Dear Everett,
Wow. Your second month passed as quickly as I was afraid it would. =/
This month was filled with some exciting and precious milestones! You are an EXCELLENT sleeper. As a newborn you held fast to your 3-hour feeding schedule, even at night. At about 4 weeks you started dropping your 1am feeding, leaving this grateful mama with SIX hours of uninterrupted sleep. Oh, it gets better! You slept through the night for the first time when you were six weeks old. The day had been super busy with some fun trips to the airport to pick up Nana, to the grocery store to grab our food for the week, and to the elementary school to have lunch with Caroline. I think we just wore you out, because you fell asleep at 10 and slept until 7am. There have been two or three nights since then that you wake up once to be fed, but those are usually nights that you fall asleep around 7:30 or 8pm and you can only make it until 5am before you're feeling the hungry tummy rumbles. These days you're going bed around 8pm and sleeping until 6am.
That schedule works particularly well because... I had to go back to work last week. =( Our quiet times are all the more precious to me right now, so I'm quite happy to rock you in the early morning, put you back in the crib about 6:20am, and then get ready for work while everyone else is asleep. Daddy wakes you up at 7:15 for some quick cuddles, a diaper and wardrobe change, and we're off to our downtown destination.
While I wish I had more time at home, I do love having you at the Lilly CDC. It's nice to sing and pray together on the way to work, and then do the same thing heading home after a hard day. You're enjoying your time with your sweet and loving teachers, and the other babies in the room LOVE to stare at you. I have enough vacation banked to stay home with you on Thursdays for the rest of the year, and Daddy stays home with you on Fridays. It's working out really well so far! You're only in daycare 3 days each week, and Daddy and I each get to spend some wonderful quality 1:1 time with you. :)
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| Getting the giggles at your first daycare drop-off! |
Any of my concerns about the transition to daycare have been completely wiped away by your big smiles when I drop you off and pick you up, and your easy-going nature with the bottle vs. breast schedule. I nurse you when I drop you off at 8am, then you take two 5oz bottles while I'm in meetings, and I usually pick you up around 4pm. (I'm happy to fore-go a lunch if it means more time with my handsome guy!) You sleep all the way home, which leaves you rested, fed, and happy when we walk in the door.
Thank you Jesus for helping us find a schedule that makes it easy on our hearts in this tricky time of transition!
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| Caroline's first time to feed you a bottle! |
Our evenings usually involve a pretend struggle to see who gets to hold you first when we get home. (Daddy always lets Caroline "win".) Then we take a walk, throw the ball to Ruby, and lay on your playmat while Caroline reads to you. You usually take a little catnap at some point in the evening, which helps you make it to the 8pm range before going to sleep for the whole night. If we put you to bed ANY earlier, you wake up three hours later as though you're still on your daytime schedule.
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| Your attention span is growing quickly! You used to only like to hear one book, but now you like 6 or 7 before you get fussy. |
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I just LOVE our time together in the evening. You are IN LOVE with your sister, which fills my heart up more than you can imagine. You have a little sideways smile that you save just for her. And she still has her own methods for soothing you when you're sleepy or overstimulated. You two already have such a deep understanding of each other that I marvel each day at God's beautiful design for your sibling relationship.
You're also pretty amused by Ruby. Ruby likes to sniff or lick your feet when you play on your mat and you squeal with delight. She always comes into the room to "check on you" if you're crying, and she sleeps patiently at my feet when I'm rocking you each evening. This morning you watched me throw the ball to Ruby in the backyard for almost 20 minutes before you made your "please, let's do something else" noises.
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| Gardening on our Thursday at home together |
I love those noises. You're so... POLITE. I hear distinct inflection in your noises based on what you need,and you rarely EVER scream or cry loudly. I thought maybe it was just a parental sense, but your brand new teachers at daycare commented in amazement on your second day that you're unbelievably easy to care for because they can tell exactly what you need by your noises. I wonder if God's plan for you involves being a great communicator... hmm.
You've slowed down your growth a little in the last two weeks, but only barely. You weigh 14lbs and 14oz and are into several of your 3-6 month outfits already. I'm so *proud* that you're thriving, and I'm part of it. I am so grateful that I'm able to nurse. Many, many women may not have the opportunity to feed their babies themselves, for a variety of reasons. I want to be sensitive to those wonderful mommies, but I also don't want to miss the opportunity to proclaim my thanks that God has allowed me to breastfeed.
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| First hike at Holliday Park with Nana |
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| Brunch on the patio at Good Morning Mamas |
You're quite the popular guy already. Your Nana came
all the way from Gatesville to see you in August and your Granddad and Cathy came
all the way from Fort Worth to see you over the Labor Day weekend. Both visits were PERFECT (other than a bit of rain ;)), and you soaked up all of the love and hugs and kisses like a champ.
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| You're a big fan of Granddad and Cathy. I think the feeling is mutual. ;) |
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| This quickly became your favorite position to be held by Granddad. |
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| Holliday Park |
Lord,
Thank you for blessing us with a
son. He is more than I dared to imagine. You continue to show your
extravagant love to me, even though I'm sinful and unrighteous. Please
give
Christopher and I the strength to love Everett and Caroline the way you love us. To be a reflection of
you such that they see us and long to draw near to you. I desire to do
your
will each and every day.
Amen
