2 months

Wow... Hyrum, you've made it to two months! You're getting pretty big -beginning to grow out of a few onesies and sleepers.

You've had (have) your first cold -mostly just a stuffy nose and a little cough. You started smiling a little bit and mostly sleeping a bit longer at night. We've had a few 5 hour stretches... but when it doesn't start until 2 am its hard to get too excited.

We've started going on walks a couple of days a week with your cousin. For the most part you like it, but I always seem to stay out about 15 minutes too long -and you let me know it!

We don't go in for your check-up until next week, so I'll have your 'stats' then. I have to go back to work for my last two weeks next week, so we'll see how you (and I) handle that. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Who knows, you might actually enjoy some time away from me!

Here's some pictures from the last week or so...

Trying to get get a smile on camera

Sleeping with dad

Hanging on to your bottle

Playing with Grandma and Jodi

Just hanging out

This is what we do when we're at home and you're awake. Usually after you eat and before you start crying out of exhaustion.

Is that the best that you can do?

Oh you're mad right now.

Well, not actually RIGHT now... but you have been for the last 90 minutes.

After the last 3 nights of you not going to sleep until two or four in the morning, I decided to start re-reading one of the baby books I read before you were born.

This one promises/claims/boasts that nearly all babies can be sleeping through the night (7-8 hours) by their 9th week of life, and if not, then surely by the 12th. The first half of the book tries in a variety of different ways to convince the parent reading it that their baby will be happier and healthier, a more content and alert child, have less of a chance of attention deficit disorder, smarter and pretty much better in every way imaginable if good sleep habits are formed early on. I'm not denying that either. I think of myself, and I am a completely different person with and without a good nights rest. I'm just not so sure that it'll effect every aspect of your life for the REST of your life. Maybe.

So... I put you down before 10pm. And you woke up before 11pm. Don't worry -the book says you might be doing this around this time of your life. You're going through a growth spurt. So, I fed you again. Then I made your dad read a few highlights from the book and we decided that we'd give it a try. We changed you, fed you as much as you'd take, and then layed you down in your bed while you were still awake and went to bed ourselves.

I should clarify, that going to bed, does not mean sleeping. For either of us. Your dad stayed awake for the first 15 minutes of crying. Then you stopped for a few minutes, which is when your dad's breathing steadied. Yours however, did not and you started crying again. I got up after 25 minutes, comforted you and wrapped you back up, and layed you down. Crying again. I just got up a second time, comfort, wrap, this time I gave you your binky, and layed you back down. I'm now in your room listening to you NOT sleep. The crying hasn't started (15 minutes later) but you're not sleeping. I suppose in another 60 minutes or so, I'll feed you again -if you're still up and crying. And then we'll start again.

This is supposed to be for your benefit.

You're not convinced.

PS... the title of the post is from your Grandpa Lafeen. Apparently when your aunt April was a baby Grandpa would like to 'egg her on' by saying 'Is that the best you can do?" while she was crying. I don't find it that amusing.

6 weeks

Does this 'g' make my butt look big?

6 weeks old, I can hardly believe it.

You're starting to actually fit in some of your clothes now.

You're spending more time awake and alert. In fact, tonight at your aunt April's birthday party you spent quite a bit of time awake -your Grandpa & Grandma Lafeen loved it.

You found your thumb this week! This isn't the best picture, but I've caught you sucking on it twice now!

We weighed you at Grandma & Grandpa Hardcastles this week and you're about 10 lbs now.

You celebrated your first New Years Eve by not sleeping until almost 4 am -we weren't very happy about that, but for the most part we're getting 5-7 hours at night with you getting up once.

Keep growing -we're excited to see what you do next!