more Tyler photos

Tyler pictures

more of me to love

At the doctor's office this morning, Tyler weighed in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce -- the first time that he's been above 8 pounds since the day he was born. It is a three-ounce gain in two days, which is excellent. We have another appointment next week and if he can show a continual gain we don't have to go back for several weeks. But we can already see the plumpness returning to his face and fingers. He can now fit in a few of his newborn sleepers, in addition to his 0-3 month onesies. But nearly all other clothes, especially pants and socks, are much too large at this point.

Tyler is changing almost every day. He's starting to really focus in on objects, especially peoples' faces. His eyes are still the dark blue/grey as the day he was born, but now a lighter blue ring is appearing around his pupils. It seems to be getting wider, but slowly. His hair is lightening. It was a medium brown, but is now a golden light brown. And his eyelashes are blonde. His neck and arms are so strong for such a little guy. He likes to crane his neck up to see who is holding him and his arms are always going. He sleeps with at least one arm near his ear or up behind his head. He's so laid back and has a really sweet disposition. What a good baby!!

all smiles

I've seen Tyler smile but it always seemed to be an accident previously. This morning during some mommy-and-me playtime, I tickled Tyler's cheek and I got a great big grin! I was able to get him to repeat his glorious smile several times. What a cutie!!

up

Tyler was weighed today at his latest doctor appointment. He's up to 7 pounds, 14 ounces! Our goal is one ounce per day. Usually babies are back to their birth weight (8 pounds, 4 ounces in Tyler's case) at two weeks, so we still have some work to do. But he's healthy, happy and cute as can be!

home from the hospital (again)

Tyler's Nov. 27 doctor appointment was not as good as we had expected. He was still 7 lbs. 8 oz., which means that he didn't gain any weight over the weekend. The doctor was concerned (but not alarmingly so) and ordered us to feed Tyler every two hours and return to see her on Nov. 30.

By this time Alex had returned to work and I was taking Tyler to the doctor alone. Not a pleasant visit. When our visit showed that Tyler had actually LOST 2 oz., the pediatrician sent us directly to the emergency room. I was so upset my face looked like a giant tomato, even the whites of my eyes had turned as red as my skin.

Alex rushed to meet us in the emergency room and we spent most of the day and part of the evening there before we were admitted to the hospital. They ran a battery of blood tests to rule out infections and metabolic diseases.

Someone told me that when you become a parent, your heart no longer resides within your chest, but with your child. I can now understand what that means. I've never known pain like that which I felt as several nurses labored to extract blood from our 2-week old baby. His body is so small that they had great difficulty finding adequate veins and had to stab him repeatedly in their search.

I had been concerned about a persistent gooby eye issue that Tyler had developed this past week. The pediatrician assured me that it was just a clogged tear duct and not to worry. However, during our stay the discharge became green showing that it was infected. So in addition to the continuous poking, prodding and blood drawing, Tyler also had to have antibiotic ointment squeezed into his eyelid.

We spent the next three days (discharged the afternoon of Dec. 3) weighing Tyler before and after feeds, weighing his diapers to measure his output and supplementing his breast milk feeds with formula. Sleeping camping-style on a loveseat and a sleeping bag on the floor of Tyler's room proved to be very uncomfortable and added to the stress.

The bright side was that all of Tyler's blood work came back normal and I was able to spend some extensive time with a lactation consultant. She reassured me that both baby and I have the breastfeeding thing down.

So the end result of our hospital stay and "observation" is that we proved that Tyler can gain weight with the proper caloric intake. With no clear or obvious reason for his "failure to thrive," we've made some minor adjustments to his feeding schedule and procedure and will have to monitor him closely.

2 weeks

While I was at the doctor's office yesterday for a post-surgery checkup, we asked to have Tyler weighed again. 7 pounds, 8 ounces! He's been gaining 1 oz. each day which is perfect. He won't be up to his birth weight by his 2-week check (a standard benchmark) on Monday, but he's moving in the right direction.

Tyler has started to grab at things within his reach like his mom's necklace or his cousin Anna's long hair.

it fell off

After two really long nights with a restless Tyler, we were exhausted last night. We just didn't have the energy to keep up the endless feedings, so we decided to let him sleep until he declared that it was time to eat. Eight hours later....!! I fed him twice and when Alex went to change his diaper he exclaimed, "His thing fell off!" Ahh, my son's thing fell off?!! Then I realized that he meant that Tyler's umbilical cord fell off. Whew!

heads up

Tyler is trying to lift his head up already. He's very strong but doesn't quite have the coordination to control his neck once his head is up, so he ends up looking like a bobblehead doll.

making weight

Today Tyler revisited the doctor to monitor his weight issue (or lack there of it). The good news is that Tyler gained 3 ounces in 3 days which is excellent! So mom and dad are supposed to keep up the good work and feed him every chance we get.

