Heart Moments

The more I see Austin grow and change, the more I realize that nearly every day will bring its own treasured memories and wondrous moments.  Most days these moments are small and fleeting, but no less wonderful for their briefness.  Many of these moments happen so gradually as daily we watch Austin grow.  For example, after watching Austin smile in his sleep for several weeks, he gradually learned to use those muscles while awake.  He smiled more and more frequently until one day we realized that the smiles were intentional and were the effect of our actions.  What a wonderful moment!  Another such moment occurred when I realized that particular sound he was making was a laugh.  A laugh caused by my funny faces or Daddy's silly songs.  That laugh is already increasing in duration and will one day catch our hearts again as it turns into a full belly laugh.

However, I'm also learning that there are certain moments that are so unexpected and unpredictable that they nearly stop my heart.  It is not a feeling that can be adequately put into words, so I'll just call them "heart moments."

I have always been able to calm or comfort Austin better than anyone except maybe Daddy.  However, as a fairly easy going 4 mo, Austin is generally happy in most anyone's arms.  He is still too young to fully understand when someone new is holding him, and he doesn't seem to realize that some people are strangers.

Today, however, Austin demonstrated a preference for Mommy to hold him.  He can't crawl or move.  He can't even use his arms to reach for me, but he found a way.  Papa Mac was holding him, and he looked me straight in the eyes and leaned over in Papa Mac's arms toward me.  Papa Mac straightened him up, and I moved.  Once Austin found me, he did the same thing- leaning until he was nearly horizontal.  My heart swelled up and nearly stopped.  I wrapped him up in my arms and felt pretty certain, in that heart moment, that I would never let him go again.

Crib Notes- 4 months

I'm 4 months old this week.  Wow!  I thought this day would never come.  Four whole months old.  Remember back to when I was just a little baby?  Well, I'm doing so many big boy things now.  I can talk.  Mommy calls me Motor Mouth all the time.  I don't understand what that means...maybe when I get really old, like 6 months, I'll understand.  I smile and laugh.  I hold my head up really high.  I can even sit up if Daddy gives me a little assistance.  I sleep through the night.  I look at everything these days.  I watch people move across the room.  Mommy talks with her hands (so does Sassy!), and I get dizzy watching her hands moving when she starts talking!  I like to sit with Mrs. Fran and read books and listen to music.  And I can hold onto things and guide them right into my mouth.

Do you need proof of how big I am?  Well, we went back to the doctor on Wednesday.  I'm 14 lb 7 oz and 26 inches long!  They said I'm very healthy, but they still made me get 3 shots.  Mommy had to get 2 shots, and Daddy even had to get a shot.  We were all pretty brave, but Mommy still had to leave the room when I got my shots.  Daddy said I was much better than when I was a little 2 month old.  I hardly cried at all.  When we got out, Mommy and Daddy kept fighting over who was going to get to hold me!  They have to learn how to share!

This week was Thanksgiving.  Mr. Jim and Sassy came to see me.  I love Mr. Jim and Sassy.  When Sassy and Mommy went to get dinner, Mr. Jim and I talked and talked and talked.  I told him how to fix all the world's problems. Come to think of it, Mr. Jim didn't have much to say.  Good thing I had plenty to say to fill the awkward silence!  Sassy holds me and cuddles me and kisses me.  We talk and play and sing just like we did when I was first born.  The best part is that I never have to sit by myself!  I always have arms to hold me.  Mean ol Mommy still makes me take all my naps, though.  She sure is a stickler for such things.  Don't you think a big kid like me can get away with missing my naps???

Crib Notes: Week 17

I feel better this week, but I still have a stuffy, snotty nose.  Mommy, Daddy, and Mrs. Fran keep shooting saline up my nose, and I don't much like it.

YaYa came to see me this week.  We had a lot of fun.  She read to me,  and we played toys.  She brought me Thanksgiving and Christmas outfits.  I looked so cute at Mrs. Fran's in my Thanksgiving outfit.  Everyone said so!

