The Huntington Family: April 2015

Catherine-1 month old

The first couple weeks her nights and days were mixed up. So I had to wake her every couple hours in the day in order to get her switched.
I tried breast feeding for the couple of weeks but it is so frustrating to me and I guess I just don't have the patience for it....I switched to formula! Again, I felt so guilty and emotional about it just like I did with Caden. Well it just was't worth it to me if I have to pump and supplement with a bottle. There was no way that I could keep that up once Kathy left and give Caden the attention that he needs. It was making me an emotional wreck with how frustrating it was to get her latched on and stay on. It would take her like a half hour just to get on. She would get on and then pull herself off..That Hurts So bad!. Or she would finally get on and then fall asleep. I think she would just get so worn out from trying so hard because I don't think that I produce that much. As much as I wanted to it just didn't work out for me again! At least I don't have to worry about my milk supply when I start exercising!
Having her switch and take formula hasn't been very easy either! She has struggled with the bottle, definitely a lot different from Caden. We had to go buy a special bottle that premies would use. The kind we used for Caden just came out way to fast for her. Milk would be draining out the sides of her mouth as she drank and she would choke. She is doing better with the new bottle but sometime it will still drain down her neck.
She also for some crazy reason forgets to breathe sometimes while she is drinking. Scares me pretty good. She will be drinking good and then stops breathing while she is still gulping down milk. I have to pull the bottle away and tilt her up and start burping her all while her eyes get really big and she then she finally starts gasping for air! Oh I just hate when she does this! But she is getting better and doing it less often. She used to do it at least once at every feeding.
At least she sleeps good at night! I can not complain about that! She has been waking up about two times at night. One around 1am and then again around 5am. This is with us feeding her at 8pm. At for weeks old she slept from 8pm-3am!!! that is a 7 hour stretch!!! Awesome Catherine! and she ate and went back to sleep until 7:30am. I think the reason that she has been sleeping good at night is because of how hard I have been working on waking her every three hours in the day and then keeping her up for a couple hours right before bed time. I don't know if that is why she has been sleeping good but whatever it is it's working! I am loving it!!
Dr. appointment at 2 weeks old she weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces! She gained that 7 ounces from birth weight.
She drinks about 2-4 oz. Usually 3 oz. in the day and 4 oz at night.
For the longest time she would be pretty fussy in the day time and sometimes she would take a binky. But we recently switched her formula to Gentle Ease and that seems to be helping. She is starting to be more awake in the day anyway but at least she is less fussy.
Her hair is starting to change colors. Hard to say what color it is going to be but I bet it is going blonde. She was born with almost black hair and now it is looking brown with a hint of goldish color. I am curious of what her eye color will be too but I am guessing brown!
She loves to snuggle! When she is starting to wake up in the morning I will bring her in bed with me and she will usually go back to sleep for another 30 min. to an hour!
She usually poops at every feeding. Her poor bum has gotten so raw and sore to the point of bleeding! I had to go buy some special wipes and butt paste. Luckily it is starting to get better. Poor girl!
She has been a little more difficult that what Caden was but she is a girl and a lot smaller than what Caden ever was!
So I will admit, I am not the biggest fan of the newborn stage. There is just so much to figure out, no structure even when you are trying so hard to get them on some kind of schedule, and the baby is so dependent and fragile! However, there is something special about how fresh they are from heaven and they are so cute, tiny, and sweet! I do love when they big eyes seem to be looking right into yours and you feel a deep love and connection!

Caden-22 months old

When we finally got home from the hospital with Catherine, sadly Caden was sick and wasn't allowed to hold Catherine for the first few weeks.
He loves his baby sister!! He loves to cuddle her and give her kisses.
He calls her "GaGa" for Catherine. Lady GaGa haha
Sadly he has hit her twice. It is when he gets frustrated and I can't give him the attention he needs and then he gets mad and starts hitting everything around him.
Caden has been so cute with saying his prayers. He will repeat everything that I tell him to and does it really well. There has been a few times that I have caught him saying his prayers on his own while he is playing. Cutest thing to see him folding his hands and trying so hard to close his eyes.
Caden ABSOLUTELY LOVES CHRIS! He copies everything that Chris does. In the morning he has to have cereal just like daddy and when Dad starts drinking his milk then so will Caden. He also likes to have dad put deodorant on him when Dad is putting some on himself, and he does the same thing with the chapstick. He loves it when dad gets home from work! He will get so excited!

I had a little photo session with my kids, aren't they just the cutest ever!!! It was hard getting some good ones of Catherine because it gets pretty cold in our basement apartment, but I think she is absolutely adorable. For Easter we spent the morning at Grandma Elaine's house. I am so grateful for Grandma. She is an amazing woman that I love so much! I am so glad that I have her to call grandma! I absolutely love watching her play and interact with my kids!! Love you Grandma Elaine. After Caden's nap we went to Heath and Anika's. We had dinner there and then had a little Easter Egg Hunt for the little ones! They loved it, but once they figured out that there was candy inside they lost interest in collecting the eggs, instead they just wanted to eat CANDY!!

Caden and his bunny that he got for Easter!!

EASTER EGG HUNT!!! GO CADEN!!!

If they were competing for the most eggs then Caden won!! He had fun picking them up and putting them in his bucket!! Even though we did a lot of the traditional things for Easter, I am very grateful for our Savior and His sacrifice for all of us so that we can return and live with Him again!! I know that He Lives!!