The First 13 Weeks in a nutshell

August 16-8:30a.m. I arrive at the hospital--the day is finally here, I get to meet my baby boy and deflate a little bit!! 11:50 p.m-Levi Marshall Fry is born. Levi was so wide-eyed and didn't cry, I thought all babies cried when they were born, but not Levi it was as if he was taking in this new world he was just brought into. He was perfect!! August 18 1:00 pm-we finally get to come home with our bundle of joy and life would NEVER be the same. The first two weeks of his life he did not sleep at all at night. I knew babies cried, but all night? Here I was exhausted still recovering from the birth and unable to sleep! I remember on many occassions praying, "Lord, please allow me just one hour of uninterrupted sleep!" Thankfully, Kevin was up with me all night with Levi even when he had work in the morning. We tried everything to get him to sleep--nothing worked!! I don't do well on little sleep, and I was getting weary...oh how I wish I had family in town to help!! I was very grateful when my mother in law came into town and took care of Levi to allow Kevin and I to sleep at night, bringing him in at night only when he needed to feed.  Ahhh a few hours of sleep--how wonderful!!  Now let's talk about Breastfeeding, ughhh!! You've heard all your life it is the best thing for the baby and the implications that you're a bad mother if you don't do it! Breastfeeding, to my surprise, was very difficult for me. If this is what God intended why was it so hard!? Levi wasn't latching and would not stay awake during the day long enough for me to keep trying. I would spend hours trying and trying, only to keep failing. Levi started losing weight and lost a whole pound, I had no choice but to feed him formula--the dreaded formula!! I felt like a failure like a bad mom who could not give my baby what he needed! I cried, it was a very dark time for me, but I decided not to give up. I saw a lactation consultant and $200 later I learned how to bf successfully. It was still a challenge and would take me an hour or longer everytime to do it and I did it at least 8 times a day, what a committment this was!! Praise God though he began gaining weight and sleeping a little better at night!! Things looked up! Until the dreaded colic started!! Just when we had jumped over the first hurdle there was a new challenge--and a big one at that. Why was Levi crying all the time, he's been fed, changed, he's warm, I'm holding him, what am I doing wrong?? I could tell his little stomach hurt him :( The only relief I had all day was if I could rock him to sleep which wasn't often and the nap was short lived. So much for sleep when baby sleeps!! Everyone kept telling me it would get better, but when? I'm losing my mind!! Not to mention I had not gotten out the house in weeks, with a fussy baby who at times was eating every hour you can't have a social life!! I prayed everyday for God to help Levi get better and for my sanity!! I hated to wish for this time to pass since you're supposed to cherish every moment with your newborn since they grow so fast, but word was that a baby had to just outgrow colic--I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait for him to smile and be happy instead of scream all the time-- I was exhausted!! After about 2 and a half months he started to do better. He started to get on a better schedule as far as eating and sleeping during the day. And there it was-- the smile!! The best thing ever, all those tears I cried and frustrations I experienced were worth it in that moment!! Thank you Lord for giving me this beautiful baby boy!! Each day still brings its new challenges but each day his colic gets better and he responds more to people and things and smiles and even laughs more! I can truly say I love being a mom to my Levi.