Havin' Fun! and Likes and Dislikes 2

Jack and his "Small Paul" shirt. Supposedly Paul is a designer. We like it for obvious reasons. Jack isn't a big fan of it though because it is tight fitting (Paul doesn't like European cut shirts for this reason--like father like son) and it makes him self conscious about his belly.

Jack meets the Easter bunny. And doesn't care.

Jack keeps getting more and more fun. He is a really smiley baby and is starting to try and talk. He's responding to stimuli more and it is fun to watch. We are now able to take him outside more since the weather is getting nicer and we have been taking him on errands too. It's fun to hear people comment about him. It's NOT fun to change a diaper in a public restroom. He gets excited and kicks his arms and legs all over the place. It's a riot. I can't wait to see what happens next. Here are some of Jack's new likes and dislikes:

LIKES: ceiling fans, ceiling fans, ceiling fans (and anything else on the ceiling)

DISLIKES: sitting in one place for too long (unless there is a ceiling fan nearby)

LIKES: Being read to

DISLIKES: the Rotavirus

LIKES: Any song that Mommy sings--he loves it, even though I can't carry a tune.

DISLIKES: poopy diapers (Mommy does too)

LIKES: Sleeping through the night (YAY!)

DISLIKES: Waking up from sleeping through the night--he's STARVING!

LIKES: his playmat

DISLIKES: when his playmat overstimulates him

LIKES: His Nonny (okay LOVES!)

DISLIKES: when Nonny dresses him in his monkey jacket even though he's warm enough

LIKES: Sleeping with Mommy

DISLIKES: Sleeping alone in his bassinet

LIKES: When people make silly faces

LIKES: SMILING!

LIKES: Looking at himself in the mirror--and smiling at the baby!

LIKES: Sucking on his hand. He'll suck on both but the kid's definitely a righty.

LIKES: Spending the day with Grandma but loves when Mommy and Daddy come home.

LIKES: Learning new things

LIKES: Just about everything--he's a GREAT baby!! And I'm a lucky Mommy!

Bad Behavior?

Okay, Jack might have a sleeping problem. His mom.

When I put Jack to bed for the first time at night, there are usually no issues. Okay, occasionally I will have to keep putting his pacifier in his mouth and run the vibrate function on his bassinette (yes, it has a vibrate function) but it usually isn't too bad. However, for the past two nights, the middle of the night feeding has left him fairly awake and it has been impossible to get him to sleep. Last night, I tried for nearly 2 hours. He has also been having trouble staying asleep for longer than 3 hours. I'd like to see him do at least 4, which is what I became accustomed to. His pediatrician says that this is developmental--he is staying awake longer now, which includes night time. Yippeee!

Anyway, here's the problem. The other night he woke up around 2 1/2 hours into sleeping. I tried to soothe him to no avail but wasn't ready to get up and feed him. Many times when I get up and bring him downstairs, he falls asleep (i.e. wasn't really ready to get up). So I try to stretch it. So back to the other night. . . to soothe him, I brought him into our bed with the intent to calm him for another hour. We both woke up 3 hours later. Last night when he wouldn't calm down, I brought him into our bed again with the same intent. . . and same result. I woke up with major back and arm pain from sleeping on my arm, careful to cuddle him but not smother him. He loves sleeping in bed with Mommy. He loves to put his little face right next to mine and fall asleep. Mommy likes it too--except for the sore arm and back part. My fear now is that he won't be able to go to sleep without Mommy right next to him. I've gotta find a way to break us both of this habit!

2 Months!

I can't believe my little guy is already 2 months old! It has certainly flown by--especially the maternity leave part. I have to return to work on Monday and I am not happy about it. I'd rather spend time with my own kid than with other people's. But, I do have great students and a great job that will allow me to spend a lot of time with Jack and also help provide for him, so I guess I can't complain. However, the maternity leave--where I collected paychecks and did NOTHING for them was pretty sweet! It's what Paris Hilton must feel like all the time. But I think her checks are probably larger than mine.

Anyway, I took Jack in for his 2 month check up and he is now weighing in at nearly 13 and a half pounds. And to think I was concerned about his weight loss in the hospital! He is also 23 inches long (up from 20 1/2 at birth). So I guess it is good that he is growing in both directions. He is a stocky little kid and each day his chest and shoulders look more and more like his dad's, yet his waist and butt are pretty small. He is now in 3 month clothing. But it's funny--it fits him perfectly chest-wise but the pants are all a little long! Hopefully he will get a little height from my side of the family. Paul, at 5'8" (even though he told our insurance guy he was 5' 9" the other day--I guess I can't make too much fun of him, I shaved 10 lbs off of my weight to the same insurance guy) is the tallest of his puny family. Hopefully Jack gains the height so that he doesn't look disproportionate and so that he doesn't have a hard time buying pants when he is older!

He also got his first shots and screamed bloody murder. I nearly cried too. They first gave him an oral vaccine, which supposedly tastes sweet and he didn't have a problem downing that one (he didn't get to be 13 1/2 lbs for nothing). Then two nurses hit him simultaneously in both legs and that set him off. He screamed for awhile and then just whimpered in my arms with his bottom lip stuck out, which was both heartbreaking and cute at the same time. I was worried that he might run a fever or be cranky from the vaccines for the rest of the day but when I got home, I put him in his bouncy seat while I did some preparing to take us both to meet co-workers. When I went over to check on him, he squealed and smiled at me so I knew that he was okay and that he didn't blame me for the shots in the legs. I put him in a cute outfit and in his first pair of jeans. They were adorable but didn't look too comfy. He didn't complain but I think that babies are supposed to be comfy and snuggly so the kid is going to live in footy pajamas until they don't make them in his size anymore--which at this rate could be by sometime next week.