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I think by the third baby you realize how quickly the days pass by, so I have tried my hardest to soak up the snuggles while I can. I am taking a full 12 week leave, but that will come to an end before I know it!! (anybody know of any part-time or work-from-home NP jobs around?? haha!!!)
Vance is such a sweet and a good baby. Poor fella, he has had a busy first month! When he was 2 weeks old, big brother and sister started the school year so that week was so chaotic. They brought home some nasty school germs which resulted in runny noses and Vance's first virus and rash at 3 weeks old...
We really didn't have much of a schedule or routine. It was purely survival mode. I focused more on trying to keep NK and G on a schedule/bedtime routine due to school and Vance just rode it out like a champ. I also forgot how many growth spurts babies have that first month! Holy cow! It seemed about the time he got predictable, we would hit a growth spurt and start cluster feeding/fussiness. Now that the big kids are settling into the school year, Vance and I are working on a little schedule.
The kids have only been late to school once because we overslept!! (I consider that doing great with a newborn in the house!!)
Right now, he wakes up about 5-6 am to nurse. We move to the living room and when he is done I put him in his swing for a nap. While he is sleeping, I start the coffee pot (thank God for coffee!!) and start breakfast/making lunches. Grant and Norah Kate wake up between 6:30-6:45. Vance usually sleeps until 8-9. Of course, the first few weeks, it was wake up, eat and fall right back asleep. There were also several mornings where he was waking up hungry during the same time I was trying to get G and NK ready which made for some eventful/stressful mornings.
We go through that routine of being awake for 30 minutes to an hour then sleeping for about 2 hours. He is eating every 3-3.5 hours during the day. I pretty well feed him on demand... so some days (afternoons especially) he cluster feeds a little more and will eat more frequency.
He is pretty alert in the afternoons, but is usually content swinging or laying on the floor. I try to start our bedtime routine at 8pm with a bath. Vance usually falls asleep around 9-9:30 and wakes up around 12:30-1 and sometimes again at 3:00-4. Last night, when he woke up at 4, I gave him his paci and he went back to sleep until 5:30 which was helpful, I appreciated the extra hour of sleep!! He is not sleeping through the night yet. Goodness, I will just be grateful when he is consistently only waking up once. For now, night time wake ups are not very predictable, so that makes it hard not knowing what to expect. I keep telling myself this season is short-lived and there will be more restful nights soon.
Vance sleeps in the Rock N Play cradle next to the bed. However, he loves snuggling with Mama and I am pretty sure he would be content in our bed (seriously, how do they know??? I am still working on getting Grant and NK out of my bed....)
I am not pushing any crying-it-out or "self soothing" methods right now. Sometimes Vance needs to be rocked to sleep, but there are other nights (like last night for instance) where he will put himself to sleep.
At his 1 month check up, he weighed 10lb 10oz and was 21 1/2 inches long!
I am assuming he is taking around 4 oz or so, because that is how much I pump. I need to do better about giving him a bottle. I think I have only given him 3 bottles since he has been born. He makes these gulping sounds when he nurses so it sounds like I have starved or deprived him.
Vance loves: his swing, laying on a pallet on the floor, tummy time, snuggling on Mama's chest, laying with his arms over his head, nursie and his paci.
Vance dislikes: a dirty diaper, getting hot (he really is a pretty chill baby and goes with the flow for so much!!)
This month we have: tried to survive and figure out our new normal, started a new school year,played musical sleeping arrangements from the couch, bed, NKs bed, Grants bed, etc., went on our first vacation to Steinhatchee, got a cold/virus/rash, went to church, ran lots of errands with Mama (as the 3rd baby, you don't really get the luxury of being home bound the first month when there are two other kids that have to be tended to), sold tobacco in Douglas with Daddy, went to a birthday party for a cousin and sang Baby Shark about 18803243 times and learned to smile and coo.
His eyes are still blue, and they are pretty bright, so I feel like that will stay blue.
He is in size 3 month clothes and wearing size 1 diapers. (he only stayed in newborn diapers and clothes for like 2-3 weeks...) He is growing like a weed and proving to be a chunk like his big siblings.
Speaking of siblings, Grant and Norah Kate are absolutely crazy about him. They do not think he is supposed to cry or fuss at all. Norah Kate loves helping me change his diapers. They are such big helpers. I try to keep them involved by asking them to help with little things like grab something from the diaper bag or give him his paci etc. They also fight over who gets to hold him next.
Vance,
You are such a special baby. As soon as you got here, it felt like you were supposed to be here the whole time. You are loved by so many people. You are such a content baby. We only had one rough week and that was when you were sick with your little cold and trying to hit a growth spurt at the same time. I love that you love me so much and I love watching your brother and sister love you too. I am enjoying our special time together so much, even though I wish time would slow down just a little. Thank you for being such a laid back, go-with-the-flow baby.
Mama loves you a bushel and a a peck!!
