9 weeks

Calvin had his 2 month appointment today.  He is a perfectly average little boy at 12 pounds (50th percentile) and 23 3/4 in (75th percentile) long.  I'm a little too sleep deprived for more of an update than that.  He hasn't been sleeping at night very well.   So here is the week in pictures.

buttered popcorn jelly belly

practicing lifting this big melon

looking at my jungle toys

Grandma Lois came to visit

giggling with daddy

bath time

2 month birthday

tummy time is hard work

8 weeks

8 weeks old

Calvin was 8 weeks old on Monday and his 2 month birthday is coming up soon.  Cupcakes for everyone... except Calvin.  Sorry buddy.

This little punk has been spitting up with more regularity and I have yet to pick up on the new habit, which means I haven't started carrying a burp cloth around like a security blanket.  So I've been puked on a few times in the last week.  I'll catch on.

We have been very lax in baby sleep training and I'm afraid we will pay the price at some point.  He loves movement and really has a hard time going to sleep if his torso is not being swayed or bounced or patted.  As a result, he naps in the swing and is often put to "bed" in the swing as well.  As a last resort the past few days I've let him sleep at night with me.  I'm not against co-sleeping, but after a day full of baby I don't really want to sleep with him.  I love him but I want my own space.  However I also love sleep so in the bed he goes for a blissful 3-4 hour nap.

We need to train him to sleep in his crib, but I'm a bit lazy about it.  I did it once.  It meant that I had to sit next to the crib for about 30 minutes with my hand on his chest.  

this nap lasted 2 minutes after I put him down

The swing is so much easier...

And some other pics from the week...

all smiles

New smells and noises

Chris said the other day that our house smells like a baby lives here.  I instantly thought of baby wash and clean diapers and that smell that used to waft off of Calvin's warm head.  and then he elaborated....

"Like baby poop.  We need to be better about changing the liner in the diaper pail."  Yea, maybe buddy, as long as by "we" you mean "you".  I'm tired.  and maybe we could invest in a little air freshener.

I am tired.  I reached a breaking point last night, as my little monster screamed and refused to sleep anywhere but in my arms and ate every 2 hours.  We haven't had this problem since week 2.  It's been over a month.  We should be making progress not going backwards.  But as with all things baby, I'm at a complete loss and have no idea what to expect next.  How can something that is suppose to bring such joy in my life result in such misery.  Honestly.  All I want to do is finish watching an episode of Justified with my sweet baboo.  Is that too much to ask?

I comfort myself in the light of day by thinking it must be like backpacking up a mountain.  I've done that.  Twice.  and both times were painful, caused a tear or two, and can in no way shape or form be described as "fun".  and both times were amazing.  I'd do it again in a minute (as long as Chris agrees to back-pack the baby).  So yea, I'm assuming this mommy-hood thing is the same.

And maybe I shouldn't force this kiddo to make it to the 3 hour mark before nursing again.  I was just trying to get more than 90 minutes of "freedom" at a time.  However, a hungry baby is not a happy baby.  So nipples be damned, if that kid wants to eat on the hour he can.  Its not like I have anything better to do at the moment.  As long as it's not at night.  I'll make him a deal.  Food every 2 hours during the day if you will please stretch the interval to 4 at night.  Oh yeah, and when you are sleeping stop snorting and squeeing.  I can't sleep with all that racket.  Thanks, baby.

and in other revelations, I need to stop reading parenting books.  I'd like Calvin to sleep 12 hours a night, but perhaps starting this training at 7 weeks is a little unrealistic for him (this is where I got the idea to stretch him to 3 hours, since this book recommends starting training when baby is eating every 4 hours during the day).   I am intrigued by this concept though.  We will return to that later.  

On that note, the creature is stirring and that episode of What Not to Wear isn't going to watch itself.

7 weeks

Our little terrorist sleeps, but I'm not fooled.  I know he is waiting to strike.  Maybe not tonight, but tomorrow or the next.  He's got an inconsolable midnight fit with my name on it.  This is my life.  Living in fear of my baby's mood.  If I ever had any illusions that as the parent I am in charge, it is gone now.  But tonight is a good night and I gave him a little extra cuddle of appreciation before I laid him back down after a late night feeding, still asleep.

