Florida!

We had so much fun in Florida with family!  I had spent weeks looking forward to the weather and seeing everyone and of course the week went by way too fast.  The weather was amazing every single day.  It was in the 80s and sunny all but one day.  It was overcast one day with a little rain for about 15-20 minutes, but gorgeous the rest of the trip.

We spent a lot of time by the pool.  Zoe was in heaven swimming every day.  She was swimming all on her own by the end (with a life jacket).  One day she made up this funny little routine.  She'd step on this filter cover which she called a polka dot, walk over to a raft that was on the side of the pool and put her foot on the headrest, walk to the edge, jump to Uncie Nate, then swim to the edge.  She would narrate the entire thing.  She did this over and over and over.  We finally had to tell her only a few more times or else she probably would have done it for hours.  

While we were limited by naps, we still tried to squeeze in a few things outside of the house. We went to the ocean a few times, walked to the splash pad, walked to the park, got ice cream, and the adults even got to go out for drinks while Nana and Grandpa stayed home with the sleeping kids.

It really was so special to spend the week with family.  Hopefully it works out that we can all do it again another year!

Beckett James | Five Months

Stats:  Will find out next month.  Definitely growing though!

Likes:  Swaddled.  White noise.  Bath time.  Paci.  Watching everything going on.  Laying on your back.  When you get fussy, you generally love to be left alone.  In Florida, we had put you in the bouncy because you just wanted to be left alone.  We were on our way to the splash pad I think and were getting everyone ready and I was all ready to walk out the door, and suddenly Aunt Jenny asked, "Where's Beckett?"  Oops!  At least you were safe and just talking to yourself.  

Dislikes:  Loud noises…Zoe screaming or roaring, Wally barking, etc.  You are definitely very sensitive and get scared and cry.  Being overtired at bedtime.

Biggest Achievement This Month:  Sleeping until 6:45am!  Although, it has only happened twice :)  

We also went to Florida with family.  You did AMAZING on the plane.  I was so worried, but you did great.  You cried for maybe five minutes each flight but calmed right down.  You slept  a little here and there and were content for the most part.  Getting a direct flight was key.  

Biggest Challenge This Month:  Coordinating bedtime is definitely my least favorite part of the day.  It's definitely hard with two.  Zoe has been having crazy breakdowns at bedtime and you are exhausted as well so it sometimes makes for A LOT of crying.  I'm usually completely spent once everyone is in bed by 7:40pm.  Thankfully, we still have man on man defense most nights.  There was one night that daddy was gone.  I put Zoe to bed early thinking you'd be fine…no.  You screamed through her entire bedtime story.  I suppose I should have put you to bed first.  

Secret Tricks:  Just letting you chill by yourself.  

Sleep:  It could be much worse.  You are down for the night around 7:30pm.  Most nights you might fuss for a short amount of time here and there but fall back to sleep on your own until anywhere from 4-6am.  Most times it's around 5ish that you get up to eat.  Some nights you are so upset that I need to give you your paci (crying it out does NOT work some nights).  You are then up around 7 am for the day.  

Your first nap is around 9am, the second one around 12:30-1pm, and the third around 4-4:30pm.  

You did make it until 6-6:45am a few mornings this month but not consistently.  So we are getting close, just not quite there yet.  

Temperament/Personality:  You still have a super chill personality.  You are starting to want to do more "stuff" but are still pretty content most of the time as long as you can see/hear people.  

Eating:  Still taking 6 bottles most days.  You take 3-4oz for your early morning bottle.  Then 5.5oz the rest of the day.  The days that you skipped your early morning feeding, I gave you 6oz for a couple feedings.

We also tried oatmeal cereal.  You were not a fan at all!  As Zoe put it, "It doesn't taste good" so who could blame you!

Randoms:  You are in size 2 diapers and all size 6 month clothes.  Although, your Carters long sleeve 3 month onesies STILL fit!  Those are the only three month clothes you can squeeze into, but they fit!

