3 months old!!!

Jack is 3 months old! I'm behind on posting this and he will be 4 mos on the 13th.   He is such a sweet baby, always smiling,  and is  so much fun!  3 months has been a big month for Jack!  He is holding onto toys now, has discovered his toes, rolled over from back to belly and then back to his back,  naps in his crib now (about an hour or so each time) and sleeps in his crib at night too.  He has discovered his sweet little voice and loves to hear it,   has realized how entertaining and funny his big brother is and spends a lot of time watching him, is working on his first tooth, and is on somewhat of a schedule now.  He loves chewing on things, especially his hand and on a good day he can fit his whole fist in his mouth! ;)!  Jack is no longer a newborn.  He has turned into a fun little person now with such a sweet personality!  He weights 14 pounds and is 24 in.  He is in a size 1 diaper (soon to be 2) and size 3-6 mo. clothes.  He goes to sleep at night around 7:30 and wakes around 4 to nurse, and then up for good around 7...sometimes 8. Jack was baptized on December 16th and smiled for most of the ceremony. He went on his first vacation this month and big brother introduced him to Santa for the first time too!  Such a big month for baby Jack!  Will have to add a picture later as a certain 4 year old spilled juice in the keyboard! ;)


Jack's 4th month of life will be a big month too but for different reasons.  Jack was born without a soft spot in the back of his head so he will be having major surgery in a few weeks.  The condition he has is craniosynostosis which means the suture in his skull is fused which restricts proper growth of the skull and could result in restricted brain growth if untreated and the shape of his head will continue to grow differently-longer as opposed to circular. The suture that Jack has fused is his sagital suture which is actually a blessing because postop recovery will (hopefully) be easier.  We have known since shortly after birth that he would need this surgery but we just weren't ready to share the news with everyone yet.  We didn't want to turn the focus of excitement from having a baby into sadness from him having to have this surgery.  We are of course very scared and overwhelmed with the journey Jack will be on but in all things give thanks and that is what we are doing...or atleast trying to do. We have already received so many answered prayers and have so much to be thankful for. Jack is not in any pain and his condition is treatable and after surgery and a couple of months with a helmet, he will be fine both physically and mentally. There are amazing surgeons locally so we don't have to travel. Rob and I can be donors for the blood transfusion. We have a wonderful support system! Brendan will stay with my parents for the several days we are at the hospital so we don't have to worry and so many other prayers have been answered as well. We are asking for your prayers. Prayers for Jack, prayers for the surgery to go well, prayers for no complications, prayers for quick recovery, prayers for Brendan as this will be the longest he as been away from us and prayers for him as he sees his baby brother recover. Also, prayers for Rob and myself. This is a scary time but we have a strong faith and know we will soon be on the other side of this and our happy Jack will be healthy!

Jack is 2 months old!!

 

 

 

 

 

Jack Steven is 2 months old!!     His personality is really starting to show now and he is such a sweet baby!!!  What's new with the newest Bernth addition???

bath time!!!

Such a happy baby!!    He was smiling but everytime I got the camera out, he would stop.  Sounds just like big brother...and Daddy! :)

Sleeping:  he  eats at 7 pm and then (usually) sleeps until 2 am, eats, and then back down until 5 or 6.  If we are lucky, I can nurse  him in bed and he will doze off until 7.  He is still in his bassinet in our room but will be moving to his crib soon... maybe.  As far as naps, he will nap for 2 hours in his swing but I am trying to get him used to napping in his crib but he wakes up after 30 min. or so and wants OUT.  It will come with time. He would prefer to sleep in my arms and I rock him all day but that just isn't possible! ;)

Eating:  he eats every 3 hrs. during the day.  He LOVES  to eat!

first playdate! :)

Favorite Things:  Momma's arms, Moby wrap, and his swing.

Dislikes:  napping in his crib and tummy time

Biggest change since last month:  he is really "talking" a lot and smiling! 

sweet boy was talking so much!!

Biggest Momma challenge: realizing that I can't have my house as clean as I want right now.  I am OCD about my house and some days it is impossible to get any housework done.

