Feed Me!

We cannot seem to feed Max fast enough! He has his mouth open wide as he eagerly awaits his next bite of food. I have increased the amount and consistency of his rice cereal, but he still wants more! What a good little eater.

Do you notice a theme?

Hint: Gaping mouth!

We have a play mat for Max, and his favorite part is the corner. He reaches over, grabs it, and puts it in his mouth. It is so tasty to suck on! Yum-Yum!

Little Monkey

Here is our Little Monkey. He is sucking his bottom lip in this picture. Rob is hiding right next to him because Max kept falling over! He has not learned to sit up by himself yet. I had Max sit on the blanket instead of the bark... hmmmm... maybe I am a bit too paranoid about him getting grubby!?

Max looks like he has spotted something grand! Maybe a banana?!

This is Robs favorite picture of Max. He gave up doing "tummy time" on the grass, but before I could pick him up, I had to snap a picture of him from this angle!

Rob helping Max up after "tummy time."

Another favorite: Max's thinking pose. He had a great time standing up by the big rock!

Rob and Max by the water.

Max and me! Although he is not smiling, he is actually looking at the camera in this picture. He was pretty distracted most of the time by cars, water, leaves, birds, etc.!

Overall, it was a fun activity for us to do.

Max at Midnight

Max was bright eyes and big smiles last Saturday night when he should have been fast asleep! It is a little bit long, but you will hear him jabbering and see him smiling! He has a lot to say!

Now can you understand why I can't get upset with him? He is just so happy!

Smiles!

Max is typically a very happy boy. He smiles at us all the time. Here are a few pictures of him smiling. Which one is your favorite?

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Sunday Best

We took Max to church for his first time on Sunday. I had a friend give us this cutest little outfit. I made Rob match Max. Aren't they just so handsome?!?!


Max is yawning in this picture. He slept for the first couple of hours of church, but was hungry right before the third hour. Luckily, I did not teach primary this week, so I was able to slip into the Mother's Room to nurse him.


Jane and Max:

Dan and Max:

We took the Max's tie off and unbuttoned his top button before we left for church. He still looked so darling.

Frisco Heritage Museum

Rob's parents, Dan and Jane, came into town this last weekend. We have had a fabulous time (and I have taken lots of pictures which means I will be adding lots of other posts)! We started the weekend by going to Babe's Chicken for lunch. It is a good restaurant. Max thought it was a bit loud. After lunch, we went next door to the Frisco Heritage Museum. As the name indicates, it is all about the rich heritage in Frisco. The museum starts with a covered wagon. We had to take a picture as our niece, Sydney, loves anything that pioneers used.

Dan loves cars. The museum had an old Model T. It was fascinating to read all about the car. A couple of the fun facts: The Model T got 20 miles to the gallon! The Model T was originally painted red, green and blue. It wasn't until later that they were almost exclusively black.

Frisco was a farming city. Cotton fields were abundant in the area. As a result, quilting was a favorite pastime for many women. Here we are looking at some of the quilts.

This is a room called "The Den." It is a family room from 1960. By 1962, 90% of American households had a television set. Here you can see Rob, Max and Jane watching a variety show.

There was also a section that talked about the doctor's that practiced in Frisco. The display showed the medicine cabinets that they had. Unfortunately, I only glanced at this exhibit (and did not take a photo) as I had to have a "talk" with Max.

We enjoyed looking at all of the artifacts that have been collected and placed on display. We had a great time at the museum.

One Month Check-up

Max is over one month old! I just took him to his one month appointment, and he is doing great! He now weighs 9 pound 14 ounces (at 2 weeks, he was 7 pounds 4 ounces), which puts him in the 50%ile. He is now 21.8 inches long (at 2 weeks, he was 20 inches), which puts him in the 75%ile. I am so glad he is eating and growing, but we have loved how little Max is! Robert told him the other day that if he wants to stay small forever, he could. However, Rob is not getting up and feeding Max at night! The last 2 nights Max has slept in 4 hour increments, rather than 3. It is incredible how much better I feel with 4 hours of sleep. Actually, I guess after I finish with Max and get back to sleep, I am getting 3 hours of sleep. Big difference though. Max was also given a Hep B shot. When he got it he started to cry and he looked at me like, "How could you let them do this to me!?!" He settled down pretty quickly after getting the shot. I am sure his leg has been sore, but he continues to kick his leg all around. I am not looking forward to all the immunizations he will need, just because it breaks my heart to see him get a shot and be in pain!

Here Max is helping me with the laundry! Don't worry Mom, the dark sheet was not in the wash with the light load- it was around Max!

I am bound to get a clear picture of Max smiling one of these days. Until then, this will have to do!

Happy Boy

After Max eats, he is usually really content. I tried to take a picture of him smiling back at me after eating one morning. You can see he is looking right at me. This picture is a bit fuzzy, but you can see his little grin.

Although his mouth looks to be gaping open in this particular picture, the corners of his mouth are turned up.

