With my return to work comes rushed mornings and chaotic evenings. I'm trying to capture every moment we have as a family in the hustle and bustle. Here's a list of some of my favorites:
~The look in Gavin's eyes when he sees me, especially when it's paired with kicks of excitement and a huge smile
~Talking with Brennan about his day while we have our family dinner
~"Talking" with Gavin
~Our nightly "family hugs"
~Listening to Adam read bedtime stories to Brennan
~Snuggling with Brennan while I sing him bedtime songs, sneaking in as many kisses as I can
~Watching Gavin drift to sleep as he nurses before bedtime, holding onto one of my fingers
~Snuggling with Gavin and giving him kisses before putting him in bed
Monday, November 26, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
3 Months Old!
Our not-so-little Gavin is 3 months old! He's growing and learning every day!
~I've returned to work and Gavin has joined Brennan at the babysitter's house during the day. Despite countless attempts and numerous different types of bottles, he does not like to drink from them! In his four days at the babysitter's house, he's drank between 2.5-4.5 ounces during the entire day! While we're not sure how much he drinks while nursing, it's most certainly more! The babysitter reports that he's happy during the day unless she's trying to feed him, but has started to fight her less when she tries to feed him. He's definitely hungry when Mommy gets home from work!
~He's sleeping through the night, typically sleeping between 10-12 hours. He has started to wake up earlier since Mommy's return to work--perhaps due to wanting to stock up on food for the day?!
~He typically cat naps in the morning and takes a longer nap in the afternoon.
~He enjoys talking and "singing", attempting to repeat the sounds others make.
~Gavin has quite a bald spot on the back of his head. With his long, dark hair, it's pretty noticeable!
~He enjoys kicking on his activity mat, but also enjoys snuggling.
~We made two attempts at his 3 months pictures. At our first attempt, the photographer was running late and didn't do much to engage him. We got a cute picture, but wanted to try again to capture his adorable smile. We tried again the next weekend. While the second portrait studio was also running late, we were able to get another cute picture. He didn't give any big smiles at either appointment, but we were able to capture a few adorable pictures!
~We're starting to wonder if he's going to be a thumb-sucker. He doesn't like pacifiers and has been mouthing his fists and fingers more regularly.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Master Negotiator
Brennan is becoming quite the negotiator! Like most parents of toddlers, we frequently use "First/Then" or "If/Then" strategies and incentives for positive behavior. At times, Brennan likes to negotiate the terms of these tactics. For example, instead of being able to watch one show, he asks "How about two shows?" or we ask him to eat a particular number of bites of his food, he'll respond "How about ___ bites?" Sometimes this plan backfires for him because he suggests a higher number!
In other news, he's able to count to 30 independently. He has been able to verbally spell his name for awhile and is now able to verbally spell Gavin's name.
Gavin has found his fists and is more talkative and smiley every day! He sleeps 10-11 hours at night and takes several cat naps (20 minutes-1 hour) throughout the day. We're still working on him drinking from a bottle. He doesn't enjoy it, but will drink...eventually...sometimes.
In other news, he's able to count to 30 independently. He has been able to verbally spell his name for awhile and is now able to verbally spell Gavin's name.
Gavin has found his fists and is more talkative and smiley every day! He sleeps 10-11 hours at night and takes several cat naps (20 minutes-1 hour) throughout the day. We're still working on him drinking from a bottle. He doesn't enjoy it, but will drink...eventually...sometimes.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
2 Month Appointment
Gavin had his 2 month check up today. He charmed the doctor with his coos and smiles. He was impressed with his tolerance, attentiveness, and sleeping habits. The pediatrician also commented several times about how Gavin was very happy.
Current statistics:
15lbs 7.5oz (95th percentile)
24.25 inches (95th percentile)
40 cm head circumference
In regards to his dry skin, the pediatrician explained that it is too early to determine if he has eczema. He predicts that he will have sensitive skin and suggested putting Aquaphor or a similar product on the dry areas. He also recommended putting it on his dry scalp.
We're still working on Gavin drinking from a bottle. We think his poor latch is causing him to get painful gas after drinking. We talked to the pediatrician and I also called the lactation consultant at the hospital. Overall, the recommendations are continue to give him bottles and use trial and error to find the best kind of bottle/nipple for him.
Gavin received four vaccinations today, 3 shots and 1 oral. Luckily, we had the nurse that gives the vaccinations quickly and he calmed down with snuggles and a brief nursing session.
Current statistics:
15lbs 7.5oz (95th percentile)
24.25 inches (95th percentile)
40 cm head circumference
In regards to his dry skin, the pediatrician explained that it is too early to determine if he has eczema. He predicts that he will have sensitive skin and suggested putting Aquaphor or a similar product on the dry areas. He also recommended putting it on his dry scalp.
We're still working on Gavin drinking from a bottle. We think his poor latch is causing him to get painful gas after drinking. We talked to the pediatrician and I also called the lactation consultant at the hospital. Overall, the recommendations are continue to give him bottles and use trial and error to find the best kind of bottle/nipple for him.