Biggest difference between Brendan and Jack at this age: Jack will take a binkie and Brendan never would.

Who does Jack resemble: Everyone says they can't see any of my or Rob's features yet but I think he does look like Brendan did at 2 mos!

sweet boy!!

Jack Steven Bernth

 Both boys are sleeping, so I thought I would take advantage of this rare moment  and make a long overdue blog post!  :)  Baby Jack is already 6 weeks old!!!!  Adjustment after the 2nd baby has been sooooo much easier than after the first.  I think Rob and I just feel more confident as parents this time around and also we are so much more laid back this time too.  Brendan adores his new baby brother and is very protective!  He loves to read to him and talk to him.  A few days ago, Jack was in his swing and Brendan sat in front of the swing and started talking to Jack and Jack gave Brendan the biggest smile.  Brendan is such a great big brother and I really couldn't have asked for a smoother adjustment for him!  As a Momma, there is nothing more special than to see them together.  Jack has really started watching Brendan and is quite entertained by his busy big brother!!  Brendan still calls his brother Skippy but there has been an improvement as he now tells people that Jack is Skippy's nickname!  :)

Jack's actual delivery, although 8 days overdue, went wonderfully!  The days after didn't go so well but that's for another post at another time.  This little boy wouldn't come on his own, so I had to end up getting induced.  I was so scared of induction but it was so much easier than when I went into labor on my own.  The night before, we took Brendan to Chuck E. Cheese and had a special night with him since it was our last night as a family of 3.  After Brendan went to bed, Rob and I (appropriately) watched What To Expect When You're Expecting.  The next morning Rob and I went to the hospital at 5 am and the nurses admitted me and started my IV.  They started the pit around 6:30 and my Dr. broke my water around 7:30.  I had the sweetest nurse and was happy that Jack arrived before her shift ended.   Contractions really started getting painful and I asked for my epidurral around 11 and then Jack Steven arrived at 2:25 pm.  He weighed 9 pounds, 6 oz. and 22 in.  His coloring was so perfect! Everything was just so surreal! :) He was and still is perfect in my eyes and we are beyond grateful for this precious child! September 13th was such a special day!! 

Jack had his 1 month appt. last week and Brendan had his 4 year appt.  Both boys are doing well!  Jack is 10 pounds 3 oz. and is 23.4 in. long.  He is a great eater and is nursing well.  Jack is sleeping pretty good for the most part.  We had some nights when he was up every 2  hours so after nursing, I would get to sleep for maybe an hour before he would wake again but that isn't an every night occurrence, thank goodness!  ;) He is starting to get in somehwhat of a  routine and nurses at 7, then sleeps from 8-2, 3-5 or 6, and sometimes will doze off once more till 7 or so.   So awesome!!  Rob has been the greatest help and really is the most phenomenal Daddy to both boys.  At first, Jack only wanted me to hold him and would cry if Rob would so that was hard for him but thankfully Jack is passed that and although he prefers Momma's arms, he is happy with his Daddy too!  He loves his swing and naps in that most days.  He also loves his Moby wrap!   As silly as it sounds, before he was born, I wasn't too sure how he would fit into our family.  Our world revolved around Brendan and I wasn't sure how we could love another child as much as we do Brendan but we do and Jack fits perfectly into our family. We are so thankful that God has chosen to bless us with another precious baby boy!!

Brendan weighs 36 pounds and is 42 inches.  He had to get his 4 year old shots plus a flu shot, so that was no fun but he was very brave and did a great job!  4 year old shots definitely warrants a trip to Toys R Us so we went there afterwards and that made everything better!  :)   Brendan will be Captain Hook for Halloween and Jack will be Jake.  Brendan is so excited for all of the holidays that are coming!  His most recent request for Christmas presents...a pig!
 
Thanks to the greatest, most supportive Mom for all of your encouragement and help and thanks to  the sweetest friends for your delicious meals you have brought to us.  Your thoughtfulness means so much to us!

