Cloth Diapers!

Benton is finally big enough to start cloth diapering! We have been using them occassionally for the past couple of weeks, just testing them out and making sure we like them... Now, our plan is to use cloth diapers most of the time, but also use disposables when it is more convenient.

The diapers we are starting out with are:
8 Bumgenius One-Size Diapers

4 Flip Diapers with 8 Inserts (I think we will buy more of these.)

So far, so good. Both Landon and I really like them, and Benton doesn't seem to mind. :) I'll keep you updated on how everything goes!!! Here are a few pictures of Benton in his cloth diapers...

PS-I love the last picture. Watching FIFA with daddy and looking a little chunky and sleepy. FIFA was the only time he's actually seen the TV on and I don't think he was too impressed.

PSS-In the first picture his belly button looks weird... We know. He has an umbilical hernia, but it is no big deal and it will go away!

Newborn Pictures

We had Benton's newborn pictures taken by Abby (Abby Coyle Photography, http://www.abbycoyle.com/) when he was 2 weeks old. She captured him perfectly! Here are a few of the pictures...

PS-He is wide awake in all the pictures. What newborn won't go to sleep once over a 2-3 hour period?!?

Benton Update: 1 Month

Our baby boy is 1 month old today! Oh.my.goodness. It's so bittersweet... He's growing so fast, and he is so much more fun already. But, he's also not our little, tiny newborn anymore.

Some facts from Benton's first month of life:

-Wearing newborn and 0-3 month clothes. Only a few of the 0-3 month clothes fit, but he is quickly growing into them!

-Wearing Size 1 diapers.

-Eating 8 times a day for 20-30 minutes. He is also taking 2 bottles a day, which we started at 2 weeks. Our little man is a piglet, and he is eating 3 ounces at each bottle feeding. Landon and Benton love their bottle feeding bonding.

-Sleeping since his 1 week update has been a roller coaster. :) We have him in his crib, as he is a little noisemaker and we can hear every peep he makes. I can't imagine having him in our room...Landon and I would never sleep. We have slowly been figuring out our little man and what he needs to sleep well. From the beginning, we have been swaddling him with his arms in. He seemed to hate the swaddle, but he also slept really well once he fell asleep. We are now swaddling him from the armpits down and he is much happier!

-He is in a consistent eat/play/sleep routine. He does really well with the eat and sleep part, but we have to stay on top of things for the play part. :)

Random things that we don't want to forget:

-He is such a sweet and easy baby. We can pretty much take him anywhere or do anything with him, and he just goes with the flow.

-He rolled over from his stomach to his back for the first time at 10 days old. We had him doing tummy time, and he rolled over onto his side and then onto his back.

-Bath time has improved greatly! Benton loves it now! Sometimes we put him in his bathtub and just let him soak. :)

-Benton really enjoys going on walks with us. We went on our first walk at about 2 weeks, and we have gone on one everyday since. At first, he slept through the entire walk, but now he stays awake.

-He has a couple of toys that he actually "plays" with...a ball and an elephant that hangs from his activity gym. He'll push the ball around while he is on the floor, and he will punch at his elephant while he is in his activity gym.

-Today, at 1 month old, he started REALLY smiling at us. We make eye contact with him and smile, and he smiles back. Melt.our.hearts. His gummy little smile is the cutest thing I have ever seen.

-His facial expressions are still so funny. Our favorite is one we've named the "rabbid dog." :)

-Benton had his first playdate at 3 weeks old. Addie and Benton are destined to be longtime friends. Their first playdate was at the neighborhood swimming pool. Addie swam and Benton watched from the shade!

We loved our life before Benton arrived, but we are REALLY loving life now. He is so very sweet and cuddly, and he brings so much joy to our lives. :)

Things We Couldn't Have Lived Without: 1 Month

Here are some random things that we consider to be must-haves for the first month...

1. Itzbeen. We LOVE the Itzbeen. Love, love, love it. Basically, it is a timer/stopwatch type thing that allows you to keep track of diaper changes, feeding, sleeping, nursing side, time, etc. In the delirium of the first weeks, it was really nice to be able to look at the Itzbeen and know exactly how long it had been since the last time we feed Benton or changed his diaper. Now that Benton is on a schedule, we really only use it to know how long he has been nursing on each side or to look at the time. But, in the future, I imagine we will use it for things such as the time since his last dose of Tylenol, etc.

2. Video Monitor. We have the Summer Infant Slim and Secure Video Monitor. Sweet Benton is quite the noisemaker during naps and at night, and it is so very nice to be able to look at the video monitor and know that he is fine and sleeping! Landon and I love just watching him as he falls asleep.

3. Gerber Nuk Warm or Cool Relief Packs. I won't go into detail about these on the blog, but please buy these. :)

4. Lilypadz Reusable Nursing Pads. Again, I won't go into detail, but these make you feel a little more human in the midst of new mommyhood.

5. Bravado Nursing Bras and Tank Tops. They are the best. Just buy one (or ten).

6. Fisher Price Little Lamb Dream Swing. This swing has many different functions other than the basic swing. It also has a mobile, plays lullabies, etc. We don't use it very often, but Benton loves it...and I imagine it would be a lifesaver for a fussy baby.

7. Preemie Clothes. Who would have known that our full term baby (7 pounds, 3 ounces) would need preemie clothes for almost his entire first month of life! We had a few cute onesies and pants that he wore over and over again. I would recommend that you at least have a few preemie outfits, just in case!

8. A Good Stroller and Car Seat. We have the UppaBaby Vista Stroller and a Chicco carseat. Spend time researching your stroller and car seat...you will be using it often!!! Landon and I have a stoller that fits our lifestyle perfectly, and we are so grateful for it.

9. Boppy. I'm sure every new mommy has a Boppy pillow, but I would recommend having more than one. We have two Boppy pillows, one for the nursery and one for the living room/bedroom/etc. It is really nice to not have to search for the Boppy everytime it is time to feed Benton (which seems to be all day long).

10. Activity Gym. We have the Infantino Vintage Twist and Fold Activity Gym. Benton spends quite a bit of his waketime in the Activity Gym, and we love torturing him by shaking all the toys. Poor guy. :)

Does anyone else have something they couldn't have lived without the first month?!

Happy Father's Day!

Benton and I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to all the men in our life...

First, I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to Landon! He has amazed me with his love for Benton. They are buddies already. Landon is the best diaper changer, bottle feeder, burper, book reader, swaddler (really, he is the best swaddler ever), diaper bag packer, snuggler... I could go on and on. Benton is so blessed to have Landon as his daddy, and I am so blessed to have Landon as my husband and the father of my sweet son.

Next, I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to my dad! I am such a lucky girl to be able to call him dad, and now Benton is so lucky to have him as his grandpa (or Champ, as he is known around here)! Dad has always been loving and logical and reasonable and encouraging. He has given each of his daughters room to grow into their own person. Benton is going to have many fun years ahead of him with Champ!! Love you!

Russ! He is Landon's Dad, my father-in-law, and Benton's "Papa Son." :) He already loves sweet Benton so much and Benton already loves him! Russ is very dedicated and loyal to his family, and we are so fortunate to have his support.

Boomer Sooner Baby!

My Grandma Ward surprised us with an OU Build-A-Bear for Benton! We were so excited!!! Today, Benton was trying to sleep during his "waketime," so Landon and I decided to dress him in his Build-A-Bear outfit. Yes, we are delirious (look for another post soon on that...).

I Love My Paci...