Conor Christopher: Five Months

Conor by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 

It's starting to feel real having you home with us! I can't believe you're already five months old. How has it already been five months? I just love you so much!

Growing // You weighed 10 lbs 14 oz on the actual 5 month mark, but you weighed 11 lbs 1 oz at your five month check up, that was about a week past the actual five month mark! And you're 22.25 inches long. I'm not entirely sure about your percentiles as the Drs. office has stopped adjusting your numbers. But they did say your weight percentile has remained the same as last month and your length percentile has increased actually!

Eating + Sleeping // You are eating 110 mls and I think you started the month at 90 mls. In all honesty though, it's hard to get you to finish a bottle. And it's hard to feed you! You cry and squirm and push it away and I have to bounce you and pat your tummy to get you to take it. It's kind of a lot of work, and it was taking an hour to feed you. We finally just upped your bottle nipple to a 2 and you're not fussing quite as much. We are feeding you 7 times a day, and normally about 3 hours between feeds. We're still waking you up to eat during the day and at night. Maybe this next month we can be more led by you? And you normally go to bed around 7 or so, and then we wake you around 10:30 to feed you before bed, and then we wake you again at 4 AM to feed you, and then you wake up about 7:30/8. You are such a great sleeper, truly. You fall asleep really fast once we put you in your bed and you rarely fuss, and we hardly ever put you in your bed asleep. So you do it all yourself! You're still sleeping on your wedge, but it's hard to strap you in it as you're starting to outgrow it. 

Wearing // You are wearing 0-3 month things now! I packed your newborn stuff away. And you're wearing size 1 diapers and you're wearing your cloth diapers during the day and disposables at night. And we have so many new clothing items for you. I had bought a few things for you, but we were given a bunch of new pjs and things and it's so fun to put you in all the new stuff that was purchased just for you!

Loving // You love to suck on your hands! And sometimes I can even hear you sucking from the other room! And you love sucking on your tongue too. You really love being wrapped up and swaddled.

Loathing // You don't really like to eat. And you don't really like when I keep you up past your naptime, you start fussing until I put you in your bed to sleep.

Nicknames // Conor bears, Con man, Connie, Squish - Ryan calls you Conna

Doing // Smiling!! And cooing at us. You have started to grab our hands and my hair and I'm always finding strands of my hair in your little hands.

Doctors Appointments // 4 appointments - 2 to North Seattle pediatrics and 2 Occupational therapy appointments.

Milestones // You met your Irish grandparents for the first time! And you had your first OT appointment. And you had your first visit downtown. 

Jack by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12
Ryan by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 //12 

Smitten

 

9 weeks // 34 weeks // 4 months

Dear Ryan,

When I took you in for your 4 month checkup a few weeks ago, your Dr. asked me how I was doing, and I said we're doing great as I nuzzled your nose. She replied, you are just smitten with him...and I paused and said...you're right I am. And then I went on to explain, feeling like I needed to justify myself. Well maybe it's because the firstborn's at home with the grandparents and it's just you and me at this appointment, which makes it a whole lot easier for me to focus on you then if the firstborn was there. These moments alone with you are so sweet and so incredibly rare...and I told her that. And of course I had to add in there ...and, I'm the second born. So I get it.

So maybe I have a special affinity for you? Or a soft spot you might say? Or maybe I know just how fast the time goes, seeing as this is the second time around. The days sure seem long sometimes, but the years are so short. And in the big scheme of things, these sweet baby moments disappear in a blink of an eye and in a matter of moments (okay..more like months and years) that baby goes from a little thing that is more or less motionless to a giant crazy child who is always in motion. So much happens that first year! And I don't want to miss it. This I know now.

And yes, you may be the second born, which realistically means I don't have all the time for you that I had with your brother, but if I'm honest, I'm a better version of myself now, because of that first born. I'm a better me...a better wife...a better mom now than I was when your brother was born, and for that I'm sure you're thankful! I leave dishes in the sink, clean laundry in the basket, bags unpacked, and I just sit and stare and delight in you. And I look forward to those moments when you're hungry and I get to curl up with you on the bed and just stare into your eyes and cuddle you while you nurse and pull on my hair and pat my chest, while we  escape that crazy toddler even if it's for just a moment.

This truly is the life. And this is my life, and I wouldn't want it any other way. And the Dr. was right...I am smitten with you.

I love you so much sweet boy. 

Xoxo,

Mama

Ryan Alexander: Five Months

Ryan by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 //

My sweet boy you are already 5 months! Your brother joined us for this month's photoshoot and it was such a beautiful reminder that the days are long, but the years certainly are short. He's only a few years older than you, but he sure looks like a giant next to you...a giant that never stops moving! And while you just kick your little legs and smile, your brother climbs all over you and jumps around like a wild man. But the best part is...you love it. I spend quite a bit of my time telling big brother to be gentle, and he does his best to listen to mama, but he just loves you so much and goes around saying lovee Ry Ry. Truly, you are the best gift we could have ever given that little man!

Growing // You have grown a ton! everyone keeps saying how big you are, and I'm always telling them, well he's really not that big for his age. would be fun to compare you to your newborn self. :) You'd most certainly look like a giant!

Eating + sleeping // You love eating/knawing on your hands. You're probably teething! We'll introduce solids next month, but we're not there yet. Dr. said you needed more tummy time and we needed to wait till you did a better job of holding up your head. You're eating about 4/5 oz a feed I think? But I don't really know unless you're bottle fed. You are still waking up two times a night. There were a few nights there where it was every 3 hours, but you've been stretching it out just a bit. However, you've never been one to give us long stretches of sleep at night, but again, you go back to bed super easy after I give you just a little bit of food. We could probably put you to bed earlier, and you'd probably get more in your tummy that way because by the time we put you to bed around 8, which is when jack goes to bed, you are exhausted and it's hard to get you to nurse for too long because you just want to go to your bed.

Wearing // You are wearing quite a few of your 6 month clothes these days. And you're still wearing size 2 disposable diapers at night and cloth during the day!

Loving // You love your hands and you love to laugh and smile! You've been doing so much giggling lately. And you are so ticklish. You love your brother and when he interacts with you. And you even enjoy bathtime. You really love alot of things!

Loathing // You aren't a huge fan of a pacifier...but I did find just one that you will actually suck on. And you really dislike when Jack smacks his head into yours, but who wouldn't hate that??

Milestones // First laugh, you rolled over from front to back a few times. And you're trying your best to hold your head up and you met your Irish grandparents for the first time!! Oh and your brother tried to brush your teeth for the first time...little does he know you don't have teeth and that sticking his toothbrush in your mouth will just make you gag, which will then lead to you shedding a few tears. Doesn't mean he doesn't love you!

 

 

Jack by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12