38-40 weeks

I am 40 weeks today!!!!!!!!!  Woo Hoo!!!! For some reason, my actual due date is tomorrow but I am 40 weeks today and I definitely feel it.  I am praying for patience and I know Jack will come when he is supposed to but I have reached the exhausted, huge, uncomfortable, annoyed point and am ready to hold this baby!! I thought for sure that I was going into labor Friday night.  I was having lots of contractions and almost called my Dr. but then Saturday morning I woke up with no contractions!  The same thing happened last night and those contractions were even worse but...NOTHING TODAY!! I am so thankful though that I was able to make it past Brendan's first week of school.  Once I got that under my belt, I was relieved so now we are just waiting...and waiting...and WAITING!   Nursery is done, Brendan is in school, bags are packed, and we are ready!!  I think the most annoying part is that it is so hard to get on the floor and play with Brendan and I am just so tired, so I feel bad that I can't play with him as much! Rob has been the biggest help and Brendan would rather play with him than me anyways, so it is always nice when Rob is home and they can be buddies.

I am so thankful for this big belly and for the healthy sumo baby that is living in my belly and I am trying sooooo hard not to complain!!  It would always drive me crazy when people would complain about being pregnant because there are so many people who so badly want to be pregnant but can't or those who have such tough pregnancies.  This really has been a good pregnancy and I am so thankful!   I see my Dr. tomorrow and thankfully, Rob can come to that appt.  My Mom asked me today if I was going to set an induction date when I see her tomorrow and my answer was "as of this second, no but that will probably change a million times before I see her tomorrow." Hey, if I am lucky, maybe I will see her tonight!  ;) Everything is going well, I am feeling good, just tired and READY!  I know once he comes, I will miss parts of being pregnant so I am just trying to enjoy it while it lasts. In the meantime, I am praying for patience and for a smooth labor and delivery and a healthy baby Jack!:)

Total Weight Gain: 33 pounds

Cravings: not really having any cravings

Thing I miss the most: being able to roll over, walk, get on the floor, etc. easily.

Size of Baby: Average 40 weeker is 7-9 lbs. and 19-21 in.

39 weeks

One of my most favorite parts of being pregnant is when  Brendan puts his head on my belly and waits for Jack to move.

First Husker game of the season!!! 

40 weeks!!!!!

Camera kept fogging up since it was 68 degrees inside and HOT outside but this on the way to school this morning.  :)  My big 4 year old excited about school!

~Bunny Brendan starts K-4~

Brendan started back to school on Monday.  VERY bittersweet!  I love the school and he really does enjoy going but I sure will miss him being home every morning.  He went 2 days/week last year and now he will go 5 days since that is the only option for K-4.  5 whole days!!! It's only from 9-12 and I know it's what he needs but it is still very bittersweet!
ANYWAYS...he is at St. Paul's again this year and he is in Mrs. Yeate's class, the bunny bunch!  He loved his teacher last year and Brendan takes awhile to warm up to new people, so I was curious as to how he would do with a new teacher and a new class but he seems to really like his new teacher and his new classmates.  He really is so excited to go every morning and has so much to tell me about his new bunny class when I pick him up!  We are excited for a new, exciting year in the bunny class!!

:)

He wants to be a police man when he grows up!!

Brendan with his new teacher.

 

Reading The Night Before Preschool

 

playing in the rain!

Soaked!!!



35-37 weeks!!

Chubby Cheeks!!!!  :)

sweet smile!!

