Learning to Play!

Brycen is 7 weeks old and constantly learning and exploring! Quite a joy to watch!

One Month Old!

I apologize that this hasn't been updated the last few weeks. That is what happens when we move (moved to Christi's brother Mike's house 2 blocks away for the summer while he is gone; the big move to Indiana is in August) and then Christi tries to finish her last three university classes in 6 weeks! Haha. However, I will try to continue to update it occasionally throughout the summer.

Here is a video of Brycen taken yesterday--if you watch his mouth closely, you can catch a smile or two. He loves to smile but doesn't yet do it in connection or in response to when Bryce or Christi smiles at him. The smiles are usually random but could forcast something. At church this last Sunday, Brycen gave Christi the biggest smile and then threw up :)

Quick Review of the last few weeks:

Brycen went for his two-week-old check-up. 10 lbs 15 Oz 23 inches tall 40cm-head size; all within the 90s percentile for his age.

Bryce and Christi are really enjoying watching their little boy grow up. Brycen's random smiles and giggles make everything worth it as we learn to interact and care for him. Christi also loves smelling Brycen--he has the sweet "baby smell" that Bryce describes as sour milk. :)

Christi continues to stay home with Brycen while daddy goes off to work. While Brycen naps, Christi tries to get her studies done. However, when Brycen is awake, we love to play and go on walks. Brycen also loves to eat--Christi calls him her little baby bird.

The baby swing and viberator have come quite in handy as Brycen will occasionally sleep in them during the day; however, he still prefers to be held. When Christi can and must sometimes due to sleep deprivation, she will nap with Brycen in her arms--he definitely sleeps better and longer this way. Brycen also likes to fall asleep in Bryce's arms, several times, Christi has asked Bryce to put Brycen to sleep because Bryce is able to hold and rock Brycen in a way that puts him in a deep sleep and then is able to place him in the bassinett to sleep at night.

We have also discovered that Brycen enjoys being sung to by daddy and Brycen also has quite the grip as he finds comfort holding on to mommy's hair and necklace.

Brycen is learning to endure most diaper changes pretty well; however, occasionally he likes to make them more difficult. Since the weather has been cooler the last few days, Brycen has been wearing a sleeper( one piece that includes footies and zips in the center) and when he is grumpy, he will straighten both of his legs as we try to undress him so that it is near impossible to get his legs out of the footies so that the diaper can be changed.

Brycen is learning to hold up his head very well and loves to look around; occasionally while Bryce and Christi are holding him up to burb him, he will tweak his neck so that he can study our faces. Yesterday, he was also studying a picture of Christ for about 10 minutes that is hanging on a wall in the house. He was probably just looking at the colors or something, but Christi can't help but wonder if he was studying it for another reason.

Last Saturday, we were able to attend Quinton's baby blessing (Christi's cousin) and got to see lots of family. We loved it!

Week 3!

Sunday, May 24

• Bryce and Christi invited all those that cooked dinner for them the week Christi returned from the hospital, over for dinner. 6 couples total came and as a result, there was alot of preparing to be done. Brycen made sure to add his tidbit of difficulty to the mix by needing to be held constantly. Christi pulled out the snuggie.
  
  

Monday, May 25- Memorial Day and Christi and Bryce celebrate 13 months of marriage together! :)

• Bryce only goes to work for a few hours and then comes home to spend the holiday with Brycen and Christi.
  


• Brycen's hair is getting curly!

Week 2 Review

Brycen says Hi!! (In his attempt to wave at the camera)

Sunday, May 17th

• Went to Mike and Jenn's for dinner and games before Mike left for Arizona.
  
  
  
  




• Brycen continues to make darling facial expressions and gestures awake and asleep and is really quite a joy to watch for Bryce and Christi.

Monday, May 18th

• Uncle Brant Walker came to visit from Oregon while on a business trip to Utah.


• Had dinner with the Porters at Aunt Stefanie's House.





• Had our first family photo taken.
  

