6 Weeks

Nighttime sleep:  You're still managing 5 hour stretches most nights.  I think you'd go longer but you usually wake the both of us up with some poots.  After that first stretch, you seem to sleep in 2-3 hour stints.  We're trying to dial back your bedtime to around 7pm.  And I'm working hard on being consistent.  Freddie gets in the bath about that time, so I'm hopeful we can spend some time unwinding in the rocker and get you down for the evening.

Napping:  Getting about two naps a day.  One nap is in the stroller during our morning walk and you seem to doze off and on.  The other is in the afternoon for 2-3 hours and typically overlaps with Freddie's nap by about an hour.  You could usually use, and never get, a late afternoon/early evening nap but I am hoping an earlier bedtime makes it unnecessary. 

Temperament:  You are finally starting to smile.  Thank the lawd.  Just when Mama thinks she cannot go any further you start doing that.  You still cry a great deal, but maybe we'll turn a corner with that this week?  You don't seem to mind tummy time, and maybe this is because it helps your tummy feel better.  It surprises me that you don't immediately get angry when I place you on your stomach the way Freddie did.  When you're worn out you soothe yourself by sucking on your wrist and can even soothe yourself to sleep.  As much as I hope you're not a thumb sucker, I hate to discourage your self soothing.  I'm also not sure how to handle this at sleep time since I want to swaddle you but hate to take your arm away from your mouth.

Health:  You nurse a lot, but I mostly offer you the breast to shut you up.  If your mouth is full you can't cry.  You're only pooping once a day, and that can be kinda scary.  Your chest still sounds a little congested to me but I'll wait to ask about that at your next well visit.

I'm holding his head, Mama.

Little brother:  Oh goodness, I sure hope you're a patient, easy going kid.  Freddie is all over you and you seem unfazed by it currently. He paws ("pets") you pretty frequently and loves giving you snuggles which can pretty much be described as you getting mauled. 

5 Weeks (and 1 day)

• A day late.  Sigh.
• There's been no sleeping the past couple of nights.  You're up every hour. Perhaps a growth spurt, although I wasn't expecting that for another week.  

I'm just hugging Hansie, Mama.

• Naps aren't really going down either.  The morning nap in the stroller is garunteed but the rest of the day is hit or miss.  When I finally get a minute to read your cues and actually sit down to help you wind down, there always seems to be something that interferes.  And that something is usually generated by your big brother.
• I think you're pretty cute.  Your ears kinda bend at the tops.
• Your hair is soft and fuzzy and filling in.  It looks like a nice reddish brown.
• Your eyes are dark.  A brown eyed boy you will most likely be.
• Although you're still not crazy about the swing you'll sit for a while in the bouncer looking around.

• I'm sorry I didn't take any pictures this week.
• You still scream an awful lot.
• Pooping and passing gas seem to stand between you and sleep as well.  You have this knack of waking the both of us up from deep sleeps with a giant poot.

4 Weeks

You're a month old! Seems like forever that you've been around, Tummy Brother.  You're definitely ours.

Your legs look so long and your toes even longer.

Freddie's taking great care of you.  He checks on you each time you cry and likes to help change your diaper.  He loves on you lots, maybe a little too much?  Thanks for being so patient with all of us.

I suppose it's easy to tell that you're the second child since you just got your first bath at 3.5 weeks.  I am trying to figure out how to fit everything into our routine.  You enjoyed the bath more than I remember Freddie enjoying his first bath.  I guess being a bit older helps.

You're spending longer and longer awake during the day and keeping most of your sleep to the evening hours.  The 5+ hour sleep stretches in the evenings have returned and I am ever so thankful.  You sleep most of the night in the cosleeper next to the bed, swaddled up tightly.  I usually pull you in to bed with me in the early morning for some cuddles.  Amazingly, this seems to be the soundest sleep you get, unswaddled, lying cheek to cheek with your mama.  I don't sleep so soundly, but am enjoying feeling each little breath on my face. 

Your eyes are dark and are looking like you'll be a brown eyed boy.  Your soft fuzzy hair is filling in on top.  

 

We love you, Tummy Brother.  

3 weeks (and 1 day)

I have a feeling that your weekly photo may end up being weekly + a day (or two or three) given how my afternoon looked yesterday:  you screaming inconsolably and Freddie hanging on my leg doing the same because he wanted to be held as well after being told I couldn't attend "the party in his bedroom" until you had been fed.  I'm trying to allow that scene to be normal so I'm not rattled or in tears.  Sigh.

I made the mistake of mentioning you were sleeping from 8.00pm-1.30am for a handful of consecutive nights.  That, of course, was enough to put an end to that.  Perhaps your 3 week growth spurt has begun, but you are not interested in sleeping, just nursing and crying. 

