Thanksgiving VIsitors

When Selena and Russ were over to take Sam's pictures, we also took a few amateur ones. Selena looks very happy in this picture. I can't say the same for Sam.I told Selena I'm still not ready to smile for real in a picutre, so we made fatty faces. For some reason this picture is sideways, but this is Selena with Leigh Ann's sweet baby Chase. Sorry for the chest shot, Leigh Ann, but I wanted to show that you came for a visit also. Notice Sam isn't crying while he's in Leigh Ann's arms. Man, Selena. What is your problem?

I loved having Selena and Leigh Ann over. Sweet Maw-Maw made us brownies. What a good hostess!

I need Mom advice

I am having a real tough time feeding Sam these past few days. Every time I nurse him, he seems to spit up everything he's just eaten. If I pump and then put it in a bottle (this amazing "slow-flow" bottle I found at Target), he rarely spits up. The solution is that I should just pump and put it in the bottle, right? The problem with that is, when Sam wakes up and is hungry, it is so much faster to nurse him rather than to make him wait another 15-20 minutes while I pump. And I can't just pump before he's hungry because my milk isn't produced yet. The little guy is sucking me dry. And I don't seem to be producing as much as I was last week or even a few days ago. That's my pickle. Any knowledge or advice?

Here are more amazing pictures from Selena Reid, photographer extraordinairre.

3 Weeks Old

Little Samothy is 3 weeks old today. (Don't worry, his real name isn't Samothy, that's just his latest pet name around our house).

Selena took amazing pictures of Sam while she was here over Thanksgiving!!! I can't believe I only saw her 2 times while she was here. I miss seeing her on a regular basis so much. She is my love.

This past week has been kind of rough. I have been dealing with mastitis, but was doing much better until this weekend. My fever decided to get pretty high on Friday, just in time to miss Rich and Treslee's wedding festivities. Why do things like this always happen on the weekend? My symptoms got out of hand on Saturday night, so I went to urgent care. The doctor there must have graduated at the bottom of his class, because when I described my condition to him, he asked, "Is there any discharge coming from your breasts?" and I said, "Just milk..." and he replied with, "Wait, you're nursing?" YES!!! Hence the MASTITIS!!!!! Whatev. At least he prescribed me drugs and now I'm feeling much better.

One last thing...you know how it's always funny when people get startled by a sudden noise? Sam let out a huge diarrhea fart this morning during his 5 a.m. feeding. It was so loud and so powerful that Devin jumped in his sleep and said "AHHHH!" I laughed pretty hard for a good while.

The Latest

Sam got circumsized yesterday. Poor little guy. We weren't in the room, thank goodness, although I did have to hold him while they drew his blood. I did NOT like hearing his pain-cry. He is doing well, though- he doesn't seem to be in any pain when we change his diaper (we meaning me...Devin says seeing his new "weenie" gives him the heeby-jeebies).

Whitney and I saw Twilight on Saturday! I really liked it. I had a hard time concentrating though, because my boobs got so dang full of milk toward the end of the movie- they were killing!!! Sorry for the TMI.

Sam on the way to the doctor's office. Poor little fellow had no idea what was coming.

sam looks like such a clone of Devin in this picture.we were over at the Barry's last night. Brenda wanted so badly to hold Sam but felt a cold coming on. She was resourceful and used a blindfold as a mask! What a good Go-go!!!is this not the most handsome little dad you've ever seen?

Mr. Sam Man

I just love Sam Barry. He is the sweetest. Here is a picture of his sweet feet. It's also sort of a crotch-shot. Sorry, Sam.
My mom went home last night after staying with us for a week. I really miss her help and knowledge...Poor Sam is on his own with me and Maw-Maw for now...

I am missing the midnight premiere of Twilight tonight!!! I am pretty dissapointed about it, but it wouldn't be fair to ask Devin to be with Sam until the wee hours of the morning when he has to work tomorrow. Ugh. Why am I such an amazing wife??? Jk Jk. Plus, I can't even drive yet until next week. Whatev.

And here is a picture to make you jealous, Selena!

Parent Initiation

This past Friday Sam had his first pediatrician appointment. While we were in the waiting room (which made me very uncomfortable, by the way- I could just smell the germs), we heard poo rumbles coming from Sam's diaper. I whisked Sam off to the bathroom with just a clean diaper and some wipes. On my way to the bathroom, a nurse told me I could use an empty patient room to change him.

