14 Weeks Old

Things have been crazy here!  We had my sister's wedding over the weekend and all the girls stayed here the night before and then we were going to have a party here the next day but everyone decided to head home (thank goodness) so I have been cleaning, organizing, and writing my speech for the wedding (that was harder than I thought!).   Now that all that is done, we really don't have much planned between now and when I go back to work.

I return two months from today :(.  I don't want to go back!  Two months is such a long time, but it will go by so quickly.  I have been so good so far really treasuring and enjoying every waking moment with my baby boy.  I really can't get enough of him! On days when I have to share him with other people, I can't wait to get home (or they leave) so I can just cuddle with my baby boy.  I think I have issues!  I have no idea how I am going to be able to handle working in a few weeks.  At least I only go back for two (fun) weeks before Christmas and then I will have 10 solid cuddly days with him (and Daddy!)

He is definitely going through the dreaded three month growth spurt now.  For the past four nights he hasn't slept longer than 2.5 hours without getting up to eat and even during those "sleeping" hours he is really restless-tossing and turing and whining a lot.  I have not been getting much sleep, but I seem to be handling it okay (surprisingly!).

I started actually using the Similac Strong Moms Baby Journal app on my phone to keep track of his habits.  It is so easy to use and I wish I had started using it sooner.  I log his bottle (time, amount), breast feeding (time, duration, side), naps, and diaper changes.  It is so easy.  Logging these things doesn't take much effort, once he falls asleep I just click on "Sleep" and it times his nap until I hit "Stop."  Same thing for breast feeding.  I click on the breast he is on and hit "Start," "Pause" during burps or his breaks, and "stop" when he is done.  It has really helped me see patterns in his behavior, especially his day time naps.  He still is a cat napper, but this week I have been determined to get a LONG midday nap.   That means that he sleeps on me for two hours either from 11-1 or 12-2 ish.  I think I will continue this for the rest of this week and then see what happens when I put him in his swing next week and eventually in his crib.

Since he has been so restless and fussy at night he has started spending more time in our bed.  I did not want this to happen, but it is really hard to deal with a screaming baby in the middle of the night.  He has me so whipped that as soon as I pick him up he falls asleep.  As soon as I carefully get him back into the cosleeper he wakes up screaming.  I usually let this happen about 3 times before I just give up.   How can he tell I am not holding him???  I really hope we I haven't created a monster.

I really hoped he would be good at the wedding and get into pictures with us.  For all of his pictures he was screaming!  He missed his afternoon nap and only got to sleep for about 15 minutes in the car on the way to the ceremony.  During the ceremony he only made a few whimpers, but once it was time for pictures he lost it.  I think he was hot in his suit and the lack of sleep wasn't helping either.  Kiel was really frustrated and I was even more frustrated since I needed to be in the pictures.  Luckily my friend Erin was there and she is incredible with Maddex.  We lovingly call her the Baby Whisperer since she has always been able to calm him down, right from the beginning.

He is getting really big and doing lots of big boy things like sitting in his high chair, standing up on his own, sitting on his own (both with the couch behind him), grabbing for toys and eating them, singing songs, anticipating what happens after I say "THREE, " as in "one, two, three, super baby" or "one, two, three up up up"  different games we play.  He also loves playing with this toys while laying on his back.  He still isn't a fan of tummy time.

This weekend we also went apple picking.  He loved it.  He loved looking all around and seeing the other boys and girls. He even went on a hay ride and fell right to sleep.  I love having him join on our family traditions.

- The Weekly List -

14 Weeks Old
Total weight gain/loss:
Mom: I'm 15 pounds down.  He is 15 pounds up.  I hope I continue to lose as he gains.  I only really have 4 more pounds to lose to get to my wedding weight.  Crazy!

Maddex: He is still at 15 pounds, but I anticipate a spike in his weight soon since he has been eating so much!

Sleep: He is waking up every one or two hours right now. It is his growth spurt.  I hope this doesn't change his sleep pattern.  I read that this growth spurt can really mess up a baby's previous sleep patterns.     

Best moment this week: Seeing him smile and laugh at us.  Bringing him to his first wedding.

Miss Anything? Sleep and ice cream.  


Looking forward to: Getting him on a schedule.  Watching him learn new things.   

Likes:
Mom: 

-Everything about this child. 

-Spending all day everyday with him.  It doesn't get old!

-Going places with the boy and he totally just chills and watches everything
-Smiles from my boy
-His laugh
-When he seeks me out, finds me, and kicks and wiggles cuz he is so happy to see me!

Maddex: 
-Spending time outside

-People watching

-Looking at himself in the mirror

-Watching Mommy's hair shake

-Watching Mommy when she sticks out her tongue (he is copying me again now too)

-Blowing raspberries

-Rice cereal

-Diaper changes

-A & D ointment

-Kicking in the bath tub

-Chewing on my fingers

-Sleeping on Mommy's chest

-When Mommy does my belly exercises.

-Being Super Baby!   

Dislikes:
Mom: 
-When he stiffens during outfit changes and when getting into his car seat.  He hates both of those things!

Maddex: 
-Getting out of the tub. 

-Getting dressed

-Sleeping the whole night in my Co-sleeper.  Mommy is much squishier!

-Sleeping alone or flat on my back

Firsts

Mom: 

-On week 12 I should have added that I finally took a shower while I was home alone with him.  I brought him into the bathroom in his bouncy chair and he was great.  Now we play a game and I stick my head out from different sides of the shower curtain and he smiles when he sees me.  I love it!

Maddex:

-Went to a wedding!

-Went to a nail salon (and was a very good boy)

-Went to a wedding rehearsal/dinner (and was a very good boy!)

-Got my picture taken in a photo booth

-Went apple and pumpkin picking

-Went on a hay ride