We've Got Smiles

Okay, I will freely admit that I am obsessed with taking pictures of Leo. Joe assures me that plenty of people check the blog, so I will just continue until told otherwise. Plus, now that Leo is smiling, I simply can't resist. Leo probably is confused by the fact that every time he is in a good mood his mommy runs away to retrieve a silver apparatus that she covers her face with (the camera). I have managed to capture a few goofy Leo smiles, so I am proud to post them.

Now that Leo is 1 day shy of 9 weeks, I feel we have turned a corner with his moodiness. He is now much easier to manage and seems to enjoy life more. Although he has his moments, he is so much calmer now. He does still manage to wake me up about 3 times a night and last night he proved to be exceptionally demanding. He woke every 2 hours or so and only nibbled before he would pass out again. Come on Leo...if you are going to wake up the whole family at 3 a.m., let's make it worth while. Even in these moments, when I see his chubby cheeks and bright eyes, I can't help but adore him.

I have been continuing to go to the new mom's group, which has been great. Although it feels like a monumental effort to pack-up and risk having a public meltdown (Leo, not me!), once I am in the company of other new moms, who are dealing with similar dilemmas, it all seems worth it.

8 Weeks Old

Yeah! Leo is 8 weeks old and his fussiness should be subsiding soon. Luckily for us, we get smiles everyday now, so one minute of smiles can erase many hours of fussiness. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that he is still fussy, but I do feel that each day gets a little easier. Joe and I joke that it's a good thing that he's so cute because that saves him. If he wasn't so unbelievably adorable, he might be in trouble!

Leo still wakes up about 3 times a night, so he is really trying to pack on the pounds. I am as sleep deprived as ever and since Leo usually rejects his bottle, I am his main feeder. For now, this arrangement is ok, and we are trying to give him his bottle daily, but since I am planning to work 3 days a week, he will need to ease up so that the nice ladies at Kindercare can feed him.

He is now between newborn and 0-3 month sized clothes. He has so many cute clothes in the 0-3 month group, so I am hoping he catches up quickly.

As you may have noticed, I write about almost nothing other than Leo. Well, he really is a full-time job and a second and third job at that, so for the time being he will be my main focus. It is true that I can't remember what life was like without Leo. He is so much a part of what we are and I can't imagine life without him. My priorities have definitely shifted as a mother and Joe's as a father. I am trying to let go of some of my type A personality traits...the house doesn't have to be immaculate, I don't have to go to the gym everyday, a nap is not a waste of time etc. Life with Leo is much slower paced and simpler. I am trying to soak it all in and savor these first few months.

7 Weeks Old

Today Leo is 7 weeks old and was the first day of very warm weather. We celebrated by firing up the grill and enjoying burgers in the backyard. Leo loves being outside, so we were all very happy. When I take Leo on walks, as soon as I enter a store, or go any where indoors for that matter, he starts to fuss, which makes shopping nearly impossible. He just can't get enough of the great outdoors.

Today I attended a group for new moms and it was great! I enjoyed being around other like minded people who weren't annoyed when Leo fussed. It was also comforting to hear that most other mothers have experienced the same fussy stage that Leo is going through; they all reassured me that that this behavior should subside soon. Everyday does get a little easier and now that Leo smiles, he is beginning to reward us too.

My First Mother's Day

It was no great surprise to me that Joe (and Leo) made a point of making my first Mother's Day really special. We started the day with brunch at Village Inn and then returned to the house where I opened my cards and a gift. In addition to receiving a beautiful bouquet of roses, Leo and Joe also gave me diamond earrings! They are beautiful and I have always wanted a pair. I plan to wear them everyday, because diamonds match everything! All and all the day was very mellow and we were even able to take a family nap. Sleep is my absolute favorite thing right now, so that is a gift in itself!

Leo hit a few milestones too. On Saturday (May 10th), Leo practiced smiling with his Dad. He was clearly mimicking Joe's facial expressions, so he is well on his way to becoming a full fledged smiler. We have seen Leo smile many times, but it is usually in his sleep..."Mommy, thanks for feeding me. My belly is full and I am very content." This was different though because he was trying to smile. Leo also shed his first real tear on Mother's Day and Joe and I agreed it was the saddest thing we had ever seen.

Leo's fussiness is easing a bit, but we are still challenged by this newborn stage. A few nights ago, he awoke every 2 hours to feed. God bless him for wanting to get so big and strong, but the lack of sleep is difficult. He still has bouts of inconsolable crying, but he goes to bed usually by 10 p.m. now, which is a great relief.

Well, the little bugger is making noise, so I better see what's up!

Leo is 5 weeks old

I have not been good at all about updating this blog, but I think having a newborn is a sufficient excuse. He loves the swing now, so I can always count on having a few minutes hands free here and there.

Leo is wonderful! He is growing amazingly fast and yesterday, at 5 weeks of age, he weighed 7 lbs., 12 oz. That is 2 pounds more than he weighed just 3 weeks ago! That is an amazing increase, but I am not surprised. Leo is being fed on demand to gain as much weight as possible. He will often eat every 2 hours, which makes my primary job breastfeeding. Leo and I are almost continually together due to his voracious appetite, but I am thrilled.

Leo is what you would call a "high strung" baby. In other words, he is quite fussy. When he wants something, he wants it now! Joe and I have had some very difficult evenings (this is when he is most fussy), but I have to keep in mind that this stage is temporary. I also anticipate that he will become a boy/man filled with great passion, strong opinions and tremendous ambition (gaining that much weight in such a short time demonstrates to me his will to thrive and his great determination). These are all traits that he is exhibiting now, but they are communicated primarily through crying...which can break our hearts at time.

Kissing the crown of Leo's head in a peaceful moment has been the highlight of my life. It is so soft and precious and he willingly allows me and Joe to shower him with hundreds of kisses a day. These moments make all the crying and lack of sleep worth it.

As for photos, we did have some photos taken of him earlier this week, so when I get those back, I will update the blog. Once again, I must admit that photographing a newborn is VERY difficult. To catch him both awake and happy are rare and then to get just the right expression are nearly impossible. He is so cute...take my word for it. He has been losing hair and his cheeks are really getting chubby. His legs and arms are still skinny, but they are extremely muscular. He is so strong, I can hardly believe it. I think we may have a future athlete on our hands.