Two months old (a week ago...) and my return to work!

It's been a big week in the Bridges abode...

Grayson turned nine whole weeks yesterday, and we finally had a sunny morning this morning to flood the "photo studio" (our bedroom) with light for his 2-month photos (all the way below)! He's a very happy baby, and we get all kinds of smiles these days with very little solicitation. It's as though he recognizes us and is just happy to be in our arms... He gets more and more fun with each passing day!

Monday marked the end of my maternity leave with my first day back to work. My fellow teachers and principal were glad to have me back to help handle the student load, which I heard about a dozen times over the course of the day. Meanwhile, I worried about Grayson all day long (all week long, really) and got very little actual work done between that and catching up with everyone. It's been quite an adjustment going back, but with the help of my AMAZING* hubby to get Gray ready in the mornings, we've managed to make it through the week relatively unscathed. We've made the big decision that I will become a full-time mommy after the close of this school year, which I couldn't be more excited to do! Home with him is definitely where my heart is right now.

*I'm compelled to take a moment to say how really wonderful Brant is at being a daddy (and being the husband of a new mommy) - not just this week but the past nine weeks (and for eight weeks before that with my bed rest)! Even with the heavy load he carries at work with 10-11 hour days, he jumps right in with baby duty at our 5:45 wake-up call and shares the action after he gets home - and does all of it well and happily. It's just the best thing my heart could ever see to have my two beloved guys smiling at each other... I am one lucky lady.

Overall summation: Life is good and fixin' to get even better.

Now for the photo bomb...

We have smiles!

Grayson has started smiling at us - on purpose! He continues to be a sweet, happy baby, sleeping hard, eating well, and making his parents proud with all of his new little developments. His awake times are getting longer and more interactive, too, which is a lot of fun!

Coming up on two months, now, and my return to work is imminent. SIGH. I've so enjoyed my time home with him, and I look forward to much more of it when school lets out for the summer... and maybe beyond.

The smiley guy:

Six weeks and growing like a weed!

We saw Gray's doctor this morning, and the kid is really packin' on the ounces! He's up to 9 lb 9 oz now, 22 inches long. His cuteness is increasing along with his size, and a little more of his personality is starting to come out. He's a very sweet boy - during the day, but he tests our patience a little bit in the evenings. We've figured out a few tricks to soothe him - namely listening to music in the dark with daddy, and an extra meal usually settles him down. Anyway, here are a few pics of the 6-week old Grayson Ray.

Napping Smiles...

A boy and his dog...

Swaddled and sleepy...

Waving 'hello'...

One whole month...

Crazy to think that one month ago this weekend we were camped out in the pediatric unit of the hospital just waiting to bring Grayson home. Well, he's come a long way in the past four weeks, growing and putting on weight like mad. Kid's now 8 lb, 3 oz and measures 21.25 inches long! Such a porker... :)

His one-month photos:

(I like this one because it looks like he's dancing with his alligator pal.)

Three weeks old... Already?!

Time is going by way too fast! Grayson is already THREE WEEKS OLD! I now understand parents lamenting the growth rates of their getting-too-big children. I'm trying hard to enjoy the weeks I have home with him; though, I can't help but remember my return to work is just a few short weeks away... and I'm pretty sure I don't want it to ever come.

Anyway, we're surviving and thriving! There have been a few rough nights this week, but I'm starting to figure out what soothes him quickly - food. Kid wants to eat all night long, it seems, which makes for some long nights for his mama. There are only about three things that really get him fussing: disturbances to his coziness - like unsnapping his onesies to change his diapers, cold wet wipes, and hunger. I say if that's all that upsets him, we're getting off pretty easy so far! (Knock on wood...)

As a side note, Grayson's due date was yesterday! How funny to think that we weren't even supposed to have him here until then and instead we feel like we're getting the hang of things. Glad we didn't have to wait those last three weeks!

A few pics of the past couple of weeks...

Snuggled in his blankie:

Blowing milk bubbles:

Happy and full:

Big bright eyes!

Having a snooze:

Our first week...

We've been home about a week and a half now, and it seems to be going pretty well! Night feedings are the greatest challenge, and I'm having a hard time getting myself to take naps during the day. After eight weeks on bed rest, there's just so much I want to do around the house! But by the afternoon, I'm so tired I want to cry. I'm working on a balance there.

Brant went back to work on Monday, so it's just been Grayson and me at home. We have some nice family cuddles together before he leaves in the morning, which is probably my favorite time of the day!

Gray all snuggled in my robe between B & me:

On Tuesday, we had our first outing without Daddy to go to the doctor, and it was a bit of a challenge for me to wrangle all the baby gear + baby, especially after a distressing morning of multiple diaper and outfit casualties. We were definitely late for our appointment. Whoops! We'll get that down sometime.

Our dogs are very intrigued by Grayson, maybe to a fault. Rosie wants to guard him, so she barks at every little sound - including ones that I make. Luckily, Gray is unfazed by the noise. She also gets mad at us when he whimpers or cries as though we're doing something mean to him by changing his diaper. Sam just wants to smell him and lick him (not allowed), but mostly isn't all that interested unless there's feeding or diapering action taking place. Overall, they're pretty sweet about the baby, and I think they know he'll be a good playmate when he gets bigger.

Rosie checking out the kid:

On a final first-week note, we've been supplementing each feeding with a little formula since his second day of life per the NICU doctor's orders, and after received the all-clear to eliminate it now that he's showing good weight gain and has a healthy outlook, he is now formula free! I consider this a personal accomplishment on behalf of my body doing what it's supposed to do, especially after it malfunctioned at keeping the kid in for 40 weeks. Woot!

A few first-week photos:
First sponge bath...

'Thank you' note photo shoot...

Showing off his neck muscles...

Having a nap...

(I'd like to point out that it took me three days from the time I started writing this post to the time I finished it. New mother, here...)

Our whole family is home!

We were discharged from the hospital on Monday night after the doctors determined that Grayson was healthy enough to come home, and are we ever relieved to be here! It's been a great few days adjusting. Brant and I are both very tired getting used to the new sleep routine, but we're getting a system down. We were discussing yesterday how natural it feels to have him home and be his parents... It's really fun, and I'm already lamenting how quickly the time is passing. Today he is one week old (already)!

Grayson has been back to the doctor a couple of times to make sure he keeps being a healthy boy after the hospital, and he's gaining weight well and eating well, and the jaundice seems to be going away quite nicely! Things are looking good.

The Babe:

Our first family photo:

The final belly shot: