"Beautiful Boy" {Luke 1 Month}

Luke is one month old! We have had a fun-filled month learning to be a family of four and introducing our precious son to our parents, who so faithfully come to Florida to visit us and our kiddos.  Here are my reflections of the first month...just as I reflected once reaching that one-month mark with Carly. 

Nursing

Nursing was one thee toughest parts during Carly's first year of life.  It took my milk a week to come in, Carly had a weak latch, I was so sore I'd cringe each time she latched and to top it off she wasn't gaining weight!  With Luke, my milk came in while I was still in the hospital, he latched instantly upon meeting me and has already gained nearly a pound since birth (which is a pound & a half more than he was when he left the hospital).  I am over-producing and Luke only has to feed one side before his tummy is full.  He eats in less than 15 minutes and is on a pretty good schedule of eating every 2.5 hours.  It's going great.

Sleeping

So then there's sleeping.  Luke cannot and will not sleep on his own.  There have been 4 times in a month where he has slept longer than an hour without waking up all dismayed that he's not being held.  Around week three I was really beginning to get frustrated and was having all this guilt about him co-sleeping with me.  Well, friends, here's the deal:  do what works for your family.  I didn't buy into that saying when I was parenting Carly.  I thought I was obligated to parent my infant by what the books would tell me or it would destroy her for life.  No, really, I thought that.  I thought that if I didn't put her down for a nap during week 2 that it would ruin any sort of schedule in month 3.  I thought if she didn't stay on a perfect schedule each and every day a routine would be ruined for weeks.  What I've learned is that these babies change so quickly that the routine gets "messed up" merely because their needs are different week to week.  So with Luke we are taking it one day at a time.  He sleeps best when he's in my arms, so that's where I'm going to let him sleep.  It works for our family and by gully I LOVE getting to snuggle him all night long.  Did you now Americans are one of the only countries who don't sleep with their children?  Did you know that the majority of co-sleeping fatalities are due to substance abuse & obesity?  I didn't know that either, until some encouraging friends and family members encouraged me to rid myself of the mama guilt and do what worked for us. :)

Comparisons

I am fully delighting in the difference of my children and their precious personalities.  Differences in humans is what makes the world go round and it is certainly going to add spice into our family.  Here's a run down of my kids at one month of age:

Carly's awake time was mostly crying, Luke enjoys looking around and is almost always happy during awake time.  Carly slept great in her crib and by week 3 was giving us 7 hour night stretches...Luke can barely make it 4 and refuses to sleep alone.  Carly sucked (pun intended) at nursing, Luke's a pro.  Carly demanded to be held facing the world, Luke wants to cuddle.  Carly had to be bounced profusely on a ball to fall asleep, Luke just wants his little back patted. Carly was rolling, cooing & smiling at one month...Luke is just beginning to make eye contact.  Carly is strong-willed, Luke is pretty chill. Carly screamed at the top of her lungs every time we were in the car, Luke just generally lets himself fall asleep.  Carly's a girl...Luke's a boy...Carly was a nugget, Luke is a growing machine.  These infants are as different as different can be and I'm finding great joy in learning to be a mother who meets the needs of her kids on a very individual level. :)

Happy Little Fellow

I'd say you've gotten a pretty good picture into the life of Luke.  He handles lovin' from his sissy quite well, loves to be carried in my sling, wants to snuggle all day and all night and has a pretty go-with-the-flow personality.  He has already made our lives fuller and given his mama & papa much joy.  I love watching him grow and look forward to watching a friendship blossom between him & his big sis.

Luke has gotten himself on a pretty good schedule, without too much guidance from me.  He tends to sleep a good 10 hour chunk at night (of course waking up every 2-3 hours to eat), has 2 good hours of awake time in the morning, an hour in the afternoon and 2 good hours in the evening after a very long afternoon nap.

Luke is 9 pounds, 3 ounces (before a feeding...6 ounces after) and 21 inches long and can wear a lot of his 3-month clothing.  He checked out great with the doctor!  Here are some pictures of him in his adorable sock monkey outfit a friend sent in the mail!