I thought this was a cute picture of my boy. He really is growing up so fast. Yesterday he turned one month old!

I am slowly adjusting to life as a mom. It is quite different to think that this is not just a phase of life. I am used to having different endpoints to look forward to. For example: graduating high school, graduating college, finishing a mission, ending a school year, etc. However, with being a mom there really isn't a finish. I am trying to figure out how to grasp the concept of being a mom forever. It is a wonderful thing being a mother, don't get me wrong, just a bit overwhelming to think of the commitment and responsibility that comes with it. Lately the days have felt long. Rob has been waking up at 5:00 each day. He usually leaves the house by 5:45 and heads into the office to study for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) test. He doesn't get home until about 6:30 at night. Trying to figure out what to say and do with Max for the whole day is difficult. I try and find productive and constructive things to do. I try and go on a walk with Max if it isn't too hot outside (I am still not allowed to exercise the way I would like to). I make meals. I clean the house. I do the laundry. I feed Max. I bubble Max. I hold Max. I read. I try and find an errand to do each day. I watch TV. I try and think of things to post on my blog! However, right now there isn't a lot of variance from day to day. If anyone has any suggestions of things to do each day with Max, I would appreciate it!

Growing Boy

I took these pictures last Saturday. It is really tricky to get Max to look at the camera, keep his hands down, and his head in position! He is starting to fill out a bit more. I think he is going through a growth spurt right now- he is starving every 2 1/2 hours! I don't think the 100+ temperatures help either.


Here Max is sticking his tongue out. He mimics us when we stick our tongue out at him!

Last night one of our AC unit's broke. Rob was up until 2 a.m. trying to fix it. Luckily our upstairs unit still works, so we turned the temperature down upstairs, and then we turned all the fans on in the house to circulate the cooler air. We have the AC people coming over today to fix it. Hopefully it will be a quick fix.

Report Card

Max had his 2 week check-up at the doctor yesterday. He passed with an A+! He now weighs 7 pounds 4 ounces- which means he has been eating well! He is a funny little eater. If Max is done eating, he will close his eyes and pinch his lips tight. He stays like that until I either give him to Rob or put him down. Then he opens his eyes wide and moves his lips. It is quite humorous. Max has also grown taller. He is now 20 inches long, which means he has grown 1/4". He still seems so tiny to us. We went for a walk to our friends house the other day. They have a 9 month old baby. When we saw their boy, Rob and I were both shocked at how BIG he looked! We are used to our little Max.

Max has been learning new things. If you stick your tongue out at him, he will stick his back out at you. It is so cute. He is still learning to use his hands. We do not swaddle his arms down- he will fuss until he gets them out. You can see from the pictures below, his arms are always up when we sleeps. He is still figuring out how to suck his thumb- he usually puts his whole fist in his mouth. On occasion he will find a finger to suck on. When I try and feed him, I have to battle his hands! He isn't sure what he really wants to eat when he is hungry!

The last couple of nights Max has slept like a champ. I feed him between 9 and 10 pm, and he sleeps for about 5 hours before waking up! I am like a new woman when I get 5 hours of unbroken sleep. I hope this trend continues.

Next week Rob starts back to work. It has been so nice to have him home these last couple of weeks. He is a great dad. He usually bubbles and changes Max's diaper for me. I have been spoiled to have such a good husband.

Labor and Delivery Timeline

Here is the timeline starting on June 23 and continuing to June 24:

• 10:00 p.m.- Checked in to Baylor
• 10:30 p.m.- Given Cytotec to help induce labor
• 11:00 p.m.- Given Ambien to help sleep
• 11:30 p.m.- Sent Robert home to sleep
• 11:45 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.- Slept on and off; watched Planet Earth
• 5:00 a.m.- Started on Petocin; dilated to a 4
• 5:30 a.m.- Called Rob to come back over to the hospital
• 6:30 a.m.- Given an epidural (I wanted it before the shift change at 7:00)
• 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.- I slept on and off (I was so relaxed from the epidural); Rob watched Burn Notice
• 8:00 a.m.- Doctor comes in and checks me; dilated between a 4 and 5; Dr. breaks my water
• 9:30 a.m.- I felt continuous pressure, so I asked the nurse to check me; dilated to a 10!
• 10:00 a.m.- Doctor and nurses come in and get everything ready
• 10:15 a.m.- I start pushing; I pushed for 4 or 5 contractions; Rob was by my side coaching me
• 10:27 a.m.- Max was born; 6 pounds 15 ounces; 19.75 inches long

After Max was born, Rob was able to cut the umbilical cord. Then Max was weighed, measured, and cleaned up. Rob was given a shirt, and they put Max's footprints on it. They gave me Max, but I was not in a position to hold him (I had a lot of tearing- Max threw an elbow on his way out!). Rob held Max and stayed close to me. We actually did not decide on Max's name until around noon, after the room had been cleared out and we had a quiet moment to look and decide what we should call him. We were given lunch around 12:30. About 1:00 or so, we were able to go over to the postpartum room. By this time, my epidural had worn off and I was anxious to be up and about. I ended up walking down to the room, pushing my wheelchair, while Rob brought Max. Everything went extremely well.

