the best cuddle giver. so easy going, just like your daddy.
your dad and I have talked how we just LOVE this stage you're in. this 'toddler boy, looking cute as can be, running around to always explore' stage. it's my favorite. and you somehow keep getting better & better the more you grow.
I love watching you as you become yourself and your personality shows through more and more.

we go in for your 15 month check up in about a week and half and I can't WAIT to see how you've grown and just how much you tip that scale :)
you little stinker, you! we love you so!!

E A T
a little bittersweet to me, but we are all finished with nursing. we stopped around 14.5 months. we were slowly slowing down, and were down to 1-2 times nursing a day (first thing in the morning and/or before bed), then the flu bug hit our house. initially we thought tanner had made it through without it, but the day after harper was done, tanner got hit with it. and with that his appetite was slim to nothing... and i was nervous of milk making his tummy upset... so with that it seemed to be the right time to be done.

this boy eats, and he eats, and he EATS! he's such a big eater and always has been.

i don't even want to think about what he's gonna be like ten years from now! having good eating children is something I am so thankful for yet, I also make sure to follow their cues and trust them on when they decide they're finished. no force feeding!
with my background in nutrition, I've learned how important it is to not overfeed children. as mom it's my job to decide what they are eating, where they are eating, and when they are eating. and it's their job to decide how much. it is also so soooo important to limit distractions during meal times. in our house when we eat the tv is off and toys are not to be played with.
meal time is about meal time. :)
((obviously we are human and there are exceptions to this too))
ok, off my soapbox now!

S L E E P
sleep is top notch right now. and thank heavens for that.

NAPS:: 10:30/11-12:30/1 & 3:30/4-5:30/6
that's been typical and usual, but isn't always quite that structured depending on what we have going that day. BUT we're getting to where that second nap is getting a bit too late for bedtime to still happen on time. so I think we're actually gonna start trying to transition to one nap more seriously and see how that goes.

BED:: 8:00pm-7:30am
no wake ups in there either, hallelujah!!
((for most always at least))

I have found though (and it was the same with harper at this age), the better he sleeps in the day for his naps, the better he sleeps at night. recently there were a couple afternoons where tanner wasn't able to get his late afternoon nap in and both of those nights he woke. it didn't take much to get him back go sleep, but still a mama would rather it didn't happen! ;)

so with that.... I REALLY strive to make sure naps happen. cause we are ALL much happier that way ;) and Lord know he needs it and I need it.

P L A Y
not a whole lot to say here, cause it's just plain + simple.. this boy LOVES.TO.PLAY.
I mean what 15 month old doesn't, BUT gosh he's into everything and has become quite the little friend and companion to his big sister.
it's non stop on the go every second he's awake.
favorite 'toys': the broom, mop, & duster. my spoons & spatulas. books. the stack of dvds in the tv stand. cars. balls. the play kitchen. the computer keyboard. dad's golf clubs.