15 Weeks Old

I know I have said this before, but I can't believe it has been 15 weeks since he was born.  It seems like forever ago and yesterday at the same time.  

The big change I have noticed recently is that Maddex is really becoming an active member of our family.  He has been for a while (obviously) but not until recently has he really felt like a part of our family and not a little baby we brought home from the hospital.  It is hard to explain, but when he first came home it was hard for me to fathom that he was what was causing my huge tummy.  And it was even harder for me to wrap my head around the fact that HE WAS MY SON!  Sometimes it is still strange to think about.  But overall he is really showing his personality as well as showing interest in being a part of our family.  Before we could just leave him in his swing while we ate or took shifts eating while the other one held him.  But now he likes to sit in his high chair and watch us eat.   He wants to stay awake at night when we are awake.  He smiles at us when we walk into a room.   He stops crying and gets super excited when we go get him from his crib, swing, or play mat.  He is really beginning to realize that when he cries we come.  That we are here for him.  That we love him. 

On another note, I made his first batch of baby food!  At first I wanted to make him some apple sauce from the apples we picked, but I hadn't asked at the orchard if they used pesticides or not.  I have done a lot of research about baby food and I have decided that I will be making all of his food from organic fruits and vegetables and whenever possible hormone-free meat.  Reading about his underdeveloped liver and rapidly growing brain, I don't want to harm him by exposing him to poisons.  So, I went out and bought organic gala apples, steamed them and then pureed them for Baby Boy.  And he loved them! He had his first taste on his actual 15 week birthday on Sunday.   Sometimes I mix the puree with oatmeal sometimes he eats it straight.  He totally has the hang of eating now.  He opens his mouth wide and chomps down on the spoon and swallows more than he spits out now.  I know he technically is still young to eat solid food (based on the American Academy of Pediatrics which recommends exclusively breast feeding until 6 months) but I just had a gut feeling that he was ready and I think I made the right decision for my baby.  

We are still having lots of issues with his sleeping.  The other night the longest stretch of sleep he had was 2 hours and 11 minutes (thanks to my baby journal phone app).  He was up 8 times between 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. I was miserable.  Last night was a little better.  He had two stretches of sleep that lasted 3 1/2 hours. It is really frustrating, especially since he was sleeping for 6 hours at a time at night when he was just a week old, but the doctor told us to wake him every 3 hours to feed him.  If we ever have another kid I will NOT be waking him/her to eat at night.  When a baby is hungry s/he will wake up!  Foolish new parent mistake #1 of many!!

- The Weekly List -

15 Weeks Old
Total weight gain/loss:
Mom: I'm still 15-16 pounds under my prepregnancy weight.  Crazy to think I have lost 60 pounds in 3 months! 

Maddex: He is still only about 15.5 pounds despite all he has been eating.  

Sleep: He is still waking up about every 1 or 2 hours with only a 3 hour stretch here and there.  What I would give for a 5 hour stretch at this point.  Forget 8 hours!   

Best moment this week: Seeing his excitement when Kiel comes home.  Being able to sense that he really really knows I'm his Mommy.  

Miss Anything? Sleep 


Looking forward to: Getting him on a schedule.  Watching him learn new things.   Seeing him roll.  He is so close, but has no desire to roll from his back to his belly since he still really hates being on his belly.  He tries going from his belly to his back but his arms get in the way.  Also, when he sleeps in his crib he rolls right to his side just like Daddy. 

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!

(All the same!)

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 dressed

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

-Sleeping alone 

Firsts

Mom: 

-Made my first batch of baby food. 

-Fed baby homemade apple sauce

Maddex:

-

-He met his first baby boy.  Garret is about 5 months older than him.  Maddex still showed no interest!

-Went to his first fire.  He loved staring at it and sleeping by it. 

-Peed in his face which scared him at first then he found it hilarious!  I love my boy!