:: Stats ::
Weight: 10 pounds 5 ounces
Length: 21 1/2 inches
At your 1 month check up we found out that you were 50th percentile for length and 60th for weight. We also found out that you apparently take after the Branches because you have a NOGGIN...90th percentile for head circumference :) It's ok though, every time we have gone to the doctor the nurses have all told us how beautiful you are...and at your 2 week check up, the doctor said you had great muscle definition, which your dad LOVED.
:: Feeding ::
I always thought nursing was something that was supposed to be really natural and we would just get it right away. Well, you started off great! In the hospital you learned to latch on really quickly and it seemed like it really was gong to be a breeze, then the nurses started giving you a pacie at night and things went wayyy down hill. Day 3 in the hospital we had to have our favorite lactation consultant, Spring (sweet name for the sweetest lady), teach us how to reteach you to latch. You fought me on this for a while but by the second or third day home you were back to nursing like a pro!
Since coming home from the hospital, you have been nursing every 3 hours. You've done really well with this schedule during the day and seemed to settle into a pretty regular routine right away. At night I have been waking you up every 3 hours to feed you, which seems crazy to me, but it's what the doctors are telling me you need -- even though I've always heard "never wake a sleeping baby!".
So even though I love being able to breast feed SO much, feeding you every 3 hours can sometimes feel like thats all I do in a day. Enter the growth spurts. You have gone through two growth spurts since you've been home, week 2 and week 4. During these I fed you every 2 hours and oh my gosh what a difference an hour makes. Talk about feeling like I was doing nothing else?? You were starving ALL the time, but listening to you coo and watching you stare at me while you eat makes it all worth it...I'm such a sucker for you!!
:: Sleeping ::
The first week we brought you home I was still on cloud nine with what seemed like endless patience and energy. Every time you cried or when it was time to wake you up to nurse, I was able to pop right out of bed and feel so privileged to be your mom and provide food and snuggles any time you needed it! Week two, reality started to set in that this was going to be a hard season of no sleep. Thankfully, you have an awesome dad who helps in any way he can - getting up to bring you to me while I get ready to feed you and most importantly, swaddling you! We have found that you sleep so much better when you are swaddled really tight. Unfortunately, I didn't master the swaddle until week 4 so your dad would wake up after every feeding, redo it for me and put you back down.
You have been sleeping in a beautiful bassinet in our room that Kenneth and Peggy let us borrow. It has been so nice to have you in our room because I still find myself listening for your breathing throughout the night :) I haven't decided when I'm going to make myself put you in your crib at night, but for right now, I'm enjoying having you close!
As far as napping goes, there is no schedule or routine yet...oops. I think I'm supposed to be making you sleep in your bassinet for naps but I just love holding you! Most of the time you take a pretty good nap about an hour after you've been fed. You sleep anywhere...in the car, in my arms, in your swing etc. We will work on establishing a better nap routine next month!
We do have a pretty good bedtime routine down. Your dad and I bathe you around 8:30pm every night, I feed you at 9pm, and then we put you to bed while you are still a little awake and you fall asleep pretty soon after that. You are really great at putting yourself to sleep which I am so thankful for!
:: Fun Things ::
-Everyone says something different when we ask who you look like. In general, people say its a combo. We think you have your dad's head shape, nose, and lips but my eyes.
-From the day you were born, people's first comment was "Look how alert he is!"
-You have your dad's hands and feet... and long fingers and toes!
-Your hands are always crossed over your chest, clasped together under your chin, or raised in the air. We love noticing what you do with your hands because it always looks like you're trying to pose :)
-When you are happy and getting your diaper changed, you make a baby bird noise - like happy tweeting over and over - kills me!
-You have an awesome poop face:
-During week 4 you started really being able to follow things with your eyes and loved being in your swing following the birdie mobile.
-You make us laugh and bring us joy every single day :) hehe
We love you, little man!!
