The Slade Family Blog

This is the first week our family has moved beyond a trio to a quartet!   It is still hard to believe that I am a Mom of two under the age of two.  Maybe there is a mini-van in my future?   No thanks, I think I still will stick with my Tahoe. 

Last Thursday, our week started at the hospital.  Jackson Thomas Slade was to arrive at 7:30am, so we had to be at the hospital at 5:30am for my scheduled c-section.  Looking back, I am thankful that we made the appointment early because I remember with James, I was so lethargic and hungry because his scheduled c-section was at 3:30pm.  It is a lot easier to be asleep hungry than awake hungry when you are nine months pregnant!

So much was running through my head the evening prior to my c-section as I shared some of it with the posting “Less than 24 hours to go.”  Although I didn’t sleep that night, but some of it not because of choice… James decided to wake up in the middle of the night, which he never does.  I swear he knew that something was going on considering how much family we had suddenly come into town the day before.  Honestly, I was thankful that he did decide to wake up for no reason because it gave me a chance to hug and kiss on him some more before the big day!

The c-section went really great and since it wasn’t my first rodeo I knew exactly what to expect.  I remembered all that happened the first time and although a different doctor the procedure is basically the same.  Overall our experience at the hospital was wonderful, we even got one of the new renovated rooms at the hospital.  We stayed three nights (one less night than we did with James).  I wish that I could say that there were no tears, but those that know me understand that my life seems to always be filled with some type of drama.  Like most babies, Jackson dropped from his birth weight of 8 pounds, 7 ounces to 7 pounds, 8 ounces because my milk didn’t come in until the day after we left the hospital.  It was Saturday at midnight where the night nurse came in and told me all this scary stuff that I did not want to hear before getting a chance to sleep for an hour before the next feeding.  My hormones must have gotten the best of me because the tears came resulting in swollen eyes the next day.  Basically, Jackson had dropped to 7 pounds, 8 ounces, losing a little more than 12% of his body weight and the night nurse suggested that I started supplementing.  He also had low risk jaundice (James had high risk jaundice).  As most of you know, I had breastfeeding issues from the get go with James and it was an uphill battle, however I did end up nursing him for 13 months.  I just didn’t want to have the same issues again with baby #2 because the more kiddos you add to the mix the busier your life becomes, so I don’t have time to dedicate time to building a milk supply or dealing with all the issues that I dealt with previously.  Currently, I am feeding Jackson every two hours during the day and three hours at night.  I add an ounce of formula to any nursing session that I feel doesn’t go very well (anywhere between 3-4 ounces of formula per day) and don’t stress out about it!   After leaving the hospital (and my hormones took a backseat), I realized that a little bit of organic formula isn’t going to ruin his life or compromise my breastfeeding time with Jackson.

Since getting home from the hospital, we have been in a transition time of having two under the age of two.  Jeff has been able to help, which has been such a blessing!  He basically runs all of our errands because I can’t drive yet, helps out with the boys (especially James since I can’t lift him yet), and helps me with whatever I need accomplished around the house.  Jeff even knows how to calm Jackson much better than me… I call him the Daddy Whisperer!  James has been such a stellar big brother!  He loves talking, kissing, and snuggling with Jackson.  James also continues to help with whatever I need (so thankful my first is a parent pleaser for the most part).  All you have to mention to James is the word “help” and he is right there by your side!  James helps Jackson too while Jackson is playing on his play gym James wiggles the star to play the music because Jackson can’t bat at the toys yet to make the star play music.  He has even learned how to hold Jackson’s bottle!   His favorite past time these days is to hold his baby brother.   He is so patient with Jackson even when Jackson cries.  What more could a mom ask for?  I can just tell that they are going to be best buds one day!

Jackson is such a sweet little baby.  I emphasize little because I never thought that I would have a baby that made it under eight pounds (still can’t believe that the average baby is about seven pounds, eight ounces)!  Honestly, he is so tiny and frail compared to James that it is sometimes hard to hold him.  We feel like we are going to break him!   As you might have noticed from the pictures, Jackson looks a lot like James did as a baby, but a smaller version with more hair.  When we got home from the hospital, Jackson’s hair started to mohawk on the top!  Wonder how long Jackson’s hair will get on top before it lays down?  It took James’ forever!  We call Jackson James’ mini me.  He obviously sleeps a ton right now, but during his awake time he is a very alert and observant little guy.   He already has great head control too.  I am trying to learn his different cries because one of them goes from zero to sixty in s a matter of seconds.  I am thinking that is the “hunger cry” but still not sure because  Jackson (like James) has started to sleep through his feedings, hence why I mentioned above the feeding every two hours and three hour stretches at night.  Already, I am seeing signs that he might be a schedule baby like his big brother.  The “feeding on demand” only lasted for our stay at the hospital, then Jackson began to sleep through feedings.  Jeff, James and I are excited to learn more about our sweet little gift from above, Jackson!

Pictures at the hospital

Brothers meet for the first time (video below)…

Video: Brothers Meet

Family time

Mommy Time

Sweet Little Jackson

First sponge bath at home.  Cried almost the entire time until he found his fingers.

Big Brother James

Jackson’s first bottle with James’ help

James’ first time to hold Jackson