Gavin received four vaccinations today, 3 shots and 1 oral. Luckily, we had the nurse that gives the vaccinations quickly and he calmed down with snuggles and a brief nursing session.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
2 Months Old!
Our handsome little man is 2 months old today! It's amazing to watch him grow and learn every day! We spent the day together and went to the local mall for trick or treating. Brennan, dressed as a pirate, and Gavin, dressed as a parrot, were a huge hit and looked adorable! We were a bit late in singing him "Happy Birthday" at 5:24pm, but in our defense, he was sleeping!
~Gavin began sleeping in the crib in his nursery around 6 weeks of age. He goes to bed between 8:00-9:00pm. His first stretch of sleep ranges from 6-9 hours. Depending on the length of this sleep, he'll typically go back to sleep until between 6:30-8:00am. With the exception of 2-3 nights, when he appeared uncomfortable, he goes back to sleep easily. Overnight feedings take about 45-60 minutes, including several minutes on the changing table. We've learned to give him time on the changing table to finish his business, or you're likely to go through multiple diapers before he's done! I also sneak in a few snuggles before putting him back to bed.
~He'll typically take a brief nap about an hour after he wakes up. He takes a few cat naps in the morning, a longer (~3 hour) nap in the afternoon, and another brief cat nap in the early evening. Naps are in a vibrating chair or Pack n' Play.
~When he was about 5 weeks old, we noticed an increase in his discomfort and fussiness in the evenings. We tried a product called Colic Calm, which seemed to temporarily help him. After further research, we thought he might be getting an imbalance of hindmilk and foremilk. I changed the way I feed him, which made a considerable difference.
~Taking after his brother, he has a case of cradle cap and appears to be developing eczema on his cheeks.
~He has incredibly sweet smiles, beginning around 7 weeks! He's most likely to smile at Mommy and Daddy making silly noises and/or repeating his coos. They can be difficult to capture on camera, though. I find myself distracted by their adorableness, then realize that I should take pictures. By the time I have the camera, either I'm not funny anymore or he's not amused by the camera. If he does still smile, he likes to turn and move his head, making it challenging to capture!
~Toys are entertaining, but not humorous. One of his favorites is his mobiles. He enjoys watching and "talking" to them.
~We're working on getting him to drink from a bottle. Previously, we gave him a bottle about once a week. With my return to work approaching, we wanted to make sure he would drink more willingly since he puts up a fight when given a bottle. We're trying a new type of bottle and giving him one daily. He's fighting less and drinking more, so we're moving in the right direction!
~Gavin enjoys being sung to and sometimes appears to join in with long coos.
Now for a few updates on Brennan!
~He is such a sponge for information and very observant. It's amazing what he can pick up!
~He can identify all upper case and lower case letters and numbers 0-10. Brennan can count to 20 independently. When Mommy/Daddy provide alternating numbers, he can count to 29. He's doing a great job counting with one-to-one correspondence.
~It's fun to watch his imagination come to life! Some favorites include objects becoming instruments and turning objects/bites of food/etc into letters and shapes.
~We have a decent size library and I believe he has every book memorized. He's able to finish phrases and will likely correct you if you misread them.
~Overall, he's indifferent to having a baby brother. He likes to tickle him, will retrieve things for him and ask where he is if he's not around. He likes to have him as a part of our nightly "family hug" and gives him a kiss goodnight. At times, he has asked us to "put him down" so we can do something for him and may try to get our attention when he knows we can't attend to him, such as when I'm feeding Gavin. He pays no attention to him when he's crying. We're doing our best to continue to give him individual attention as much as possible. All in all, he's transitioned beautifully and is a great big brother!
~Gavin began sleeping in the crib in his nursery around 6 weeks of age. He goes to bed between 8:00-9:00pm. His first stretch of sleep ranges from 6-9 hours. Depending on the length of this sleep, he'll typically go back to sleep until between 6:30-8:00am. With the exception of 2-3 nights, when he appeared uncomfortable, he goes back to sleep easily. Overnight feedings take about 45-60 minutes, including several minutes on the changing table. We've learned to give him time on the changing table to finish his business, or you're likely to go through multiple diapers before he's done! I also sneak in a few snuggles before putting him back to bed.
~He'll typically take a brief nap about an hour after he wakes up. He takes a few cat naps in the morning, a longer (~3 hour) nap in the afternoon, and another brief cat nap in the early evening. Naps are in a vibrating chair or Pack n' Play.
~When he was about 5 weeks old, we noticed an increase in his discomfort and fussiness in the evenings. We tried a product called Colic Calm, which seemed to temporarily help him. After further research, we thought he might be getting an imbalance of hindmilk and foremilk. I changed the way I feed him, which made a considerable difference.
~Taking after his brother, he has a case of cradle cap and appears to be developing eczema on his cheeks.
~He has incredibly sweet smiles, beginning around 7 weeks! He's most likely to smile at Mommy and Daddy making silly noises and/or repeating his coos. They can be difficult to capture on camera, though. I find myself distracted by their adorableness, then realize that I should take pictures. By the time I have the camera, either I'm not funny anymore or he's not amused by the camera. If he does still smile, he likes to turn and move his head, making it challenging to capture!
