Zoo Fun

Oklahoma had some amazing weather today. Instead of spending the day inside, we decided to venture out on our first family outing. We headed for the zoo for a little animal viewing and scenic walking.

Thanks to his aunt Marcy, Rowynn was styling in his little golfer outfit.

As soon as we got there he was ready for a refill. He got to eat next to the elephants in the great outdoors.

Daddy and son

I loved that the kangaroos slept on their backs. It was pretty funny to walk up on.

Our little monkey

We really enjoyed Rowynn's first trip to the zoo and I'm sure it is just the first of MANY! I love that we were one of the couples getting to push around a stroller. It feels good to be those people again.

We were blessed with a beautiful day and a beautiful little boy and a sweet girl. God is good.

Smile...

This morning Rowynn decided to smile for his daddy. Thinking it was just a gas bubble or something we didn't freak out too bad. Then, he smiled again for daddy and again and then he smiled for me!

I think he hit his first milestone! I can't wait until I can actually capture his smile in a picture.

1 Month!!!!

Today Rowynn turned one month old! I can't believe how fast time flies. Here are some sweet pictures of my sweet boy on his sister's blanket.

I'm not a professional photographer and I'm not creative so I just point and shoot. I hope you enjoy my sweet little one month old!
As of now, he coos a little and he is able to focus on us a little better. He is a pretty good eater which makes him a fairly good sleeper. He is so happy and content and isn't much of a crier.

We are looking forward to the next few weeks and all the things that come with getting older. I know that voluntary smiles are just around the corner and maybe even a giggle!

Comfort

One of the biggest fears we had before and during the pregnancy was how we were going to sleep once Rowynn got here. It was a scary thought knowing that we would need to be able to put him down for a nap and not feel an urge to stand over him through the whole nap or need to check his breathing every two minutes.

Originally we had decided against using an apnea monitor but with the encouragement of my amazing OB and the great pediatrician that he personally called in for us, we went ahead with one while in the hospital.

For the past four weeks Rowynn has been hooked up to an apnea monitor. It is so helpful when he sleeps because we know that an alarm will sound if there is anything wrong but we are also able to "check" him without having to touch him. There are lights that blink with every breath so it makes it nice to be able to glance at the machine rather than disturb Rowynn's sleep.

This is the apnea monitor we are using. It is super simple to operate and we have only had one apnea alarm go off which was due to a nurse not putting the equipment on Rowynn correctly. Other than that, the heart fast and heart slow alarms go off every once in a while but we have no need to be concerned with those.

It does get a little cumbersome when we are out and about but we are learning how to juggle it along with his diaper bag and carrier. I love having it when driving in the car because I can always see that he is breathing. I'm glad we went with the monitor. I'm not sure I would be getting any rest if it wasn't for this thing! This monitor is the other thing I wouldn't want to live with out. In the past few days we have started laying Rowynn down in his crib for naps and even for bedtime. Having this monitor, where we can see Rowynn, brings comfort that he is okay. I love that I am able to watch him sleep without having to stand over his crib.

For us, these two monitors have really helped us feel comfortable while he sleeps. I highly recommend the apnea monitor for those parents that have experienced a loss and need a sense of comfort. As for the room monitor, it is the Summer Complete Coverage Monitor and it is AMAZING. The picture quality is fantastic whether it is night or day. When the room is well lit the picture is in color and when it is dark it is in black and white.

Amateur

Since the day we bought a pair of John Deere cowboy boots I had a plan to put them on my naked boy and take his picture.

Yesterday I did just that!

He got to lay in the sun for a minute while I got his next outfit together. I think he enjoyed being "naked" in the sun.

I love his blue eyes and chubby cheeks. I love to kiss this boy every chance I get.

Stupid picture won't load right.... bummer.

My preppy, country boy!

I read somewhere to take a baby's picture in the same spot once a month to measure growth. I chose the rocking chair in his room.

I'm amazed at how long he is. Maybe that means we'll have a tall boy?! I pray that he gets to be tall!! The odds are stacked against him though... oh well, at least he is handsome.

These were my amateur photos but you can see the amazing professional pictures that Kristen Mackey at Son Kissed Photography did by going to her website, www.sonkissedphotography.com, clicking on proof and enter RowynnSNewborn as the password. If you are in the Tulsa area, she is AMAZING! I highly recommend her and I'm excited that over the next year we will work with her every 3 months! I'm excited to see Rowynn grow up through her lens.

Splish, Splash....

Rowynn's first big boy bath! Yay!!

I know that some people use bath time in a night time routine but I prefer to do it in the afternoon as an activity to keep them awake longer.

He didn't like it when he was naked and not in the water and when he was taken out of the water! Other than that, I think he really enjoyed it.

I'm happy that he liked it. Bath time was my favorite activity with Abigayl and I have really been looking forward to it with Rowynn.

Pain in the....

Eye!

Over the past 15 years I have had a reoccurring eye issue. My first time ever dealing with it was when I was 12 and it absolutely stumped the opthamologist. There were many appointments and many blood draws to try to figure the thing out. In the end, he gave me a shot in the eye with a steroid and some drops. It cleared up and I didn't think about it again.

Until two weeks before my wedding (almost 5 years ago) when it flared up again. I found an opthamologist here in Tulsa, Dr. Peters, tracked down my file from when I was 12 and proceeded to have another shot in my eye. Since then I have gone to see Dr. Peters once a year just to check up on things.

Well, Wednesday I woke up to pain in my eye and a slight blur in my vision. Knowing my history I immediately called Dr. Peters. Unfortunately for me, he was out of town and had to go to a Dr. Goldberg instead. Lets just say I am not a happy camper with Dr. Goldberg.

Friday I headed off to Dr. Goldberg's office hoping to get this eye thing cleared up. I knew what had happened in the past and I was pretty sure we would probably need to treat it the same way. Long story short, after two hours in his office and a $25 copay I leave with a prescription in hand that cost us $60 to fill. After using the drops over the weekend until I could go and see the amazing Dr. Peters and a decline in my vision, I found out that the $60 drops were for patients that had just had eye surgery.

I didn't have eye surgery! To make it even worse, my mom read to me that these drops should not be used on patients with an eye infection. Hmm... well, that's weird because I have an eye infection! So, after $85 down the tube I went to Dr. Peters office and once again had a shot in my eye. Along with the shot, he GAVE me eye drops I have to use 6-8 times a day. I'm hoping I will have my eyesight back to perfect in a couple of days. I have a follow up appointment Friday and hopefully there isn't any further action that needs to be taken.

I have to say that I don't think my eyesight has ever been as bad as it has been this time. I literally couldn't read out of my left eye on Monday. It was a little scary.