One month old

Well we made it through the first month!  Cason has gotten a lot bigger (we will see on Monday at the doctors how big that is), can focus on faces, and is pretty much out of his newborn clothes.  He is starting to make lots of little noises now, is starting to look at toys, and we think he just started to smile back at us today (pretty sure they weren't gassy smiles, still testing him).

What I have learned this week being on my own is the following.  

• It is amazing how good anything tastes at 3:00 when it is the first thing you have eaten for the day.
• I have never taken a faster "hot" shower in my life - in and out in under 4 minutes
• How do the people on Days of our Lives still look the same as they did when I was 12???  (I swear I only watched it for 5 minutes, but it is amazing)
• It is possible to not leave the house for 5 days and still feel ok
• Lastly, I am going to have a really strong left arm from cradling him to feed!

Here are pictures from today - one month old.

Winter walk

On their way back from Tahoe snow vacation, the Stough grandparents stopped by for the weekend to visit Cason.  We went out for dinner on Friday with Cason, and got a night off as they babysat on Saturday night and we got to go to a movie.

By the view of the pictures you would think we lived in the snow country.  On Saturday we got a new stroller and had to try it out.  We went for a walk with the grandparents and decided to bundle up Cason as it was actually 45 degrees in the Bay area.  He was still a little small for the outfit, but it did the job and he slept for 2 hours as we walked around downtown Willow Glen.

Poppa hanging out with a very awake grandson

Starting out for our chilly walk

He was super comfy bundled up in this suit

Bath Time

We had our first full bath!  To say the least, Cason did not exactly love the experience.  However, I am not sure if he hated the water or the fact that he was so wiggly that he bonked his head a little on the side of the tub which startled him and it was downhill from there.  Good job parents!

Cason enjoyed the second experience much more, until he had to get his head wet.   The picture is of the first experience!

Ringing in the New Year

Happy 2011!  Well we didn't stay up until 12:00 this year, but we enjoyed the additional sleep Cason gave us by him falling asleep at 10:30 on Friday night.  So we celebrated with the New York crowd and watched the ball drop at 9:00pm on TV.  However, we did make it out to dinner at Capers in Campbell and Cason was perfect and stayed asleep the entire time in his car seat.  We felt human again getting to be at a restaurant.

Ryan and Jeannette arrived on Friday afternoon to visit on their way up to Lake Tahoe to go skiing.  I am very jealous and will be missing the great snow we have this year.  They went out to a friends in Oakland for New Years and then hung out with us on New Year's day watching football and relaxing around the house.  I guess Steve and I were feeling confident with Cason as we decided to go out to lunch and dinner with them on Saturday.  We learned that as long as Cason is full, he will sleep the entire time we are out.  I am not sure how long this rule of thumb will last but we are taking advantage of it.

Here are some pics of Cason with Uncle Ryan and Auntie Jeannette.

Finished baby room

Well with lots of help from the new Stough grandparents, the baby room got finished!  Thanks for all the help.  Here is the final product... it will probably never look this clean and nice again.  Cason also had a very busy day today smiling for the camera.  He got newborn pictures taken and decided to be awake the whole time.  So much for sleepy newborns... he has his blue eyes open for almost every picture.  

Cason sleeping in front of the Christmas tree after his long day

2 weeks later

We can't believe it has only been about 12 days (because it seems like much longer), but we think we are getting used to having Cason around and have started to venture out of the house.  Our firsts have included going to shopping for Christmas on the 24th!, Christmas dinner, sponge baths, and first doctor appointment today.  Cason is now 7lbs 12oz, 20 inches, so he is getting bigger and will have grown out of his newborn outfits in a few days. 


The Stoughs have discovered Skype and have accomplished installing it (with help from Ryan) and had a call with us on Christmas Eve.


Here are a few pictures from the last week

Steve's ability to multitask

Keeping Cason warm after a bath

Cason sleeping in the morning

He's here early!

Well our little one decided to come early.  Cason Beckett Johnston was born on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 6:09 am.  Everyone is healthy and happy.


I went into labor at about 12:30am, with contractions every 7-10 minutes for about 20-25 seconds.  I finally gave up on sleeping at 4:30am and got up getting the final things packed for the hospital.  I went to work at 6:30 am to get everything wrapped up (crazy, I know).  We tracked the contractions for hours, not going to the hospital until 5pm (and working most of the day), the contractions stayed around 5-6 mins apart/30 seconds for about 10 hours and were pretty mild (I could still talk while they were happening for the most part).  We got to the hospital, checked in at 4cm.  My water broke 30 mins later sitting in the hospital bed.  Good timing!!!  The contractions got pretty strong after that for the next 4 hours, and I begged for the epidural at 10:00pm.  My epidural was painless and wonderful, though it did make me nauseous for about 10 mins as my blood pressure dropped due to it which they quickly remedied.  I got it at about 6 cm - 7 cm and promptly fell asleep for 4 hours.  They woke me up at 4:00 am to start pushing and I pushed for 2 hours.  So in total of about 30 hours of labor, at 6:00 am the doctor arrived and he was born 9 mins later!


The new Stough grandparents drove up at 2:30pm getting there around 8:30pm and stayed up the whole night.  Troupers!


Steve and I stayed at the hospital for two nights.  We got a room with two beds which Steve used one of them and was a huge help.  He has become a great swaddler!  


We are all at home now getting adjusted to our new life.  Here are some pictures for everyone.

Steve, Tricia and Cason

New grandparents

Cason going home in his carseat

Sleeping in Grandma's arms

Thanks.  Tricia