Brodie's First Week

I couldn't wait to get this little bundle of joy home!

(Before we had a good head support for him.. I ended up putting burp cloths around his head.)


First order of buisness, introducing Deuce to the baby

He was extremely curious... but now at night he sleeps with his head underneath the bed... I'm guessing to drowned out the crying!


After Daddy and Brodie took a very long nap,

...Brandi and Sean came over and brought us a home cooked meal, then Brandi cleaned my house like a mad woman! :) It was veeery appreciated!

Daddy and soon to be!



Then we "settled" into bed for one loooong night.

Brodie Burrito

The next morning we had a meeting with the doctor at the hospital to check out the little guy. He has jaundice, which most babies who are born early have, and they wanted to see if it has gone down at all... which it hadn't. On a scale of 1-4 he had a 3. His weight had dropped from 7.6 to 6.14... So the lactationist told me I had to double time with feedings, which meant I had to pump and breastfeed.. equaling NO time to do anything else... including going to Sean and Brandi's babyshower :(
Passed out after all the colostrum :)


Eventually I realized to maximize time, I would have to pump and breastfeed at the same time... pretty funny mental picture huh?! Of corse with all this activity, my milk came in. I woke up thinking someone had put silicone in my breasts while I was sleeping. Hard, sorrrre, and HUGE. What a huge transformation my body has been through in a matter of days, especially my stomach... in 4 days I went from 9 1/2 months pregnant to this...

I'm so excited to basically have my tummy back.. and with no stretch marks!! Harland's not mad about that at all! :)

Later that day, my Mom came over to make us a meal, clean, and visit her first grandson (that sounds so wierd!)


And then Sancy and Haylee stopped by with MORE food and to meet Brodie Bear!



Sunday we had another visit to check on the jaundice. The constant feedings dramatically helped-- he gained 4 oz in a day!! His bilirubin level drastically went down as well-- I was exstatic.

Later, my Aunt and Uncle came over with the kids and brought us a huge dinner!


So let's recap real quick:
-Erica brought me my first meal after the baby, a brisket sandwhich
-We got 6 free extravagent meals from the hospital
-Nana brought Cheesecake factory and champagne
-Brandi cooked enchiladas, rice, and made salad
-Mom brought lasagna and salad
-Sancy brought Maggiano's
-Michele & Greg brought Babe's

-My Nanny cooked homemade pasta

We have AMAZING friends and family :) Thank you guys sooo much for helping us!!

Monday, Harland's boss said he would give him a few more days paid paternity leave (YAY!) so we went to Walmart to get a few necessities for the baby with our gift cards.

haha he looks like I just picked him off the shelf


I feel a lot better about driving now... even though I haven't yet.

Later that night we went to Chuy's with Amber and Kain so I could show him off. Some people didn't know I had him yet so I got a few hilarious reactions.


Tuesday we had yet another checkup, but this one was at my Mom's office, so she got to show him off. Now his weight is at 7.2! I gotta pat myself on the back- haha.

Her friend clipping his nails, yay! I am not looking forward to doing that myself.

Lindsay came over to spend time with her nephew (wierd to say) and while I was teaching her how to change his diaper (correctly), he peed all over himself .. and ended getting some in his EYE. We freaked. It was definitely time for his first "bath".

Harland was so funny, "what do you wash him with!?"

Tonight Nick & Sonia are coming over and I'm so freaaaking excited for them to meet him! :)


Now the following are just adorable pics of Baby... enjoy!


First time in his swing... I think he looks just like my baby pics in this one

Flexing for the ladies


Calling the ladies :)


Harland thought he was doing hook-em... but he was mistaken.. just holding his binki in! :)


Loves being swaddled




More pics of him sleeping with Daddy

ummm adorable?! yes.

Brodie Rogen Mullins

I'm a MOM!

Tuesday after work I had a doctors apt and he said I was dialated to a 3... and that he would be suprised if I was pregnant for another week! I was beside myself.. with excitment and anxiety. I called Harland and told him it would probobly be less than a week! Then I went to my moms' office to tell her the news, and while I was there, I started having some pretty intense back pain, and her boss let her off so we could go home and relax-- didn't exactly get this accomplished. Went to Mom's boyfriends and I started having contractions, about 8 minutes apart. Called Harland and told him to meet me at home, we might be having a baby soon! I DROVE home with my sister (it was either me or my 15 year old sister... pretty dangerous either way) and started packing. Luckily I had a list made of everything I needed so we weren't there long. I showered and ate since I knew I wouldn't be able to do that for a while, and I swear while I was drying off my water slowly started to break (don't know if that's entirely true or not). We got to the hospital and prayed we wouldn't be waiting this out for hours.