Tyler also got to visit the other doctors and nurses in the office. Like usual, he was showing off - eyes open wide, exuding cuteness and flirting with all of the ladies. All thought he was adorable, including a male doctor whom we've never seen before who declared Tyler the cutest baby he'd ever seen. Hear, hear!

a star is born

Columbia has a new star. No pictures please!


Ok, mom and dad were able to sneak a few photos of the new celebrity.

first family stroll

Now that Tyler is here, we finally get to break out all of the baby gear and put it all to good use. On the same day as our doctor's appointment the Campbell family (Alex, Megan, Tyler and Daisy) took advantage of the great weather and strolled through the community. Tyler's carseat clicks into the stroller with ease and makes life easy for a family on the go. We're hoping to take a walk around the nearby lake before the weather gets too cold.

first visit to the doctor's office

Tyler visited the doctor to monitor his weight loss/gain. Unfortunately, he's down to 7 lbs, 1 oz. The good news is that he still appears to be very healthy and the doctor said that we are doing everything right. For the time being we're supplementing the breastfeeding with some formula that we sneak in his mouth while he sucks on our pinky finger.

While the nurse was trying to take Tyler's temperature rectally, he decided to make sure that she knew how well he could poop....and pee. The table, nurse and even his own forehead were not spared from the fountain. Nice!

home from the hospital

After spending five days and four nights in the Howard County General Hospital recovering from the cesarean section arrival of Tyler, the Campbell family (now plus one) went home! I'm still walking funny and having trouble getting out of bed (weren't those symptoms supposed to end after pregnancy?). I'm hoping to be much more comfortable after the staples are removed on Nov. 17. I'm also supplementing the little rest that I get with some nice pain medications and a healthy dose of new mama euphoria.


Tyler is the most adorable baby with such a sweet demeanor. Am I biased? He's getting even more attention than thought possible because of the extra feedings and supplemental food he needs. The poor little guy has not been able to maintain or gain weight since his birthday. This is a normal occurrence for newborns, but the doctors get worried when a baby loses more than 10 percent of his birth weight.

Despite our efforts so far, he's lost a pound which is more than 10 percent. He's an excellent feeder and has been latching and getting milk with little troubles. But he's also a big pooper and has a fast metabolism (didn't get that from me!). And as the nurses explained to us, C-section babies also tend to spit up more often in the first few days because the amniotic fluid isn't all squeezed out like those who pass through the birth canal.

I've been pumping extra milk and supplementing Tyler's regular feedings. Tyler has his first doctor appointment Nov. 17 to see if our efforts have paid off and he's packed on some weight.

last days before baby

In the days leading up to my due date (Nov. 9) and Tyler's actual arrival day (Nov. 11) I received many phone calls from friends and family. One of the funniest calls was from my nephew, Andrew, who requested to speak to Tyler. I held the phone up to my stomach. As I eavesdropped, I could hear Andrew tell Tyler that they were going to be best friends forever. He also asked Tyler what time it was where Tyler lived. And then he finished the conversation by jesting, "You're mean...No, you're mean," as though Tyler was playing along with him.

I worked until Nov. 8 and then spent that Thursday and Friday putting the final touches on the nursery. The first picture shows our changing table and six canvases that I painted. The second shows Tyler's name displayed on the wall above a bookshelf already full of books and toys! (We swear Daisy is not a prop; she just loves this room.) The third picture shows the crib, above which are open, square shelves housing many from my collection of Boyd's bears disguised as other animals. The fourth photo shows the new closet system that we mounted to maximize space in our oddly shaped closet.

happy birthday

TYLER EVAN CAMPBELL has arrived! He came into this world on 11/11/2006 at 1:45 pm. He weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20.25 inches. He’s healthy and happy, a great sleeper, a great pooper and a pretty good feeder so far. He looks like a mini-Alex, with Alex’s nose and possibly Megan’s ears and lips. He’s perfect.

Above is a picture of the new Campbell Family – Day One. Below are some shots of the proud parents.

due date

Today is my due date. Our baby has not arrived yet. But it shouldn't be long now. At my appointment on Monday, I was 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. I've been having contractions sporadically and some lower back pain started late Sunday night. I'm still relatively comfortable but my mobility is severely hampered. Every movement is a big effort.

The nurse called me on Tuesday and was surprised that I answered the phone. She thought that I'd surely be in the hospital already. She predicted that I'd be in labor within 48 hours. That remains to be seen. I have a backup C-section scheduled for Nov. 16 in case I don't go into labor beforehand. However, even my doctor doesn't think I'll make it until that day.

