I can hardly believe that Caleb is one month old tomorrow. In some ways it has gone by so fast and in others - I can't imagine what life was like before him. We're still learning to be a family of three. It's slowly but surely becoming our "normal" and we love it. Just as we expected, we are pretty tired and we are sometimes overwhelmed with the responsibilities, but we're doing okay. We remind Caleb every time we try something new (for the first, second, third... time) that we are learning as we go. Maybe we're trying to convince ourselves more than him. Everything is getting easier. We can change diapers in a flash and changing clothes is getting quicker too. Caleb still hates bathtime, but we're getting faster and we've learned some little tricks to make it easier for all of us. We have taken the advice that we've read that you can't spoil a newborn and we're loving on him as much as we can while he's a captive audience for our loving. We answer his cries as quickly as possible and we hold him when he needs to be held. Everything else can wait. Fortunately, with Rudy home during the day now, this is easier. We trade off whenever we need to and we're really working together as a team to make our routine work. I absolutely could not ask for a better Daddy for Caleb. I feel so blessed that Rudy is so hands-on and involved with him. Some men are not as willing to wash bottles and change diapers! Rudy not only does it - he enjoys it and enjoys every minute he has with Caleb. He loves to take him for walks in the Baby Bjorn carrier. They go at least once and sometimes twice a day!
We've worked out a system where I do the overnight feedings and Rudy gets up with Caleb in the mornings at about 5 or 6. I get to sleep for a few consecutive hours that way. It fits our natural sleep schedules and it's working for us! Caleb is starting to sleep longer at night - sometimes up to 4 1/2 hours at a time, but usually closer to 4. When he wakes up during the night, I feed and change him quickly and quietly and put him back to bed. That keeps him from wanting to play at night - another trick that is working well for us. He's also staying awake for longer periods of time during the day. Sometimes he'll be awake for the entire 3-4 hours between feedings. That's when we have fun. Last night, we took Caleb to his room and played with all of his baby toys. We looked at things that blink and listened to things that play music and rattle. He was so cute looking so intently at all of the new things. The best part is that we could do it all again tomorrow and it would be just as amazing to him - and us. He does have a few favorite toys: the zebra on his bouncy seat, his swing and a lion that hangs on his car seat. He just stares and stares at them. We've even seen him "reach" for the zebra - but he just gets mad because he doesn't have the arm control to actually get it. All in due time!
Since Caleb was just a few days old, we've delighted every time he "smiled." We aren't quite naive enough to think that he was actually smiling at us at that point, but today - everything changed. I came home from a doctor's appointment to find Rudy and Caleb in the floor in the nursery playing and talking. I walked in, said "hi" to them both and got down on the floor with them. Caleb turned toward me. When I said "hi" to him and got within his range of vision, he smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen! His whole face lit up and my whole heart melted into a big puddle!
Of course, we have the new parent worries that come along with the job. Caleb has a lot of congestion in his throat pretty often and it worries me that he will inhale some of that into his lungs and get sick. So far, that hasn't been the case, but I would certainly sleep better at night if he didn't snort and gurgle so much. I've had to use the nasal aspirator several times and that is traumatic for Caleb and for me! We both hate it!!! He screams and I feel so bad. I would certainly hate for someone to do that to me! Other than that, he seems to be doing very well. He doesn't cry very much. He lets loose now and then and wails when he suddenly decides he's really hungry and when we give him a bath. We are so very very blessed to have dodged the colic bullet and to have such an "easy" baby.
We thank God every day for Caleb's health and the ease with which he has adjusted to the world.
Things I love about my one-month-old baby boy: - his toothless grin - his soft hair, long eyelashes and chubby cheeks - the noises of contentment he makes when he eats - the ridiculous grunts he makes when he poops - the way he calms down when I hold him in my arms - the way he smells after a bath - the way he gazes at me when he takes his bottle - the way he makes his Daddy laugh - the way he sleeps peacefully laying on my chest
We've worked out a system where I do the overnight feedings and Rudy gets up with Caleb in the mornings at about 5 or 6. I get to sleep for a few consecutive hours that way. It fits our natural sleep schedules and it's working for us! Caleb is starting to sleep longer at night - sometimes up to 4 1/2 hours at a time, but usually closer to 4. When he wakes up during the night, I feed and change him quickly and quietly and put him back to bed. That keeps him from wanting to play at night - another trick that is working well for us. He's also staying awake for longer periods of time during the day. Sometimes he'll be awake for the entire 3-4 hours between feedings. That's when we have fun. Last night, we took Caleb to his room and played with all of his baby toys. We looked at things that blink and listened to things that play music and rattle. He was so cute looking so intently at all of the new things. The best part is that we could do it all again tomorrow and it would be just as amazing to him - and us. He does have a few favorite toys: the zebra on his bouncy seat, his swing and a lion that hangs on his car seat. He just stares and stares at them. We've even seen him "reach" for the zebra - but he just gets mad because he doesn't have the arm control to actually get it. All in due time!
Since Caleb was just a few days old, we've delighted every time he "smiled." We aren't quite naive enough to think that he was actually smiling at us at that point, but today - everything changed. I came home from a doctor's appointment to find Rudy and Caleb in the floor in the nursery playing and talking. I walked in, said "hi" to them both and got down on the floor with them. Caleb turned toward me. When I said "hi" to him and got within his range of vision, he smiled the biggest smile I've ever seen! His whole face lit up and my whole heart melted into a big puddle!
Of course, we have the new parent worries that come along with the job. Caleb has a lot of congestion in his throat pretty often and it worries me that he will inhale some of that into his lungs and get sick. So far, that hasn't been the case, but I would certainly sleep better at night if he didn't snort and gurgle so much. I've had to use the nasal aspirator several times and that is traumatic for Caleb and for me! We both hate it!!! He screams and I feel so bad. I would certainly hate for someone to do that to me! Other than that, he seems to be doing very well. He doesn't cry very much. He lets loose now and then and wails when he suddenly decides he's really hungry and when we give him a bath. We are so very very blessed to have dodged the colic bullet and to have such an "easy" baby.
We thank God every day for Caleb's health and the ease with which he has adjusted to the world.
Things I love about my one-month-old baby boy: - his toothless grin - his soft hair, long eyelashes and chubby cheeks - the noises of contentment he makes when he eats - the ridiculous grunts he makes when he poops - the way he calms down when I hold him in my arms - the way he smells after a bath - the way he gazes at me when he takes his bottle - the way he makes his Daddy laugh - the way he sleeps peacefully laying on my chest
Happy One Month Birthday, Caleb!
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