It’s been a busy month – we’ll pretend I wrote this last week when taking pictures.
Caleb,
What a month it has been! Just after the last post you started to “wake up” and will spend up to about three hours awake. You still eat super fast, so a good amount of this time is spent fussing. But we got a swing and it is magic. However, you do tend to remind us when you’ve had enough and are ready to be held again. You prefer to be held so you can see the world.
I’m loving the Moby wrap, I’m better at tying it now than I was with your brother and you are just so cozy in there. I carry you most afternoons when we pick up Simon from school then we head to the playground with our friends. Winter is putting up a fight, but spring is slowly making it’s way into our lives. This month Simon started going to school part time, so he’s home with us two days a week. We’ve been doing adventures! We’ve gone to the Transit Museum and to visit Daddy, The Hall of Science and to the Central Park Zoo.
On the days it’s just you and me, I’ve started a part time job during your naps. And with that job came your first baby sitter. I have to be out one morning every other week, so you are staying with the sitter and a bottle. It was hard to leave you that first day – I was nervous. But you took your bottle like a champ and all was well. As it gets warmer you’ll be able to go on stroller walks and get some fresh air. It’s been good for Mama.
Breastfeeding is going ok. I’m not sure if I just don’t remember the hard parts with Simon or if you really do have more trouble. I know you spit up more than he ever did. I’m working on block feeding and try to use an upright position for you when I can. This helps. I tried a dairy elimination when your poop turned green – and it helped, but I’ve also reintroduced and there hasn’t been a change. So I wonder if you caught Daddy and Simon’s cold, or maybe it was flow management. You don’t find the same comfort nursing that Simon did. You have to be REALLY hungry or you fight it. You do take a pacifier – we tried and it worked – I have mixed feelings. But for now we do what works. I’m learning about baby massage to see if this might help you relax into the nursing.
But you have a million (or 10-15) wet diapers a day, so I’m really not worried that you’re getting enough. I just want it to be more comfortable and enjoyable for us both. You also really hate to be wet, so I’ve learned your “change me now” cry. I am now washing diapers every three days. This is a big change from my once a week routine. But two kids in diapers and one a super pee-er and the bag fills up fast!
You sleep really well with one or two long naps during the day. Usually one in the swing and one in the wrap or carrier when we are out. 6-7:30ish is the crazy time here and all the people are generally in tears at some point in the evening. But once you calm down and eat you go to sleep around 8 and then wake up around 1 or 2 and then again at 4:30 or 5:30, then awake for the morning by 7:30. This varies some and some nights you wake more, but your overall sleep pattern is pretty consistent and SO SO SO much better than Simon who cat napped for months. Please don’t start doing that sweet boy.
You are a sweet baby who loves to be held. And watch the world. We got your first smiles this month and you are close to sweet baby giggles – sometimes we hear them when you are sleeping. I think you may very well be like your brother who needs to see whats going on and be moving all. the. time. Or maybe not. Simon loves you mostly. We’ve seen some acting out – but never directed at you and all within normal 2.5 year old behavior. When you cry he come to sing to you or push your swing. Or he’ll pull you onto his lap and rock you. When I run the vaccuum, he’ll cover your ears and say “it’s ok.” All very sweet.
And you are big enough for matching diapers, which causes me a strange amount of happy. At your two month check-up you were 9 lbs 15 oz. and got your first shots. You handled them well and were just up often that night. Keep growing my little Smoosh.
We love you.