4 weeks

Technically I suppose you're not a month old until tomorrow but today marks 4 weeks since your birth.

My sweet baby boy, you are becoming more and more adorable by the day and I fall more and more in love with you...if that's even possible. You're looking less newbornish everyday. Your puffy face and swollen eyes have been replaced with baby chub. You're peeling, flaking, dry newborn skin has been replaced with super soft baby skin. Your wrinkly fingers and toes are smoothing out and fattening up making them oh so kissable!

You have fallen into this family so very naturally and it's now like you've always been here. Adding you to our family has taken very little adjustment. Maybe it's because we already have a somewhat large family so at this point we're kind of at the "what's one more?" stage or maybe it's because we just went thru the baby stage with Alexa but whatever the reason you've been such a pleasant and easy addition.

Feeding: Your feeding schedule has stayed the same as last week and the week before. You're still eating 4 ounces every 4 hours for the most part. **Edited to add: Apparently your eating schedule is great because at your 1 month check up today you weighed in at 12lbs 5 oz. You've gained 1lb 7 oz in 16 days. You are now 23 inches long.

Sleep/Awake Time: Everyday your schedule seems to get more and more concrete although I know that will change often. Generally you wake up at 7:30 and stay awake for a few hours. You have a fussy period everyday around 10:30 and the only thing that makes you happy is to cuddle with Mommy. Once I get you back asleep you sleep off and on until 5:30 when you again request Mommy's undivided attention. When you're awake and fussy you love laying on your belly on my chest or laying in my arms walking around. Sometimes you enjoy just laying on the couch staring at the light. When your extra fussy I try to remind myself that one day soon you'll be pushing me away and crawling off. This helps put things in perspective and I can forget about all the things I'm not getting done and focus on spending time loving on you.

Diapering: I'm happy that we're getting into the last pack of size 1 diapers. I'm fairly certain that the next big box we buy will be size 2's. You have not yet outgrown the size 1's but I can see where they're starting to get tighter.

Clothing: This week's dilemma has been thanks to Mother Nature. We've had a crazy warm winter and now spring seems to be looking more like summer. This week they're forecasting highs in the 80's. When I bought clothes for you while I was pregnant I didn't factor this in. I bought a warm snuggly snowsuit, plenty of long sleeve onesies and crochet hats all in size 0-3 months and although you're a big boy you are no where near big enough to fit into the 6 month size summer clothes. Instead I'm just going to put the long sleeve onesies on you without pants and pray the more seasonal spring weather returns. Who wants summer weather in March anyways?

Outings: This week we've been little homebodies. I've enjoyed catching up on housework and even getting a little time to work on bows for the craft show. Your older brother and sister have had early dismissal at school all week and I'm still not at a point where I "enjoy" taking all four kids out in public. It's not that any of you act crazy it's just more work...physically and mentally. Last week I even forgot Abby in the house when we were leaving to go pick Daddy up from work. I didn't realize she wasn't in the van until I snapped your car seat in and looked in the back seat. Oops! For now I try to do all of my errands when it's just Alexa, you and me.

Bath time: Bath time is still a bit dramatic for you. You spend 95% of the time flailing your arms around and screaming. This continues on until your completely dressed and cuddling in my arms. After your last bath I noticed you were getting little pimples and dry patches on your face and head. I'm beginning to wonder if maybe you just have extra sensitive skin there and that maybe I should switch you to a perfume free soap made especially for sensitive skin. I've added powdering the little rolls of fat on your neck to the getting dressed routine. You smell oh so babylicious!

Your eyes, my baby, are looking more and more like they're going to be brown. In some lights I see blue in the outer iris but mostly brown. I'm a bit sad about this as I love blue eyes but happy that you have some of my features.

I'd like to have it here, on record, that I think you may be a finger or thumb sucker. None of the other kids have been but you have taken to sucking on your hands. You enjoy that more then you enjoy your binkie. In fact sometimes when I put the binkie in your mouth you make angry faces at me as you use your tongue to push it out. I'm so excited to see the little man you become but I must remind myself to enjoy the now. Happy 1 month birthday Buh-eee!!