Your skin was so clear in Florida!  The humidity did wonders for you :)  Of course though, we are back in dry MI and your eczema is back.  Not horrible, but it's back.

Milestones:  You are getting so close to rolling from back to belly.  I'm kind of dreading this one because we'll have to get rid of the sleep sack.  And I know that you are going to sleep horribly at first.

You are also chomping on your hands nonstop which makes me wonder if you are working on some teeth.  It still seems so early though so we'll see.

Time is going by so fast little man.  I'm back to work in just one month.  I'm trying not to dwell on that and just soak up every second we have together.  I can't wait to see what this next month has in store for us!

Beckett James | Four Months

I definitely have had this written forever…but with vacation and life, I just didn't get around to posting it on time.  Now only two weeks until your 5 month post :)  Oh…the life of a second child. 

Stats:  weight...13.5 oz (18th percentile).  Head 16.25 in (40th percentile).  Height 24.5 in (32nd percentile).  Still our little peanut.  You are SLOWLY creeping up there!

Likes:  Swaddled.  White noise.  Bath time.  Watching your big sister.  You love staring at her and seeing what she's doing.  Chatting with anyone who will listen and chat back.  Watching people.  You are very content for the most part being in your bouncy, laying on the floor, etc. as long as you are in on the action and can see people.  You recently starting giggling when we give you kisses on your cheeks and belly.  I love those laughs!  Your paci which is a change for us since your sister never took to it.  Thankfully, you've gotten over really needing it at night if it falls out.

Dislikes:  While you love watching your sister, you HATE when she screams or yells unexpectedly.  It really scares you and you then give us your scared cry.  So sad.  We are really working on Zoe being a little quieter so that she doesn't scare you so often.  I know she's not doing it on purpose.  She's just very "passionate" as day care puts it.  Getting ready after bath time.  

Biggest Achievement This Month:  Sleeping until 6!  Although, we can thank the time change for that one :)

Biggest Challenge This Month:  Getting you through your random nighttime wake ups.  I knew you didn't need to eat so it was just a matter of letting you cry.  Thankfully, it only took a few nights and you now are fine.  Sometimes you'll wake up very briefly, but you only cry for a minute or two and then are right back to sleep.

Secret Tricks:  As long as you can see us, you are generally ok.  There is really no need for "tricks" anymore as you are extremely content now.  Such a change from a few months ago.  And a welcome one at that :)

Sleep:  Not much change here from our last post.  You are now in your own room though which I suppose is a big achievement!  

You are down at about 7:30-7:45pm without really any fuss.  You'd probably go to sleep earlier, but I want to make sure we get in that one last bottle.  You then eat again around 5:30 or 6 am (thanks to the time change).  You still sometimes are a little fussy anywhere from 2 or 3am, but I do let you fuss a little to see if you are hungry or if you'll fall back to sleep.  So far you always fall back to sleep after a few minutes.  

You go back down after your early morning feeding and are up around 7:30 am.  We no longer put you in the rock n play which seems to have caused a little earlier wake up, but I'm ok with that.  Recently, you've decided to poop sometime after the early morning feeding which I'm assuming is causing your wake up. 

I was a little worried about the time change, but we are right back on schedule.  Zoe always got through them easily, but I know how different two kids can be.  Thankfully, you are one in the same here.  

Maybe month 5 will be our "sleep through the night" month?  I know you'll get there.  And you really are making it a long stretch.  I'd really just like you up around 7am so you really have just an hour or two more to make it.  Moving you to your own room has really helped me sleep too.  It's much easier for me to fall back to sleep now after you fuss.

Temperament/Personality:  So so so happy!  You are smiling and laughing all of the time now.  You are pretty chill as well and don't really need to "do" much just yet.  I feel like we had to do a lot of activity switching with your sister, but you seem to be ok just doing whatever for the most part.  So much so that I have to remember to try and do tummy time, get out toys and switch things up for you just for developmental reasons.

