Nate Update!

Nate has seemed to have grown up so much this last month.  Last Friday we decided to convert Nate's crib to the "toddler bed" to get him ready to move to his big boy bed soon.  He is doing great with it and we haven't had any issues with it disturbing his sleep. 

Pretty excited about his "new" bed!

Nate has become a great helper.  Some of his favorite things to do are to help me load the washing machine and push the buttons, unloading the silverware from the dishwasher and handing them to me to put away, and pushing the button to put the garage door up when we are going to leave.  When we go to church on Wednesday nights he has to help me push Cole's stroller.  And I'm very happy that he has been really great about staying close to me and holding my hand when we go out...it makes it much easier to handle 2!  The hand holding trick has also worked around the house to get him to follow directions.

Play: He has started really playing independently for longer periods of time.  He is very much into lining up things and also stacking his blocks.  He can get them really high! Also more pretend play- like pretending that a piece of food is a car and making vrooming noises. 

Language: He still jabbers a lot.  We can't wait until he's talking in sentences and we can know what's going on in his head! More new words include star, yes (with the s sounds at the end sounds a little like yesh), bear, and Cole--so cute...sounds more like "coe" and he'll often say cole-cole.  Check it out in this video!

Pardon me, but I spoke to soon

Remember this post where I went on and on about how wonderful my baby was and how everything was "sweetness and light" (as our pastor would say)?  Well, I don't know if it was the hormones talking but things took a turn for the worse.  I'll dare say things are leveling out again, but Cole is definitely a more challenging baby!

Sleeping- Around the 3 week mark Cole wasn't sleeping well at all.  He was either not sleeping in between is 1am and 4am feedings (other than in 30 minute increments) or he wouldn't go back after his 4am feeding unless I held him.  We were hoping the reflux meds would help this, which they did a little bit.  We realized that he naps well during the day in the swing, so we broke down and started letting him sleep in the swing at night.  He still wakes up sometimes he wakes up in between feedings, but I usually just need to restart the swing (it stops after an hour I think) or replace his paci.

Eating- Yes, Cole is a fantastic eater.  So fantastic that I can't even touch the amount that he needs and we are already weaning.  He is up to 8 oz of formula every 3-4 hours at some feedings!  I think he would need to be continually nursing to be satisfied, and that's just not an option!  My deepest respect goes out to mothers that can put themselves second and do everything to nurse their baby.  But that's just not me.  And I'm not beating myself up about it.

Snuggler- I call Cole my high maintenance child.  There are some days, like yesterday, where he continually needs to be held and consoled.  Sometimes he's just not happy playing on his mat or swinging or sleeping when he's tired.  I got a dvd copy of Happiest Baby on the Block at a consignment sale last year, which details the 5 S's that can soothe a newborn- Side, Swaddle, Suck, Shh and Sway.  Yeah, Cole often needs ALL of these!  Oh, I forgot to mention that he sleeps with my phone playing a white noise.  Thank goodness for free apps!  And I was definitely the crazy, sleep deprived mom this week with my baby in the cart at Target with the phone wedged in his cart seat running the white noise! 

As frustrating as it can be, I try to remember that these moments are fleeting.  I will sleep again.  I will be able to have a clean house again.  And we love our little guy so much.  But it is totally unfair to have your "easy" baby first.  Although he is handling his little brother wonderfully, so at least that's not an added difficulty!

Cole's Birth Pictures

I got Cole's birth pictures from the photographer today and was blown away!  They are so beautiful in my opinion...I know the thought of it may freak some of you out!  I promise they are not graphic or gross.  I mean I am posting them on the internet!  I have a few favorites--

and our new header picture (I really want to get a pic of the boys together for it, but haven't had time/been brave enough to try yet!)

If you are in the Atlanta area I highly recommend Lauren Liese Photography!  You can see the rest of the pictures here!