Wow, another kid to do a monthly update for! I'm so glad I always did this for Drew, though, because even though I have zero time for scrapbooking these days, just knowing that I have this stuff written down is a big relief. I know I can always go back and do it later. Plus, it is great for comparison's sake. We've already been looking at Drew's monthly updates to see where Parker is compared to what Drew was doing at his age.
- Parker is already smiling! He made his first smile on June 1st at only four weeks old. I thought that seemed a little early but some google searching confirmed it can be that soon, and he's done it consistently since then so I know it's real. It's just freaking precious.
- He is so alert and aware of everything when he's awake. Even before he started smiling he looked so excited when someone would talk to him up close, and he can follow us with his eyes.
-
He's going through an awkward newborn stage right now, with the peeling dry skin and baby acne. Of course as his mama I'm the only person who gets to admit that it's not terribly cute. :) Everybody else must maintain that he's still adorable.
-
He's got great neck strength already. Maybe it's because he doesn't have the massive pumpkin head that Drew had, and also we're more ambitious with tossing him over our shoulders this time around. We never did that with Drew, because we didn't know how to! LOL.
-
Still having some pretty significant gas issues.... mostly during the day he's pretty fine but like clockwork every evening from about 7-10:30 he screams and carries on. I do not understand why it's only at that time of day, but Dave and I are getting used to the nightly routine of high-intensity soothing and rocking and nursing. Aside from Dave's incessant whining and suicide threats, I think we'll get through this. I just hope his little digestive system matures quickly.
-
Luckily once he gets to sleep at night, usually by 11pm, he's good to go for the rest of the night and I only have to feed him one or two times before morning. Of course now that I've put that in writing it will all change.
-
Daytime sleeping is great and we're not tiptoe-ing around the house this time so he's able to sleep with more noise going on. That was a HUGE mistake with Drew. Plus there's not much I can do about a shrieking and laughing toddler anyway, so Parker needs to get used to it.
-
Every time I give him a bath I swear his hair gets a little lighter and lighter. So maybe he'll be blond like Drew (and Drew had dark hair at birth too). We're not sure which direction he's going in just yet. I look at him so much that I don't see any resemblance to anybody right now, but I think I just can't see it right now.
-
The bouncy seat has been invaluable. I don't know what we ever did without one!! It's so nice to have somewhere to plunk him when we can't hold him all the time. Right now we have it on the kitchen counter which keeps him well within reach and OUT of Drew's reach. Also he loves the vibration feature of it, it konks him right out. He doesn't seem to care much for the swing right now.
As for me, I feel amazing and I don't think I've taken it for granted for a single minute how glad I am to have done a VBAC. This past month has flown by, and I've been able to enjoy it rather than being laid up in pain like I was after the c-section. I'm walking, driving, doing yard work, and chasing Drew around the yard, and I feel just like my old self (well, except for being out of shape but that is fixable). It's all good!
Nursing is going fine and it was only rough the first week until things toughened up and now we're in a good rhythm. I'm happy to be able to do this, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting down the remaining 11 months!! :) I give him just one year, and once he can have cow's milk, I'm done!
I gained 45 pounds with this pregnancy and believe me, I earned every ounce of that!! I was pounding the desserts like nobody's business (and enjoyed every single one). I've already lost 25 lbs so I think with only 20 lbs left to lose to get back to my normal weight I'm in a good place. I don't expect it to fall off overnight but I know it will come off eventually. After Drew it came off in big spurts with long periods in between of no change at all. I just can't wait to shred all my maternity clothes; I never want to see them again after two pregnancies. And then I will go shopping!