It's just amazing to me how different you are from just a month or two ago.  I was telling a friend how bad it was at Christmas and he mentioned that he hadn't heard a peep from you all day.  Which was so true.  As long as you nap when you are supposed to and eat when you are supposed to, you are one happy little guy.  Sleep training is one of the top things I dread, but working on getting you on a dependable schedule I know has really helped.

Eating:  Still taking 6 bottles.  The early morning bottle is now down to 3 oz.  You weren't  all that hungry at your next feeding so I'm working on reducing that one.  The rest of the day you take about 5.5 oz.  

Randoms:  Size 2 diapers as of a few days ago.  We ran out of size 1's and knew you wouldn't fit in them much longer anyhow.  You still fit in some of your 3 month clothes (barely).  I have a feeling they will all be put away this next month though.

Your cradle cap has gotten a little better and your eczema is MUCH better.  The aquaphor worked great!

Milestones:  Sleeping better and in your own room!  Waking up talking rather than crying.  You LOVE to talk!  And you actually talk back when we are talking to you.  ADORABLE.

I can't believe we only have two months left together at home.  I really am so thankful to have so much time home with you.  Without the six months, we wouldn't get to spend all of your happy days together.  Your smiles and giggles are infectious.  I love you so so much little man!  

Beckett James | Three Months

Stats:  No appointment this month, but since we've been to the doctor's so often recently (more below), you are right around 12.5 lbs.  They don't take the other stats so we'll have to wait until your 4 month checkup for the rest.  

Likes:  You love laying on your changing table and looking at the pictures on the wall.  I thought this was an odd thing to like, but looking back at Zoe's 3/4 month posts, she liked doing the same thing!  Zoe can usually get you to smile with her craziness.  Swaddled, white noise, eating.  Having your neck and thighs tickled.  Listening to people talk to you and you talking/cooing back to us.  Me blowing raspberries at you. 

Dislikes:  Being sick/coughing (I can't blame you here).  Early evening is still a little hit or miss but no where near where we were before.  I just think there is so much going on trying to get everyone fed, Zoe ready for bed, etc. that you are just way over stimulated at this point.  Tummy time after a few minutes…although classic second child, I'm horrible at remembering to do it.

Biggest Achievement This Month:  You are SO content on your own now.  This is such a huge milestone for me.  I'm now able to get things done while you are awake.  I usually bring you with me in the bouncy and we chat with each other while I wash bottles, put dishes away, eat, etc.  As long as you can see me, you're usually good.  This really has been amazing!  Don't get me wrong, I love holding you and cuddling, but it was getting tough having to be attached to each other every waking minute.

Biggest Challenge This Month:  Three letters…RSV.  Oh it was horrible.  Zoe had a terrible cold so we kept her home from school on a Monday and Tuesday.  I figured you would get sick since it's near impossible to keep her completely away from you.  I noticed you had a slight fever on Wednesday so I called the doctor right before they closed.  They saw us since I was concerned since you were so little.  They ran a few tests and confirmed RSV.  Since it was the beginning of the illness, you weren't really showing any symptoms other than the fever.  Thursday you started coughing.  You were ok at night still but during the day you were just miserable.  You wouldn't eat which is SO SO unlike you.  You could hardly stay awake for more than 20-30 minutes at a time.  We went to the doctor Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and again on Monday.  Your fever spiked at 103.5, you had an ear infection, and other horrible cold symptoms.  You did ok most nights.  Saturday was by far the worst.  You also had to get a chest x-ray on Saturday to rule out pneumonia which was negative thankfully.  

I think that was enough sickness for one winter.  So let's try to stay healthy from now on little guy.  It took a long time for us to see those smiles and it was just too sad seeing you so miserable.

