(2 months since his) Birthday Boy!!

Remember me?

No? Me neither...

I cannot believe it's been 2 months since this picture was taken. I hardly remember the completely sleepless nights, constant feeding and crying from exhaustion. Those days creeped by so slowly and now they've flown by so fast. What I would give to have my 2 day old beetle bug curled up on my chest, I get teary eyed thinking about how big he's getting so fast!

Here's what Beck is up to at 2 months

He weighs 12 lbs 6 0zs (5lbs 1 oz more than at birth) and 22.75 inches (3.25 inches more than at birth) which is about the 50th percentile. His head circumfrence is 41 cm which is also right around the 50th percentile. His brain capacity however is in the 99th percentile... mother's intuition (and genes).

He is consistently eating 3-4 ozs and going 3 to 4 hours between feedings. He still isn't sleeping through the night but he only wakes up once or twice and the one timers are happening more and more frequently.

He is smiling and cooing alot (fart and non-fart induced alike). He is beginning to really love his mobile and Rainforest Crib Soother, though nothing can take the ceiling fan's place in his heart.

And finally, Beck met his first black woman today. My friend, Beatrice, is from the Congo- she was holding Beck today and he was staring at her so intensely and quizzically like "what on Earth is she?" I have seriously never seen him make this face. After a minute or so of staring he gave in to her and started being the smiley face boy we know and love.

What a big, big boy!! 

Brrrr!

This morning we woke up to definite fall weather, it was only 50 degrees out and prettttty chilly. This was really the first cool day since Beck has been around, or atleast the first cool day that we've taken him anywhere. So without really thinking I just dressed him in his usual diaper and onesie and headed out the door (already 10 minutes late... apparently it is possible to be on time to work with a baby, I just still have not figured it out). Thankfully, Seth grabbed a blanket and threw it on him really quick, we don't want KinderCare to think we're bad parents.... well,  this is how he came back to me. 

Seth actually brought him the hat, blanket and sock (that's resting above his arm?? Hmm..) when he picked him up, but for the 10 seconds that I thought KinderCare bundled him up like that I was mortified. I'm going through his clothes tonight and finding some warmer gear... 

...or I'll just let KinderCare know, we don't plan on raising a wuss. 

KinderCare Update

Here's our boy after his 2nd day of KinderCare, much,  much better!! On his end of the day report, he still ate and slept sporadically with 45 and 25 minute naps but it was a slight improvement from his first day. 

Today he did GREAT! He had a 2 hour nap and a 1.5 hour nap and finished all his bottles! His teachers said he is one of the best babies they've ever had (uhh, duh).

Anyway, as I'm sitting here watching Beck sleep in his bouncer I can't believe how much bigger he's gotten in the past 8 weeks! I hardly recognize the little guy in this first picture- can you see how much he's changed?? 

First Day of KinderCare

Beck didn't know how good he had it staying at Millie and Poppy Don's house...

Beck's first day of KinderCare was today... it was rough... for me. I cried all morning and ended up making Seth take him to KinderCare because I couldn't do it. Even Seth thought it was sad when he got there and didn't want to leave him. Beck ate and slept sporadically all day which has proven in the past to make for a very, VERY long night. He got out of whack his first day at Millie's, fell asleep as soon as he got back to our house, slept til 12:00 and ate, slept til 3:00 and ate... and stayed up... the rest of the night. I have a feeling we're in for another one of those nights. Beck usually stays up for a bit and visits with us in the evening, this has been him ever since we got him home...

Every time I called to check in on Beck they said he was doing well and on his end of the day report, Miss Sara said he had a great day. I think after a week or so Beck will be used to her and his new routine, and hopefully at that point I can manage tear free too. 

Louisville Game

Another big day of tailgating at our house... I fell asleep during the 2nd, 3rd and part of the 4th quarters, Seth slept during the 3rd and keeping up with tradition our little booze hound passed out for part of the game too. I think we've made it to the point where staying home all the time is getting kinda boring. We're gonna make it a point to try and venture out a little more now that Beck can go without eating for more than 30 minutes. Maybe even to a game in the next couple weeks??

Anyway, I've always thought it was dumb when parents posted the same picture of their baby over and over except for a slightly different expression. I would always fly through them because those pictures were BORING. One picture of your baby laying in a Boppy making a slightly constipated face is enough, I don't need to see him looking to the right, the left, eyes closed, etc. Well... I'm officially one of those parents, but I think these faces are too cute not to post all of them... and they're very different expressions... no really...

aahhhhhh

CHOOO!

So happy the Cats won!

This is Not Okay

We are having serious night issues. Seth is sleeping, Beck is sleeping, I AM NOT. Why? Because our home has turned in to a cricket brothel. Because Seth can't sleep when I feed Beck in bed, and I fall asleep when I do (oops), I go downstairs to nurse him during the night. On more than one occasion, I have been kept company by a cricket. I see him across the room, yet somehow I feel him walking across my feet, so clearly I'm forced to keep my feet off the ground for the entire time I'm nursing. Holding a baby to your chest while hovering your legs in the air is a sight to see but it is not easy. Little Jiminy's presence is bad, but this is not the issue. The issue is when I go back up to bed he likes to court the ladies and chirp ALL NIGHT. Just when I'm about to fall asleep, "chirp, chirp chirp." It is driving me crazy! Why don't you just kill it, you ask? The only thing I hate worse then bugs is killing bugs. Picturing their guts splatter everywhere makes me gag and if I miss I know they're gonna run right at my feet or jump on me. The thought of that gives me anxiety, actually doing it is out of the question. I could wake up Seth to go kill it but I don't see that going over well. I did "accidentally" wake him up ("I'm sorry, I didn't mean to punch you, but since you're up...") to kill a spider on the steps but spiders are a whole new ball game. Don't get me started on the 3 house spiders that have graced us with their presence. BARF. After doing a little research, I've learned that the male house spider comes out at night in search of females. Cricket brothel, spider brothel, my house is a Red Light Special.

