Category: Family

Life with the Murphy’s!

Family

Riley is 5 Months!

The Merfett

Wait – I have a 5 month old? Whoa.

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Weight: 17lb 8oz at his 4 month check up a few weeks ago. That’s 90%. And he’s 27 5/8″ which is off the chart for height…the chart goes to 98% so let’s say he’s 105% ;) He’s a BIG guy. He’s always been large, but it’s sort of crazy how he compares to other babies his age.

Health: Healthy! The doctor said he looks great and is growing well. We’re still dealing with teething…going on 2 months and no sign of teeth. Some days are fine – and others are fussy. I’m so thankful we’ve avoided a winter cold. He’s still congested sometimes, but the NoseFrida and humidifier take care of that.
Sleep: We had a harder time with sleep this month. He went through a growth spurt – he can GRAB things now!! So for a week or so he was waking up every 2.5 hours. We really focused on getting him into good sleep habits this month. No more pacifier, no more holding to sleep – now he can fall asleep on his own, or a few pats on his back to calm him until he drifts off. We’re not into the crying it out deal – per the Pediatrician’s advice we let him fuss for 5 min before we try to calm him. Sometimes he goes back to sleep, other times he needs our help. I always feel like fist pumping anytime I put him down in his crib and I watch him drift off to sleep. I know it’s so important to teach babies good sleep habits, and each time he can put himself to sleep calmly feels like a giant parenting victory.  We’re working on getting him to two, 2 hour naps so he can be on a 4 hour schedule. Just in the past few days he’s started moving that direction. I tried the switch from 3 to 4 hours a few weeks ago and he wasn’t ready. Also – 2 hour naps?! He’s been a 45min – 1:15hr napper. Anytime he naps closer to 2 hours I feel like I’m a champion and I can get SO much done.
Nursing: Going really well – so well, that he doesn’t like to eat any other way! Oh man, we had the great bottle hold out of 2013 this week. He’s taken the bottle from Kelly before – no issues. But recently he wants nothing to do with it. We don’t give him a bottle often since I’m never away from him for very long. This past weekend we had a wedding to attend so we’ve been planning to leave him with my Mom overnight. We tried and tried to get him to take the bottle well – no dice. We did different bottles, sippy cup, normal cup, spoon even an eye dropped. He wasn’t a fan at all. After a few days of struggling we decided it wasn’t worth the battle. In a few months he’ll be able to drink from a real cup or sippy cup well. The most frustrating part was that he would take the milk in his mouth (by whatever method) but then raspberry it back out in our faces. We tried it fresh, warm, room temp – nothing was right. I will have to admit that when I was pregnant I heard so much about “nipple confusion” and “don’t introduce the bottle too early” and I was so focused on nursing that I didn’t want to try the bottle incase it would ruin all of our hard work. Looking back – I think we should have tried to do a bottle a day/every other day just so he could get used to it. But, since I was with him most of the time and Kelly was working it was just easier to nurse. In the past 5 months the bottle refusal has probably been the most frustrating thing we’ve dealt with as parents. In the big picture it’s not really and issue – but man, it made us scratch our heads. Could it be a preview of having a stubborn kid? We hope not :)

What Riley is up to: Riley is SO much fun right now! I’ve heard this time can be the “sweet spot” for having babies. They’re interactive and playful – but not mobile just yet so they won’t get into too much trouble. I do love that he can grab things now –  I feel like he’s becoming such a little person when he can hold and shake things. He’s laughing now too! I love love love hearing his little baby laugh. It’s the best sound ever. This past month we took a trip to New Jersey. Riley had his first plane ride, wedding, boat ride and trip to New York City. It was so much fun to travel with our little family. Before we had Riley traveling was one of the things I was most excited about. Adventure! Memories! Riley also celebrated his first Christmas this month. I LOVE Christmas, and it was a million times more fun with Riley. I can’t wait for next year when he’ll maybe be less into putting the paper in his mouth – and more excited to open presents :)

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PostPartum: I think I’ve lost almost all the baby weight, which makes me feel good. I’m not at the fitness level I’d like to be at – but I’m working on it. I got the best Christmas present ever – a SPIN BIKE!!! So excited for some early morning rides while Riley is sleeping. I need to make a trip to the store to get some new jeans – all my “not quiet back into pre-preg” jeans are too big – yay! I’m back into my normal pre-baby jeans which is nice, but I think I’ve crossed over into “mom jean” territory. Super low hip-hugger jeans are not so kind to the Mama tummy :) Emotionally, I feel good. This month was stressful at work, I was so ready for a break and some time at home. I really enjoy working in an office (and taking Riley with me) but sometimes it’s just so nice to work from home and deal with a fussy baby while checking emails.

Baby Gear: Toys are fun now! We got lots of toys from everyone for Christmas and Riley is loving grabbing and playing with them. We also got a BOB stroller for some jogging trips. And a Radio Flyer Red Wagon from Uncle Brad and Alex that Riley loves!

Thoughts: I love being a Mama to Riley. I never knew how I would feel after having kids – I wasn’t a big “kid lover” growing up. Yea, they’re cute and all – but I didn’t love babysitting and for sure didn’t have babyfever. Sometimes I look at Riley and just ponder the idea that he’s ours – we made him. How crazy is that?! Christmas Eve after I finished feeding him, he was sleepy so we rocked in the Nursery and I did my best to freeze that moment in my mind – always wanting to remember how it felt the night before his first Christmas. How last year at Christmas we were just telling our families the news that we were having a baby, and now – a year later he was here.

Family

Fresh.

The Merfett

Last year on this day we shared the news with our families that we were expecting a baby. We dreamed and talked about how exciting Christmas this year would be. A baby.

I feel like you get to be a kid all over again when you have a baby. You get to go though the milestones of life for a second time, both with your mature eyes, and with the innocence and wonder of a child. I’ve always LOVED Christmas, it’s my favorite. That, and smiling – smiling’s my favorite :) <–Name that movie

So I knew that having a baby this Christmas would make it totally different and wonderful in a fresh new way.

I was driving home from my last errand yesterday, when I started thinking about the Christmas story. How many times have we heard the story of the birth?

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2: 1-20)

You guys – I got tears in my eyes. How many times have I recited in my head:

6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2: 6-7)

I know what Mary did in the barn all those years ago. It was just her and Joseph, bringing that baby into the world.  A baby that would forever change history. A son that she would watch lay down his life.

Being a Mama now, and knowing what Mary did for me – and you, it brings tears to my eyes even now as I type.

I hope you have a wonderful day and that you might see the Christmas Story fresh too.

Love,

Merfman, Merfett & Merfbaby

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