One Month!

I’m pretty sure I’m going to start every post with, “I can’t believe my baby is getting so big!!” But really, I can’t believe he’s a month old.  Time flies when you’re having fun and this month has truly been the best month of my life.  Becoming a mother is something I’ve dreamed of for a long time.  My earliest memory is when I took my baby brother out of his bassinet and put him into a card board refrigerator box that my mom had turned into a little playhouse.  My mom hadn’t noticed that I took him, so she eventually came running into my bedroom looking for him, probably a little panicked.  I loved playing house with my siblings.  I am really grateful that I’ve been able to cure my baby hunger, for now! :) 

Taking care of a newborn hasn’t been as difficult as I imagined.  Sure, the first week was hard, but mostly because I felt like I had been hit by a truck.  Since then, it hasn’t been too bad.  I’m sure it’ll be a whole different ball game once I start working again, but I know we’ll figure it out.    

Instead of waiting until the end, I’ll just start this post by giving a huge shout out to Bruno.  He’s the reason this month has been so manageable.  When Sammy wakes up in the morning around 5, I’ll feed him and then Bruno will take him out to the living room and will entertain him or put him back to sleep so that I can sleep in for as long as I need to.  (I am going to sorely miss this once school starts!)  When I need to get something done, (which is not very often because my to-do list consists of a lot of nursing and cuddling) he'll take care of him without hesitation.  It’s really nice to not have to worry about how Sammy is doing when he’s with Bruno because I know Bruno will figure it out.  He is really good at taking care of him! This will make transitioning back to work much easier!   I’ve been able to pump extra milk so that he can feed him too.  That’s also been a huge blessing! 

Unfortunately, this month is kind of a blur since it went so fast, but I’ll try to remember the highlights:

-At his two week appointment, Sammy weighed 10 lbs. 5 oz. and was 21 inches long.  He’s already gained over a pound and grew 2 inches!  

-He’s been wearing 0-3 month clothing and size 1 diapers. 

-We’re surprised by how well he can support his head.  The doctor said he’s a really strong baby and already acting like a 2 month old.  The night we brought him home, he was rolling from back to side.  Lately, he likes it when we stand him up on his feet.  

-He’s been making more sounds and he’s not just grunting all the time.  I can’t wait until he starts smiling on his own!

-I think he’s a pretty easy baby.  He cries when he’s hungry, but that’s about it.  He burps easy, doesn’t spit up, nurses well, but doesn’t have a problem taking a bottle or pacifier.  He loves car rides and usually sleeps the whole time we’re out.  Also, bath time is getting better! 

-I think our only big struggle so far has been getting him to sleep for a long period of time in his bassinet.  He’s gotten a lot better since day one, though!  Most nights, he only wakes up twice! (Once around 3am and again between 5-6)

-He doesn’t like to be naked and only sleeps well if he’s swaddled.  He’s a heavy sleeper in the sense that noise doesn't wake him up.  But, if we touch him in the slightest way, he'll wake up.     

-When people meet him for the first time, they almost ALWAYS say two things – 1. Look at all that hair! 2. He has more hair than you! (Looking at Bruno)  It usually follows up with a comment about how big he is, which makes me proud. :) I love feeling his hair, even though he doesn’t like it. 

-My family was here for a couple of weeks.  We enjoyed their company and appreciated them hanging out with us.  We couldn’t do a whole lot with the baby, but they were willing to join in on our Netflix binge watching.  It was nice to have my mom cook and take care of us while I was still recovering.  I’m excited to be able to have more adventures with them next year!

-He really connects with Bruno’s grandma.  She is good at soothing him when he’s tired and loves to stare at her when she talks.  She must have a very calming voice!  In his blessing, Bruno mentioned that Sammy would have the ability to discern when angels are nearby.  I truly believe he does.  He can make eye contact just fine, so I’m not worried about that.  But sometimes when you’re holding him, he’ll look above you or to the side.  He’ll move his eyes and his mouth as if he wants to talk.  (It’s very different from when he’s just hungry.)  Maybe all babies do this, but I’m convinced that he can sense his ancestors.  Bruno and I 
are guessing that he senses his great uncle, who he’s named after, and/or my Grandma Stockham, who would have just adored him.  I truly believe that our relatives who have passed on are always close to us and it gives me a lot of comfort because I wish so badly that they were able to meet him.  Samuel brings us so much joy and we are grateful to be his parents! 
-I don't want him to grow up too fast, but I'm excited to see what the next month brings, especially now that he's awake more during the day.  I'm nervous about going back to work, but between Bruno & my mother-in-law, I know he'll be in great hands!  Have I mentioned how awesome Bruno's mom is? She switched her job and is taking a pay cut so that she can stay home and watch him while Bruno's at school!  We are so so lucky to have her close by.  She"s a huge blessing.

Until next time! We love you, Sammy Rey!