Three months

Dear sweet boy,
You are three whole months old today and have officially left your “forth trimester.” Get ready to be put to work—you’re a man now! Just kidding. Your daddy and I have been working hard to guard the first few months of your life, helping you (to the best of our ability) feel as much like you did when you were in utero as possible. We spent many an hour swaddling, shushing and rocking you. We hope that your transition into the world was a nice, gradual one.
You are still a happy boy and are smiling frequently. Your happiest times are still on the changing table, where the soft comfort of the changing pad allows your limbs to relax (from their near constant flailing) so you can concentrate on cooing and smiling. You even laughed—sounded mighty similar to Cousin Stuart’s distinctive inhaling laugh, but we’ll take it!
You seem to have leveled off, growth-wise and are comfortably fitting into your 3-6 month clothes. Your cheeks still take the cake (ooohhh, wouldn’t you like some cake?!) in terms of your most chubby feature, but your porky thighs are a close second.
Your sleeping has improved slightly and you tend to do a longer (4-5 hour) stretch followed by a shorter (3-4) hour stretch and are usually up for the day between 6-7:30. Then you’re right back down for your first nap about one hour later. Good timing so Mommy can shower and pump. We put you in your crib awake and you stare at your mobile until you slip off into dreamland. What a good boy!
You are thoroughly enjoying sucking on your hands, a new skill that started about 10 days ago. Mostly you suck on as much of your left hand as you can fit in your mouth but occasionally you’ll get a single finger in there and go to town. We wonder if this will stick. Maybe because of the hand sucking…you got your first cold this month. Fortunately it wasn’t a bad one and you handled it well.
You had your first babysitting experience this month--today actually. Grandma and Grandpa Rivera came over and stayed with you while Mommy went to the dentist. Much to their chagrin (Grandma and Grandpa’s, not the dentist’s), you slept the whole time!
You have glanced at your hands just a few fleeting times over the last few days and I predict that you will discover them soon. You are getting so interested in your toys and often stare at your crib aquarium toy intently.
I guess you have truly “joined the world” this month.

Boy are we glad to have you.

Love,
Mama

I hope I never forget...

I hope I never forget...

The beauty of your toothless smile.
The way you try so hard to talk, letting out breathless "hhhhh" and opening your mouth wide.
How hard you work to break out of your swaddle.
The loud sucking sounds you make when you can get your hands into your mouth.
The way your first laughs sound like Cousin Stuart's.
The gray color of your eyes as they transition to their final color, whatever that may be.
Those quiet pooping grunts. Sorry, but I know one day that won't be so cute!
The way your adoringly gaze at your father when he comes into your field of vision.
How mellow you are.
The amazing softness of your skin.
How portable you are. I know this won't last, and you are already showing us how well you can nap during the day.
When your perfect little mouth makes sucking motions as you sleep.
How happy you make your grandparents.
The way you have fulfilled my ultimate desire to be a mother.

Thank you little boy.

Milestones

A few new great milestones have been achieved in the last week...

Ben has started to coo in earnest. It's the sweetest thing. His happiest times are still while on the changing table (go figure) and I can almost always coax some sweet smiles and heart-warming coos out of the boy. Since I change about a million diapers in a day, Ben and I have plenty of time to "talk."

The other recent development (as of February 28th) is Ben's recent discovery of his hand. To be specific, he doesn't exactly seem to notice he has hands, and doesn't track or look at them, but he has started putting them in his mouth. The right hand was first and now he can get his left on in there too! Guess it's time to start asking people not to touch his hands anymore...or is that too Anal-Mommy?

Getting close...

Closer...

Bingo!

Our boy has also grown some serious eyelashes over the last two weeks. Maybe that's the one thing he gets from his mommy!

Sleeping has improved. Ben usually sleeps around 4 or 5 hours in the first stretch and 3.5-4 in the second. We still sometimes have our usual 3 hour stretches, but he seems to be stretching out a bit. We are happy when this happens--and so is our boy!

2 Months

Dear Benjamin (aka Cheeks),

Happy 2 month birthday! Boy what a month. You are beginning to spend more time in your fabulous quiet alert state during the day (and sometimes at night—not as fun) and are gracing us with your amazing smiles more and more often. We tend to have the best “conversations” when you’re on the changing table (which is frequently!) and you are just starting to make adorable cooing sounds.

Here's a video showcasing both your sweet smiles and your not so sweet spitting up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhqUGrIBf0g

You are currently around 13 pounds and at nearly the 70th percentile for weight and have grown about an inch in length (around the 50th percentile).
You had some shots at your 2 month appointment and handled them, well, like a baby. You recovered quickly and didn’t have any adverse reactions.
Sleeping seems to be two steps forward, one step back. Daddy spent a long night awake with you last night (he’s a saint!) and although Mommy slept well, you decided that it was more fun to hang with Daddy than to be sleeping. I don’t blame you!
You will still occasionally give us a 4 hour sleep stretch but you still usually do more like 3 or 3.5. We know you’ll get there!
You are eating about 4.5 ounces every 3 hours. Most of the time we can set our clocks to your consistency. You are a boy who likes to eat!
You have graduated to size 2 diapers, and while that might not seem like a big deal, it is a reminder of just how far we’ve come. I found a newborn diaper in my jacket the other day (I know that would make a good joke punch line…something like “you know you’re a new mother when you find a diaper in your jacket pocket…or something like that) and stared in amazement. How could you have fit into something so small? I am constantly putting outgrown outfits into storage and am a little melancholy each time.
It goes by so fast!
We have been going to the Rogers Park Parents Group with some regularity and, when you’re actually awake, enjoy looking at the other babies. Mom enjoys talking with the other parents. We went to “Uncle” Chris’s birthday party and everyone enjoyed holding you and marveling at how big you’ve gotten. Daddy had a birthday, too, and we celebrated with a quiet dinner with just the three of us and a nice family celebration with Grandma and Grandpa. They sure do love seeing you!
Grammy made you a beautiful sweater and Pops still loves to play music for you. What a lucky boy you are to have such a wonderful extended family.
“Auntie” Leah has been coming over about once a week. She’s a great support for Mommy and I know you and she are going to have a great relationship.
Your little personality is really starting to show. We think you’re a mellow chap but when you need something, you surely let us know. You don’t mind tummy time and still enjoy staring at fans and ceilings. You are able to track toys and people for quite a distance and are just starting to smile in response to Daddy coming home from work. He sure does like that.
Well, Boy, we sure do love having you here with us and are enjoying every moment with you (even in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping). We can’t wait to see what the next month has in store.
What a great adventure you are.

Love you,
Mommy

2 month appointment

Ben had his 2 month pediatrician appointment today with the lovely Dr. Robinson.

He is still weighing in ahead...at a whopping 12lbs 6oz--somewhere in the 70th percentile. Way to go Chunky Boy!

1st night in the crib

Big Boy Ben spent his first night in his crib last night. I'm not sure why I expected miracles, but he did his standard 3-4 hour stretches, just like he did when he was sleeping in the bassinette in our room. Not bad for a 7-week-old, so everyone says.
We also instituted a bedtime routine, consisting of a bottle, followed by playtime or bathtime, a book, a top-off bottle if necessary, and then bedtime. Last night required much rocking but there's a bath on the agenda tonight which will hopefully wear him out a bit.
We'll see how he does...as Jonathan so aptly says, "It's an art, not a science."

For the record...a real smile!

Ben had his first real social smile tonight, during the Superbowl. I have yet to capture it on film, that could take some time.

Does this mean he's a football fan?

Next stop on the developmental train: cooing.

Can't wait!