It's been two months since our little prince arrived. Needless to say, Joe and I have been busy adjusting to parenthood and preoccupied with three-hour feedings, diaper changes, nap time, play time, bed time, storybook time, bath time, crying time and the rest of the blessed accompaniments that come with such a role. This would explain my long absence from the blogosphere. Although I think about blogging every day and sharing the minute-by-minute details of our lives, it does get a little challenging when you're sleep deprived and haven't showered all day. Invariably, blogging, at this point, is put on hold (even if you have an idea for a very witty blog post and can't wait to talk about your little one.)
So after a good night's sleep and a nice long shower, I thought I would provide my faithful followers a brief recap of what's been happening these last two months and our blissful lives with Julian...
*He turned 8 weeks this weekend (January 21st)!!! Already he has grown so much. Aside from no longer being considered a newborn, he has also started to SMILE. It's quite possibly the sweetest thing to witness. He is also very alert. He seems to be the curious type, gazing at inanimate objects and looking at us intently as we engage in endless baby talk with him. I'm sure every proud parent is just that - proud and happy to boast of their child's development. :-) Who can blame us?
*I won't venture to guess his weight. His two-month check-up is this week and we'll find out his weight and height. As of his one-month check-up in December, he was already 11 pounds and had grown an inch and half since birth. I will share his 'vitals' after our appointment.
*He is sleeping in his crib in his own room. When we came home from the hospital, we had him sleeping in a bassinet in our room. This way we could keep an eye on him and watch over him as he slept (I can't tell you how many times I would check if he was breathing. Truth be told, I still do that.) Not to mention, his proximity made late-night diaper changes and feedings easier. At six weeks, he had already outgrown the bassinet, so we had no choice but to move him into his crib. At that point (expectant and new moms pay attention to this trick!), we adopted the 'double swaddle' technique (suggested to me by a friend on Facebook) and made the Sleep Sheep his new crib-mate. The Sleep Sheep plays different soothing and 'sleep-promoting' music similar to a sleep machine. Since babies are used to many noises in utero, complete silence can be unsettling and may make it harder for them to fall asleep. Both techniques help Julian sleep better - during naps and at night. I still check on his breathing via my handy video monitor courtesy of my good friend Jade. I can't tell you how many times during the day and of course at night I look at the screen to make sure he is breathing! <--- Call me paranoid and maybe crazy, I know.
*Probably the most remarkable development is that he is sleeping EIGHT HOURS AT NIGHT. Yes, EIGHT HOURS. I credit this commonly elusive feat to the techniques and principles of Babywise. Most people (our families included) think we're crazy for 'imposing' a feeding and sleeping schedule on our baby, but no one else but us has to endure late-night feedings (as in 4am feedings). The cornerstone of the Babywise technique is to promote a full night's sleep through parent-directed feedings and naps. I know it sounds harsh, but it does work and having a routine with an infant is exceedingly helpful. Plus, if this approach encourages a full night's sleep, I'm all for it. Sign me up - twice. This monumental achievement just happened recently at exactly 8 weeks. Wow!
*He has already outgrown '3 months' clothing. We have started dressing him in '6 months' clothes. It's a good thing I had stocked up on clothing in this size because he quickly moved right into this range. It's incredible how quickly he has grown! See for yourselves...
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| Look at those eyes! |
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| Look at that sweet face! |
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| Such a happy baby!!! |
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| I think he looks very Middle Eastern in this picture... |
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| Ready for his first trip to Target lol! |
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| Fencer's pose (almost)! |
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| Gorgeous! |
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| And there's me... Every week for the last 25 weeks of my pregnancy, I posted a picture of my growing belly. I'm happy to say my belly (for the most part) is gone. I still have a little pooch but I'm working on it. I'm trying to do a new workout routine called "Brazilian Butt Lift". More on that in the next post! |