The picture shows me on Oct. 27 (38 weeks and 1 day).

One week before our big day, we spent the night celebrating our friends' big day - Phil and Jamie's wedding! Thankfully, Tyler cooperated and let us enjoy this beautiful ceremony and night. You can see how I look at 39 weeks and two days.

flip flop efforts

With Baby Campbell still breech, I've received much advice on "tricks" to get him to flip flop to the head-down position. I've been trying several that a couple of nurses suggested. Whether there is really something to these wives’ tales remains to be seen. But in the meantime, I'm feeling like a moron trying them out. As often as I can stand it (supposed to do it three times a day), I'm stacking up three or four pillows under my hips so that I'm nearly upside down. I stay in this contortionist position for about 20 minutes while I hold a frozen bag of spinach on the upper side of my stomach and point a flashlight on my lower abdomen. The theory is that he'll move away from the cold and toward the light. I'm thinking this is just the first of many ways that our baby during his lifetime will make me feel like an idiot! :)

aversion to version

Alex and I spent yesterday in the hospital, my first time ever being a patient. We were there to try version, a procedure where the doctor pushes on my stomach in an attempt to move the baby from a breech position to a head-down position. I was given a shot that relaxes my uterus, but it also causes heart palpitations and anxiety. Unfortunately, the procedure was very painful and unsuccessful. So unless our baby flips on his own, it looks like I will be facing a C-section in the upcoming weeks, which saddens me greatly.

On the bright side, we were able to check out the hospital (Howard County General is a division of Johns Hopkins Medicine) and see the types of rooms where we will stay. We were pleasantly surprised with how nice they are and how wonderful the staff is.

And because I had to be prepared as if I was having a C-section just to be on the safe side, Alex got to try out his OR outfit.

belly x 2

So I'm feeling like my belly is twice as big as it was recently, but the title of this entry is actually refering to the two pictures. The photo of me in the white shirt was taken Oct. 11 (35 weeks and 7 days) and the one of me in the brown shirt was taken on Oct. 16 (36 weeks and 5 days). Nine months. Women keep telling me that my belly is small for nine months, which is hard to imagine when I'm feeling rather round right now!

room in progress

The weekend following the showers was a busy one. We made the big push (no, not that one!) to make significant progress on the nursery. We picked up our crib, crib mattress and bedding. We installed the curtain rod and hung the curtains. The glider and changing table/dresser are in place. You can see lots of items such as burp cloths, diapers and clothes from the shower strewn about the room. The room is getting there! And of course Daisy is hanging out in the room - her new favorite place.

shower the dad-to-be

Early October was the week of showers for the Campbells. This time it was the dad's turn for some pre-baby attention at a Johns Hopkins University shower hosted by his boss, Christine S. Alex feigned surprise for the camera's sake and then opened gifts with not-quite-accurate descriptions (an incline sleeper for the crib received the comment "Oh, look it's a baby holder!"). Check out the cupcake cake and another adorable diaper cake! (Thanks Jennifer K. and Jennifer S.)

shower the mom-to-be

My "surprise" baby shower was Oct. 1, hosted by Joy Johnson, Stacie Howes and my mom. Unfortunately, my mother wasn't able to attend the shower because she was recuperating from surgery, but she was there in spirit and made the beautiful diaper cake!

It was great to see so many of my friends and family, especially those who made the long trip from out of town. We shared baby stories, guessed the diameter of my belly, and opened LOTS of gifts. Thank you so much everyone! I finally feel as prepared as possible for our son to arrive soon.

even bigger belly

This picture was taken Sept. 25, 2006 (33 weeks and 5 days). Getting bigger!

little bugger

Yesterday was my 2-week checkup (at 33.5 weeks). Baby Campbell's heart rate is great. He's been moving, poking and bumping me all the time. Last week it seemed as though his legs were kicking me near the top of my belly (meaning he was head down). Then during the past few days the kicks have been really low, suggesting he is breech. Well, the sonogram showed that for now, the little bugger is breech. Actually, transverse meaning that he is almost laying sideways. He will hopefully move back to his head down position on his own in the next few weeks. If not, the doctor might try to move him that way OR may just schedule a C-section at 39 weeks (a week early)! I'm a little leary of CHOOSING a birth date. Almost seems a little too God-like in nature. 39 weeks would be Nov. 2 (my niece's birthday); Nov. 1 is my brother's birthday. Or we could pick Nov. 3 and have 1,2,3 covered in the family. But Alex had also liked Nov. 11 (11/11/06). Who knows, maybe he'll move on his own and come when he wants to!

