6 weeks and sad!!!!

Well, Chapman is 6 weeks today! I can't believe how fast the last 6 weeks have flown by! I feel like it was yesterday that Jason and I were getting ready to go to the hospital and now Chapman is already 6 weeks old. Well, the sad part is, I am going back to work tomorrow. Although I am going to enjoy getting back into a routine, I am going to miss my little angel's face! I can't even start talking about it (or typing for that matter) without tears running down my face. I know things will get much better, but right now, I am just heartbroken that I won't get to spend all day with my little Chapman! There is good news though....I am working until April 15th and then going to take about two and a half weeks off as an "extended maternity leave" or actually vacation days! I can't wait to be able to spend that time with Chapman, but I am sure it will be just as hard going back after those two and a half weeks. Until April 15th, my Mama and Mrs. Baker are going to keep Chapman, so at least I can call as much as I want to check on him! After the two and a half weeks I am off in April, my Mama will keep him again until June and then he will start ECDC at First Methodist! I am really excited about him going to ECDC, but I can only imagine that day....I am sure I will be back to the tears again!

Anyway, back to the most important part of our blog, Chapman. Like I said, he is 6 weeks old today and he is GROWING like crazy! He now weighs about 13 pounds. We went to the lake this past weekend and he slept about 9 hours on Friday and 8 and a half on Saturday. Last night he only slept about 7 and a half, but we are not complaining at all! I think it is just something about the lake that makes you relax and sleep longer!!! :):) Also, Bogie and Chapman get along GREAT...Bogie is such a good big brother and usually lets Chapman have all the attention, but sometimes he wants to join in the fun, as you can see below! I have attached some new pictures below. They are all just random pictures, but I hope you enjoy!

Bogie playing in the snow!!!

Chapman LOVES his Daddy!!!

Yes, Chapman has already been to play golf!

Chapman and Bogie....."Brotherly LOVE"

Chapman and Anna Reese....after Mama's went on a relaxing walk!

One month appointment....

Well, Chapman is one month old today and Mama and Daddy cannot believe it! The past month has been such a blessing, but has flown by so quickly! We went for his one month checkup and once again Chapman has gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks. He now weighs 11 pounds and is 22.5 inches long. He is growing so fast. The doctor said he is in the top 25% for weight and 20% for height! Jason and I are so glad he is doing so well! He is now sleeping through the night (or he has the last 3 nights), but you can read about that on my post below! He is also holding his head up and awake a lot more during the day than he has been in the past. I will try to post some new pictures soon!

WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.....

Chapman slept through the night Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. Jason and I are SO proud of him. Well, he didn't sleep through the entire night...he slept for 6 hours straight (and went 7 hours between feedings), so any of you that have children know that 6 hours of straight sleep pretty much counts as sleeping through the night...especially at one month old!

He had been getting up about every 4 hours to eat (which means that I was getting, at a maximum, 3 hours of sleep). Jason was talking to a customer on Friday that said a couple of his friends went and bought a swaddle blanket and they swaddled the baby and the baby slept through the night the first night. Of course we have swaddled Chapman, but it seemed like he always wanted his arms out of the swaddle, so that is what we did. After about a week, we quit swaddling him all together. So Friday night, Jason (aka "SUPER DADDY") swaddled Chapman, including his arms, tight and we put him in his crib at about 10:15. He whined for a few minutes and then fell right to sleep. He didn't wake up until about 4:30. We couldn't believe it! Anyway, I am now a true believer that babies really LOVE to be swaddled and that is the one thing that is helping Chapman sleep through the night! Thank to Chapman's wonderful Daddy...Mama now feels like a new person!

2 week appointment

We went for our two week appointment yesterday. The appointment was really just a weight check, at which Chapman excelled! He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces when he was born and 7 pounds, 2 ounces when we left the hospital. At his two week check-up yesterday, he weighed 9 pounds. Usually, the doctor expects a newborn to return to his birth weight at his two week check-up, but not Chapman. He gained almost 2 pounds in two weeks. He LOVES to eat!!!!! :):) Jason and I, along with the doctor, were extremely impressed!

