Emmett - One Month

Emmett, you are already one month old!  Your first week of life I swear you didn't make a peep all day, though you were up every hour at night.  I couldn't believe what a sweet, perfect, well-behaved baby you were!  I was in a lot of pain so you and I spent a lot of time just snuggling on the couch.  Your Daddy said I better hold you as much as possible because you are the last baby.  Amen!! 

Your second week you started to get a little gassy and the only noises you made were grunts and groans.  You always sounded like you were trying to take a big poop.  You continued sleeping throughout the day and in just one hour increments at night.  I swear that about half way through the night I wanted to cry!  Thankfully, it was Christmas and we had lots of family around to help out.  Grammy and Papa came over on Christmas and stayed the night.  They came back for a few days around New Years Eve for my birthday and to help install our new kitchen backsplash.  Both times I took advantage of their presence and slept in and took naps whenever I could.  At one point I was so exhausted that I started feeling achy and developed a low grade fever.  I forgot how hard it is to have a new baby! 

In your third week we decided to start giving you gas drops.  Those seemed to help you a lot, and while you still grunted and groaned, it wasn't nearly as often or as bad.  I decided to stop sleeping upstairs and let you fall asleep downstairs to the sound of the television.  I started sleeping next to you on the couch.  This is what I did with Abram and it worked for you, as well.  I started getting 3 hour stretches of sleep - sometimes even 4 hours!  We tried putting you in every baby bed contraption we own including the swing, the bouncy seat, the pack and play, and the sleep and play.  Eventually, we ended up using the sleep and play for bedtime. You'll sit in any of them during the day quite peacefully.  You are really a good, sweet, easy-going baby.

You love your brother and sister.  Though you can't smile yet, you sit in there arms as content as can be.  At night I bring you up to say goodnight and they both get to hold you briefly.  You just sit there awkwardly in their little arms, but seem happy as a clam.  It's so cute!

Breastfeeding is going well.  In the beginning I would estimate it took you 30-45 seconds to actually get a good latch.  You would just rut around a lot before you would remember how to latch.  That lasted about two weeks.  It's so much easier to breastfeed the second and third child.  Chloe did the same thing you did, but it was so hard and so stressful.  I would try to put 47 pillows around me and would get so frustrated.  With you, I could patiently let you figure it out.  At three weeks you were a champ.

At your 4 week check up you already weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces!!  The doctor was so impressed by your weight gain.  When we left the hospital you were only 7 pounds 2 ounces.  You are a champ!  You started out in newborn diapers and newborn clothes.  The clothes fit you except for the feet.  You always had your little toes curled up in the feet of those newborn sleepers.  you were only in newborn clothes for about a week.  By the end of the first month you are wearing 3 month clothing and size 1 diapers. 

We try to get you to take a pacifier, but you aren't really interested.  Honestly, it pisses you off more than anything, and you often gag on it.  You don't really need one anyway since you rarely ever cry.  You are obsessed with the bath and shower.  You have never once cried when I put you in a bath or shower.  You always try to fall asleep in the tub because you are just so content.  You are the sweetest little guy! 

We are just so blessed to have you.  I didn't even realize how much I would enjoy having a little baby again.  You are just so good and we are so lucky that you aren't fussy.  You love to snuggle and be spoken to.  It feels like you want to smile at us.  Chloe swears that you smiled your first smile at her in the car.  I wouldn't be surprised. She is a silly one and I'm sure you are going to find her to be hilarious.  Thank you so much for being my sweet boy.  I love you so much!