So once again, I have had this post started for about 2 weeks, but have just never quite gotten around to finishing it! Tonight, however, I looked at Chris and said, "Do you realize that in 10 days Graham will be 4 months old?!". Better finish the 3 month update, huh?
This has definitely been a busy, busy month. Graham has been so busy growing! Sometimes I wish I could freeze time or at least slow it down a little, just to have longer to enjoy my little boy while he is still that, little. Physically, Graham has grown a LOT this month. He weighs in at a whopping 11 pounds now! (At our appointment for his 2nd set of two month vaccines [February 9th—3 months, 2 weeks], he was 11 lbs. 6 oz). This is impressive given his birth weight of just under 6 lbs. He has almost doubled his birth weight and has definitely filled out.
Check out those cute cheeks!!Graham continues to be a great eater, although we have entered a phase wherein I think his eyes are much bigger than his stomach. He tends to eat a little more than he can handle and is a champion at giving some back! I have learned the hard way that I need to get Graham dressed and out the door before I attempt to dress myself. That is if I don’t want to change my clothes as often as we change his! He still fits into most of his 0-3 month clothes, although some of the onesies are getting a little short, and he is starting to rock the “1980’s off the shoulder flash dance look” in a few of them! This is partially due to the fact that we were finally able to start using our cloth diapers this month as well. Graham really seems to enjoy them and he has not had any diaper rash or breakouts since we switched. Chris and I have both commented that the diapers are easier to use than we thought, and we love hearing the “ka-ching, ka-ching” money saved sound every time we throw a load of cloth diapers in the wash, as opposed to disposables in the trash!
Graham also continues to be a wonderful sleeper. He has been sleeping through the night (10:00ish-6:00ish) since I started back to work at the beginning of January. He seems to do fairly well with naps during the day, typically sleeping for longer periods in the morning and catching more cat-naps in the afternoon and evening. Chris and I are keenly aware that we are so, so, so fortunate he is sleeping so well at this stage. It has definitely helped make the transition back to work and into a daily routine much easier.
Why the need for all this sleep you ask? It seems that the other thing Graham loved to do this month was party. He enjoyed celebrating New Years, even insisting that he be awake for the Times Square ball drop at midnight, despite Chris and I putting him to bed a good 2 hours before! However, ringing in 2011 at that late time did put a damper on watching the marathon of bowl games New Year’s Day.
He is definitely his Mommy's son...He even signs "Touchdown" in his sleep!Graham also got invited to his very first birthday party. Our friends, Mickey and Melissa, had a party for their son Quin’s first birthday. Graham enjoyed getting all “dressed-up” and looking around at all the fun decorations (particularly the balloons), but couldn’t quite stay awake to see Quin dig into his cake or presents. I guess it was just too much birthday fun all at once. However, with all the friends who had babies in the past year, I think he will get the chance to make up for it at another party soon.
Graham's party outfit from Grandma Koch
Apparently, it was too much party fun for Daddy too!Although it feels like we have spent the past month partying and celebrating, we have actually started to settle into a routine, which, on a daily basis seems pretty uneventful. Although I still hate going to work and really wish I could stay home, Graham seems very happy going to Natalie’s everyday. Typically Chris drops him off and picks him up since they live so close to Hartsfield. I have also been fortunate to arrange my schedule so that on my district days (Tuesday and Thursday), I can go and feed Graham during my lunch assuming he is awake and ready to eat. I love that I can still see him during the day, if only for a little while. The fact that he is always smiling and happy, and has definitely bonded with Natalie and her 3 kids makes leaving him somewhat easier. Apparently, Graham LOVES the mornings before school, and the afternoons when the kids are home. He watches them play and likes to smile and chat at the whole family. Natalie even commented that one day her husband’s cousin came and took her kids to the park afterschool. Graham seemed really confused and was looking around, wondering where his entourage/paparazzi/audience/friends went!
I think this month’s biggest areas of growth and change, however, have come in Graham’s personality. He has become such a smiling, happy, talkative, and curious little man.
He is busy finding his voice and makes lots of different sounds. He loves to look at people, especially faces and recognizes Mommy, Daddy, and Natalie and the kids, greeting us with big cheesy smiles! We had a few days of warmer weather in the middle of January and we were able to go out exploring in the stroller. What a difference a few weeks has made in his ability to hold his head up, turn to look around, and track lots of different sounds. We are hoping that it warms up again soon so we can keep going on our walks!
Graham is also starting to explore with his hands and is trying to reach for toys and rattles. While he doesn’t quite have the coordination or strength to really independently grasp yet, he frequently shows off his problem solving skills: if he can’t reach or find any of those things, he will just play with or chew on his hands instead!
I think Graham’s smiles and giggles may very well be the best part of being a mommy right now. Graham is so fun to interact and sing with, and he has definitely inherited Chris’ sense of humor. Graham loves to be entertained, the sillier, the better (just ask him about my rendition of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” during one of his recent diapers changes—hilarious, according to him at least)!
Overall it has been an exciting month full of ups and downs, and while Chris and I are both sometimes so far beyond exhausted we don’t quite know what to do, we wouldn’t have it any other way!! We can’t wait to see what will happen next!
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