It's been a big month for the Cruz man, as well as a big month for his parents. When I look back now, the first month was a little hectic. Trying to figure out feedings, favorite positions, and soothers, while keeping up with housework and welcoming what seemed like new visitors every day, ALL on much less sleep, was definitely a transition for the (four) of us. Especially the first couple of weeks, as Beau began to balance going back to work, and I began to figure out the seemingly impossible task of getting a shower every day, we wondered if we'd ever get a full night's sleep again, as well as wondered if Jade would ever leave the kitchen chair. When I look back at the first couple weeks now, I think we were all treading a little bit. And now, those oversized, comfy floaties are getting closer and closer.
Cruz at TWO MONTHS...
-The biggest milestone we hit this month was our first full night's sleep. Cruz slept through the night at five weeks; he slept from 11 to 6:30. The first couple nights in a row were far from beauty sleep for me, as I laid awake with fully engorged breasts, desperate to either nurse, pump, or pop my fully inflated chest. And because I didn't know how long his sleep would last (for the first few nights it seems I watched the clock, waiting for him to wake up), I didn't know if I should pump, wake him up, or lay in pain. Luckily for me, this didn't last long. Cruz's sleep...it did. I rediscovered my love of nights, and sleeping, and my bed, and it turns out, Cruz is a lot like his mom in this respect.
Now, at nine weeks old, Cruz continues to be the best little sleeper. He's on a pretty good nightly schedule, falling asleep after eating around 10, then sleeping in his crib until 8. He put himself to sleep in his crib at 7 weeks, and takes good naps during the day, although we aren't on a schedule yet. He's lately found an interest in napping in his swing; one day this week, he napped from 1-3:45! I know that sleep with babies is constantly changing; every night, I still go to bed and wonder if he'll make it. And every morning, I wake up in the light, look at the clock, and smile at my tired little peanut. We're still swaddling him at night and haven't quite been able to begin that transition yet. We're enjoying sleep too much! We figured by the time he's 12 or 14, he'll realize how silly it is to sleep with his arms confined by velcro!
-Another big milestone this month was Cruz's first smile. They started pretty sly, and he definitely made us work for them. Now, you smile, Cruz's smiles (did I just sing a Justin Bieber song?). Cruz is most happy when he is rescued from his crib in the mornings, and when he is stretching out on his blanket. He smiles, coos, and gets pretty close to a giggle every now and then. Seeing those baby smiles is the best validation. The kind of validation that allows you to skip that load of laundry and lay face to face with your little one for very long periods of time.
-Cruz has been growing so much this month; not only can you tell by the way he's eating, but when you hold him and when you look at those cheeks of his! He's no longer the skinny little guy he was a month ago; he's filling out in all the right places (except the top of his head). I started supplementing formula this month and Cruz has had no problem with the transition. At six weeks, we could tell he hit a growth spurt. We started giving him a five-ounce bottle at night, I think one of the reasons he started sleeping so good. Now, he takes between 4-5 ounces about every 3-4 ounces. I can't wait to see what he weighs at his check-up on Tuesday; however, am dreading his shots. It's going to be a hard day for the both of us.
-Before Cruz was born, we filled our house with all of these great baby gadgets: motorized swings and vibrate chairs, boppy pillows, bumbo seats, baby play gyms, and bouncy seats. And at two months old, Cruz is proving to be a simple man: give him a blanket and he's one happy little guy. Whether he's on the living room floor, a bench at Jordan Creek Mall, or a tabletop at Mulligans, Cruz loves and needs his independence on a blanket. After a good nap, a car ride, or a long day of being held, he'll start stretching his legs, moving his arms, and grunting, letting us know it's time for Cruz-time. He'll stretch out, march his feet, and make noises like crazy! Usually, he lays like that for awhile, then wears himself out and is ready for a nap. A couple of times, he's even fallen alseep on the floor! His floor time is one of my favorite times of the day. I love watching how excited he gets!
-Cruz also loves tummy time and has proven to be quite the expert since he was just days old. He lifts his head very high and holds it there for so long. He still rolls; however, he's kind of plateaued in that area. He's too busy working on record long head raises!
-At two months old, Cruz is becoming so alert and active. He now likes standing, making burping him an interesting feat. He loves the TV, the Christmas lights, and his Sassy Look Book. Sometimes, I can lay him on his back, put his Sassy book in front of him, and watch him stare at the pages for an hour. He becomes totally enthralled with the black and white pictures and talks to it as if reading it himself.
-This was such a busy month for us and Cruz has enjoyed being part of the ride. He likes his car seat and has proven pretty easy to take places. Much to his father's demise, Cruz loves shopping. He's had shopping trips to Des Moines with me and Grandma, shopping trips to Des Moines with me and Beau, and numerous trips to the local mall. The sky lights, the people, and the stroller ride is an excellent combination for him. In addition to our many Christmas shopping trips, Cruz has enjoyed going to church, traveling to see family for Thanksgiving, and dining out at Mulligans, Soho, Buffalo Wild Wings, Newton's Cafe`, and his latest favorite, Chubbies. Last night, he had his biggest adventure yet...his first basketball game. A little overwhelmed at first by the pep band, buzzer, and most of all, the mob of screaming teenage girls in his face, Cruz quickly assimilated to his surroundings and loved the thrill of the court! His eyes lit up in excitement and he wanted to stand on our lap the whole time! With as much running as we've done this month, Cruz is either going to be one laid back, social baby, or a child with ADHD! It's been fun taking him out and about, and I figured with Iowa weather, our days are numbered.
It's been one big month. Cruz was baptized at church, enjoyed his first fire, and attended an ugly sweater party with his parents. He discovered a love of twinkling Christmas lights, a love of his Sassy Look Book, and a love of the big screen TVs at Mulligans and BWW. He had his first baby-sitters (Grandma Kelly and Great-Grandma and Grandpa Hoodjer), and his first crush (Jen Schroeder). He's discovered that getting dressed in the morning, and getting a bath at night is not near as horrific as he first thought, and that when he moves his mouth, he can make some pretty terrific noises! He still loves to cuddle, especially with blankies, but feels pretty full himself when he's standing on our laps or flying high above our heads in 'Superman' position. And most of all, he's discovering that life on this side of the womb is a pretty cool place.
Life is moving fast and taking our little one with it! Next month, we welcome a first Christmas, a new year, and many more memories to add to Cruz's baby book. And with all the pictures I've been taking lately, we are going to be needing more volumes!
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