One month

What a different experience this has been! Everyone always says that no two babies are alike and we are definitely figuring that out. Rowan is super easy compared to his older sister! He's so laid back...and maybe it's also due to the fact that we kinda know what we are doing this time around and I'm not a walking bag of nerves but the last month has been much more enjoyable! We are actually getting some sleep! And I would recommend having a late winter/spring baby over a November baby any day of the week!

We went to our first Mommy and Me class last week at the hospital and he weighed in at 9# 15 oz. He's eating 4 oz every 3-4 hours. He pretty much only cries when he's hungry or tired...and during bath time but now he seems to enjoy his baths. He's still in newborn sized diapers but we are going to be purchasing the next size up at our next Target run. He's still able to wear newborn sized clothes but he's almost too long for the sleepers. He's awake more during the day...usually mostly in the morning and has been a pretty good napper. I swaddle him in the afternoon and he lets me nap when Viv naps! I love this kid! He actually seems to like being swaddled and he's happy just hanging out in the rock-n-play. He's not wild about the swing or his pacifier. He hasn't quite figured out the pacifier just yet. He kind of chews on it and it falls out frequently. He's still spitting up through his nose pretty frequently and therefore still has a lot of nasal discharge...but we are all over our crud that went through the house. I was the only one who didn't end up coming down with anything. He's still sleeping in our room at night in the rock-n-play. He usually falls asleep around 8-9 pm and sleeps until around 1:30-2 am, eats, and then is up around 6 am to eat again and then will sleep again until around 8 am. We haven't had the hours of crying before bed the way we did with Vivian....and apparently no 'purple crying'. He's working on getting his neck stronger...he's still doesn't have great control of his head and neck. I'm pretty sure his eyes are going to be brown...I think I'm starting to see pigment changes already. 

My only regret is nursing...I really thought he was going to be a good eater/nurser...and I think he was but he still hadn't gotten to his birth weight by his 2 week appointment so we started supplementing with formula. And then I was pumping and feeding him with a bottle so that I knew how much he was eating...and trying to pump multiple times a day with a 2 year old and a newborn just wasn't happening....so I'm currently weaning down from pumping. He tolerates the formula well and I've just never really enjoyed nursing...so I guess I'm just not a nursing mom. I did make it 3 months of pumping with Viv and I'm not even going to make that with him...but he did get colostrum and 5 weeks of breast milk...so that's better than nothing! 

Vivian continues to be completely in love with him. She asks about him first thing in the morning and looks for him if he's not in the swing. She refers to him as 'Baby boy' and also loves to take his pacifier ('Boo mimi'). She loves to 'hug' him and I have to constantly reprimand her from laying on him when he's in the rock-n-play. It will be really fun to see how she reacts when he can start actually interacting with her. Taking his 'one month' shots was interesting as she of course wanted to be right in the middle of all the action...in the above photo she was looking up at me saying 'cheese'! 

We haven't seen any intentional smiles yet from him and he hasn't started cooing quite yet...but it won't be long now! This first month has gone by super fast, which I'm grateful! I was so worried about how we were going to adjust and I know things will continue to get easier each month. I'm hoping it won't be long and he'll be sleeping all night and we can graduate him to the crib. He still hasn't met Gma Deb yet...she asked to see him when she got home from the hospital but Nathan thought he was still sick so he's been overly protective and still wouldn't clear her to meet him. So we are thinking this weekend she will be able to meet him....it is truly a miracle!