~Toys are entertaining, but not humorous. One of his favorites is his mobiles. He enjoys watching and "talking" to them.
~We're working on getting him to drink from a bottle. Previously, we gave him a bottle about once a week. With my return to work approaching, we wanted to make sure he would drink more willingly since he puts up a fight when given a bottle. We're trying a new type of bottle and giving him one daily. He's fighting less and drinking more, so we're moving in the right direction!
~Gavin enjoys being sung to and sometimes appears to join in with long coos.
Now for a few updates on Brennan!
~He is such a sponge for information and very observant. It's amazing what he can pick up!
~He can identify all upper case and lower case letters and numbers 0-10. Brennan can count to 20 independently. When Mommy/Daddy provide alternating numbers, he can count to 29. He's doing a great job counting with one-to-one correspondence.
~It's fun to watch his imagination come to life! Some favorites include objects becoming instruments and turning objects/bites of food/etc into letters and shapes.
~We have a decent size library and I believe he has every book memorized. He's able to finish phrases and will likely correct you if you misread them.
~Overall, he's indifferent to having a baby brother. He likes to tickle him, will retrieve things for him and ask where he is if he's not around. He likes to have him as a part of our nightly "family hug" and gives him a kiss goodnight. At times, he has asked us to "put him down" so we can do something for him and may try to get our attention when he knows we can't attend to him, such as when I'm feeding Gavin. He pays no attention to him when he's crying. We're doing our best to continue to give him individual attention as much as possible. All in all, he's transitioned beautifully and is a great big brother!
Thursday, September 20, 2012
1 Month Old
Our sweet baby Gavin is one month old! He's such a joy and it's hard to imagine our family without him!
He had his 1 month check up today with the pediatrician. She was impressed with his weight gain, development, and head control. He's healthy, strong, and growing like crazy! Current statistics:
12lb 10.5oz
23 inches
38.5 cm head circumference
Our next appointment is in one month.
Here's a glimpse at life with Gavin:
~He loves to snuggle. We frequently refer to him as our "Snuggle Bug"
~He's a great eater (refer to his weight gain--9lb 6oz to 12lb 10.5oz in a month!). In addition to his regular feedings, he likes to snack, especially after diaper changes.
~Gavin wakes up about every three hours overnight for a diaper change and to eat. After a few newborn noises in his bassinet, he goes back to sleep. He still sleeps in Mommy and Daddy's room. We plan to move him to his nursery after our next round of overnight visitors.
~He typically wakes for the day around 8am. During the past few days, he's taken a brief nap mid-morning, will nap again from about 1:30-4:30pm in the Pack n' Play bassinet, and will take a few cat naps in the evening. When awake, he's very alert. He has a fairly consistent "fussy time" in the evenings for about 30 minutes.
~Gavin is starting to show the beginnings of smiles! He's also beginning to coo.
~He gets a bath every few days and seems to enjoy them.
~He enjoys being talked and sung to. We're not reading to him yet, but he hears many stories that we read to Brennan, especially during nursing sessions.
He had his 1 month check up today with the pediatrician. She was impressed with his weight gain, development, and head control. He's healthy, strong, and growing like crazy! Current statistics:
12lb 10.5oz
23 inches
38.5 cm head circumference
Our next appointment is in one month.
Here's a glimpse at life with Gavin:
~He loves to snuggle. We frequently refer to him as our "Snuggle Bug"
~He's a great eater (refer to his weight gain--9lb 6oz to 12lb 10.5oz in a month!). In addition to his regular feedings, he likes to snack, especially after diaper changes.
~Gavin wakes up about every three hours overnight for a diaper change and to eat. After a few newborn noises in his bassinet, he goes back to sleep. He still sleeps in Mommy and Daddy's room. We plan to move him to his nursery after our next round of overnight visitors.
~He typically wakes for the day around 8am. During the past few days, he's taken a brief nap mid-morning, will nap again from about 1:30-4:30pm in the Pack n' Play bassinet, and will take a few cat naps in the evening. When awake, he's very alert. He has a fairly consistent "fussy time" in the evenings for about 30 minutes.
~Gavin is starting to show the beginnings of smiles! He's also beginning to coo.
~He gets a bath every few days and seems to enjoy them.
~He enjoys being talked and sung to. We're not reading to him yet, but he hears many stories that we read to Brennan, especially during nursing sessions.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Cedar Point
We spent the day at Cedar Point today in honor of "Big Brother Brennan!" Adam bought discount tickets through work and we wanted to have a special day for him, especially since he's transitioned so well into his role of a big brother. It was a gorgeous day and we had a lot of fun! Brennan was a bit apprehensive at first, not wanting to ride the Merry-Go-Round. Once in the small-kid area, he had a great time riding rides with Mommy or Daddy. At the end of each ride, he exclaimed, "I just want more balloons/monster cars/train/submarine/etc!" Gavin slept during almost the entire trip, but seemed to enjoy the fresh air!
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