Another week has come and gone...week 10

This week seemed to go by so fast! I feel that even though summer just started that it is going by too fast, and will be gone before I know it. Next week my sister comes to visit, then the next week my mom. We're going to take a family vacation, and then shortly after school will start, and by that time I'll have a 4 month old.

We have had LOTS of smiles this week!! It looks as though Mason is hitting all of the 6 week milestones. So, it seems he is right on track where he should be. :)

Sometimes in the afternoon Mason takes a quick nap on my chest, and I love EVERY moment of it.

The girls are loving that Mason is starting to be interested in his play mat. I've caught them several times laying under it with him.

Anna is my little helper. I can always count on her if I need something. She normally gets all the towels and cloths we need for the bath, and then holds him until the water is just right. I love the way he is looking at her in this picture. He really is so comfortable with her.

I think he's really starting to fill out and look good. He is still so small (smaller than Neen when she was born), but he's getting there.

Mason went on his first airplane ride this past Thursday. My uncle passed away on Monday, and we flew to Dallas on Thursday, and came home LATE Friday night. He really did well on the trip. The most stressful part was getting through security by myself, but I did it, and felt empowered afterwards. Mason slept the majority of the plane ride there and back. I normally fly Southwest, and have decided after not being treated so well by American, that I will ONLY fly Southwest from now on. They have the best customer service!!

I'm going to talk about breastfeeding now, so I wanted to give you a warning in case you'd rather not read it.

I've decided this week, well...today that I'm going to start exclusively pumping, and giving Mason a bottle. Our life moves in so many different directions that I can't nurse on demand. It seems like my whole day is planned around nursing to the point where I'm starting to stress on it. With the older kids in different activities, and schedules, and needing me during the day, the nursing isn't working. Mason also has issues with relatching. He latches great when I am full, but about half way through the feeding he has problems relatching. This leads to him crying, and then not being able to finish, which leads to my supply dipping and him crying because he's not full, then wants to nurse again quickly afterwards. I think knowing when I need to pump, and being able to just jump in the car and go with a bottle things will run more smoothly.

Any of you that have exclusively pumped, how did you do it? When did you plan your pumping? Did you pump at night? My thoughts are feed baby bottle, and then pump. Pump right before bed, and use that bottle during the night. Mason normally wakes up only once around 3:00 am, and I could use that last bottle I pumped. Then if he wakes up again I could try to nurse if he remembers? I don't know...any thoughts?