Lincoln is 6 months!

I just can't believe how fast the last 6 months have flown by! I know every mom says that, but seriously! Lincoln is just growing like a little weed. He is in such a cute stage right now - he is excited to see anything new, he laughs all the time, and is discovering food. I just love him to pieces! Here are his stats and some pictures to enjoy! Oh, and he had the CT scan on his head, and everything is just fine...he'll just have a small head like me.

Height: 25.5 inches (25%)

Weight: 16 lbs 4 ounces (50%)

Head circumference: 16.25 inches (<10%)

Likes:

~Sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes, and MORE SWEET POTATOES

~Rice in his milk at night (we call it his horchata)

~Bouncing on your knee

~Swimming

~Singing songs

~Walks

~Sippy cup

~Naps (not so happy at all without them or with too short of one)

Dislikes:

~Bananas

~Pears

~Apples

~Staying at home all day (he must get out, or else...)

"Mmm...mom, I love me some sweet potatoes! I don't want anything else, ok? Just sweet potatoes."
"Mom, I don't take a paci because I prefer my thumb, but it is a fun toy to hold!"
"Mom, you dress me so cool." :)
"I love the beach. It makes me smile. Let's go to the beach all the time, ok? But, can I PLEASE get a towel without flowers? I'm a boy, mom!"
I was trying to catch his cute smile, but it is much harder to do than you'd think! I promise he smiles all the time. I just can't seem to get it on camera much.
So, Lincoln is one of the MESSIEST eaters I have ever seen. He thinks he needs to suck his thumb to get the food down. So after every bite, he sticks in his thumb and sucks it down. But of course, some pops out his mouth every time and it goes everywhere. I am trying to teach him "hands down" and he'll put them down long enough for me to get a bite in, but then it just starts all over again.
I can't resist those baby blue eyes! So adorable!

The Boys

Three of my friends also had baby boys around the same time Lincoln was born. It has been fun getting together with them and seeing how each one has grown differently. First came Benson, then two weeks later Lincoln came, one week later came Bradley, and then 4 weeks later came Reese.

This is when Lincoln was just over two months:

(Benson, Lincoln, Bradley, Reese)

Now Lincoln is just over 5 months:

(Lincoln, Bradley, Benson, Reese)

(Lincoln decided it was a good place to try to nap)

And just because he is so stinkin cute, here is one more of my little one:

Lincoln is 5 months!

I can't believe my little guy is already 5 months old! Where does the time go? Here are his 5 month stats:

Height: 24.5 inches (20th percentile)

Weight: 15 lbs 4 ounces (50th percentile)

Head circumference: 15.5 inches (less than 10th percentile)

They are worried about his head because it didn't grow in a month and a half. He needs to get a CT scan to make sure that his skull bones aren't fusing yet. The neurologist didn't seem too worried, so I am feeling better about it. He isn't showing any of the typical other signs that something is wrong; he just has a small head. I have a small head too, though, so hopefully it isn't anything. I am trying to not freak out.

Likes:

~stuffed animals (especially Tigger)

~being naked (he thinks it is hilarious)

~rice in his bottle (sucks it down like no other)

~being outside (he loved the beach)

~his play mat (has loved it since he got it months ago)

~the bath

~being tickled

~Tinkerbelle

~chewing on fabrics

Dislikes:

~having a dirty diaper for more than 2 seconds

~when I take away the boob or bottle too soon

~the vacuum

~being hot

~going a minute past feeding time

Here are some pics of the little man!

(First pool day...not too happy at first)

(First attempt at rice cereal on a spoon. The second time was much better)
(Livin a Bumbo life)
(So happy to be blessed!)
(Lovin the beach!)

