Three Months Old!

Dear Colin,

In January 31, 2014 you turned three months old.  Our 4th trimester is nearing completion and I have been back at work for a month.  You are a beautiful BIG baby!  You only look 3 months old when you are tucked up against me in one of our wraps.  If you are on the floor or in the swing you look much older.  Your physical attributes aren't the only thing that contribute to the general public thinking you are older than you are - your muscle tone is amazing!  You are holding your head up, you can stand on your legs, your abdominal muscles are hard at work as you try to pull your shoulders off the floor or hold yourself in a sitting position.  You are also incredibly alert and will track people and things around the house with both your ears and your eyes.  Such a smart boy!

You are wearing size 3-6 month clothes and, just like Conor, your feet are such that socks are a huge issue because they are all too tight!  You are in cloth diapers the majority of the time now, including at night, but because I cannot change your diaper during the evening you have many inserts stuffed in!  Despite this we are still dealing with a leaking issue but I am hoping that this may resolve itself when you are nursing a bit less at night.  So, for now you sleep on a blanket with a towel underneath so I don't have to worry about mattresses and sheets.

You still have reflux and you spit up quite a bit.  Because of this you really don't like to lay on your back and while you seem to like your play mat a lot - you do not like being there for more than a few minutes.  You are also very easily overstimulated (likely a product of Conor being around all the time and being a crazy 2 year old!) so Daddy and I work hard to ensure you don't get too worked up when things are a bit hectic around here.

You smile so much - you are a very happy baby (when you are not crying).  You do tend to cry more than I remember Conor crying but this is also a much busier house than the one he came home to.  But, you hold your own little man and your BIG personality is starting to emerge.

You are able to roll over!  If I place you on your tummy you will roll to your back.  You are also working on rolling from back to tummy but I think that will be a while still.  Your hair is starting to grow in and your favorite thing to do is munch on your hands so I can only imagine what's going on in that mouth of yours.

Sleep.  Colin you are a terrible sleeper.  I'm really sorry to have to say that but its 100% true!  You don't sleep well because you are always wanting to eat.  Right now you are eating every 2 hours around the clock.  CRAZY!  I have decided that for my own sanity and yours that you will only be fed at night every other wake-up.  I am determined to have you only eating every 4 hours at night by the time you are 5 months old because your Mom needs sleep!  Right now you are sleeping in your co-sleeper for the first part of the evening and then after 11pm you are moving into the bed with us.  Its not ideal but its how we are all managing the 2 hour feeds.

 

You and your brother are still a wonderful pair and it has been a lot of fun watching you respond to him.  I can only imagine how much trouble to two of you are going to get into in the future!  In this series of photos I was giving you a massage and he wanted one too.  He loves to be helpful and get diapers and wipes, put dirty diapers in the trash or the wetbag.  He also likes to try to hand you toys and is very good at helping you with tummy time.

The month has been a slow one.  You haven't had any visitors other than Grandma and Grandpa Jakan and the playgroup ladies.  But you did go bowling with Mommy and the Moms for Mother's Night Out.  It was fun to have you there and we did pretty good too!

You love the bath and while I don't give them to you too often because they really dry out your skin (which is already dry and seemingly sensitive), when you do get one you go to town splashing and kicking and trying to drink the water as I let it run down your face.  After each bath you get a full coconut oil massage to help rehydrate your skin.  You LOVE it!

 

Overall, we couldn't ask for a better baby!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  Here is the comparison photo of you and Conor

Conor on top, Colin below

Baptism

Dear Conor,

On Sunday, July 22, 2012 you were baptised at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, Massachusetts at 1:00pm.  It was a beautiful day - the kind of perfect Cape Cod day (not too hot, not too cold, not too windy, and the humidity was not a factor). 

Before we went inside to have the actual ceremony we took some pictures outside in front of the blue hydrangeas (which were also the flowers from Mommy and Daddy's wedding).

Mommy and Conor

Mommy and Conor (again)

Our little family

You & Godparents

All your 'parents'

After pictures we went inside for your Ceremony - there were just a few other babies that were baptised with you (one was the baby of Grandpa Adam's friend).

Pouring Water 

 

After Ceremony

 

Us with the Deacon

You had so many people come to your baptism - you are so loved!

xoxo
Mommy

SEVEN MONTHS & Doctor Check-up

Dear Conor,

I truly can't believe it - seven months!  You are now closer to being ONE than being a newborn!  Mommy has some great ideas for your first birthday and since the days are now flying by I better get started on the planning!

