We can't believe that tomorrow little Riley will be 2 weeks old!! We wanted to post an update on how he's doing. We layed low for the first few days, with limited visitors as we all tried to keep our energy up. On Thursday, we took Riley to visit Delaney for her 15 month birthday.
On Friday he had his 2 week doctor appointment. At his first doctor's appointment (on 3/19) he was 6 lbs 14 oz and on 3/20 he was 7 lbs 1 oz. We really focused on waking Riley up every 2 hours to eat, which was very hard for us but the results were worth it. Riley weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz at his 2 week appointment!! As he passed his birth weight we are allowed to let him sleep at night and wake up when he is hungry. On Friday night we slept for 4 hours at a time, what a difference that made!! The pediatrician said that everything is looking great, and we will go back at 2 months to start all the immunizations.
Saturday was a day full of family visits, as Riley met his Uncle Michael and Aunt Christine, and later had visits from Uncle Chris, Aunt Amanda, and Mema.
Today Riley made his first outing to a store, as we ran to target to get a few things that we needed. He did pretty well for the most part, with just one episode of crying. In the afternoon his belly button fell off, so we look forward to starting REAL baths in the next few days. Chris and Ashley brought us a wonderful dinner and visited for a while, and we spent the evening relaxing.
We have one more week before Dennis has to go back to work, and so this week we hope to start taking walks and getting Riley used to getting out and doing things. Hopefully it will have the side effect of making him stay awake more d uring the day and sleep even better at night!!
Thanks to everyone for all of the thoughts, prayers, and visits!!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Pictures...
We have been very remiss in posting pictures of our new little man, in all of the chaos it took some time to get pictures uploaded. Here are a few pictures to get started with :)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Family Visitation, Round 1
Being the new addition to the family, it was only a matter of time before more members of the family made the trip up to Richmond to meet little Riley. He had spent another long night feeding every two hours or so, and he was ready to meet some more people to bestow hugs, kisses, and "he's so cute" phrases. Saturday marked the first visits for Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Shannan (and Riley's cousin-to-be), Great-Aunts Tracy and Toni, and Second Cousins Sebastian, Corey, and Caitlin. Before they arrived, Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Jenna arrived to spend the day as well. Riley was passed around amongst the three of them, knowing that time with Riley would be precious with more people on their way. Next to arrive was Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Shannan. Riley finished his morning snack and was soon in Uncle Jimmy's arms. This was especially meaningful for us. It was very hard for both of us that Delaney never had a chance to meet Uncle Jimmy in person. Getting pictures of Riley and Jimmy meant a lot, as well as seeing a Marine about to be deployed oversees to protect our country with such uncertainty and hesitation with holding a newborn. Aunt Shannan was next to hold him, and Riley had his first interaction with his new aunt, as well as the little cousin growing inside of her. Nicknamed Atreyu right now, this cousin will be the closest family member in age to Riley. When everyone else arrived, Riley did a wonderful job, albeit asleep, getting passed around the room so that everyone had a chance to hold him. We received some wonderful gifts from the family, and the visit went off very well.
We spent the rest of the day with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Jenna, and the long day was wearing on Riley. He struggled to sleep and wanted to eat a lot for the rest of the day. Ultimately, after dinner and after saying goodbye to his grandparents and AJ, he fell asleep on Dennis watching a movie. We hope he had some good dreams of today with the family, because tomorrow is going to be more of the same considering that Dennis' family was planning to visit.
We spent the rest of the day with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Jenna, and the long day was wearing on Riley. He struggled to sleep and wanted to eat a lot for the rest of the day. Ultimately, after dinner and after saying goodbye to his grandparents and AJ, he fell asleep on Dennis watching a movie. We hope he had some good dreams of today with the family, because tomorrow is going to be more of the same considering that Dennis' family was planning to visit.
Friday, March 20, 2009
First Day of Spring
The calendar says today is the first day of spring, but it was the coolest day so far in the short life of Riley Carter. This was an issue when we were preparing our second visit to the pediatrician's office for a 9:30am appointment. We got Riley bundled up in a very cute warm outfit and set forth to meet his very own pediatrician.
Over the course of the night before, the three of us worked together to get the best feedings possible. We woke Riley up every two hours on time, and we were tough on him to get the most out of his feedings. At 2am, we could not have been more excited to see a poopy diaper, a first since his first day. (It's things like this that let you know you are a parent.)