Secret Tricks:  You go down for your naps/bedtime without a fuss as long as we put you down after the magic length of awake time.  For a while, I was keeping you up for 1.5 hours, but it seems like that is hit or miss if you go down ok.  I started putting you down around 1 hr 10 minutes or 1 hr 20 minutes and it's made a huge difference.  You fall asleep on your own (I put you down awake) and the 45 minute nap intruder is less cruel. 

Sleep:  I'll try not to sound too negative here because I know it could be so much worse.  You are still getting up once at night to eat.  While you were sick, you started pushing into the 1am and 2am hours which started making me nervous, but I figured you were sick.  Then you continued even when you got better which was pretty close to 3 months so I hoped that it was just a growth spurt at that point.  Sure enough, you eventually started moving back towards 4am.  You even made it to 5:30 one day!  So we are making progress.  

Some nights you'll make it all the way without a fuss.  Other nights you spit up, which causes you to wake up and fuss more.  I've tried letting you cry and put yourself back to sleep, but it's hit or miss if it works.  If you fuss for longer than 10 minutes, I get up and put you in the rock n play which puts you right back to sleep.  Then you are usually up anywhere from 4-5:30 am to eat.  You've gotten better at going back down.  Some days I think your tummy is upset because you grunt and whine on and off.  

I know I'm probably creating a horrible habit, but if you get up before 7am, I then bring you in bed and prop you on daddy's pillow and you usually fall right back to sleep.  

Most days you are up 7:30-8am.  You go down around 8pm. You still take 4 naps most days.  Your first nap is usually always at 9am.  The other naps depend on how long your first nap is, but are generally within a half hour the same time every day.  Most naps are 1.5-2 hours.  Your third and fourth naps are shorter, but I can usually get two good naps which I'm happy about.  

You are still in the pack n play/rock n play in our room.  I really really am hoping you sleep through the night soon so we can move you to your crib.  I just am so awake after feeding you as it is, and I know that going up and down the stairs will just wake me up even more.  My fingers are crossed that we get there by the end of the fourth month! :)

Temperament/Personality:  We really turned the corner this month.  So many smiles.  The only real times that you are upset are when you are tired, hungry, or bored.  You don't really scream at all for no apparent reason like you used to.  I'm so glad we've made it past the fourth trimester.  

Eating:  You now take 6 bottles.  Your early morning bottle is 4 oz.  Then you take 5-6 oz the rest of the day.  5 is usually plenty, but every once in a while you scream for more and I give you that extra ounce.

I also ended pumping this month.  The freezer stash ran out, and I was only pumping enough for one or two bottles at the most and it just wasn't worth it.  You are up for such short amounts of time, that I didn't want to spend our entire time together pumping, and it was near impossible on the days Zoe is home.

Randoms:  You still fit in your 3 month clothes and size 1 diapers.  The three month clothes just fit now for the most part.  I really have to try hard to get your PJs zipped.  The size 1 diapers are still fitting pretty well.

You have horrible cradle cap this month.  I put baby oil on it and used a soft brush to get most of it out for now.  Zoe had it too, but I don't remember hers being this thick.  Although, she had more hair then you so maybe that's why I didn't notice it as much.

You also have eczema on your face.  Zoe had/has it on random spots on her body, but never on her face.  Some days it's worse for you than others.  I tried Euceren lotion which didn't work all that well so I've switched to Aquifer.  It's seeming to help a little more (although your face is super shiny for a while after I put it on).  Regardless, you're still the cutest :)

Milestones:  You rolled from your belly to your back!  It only happened twice in one day and you refuse to repeat it, but I know you can do it now at least :)  Poor Zoe works so hard to get you to do it (she hasn't seen it yet), but you are being stubborn.

It's so hard to believe that our time together is already half way done.  Let's make the most of these last three months that we have home with each other.  Seeing you turn into such a happy, content baby has been so fun.  Our daily "chats" are the highlight of my days.  I can't wait to see how much more of your personality shines through in month four.  Love you buddy!