Jericho David 1 Month
Warning: super long post ahead. I'm trying to document every detail so we can look back and remember this time well.
How can it be one month already? This month went by so quickly that it brings tears to my eyes. We get about 222ish months with you in our house until you graduate from high school, and we already are down to 221 in the blink of an eye. This month has been exhausting and filled with firsts and learning experiences for your dad and me. We learned very quickly that since we loved you so much, we didn't mind things we thought we would. This includes changing countless diapers (especially those poopy ones), using the snot sucker, sleepless nights, and being peed on when you have leakages out blowouts.
Personality
Your personality has started to really come out. From day one, your anger (or should I say hanger) was real! You can go from 0-60 at any moment, sleeping peacefully to yelling, flailing around, and bobbing your head like we have never fed you (in all likelihood it had been an hour or so since you last ate). You love to be held, especially by your mama. In fact, we're starting to notice if you get passed around a lot during the day, you want to eat and be near to me for many hours of the night. It really is so sweet, but in the moment can be frustrating and tiring. You love your snuggles with daddy in the morning (thank goodness he has a long paternity leave! We've been grateful to have him home this whole month and still a week to go!). You're starting to have times where you'd rather lay on your back and kick your legs and arms around. You go back and forth on liking/disliking baths and diaper changes. When you're awake you love to sit in your Mamaroo and look around (Christmas trees when the lights are on are your favorite!). As long as you're not hungry, you enjoy car rides and walks either in your stroller or being worn by one of us. You've started to really focus your eyes on us and start to make facial expressions (I think I've seen a smile but I'm not sure if it's intentional or just you working out your face muscles!). You definitely recognize our voices out of a crowd. Last but not least you love tummy time. You were born with strong neck muscles and you love to exercise them. You even look like you're trying to crawl. Daddy is encouraging you and I tell you to stop, ha! Let's not grow up too quickly.
Your personality has started to really come out. From day one, your anger (or should I say hanger) was real! You can go from 0-60 at any moment, sleeping peacefully to yelling, flailing around, and bobbing your head like we have never fed you (in all likelihood it had been an hour or so since you last ate). You love to be held, especially by your mama. In fact, we're starting to notice if you get passed around a lot during the day, you want to eat and be near to me for many hours of the night. It really is so sweet, but in the moment can be frustrating and tiring. You love your snuggles with daddy in the morning (thank goodness he has a long paternity leave! We've been grateful to have him home this whole month and still a week to go!). You're starting to have times where you'd rather lay on your back and kick your legs and arms around. You go back and forth on liking/disliking baths and diaper changes. When you're awake you love to sit in your Mamaroo and look around (Christmas trees when the lights are on are your favorite!). As long as you're not hungry, you enjoy car rides and walks either in your stroller or being worn by one of us. You've started to really focus your eyes on us and start to make facial expressions (I think I've seen a smile but I'm not sure if it's intentional or just you working out your face muscles!). You definitely recognize our voices out of a crowd. Last but not least you love tummy time. You were born with strong neck muscles and you love to exercise them. You even look like you're trying to crawl. Daddy is encouraging you and I tell you to stop, ha! Let's not grow up too quickly.
Stats
Weight: 10lbs, 4.5 oz (61st percentile)
Height: 21.25in (34th percentile)
Head circumference: 39.3cm (holding true at 96th percentile)
Weight: 10lbs, 4.5 oz (61st percentile)
Height: 21.25in (34th percentile)
Head circumference: 39.3cm (holding true at 96th percentile)
Eating
Like I said before, you LOVE to see eat. For the first 3 weeks if you cried, it's because you wanted to eat. Thankfully our journey of me feeding you has been fairly easy. We both had to learn at the hospital, and since week 2 we've been smooth sailing! I was telling your dad that's one place I really see God's handiwork. Towards the end of my pregnancy I prayed a lot about the whole process of me being able to provide for you (and in as little pain as possible) and that is how it has been. For me that has been encouraging since I had to change my hopes and expectations for your birth. We are very grateful! You have also calmed down a lot in the last week when it comes to your hunger. You're starting to show us that you're hungry before you start screaming. You still eat about every 2 hours, sometimes every 3 (even in the night!). We call you our Hungry, Hungry Hippo. You even love drinking your ml of Vitamin D straight, and that stuff has a strong taste! I have a feeling you might love all food (maybe even spicy things) like your daddy.
Like I said before, you LOVE to see eat. For the first 3 weeks if you cried, it's because you wanted to eat. Thankfully our journey of me feeding you has been fairly easy. We both had to learn at the hospital, and since week 2 we've been smooth sailing! I was telling your dad that's one place I really see God's handiwork. Towards the end of my pregnancy I prayed a lot about the whole process of me being able to provide for you (and in as little pain as possible) and that is how it has been. For me that has been encouraging since I had to change my hopes and expectations for your birth. We are very grateful! You have also calmed down a lot in the last week when it comes to your hunger. You're starting to show us that you're hungry before you start screaming. You still eat about every 2 hours, sometimes every 3 (even in the night!). We call you our Hungry, Hungry Hippo. You even love drinking your ml of Vitamin D straight, and that stuff has a strong taste! I have a feeling you might love all food (maybe even spicy things) like your daddy.