Gigi sent me a giraffe!  He makes jungle sounds, and he stares down at me when Mommy sits him on my tummy.  We had a stare down, and he won.  Daddy caught my eye, and I turned away.  Who could resist checking out what Daddy is doing?  That crazy giraffe!

Mommy says I can finally announce it!  I've been wanting to tell you for a few weeks now, but Mommy wouldn't let me until I proved it was true for several nights.  It's official!  I'm sleeping through the night!  I'm such a big boy.  I go to sleep at 7 or 7:30 and sleep until Mommy feeds me at 5:45.  Mommy seems very happy about this!

Next week is such a big week!  I'll be 4 months old!  I have to go to the doctor again.  And it's Thanksgiving!  Sassy and Mr. Jim are coming to see me.  I can't wait to tell you all about it.

Tiny Toes

What is it about baby's toes that is so adorable?  From day one, I couldn't get enough of Austin's toes.  I've probably kissed his little baby feet more than any other single part of him.

I think I figured it out the other day.  Those tiny toes and feet are constantly in motion.  Stretching, pointing, flexing, curling.  They are so expressive all by their little selves.  They interact and react when you touch, tickle, hold, or kiss them.  And they are the source of so many future dreams.  Where will those tiny feet take him when he learns to push himself around the house in a crawl?  As he toddles unsteadily toward our open arms?  As he runs around the playground?  As he learns to play football, dance, or sprint?  As he drives off to college or walks down the aisle?

One day soon, my little boy's feet won't be so cute or smell so sweet, but I'll always remember those tiny expressive little feet and toes.  Before his eyes focused, before his lips curled in a smile, before his arms could reach or his fingers grab, before he could interact and express his love or personality in any way, he spoke to me and grabbed my heart with those 10 perfect tiny toes.

It's Not Called Babysitting

When I told a friend at work that Dallas was babysitting for two days, she told me, “Girl, when it’s your own kids, it’s not called babysitting. It’s called parenting.”


So, Dallas was parenting for two days while daycare was closed last week. Look at what a great job Dad did! He kept him on a perfect schedule, introduced hit to cartoons, and got hit to take great naps. He did all of this with a very sick baby on Friday.  Maybe Dal can give Mrs. Fran some scheduling tips. He even found time to update me on his schedule (don’t miss the 2:40 activity on Friday):

Thursday, November 11

7:15 AM - Gentle wake-up by daddy
7:20 AM - Diaper change, talking/smile time
7:30 AM - Cuddle/play/read time with daddy, TV ("Curious George")
8:35 AM - Feeding (4.5 oz)
8:50 AM - Nap
9:50 AM - Woke up on his own
10:00 AM - Diaper change (biiiiiig poopie), talking/smile time
10:15 AM - Stroller ride (Prichard/Cone/Dodson/Reedie/Home), some dozing, Nemo pooped
10:45 AM - Return home
10:50 AM - Couch/play time
11:35 AM - Feeding (5 oz)
11:50 AM - Nap (long)
1:45 PM - Woke up on his own
1:50 PM - Diaper change

The congestion seems to be getting worse this afternoon, that may be because the long nap allowed some buildup. His is sneezing regularly, and his breathing is noisy, occasionally a bit labored until he clears.

He wants to help me get a free car wash, so we're heading out now.

Friday, November 12

7:15 AM - Woke up crying
7:20 AM - Diaper change
7:25 AM - Fussy time (walked around, did some bouncing/singing, tried to comfort)
8:15 AM - Feeding (3.5 oz)
8:35 AM - Nap
10:25 AM - Woke up on his own
10:30 AM - Diaper Change
10:35 AM - Watched "Curious George"
11:00 AM - Fussy time. I put a bottle in the warmer and a pacifier in his mouth.
11:15 AM - Feeding (5 oz, mix)
11:35 AM - Attempted nap
11:45 AM - Woke up, self-entertained in crib (talked to himself, no crying). The video monitor stayed nearly the whole hour, but he seemed totally fine, so I decided not to push it.
12:45 PM - Finally drifts off
2:00 PM - Wakes up on his own, fussy
2:15 PM - Crying hard, I put a bottle in the warmer. Pacifier calms him until I can get the bottle ready.
2:20 PM - Feeding (4.5 oz, mix)
2:40 PM - Couch playtime, (no tummy time, wasn't sure if he was up to it) He gets tired fast. He's groaning a lot, but at one point he stops and just looks up at me with wide eyes for about 90 seconds. I just lost it. I don't ever want him to hurt for any reason.
3:30 PM - Nap (went down after rocking for about 45 seconds, clearly tired)