    I am 37 weeks today!!!   Everything is going well and we are so thankful!  We had an ultrasound last week and we are thrilled with the findings!  The ventricles in his brain had been measuring "borderline high" but they are back down to the normal range now and Jack's head was in the 95th percentile but is now measuring the same as his body, which is 60th percentile!  His weight last Thursday (36 weeks 2 days) was 6 pounds 10 oz.  When I saw my OB this week, she said he will most likely weigh around what Brendan was, so around 8 lb. 6 oz. and 21 in.  When Jack was measuring so big, there was discussion about inducing or doing c/s but at my last appt. she said there is no reason to induce if I didn't want to, so she said I can go into labor on my own!!!!!!  I was thrilled to hear that!  I am progressing faster than I did at this stage with Brendan but still have a ways to go!  We also got such awesome pictures at the ultrasound!!!!  Every ultrasound we have had during this pregnancy, Jack has either had his face facing my spine or his hands and feet have been covering his face.  This last ultrasound was very clear and it was so awesome!  The tears definitely started flowing when the tech turned the machine to 4D and I saw this precious baby boy that had been in hiding!!  He looks just like his big brother!!!!!  When Brendan would ask us when "Skippy" was coming, we would tell him Skippy would come after his birthday.  Well, Brendan's Birthday was last week, so now we are just waiting!!  Brendan starts back to school on the 27th and Jack is due the 5th so lots of exciting things ahead!!!  We are all getting excited about our family of 3 turning into a family of 4!! 


35 weeks



36 weeks, 5 days

Weight Gain-plenty!!!

Cravings-Italian

Thing I miss the most-SLEEP!!!!!  I am not sleeping well at all.


Size of Baby-at 36 weeks 2 days, he weighed 6 lb. 10 oz.  We couldn't get an accurate length.  According to BabyCenter, a 37 weeker weighs 6 pounds and is 19-20 in. long.

Kicking-he is still kicking A LOT!!!!  Brendan thinks it is so funny to put his head on my belly and Jack will kick him. :)  People have asked if Brendan calls the baby Jack now and the answer is NO!  He still calls his baby brother Skippy and corrects those who dare to call him Jack!  ;)

Symptoms-lots of contractions but they aren't consistent yet and aren't doing much good yet!  Also, sooooooo sleepy from not sleeping well due to being uncomfortable and those darn leg cramps!!!  I am soooooo excited to get to sleep on my belly again soon!

3 weeks till baby Jack is due!!!!!!!



   

34 weeks!!!!!

32 week ultrasound.  At this u/s, this was the best picture we could get of his face.  Tons of pictures of his arms, legs, and "parts" but he kept putting his hands over his face!  A few days later at the u/s, he was faced toward my spine and would not turn!  I guess he is camera shy!  ;)

I am 34 weeks along now!!!! Jack's nursery is almost done and I am so excited!!  We added some shelves and a new dresser (complete with firetruck knobs) to Brendan's room too so he could have a "new room" also.  I had my appt. yesterday and she said all is well!  Baby Jack is kicking most of the time and is definitely starting to get smushed in there!  Just like Brendan, Jack's head is measuring big!  We figured that would be the case, so now I am  nervous for delivery!!!!!  I am really hoping I won't have to be induced, especially because Brendan will be starting back to school at the end of August and I sure don't want to miss that! I am trying my hardest to just "go with the flow" and that is sooooo hard for me!  Of course I thought I would get Brendan ready for school, he'd start back, and then have a week or 2 to adjust before Jack came but that may not be the case now!!!!  Also,  Rob has his vacation for mid September (thinking Jack would be here sometime after the 5th) so if we have Jack early, he won't have any time off at first BUT that is just senseless worrying!!!  I read a quote the other day from one of my favorite Christian authors, Joyce Meyer.  She said, "it is good to have a plan but you have to let God interrupt you when He wants to."  God has everything under control and whether Jack comes at 37 weeks or 41 weeks, if I have to get induced or he comes naturally,  he will come when he is supposed to and everything will work out!!!


34 weeks...

Weight Gain-- A LOT!!!!!!  :)

Size of Baby--we will find out Thursday.  Baby Center says avg. weight and length for 34 weeker is 4.73 pounds and 17.72 in. but Jack is definitely bigger.  Two weeks ago, he was already 4 pounds, 10 oz.

Cravings--sweets, especially double stuffed oreos and milk!!

Kicking--yes, most of the day and night he is kicking!

Sleeping--not good!  Rob moved to the couch the other night since I kept tossing and turning so much!

Pregnancy Symptoms--Braxton Hicks quite often!  Also, heartburn and I am always HOT! I don't think our AC has turned off in the last couple of weeks! :)

Not much longer and baby Jack will be here!!!!!!!!!!