Events: Now that I'm off for the summer, we're having a lot of fun talking walks and spending time in the nice weather. I love being able to play with him and not be thinking about all the work I have to do once he goes down for a nap. He got to meet a few more of his relatives this month--Great Aunts & Uncles and some of his Second Cousins (if I'm getting the proper geneological names correct). I decided to keep him in daycare for one day a week, so I can work on prepping for fall and, of course, keeping the house in order.
Milestones: His second tooth poked through! You can now see those little white nubs when he gives you a big grin. He's "off the charts" for his height--he's still long and lean--but he's already in 9-month-old clothes (sniff, sniff). He's also developed a ticklish tummy (see video)! I love his crazy laugh.
Surprises: He now sleeps between 11 & 12 hours straight through the night, and naps about 4 hours a day. I heard this was supposed to happen, but I really didn't think it would--then he turned 6 months old and magically there's no more middle of the night snacks! I'm definitely not going to complain about that! The best part of his good sleep habits is how happy he is--it makes being a mom so much easier when the little guy is a happy one!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Five Months Old
Events: We took our first pictures as a family of 3 since the anaesthesiologist snapped a few in the operating room. I enjoyed my first official Mother's day. We started our summer traveling season May 1--and we took trips up north to the cabin, to LaCrosse, and to Pittsville.
Milestones: He's laughing and playing now--he'll start a conversation with you just by smiling at you until you notice him, and then he'll squeal with delight. He started eating a few solids (rice cereal and green beans). He also seemed to enjoy his first boat ride (we went pretty slow--a beautiful May day is still not warm enough for speedboating).
Surprises: At 5 1/2 months, his first tooth poked through! It's amazing what 6 weeks of gnawing on stuff can do!
Milestones: He's laughing and playing now--he'll start a conversation with you just by smiling at you until you notice him, and then he'll squeal with delight. He started eating a few solids (rice cereal and green beans). He also seemed to enjoy his first boat ride (we went pretty slow--a beautiful May day is still not warm enough for speedboating).
Surprises: At 5 1/2 months, his first tooth poked through! It's amazing what 6 weeks of gnawing on stuff can do!
Four Months Old
Events: He now likes to be sitting up or standing up straight at all times. He's too interested in the world to sit back and relax!
Milestones: He's starting to develop abs of steel from all of the attempts to sit up. He's definitely teething--just give him your finger and he'll start chomping down.
Surprises: He loves to jump in the jumperoo. At first he didn't understand it, but he knew he liked whatever it was that was allowing him to stand up for as long as he wanted to, and then he figured it out--now it's his favorite thing to do.
Milestones: He's starting to develop abs of steel from all of the attempts to sit up. He's definitely teething--just give him your finger and he'll start chomping down.
Surprises: He loves to jump in the jumperoo. At first he didn't understand it, but he knew he liked whatever it was that was allowing him to stand up for as long as he wanted to, and then he figured it out--now it's his favorite thing to do.
Three Months Old
Events: To our utter shock, Nicholas started turning over from his stomach to back (mostly because he didn't like being on his stomach). He finally started playing with his toys--his playmat was his favorite thing to interact with (besides mom & dad, of course).
Milestones: His first cold(s)! He started working on grabbing things and using his hands. I thought he was a genious when he could first grab his toys and actually make them work (spinning a ball to play a sound, pulling toy off of the velcro strip). He also started looking in the mirror at himself--he likes to smile at baby Nicholas.
Surprises: He started getting colds and ear infections from hanging out at daycare once a week. Though I hated to see him with so much as a sniffle, the doctors and nurses reassured me it would help build up his immune system in the long run. I was suprised how fast he was growing--who knew he'd be in 6 month clothes already? He's a tall boy!
Milestones: His first cold(s)! He started working on grabbing things and using his hands. I thought he was a genious when he could first grab his toys and actually make them work (spinning a ball to play a sound, pulling toy off of the velcro strip). He also started looking in the mirror at himself--he likes to smile at baby Nicholas.
Surprises: He started getting colds and ear infections from hanging out at daycare once a week. Though I hated to see him with so much as a sniffle, the doctors and nurses reassured me it would help build up his immune system in the long run. I was suprised how fast he was growing--who knew he'd be in 6 month clothes already? He's a tall boy!
Two Months Old
Events: Ah, it was back to work for me, which meant finding a day care for Nicholas. It was much more difficult than I thought to find a place that I trusted and that would take a baby for one day a week. My husband's busy season was in full swing, which meant that I was getting the chance to experience what it's like to be a single parent--I don't recommend it, by the way.
Milestones: Nicholas made us so happy when he started smiling right at 2 months of age. That big gummy smile made up for any and all sleep deprivation in a split second.
Surprises: Nicholas started sleeping through the night at about 9 weeks old (and when he did wake up, it was just to eat and go right back to sleep)--what a good baby! He also started waking up happy in the morning (instead of just crying himself awake). It made me feel like I was getting the hang of this mom business.
Milestones: Nicholas made us so happy when he started smiling right at 2 months of age. That big gummy smile made up for any and all sleep deprivation in a split second.
Surprises: Nicholas started sleeping through the night at about 9 weeks old (and when he did wake up, it was just to eat and go right back to sleep)--what a good baby! He also started waking up happy in the morning (instead of just crying himself awake). It made me feel like I was getting the hang of this mom business.
One Month Old
Events: Nicholas' first month was a busy one! We got to celebrate Christmas as a family of 3 for the first time, and Nicholas got to enjoy being with all of his new Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. We also took a trip to Palm Springs with him--and it was definitely an adventure--we felt like expert parents after traveling with a 3-week-old.
Milestones: It took a while, but he started looking at us (and not just staring at lights). He also started to kick like crazy. When he was born, his legs were used to being in the breech position for 2 months, so it was quite exciting to see his legs start kicking away.
Surprises: At 8 days old, he was already holding in his pacifier and smiling in his sleep. He was also a good sleeper from the start. For the most part, all he did was eat and sleep for the first few weeks. He was pretty mellow unless he was hungry!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Nicholas' Birthday
Nicholas came into the world by c-section on a cold December morning.
I was sad I got to miss out on a traditional birth, but the surgery had its benefits (besides not dying in childbirth): for one, my husband became an expert dad because I was slow moving the first few days. He knew how to change diapers better than I did when we got home from the hospital. And swaddling? Hey, that's just like wrapping a burrito.
The first day he was born, Nicholas met Grandma Gail, Aunt Kristina, "Auntie" Katie, Grandpa Ed & Grandma Carol, Uncle Chris, and Granddad Boyd. The next day he spent more time with his relatives and Uncle Mark and Aunt Michelle stopped by.
Surprises: One of the first things I noticed about him was his dimple (inherited from me!)--I was so happy to recognize both me and my husband in his face--it was amazing that we made someone so beautiful and perfect. I also could not believe how much hair he had (business in the front, party in the back). His feet were so big already that he didn't fit in any baby booties! It looks like we've got a bigfoot artifact in his baby book.
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