Authentic Life: October 2010

Dear James,

You are now 4 months old! Life is getting so fun for you! Every day I feel like your world is opening up more and more. I'm sad to see tiny baby days end, but even more so, I am excited to watch you investigate your toys and roll over...and SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT!! Clearly, we know we are raising a genius! This month your stats are:

Height: 26" (79%)
Weight: 13.13 lbs (21%)
Head Circumference: 16 cm (10%)

Here are notable things about this past month.

- At the beginning of the month Daddy realized that a place on your head was flat. We decided to take you to the pediatrician, just so they could look at it. We were trying EVERYTHING we knew to do, but we could not get you to turn your head to the left. You only wanted to look to the right - even if it meant staring at a bare wall with nothing on it! One night was like a circus in your room with me and Daddy as the clowns performing outside your crib...yet you STILL chose to turn toward the wall and stare, not caring about what in the world was going on on the other side. It was as if you were saying, "Could you jokers please get OUT of my room right now?!! I am trying to SLEEP, people!" As we've tried to do more tummy time (which you still hate with a passion) and have worked on deliberately having you turn your head to the left, things are slowly getting better! You are even sleeping some with your head turned the other way, and I could be wrong, but I think the flat spot is looking much improved.

- I did start giving you formula this month. I've been giving you my milk and formula. At the beginning of the month, you were doing your same old terrible eating tricks. You are not a big eater! But then...a couple of weeks ago, things really seemed to take a turn for the better! You started sleeping through the night! Not completely consistently, but some, and those days after you've slept through the night - you are a HUGE eater (huge eater for you, I mean). So, instead of only eating about 20 oz a day, you are eating more like 26 oz or so per day - I am so proud of this! We are still doing the rice cereal in your milk, and I am really hoping when we get to our 4 month appointment this week that Dr. Evans will say we can start some FOOD! I think you are ready! Even if it's just the rice cereal - I've tried putting a spoon in your mouth and you seem ready to eat. You don't thrust your tongue back out, you are sitting up great in your high chair, and you watch everything we eat very closely. It has been wonderful since you started eating more. I've been offering you 7 oz at each feeding because sometimes you actually eat that much - especially in the evenings. You are eating 5 times a day if you sleep through the night, and you are eating 6 times a day if you wake up once in the night.

- And, about you sleeping through the night...the month started out just like the last one with you waking up in the middle of the night once, around 3am to eat. While we were home in Florida, though, you slept GREAT, and I figured it was because you were off your schedule a little bit and were so exhausted at night. But, since arriving back home, you have continued to sleep well, and last week, for about 4 nights in a row, you slept 9-10 hours each night! WHOA! I know! Then, you regressed for a few nights, but then last night, again, you slept 9 hours. I think we are on the road to better sleep, my friend. If I can get a couple of weeks of consistent nighttime sleep, you just might have a new mommy! I worry about you though when you don't wake up because it's getting colder, and I don't have the opportunity to put more clothes on you in the middle of the night. I have to really plan ahead well for the entire night and make sure you are warm enough (since Daddy likes us to keep it on 68 degrees...)

- As far as naps go, you are still napping in the swing. This is something else we will discuss with the dr. - she is supposed to help us know how to transition you to the crib for naps. You are taking 3 naps a day, about 1.5 - 2 hours, for each nap. All in the swing, swaddled. Usually you don't even cry when I put you in there.

- You are definitely starting to teethe. When I pull your lower lip down, I can see your two teeth down there - I can't see them coming through the top, but I can see them through your gums. You are not really licking things anymore, you are just gnawing on anything you get your hands on. You are drooling more, but still not a crazy amount. You like to chew on your hands, and specifically, your thumbs. I have been concerned about this because I don't want you to be a thumb sucker! I've said a million times, "No, no, we don't suck our thumb." But, I am trying to just watch you - pull out your thumb if you are sucking it, but let you chew it if your are chewing. I know you need something to chew on. You crack me up when you stick your fingers too far back though. You may this funny hissing noise instead of gagging, and it's really cute. I've tried to give you the teething rings - cold and not cold - but you don't seem to care about them at this point. You would rather have fingers and thumbs - yours or anyone elses. You are not picky :)

- You went to your first car wash this past month - the kind where you sit in the car while you go through. You did not appreciate it, but I sat in the back with you, and we got through it. You also are not a fan of the vacuum. I got it out FOR THE FIRST time since you were born a few days ago (mind you, that means I have not vacuumed in 4 months). At first, I just vacuumed in the bedroom. I buckled you into the bouncy seat on the bed so you could watch - you were very, very still and just watched carefully. Daddy said you were trying to be invisible so whatever it was would not get you - smart. But then, I pushed my luck. I put you in your bumbo in the living room the next day and was going to vacuum the living room rug. Well, you were on the floor with the vacuum. At first you were just still and watched like before. But then, I saw some dust on the floor next to you...and I went for it with the vacuum. That was a mistake, and very dumb of me, and mean (although unintentional!). You started screaming that crazy, high pitched scream that you do when you are scared. I turned it off and jerked you out of there so I could hold you! I probably won't vacuum for another 4 months now :)