We've been using the Daddy's morning momentum to get us out the door each morning for a walk and some playtime.  You're awake for about half of our walk and have been pretty patient at the playground while Freddie gets some of his energy out.

You impress me with your head control already.  You work to lift it and look around at your surroundings.  I suppose your head being on the small side helps.  We've got out a few toys to get tummy time started.  I think Freddie will be the biggest entertainment to keep you motivated during tummy time.  He's definitely interested in all things Hans.

You've been left to cry more than Freddie ever did.  Sorry about that.  Things are rough with two of you and only one of me.  Something tells me you'll be ok, and maybe you'll even be more relaxed because of it.  As comfortable as I feel with this Mama thing, I don't feel as though I remember much from when I did it the first time around, although it is slowly coming back.  You're healthy and nursing and loved.  All the other stuff I'll figure out eventually, I promise.

2 Weeks

You're nursing, nursing, nursing....nursing so much in fact that your diapers are soaked within an hour or so and leaking.  This is not conducive to sleep.  I am not sure how to approach this but hoping your nursing settles in the next few days.  Maybe you're in a growth spurt?

Daytime napping has been hit or miss.  Some days you're doing long stretches of sleep in the cosleeper and some days you will just take catnaps in my arms.  I sure hope you develop an appreciation for sleep.

Freddie checks on you quite a bit

You cry a lot.  Especially at night.  Why? Why? Why?  Sometimes it is definitely gas, and it's usually as soon as you lie down.  (Does sleeping on an incline help gas or just reflux?) Right when I think we have finished up our "bedtime nursing" you look at me with wide eyes and start screaming.  You are in charge, little man.

Dada and I think you look just like your brother.  Your eyebrows are finally showing up and the hair on top of your head is filling in.  I love gently rubbing my cheek against it and running my finger over the swirl right in front.  Will that be a cowlick?

You haven't been outside since we've gotten home, but I'm trying to figure out a schedule for the three of us.  Perhaps next week will bring a trial run?

I look at you and your brother a lot.  I'm the mother to sons. 

1 Week

The state of things around here after 1 week of Hans:

Hans:

• He's a nursing champ.  He wants to nurse every two hours like clockwork.  
• The cosleeper is seeing some action for naps, but night time sleep just doesn't happen in there, or any where else for that matter.
• His toes are long and skinny.  
• He has two or three periods of being wide awake each day.  He gazes around the room.
• He's pooping lots, almost every time he sleeps.
• He has just a bit of fuzz atop his head.
• He looks just like Freddie, and I do mean just like him.

Dada:

• He is a proud papa, that's for sure.
• He's sleeping on the trundle in Freddie's room to get some good sleep.
• A nurse complimented his "baby handling skills" in the hospital.  I'm sure he'll tell you if he sees you.
• Work is back on the daily agenda, but he's abbreviated his schedule and isn't putting in the 2-5 hours in the evening like usual.  He's working back up to 8-5 and was out of the house by 9am today.  So thankful for all the help we've had so far to make this, and so much more, possible.
• He's really taken the lead with for Freddie which has worked out well.

Freddie:

• He missed his Mama while she was in the hospital.  I have heard more than a handful of times about how his teddy, or Tigey, or the puppy are all sad because their mama was in the hospital but she'd be home soon.
• He had an affectionate spurt with Hans when he first arrived home, but the passion has cooled a bit.  He does worry when he cries and likes to give him a pat of a kiss here and there throughout the day.
• When he says Hans is sound like "How-nz."
• I think he's finally putting it together that Hans is the Tummy Brother he has spent so much time talking to and loving on.
• He wouldn't let me out of his sight when I first came home, and has been a bit on the needy side, but overall I think he's handling everything in stride.
• All of a sudden he seems so grown up to me.  He's the big kid in the house, and still very much my baby.

Mama:

• I'm a bit disappointed in how things went for delivery with my blood loss being so high and recovery being slow, but I am feeling a little better each day.  Sleep would certainly speed things along.
• There are only 11 pounds of baby weight left.
• Connecting with Hans is feeling easier than it was with Freddie.  Focusing on this little person is certainly easier the second time around.
• Although I don't remember anything about caring for a newborn, I am not sweating it.  I am sweating the day I am left alone with them and outnumbered.
• My body aches and my head hurts nonstop.
• I haven't gotten dressed yet, but the sight of my pjs and old tshirts is beginning to depress me.
• I love holding Hans and having Freddie crawl into my lap as well.  No better feeling.
• I'm very thankful for the love, support, and help we've had the last week.  Sharing my boys feels good.