Crib Notes: Week 16

I had an adventure on Saturday.  I got to go back to Annapolis to have Rita take pictures of me!  I was the center of attention.  It was all about me during the whole photo shoot.  Come to think of it...most of my life is all about me.  Anyway, I was so good during the session.  I only cried a little bit at the end when I got really tired.  I was very interested in the big, black camera.  I didn't quite know what to make of it, so I didn't smile at it a lot.

There are new things hanging around me occasionally.  Sometimes they are there, and sometimes they aren't.  I am very fascinated with them when they do show up.  Mommy says they are called my feet and my hands.  I wonder why they go away sometimes...

I'm learning how to laugh!  It is so much fun to laugh at Daddy and Mommy.  They seem to like it when I laugh.  Me laughing makes them laugh, which makes me laugh.  This is a happy place when I start laughing!

Mrs. Fran had to go out of town this week, so I got to spend one whole day with Mommy and TWO whole days with Daddy!  I loved staying with Mommy and Daddy.  Daddy was a great babysitter!  He let me watch Curious George on TV.  We practiced sitting up and went for a walk. 

The only downside was that I got sick on Wednesday night.  I couldn't breath, and I couldn't sleep.  Being sick is no fun.  Daddy had to take me to the hospital on Thursday night.  I hope I feel better soon.

Key to a Good Night's Sleep

Shut the door to the nursery and turn off the baby monitor.

Oops!  I didn't mean to shut the door and forget about him.  I really, really didn't.  It happened like this.  We were drying a load of baby clothes.  With all the snaps on those sleepers, a load of soft, tiny baby clothes sounds like a load of marbles.  I shut his door when I started the load to keep from waking him up.  I keep the monitor turned off at night because every loud vehicle that goes past triggers the video and because I can hear every sound he makes (assuming the door is open).  When I went to bed, the dryer was still going.  I was going to just lay down and wait until the dryer stopped before opening Austin's door...

I don't know how Austin slept, but I slept great!

Snot Nosed Little Kid

Austin is the snot nosed little kid tonight.  Poor baby is so pitiful.  He rattles when he tries to breath and cries when he is horizontal.  However, in spite of that, he is still full of smiles.  He excitedly told me all about his day with Daddy in between all the rattling breaths.  He fell asleep in my arms twice, but woke up crying hard every time I put him down.  Dallas elevated one end of his mattress, and we were finally able to get him to sleep.  I don't know how long it will last, but at least he is getting a little sleep now.  He'll have to go to the doctor in the morning.

Poor baby got a few hours sleep before getting himself turned head down on the elevated mattress. He woke up crying most likely because the downward pressure on his sinuses was painful for him. Dallas tried to calm him, I tried to suction out his nose, and I eventually nursed him to calm him down. This helped, but we couldn’t lay him down. Every time he dozed off, he woke himself up trying to breath.


Finally, about 1:30, Dallas decided he needed to go to the emergency room. They were able to clear his nasal passages better and sent Dallas home with saline drops. Since Austin is so young, saline is the extent of the medication he can receive. They got home about 3:30, and Austin slept in his carseat until 5:30. I nursed him and put him back in the carseat where he slept until 7:15.

Dallas is home babysitting today while I work. He just called me, and poor little Austin was whining pitifully in the background. He is significantly less congested this morning, but he is obviously painfully tired. My guess is that I won't make it long at work today before I head home to take care of Austin.  I can't do anything for him that Dallas isn't doing, but I'll feel better being with him. 