At yesterday's appointment, they had told us to bring Riley hungry so that a lactation consultant could see us to ensure that breastfeeding was going well and to answer any questions we had. The schedule we started the previous night had us feeding him every odd hour, so we last fed him at 7am. We skipped the 9am feeding, and that proved to be a tough thing for little Riley. It was not until 10am when we were able to get into a room, and he was extremely hungry. We met with a nurse who answered a lot of our questions and really helped with positioning and his latch. After this, we met with our pediatrician, and he went over a few things with us. The most important thing they did was weigh Riley, and he gained a whole 3 ounces since yesterday. The pediatrician said that babies should gain about an ounce a day during this stretch, and anything in excess is a plus. We were very happy to hear this news, and the appointment as a whole was a big success and relieved a lot of stress on Nikki.
For the rest of the day, we adhered to our feeding schedule of every two hours and just relaxed. We gave Riley his first at-home bath, and we discovered the main difference between little girls and little boys when it comes to changing diapers. Lesson learned.
Over the course of the night before, the three of us worked together to get the best feedings possible. We woke Riley up every two hours on time, and we were tough on him to get the most out of his feedings. At 2am, we could not have been more excited to see a poopy diaper, a first since his first day. (It's things like this that let you know you are a parent.)
At yesterday's appointment, they had told us to bring Riley hungry so that a lactation consultant could see us to ensure that breastfeeding was going well and to answer any questions we had. The schedule we started the previous night had us feeding him every odd hour, so we last fed him at 7am. We skipped the 9am feeding, and that proved to be a tough thing for little Riley. It was not until 10am when we were able to get into a room, and he was extremely hungry. We met with a nurse who answered a lot of our questions and really helped with positioning and his latch. After this, we met with our pediatrician, and he went over a few things with us. The most important thing they did was weigh Riley, and he gained a whole 3 ounces since yesterday. The pediatrician said that babies should gain about an ounce a day during this stretch, and anything in excess is a plus. We were very happy to hear this news, and the appointment as a whole was a big success and relieved a lot of stress on Nikki.
For the rest of the day, we adhered to our feeding schedule of every two hours and just relaxed. We gave Riley his first at-home bath, and we discovered the main difference between little girls and little boys when it comes to changing diapers. Lesson learned.
March Madness
For the first time in as long as we can remember, Nikki and Dennis did not complete a March Madness bracket. (We were a little busy and did not think about it.) We actually spent the start of the annual basketball tournament at the doctor's office, with our visit to the pediatrician. Our pediatrician was not available, so we met with one of his colleagues, who was wonderful. He tested Riley's bilirubin level to determine if jaundice was still a concern and did a newborn examination on him. He said everything looked good, but he was a little concerned about his weight loss. He was 7lbs 10 oz at birth, but he weighed only 6lbs 14 oz at this checkup. Because of his weight, we scheduled another appointment for Friday, this time with our pediatrician. Later in the day, the doctor called to tell us that the bilirubin level was within the normal limits and was no longer an issue with which to be concerned. We determined to be more strict with little Riley in regards to his feeding.
Also, we had a visit from Grandma Christi in the morning. She came up to help us with some things around the house. She helped us with some laundry, made some brownies (yumm!), and made dinner for us. Grandpa Bob and Aunt Jenna came up later in the day, and we enjoyed dinner with them. Bob helped us around the house as well, as, when he shows up, he is the only handyman around the house. The bright spot of the day for us (and not for Jenna) was when Riley peed all over Jenna's shirt, making her victim #2 behind Riley's proud papa. They left after dinner, with plans to come back over the weekend.
Tonight is a big night for us and Riley. Every two hours...
Also, we had a visit from Grandma Christi in the morning. She came up to help us with some things around the house. She helped us with some laundry, made some brownies (yumm!), and made dinner for us. Grandpa Bob and Aunt Jenna came up later in the day, and we enjoyed dinner with them. Bob helped us around the house as well, as, when he shows up, he is the only handyman around the house. The bright spot of the day for us (and not for Jenna) was when Riley peed all over Jenna's shirt, making her victim #2 behind Riley's proud papa. They left after dinner, with plans to come back over the weekend.
Tonight is a big night for us and Riley. Every two hours...
Riley's Going Home
On Wednesday, Riley and Nikki were both seen by their doctors and approved for discharge. A little before noon, we packed up all of our things and Dennis packed the car. We checked to make sure Riley fit in his car seat correctly, and then he made his way down to the discharge area at MCV with his mom. Dennis met them with the car, and we made our journey home. On our way home, we reflected on our time at the hospital, very appreciative of the visits we received, gifts bestowed, and memories shared. It was a little bittersweet, as we were never able to bring our little Delaney home. Riley is a lucky little boy, in that he has a big sister constantly looking over his shoulder. We have no doubts that she will keep him straight.