We are gradually getting on a schedule. He has actually done very well and Jason and I can't complain at all. He has been waking up to nurse at night about every 4 hours, which gives me about 3 hours of sleep at a time. I know many other mothers that have not gotten near that amount of sleep, so we are blessed to have Chapman sleeping that long. Of course he has his nights where he doesn't want to go to sleep or wants to wake up every 2 to 3 hours, but for the most part, he is doing GREAT with sleeping and eating.

We are still just amazed that we have our little one at home. He is such a gift from God and we thank God for him everyday! This is such an amazing and wonderful time in our lives. Chapman has already grown a good bit and his little cheeks are filling out just like his Daddy's! He is lips and cheeks look a lot like Jason, which I am so thankful for!!! He is just precious! I have added some more pictures. Hope you enjoy!

Finally, some pictures....

Where do I begin? As most of you know, Chapman Hardwich Baker was born on February 2nd at 10:36 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces and was 20 inches long. We came home from the hospital on Wednesday, February 4th and haven't stopped since. I never understood or believed new mothers when they said they had no time to do anything except tend to their baby, but now I COMPLETELY understand. For those of you that now me well, you know how I am about getting things done and staying organized. If I have something that needs to be done (for example, writing thank you notes for all the sweet gifts and flowers we received while in the hospital), I want to get it done ASAP and will not rest until I have finished what it is that needs to be done! Well, last week I continued with this mind set and didn't take a nap or rest while Chapman was sleeping, but this week I have come to the conclusion that I have got to take a nap EVERYDAY and that there are some things that can wait to be done another day!

All that said, we have had the BEST time with Chapman at home and absolutely LOVE being parents. Chapman is pretty much on a schedule now, which makes things a lot easier. He is a GREAT baby and is sleeping and eating well! We even took him to spend the night at the lake when he was 6 days old! We have gotten out a couple of times this week, since it has been so pretty outside. Thanks to my WONDERFUL and SWEET mother, we have been able to run a couple of errands, etc. (she sat in the car with Chapman while I went in Target to get a "couple" of things we needed....50 minutes and $165 later, I returned to a precious baby sleeping and a mother playing Suduko in the backseat). Thank goodness I have such a wonderful mother. I also have to say that Jason is SO wonderful with Chapman. Chapman is so blessed to have such a loving Daddy! I don't know how anyone does it without help!

We are all doing great and are so thankful for all the thoughts, prayers, gifts, food, etc. I hope to be able to return the favor to each of you! You have no clue how much Jason and I appreciate all of you! And now, what you have all been asking for, some pictures from the first 10 days of Chapman's life! He is already growing so much! I hope you enjoy!

Chapman's coming home outfit his Ibbie (my Mama) made him!

Daddy already has me ready to go to the course....oh the times they will have on the golf course!

Look at all that hair....he looks like he just had a haircut!

Daddy and Bogie playing with Chapman....Bogie loves his new little brother!

Chapman's first trip to Lake Martin. I am sure this will be one of his favorite places.

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Saturday, January 24th, was our twin niece and nephew's first birthday! They absolutely LOVED their cakes and were so precious eating them! Stella started off delicately eating her cake and then decided to tear into it after she figured out how good it was. Marlin was all about tearing into it from the beginning! They are so

precious....I can't believe they are already one!!! Obviously, Marlin had just as much fun with his baked beans as he did with his cake....check out that bib!!!

39 weeks....

We went to the doctor today, Tuesday, January 27th to find out that I have not progressed much. I am now 39 weeks along and as much as I was hoping Dr. Garrard would say go straight to the hospital NOW, we found out we will be headed to the hospital on Sunday afternoon. I will be given some medication to help "ripen" the cervix and then some to help me sleep. We will spend Sunday night at the hospital and Dr. Garrard said he hopes to be at the hospital around 6:00 Monday morning to break my water and start the labor process. Of course this is all new to us, so we will just take everything as it comes. At least Jason has the Super Bowl to watch while we are in the hospital Sunday night!!! Too bad he doesn't get any medicine to help him sleep!

Jason and I are still hoping that Chapman will come on his own before Sunday, but if not, Chapman should arrive on Monday, February 2nd! We can't wait to meet our son and can't wait for everyone else to meet him either! We appreciate all the thoughts and prayers during this time. We pray that we will have a safe and healthy delivery! Next time I update, hopefully it will be with some pictures of our little Chapman!