Milestones

Dear WP,

At nine weeks old, you have made great strides! (Not literally, although you're definitely trying.) You just found out that your fingers will fit in your mouth this week, and you've been comforting yourself with them ever since. You had a bit of a fitful sleep week, but in the past few days you're back to a long stretch at night and some catnaps during the day. Hopefully you'll settle into a more consistent schedule in a few weeks.

You love: staring at lights, especially the dining room chandelier-style fixture; watching kids, especially your cousin Joe, while they talk and play; being carried around; sitting in your swing and watching the mobile with a puzzled frown on your face; playing "modified Peekaboo" and watching our faces swivel around and smile at you; eating in your sleep; being wrapped up in a SwaddleMe blanket; lying on your back and smiling at people while they bicycle your legs and tickle you; me singing Christmas carols, especially "Sleigh Ride," while I kiss your belly; hanging out with your family and conking out from all the chatter around you; loud music or static on the car radio.

You do not love but will tolerate: being placed in your bouncy seat (maybe you know your mom is trying to steal a hands-free moment); the Baby Bjorn (you probably want to face out, which you'll be big enough to do soon enough); sleeping in your crib; your pacifier; walks in strollers and rides in the car (you used to fall asleep doing these activities, but not anymore!); getting burped.

You decidedly hate: being changed, especially with that diaper rash you've had for a few days; getting your nose suctioned and saline drops in your nostrils; becoming overtired and unable to sleep; getting startled by loud noises.

Your personality is so much bigger these days, and with each day it grows exponentially. You lock eyes with us and make cooing or whimpering noises, and sometimes you try to force crocodile tears even though you can't help smiling back at our grinning faces. That's when I know we brought the right baby home from the hospital. :-)

Lots of love,
Mom & Dad

Fat-urday

It always means trouble when you go to Judy and Marilyn's for brunch. Today, we ate (against our better judgment) homemade quiche, apple cake, brioche, coffee cake and other various treats. Needless to say, that postpartum diet is still on hiatus.

While we stuffed ourselves, our family members took care of the baby. Dave and I decided we pretty much have it made.

Two Months Young

On September 30, we brought Will home from the hospital. Mostly, he just liked to sleep on his dad.

Two months later, this kid is a real person! Well, almost:

(Dave didn't let me post the video of Will smiling and laughing because he--Dave--sounded "too goofy." When I figure out how to edit these videos, I'll post them here.)

Thanksgiving Math

PLUS

PLUS

PLUS

EQUALS

In other words, the postpartum diet starts tomorrow, folks.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Old Home Week

Of my four college roommates who have lived in New York since we graduated in 2002, one recently moved back to the Boston area, one visited yesterday, and one is joining me for dinner tonight.

We've spent Thanksgiving with Dave's family the last couple of years, but this year we decided not to travel with a two-month-old and instead to save Will's first trip to New Jersey for Christmas. The silver lining to celebrating in Boston (besides the obvious: taking one year to celebrate with my parents and eating my mother's Midwestern classic--a sweet potato casserole with a pecan crust) is seeing these native New Englanders as they return to the homeland. I'm having so much fun!

Incidentally, that fourth college roommate? She lives in New Jersey, so I'll see her over Christmas as well.

At the risk of sounding corny (Get it? Corn? Thanksgiving?), I admit I've got a lot to be thankful for.

Favorite Baby Stuff

Since Will is still asleep two hours later (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), I'm moving our list of Favorite Baby Stuff from the sidebar to a post unto itself. Here it is:

• Pampers Swaddlers diapers: they're cozy even when pulled tight around the tummy, and they're virtually leak-proof (in our experience)
• Baby mittens: any brand or type works to keep hands warm and prevent face-scratching if you're too skittish to clip or file your baby's nails
• Dr. Brown's baby bottles: we tried Avent, Born Free, Medela and Evenflo, but these bottles are worth their slightly more involved assembly requirements
• Snap 'n' Go stroller by Baby Trend: I've covered this one already in another post
• Random humidifier bought at CVS: clears up congestion, warms up the nursery, provides some welcome white noise

I'll add to this list with future posts in the "Faves 'n' Raves" category.

The Sleep Update

I wrote most of that last post on Sunday; yesterday (Monday) was an exercise in patience and in moderating expectations when it came to Will's sleep patterns. Yikes.

Will woke up at 8:30 a.m. after two nighttime wake-ups (not normal for him), and stayed up save for four separate naps, the total of which was only two hours of sleep! All day! Yikes again.

Then he didn't fall asleep for the night until midnight, and he slept until 6, then fell asleep again from 6:30 to 9:45 this morning. Phew.

Dave and I were absolutely convinced there was something terribly wrong with him (is he dehydrated? does he have reflux? does he have diarrhea?), but I think he was just incredibly overtired and, you know, having a "regular baby" day. Will has set the bar so high for his first two months of life that we consider it a horrorshow when he has one tired-but-can't-sleep 24-hour period. And while that's important to pay attention to, we don't have to get quite as worked up about it as we did. Oh well...there's no way to learn these lessons except to live through them, I suppose.

Epilogue: William slept from 11-1:30, 2:40-3:30, and has now been asleep since 4:45; in between he ate copious amounts of milk and had a nice playdate with Auntie Molly. Lovely.

**UPDATE WITHIN AN UPDATE** I just found my favorite article on infant sleep: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp