Baby's Better

Well, everyone in the Beem household slept a little better last night. Baby Max retired his grouchiness, gruntiness and overall general gripiness for the evening and slept through the night, waking twice only when we roused him to feed. The second feeding came at 5:45...and he's still at it now, at 6:32...apparently he didn't get the memo that mommy and daddy would like slome sleepies.

He's getting so much bigger, and it has been facinating to watch his little features evolve. At first we were all certain that he was going to be blessed with his mother's good looks, but then we had a moment of panic when we found a picture of daddy when daddy was his age, and saw that we were nearly identical!

Poor guy.

Now though, he really seems to have more of an amalgamation of our features. What do you guys think?

By the way, check out these two new videos. The one where he is spooning his sleep positioner is telling for how much longer he is. When we lay him on that thing, he used to be about 2/3rds the length of the cushion. Now he is actually longer than the cushion...and he is apparently in love with the bumper. We often find him spooning the bumper throughout the day.

The other new video makes it hard to choose: Who is cuter, baby or baby's mommy, do you think?

Baby Acne!

OK, our guy is a little camera shy these past couple of days. Well, who can blame him? When we were younger, the worst part about acne was having to go to Prom or picture day with a strategically located pimple, designed to be the first thing that grabbed people's attentions.

Nowadays, there's the Internet.

Who can blame a little Max, who is just trying to make his way in this world, for not wanting the 'bad press' spread all over the Internet because he had unsympathetic parents who flaunted his baby acne to the world?

The last couple of nights were a little rough. More on Max's mind than the acne was his first cold. Stuffy, grouchy, gripey and a few other symptoms ending in "y" all conspired to keep us awake at night. His appetite was less, which reduced Carrie to functioning as a snack bar again. Being the nervous first-timers that we are, we brought him to see the good doctor again and had our fears assuaged. Besides getting the "don't worry, your baby is fine" routine, doctor also did another weigh-in on our little dude -- 8 pounds 7 ounces now! Guess the snack bar is workin'.

If he keeps on like this, he's gonna have to go on the South Beach Diet before he's three weeks old.

Grandma Donna came over for supper Wednesday night. Carrie had been dying to get back into the kitchen, but if you ask me, Grandma came out ahead on this one: We made her dinner while she got to hold the baby and sing to the baby and bounce the baby...etc. etc.

Well, Max didn't seem to mind at least.

Well Visits

Baby Max is quite a healthy boy! Weighing in this week at a whopping 7 pounds 14 ounces, and measuring roughly the same as his birth length, 20 1/2 inches long, our little guy is packin' on the poundage and showing off for the good Doctor.

Little Maxwell has blown his birth weight out of the water, and sailed past last week's 6 pounds 13 ounces. Very gratifying for mommy.

Especially, a mommy who often feels like a chew toy.

Dr. Balakrishnan was quite pleased at Max's development this week, commenting on his strong little neck and arms, and reassuring us nervous parents that his diaper rash is just that...diaper rash. No infections...no Black Death...Bubonic Plague...just...diaper rash. (And considerabley less angry diaper rash than it had been, at that!)

The Beems returned from the Doctor feeling like a million bucks. Having a healthy baby, and having the doctor affirm his health, is one of the greatest feelings in the world. As new parents, it sure is easy to worry over the smallest things. Thank God, then, for Doctors that can put our minds at ease, if even for just a little while, making it easier for us to keep on keepin' on, and maybe sleep a little better too!

At least when baby lets us sleep, that is.

Check out this great new video that Carrie made of little Max showing off his neck prowess...

Max Meets More Family

This weekend, Max had the opportunity to meet his Uncle Sensei, Aunt Paprikas and Cousin Sophia! Grandma Donna hosted another cookout, Carrie seasoned the burgers and Matt and David handled documenting the encounter as a quick peek at our photobucket page will easily attest.

It was strange for us to see Max next to Sophia -- it really changes one's frame of reference! In my mind, Sophia is still a newborn baby...and tiny. I have a picture of her as a newborn on top of our entertainment center at home and her entire arm is the length of Matt's index finger. Now it is Max who is so tiny, and Sophia seems like she's ready for college by comparison!

Well, maybe not college, but you get the idea.

Max's sleep schedule is so much better these past two nights. We're sleeping in three to four hour chunks now, we either wake him or he wakes us but either is better than how it was in his first week. Also, he limits his crying for when he's in pain. (His diaper rash, which is almost gone now.)

As I write this, our little man is sleeping peacefully, listening to Yo-Yo's Bach Cello Suites. He seems to like the cello for some reason...

Friendly Visits

We were pretty worried that last night would be rough.

Yesterday, Max kept us hoppin' all day. Carrie was a snack bar pretty much non stop yesterday and he just wasn't interested in sleeping unless held. As a result, mom and dad weren't able to get much sleep in the afternoon, which put us at a defecit going into the evening hours.

Fortunately, last night wasn't too bad. He went to bed around 10:30, and woke for feedings at 11:30, 1, 2, and then slept through until 6am. Then he bellied back up to the bar around 7, 9 and 10am.

Today the Councell-Vargases dropped by with nice card and balloon, and Carol Russell brought some yummy food and brownies!