We were impressed with Baylor. They always brought me AND Robert a meal. In fact, on Thursday night, we had our celebration dinner. Rob had steak and lobster, while I had steak and chicken. The hospital has more of a hotel feel to it. All the machines are hidden behind cupboards. They staff is all well-trained. I had the lactation specialists come in a few times to help me get started breastfeeding (things are going well now- Max and I are finally starting to get in sync). Rob had a pull-out bed to sleep in at night. We actually sent Max back to the nursery a few times so we could try and catch some sleep. I found that if Max was in the room, I would listen to every single sound Max made, rather than sleep. When we sent Max back to the nursery, he was always really good- he just slept (and didn't cry!). We feel so blessed to have Max in our lives.

I really couldn't ask for a better experience for my first baby. It has been a life-changing experience for our little family. It has made us a stronger, better, more loving family.

Baby Comparisions

Here is Robert as a baby:


Here is Max:


Here I am as a baby:

I realize that the photo quality is not the same for Robert and my baby pictures, but I think it is safe to say that Max definitely looks like Robert, not me!

More Pictures

My sister, Mary, took these pictures of Max. My mom and sister surprised us and came out last Thursday. It was so much fun to have them here! Rob, Max, and I took them to the airport this afternoon. We will miss them!


We think Max is just the most beautiful baby.

Max Spencer Madsen

Max is here! I will post more about the labor and delivery later. Max was born today, June 24, at 10:27 a.m. He weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces. He is 19.75 inches long. He is just a little angel!

Tonight

I went to the doctor today. The good news is I am healthy, as is the baby. However, I have not dilated at all. So, I will be checking into the hospital tonight to get things started. If all goes well, which I am assuming it will, tomorrow Rob and I will be parents! We are both so excited to start this new phase of our lives. We have done everything we can to prepare ourselves for his birth. Wish us luck!

Baby Update

I went to the doctor today for my checkup, and things are looking really good! The baby has definitely dropped, but my cervix is still closed. I asked the doctor if he still wanted to induce me on the 24th, as Rob is not traveling any longer, and he said yes. He asked if I wanted to be induced any earlier. I expressed concern over the baby, and so he had me go and get a sonogram right then! The baby is looking healthy. His heart beat was 128 bpm. He weighs 6 pounds, 8 ounces. He is 18.5 inches long! The baby is still clearly a boy. He is in the 50th percentile. Here are some of the pictures from the sonogram:

The baby's foot- heel is on the left, toes are on the right:


Here the baby is sucking his thumb- his hand is on the left, you can see his nose and then his brain on the far right:


Here is his face- his eyes are dark, top of his head on the right side, and chin/mouth on the left (I believe his thumb was still in his mouth, which is why his nose/mouth are kinda squishy):

Here is a profile shot- he is still sucking his thumb, starting on the left you can see his fist, then his nose and on the right is his brain:

After the doctor looked at the sonogram results, we talked again about the induction. He told me that we would keep the induction date on the 24, but he honestly didn't think the baby would wait that long! He thinks I will be about a week early! I am thrilled to hear that. Overall I have felt really good. I have tried to stay active my entire pregnancy by working out. My biggest complaint is having to sleep on my side. I am NOT a side sleeper- I am a back sleeper! Rather than having lower back pain, I get in-between-the-shoulder blade pain! My hips also hurt from sleeping on them... but it is bearable. I am just so excited that the baby looks healthy, and that I have had good health. My mother has asked me to post a picture of myself, so when Robert gets home I will have him snap one of me and I will add it to this post. Just a couple more weeks to go!

Baby Showers!

My mom and sisters came down for my Spring Break. I had told them repeatedly that they would not need to bring a lot of luggage (as I have bathroom supplies, laundry facilities, etc.) here. However, when I picked them up from the airport, they had all checked a bag and brought a carry-on! I was shocked! I couldn't imagine what they had brought with them for 6 days! I started thinking that they had probably brought a couple of extra things for the baby shower my ward was throwing on Saturday. As it turns out, my family had sent out invitations before coming here to collect shower gifts. They ended up throwing me a surprise party! I am including pictures of me (I have had a lot of inquiries as to how BIG I am getting... you be the judge!). THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SENT GIFTS!!! (I am still working on thank you cards.)



Here I am at the shower that my ward threw me. They did such a beautiful job. I cannot thank them enough for all the work they did to make it a great experience for me and my family. Rob and I received so many gifts. Everyone was so generous... THANK YOU!!!

We are still collecting and organizing all the gifts we received. We have had few others ask what else we need, so Rob and I are going to register at Target (we are hoping to go next week and create our registry). It is such an exciting time for us!