Lincoln William Snyder

Better late than never, right? Lincoln arrived on September 29, 2010 at 12:15 p.m. via emergency C-section. It was a wild ride, let me tell you. I went in for a normal, routine check up at 36 weeks. My urine test the week before had been abnormal, but I wasn't showing any of the signs of a bladder infection, so my doctor didn't think much of it. This time my urine test was again abnormal, and again I wasn't having any bladder infection symptoms. So that was odd. Then my blood pressure was elevated, and it has never been elevated. My doctor decided to have me walk over to the hospital labor and delivery department for testing. They took my blood and several urine samples. They monitored me for contractions and took my blood pressure every 10 minutes. No one was telling me much, and my doctor hadn't seemed too worried...he just wanted some tests, right? Then they had me do an ultrasound and Lincoln was doing great, but he was in the breech position. (Not a good thing for someone planning a totally natural, drug-free delivery). After the ultrasound, I thought they'd let me leave (I didn't have Elliott come at this point because I was just going to do tests). That was not the case though. I soon found out that I would not be leaving that night because my liver enzymes were elevated and my blood platelet levels were dropping. They wanted to keep me overnight for yet more TESTS. Then early in the morning on the 29th, my doctor called me to tell me I had Hellp Syndrome and that he had to deliver the baby as soon as possible for both my own health and for the baby's health. Hellp Syndrome would eventually cause liver failure for me and would prevent me from being able to coagulate blood. With my rapidly decreasing platelet levels, Lincoln would have lost blood supply to the placenta. I was in a state of shock, needless to say. I wasn't expecting to have a baby for another month and we had nothing at the hospital since I thought was there for TESTS. By 11:00, I was being prepped for surgery and was taken to the operating room. I was not prepared mentally for that experience! I was planning a very natural childbirth and really didn't want an epidural. Three tries later, the epidural was in (ouch!) and my reaction: violently shaking on the table. I was crying when Elliott was finally let in. The worst part was hearing my doctor ask for the scalpel! After much tugging and pulling, they said "Ok dad, time to get the camera!" Uh...what camera?...we didn't even have that because who needs a camera for TESTS? Then I heard the most beautiful scream I have ever heard from my little baby. My tears quickly turned to tears of joy and I couldn't wait to see him. I got to see him for like one minute while they tried to nurse him and then he & Elliott were taken away to the nursery and I was sent to recovery. I was in recovery for like 5 hours and I was finally insisting that I go see my baby (he needed to eat!). I finally got to go to my room and Elliott and baby Lincoln were there waiting for me. I was a mom. Finally. Oh what joy! It is the greatest feeling in the world and we are so happy to have him!

32 weeks down, 8 to go

Here I am at 32 weeks and at size HUGE. Seriously, how can my belly possibly stretch even more in the next 8 weeks?? I'm pretty sure there is no more room and that really I should be more like 38 weeks. Part of me is shocked that I am already 32 weeks, and then the other part of me is like "I am ONLY 32 weeks?? I swear the last week was 5 weeks long." I'm sure all you other preggers can relate. At least it is fun to see my whole belly move around and get lop-sided when the little guy moves around!

My Amazing Mom

My parents recently came out to visit us, which is always a treat. What was an even greater treat, though, was that my mom brought a suitcase full of adorable fabric to make a bumper pad for our little guy! For those of you who do not know, Florida is not exactly the sewer's haven for nice fabric. St. George, on the other hand, is awesome for cute fabric! My mom had been keeping an eye out for cute boy fabric to make a crib set for me. She makes the most amazing bumper pads...they are so fluffy and sturdy and stinkin cute!! Once she got here, she showed me the fabric. I had asked for bright colors as my only stipulation, and she sure came with brights! I was a little weary of the owls just because of the purple in them (not a boy color in my mind), but once we cut up the fabric and laid out the fabric, I was in love! The inside of the bumper pad is a tan minky that is oh-so-soft and the cording on the top is fabulous. She makes the bumper pad, crib sheets, crib skirt, valance (don't have that yet), usually quilts and blankets to match, pillows, blocks, anything she can think of to use any scraps. She is so creative!! Thanks Mom! You are super talented, and I'm so happy I'm your daughter!

Here is a close-up of the big owl fabric:

Here is a close up of the smaller owl fabric:
Bumper pads are REALLY LONG!! I tried to get a good close up showing most of the bright colors.
This is an all-minky quilt. The colors matched perfectly and my mom was in a rush to get here to Florida, so she begged a quilt shop to sell it to her already made since she wouldn't have time to put it together before she left. She was finally able to convince them to sell it (they normally don't sell their display quilts). I am so happy they sold it and that she bought it for me!! I don't think our little boy will really use this because I just might steal it every time. :)
Another shot of the awesome quilt on the crib.
His first stuffed animals. The bear has a bow-tie that matches perfectly with the sheet, and so we had to get it! The dinosaur/monster thing matches the green in the bumper pad really well too.
The crib!!!
Without even planning it, the big owls peek out of the slats on the crib perfectly! So cute!
So colorful and awesome!
I know, I know, you are all jealous! :) j/k...ok...not really...

Molly at 25.5 weeks

I am only posting this because all you crazy people asked for it, and mostly because my crazy sister is holding my coveted diaper bag until I post a picture of myself! Let me preface this by saying that I have never liked pictures of myself...even when I was in shape and at my optimal weight. I always look 50 pounds heavier than I am. So take that, add some extra weight, and then add in 25.5 weeks worth of baby making, and you can imagine how I feel about my pictures now! Oh well, what the heck?? Here I am in all my glory with 25.5 weeks of pregnancy under my skin!