I was only .15 more dialated than I was 5 hours earlier. yaaaay. Regardless, everyone and their mom came up to see us. They put the iodine needle in me (first thing I was scared of) and blood squirted EVERYWHERE... luckily I decided I would pass on watching, but my mom and sister's faces made it a little difficult to not wonder what was going on... so I peaked, and freaked. Luckily right after I got the demoral, and since I've never had any drugs before, let's just say I was a litttle loopy.

Check back tomorrow for the entertaining video.

The Family trying to help me pass the time.

A little later I finally got to a 4 (epideral time!) Felt like a bee sting, but didn't last long... and definitely worth it. My contractions weren't that bad, and I told her I didn't really need it yet, (I was worried about running out.. I've heard HORROR stories) but the nurse said she would refil it if I did. phewww. It was about midnight by this time, and not much was happening, so we decided to get our last good nights sleep. HA. Every ten minutes some machine would go off.. and wouldnt stop until I pressed a button, every fifteen my blood pressure machine would go off and it would squeeze the hell out of my arm, the nurse would randomly come in and check on stats, and to top it off... Harland basically snored all night. So basically I was INSANELY tired and had to give birth. 9 hours later... I had gone up ONE centimeter... and everytime I tried to fall asleep someone new came into my room, and no one wanted to wait in the damn waiting room. Basically I ended up kicking everyone out, including Harland, and went to sleep.

For literally 30 seconds. The doctor came in to check how many centimeters agaaaain. Luckily, as soon as he went to check, my water broke! We were finally getting somewhere. Every half hour I went up another centimeter... and everyone rushed to the hospital.

Wow, swollen a little?! Jammed packed fulla drugs

Harland, My Mom, and sister were in the room with me. I pushed for about 30 minutes...

and during everyone was freaking out about the only thing they could see, his hair! We were both born with barely any, and actually barely have any now so that was a shocker. As soon as he came out they layed him on me and I instantly started bawling.
I was in total disbelief--- there he was! I was finally meeting someone I had dreamt about for my whole life.

We were all guessing at his weight, I was a million pounds off. Harland was right on the money!
7.6?! Did ANYONE see this coming!? And 2 weeks early! He would have been 9 lbs if he would have been born on his due date!

The best Daddy in the world!

Our Family!

My Family

His Family

Our Friends

Brodie's First Friend, Parker Chase!

We had so many friends and family come see our baby, it feels great to know how many people already love our little one!

So my biggest fear has been breastfeeding.. I really just did not want to do it at all.. but knowing how much better it is for him, it really wasn't an option for me. I have been reading a breastfeeding book to prepare me, but it actually scared me more. So I had a lactationist come and help me, and the first time I "breastfed" was infront of Brandi, Erica, Amber and my sister. After being basically ripped apart, I really could care less who sees my breasts. Anyways, I could not have been more wrong about breastfeeding. I love it. When people talk about the bond that it brings between the mom and baby.. they're not kidding! It is such an amazing feeling to be the only one to bring him what he really wants... a nipple.

After a 2am feeding.. I fed, Harland burped :)

We had the option to stay 3 days in the hospital and man we jumped all over that! It literally felt like we were on vacation. Harland got a week paid paternity leave, we got all our meals free, had tons of people come and visit with us, nurses to make sure I was constantly happy, and all the time in the world to be with my new baby.

Whoever said hopsital food sucks has not been to this hospital! Every meal was extravagent, especially our steak dinner . The next night we passed on the hospital food, and my Nana and sister brought us balloons, champagne, cupcakes and meals from Cheesecake Factory!

We also got roses from Michele, and balloons from Kelsy, Jordan, and Lyns :)

The best nap I've ever had in my life

Being a Mom is exactly how I had hoped it would be, but I really wasn't expecting to feel this way. It is the most intense feeling I've ever felt. I'm so insanely happy and in love with him, not to mention Harland. He has been the best support-- there is NO way I could do this without him. Everytime I need ANYTHING, he's ontop of it. Everytime I breastfeed, he is constantly making sure that I am comfortable, and feeds me if I can't feed myself. He is amazing with Brodie, he's the first to wake up in the middle of the night to comfort him. I'm constantly telling him that it's my turn, but when I get up he still gets up with me and helps me. When he needs to eat, I feed him and then he burps him. He loves Brodie so much, I've never seen so much fatherly love before in my life. I've just fallen so much more in love with him through this. I am so blessed to be with him. I've never been happier, not for one second, in my whole life.

The start of our family <3

Cheers to you Brodie Bear! We love you so much!