Jack - Week 9

February 21-27

Events of the Week:

Jack had his second trip to the grocery store. This time it wasn't just a quick in and out trip like last time, so of course I was worried how he'd do.  He did great thought. I carried him in the Bjorn, and he was awake the whole time, but just staring at all the lights and new things to look at.  We also had a successful trip to Costco.  He slept through that entire trip.  YAY Jack!

Jack had his first real "scare."  I was holding him and making a smoothie.  I pressed the button to turn it on, and I felt him JUMP in my arms. I turned it off, looked down, and his eyes were HUGE, he had the biggest pout on his face, and he let out the loudest scream I have ever heard from him, he proceeded to cry inconsolably for quite a while.  It was so sad, and I felt awful. I kept thinking that that was the first time in his little life he had been scared of something.  Poor guy. 

Sleep HAD been getting a little better the past week or two.  But this week he seems to have had a little sleep regression.  He was fighting naps again, and not sleeping as well at night. One night, I got up to feed him at 1:30 AM. He seemed sleepy while he was eating, but after he finished, he was WIDE awake. He was smiling, laughing, and trying to "talk" to me with his newly discovered voice.  Normally- totally cute.  At 1:30 AM? Not so much. This went on until he finally fell back asleep at 4AM!!!  I kept telling myself, "at least he's not screaming and crying," but it was still pretty miserable.  

Jack turned 2 months old this week!!  Time sure does fly!

Jack met his Aunt Lauren and Uncle Mark this week!  They came to visit us for a long weekend (more on this in week 10).  It was so fun to have them meet their nephew.  He LOVED them so much, and we loved having them here!

First time meeting Aunt Lauren.  She got him right to bed for the night!

First time meeting Uncle Mark!

Jack had his 2 month doctor appointment this week.

Stats:

-12 lbs, 12 oz (62%)

-24.5 inches (97%)

He also had to get 3 shots and have one oral vaccine.  Jack and I both cried during the shots, but he recovered a lot faster than I expected.  He was VERY sleepy for the next 24 hours and took lots of naps.  But other than that, he was fine.  Glad to have that done with!

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Pep talk from Aunt Lauren

Sad baby thighs

Brave boy!

We both cried

Recovery

Future Dr. Mark

5 Days Old at Doctor Appointment vs. 2 Months Old Doctor Appointmnet

Poor guy fell asleep on his belly after his shots

New Developments:

-Jack's eyes are definitely turning brown now. Up until now they were that typical baby gray, but now it's fun to watch them change. David and I both have brown eyes, so it was pretty much inevitable that he'd be a brown-eyed boy.

-Jack has been working on a pretty impressive pout lip. I haven't managed to get a picture of it yet, but it's pretty sad and pathetic looking.

-He likes me, he really likes me! Some of this started happening more around 6 weeks, but it took me a while to realize. Jack is now doing things that make me feel like, "hey, he actually likes me and maybe even appreciates all I'm doing for him!" It's a pretty great feeling to know he's moving on from appearing to be just a crying, pooping, hungry baby blob!  Things that I notice now:

  -he seems to actually LOOK at me, whereas before I knew he could see me but that was about as far as it went. 

  -he is FINALLY consoled by me when he's crying and I go to pick him up

  -he rests his sweet little head on my shoulder (on purpose, not just bc he can't hold it up)

  -each morning he usually wakes up crying or whimpering, but now once he sees me, he stops and gets a big grin on his face

Other Random Jack Photos From This Week:

He always tucks his little thumb inside his fist

"Haha, that's cute, mom.  You think I'm going to actually sleep in this thing one day?"

He loves looking at himself in the mirror

Trying out his new sunglasses - Baby Banz!

Baby North Face Jacket and Baby Banz!

Jack - Week 8

February 14-20

We survived week 2 all on our own, and I'd say we did so pretty successfully.  Minimal tears from Jack, and I think this may be the first week post-partum that I haven't shed any tears myself!  

