Happy 1-Month Birthday!

My favorite family photo so far, taken yesterday

So in honor of our littlest man's one month birthday, I have decided on his blog moniker - he will heretoforth be known as........our Squeaky Son, or SS. (Unrelated to the WWII SS - just try to forget about them, okay?) Squeaky Son in honor of the loud squeaking he has done since he was born, which his pediatrician says is totally normal, and he does because his airways are still soft. He used to squeak the most when lying down, but that's mostly resolved, and now his main squeaks are while he eats, especially on the right side. It's very noticeable, and people comment on it all the time. So we have a Barking Baby and a Squeaky Son.

Newborn photoshoot at 10 days old

When I was thinking about this post, I wasn't sure what or how much I would write - and then as soon as I started, I realized he has so many little facts and nuances, some pretty standard for a one-month-old newborn, and some unique to him.

One week old

For example, SS falls asleep much easier with noise than in silence, probably due to all the noise his big brother (okay, and his mama and daddy) made while he was in utero. He will fuss fuss while it's silent in his bassinet, and then I will take him downstairs figuring he's just not ready to nap yet, and then I will glance at him on my chest or in his bouncy seat and with either music or TV or BB playing in the background he will be fast asleep. SS also loves to be held, and falls and stays asleep much better cuddled on J or I's chest or snuggled in Mama and Daddy's bed (which, by the way, BB calls "Mama and Daddy's Big Boy Bed).


Passed out on the playmat in the living room a few days ago

SS is eating great (breastfeeding is going totally smoothly after just a few days struggling to latch on the left side in the very beginning) and goes about 3-4 hours between feedings at night right now. During a growth spurt he might eat every 1 1/2 - 2 hours (and he sometimes cluster feeds like this at night too), and if he's not growing it's about every 3- 3 1/2 hours between feedings right now. Sometimes in the middle of the night after he eats he wants to stay up and have party time - he's spent some quality middle of the night time with J a few nights (apparently he's already been introduced to Deadliest Warrior). But the past week he is starting to seem like he has a little more of a routine and is going back to sleep at night pretty well - swaddling, his pacifier, and playing classical music (part of the bassinet) seems to help him relax and go back to sleep (as long as the pacifier doesn't fall out too early). He is still sleeping in the bassinet in our room, but has taken a few naps in his crib.


Newborn photoshoot

SS is definitely a comfort sucker, just like BB, and loves to suckle to help with tummy troubles and falling asleep. He got a pacifier on his second night home when he just wanted to suckle and be awake all night long.


Newborn photoshoot

SS loves to be cuddled and held. My homemade Moby wrap is great right now, because I can "cuddle" him and still have my hands free to prep food or water the garden - SS falls asleep in the Moby pretty quickly, all cozy on Mama.

His umbilical cord fell off after just 1 week! At his 2 1/2 week check up, SS weighed 7 lbs 12 oz (25th percentile) and was 21 inches long (75th percentile). Last week it seemed like he looked bigger (especially longer) every morning, so I'm guessing he's around 8 1/2 lbs now? He got circumcised at that appointment and was completely healed up within a week.

First bath together, after SS is completely healed from his circ (although I censored the goods)

He has started kicking his legs and moving his arms, and he cooed for the first time (just one little coo) yesterday. He's starting to hold his head up every once in a while - it surprises us when it happens. We have mostly been doing tummy time just with him lying on J or I's chest in bed or on the couch, but today I did a more official tummy time on the play mat and after a few minutes he decided he was not a fan. Poor boy got so worked up, he was crying and breathing really fast when I picked him up! And his newborn cry has definitely been replaced by a louder, more frustrated and insistent cry.

Newborn photoshoot


Newborn photoshoot

We have seen some gassy smiles, but last week SS gave me a little half smile when I was smiling at him. I talked to him and then smiled again, and he gave me another little half smile that really seemed responsive. And then on Friday evening our friend Hannah was over and he gave her some bigger smiles that really seemed responsive too, although he did a big poop afterwards.

Newborn photoshoot

Speaking of poop, the first week he pooped more times than I could believe. I kept saying that there was no way BB pooped this much. I even called him "my poo poo boy" once, and J quickly told me "Yeah, that can't be his nickname." Luckily (for us and his nickname potential), the poo poos slowed down to a more normal rate after a couple weeks.

Newborn photoshoot

SS has been to church and Target and the grocery store and even went to playgroup this morning! That's one thing that's very different this time around - with BB I tried not to go anywhere for 6 weeks, but that's just not really an option or very appealing this time around, partially because I have been feeling pretty much all healed up since SS was about 3 weeks old, which is such a different experience than with BB. I guess a fourth-degree tear versus a second-degree tear will do that to you. I am so thankful for how much more quickly I feel like I have bounced back after this delivery.


Our first family walk, to the park in our neighborhood, at 5 days old

So now you know a little bit about our precious one-month old Squeaky Son. We are in love with the newest member of our family and are trying to savor every aspect of his tiny-ness while it lasts. I know I'm going to blink and he'll be sitting up, crawling, walking, talking, just like BB. Cuddles and more cuddles until then.

Happy 1-month Birthday SS!


Tonight