7lbs, 1oz.

That's how much Ryan weighed as of Monday morning. Significant because he was having a bit of trouble gaining weight. He was born weighing 6lbs 12.3oz. But when we went for his first checkup at nine days, he was only 6lbs 3oz. Nowhere near birth weight. We went back three days later and he was 6.5. Three days after that, 6.6. Not good. Babies are supposed to gain 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce a day but he only gained 1 ounce over three days. I was getting worried.

That was last monday. We had a week to work on getting some weight on him. Between pumping, nursing, bottle feeding and supplementing with formula, he hit his birth weight and then surpassed it on Monday. Ryan gained 11 ounces in one week. I was so happy I almost cried. The tears were in my eyes. I felt relief and joy. I high-fived his doctor. It was such good news. It meant he was okay. There was nothing wrong. He was able to gain weight. To grow. Happy happy news.

But it showed us something. He just isn't getting enough from nursing. I nursed both girls with no problem. But it just isn't working with Ryan. Even with pumping and getting my supply up, it didn't make a difference. He could nurse for 20 minutes, stop and be done, but then eat 2 ounces out of a bottle. Which explains why he wasn't gaining in the beginning because when he stopped then, I assumed he had enough and never gave him anything else. Turns out he needed more. I don't know how long I'll continue, but for now I'm pumping and giving him a bottle and he's eating like a champ. At some point we'll switch to just formula and I'm okay with that. At this point I have to do what's best for him and works for us. And while my first choice is to nurse him, that's just not going to happen. I've made peace with it and we're moving on.

One of the nursing issues with Ryan was for the most part he'd only nurse on the left. Never the right now matter how often or how long we'd try. If he'd nurse on the right once a day we were doing good. Turns out there's a downside to that I hadn't thought of, his poor little head is a little flat on the right, since that side was always pressed against me when he nursed on the left. That and the way I hold him. So we're trying to correct it. I'm holding him more often in the other arm, other positions. And no longer nursing should help, too. It's not bad, I never even noticed it. But when the pediatrician was checking him out he noticed he wouldn't look the other direction, only the right. He was fighting him turning his head, he was so used to leaning it to the right.

He's sleeping great at night. Still not in his bed, since like the girls he doesn't do well flat on his back, but rather in the bouncy seat. But it works. And he sleeps. Something Emma and Mackenzie did not do yet at this age.

He's going through the three-week growth spurt. Eating more frequently. Shorter naps today. As in up from 8:30am until 1:30, when he slept sporadically until finally sleeping for long stretches late this afternoon. I like seeing him up and looking around though. Checking out the bright lights and big dark child-size spots in front of him, in his face, touching and cooing at him. :)

He's such a peanut though. The newborn clothes are still plenty big. He doesn't have the chubby cheek baby look yet. And he makes the funniest faces. He kind of looks like a little old man, always so serious. His eyes have lightened up. They're still a dark blue, but at least we can see his pupils now. He barely cries. Loves to be held. Really really loves to be held. He is just so snuggly. Sometimes he likes his binky, sometimes he won't take it. He's fabulous.

And now a lot of pictures. I've got a couple weeks to catch up on...

Teeny tiny baby.


This is what he has to look forward to.


From yesterday.

Grandma McIntyre with all three.

Grandma Sweeney with all three, too.

His hospital picture, with Mackenzie on the left and Emma on the right. I was impressed with the hospital picture. I wish he would've opened his eyes, though.

On 9/27.

They love him so.

Snuggled up.

Dana came to visit.

I was worried about Mackenzie and how she'd handle the change. But there's been no issue at all She loves him.

So does Emma.

Sleeping with Daddy.

Whew. I think I'm a bit caught up. At least with him. As for the rest of us... Sometime soon I'll get back to blogging regularly!