Sleeping
The first 3 weeks was pure survival. We didn't sleep more than 4 or so hours a night at the hospital and weren't napping in the day, so we thought going home with you would literally kill us. Thankfully you sleep day and night, so it's not like you had your time of day mixed up. Your pattern was wake up, cry, eat, sleep. But your dad and I like routine, so we created one around you and your love to be held. Around 7:30pm we would start our night time "routine" of changing you, putting you in PJs, giving you your vitamin D medicine, taking turns reading you a story, and saying our prayers. Then I'd start to feed you and around 8:00 your dad would head upstairs to sleep. You and I would watch Hallmark Christmas movies or binge watch 7th Heaven on Hulu. At 11:30 your dad would come down and take over. We tried to time your feedings just right, but more often than not after I headed upstairs to get ready to sleep, you and your dad would follow for one last meal. I typically would go to sleep a little after midnight and your dad would take care of you until 4, giving you a bottle and letting me get extra sleep. Then you two would come up for another feeding and we'd put you in your rock and play by me to sleep. You did okay, sometimes sleeping an hour but usually 2 before you'd be ready to eat again. Around 8 you would be done with your rock and play and want to cuddle, so you'd hang with dad and both cat nap.
At 3 weeks we decided to try to spend a whole night together! And for the last week and a half it's gone fairly smoothly. We go upstairs between 8 and 9, do our nighttime routine, and then watch a movie or the Walking Dead while you eat and get your last snuggles in. When we first put you down you usually only last about 25 minutes before wanting to eat again. Then you'll go down, we finally fall asleep around 11-11:30, and you sleep until 1:15. Then you and dad go downstairs for your bottle and come back an hour and some later. Thankfully you usually eat a good amount then, so on a good day you sleep until 5 (if I'm really lucky, 5:30 or 6!). Then it's every hour and a half or so, and you usually demand snuggles when our room gets brighter.
The first 3 weeks was pure survival. We didn't sleep more than 4 or so hours a night at the hospital and weren't napping in the day, so we thought going home with you would literally kill us. Thankfully you sleep day and night, so it's not like you had your time of day mixed up. Your pattern was wake up, cry, eat, sleep. But your dad and I like routine, so we created one around you and your love to be held. Around 7:30pm we would start our night time "routine" of changing you, putting you in PJs, giving you your vitamin D medicine, taking turns reading you a story, and saying our prayers. Then I'd start to feed you and around 8:00 your dad would head upstairs to sleep. You and I would watch Hallmark Christmas movies or binge watch 7th Heaven on Hulu. At 11:30 your dad would come down and take over. We tried to time your feedings just right, but more often than not after I headed upstairs to get ready to sleep, you and your dad would follow for one last meal. I typically would go to sleep a little after midnight and your dad would take care of you until 4, giving you a bottle and letting me get extra sleep. Then you two would come up for another feeding and we'd put you in your rock and play by me to sleep. You did okay, sometimes sleeping an hour but usually 2 before you'd be ready to eat again. Around 8 you would be done with your rock and play and want to cuddle, so you'd hang with dad and both cat nap.
At 3 weeks we decided to try to spend a whole night together! And for the last week and a half it's gone fairly smoothly. We go upstairs between 8 and 9, do our nighttime routine, and then watch a movie or the Walking Dead while you eat and get your last snuggles in. When we first put you down you usually only last about 25 minutes before wanting to eat again. Then you'll go down, we finally fall asleep around 11-11:30, and you sleep until 1:15. Then you and dad go downstairs for your bottle and come back an hour and some later. Thankfully you usually eat a good amount then, so on a good day you sleep until 5 (if I'm really lucky, 5:30 or 6!). Then it's every hour and a half or so, and you usually demand snuggles when our room gets brighter.
I was one of those people who needed 8-9 hours of sleep per night or I'd feel like death the next morning. Your dad was very worried this experience would break me or kill me (and I was too!). Thankfully, as soon as you were born my body hit mommy mode and I've gone from a deep sleeper to a light sleeper, and if I get 3-4 straight hours of sleep I feel like I've slept forever. So any skeptical future moms out there - you can do it! Your body will adjust I promise!!
Firsts
-Meeting all of your family (including Uncle Sam who lives in California and Auntie Erin who just moved to Maryland!)
-Meeting countless new friends. You've been held and loved on by so many, I don't think I can even count them all!
-Celebrating many birthdays. Here's the long list! Your dad, Pops, Nonnie, Grumps, and Uncle Jack's. And that's just within your first month of life! *Sidenote: December will be a very expensive month for you one day.
-Newborn pictures were taken and you posed like a champ
-Meeting Santa
-Going to your first restaurant (Your Pie - it had only opened up days before!)
-Visiting Nonnie and Pops' house, then Grammy and Gramps' house
-Meeting all of your family (including Uncle Sam who lives in California and Auntie Erin who just moved to Maryland!)
-Meeting countless new friends. You've been held and loved on by so many, I don't think I can even count them all!
-Celebrating many birthdays. Here's the long list! Your dad, Pops, Nonnie, Grumps, and Uncle Jack's. And that's just within your first month of life! *Sidenote: December will be a very expensive month for you one day.
-Newborn pictures were taken and you posed like a champ
-Meeting Santa
-Going to your first restaurant (Your Pie - it had only opened up days before!)
-Visiting Nonnie and Pops' house, then Grammy and Gramps' house
You have about 700 pictures of you already! You may be the first child in which case every second of your life is documented Here's a few of our favorites from the last month.
Comments