Tyson - January 2012 - 1 Month

That month went by crazy fast bud.  I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that your dad was home with us all month, and the time he has off during the winter usually goes by fast anyway, but add to that the fact that I had a newborn who seems to change every day this year January FLEW by.

Since I was slacking on the pictures a bit with your first letter I'll make up for it today.  This was one that I took during our extended vacation in the hospital.  I happen to agree with people who say that newborns are sweet but not exactly cute EXCEPT when it comes to mine.  I know, I know I sound a little biased, but really, seriously, look at this picture and tell me that you aren't adorable.  Ok, you've got a bit of that newborn look but still so, so cute.

And one with the lights.  You HATED the lights for the first couple days so we had to keep them around for a couple more.  When I finally figured out that if I kept you dressed but just unzipped that you'd stay in there longer you started losing your yellow color.  The poor lady at the lab at the hospital HATED taking your blood, and when she saw me at the hospital for your 1-week appointment she told me if we were there to get your blood drawn she was going to go on break!  I think everyone was glad when your bilirubin levels went down and we could be done with the lights, hospital visits, and blood draws for a while.

You are chunking up quite nicely little man!  At your 1-week appointment you were back up to your birth weight of 7 pounds 9 ounces.  By the next week you were 8 pounds 3 ounces.  We don't take you back to the doctor to get an official weight until you are 2 months, but both your dad and I got on the scale and weighed ourselves and then ourselves holding you and you added 10 pounds each time!  Your dad loves when you are laying with your head to one side because your chubby little cheeks hang down.  It is pretty cute.  I LOVE chunky babies (although my back doesn't), and I wouldn't be hurt at all if you decided to pork right up.  Although it isn't your best look, I had to get a quick picture of your post-feeding, burping face because I love it.  I've got to try to get one of the post-feeding, "I think I'm drunk" face for next month's letter.

You've got the double chin going sometimes too.  Dad says this means you are definitely a Veater.

I caught a little gas smile the other day.  I know that all these little smiles and giggles that you give right now are supposedly due to the gas rolling around in your belly, but I swear sometimes they are in response to something someone in the house is doing funny.  Ok, so maybe that's a little far fetched, but I do think sometimes they really are due to having good dreams or memories of the world you just left.

You've been a pretty decent sleeper so far.  Most nights you wake up about 3 times, but last night you must have decided to give your dear old mom a 1-month present because you slept for 5 hours straight!  I'm not crazy enough to think that is going to happen again tonight, or anytime soon for that matter, but it was appreciated!  You have a bit of a fussy time usually right around the time I am ready to go to bed myself, which I'm not surprised by.  Before you were born I would try to hit the hay around 9 or so in order to be up early to work, and it never failed that as soon as I got in bed you would start kicking and flailing around.  The other night you had a particularly fussy night and I realized I had eaten a candybar that night.  Hmm....  Then I asked your dad if he could remember if you had a fussy night when we had his birthday chocolate pie, and he thought he remembered you had.  Well buddy, I'm hoping that's coincidence and has nothing to do with the chocolate or we could have some serious problems until that belly of yours gets settled.  Still nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby, once you finally do settle down...

Getting in a quick nap with dad.  Don't mind the handlebar mustache action.  This isn't the 1970's, and it didn't last long.  Probably because the first thing I said when he came out of the bathroom after shaving was "No.  No, no, no, no, no."  Your dad, he's a funny one.

This first month with you has been pretty awesome.  We had people bring us food and offer to help, I had meals in the freezer, your dad was AWESOME at trying to keep up the house and take care of your brother and sister, and it was just nice to have him home so that I didn't have to worry about hauling you around all over whenever an errand needed to be run.  Plus I finally feel like I have a clue what I am doing.  I guess that's what happens by the time you have your third kid.  That confidence along with all the other things have really made this time just perfect.  It doesn't hurt that your brother and sister have decided you are pretty awesome too.  I can't wait to see how you change and grow in the next month.  Thanks for being such a sweetheart so far (keep it up!).

Love you Ty,
Mom

My big boy at 1 month old.