It’s hard to believe that I was just bringing Ryder home from the hospital. Yet–he just turned three months old. I had every intention of doing monthly updates on Ryder since as we all know… babies grow so quickly. But time got away from me like it does most days. So I figured I would give a little three month update. Get ready for a photo-heavy baby update! Hopefully in the months to come I can actually do a month-by-month recap!
The one thing I’m glad I did was give weekly Facebook updates on my personal page during the first nine weeks. When people say it goes by in a blur they are not kidding. I think that is partially because of the sleepless nights!
Month 1 – We survived our first month. Jon went back to work a week and a half after Ryder was born and it was all me 24-7. Thankfully, he was able to work from home a few days to help me adjust to this new life. Quite over whelmed, sleep deprived, and emotionally drained could definitely explain how I felt. We got to take our coveted newborn photos just 8 days after Ryder was born. A week after he was born we celebrated my 30th birthday. Not the way I ever expected to celebrate. I felt like I was hung over from a night of partying –yet we just had a party at Ryder’s crib!
First official full day from being home from the hospital and Ryder got to wear his RYOBI Nation onesie. He looks much older in this photo than he really was.
I call this photo “sexy baby”! I love this photo of him. Look how itty-bitty he was and that was a newborn diaper that barely fit him!
Since I’m breastfeeding (and still breastfeeding) Jon rarely gets to feed Ryder. This was the first time he got to feed him!
Ryder had his first sponge bath at home!
We had our first lunch out with the baby. He slept through the whole thing! This lady sitting next to us insisted on taking our picture which was good since I wanted to document the moment!
We actually had a chilly day in Orlando and his cute little outfit from our cousin came in handy!
Sleepy newborn baby. He barely fit in his newborn pajamas!
We took our first walk as a family on our third day home from the hospital!
I some how had the energy to make Ryder a few new custom snap tee’s. I was in love with this shirt and so sad when he finally grew out of it. I need to make another one… asap. We also tried to sit out on the patio a few minutes each day–just to get a little fresh air.
We took our newborn photos at home on the 8th day of Ryder being with us. Here is a little behind the scenes of our photo shoot with the talented Christy Buonomo Photography! See the rest of our photos here.
The day after my 30th birthday… holding my little itty-bitty baby.
The first day Jon left for work. I cried. Ryder cried. We cried together… a lot that day. Hello postpartum hormones!
Thank god Jon was able to work from home a few days after he returned back to work. It helped ease me into being by myself. Here he is on a video conference call, working, and holding his newborn son! My heart melts just a little here!
I just love this photo! I love that he is part-smiling and holding his paci!
Ryder spent his first (of many) times pool side! Tutorial on how I made that shirt to come!
2 week check-up. All was well! He gained back his birthweight and then some weighting in at 7 lbs! He was 6 lbs 9oz at birth. And he grew an inch as well!
Our Yorkie, Lola was still warming up to this new creature in her home. Whenever Jon would hold the baby she would insist on being on his lap too. I think she wanted to remind him that she is still his baby, too!
And on occasion, Lola would jump up on my lap too! I had just got done feed Ryder and was rocking him to sleep when Lola decided she need to inspect what was going on.
We celebrated our first Easter!
And to put into perspective just how tiny Ryder was, here is a photo of him and his first Easter bunny my mom got him.
Still trying to get use to the sleepless nights as a family.
Month 2 – We experienced cradle cap like no ones business during month 2. He lost most of the hair on top of his head (so glad it finally started to grow back by month 3). He started sucking his thumb and enjoying naps. He didn’t grow out of his newborn clothes until almost 8 weeks and by week 6/7 he graduated into size 1 diapers! At 7 weeks old, Ryder found his thumb. He alternates between sucking his thumb, his whole fist, and sometimes a pacifier.
Hello balding baby. A.k.a Benjamin Button.
After his umbilical cord finally fell off (it took almost a month) we were finally able to start baths. Our little shark loves bath time!
We celebrated my first mother’s day! A delicious brunch out then dinner with my parents at our home.
Ryder started swatting at his toys on his activity mat.
Once I got the all clear from my doctor I started venturing out on my own. My mom came with me on my first outing to coach me and lend support. Jon had been teaching me how to open and close the stroller and put the car seat into the car. What he forgot to teach me was how to take the car seat OUT OF the car. Needless to say, on our first errand out my mom stayed in the car with while Ryder while I shopped at the produce market and then I came back and she shopped. After a quick phone call and very little explanation we were in business and off to lunch.
Every day, Jon comes into the nursery and sits or lays on the ground while I feed the baby. We chat about what went on that day, etc. He does this multiple times throughout the evening. We had just finished dinner and I was feeding Ryder when Jon came in the room. He layer down and was playing with the dog and before I knew he was PASSED OUT on the ground. Like a dead fish. After I finished feeding Ryder I proceeded to walk over him and go to the living room. He laid passed out on the ground for over 2 hours! I know he will probably be mad I’m sharing this photo but I had too.
We also made our first visit to dad’s office. This was right around the time Ryder started smiling and not just the gas-induced ones!
We had our 2 month check-up (and shots). Ryder weighted in at 10lbs 5 oz, 22 inches long! Still small by national standards in the 17-19% range.
Month 3 – I feel like Ryder is becoming less baby like and more little boy like. Although, I realize we have a long way from that, but I can already tell that his newborn like ways are almost gone. In the past month (really in the past week) he has found his laugh, rolled over on to his stomach, and took his first beach trip.
Ryder got to meet his great great Aunt Millie. She is the closest person to a great grandma that Ryder has. We got to take a coveted 4 generations photo. That’s my mom in the photo!
We dipped Ryder’s feet int he pool for the first time. He loves the water.
We attended our first baby wearing class. Because mama needs her hands free to get some stuff done (like clean up my disastrous craft room).
We also celebrated Jon’s first father’s day. At the end of the day I realized I never got a photo of Jon and Ryder together just the two of them… so a bath time photo it was. The kid loves baths and Jon is the bath master in our home. It’s the one bonding thing they get to do together every day.
We saw Mr. Harley at our local library (yay for free library activities)! Ryder loves music so I knew he would love seeing and listening to music live. Because of this I think we will be starting a weekly music class next month.
We also met up with Rachel from Lines Across and her new baby, Oliver, who is just 9 days older than Ryder got to meet!
We also started going to Baby Boot Camp. Basically it’s a bootcamp style workout for mama and baby gets to tag along for the ride. Just picture 15-20 mom’s exercising with 15+ babies all happy to see their mommas work out (said no one-EVER…. some days its cry fest, but we are all in this together so we embrace it).
We also made our first TV appearance and filmed a segment for our local television station for Baby Bootcamp! Ryder slept through the first half and then woke up during the second half!
Our friend Christine from Cook the Story gave us a swing before Ryder was born. We finally brought it down from the attic since he has decided to boycott the coveted (and oh-so expensive) mama-too. The kid loves the swing! Thank the lord for the swing because now someone can occasionally fall asleep in the swing. He boycotts naps daily. When he is older he will regret this decision and decide to sleep in until 1:00 in the afternoon. lol.
And like I mentioned in the beginning Ryder took his first beach trip on his 3 month birthday! So in a nut shell… that was our first three months. Now after this post taking me 2 hours to write and find photos. I think I’m going to attempt to do a monthly post! And if you hung in with me this long after all the photos (I mean who doesn’t love to stare at cute baby photos) than you deserve a drink and maybe some chocolate too!