Tuesday, May 19th

• Brycen went to work with Daddy for alittle bit and then we went out to lunch at the BYU Creamery on 9th East. Brycen slept through his introductions to all Christi's co-workers and the two store managers. Brycen is repeatedly told how handsome he is and how he looks just like his dad.


• Uncle Brant and friend Alex came over for dinner and helped hold Brycen.

Wednesday, May 20th

• Great-Grandma Chryst and Uncle Brant came over for dinner and to see Brycen. Bryce cooked an excellent meal.
  
• Brycen decided to not sleep from midnight to 8am so Christi and Brycen napped all day together :)
  

Thursday, May 21st

• Bryce came home from work and within ten minutes of sitting on the couch, Brycen and Christi fell asleep on him.
  
• Brycen and Christi attended another one of Bryce's soccer game-he won!
  
• Bryce and Christi gave Brycen a bath; we found that it works best if Bryce gets in and holds Brycen while Christi washes. Brycen has yet to realize what a joy taking a bath is and screamed through it.
  
• Brycen is already starting to support his own head as he continues to practice with tummy time.
  
• Bryce and Christi successfully kept Brycen awake from 6-11 pm in hope that he would sleep at night. It worked! Brycen slept 11pm-11am with only waking for feedings. Yes, he wakes every 2-3 hours to feed but he fell back to sleep instantly after (quite the welcome result after two nights of not sleeping at all between midnight and 8am).

Precious moment: Brycen usually starts off sleeping in the bassinett so that Christi can sleep in her bed and once Brycen wakes up 2-3 hours later for his first feeding, Christi and Brycen then move out to the couch to not disturb Bryce. Brycen and Christi usually end up sleeping on the couch the rest of the night, the couch rocks so Christi can usually lay down next to Brycen and rock them both to sleep. Lately, Brycen seems to be having nightmares in which he usually wakes up either screaming or whimpering. Well, last night Brycen would only fall asleep if he was curled up next to Christi with Christi holding him securely in her arms while holding his hand (holding Brycen's hand has always been something he enjoyed, as it can be witnessed in the video posted for week 1). Brycen would still wake up every few minutes to make sure he is still being held before officially drifting off to sleep. Christi enjoyed every minute.

Friday, May 22nd

• Christi feels somewhat well-rested!
  
• Christi discovered that she is able to shower while Bryce is at work by putting Brycen in his car seat and bringing it into the bathroom with her (Brycen usually falls asleep to the sound of the shower water).


• Bryce came home from work at 1pm (after reaching his 40 hour work week limit) and took Brycen so that Christi could type this blog with two hands-feels great and goes so much faster :)
  
• With Bryce home, we were able to get laundry done-4 loads! Bryce carried Brycen in the snuggie (front baby carrier) Brycen sure goes through alot of clothes..

Saturday, May 23

• Brycen is two weeks old!
  
• Bryce and Christi begin to pack and take a load over to Mike's house (where we will be living June 1st-Mid August.
  
• Brycen had another bath with Bryce; however, the water must've been the perfect temperature--he loved it!
• Bryce and Christi continue to try to keep Brycen awake as long as possible after 7pm so he will sleep at night...sometimes, we have to get creative...

The Journey Begins (Week 1 in a nutshell)

May 9th-12th

• Brycen was born by c-section and weighed a healthy 10 lbs 10 oz after a long day of being induced (a week after his due date), in labor, and pushing just to find out that he wasn't going to be able to come naturally.








• Grandma Shields got to be there to witness it and support Christi before she had to leave to go home 6 hours later.





• Bryce, Christi, and Brycen stayed in the hospital for four days to allow time for Christi to recover.

• While in the hospital, Great Grandma and Grandpa Shields and Auntie Jenn visitied to see Brycen.
  

May 13th-17th

• Christi and Brycen get to spend all day together as Bryce goes to work. Brycen loves to sleep and Christi loves to hold him.




• Brycen got to attend one of Bryce's soccer games.
  
  
  
• Our car reached 100,000 miles and we documented it!





• Uncle Mike gets to meet and hold Brycen.



• Brycen attended church for the first time and slept through it.