We're beginning to notice different feeding patterns in our baby. Sometimes he likes to rest for a bit during a feeding, sometimes he seems to savor his food (not sure where he gets that!) and sometimes he gets a bit frantic and needs to be calmed down. Carrie has been a saint! She is taking this in stride, and I have to say -- that is no small feet. We didn't imagine how "on call" mom has to be in order to keep baby well fed!

Sometimes he's hungry for things other than breast milk, as this new video will attest to. Enjoy!

The Beems

Goodbyes

All good things come to an end. Barb and Rich left for NY this morning after a wonderful week-long visit that culminated in Max's first trip to Grandma Donna's yesterday for a cookout and some more bonding with his grandparents and a nap for mom and dad!

Goodbyes were tough, as they always are. Mom and dad are pretty much chopped liver at this point, and baby Max was passed around for a last smooches and snuggles before he was promptly deposited into his car seat and wisked away.

Last night, Max slept the best we've yet seen. He was asleep from 10:30 to midnight, and Carrie opened the snack bar until 1:30. Then he went into a deeper sleep, waking to feed again at 5:15, 7:30 and 10:30am.

Tomorrow he'll get to meet the Councell-Vargases and Russells. (Thanks in advance for dinner tomorrow night, courtesy of the Russell delivery!)

The Beems

Check Ups, Family and Doctors

Yesterday was a hectic one for the Beem family. The morning started with a visit from Geri and Dianne who were dividing their Hoosier time by meeting Geri's son Paul and taking in a Billy Joel/Elton John concert in Indy. We were delighted that they could come up and meet little Maxwell Paul. They were the first to give their seal of approval to baby and baby's mommy yesterday.

After a quick catnap and lunch, we went in to visit Dr. Kirsch (OB) and Dr. Balakrishnan (Pediatrics). Carrie got a clean bill of health and has lost twenty pounds since last Monday! (Best diet ever? Did you know that new mothers can eat and eat and eat and eat...and LOSE WEIGHT? This is normal and it is what the doctor want to see happen.) She'll go back again in four weeks.

Max also got a clean bill of health. He weighed in at 6 pounds 13 ounces and measured 20 1/2 inches. He had been discharged at a weight of 6 pounds 7 ounces, so he is beginning his upward weight gaining trend for the very first time in his little life. They also performed a jaundice test on our little man, which he passed with flying colors. He measured at 5.8, and they don't worry and start treatment until that number is nearer to 20. So, perfectly healthy there also!

Dr. B. told us that everything that is going on with Max's sleep schedule is also quite normal. The last two nights were punctuated with feedings every hour until around 4am, when he finally went down until we woke him to feed again at 8.

Today we're heading over to Grandma Donna's for a cookout, and our last day to visit with the Barb and Rich before they head back to NY tomorrow morning. Grandma Donna has a new "pack and play" that she's eager to put Max in. Rich is showing his thanks for a wonderful hostess by mowing Donna's lawn! We'll miss Rich and Barb, and want to thank Dianne and Geri again for their visit yesterday. I'll update the slideshow later today, but here are two pictures in the meantime. Also, there should be a new video soon as well.

We love you!

David, Carrie and Max

Announcing Maxwell Paul Beem!

Well, the long months of waiting are over!

Our little guy, Maxwell Paul Beem arrived by Ceasarean delivery at 2:15pm, May 12th, 2009, weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and measured at 20 1/2 inches long. His little eyes were already wise beyond his mere minutes, and he had a clear steady gaze immediately.

Carrie's on the mend, a little slow getting around but otherwise doing great! Her blood pressure was already dropping before discharge (whew!) and the swelling around her face, ankles (or should I say "cankles?") and feet are looking much better. We've been getting her feet up above her heart when we can, and trying to find rest here and there.

The first few nights, Max was not very interested in sleeping in his cradle at night. Prefering to be held, his favorite position was resting his tiny head over your heart. Each night has been an improvement, and we've been assured by the medical community that this is normal and please don't throw him out the window!

Right.

Grandparents have been a huge asset: Grandma Barb and Donna, and his "Gramps" Rich have been bringing over all the necessities: Spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread and vodka tonics! (Max stuck to milk, people!) We even had Hoffman and Zweigel hotdogs and some cony dogs imported from New York two nights ago and some home made mac and cheese! Barb spent the night last night and, of course, Max slept like a...well, he slept like a baby for the first time since he's been home. (I'm not sure Barb believes us that he was previously so fussy.)

Max was the hit of the hospital ward, drawing many visitors: family, friends and employees alike! The nursing staff was phenominal and we want to give a special shout out to Mary and Barbara, who we were able to "bond with" over the days in recovery and even her labor nurse, Diane came by to say hello the day after delivery!

I'll be getting more pictures and videos up over the next few days. If the slideshow on the top right of this page isn't playing, check your pop up settings, maybe download the latest flashplayer or call the geek squad! Here's a link to photobucket if you can't get the slideshow here.

http://s603.photobucket.com/albums/tt117/maxbeem/

Hope you all find a place for Max in your hearts as we have ours. Please check back regularly, now that I've got this up and running, I'll try and keep posting fun new stuff!

David, Carrie and Max