Two Months

   Dear Ethan,

Happy 2 months :)  

You continue to grow so fast, but I can truly say that I am enjoying each and every day with you.  

 

You are doing your best to surpass your oldest brother for the easiest baby ever award.  I don't know how I managed to get two of you, but I will take it!  You, my dear, are a dream.  

Once you hit 6 weeks, you got a lot happier.  You weren't an unhappy baby before, but you were pretty fussy during the day when you weren't eating or sleeping.  Now, the only times that you fuss are when you're hungry, tired, have a full diaper, or are in your car seat for too long.   

You are weighing in at 13.5 lbs - up 2.5 in the last month and still a pound bigger than either of your brothers at this age... not bad! 

You are an incredible sleeper.  Lately, you've been sleeping a minimum of 8 hours at night, and most nights it is 10-12.  You are very insistent about your bedtime... if I'm not upstairs feeding you at 7:00, you will make it clear that it is time.  You're typically asleep around 7:30-7:45, and then you sleep until the morning.  Even after you wake up to eat, you'll often go back to sleep for a couple more hours.  If it were up to you, you'd take a long morning nap and a long afternoon nap, but since we're often on the go, you tend to take any number of catnaps throughout the morning and then a longer nap in your crib in the afternoon - it's usually at least 2 hours... sometimes 3.  You're also great at putting yourself to sleep - when I sense that you're getting tired, I can just swaddle you, put you in your crib with your mobile going, and you'll put yourself to sleep.  How did I ever get so lucky?  Over the course of the month, you've stretched out your feedings from every 2 hours to at least 2 1/2 (more if you're napping), so that's been nice too.  You do still cluster feed in the evening, usually eating around 5 & 7 before bed.  

You are a talker.  When you're happy and interacting with somebody, you just coo and coo.  I love the little conversations we have :)  I don't remember either of your brothers cooing this much, so I'm curious to see if you'll be a little quicker in your language development than they were. 

This month, you had a number of visitors.  Aunt Sara came to meet you,  then Nana & Papa came, and finally Uncle Tyler & Aunt Molly.  We love having the extra hands, and you love having the extra snuggles :-)  Aunt Sara discovered for us how much you like having the top of your head stroked.  Who knew!?!

Papa snuggles

Kaeden was very excited about the dog lovee that you got as a gift.  He is quite attached to his doggie, and now he often asks where yours is so that he can bring it to you. 

Your brothers continue to adapt to your presence in their lives. Ryan is as sweet as could be with you.  It's so nice to have a child around who I can trust to watch out for you!  Giving up more attention hasn't been a walk in the park for him, though.  For a while, he was expressing it with his "woe is me" attitude, more than average meltdowns, and impatience with Kaeden.  That has all improved a lot, especially since I've been trying to be sure to spend more quality time with him when possible.  Kaeden still adores you on the surface, but he is definitely jealous and tends to take it out on you.  I can't really let him near you unless I have my protective reflexes ready - sometimes he can be sweet and gentle and then out of nowhere, he'll pinch your cheek or squeeze your hand as hard as he can or grab your head and twist it.  You're learning to be somewhat wary of him, whereas Ryan frequently brings a smile to your face.  I'm sure you & Kaeden will work it out over time :-)  At this rate, you'll be as big as he is before we know it!

 

 You make me so happy each and every day.  There is nothing quite like the smiles and coos you give me at the end of a feeding.  

Keep on smiling, sweet boy.  You are oh so very loved!

 

 

 

 

 

 

One month

Dear Ethan,

You are one month old today.  As a general rule these past few years of my life, I would say that time flies, and I often don't know where a month has gone.  This past month, however, has gone blissfully slowly.  I can't remember the last time that I truly enjoyed a month as much as I have this past one.  That's not to say that there haven't been hard moments and even days as we've all adjusted to being a family of five.  But I can honestly say that I have savored this time, and I am so thankful.  

 

In some ways, it's hard to believe that you're only a month old.  So much has happened!  And as I've told many people, in many ways it felt like you entered the world as a one-month-old.  You were only 6 days late, but you were a pound and a half bigger than either of your brothers when they were born (and you're still growing fast - 11 pounds exactly as of today!).  You were surprisingly alert from the moment we laid eyes on each other.  You were holding your head up on your own at one day old.  You rolled over for the first time at 3 1/2 weeks old.  At this rate, you'll be walking by the time you're 6 months old!  Please don't grow up so fast.  

 

 

 In addition to your first Christmas, this month you had your first visit from Uncle Dain:

You also had your first real bath finally after 3 weeks - that umbilical stump just did not want to come off!  You like it much better than the sponge baths.  Being cold is one of your least favorite things, after all! 