hey poke-a-boo

Baby Campbell's newest trick: he is poking at my belly from the inside out. Maybe payback for the times Alex and I have tapped my belly so Alex could feel him move. This new trick though is more than just a kick or bump, he's actually making my belly visibly rise up! It is very bizarre and exciting at the same time. Seven more weeks until we get to see him in the flesh!

baby gear

Yesterday, my mom came over to help paint the dresser from her sewing room that will be Baby Campbell's changing table/dresser. We also put together our stroller and glider. Sounds easy enough right? The stroller came with illustrated photos with very curt instructions. However, not every picture was altogether accurate, so in those cases we were guided solely by our intuition. Thankfully we were successful. And the glider...we put that together with no directions at all! We have two extra parts (oops) but so far it seems to work without them. And it is SO comfortable, I almost fell asleep in it after all the work it took to get it together!

first hospital visit

Sadly we were not at the hospital for a more happy occasion or a BIRTH as would be expected. My mom, Auntie Ellen, me and the baby visited Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore last night to talk with Dr. Rosenshein, a renowned gynecological oncologist. Unfortunately, it looks as though my mom (Grandma Jones) has ovarian cancer. Surgery and chemo are planned in the near future. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

bigger belly

This picture was taken Sept. 9, 2006 (31 weeks and 3 days). Starting the countdown.

painted nursery

The big task of prepping and painting the nursery is now complete! We had to spread the project over two weekends because so much prep work was involved, but we're happy with the results. Now it's time for the furniture!

The first picture shows the room primed (and Daisy!) and the second shows the new wall color, apple blossom.

another sonogram

So we sweet talked our doctor into another sonogram since he was not able to confirm the baby's sex during the last appointment. This time the baby flipped and is now sitting breech for the time being. This usually makes it more difficult to see the sex of the baby since there is less room in my lower abdomen, but thankfully Baby Campbell was willing to share this time. We were able to clearly see that indeed he is a boy!

We were also lucky to get a clear picture of him since he was bopping around like a deflating balloon. Prior to the appointment I had to drink a glucose substance that tastes like a really sugary orange soda. They take my blood an hour later and this lets them determine if I have gestational diabetes. The routine is to take the test once at 16 weeks and once around this time. I'm at 29 weeks today and happy to report that the doctor just called to let me know that I'm completely normal. Well physically at least. No diabetes for me!

Take a look at our cutie! He's squished up against the left side of the picture. The long blue lines highlight his body and head (his head is tilted like lying on a pillow) and the short blue line shows his hand.

campbell crib

So I told you that we ordered our crib and glider several weeks ago. But now I have a picture of the crib from the store display. So ignore the other furniture and bedding (not mine).


We've almost finished clearing the nursery of its furniture from its phase as a spare bedroom. Then the room will get a makeover with a new coat of paint, new window treatments and wall décor. And my mom's dresser from her sewing room will now serve as a changing table/dresser in the nursery once it also gets a fresh coat of paint. Insert crib and glider and voila, the nursery will be complete!

heat wave

No, I'm not referring to the extremely hot temperatures in the Middle Atlantic region... I've finally found that I'm feeling slightly warmer than usual. I have begun my seventh month, so it's about time that I have some of those negative pregnancy symptoms that I've heard so much about. However, I've heard no complaints from Alex who is loving the ceiling fan setting on HIGH!

hey bugaboo

So, finally a picture of the infamous belly! This was taken on August 1.

Since then, Alex and I have found that our baby likes interactive play already. During his active hours we tap on my belly saying, "Hey Bugaboo," and Baby Campbell kicks back. It is so amazing that he can feel and hear us and, more remarkably, responds! I can't wait to hold this little guy.

cute cartoon

My mom sent me this cartoon from The Washington Post because it reminded her of Baby Campbell's "latest shy bit at the last sonogram."

registered

I've been asked by many where I'm registered and I've had to say "I'm not!" But I'm happy to say that the procrastination is over and one more big task is complete. We're registered at Babies R Us and Target.

After the very LONG day at Babies R Us with feet that felt like they were going to fall off, we tested gliders. The glider search has been the bane of my existance for the past few months. Originally I wanted a fully upholstered chair that, in my eyes, looked more contemporary than the traditional wooden ones with cushions. But I just couldn't find one that I liked that was also comfortable and a somewhat reasonable price. So I expanded my search criteria (Alex was so proud since I'm rarely flexible once I get my mind set on something) to include the traditional gliders as well. And we found the perfect one for us that was brand new in the store. We chose a light wood with a sage cushion. It glides, reclines, locks in any position, comes with a matching ottoman and fits our long legs just right. I wasn't sure if I was more happy to have another decision done or to be off my feet after so much walking!!