Now incase you didn't come here to learn of my insect/spider problems, Beck is doing very well with our pseudo sleeping schedule. He comes home from Millies, eats, watches Sports Center, then hits the sack around 7/8. He wakes up again at 12:00 and 4:00 which is awesome! After 4:00 its a crap shoot, he's woken up again at 5:00, 6:00 and 7:00. If we can just make it to 6:00 or 7:00 consistently I would be THRILLED!

Now, I think this is a good schedule- I don't think waking up twice a night at 7 weeks is bad especially with 3 hours to sleep in between. HOWEVER, I've been reading other baby blogs and all these other women are using Babywise, Baby Boot Camp and Baby Blah Blah Blah techniques. My techniques include the swaddling blanket, the swing and the boob. I don't have any strict regiment of times/orders/self soothing, I just do whatever I can to get him to not cry and sleep. Is this gonna come back to bite me in the butt? I'm worried that, like the nipple shield, I'm just doing what's easiest and gets the job done at the moment but what also may have long term consequences. I've read books and made it to about page 40 when I remind myself that it's just a baby, its my understanding that they've been around for a while now... maybe even a couple years before Babywise was published. If other parents and babies made it out ok without implementing all these rules, then so will we.

UPDATE:
Two nights ago, there was a pest convention downstairs with 1 house spider, 1 little spider (small enough to kill w/o guts flying), 1 cricket and 1 inch long black beetle/roach bug when I went downstairs to feed Beck. Sorry Seth, get some ear plugs.

Beck woke up only 1 time last night! Hooray!! I fed him around10:30, he woke up at 2:30am and then again at 6:30 am. I will admit getting him back to bed at 2:30 am was hard. For some reason he just wanted to hang out. Well son, you can hang out at 2:30 am when you're in college... for now go to bed. I laid him in his bassinet, gave him his paci and closed my eyes... I opened my eyes and he was staring at me, I chuckled and closed my eyes again... next time I opened my eyes his eyes were closed, mouth open, passed out. Just as I was telling Babywise to suck it, Beck wakes back up and insists on being picked up. So he just slept with me the rest of the night and although not ideal we're definitely making progress! What a big boy!

Poops I Did It Again

I'm not even mad... that's amazing. 

Unreal

Today was my 6 week check up and guess what! Not to brag (of course to brag) I weigh 6 lbs less than I did before I got pregnant! Woohoo!! As much as I dislike breastfeeding, wow, it is THE BEST DIET EVER!!! I would have never imagined I would lose all my pregnancy weight and then some this quickly! Unreal! (Do you think Reeses Pieces will give me some sort of diet endorsement deal much like Jared and Subway?)

I go back to work tomorrow... where has the time gone? I can't believe its been 6 weeks since I left and even more so I can't believe my boy is 6 weeks old! I also can't believe how much easier week 6 has been than week 2. Unreal!

And lastly, you want to know what else is unreal?

My poo covered stomach

Pampers, now we do(d0) have a bone to pick.

Tailgating

Since we couldn't make it to Cincinnati, Seth, Beck and I had our own tailgate for the UK/Miami game.

Touchdown!

Beck had a little too much to drink and passed out early. What a baby...

He Doesn't Sleep!

...back to normal...

He Sleeps!

It seems as though Beck is finally making a turn around in his night time sleeping schedule. His usual routine has been feeding at 9PM, 11PM, 1AM, 3AM, 5AM, 7AM and then wide awake to face the day. After getting the bib, burp cloth and nipple shield ready, feeding, burping, feeding, diaper change and then one more feeding session, close to an hour has passed... not to mention the time it takes for me to make myself a snack (read pour large bag of Reeses Pieces in my mouth). So between each feeding I have an hour to sleep if I'm lucky. And I'm never lucky. Most days Beck is not satisfied with his prior feeding and wakes up after 1.5 hours- 30 minute nap, you can go walk off a cliff. 

WELLLLL, as of Monday, Beck has decided he doesn't need his 11PM or 1AM feedings anymore and will sleep from about 10 to 2:30!!!! From 30 minutes to 4 hours and 30 minutes, I have hit the jackpot. From 2:30 on, he is back on his eating every 1.5 to 2 hours schedule and also chooses to begin his day an hour or 2 earlier, between 5AM and 6AM, but for those 4.5 hours I am in Heaven. I hate to write about this because I'm sure that secures an endless night tonight, but I am just so proud of our big boy. We'll see how long this trend lasts...

So, so long 1 AM, next time I see you I hope to be at Rosebuds with a beer in hand.

3AM, I'll see you tonight.   

6AM: Mom takes me on a walk to try and get me to go back to sleep.

7AM: Not today, lady.

*Here's a questions for other moms, the doctor said I'm supposed to wake Beck up every 4 hours at night to eat if he hadn't woken up already (ha). Monday night, I had to wake him up... he wasn't hungry at all and barely ate, once I put him back down he woke up an hour later because then he was hungry. Well at that point, he just needed a little snack since he had eaten an hour earlier. Guess how long that snack lasted... 1 more hour, I'm up again, this time for a big meal, thank God... I think if I had just waited until maybe 5 hours he would have woken up himself, would have been hungry and eaten enough to tide him over for maybe another 2 or so hours. Is it ok to wait until he wakes up? He's gaining a ton of weight so I'm not worried about him not getting enough to eat... if it's not evident in his above schedule, believe me, he eats. Is this more of a breastfeeding, don't want you to lose your milk supply by waiting too long thing? Should I just ask the doctor? Help!

Between meals, you can usually find me staring at the ceiling fan.