 

You are a very good eater (clearly) and an equally good sleeper.  By the time we brought you home from the hospital, you were sleeping 4-5 hour stretches at night, and you've already done 7 & 8 hour stretches a few times recently.  Most of the time, I can put you down in your crib drowsy and you will put yourself back to sleep.  I guess you learned quickly that having a well-rested mommy is a good thing :)  During the day, you have a bit of a harder time.  If I can catch you at the perfect moment, I can sometimes put you down in your crib or pack 'n play and you'll put yourself to sleep.  Otherwise, you either fall asleep nursing, fall asleep in the car seat (rarely), or fall asleep in the sling.  You LOVE the sling.  It's the only thing that works when you're over-tired, but boy, does it work!  I'm so thankful to have something to turn to when I need to calm your fussies. 

 

Speaking of fussies, you typically have a fussy time in the evening for an hour or sometimes more.  In general, there's not much we can do to help you until bedtime arrives and I can feed you and put you to bed.  As a general rule, you like to be held.  And if we put you down, we had better be right there with you.  You do not like to be left alone.  I don't mind, though.  It's nice to have an excuse to hold you all the time :)  Your brothers might like it if you let me put you down a bit more, though!

 

Overall, Ryan & Kaeden are adjusting quite well to your presence in our family.  Ryan has warmed up to you very well.  He likes to hold you, and his very favorite thing is when you sneeze.  For some reason, he thinks it's very funny!  He has, on various occasions, called you "cool" and "cute".  And he is as sweet as could be to you, even trying to protect you at times from your other older brother who doesn't quite remember to be gentle at all times.  Kaeden still adores you and asks to "see Ethan" many, many times every day.  He always asks about you when you're not around, and when you are on the floor playing, he is guaranteed to be right there next to you.  I think he'll be very excited when you get big enough to actually play.  For now, he just harasses you with toys, even if you don't care about them yet.  

 

 

 

 

 

In case you couldn't tell, your brothers like to hold you! (and they learned early on that holding you means having their picture taken, so that has pretty much become a requirement every time they hold you.)

Ethan, you are such an important part of our family, and as is always the case with my babies, I already cannot imagine our lives without you.  I never pictured myself having three boys, but I am so thankful that God had a perfect plan for our family that included you!  Knowing you now and seeing how you fit into our family so well, I can't imagine it any other way.  You are such a blessing to your mommy, and I am loving every little snuggle... even (especially!) the 3 am ones.  

These are your one month portraits.  You have a cold (your second one already... poor 3rd child born in December!) and you were getting tired when I took them, but in my opinion, you're pretty adorable anytime. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

One week portraits

 One week ago at this moment, we were checking in at the hospital, hoping that I truly was in labor and that we'd be meeting our little Ethan soon.  I'm so glad that I was, and we did!

I took some time this morning to take Ethan's one week portraits - he was quite cooperative, and I am happy with the photos I was able to get.  

Here is my sweet little love, one week old today!

 

Ethan Avery

Our newest little miracle was born on December 15 at 8:24 pm.  He weighed 8 lb 9 oz and was 21 1/4 inches long.  

 

Clearly he was not in a hurry to greet the world, since he arrived 6 days past my due date, after a week of on & off false labor and a day of wacky true labor.  He has embraced life full-on, however, eating & sleeping like a champ and winning over the hearts of everyone who meets him!

 

I, for one, am completely in love, and I am finding myself daily overwhelmed to the point of tears with gratitude for my amazing family.  

Things we've learned about Ethan so far: 

• He does NOT like to have his diaper changed!
• He likes it when I play the piano and sing Christmas carols to him
• He is very tolerant of his brothers' attention and lack of skill at holding him
• He likes to lift his head up when he's lying on my chest
• He has a moderate amount of dark hair, including sideburns
• He looks just like Kaeden did as a baby when he's sleeping, but different when he's awake
• He is a healthy, happy little boy!

Meeting Mommy

Meeting Daddy

Meeting Nana

Me & all of my boys - so blessed!

Kaeden ADORES his baby brother

Ryan is not so impressed, but he is very sweet with Ethan when he does decide to pay him some attention

Ethan was waiting for his Papa to arrive in North Carolina before he would come out - I went into labor as soon as he arrived at the airport!

Sweet brotherly love

Ryan was way more interested in his little workbook that Nana gave him for the hospital visit

 

Ethan's first bath

 

Observers

He didn't like the first part so much, but he loved having his hair washed under the faucet

Grandaddy & B came to visit at the hospital too!

 

... and Auntie :)

Big strong boy, lifting up his head at one day old!

Passed out at home... those brothers are exhausting!

Having some tummy time

Atticus, Auntie, and Uncle Bret came over for my welcome home party

My brothers made me a cake (with some help from Nana)

Papa, Nana, and all of their grandsons

Family of 5!

First caught-on-camera smile!