I knew theoretically that Austin was going to eventually get sick. I sure wish he could have waited a few years!

I Smile When

Austin winds up for a sneeze. He's started putting the "Ahhhh" in Ah-choo.

Austin lets his little fingers relax out of the fist.

Austin smiles with his entire head!

Austin talks to us using his most sincere and earnest expression.

Austin has a big sigh to go along with his big yawn...talk about expressive.

Austin checks out Nemo. He's not quite sure what to make of him. I think it's mutual.

Austin motors around in his crib so that he's facing a different direction every time I check the monitor.

Austin nestles his head against my neck

Austin falls asleep in my arms with a look of complete and utter peace.

Austin wants to protest bedtime but is too tired to cry so he just kind of creaks.

Austin makes Dallas light up just by looking at him.

Austin goes from looking cranky and fussy when he wakes up alone in his crib to looking like everything is going to be okay when he realizes he's not alone to smiling from ear to ear when he realizes Mommy is there.

I remember how very blessed we are with a healthy, happy, beautiful baby.

Crib Notes- Week 15

Freedom! I got it! I learned to roll over in my Woombie. It was great. I got extra time with Mommy at night when she came to save me. She didn't seem too happy about that so I got freedom! One arm free to be specific. Hey, when you're 13 lbs and can't crawl or walk, you have to take freedom where you can get it.

I may not be able to move around, but I showed off my newly earned strength to Mommy this weekend. I've been working really hard on tummy time with Mrs. Fran. Mommy couldn't believe how strong I was to hold my head so high for so long. We went to tell Daddy, and I had to show off again!  Also, I can almost sit up by myself.  Look at how straight my back is, and Daddy only has about 1 finger on me!

It was Halloween. I didn't get ANY candy! Just milk. But I sure was cute. I was the best pumpkin ever.

I even had my own trick for Daddy! See how I'm wearing my cat hat with my dragon outfit? Silly, huh? You might wonder why I'm not wearing the cute Halloween onesies Aunt Shay gave me. Well, I was. And then I tricked Mommy and Daddy. They thought I had a normal dirty diaper. Trick! I had the biggest blowout in history! Daddy had to clean me up while Mommy changed clothes! He had to clean all the way up to my neck...and one armpit! He wasn't as amused as I was!

Milestone alert! I slept all night almost every night this week! I go to sleep around 7:30, and Mommy gets me up about 5:45 to eat. Boy, am I hungry! I don't see what the big deal is. I'm pretty fond of eating at 2:00 in the morning, but Mommy tells me I'm a wonderful, perfect, big boy. I guess that means sleeping all night is a good thing.

Mrs. Fran says I am a perfect boy and really mature for my age. She says I really focus when she reads the picture books to me. Most babies my age would just look around. I sleep and eat well ( almost 6 oz at a time). I would do more tummy time, but Leisal won't leave me alone. She wants to give me hugs and help. I don't need help! And Mommy says all my hugs are supposed to be hers.
 

Perfect Night

We had a perfect night and a wonderful morning. Austin went to bed like a little angel at 7:30. I woke him up to nurse at 5:45. He usually falls back to sleep while he's eating, but this morning he woke up to give me some precious little smiles while I changed his diaper. I loved it! Poor Dallas is having to get ready with a baby that is awake, and I'm going to be late for work; but I wouldn't change it for the world.


This is opposed to Sunday night when I was up twice because Austin rolled over on his tummy and got stuck. He can't roll back over onto his back, and he doesn't seem to realize that he can put his head down while on his tummy. It has to be a very rude awakening to be sound asleep one minute and stuck on your tummy having to hold your head up the next. It gets him all worked up. I have to turn him over and calm him down before he will go back to sleep. Sunday night I was awake every time he made a tiny sound because I was worried he might roll over again. I also couldn't help but worry about future nights when he got even better at rolling over, and we ended up going through this drill once an hour or more. On Monday night I took one arm out of his Woombie, which so far has stopped his rolling ability. He sleeps great all swaddled up with one arm stuck straight out from his side.