I think I've said it, but I count myself lucky to have a husband who is a truly a parenting partner.  I have Calvin all day, but when Chris comes home I can hand him over for some quality daddy time so I can shower, make dinner or hide until the next feeding.  If needed, I can even wake him in the middle of the night to give me a break when that wailing bomb hits.  And I have to say, I may be the all powerful MOMMY, but there are definitely things that Chris does way better than me:
swaddling...

burping...

baby shiatsu...

My mommy life isn't all bleak.  Last week, I mentioned that Calvin started smiling.  He's doing it this week in full force and nothing brightens up my day like that boy's grin.  The problem is that I'm too busy melting to take a picture.  You're just going to have to take my word for it.  It's amazing.

half smile

bundled up for a little walk on a chilly day

6 Weeks

We have made it to the 6 week point.  I've read that the fussy stage peaks at this week and I've heard that once we make it to this point things should be getting better.  So I suppose it's all going to be roses from here.  I don't believe that, but I'm hoping the good days will be more frequent than the bad ones - or that I learn to cope with the bad ones better.

Today was an ok day.  Basically he was fussy morning, afternoon and evening.  This morning I wore him to make him happy, this afternoon I took him for a walk to put him to sleep and this evening I handed him to his dad.  All in all, I think my coping strategies are improving.

Looking at my baby today I am amazed that Chris and I made him.  It's like the ultimate craft project.  It's been 6 short weeks, but he changes every day.  I look at the side of his head a lot.  For the first week I thought his ears were so strange - small and lumpy - and he barely had lashes and no eyebrows.  I didn't realize that the ears had been compressed.  They have since unfurled and are a normal size and not lumpy at all.  They also lay very close to his head.  His lashes have gotten a little longer, but he still doesn't really have eyebrows.  I may have to draw some on.

He is also reaching some other milestones.  This week we have definitely seen some real smiles.  I don't think they necessarily mean he is happy, but it is now part of his expression repertoire and will flash quickly between looks of contentment, boredom and screaming.  He can go through 4 emotions in 2 minutes.

In addition, Calvin is finding his voice.  Over the weekend, I left him in his crib and while he didn't really sound happy, he wasn't crying.  He was just trying laying in there working on his self talk. I've heard some very cute sighs and other coo precursors pop out.

Last but not least Grandpa and Debbie came to meet him.

and some other pics from the week:

time for shiatsu 

conked out in his ergo carrier 

Bath Time!

Happy New Year!

We spent the new year's weekend getting to know our neighbors better.  The neighbor's to the right invited us to a party on New Year's Eve.   We were excited to go, but Calvin almost had other plans.

He's going through a very fussy phase.  Some days are great, but some days...non-stop crying, nursing every hour or two, more crying.  Nothing will calm him, but vigorous swing/bouncing and the pacifier that falls out of his mouth every 10 minutes.  Of course NYE was a day like that.  He wouldn't go to sleep so we could leave him at home and he wouldn't stop crying so we couldn't take him.  Plus, I only had a few hours sleep the night before and wasn't up for going myself.  After a luxurious 3 hour mommy nap, i got us ready for the commute next door.  He finally stopped crying at 11:30 and we got to ring in the new year with new friends.  Calvin was decked out in his tuxedo onsie, but unfortunately no one saw anything, but the top of his head.  I had to wear him to keep him calm.

The wrap is magic.  He was so in his happy place he slept in 2 4 hour stretches.  Thank you, baby.

The neighbor on the left invited us over for lunch on New Year's Day's.  So after a family walk, I got Calvin dressed in his cute winter monkey outfit and we carried him next door.  He started to get a little fussy, so we had to swaddle him.  Again, no one got to see how cute he was dressed.  Oh well.

It was good to spend the beginning of the year with some new friends and one of my resolutions is to spend more time with old ones.  His fussy stage can't last forever.  I will be able to leave the house again some day.