Thursday, April 24, 2014

Weeks 2-4

So I'm starting to realize that keeping up the 'ol blog may be a little more challenging now that our time looks very different. :) I'll do my best to keep the updates coming semi-regularly, and thank you in advance for your patience. :)

So our sweet tiny guy is already almost a whole month old!!!!! I really can't wrap my head around that. The past month has been brimming with joy, delight, surprises, challenges, and plenty of learning opportunities. We are beyond in love with our sweet Sam, and we are overflowing with gratitude for this beautiful gift we've been given. Here are some highlights from weeks 2-4:



Sam loved meeting Grandma and Grandpa Kotula! He enjoyed lots of snuggles, books, and walks, and he can't wait to see them both again soon!

Our first lunch out at a restaurant!




Sam had a great time meeting Grandpa Bloodgood and Great Grandma & Great Grandpa Bloodgood, too! We were so thankful they came to visit!!



To celebrate Dad's birthday, we went to a nearby state park called Potato Creek. Sam enjoyed his first hike and a picnic lunch (that may or may not have been consumed in the car due to wind!)




Our chunky muffin outgrew the sink for his baths and graduated to his big boy bath tub. He is just. so. cute!






Sam also loved getting to meet Grandpa Immel, Aunt Rachel, and his cousin Ben! We had a blast celebrating Easter with everyone, and Sam adored getting snuggled up by all of them (including Grandma Denese!)

These past few weeks have also included several walks, and we're so thankful to have great friends to enjoy our walks with. 
Here are Sam and two of his sweet friends, Harper and Avery. 

We also visited the doctor for Sam's 3-week check-up. He left with a clean bill of health, and we were so glad to hear that he's gaining weight like a champ. In about two weeks' time, Sam put on 1 lb & 9 oz, and grew 2 inches! We've certainly had our challenges navigating his feeding, but everything seems worth it knowing he's thriving! We don't have another appointment scheduled until he's 2 months old, and I'm sure he'll be a MOOSE by then! 

Some fun facts:
  • Sam started giving his first real smiles at 3 weeks!!! He really thought Grandma Denese was hilarious, and has since shared those stunning smiles of his with mama, dad, and aunt Rachel, too!
  • He has started sleeping for about 4 hours during his first stretch of sleep each night, which has been such a blessing! After that, he gets back on his 1.5-2 hour cycle, but that first longer stretch really helps mom and dad!
  • Stella is still a bit jealous of the attention Sam gets, and she likes to get REALLY vocal about it at night just when he's drifting off to sleep. Ay yi yi!
  • Sam's really exploring his neck strength lately, and likes doing tummy time with dad at night. 
  • We can't wait to keep getting to know our love bug. :)




Friday, April 4, 2014

First Week of Life!

Some highlights from Sam's first week of life:

 Dad survived our first bath at home!

So did mama!

Sam loves snuggle time with Grandma Denese!


Our little tiny guy after his first doctor's appointment. :) He was already nearly back up to birth weight, and all of his measurements were looking good. We are so thankful for a healthy baby boy!

Grandma and Grandpa Kotula came from Minnesota to visit their new grandson! 

Well-fed little angel. :)

Stella is slowly but surely figuring out how to share attention with Sam.

Again…it's a slow process. 

This is one of Sam's best faces. It makes me giggle every time!!

Not pictured: We get several involuntary smiles from our tiny nugget every day. It's my favorite thing in the whole world. 

40 Weeks and 1 Day :)

So on our due date, baby K had begun letting us know he was ready to come out into the world, but he didn't officially make his entrance until March 26th. My water broke around 6:30 pm on the 25th, and our sweet baby was born at 3:40 am on the 26th! Those 9 hours of labor included lots of walks around the maternity unit, some time on the yoga ball, and a dip in the labor tub. The experience was unlike anything I have ever felt in my life, and I am so thankful to have had Alex and my mama by my side to help me through it. Alex was so invested in helping me practice our breathing techniques during labor that he nearly passed out at one point…talk about commitment! :) All of the intense pain was worth it when our beautiful boy--Samuel Lenox Kotula--was born! He weighed 7 lbs, 15 oz. at birth, and measured 20 inches long. What a stunning gift!!!





Check out those sweet feet!!!!!

The hospital provided the services of a professional photographer, and we love the results!



























We are so incredibly in love.