While physically you haven't grown that much in the last month developmentally you have blossomed.  You have become so much more mobile.  You use your arms to reach for things to grab and then you pull yourself towards those items.  When you can't reach something you use your toes to push off the floor or any object behind you to give you some momentum.  You are also pulling yourself up onto your hands and knees and rocking back and forth.  You also now LOVE to stand and walk!  Taking you to see Erika the Chiropractor has really made a difference in your gait and stability.  You are walking much straighter now and you are using both legs equally.  While you right step is still shorter than your left we are very happy with your progress.

You love to observe things.  You take them into your hands and you turn them around and around or you drop them and pick them back up.  You explore your toys in this manner - sometimes shaking them so much that we watch you bop yourself in the head!

You are very aware of your surroundings.  You look for us when we come down the stairs if you hear the creaking of the steps.  You cry/whine when someone you want to play with leaves the room, you turn to the voice of both Daddy and I when you hear us somewhere in the house call your name.  You are such a smart little boy already!

We took you for your 6 month check-up (which was really at 7 months) and here are your stats:  weight 18obs 14oz (58%); height 26 inches (20%); head 45cm (72%). You were such a good boy at the doctor's office until the final shot.  Once it was in your leg you gave a swift kick and the needle tracked down your thigh.  The nurse felt terrible because she wounded you.  I felt terrible because I hadn't held you tightly enough and Daddy felt bad because the nurse felt bad.  We all laughed and said next time we were going to put you in a straight jacket but on your legs!

While we waited for the doctor you had a great time ripping up the paper on the exam table!

Of course, as soon as we got home I had to check and see how your stats compared to your old ones - here they are (in order):

As you can see, your weight gain has slowed down and instead of gaining 2lbs a month you are gained 2 pounds in almost 3 months.  Your head circumference is back up which is a good thing because it means you will not be evaluated for further treatment on your flat spot (more on that later).  You are still a little shorty but you have plenty of time to grow so no one is worried since you are still growing.  They would only be worried if you had stopped!

I don't know what else to say Conor except you are wonderful in every way!

Happy 7 month birthday!

xoxo
Mom

PS.  Look how you have grown!  As each month passes its getting harder and harder to remember you as the little red faced baby in the first picture!

What a Baby Needs

Conor,

I have been going through your closet as you have outgrown several of your clothing items and I need to take an inventory of what you need for Spring and Summer since those clothes are now avaiable in both stores and consignment shops (I have also been thinking ahead to what you will need next fall/winter since those items are on sale in many stores).  We were very fortunate that so many of our friends and family bought you things in bigger sizes - we have a good start in each size range but you don't have enough of any one size to get by (other than 0-3).

Carter's clothing outlets (as well as Osh Gosh) have special promotion days so I am making a list of what you need and the days so that I can share the list with your family and also have a list running for myself in the event I find time to get to the outlets.

Carters & Osh Gosh - Tuesdays is double stamp days for parents and Wednesdays is double stamp days for grandparents (as of 12/2011)

You are currently wearing size 0-3 but by the summer you will be in 3-6 (or size months) as well as 6-9 months (You will  be 6 months old in June and 9 months by August).  Therefore we need a bunch of things in the different sizes to ensure we have clothes for you over the summer.

NEEDS:

Sleep & Play- Mom prefers snaps while Dad prefers zippers so a mix of both is needed; should be cotton or microfleece but not terry cloth as it is itchy.  Click HERE to see a Sleep & Play.

Onesies - we need about 6 more white to ensure I don't have to do laundry every other day.  Mom wants to find some white long sleeve onesies (they are hard to find) for layering purposes.

Onesies - Polo shirt looking onesies are on my list of MUST HAVES for Spring/Summer.  Click HERE.

Jumpers/Rompers - I prefer to keep you in what I call "all-in-one" outfits since you are a bigger guy and it makes your frequent changes easier.  Click HERE to see a Romper.  They are also better for your tummy because there is no elastic to put additional pressure on your abdomen.

Pant & Shorts sets - to make dressing you easier I try to by things in "sets" becaues then there is always a bottom to match a top (right now we have lots of tops and almost no matching bottoms - I can't have you looking like punky brewster!).  I love the overall shorts sets that Carters currently has online and in their outlet!

As far as next August - December - I am on the lookout for anything on sale in these size 9-12 and/or 12-18 that would work for fall and winter months.  This is why Mom is looking for long sleeve onesies in all sizes - because I can always put one under a tee shirt or shirt for added warmth! (plus, we like layering)!

You don't need a winter jacket because you can't wear them in your carseat but you will need a snowsuit for next season - I have been looking for one from LLBean or Patagonia at second hand stores but haven't found one yet.  I have been looking for size 12-18.  You will also need hats/mittens for next year.

Phew - outfitting a growing child is TOUGH!

xoxo
Mom