- You took your first trip home to FL! Everyone LOVED you!! You stayed in lots of different nurseries, and you just did great! You rolled over from your back to your tummy for the first time at Tonya Lawrence's house. We went by to visit Seth and Tonya for a little while, and all of sudden while you were lying on the floor on a blanket, you just rolled right over. It's hard to watch you fight to get your arm out from under you, but you get it eventually, and I'm on standby to help just in case. Here you are with both sets of your grandparents!

- I can barely get your diapers on anymore because you are so squirmy on the changing table. Your legs are in the air the entire time and you are just kicking away. I try to be quick so we get the business done and get down, but it's tough when you jerk yourself from one side to the other like you are trying to roll over and don't want to just lie back and still! You are wearing a size 2 diaper, but a size 3 diaper in the Costco diapers.

- I think you may be starting to recognize your name. Daddy showed me the other night that when he called your name you turned your head. That is so exciting! It could have been coincidence, but I really don't think so.

- You are talking and talking and talking! I mean, a lot. Your favorite thing to say this month sounds like "aggoooo" and "agheeeee". You are still a huge smiler. I mean, huge. HUGE. You smile all the time - you are a very happy baby.

One story before I go get your bottle ready. We are definitely at church now! You seem to love the nursery and anyone who holds you right now, so I'm thankful for that. Last Sunday night, I had a meeting at 4 and Daddy had a meeting at 5. I watched you in Daddy's office from 5-6 until night church started when I was going to take you to the nursery. Well...you had not been to the bathroom in a couple of days (and usually you go every day)...so I knew something might be coming. Well, it came. I was feeding you in his office, and you went to the bathroom. Serious business. I laid a blanket on the floor, then the disposable changing pad so I could change you. It was a big operation. You got yuck on your clothes, so I was having to take them off and put a different outfit on you. You got yuck on the changing pad, you got yuck on the blanket, you got yuck EVERYWHERE! I ran out of wipes...it was quickly becoming a disaster, and it did not smell good. So, Daddy finishes his meeting and sticks his head in the door talking t someone at the church. He needed to bring someone in the office to talk with them - and here I am with you on the floor and "yuck" is everywhere. He took one whiff in that office and I heard him say, "No, no, let's just step into this Sunday School room right here." Yep, that's right, good idea. I was glad you got some relief and went to the bathroom though. Your face gets very funny and red and you really, really push and make a noise that is hilarious - but Daddy and I are very serious about it and tell you to just get it out!

I've been calling you my pumpkin this month for Halloween. We went to the Pumpkin Patch to get our pumpkin and took great pictures with you there. Even though I am still tired, my life is such a blessing. It is everything I could have ever hoped for. Being at the pumpkin patch with you and Daddy was such a great day for me. I'm so, so blessed to be a momma, and specifically, your momma! I can't for Thanksgiving this next month, and Christmas....we are going to have so much fun! I love you with all my heart, sweet Jamesy. I am watching your world expand and become more exciting every day, and I LOVE IT! Thank you, Father, for this precious baby - clearly one of my life's all time greatest blessings.

Did I mention that I love you?? I do.

Your Mommy

Last Friday, on Landon's day off, we went to Jaemor Farms to pick out a pumpkin. I was so excited about this trip. I love that fall is coming. And, mainly, I love that every single thing we do right now is brand new for James and brand new for our family - it's exciting. James did so well! We drove there while he finished his morning nap, and then we fed him when we got there (and ate fresh apple fritters - yum!). We walked around the farmer's market, took a hay ride (which he was good on but didn't care anything about), took pictures in the pumpkin patch, and then bought a pumpkin in the market area (we were not actually interested in picking our own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch - this year, anyway). It was a great time. Having a baby is a lot of work. This is the kind of thing I dreamed about getting to do as a mom - and is so much fun to me. It was a perfect day. Just our family, together, doing fun holiday stuff. I don't think Landon quite gets the depth of how I feel about all of this - when I asked him what he looks forward to doing with James he says going to Disney World, playing sports, and something else...I can't remember...so I guess we both just look forward to different things! Alright here are a few pictures (uh, more than a few...but I just couldn't decide!).

Our Family...(you can't ask someone else that doesn't know you to take 100 pictures while you wait for your kid to smile...so we had to go with this one :)