While changing him on the paper-covered table, Sam's man-part sprayed pee ALL over the walls, making the poo in his diaper fly across the room. There was poo on the walls, chairs, floor, on him, on his clothes...yeah.

Since I didn't bring another outfit and definitely needed help (still can't bend over thanks to the C-section), I grabbed the pee/poo covered naked Sam, waddled back to the full waiting room, and yelled, "Devin! I need you and the diaper bag!!!" Devin came running back there to help me clean up. As we were cleaning up, little Sam peed yet again all over the paper table.

The worst part about the whole experience was that it was so dang funny- I can't tell you how bad it hurts to laugh when you have a 6-inch cut on your stomach.

Anyway, that's the story. How about more pictures of my boy???

The above picture is all of the spit-up Sam did on Devin's shirt from the dr.'s office. You kind of have to look hard for the stains, but they're there.

Baby Barry is HERE!!!!

and he has a name! Devin named him Sam William Barry. Sam is not short for anything (popular question).

My Paw-Paw looked at me on Sunday night and said he thought the baby would come that night (for all you Arizona people a Paw-Paw is a grandpa. He and my grandma are staying with us while they visit from Georgia). He said I had "the look." He said my Maw-Maw always got the look before she had her babies. Sure enough, my water broke about 8 hours later, on my due date.

I had just been on one of my bathroom trips at around 4:55 in the morning. I went to lay back down on our bed, felt a little pain, and then starting wetting the bed uncontrollably!!! Here's the conversation that followed:

me: "Hey Dev?"

Devin: "Yeah?"

me: "My water just broke."

Devin: "LET'S DO THIS!!!"

We proceeded to the hospital where I continued to leak more water (had no idea my body could hold that much fluid). I was still only dilated a 1, so after being put in the labor and delivery room, they started me on Pitocin (spelling?). The doctor came in to check on me about 12:30 p.m., only to find out that little Sam had turned and was BREECH! We didn't waste any time and headed to the operating room. Sam arrived at 1:09 p.m. weighing 8 lbs. 13 oz.

I'll write much more later, including the experience at the pediatrician that initiated Devin and me as parents. It involves lots of projectile poop and nudity.

This whole baby experience has made me appreciate all the amazing people in my life even more. I am so in love with my sweet husband who is such a wonderful father and amazing husband. He has been doing so much for Sam and for me. I would be pulling my hair out and cussing if I were him.

Michelle Boam has been an amazing help. She kept us company those long days at the hospital. She helped me while I was struggling to feed Sam and Devin was sleeping. She is a wonderful girl and selfless giver of service.

My sisters-in-law are amazing. They have comforted me so much when I have had questions (believe me, there have been a lot so far). They give me advice and tell me I'm doing a good job. I married into such a wonderful family. Thank you John and Brenda for raising such an amazing son.

39 week update

Well, there really is no news to share after my 39-week checkup. I am now 1 cm dilated (compared to the 1/2 cm I was at 36 weeks), which is NOTHING! My doctor discussed induction with me, but I really see no point since I'm not miserable and there is no medical reason for it. Anyway, that's it. Baby Barry is in no rush.

funny pictures

Devin was out hours before I was ready for bed last night, so I was looking through old pictures. I found some pretty funny ones.

This was sometime in 2006, I think, long before Devin and I were an item (well, an official item at least). Selena and I went to visit him in the ER (I can't count how many times we've been there for Devin- poor guy).

This was from my and Selena's apartment in Flagstaff. We were doing a recreation of "Come What May" from Moulin Rouge. I was the girl and Selena was the boy.

This is when Selena got a bad bang trim. Oh man this picture just gets me everytime.

I am going to the doctor this afternoon for my 39 week appointment. Hopefully there is some action going on. I will update if anything exciting is happening!

Belly Buddy

My dear Stacie came over to pay me a visit today! She came bearing gifts of HOMEMADE salsa, chips, and wonderful donuts. We were going to make a music video about pregnancy ( Stacie is 22 weeks along), but I lost my motivation when it came down to it. We took pictures together instead.

22 weeks along vs. 38 weeks along.

Above view: In a sumo wrestling match I would tear her apart.

I tried to teach Stacie my pregnant picture pose. Not bad.