At home, we introduced Riley to his new pack n' play (with vibrating bassinet feature) and various other home remedies that a hospital does not supply. We tried to create a routine as best we could while trying to remain flexible for his needs. After all, Riley is the new king of our house.
Grandma Irene and Uncle Mikey were nice enough to bring over dinner for us, and we enjoyed some roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, as well as some other goodies for dessert. Also, we enjoyed a visit from Brandon and Marisa. When they arrived, Riley was very calm, awake, and alert. That would quickly change when Marisa held him. I guess he doesn't like blondes :) It turns out he was just hungry and had some gas, none of which was Marisa's fault (in fact, we blame Brandon for the gas).
At home, we introduced Riley to his new pack n' play (with vibrating bassinet feature) and various other home remedies that a hospital does not supply. We tried to create a routine as best we could while trying to remain flexible for his needs. After all, Riley is the new king of our house.
Grandma Irene and Uncle Mikey were nice enough to bring over dinner for us, and we enjoyed some roasted chicken and mashed potatoes, as well as some other goodies for dessert. Also, we enjoyed a visit from Brandon and Marisa. When they arrived, Riley was very calm, awake, and alert. That would quickly change when Marisa held him. I guess he doesn't like blondes :) It turns out he was just hungry and had some gas, none of which was Marisa's fault (in fact, we blame Brandon for the gas).
St. Patty's Day for Riley O'Carter
March 16, 2030. This will be the first day our son can legally purchase a drink for the first time. This will be just in time for the St. Patrick's Day holiday in 2030. It cannot be easy to have a birthday a day or two after St. Patrick's Day, which might explain why he arrived on the 16th. Back to St. Patrick's Day 2009, Riley had another big day of tests. He went through his hearing examination, various other tests, and the big one, his circumcision. Nikki's doctor during her pregnancy, Dr. Peng, was nice enough to agree to do the procedure, as Nikki was a little anxious over such a delicate procedure. Riley toughed it out, although it was hard for mom and dad to see him in a little pain that we inflicted upon him. Hopefully, he will not remember St. Patty's Day for this. Later in the day, he met his Uncle Chris and Aunt Amanda for the first time, who were nice enough to bring us some chinese food for dinner. Riley decided to have milk over beef and broccoli.
Day One for Riley
Riley spent the first few hours of his life in the labor room where he was born. He went through his initial tests, had his first bath, and a picture or two might have been taken. He was held by his mom, dad, grandmothers, grandfathers, and aunt. A little before noon, we were moved up to the recovery floor, our new home for the next two days. For lunch, Christi, Bob, and Jenna brought us O'Charleys, and Nikki was able to eat her first club sandwich in 9 months. Later in the afternoon, Irene, Mike, Mikey, and Mom Mom came by. Mikey and Mom Mom were able to hold Riley for the first time and loved every second of it. Otherwise, the day was spent trying breastfeeding, sleeping, pooping, and relaxing.
Dybs Arrives - 3/16/09
Riley James Carter was born on Monday, March 16, 2009, at 6:09am. He weighed 7lbs 10 oz and was 20 inches in length.
We spent the weekend with friends from JMU. On Saturday night, Nikki got very little sleep, had numerous contractions, and we were very close to going to the hospital. Ultimately, Nikki got a couple of hours of sleep, and her level of discomfort subsided. We ate a wonderful brunch prepared by Chris and Ashley, said goodbye to our friends, and relaxed much of the day Sunday. After reading online that spicy food is a way to induce labor, we got Chipotle for dinner, and Nikki tried hot sauce on a Chipotle burrito (if you know her, you know this is atypical for her). Later that night, Nikki was experiencing contractions like any other night late in her pregnancy. Around 12:30, she woke up Dennis (slacker) and said she thought it was time. We prepared our things and made our way to the hospital a little after 1:00. Because Nikki was not visibly distressed to the level normally seen by hospital staff, they brought us back to a room for a preliminary examination. After confirming she was 6cm along, they admitted us in Room 10, one room next to where we went through labor with Delaney. With the pain increasing, Nikki got an epidural around 3:30, which made things much easier for her. Christi, Bob, and Jenna arrived after we called them in the early morning, tired but excited for the upcoming birth. Irene showed up shortly thereafter, and each one came back to visit us while Nikki was in labor. Shortly after the epidural, they checked Nikki again, and it was time to start the pushing. With Delaney, it took about 2.5 hours for her to come out. No joke, it took Riley less than 2.5 minutes to come out. Four pushes and he was out.