Last weekend was Jack's first Valentine's Day! He had a special Valentine's Day outfit, and he even managed to wear it the whole day (usually there is at least one necessary outfit change per day). We didn't do much in the way of celebrations, but David arranged for a Valentine's Day dinner for two for that evening from a fancy grocery store here called Central Market. Usually we have to eat at separate times since Jack is usually fussy around that time of the evening so someone has to occupy him. However on that night, Jack was pretty relaxed, so we actually got to eat together and just took turns holding him on our laps. It was a very different Valentine's Day than we've ever had, but it was really nice! 

He always does this stretch and makes this face when he's waking up. 

Cheeks! Chins!

Valentine's Day smooches!

David had Monday off from work. It was nice to have him here an extra day. During the week, he usually doesn't get home until around 8, which is hard because it makes for a long day for me being on baby duty, and unfortunately for David he usually gets home right when Jack is in his worst mood of the day. I definitely think that sometimes Jack just gets sick of seeing my face all day, because on the weekends, Jack seems very excited to see a face other than mine. It's like he's just over me by that point! 

I got the go ahead to resume working out from my doctor last week. So on Tuesday Jack and I went to a post-natal mom and baby pilates/barre class at the same studio where I took pre-natal classes. I, of course, was nervous about his behavior, but he did a great job.  He played on a yoga mat, did some of the exercises with me toward the end (planks over baby, tummy time on my chest while doing abs, etc.), and only started crying during the last ten minutes.  I'd call that a success!  

Thursday was the last day of our New Mom/New Baby class at the hospital where Jack was born.  I really enjoyed this class and am sad that it is over.  It was great to meet new moms with babies around Jack's age.  There was usually an agenda/topic for each week, but usually each class just kind of ended up being a group therapy session, which was so nice to just vent, bounce ideas off each other, cry together, etc.  

Taking a little nap during our last class at the hospital. 

Other New Things This Week:

-Jack's "Coming Home From the Hospital Outfit" finally fits!  I had no idea that a 0-3 month outfit would be so big for my newborn!

Jack's "Going Home From the Hospital Outfit" finally fits at 8 weeks!

-After class on Thursdays, I usually weigh Jack at the free scale in the hospital.  This week he was a wopping 12 pounds!  I can't believe how big he is getting- and so quickly!

-Jack is "talking" a TON more!  I love hearing his little voice.  He does lots of coo-ing and ooh-ing and aah-ing.  He loves to have pretend conversation where I talk, then he talks, then he waits for me to respond again.  It's pretty cute.  And the expressions he makes that go along with his talking are so adorable!

One of the cute faces he makes while talking

-Jack is still very inconsistent with sleep (both at night and during the day), but overall, I AM seeing improvements. We consistently get 3-4 hour stretches at night, which seems like the best night of sleep ever after how he used to sleep!

Milk drunk

First nap in the Bjorn

And a few more random Jack photos...

Jack holds onto my shirt while eating now. So cute!

Jack - Week 7

Week 7: February  7-13

This was the first week that Jack and I had completely on our own. I know- so spoiled, but between David taking 3 weeks off when he was born, my mother-in-law staying with us for almost two weeks, my parents coming for a week and a half, and then me begging my mom to come back again just last week, i only had a handful of days between visitors that I was on my own with him. I was nervous for this week and honestly doubtful that I could do it on my own since Jack has proven to be quite the handful, but we did it and we have the celebratory selfie to prove it!  

Being at home alone all day with a newborn (especially a very needy one) is a LOT of work.  It can also be pretty lonely. It's pretty incredible how difficult tasks such as showering and eating a meal can become.  I still have a lot of anxiety about taking Jack out on errands.  Not because I'm nervous about strangers and their germs, but only because I am so fearful that he will throw one of his famous conniptions where he becomes inconsolable while we are out and about.  I need to get over that though and realize that worst case scenario, we can just get in the car right away and go back home. We did have a few successful outings this week though, so that helps me be more confident to continue this. Which is good, because I definitely start to get "cabin fever-ish" on the days when we don't leave the house.  

