1 Month

There's not much to say about a 1 month old, other than STOP GROWING!!!!! I don't think Max is keeping his promise to stay newborn forever. He's already noticably bigger, more alert, and outgrowing his newborn clothes.

We used up his NB diapers and moved up to Size 1 late last week. We've probably pushed the limits on the NB diapers, but I just couldn't let him grow! :) We're using our small cloth diapers when we're at home, but sticking with disposables when we're out and about. When he's a few pounds bigger, we should have enough cloth diapers that fit him, and then we can full-time cloth diaper him. (But that won't happen because I'm not letting him grow any bigger...)

Max is a fairly quick nurser, eating in 15 minutes or less most of the time. He's done that from the time he was born! It's so odd, since Alex took a lot longer, and I feel like I'm not feeding Max enough. I guess we're doing okay, since he keeps growing!

Max goes to bed around 10:30 PM, then usually wakes to eat around 3 AM, and then again at around 5:30 AM and 7:30 AM. He nurses quickly, then goes right back to sleep during the night. While my sleep is interrupted, it's not too bad since he's such a quick nurser. Some nights, he'll wake around 1:30/2 AM, and then he's usually up a few more times during the night. When that happens, he barely nurses & I can't keep him awake to eat more...which leads to those additional night-time wakings. It's frustrating, but it's only temporary...I can handle it! He's been getting better about giving us a longer first stretch, and we're hopeful that this will happen more and more often! We swaddle him for his night-time sleep, so hopefully that's helping to teach him that it's time for "real" sleep.

Speaking of swaddling, Alex loved it and we had to really work at getting him to sleep without the swaddle blanket when he outgrew it. Max...well, not so much! He tolerates it, but some nights, I'll go in to feed him & find that he has the swaddle wrapped around his middle with his legs and arms sticking out from above & below the wrap! Silly boy!

He likes the swing a lot more than Alex ever did. Max will contentedly swing to sleep. He doesn't care for bouncy seats as much as Alex did at this age, though. Max also LOVES to be in the sling! I mainly use it for shopping, taking walks, or holding him while out & about...times when it's the most convenient way to carry a little baby while still caring for a toddler. A few days ago, though, I used it at home because Max was fussy & the sling just totally relaxes him. It was the only way to get dinner on the table! I don't know how I would live without this sling - it's a lifesaver! So, thanks, random Walmart customer who makes baby slings...you were a BIG help! Thanks, too, to Grandma P for offering me the sling as a birthday present!

He has started following objects (like a rattle or bright toy) with his eyes or turning his head to follow it. We tried him under a play gym a few days ago, and he was content and enjoying the lights/colors, but I worry that Big Brother might step on him! Maybe I'll have to put a play gym in the pack n play to protect Max as he looks at the toys!

Max is generally a content, relaxed baby. He sleeps through just about any noise other than Maggie's barking. (If only he could teach his big brother that trick!) He doesn't usually fuss during the day, unless he has a specific need. He does have a fussy time most evenings, but it's not terrible. Hopefully he'll get past that before too long!

I'm pretty sure he smiled (a "real" smile) for the first time at about 4 weeks old. He was wide awake, sitting on my lap, and I was talking to him. He was looking straight into my eyes when he grinned. He did the same thing with my sister last week Tuesday at Kohl's. We tried to get a picture, but didn't act quickly enough. Earlier this week, he was smiling at Alex, too. I wish I had that on camera! He also smiled at Keith a few days ago, and he's given me a few more smiles late this week. It is awfully rewarding to see those first smiles!

Since we are skipping the one month pediatrician visit, we're not sure about accurate height or weight at one month. We stopped by my friend Karen's house this week, and we used her baby scale while we were there: 9 lbs, 6.5 oz. (Alex weighed 9 lbs at his one month visit.)

That's about all there is to say for now...he's growing, he's healthy, and we are totally in love! :)

(The pictures in this post are just a few random pictures from this month that hadn't been used anywhere else on the blog.)