Because Nikki named Delaney shortly after her birth, Dennis had the difficult task of naming our second child. It came down to a few choices we had picked if Dybs was a boy, and Riley James was the ultimate decision. Riley is a name both of us liked all along, and it was selected partly out of respect for Delaney (both end in "y"). James is a family name - Nikki's brother, Dennis' grandfather, and Nikki's great-grandfather. Also, James is another homage to Delaney, who we nicknamed Jam while she was in Nikki. Lastly, it was selected because Nikki and Dennis both attended and met at James Madison University. It was later pointed out to us by Jacob Levin that March 16 is James Madison's birthday, which only made the decision that much more meaningful. (Thanks for pointing this out, Jacob.)
We spent the weekend with friends from JMU. On Saturday night, Nikki got very little sleep, had numerous contractions, and we were very close to going to the hospital. Ultimately, Nikki got a couple of hours of sleep, and her level of discomfort subsided. We ate a wonderful brunch prepared by Chris and Ashley, said goodbye to our friends, and relaxed much of the day Sunday. After reading online that spicy food is a way to induce labor, we got Chipotle for dinner, and Nikki tried hot sauce on a Chipotle burrito (if you know her, you know this is atypical for her). Later that night, Nikki was experiencing contractions like any other night late in her pregnancy. Around 12:30, she woke up Dennis (slacker) and said she thought it was time. We prepared our things and made our way to the hospital a little after 1:00. Because Nikki was not visibly distressed to the level normally seen by hospital staff, they brought us back to a room for a preliminary examination. After confirming she was 6cm along, they admitted us in Room 10, one room next to where we went through labor with Delaney. With the pain increasing, Nikki got an epidural around 3:30, which made things much easier for her. Christi, Bob, and Jenna arrived after we called them in the early morning, tired but excited for the upcoming birth. Irene showed up shortly thereafter, and each one came back to visit us while Nikki was in labor. Shortly after the epidural, they checked Nikki again, and it was time to start the pushing. With Delaney, it took about 2.5 hours for her to come out. No joke, it took Riley less than 2.5 minutes to come out. Four pushes and he was out.
Because Nikki named Delaney shortly after her birth, Dennis had the difficult task of naming our second child. It came down to a few choices we had picked if Dybs was a boy, and Riley James was the ultimate decision. Riley is a name both of us liked all along, and it was selected partly out of respect for Delaney (both end in "y"). James is a family name - Nikki's brother, Dennis' grandfather, and Nikki's great-grandfather. Also, James is another homage to Delaney, who we nicknamed Jam while she was in Nikki. Lastly, it was selected because Nikki and Dennis both attended and met at James Madison University. It was later pointed out to us by Jacob Levin that March 16 is James Madison's birthday, which only made the decision that much more meaningful. (Thanks for pointing this out, Jacob.)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Video of Delaney
Here is a short video of Delaney when she was 4 days old. We have been working hard to put all of her videos together on a DVD before Dybs is born, and thought that you might want to see a little clip. The video is done...now Nikki just needs to figure out how to burn it onto a DVD to make it a full-fledged movie. We hope you enjoy seeing Delaney awake and getting to taste sugar water for the very first time!!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Inching closer to the finish line
As we get closer to the end...the days really have seemed to slow to a crawl! Nikki is getting very anxious for the baby to arrive, but we still have 2 1/2 weeks until the official due date. Dybs has our blessing to come any day now. We saw the doctor again today and everything is still going well, Dybs is head down and had a nice strong heartbeat. We will miss our regular appointment next friday because the doctor is out of town, but we'll go on Monday and that would be our 39 week appointment. We hope everyone enjoys the nice weather this weekend!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
March is here!!!
We are so happy to see the arrival of March...Dybs SHOULD come this month (unless Dybs is REALLY stubborn and is 10 days late!). Although it definately doesn't feel like spring right now with snow falling outside...it should be right around the corner. Not much new is going on here, our appointment was very uneventful this week. We spent the weekend trying to get some baby stuff out and try to remember how to use it all! We'll see the doctor again on Friday for our almost 38 week appointment... We hope that everyone has a good week!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