On Friday my friends Kim and Casey came over with their little boys.  They knew that was our first day on our own so they figured I would want some company.  They brought lunch, and we just hung out and chatted and then took the babies on a walk in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun and so good to have company!  

I read a lot about and hear from other moms that sometimes babies will just out of nowhere seem to make big changes in their development and/or behavior.  I had heard from a lot of people that sometimes things seem to take a turn for the better around the 6 or 8 week mark.  Well, I hate to even say this for fear of jinxing things, but it seems like Jack is taking a turn for the better as of this week!  On Sunday night/Monday morning, he had his very first 5 hour stretch of sleep!  It was incredible- except for the fact that I kept waking up thinking something surely must be wrong.  And THEN, on Monday, he proceeded to take THREE naps!  THREE!  It was crazy since before this, he literally refused to sleep during the day.  I was so worried that all that sleep during the day would make for a long night, but he actually slept fine that night.  It must be true what they say about a well-rested baby sleeping better (and more!) than an over-tired baby.  The timing of this was funny too, because I had JUST ordered an e-book about sleep training.  It's like he KNEW, and went ahead and put himself on a schedule all on his own.  I figured that Monday was a fluke, but then he slept pretty well the following two nights and also took the same 3 naps on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.  It was AMAZING!  Thursday and Friday weren't AS great, but still better than previous weeks.  I realize that babies can always switch things up unexpectedly just when you think you have them figured out, but I do hope that his sleep improvements are here to stay, at least somewhat! 

Smiling and blowing bubbles while NAPPING!

He's surprised that he napped, too!

Jack got to meet his great uncle Mark this week!  He was in town for work, and he stopped by on Tuesday evening to visit us.  It was so fun to catch up and have another family member meet our little guy.  

I also was brave enough to venture out to the grocery store this week.  I almost turned around and went home before we even got there because he cried the entire car ride there, but right as we pulled in, he got very quiet, and I peeked in the mirror and he had fallen asleep!  I was sure he would wake up when I took him out of his car seat to put him in the Bjorn carrier, since he doesn't do well with transfers, but he miraculously stayed asleep.  I only spent about 20 minutes in the store, but he slept the entire time!  Who is this baby?!?!  

On Wednesday, I took Jack with me to my 6 week follow-up OB appointment, which was something I had been nervous about since the day I made the appointment.  But he was a rockstar!  He didn't even cry once, and they were running almost an hour late!  The nurse came in and held him while I was with the doctor and he just smiled at her and was so calm.  He even fell asleep in the car on the way home which NEVER happens.  I kept waiting for the screams and cries, but they just never came.  Phew!

What's New With Jack:

-We started a bedtime routine on Sunday night.  This coincided with the 5 hour stretch of sleep, so now I am very superstitious about it and NEVER want to change it. :-)

-He is doing lots more cooing and smiling.  It's so fun to hear his little voice!  And it's funny when I can tell that he startles himself with the sounds he makes.  Sometimes I can also tell that it's like he forgets what he needs to do to make the sounds, and he fidgits around and moves his mouth and grunts trying to figure it out again.

Goofy grin that he makes before he coos

-Jack is starting to turn his head to follow objects.  He also follows objects with his eyes now, too.

-I've seen him grab objects on his floor gym (but not on purpose, more just that his hand closes at the exact right time as he flails his arms around).  It's funny though, because when that happens, he has no idea how to let go of whatever is in his hand.  That usually causes him to get frustrated and cry if I don't help him out.  

Now how do I let go of this thing?

-Jack has been trying to suck his thumb since the day he was born, but he just couldn't figure it out.  His little fist is always up by his mouth, but he keeps his thumb tucked away inside his fist. This week he did get it figured out once, and he was SO happy.  He hasn't done it again since, but I'm pretty sure we do have a future thumb sucker on our hands.  

-He finally stopped hating baths!  He will cry right when you put him in the water, but now he quickly calms down. It's a relief that baths are now much less traumatic for everyone involved.  

Well, I think that is it for week 7!  Let's hope week 8 brings MORE SLEEP!!

His lashes are getting so long!

Arms always up while sleeping

Ear fuzz