Hi there, sweet boy! You've been an official member of this family for a full month now and we can hardly believe it. You just fit right in so perfectly that it's hard to believe you've only been here a short time. You have brought so much joy to all of us, filling a void in our family that we didn't even realize we had. Your brother & sister ADORE you; they really could not be more obsessed with you. They love to help us take care of you! Brooke is really helpful in calming you and giving you a pacifier when Mommy needs a helper. And Joe is constantly asking "What does the baby want?" when you're upset; he really hates to hear you cry! You came into this world a big boy and have continued to grow right on track. You are now 11 lbs 8 oz., but you still seem really little to us! You've grown 2 inches this month, which explains why you're already starting to grow out of your size 3M sleepers! You wore size NB diapers for about 10 days and are now comfortably in size 1's. You sleep all the time and really love it (you get pretty grumpy when you're tired!) You've gotten yourself into a little bit of a routine at night: you eat somewhere between 7:30-9 and then get a nice, long stretch of sleep in before needing to eat again. You've gone as long as 7 hours in between feeds (and then Mommy had to wake you!) Due to illnesses, we haven't been able to test just how much longer you might go, but we're hopeful we can let you sleep through the night soon! Here are just a few of the things you're into at 1 month old:
Favorites:
Pacifiers - You have inherited your siblings' love for a pacifier! While you're not totally dependent on it, it sure does have super powers in calming you down. We've learned never to be too far from one!
Eating - It's no surprise that you're growing so quickly - you love to eat! You eat every 3-4 hours during the day, sometimes sooner on really hungry days. Then you bless us with longer stretches at night. And, confirming that your love for eating is legit, you've very successfully taken 2 3-oz bottles so far! We decided to start introducing a bottle or two a week so you get used to them in case we need them. You didn't hesitate a second to drink from it; you sucked down every drop both times!
Being Swaddled - When you're really fussy and fighting a nap, the quickest way to calm you and get those eyes to shut is to swaddle you up! We bought some lightweight blankets for you since you are our first spring/summer baby, & they are perfect for swaddling nice and tight. Once we get you all bundled up like a burrito, you are happy as a clam! Neither of your siblings liked being swaddled, so we're happy to have yet another way to help comfort you!
Lullabies - Already a musical boy! You are quickly calmed by lullabies. More specifically, you love the lullaby CD we have in the car. It's by Nick Lachey (your Mom may or may not still be clinging onto her teenage boy-band-obsessed days...) and full of sweet songs like Baby Mine & When You Wish Upon A Star. When played on full blast (loud enough for you to hear it over the sound of your own cries), you are easily soothed.
Mommy - This one is pretty obvious, and just as it should be. You are already a mama's boy. Mommy's smell and voice can immediately appease you.
Not-so-Favorites:
Getting Dressed - Changing outfits is complete torture for you. We're fairly certain it has to do with being cold (A/C is on in full force now that the summer heat is picking up!) You get so angry when we change your clothes. Thankfully, we've only had a handful of leaky diapers requiring changes. And you've only peed on yourself a couple of times during diaper changes (for the record, you've peed on Mommy way more than you've peed on Daddy!) We do our best to minimize outfit changes, but we're pretty sure the summer heat is going to dictate extra changes.
Diaper Changes - You kick those feet and flail about those arms with almost every diaper change. Cold air, cold wipes, cold medicines, lots of jostling about as you are wiped - we don't really blame you! You got a yeast infection/diaper rash this month that required extra cream & even more frequent diaper changes, something that made everybody sad.
Riding in the Car - The jury's still out on whether you like this or not. You started out the month really disliking it, causing Mommy to do some serious acrobatics to get into the back to comfort you. But things are slowly getting better, especially thanks to that lullaby CD.
This has been one crazy & eventful month, & you've handled it like a trooper. Every member of our family has been sick at least once. You were patient when we had to care for your siblings, you happily hung with family when Mommy & Daddy were sick, & you somehow managed to make it through your own miserable illness without much complaint. At just 27 days old, you became the first Reeder child to visit the ER and stay the night at the hospital, a title we really wish you didn't hold. You're almost back to your old self, something we are so very, very grateful for.
As if you knew Mommy & Daddy were getting close to our breaking point, you gave us your very first real smiles just before we left the hospital this past weekend. Seeing that sweet grin as you gazed into our eyes was absolutely the greatest anniversary gift we could ever receive. Just knowing that you recognize us and are happy to be in our arms is such a blessing.
You, precious boy, are such a blessing. We love you so, so much already!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy
No comments:
Post a Comment