3 Month Update!

I can't believe it has already been 3 months since this little munchkin-- "munch" for short -- came into our lives.  Looking back at the pictures from his birth, its amazing to me how much he has grown in just 12 short weeks. He is very quickly becoming his own little man. 

It has been a busy time for our little family, getting out and about has been really important to keeping my sanity!  I'm still at home with Harrison during the day and we've definitely settled into a routine.  Playdates and mini excursions have kept us both from getting too bored.  It was hard for me to admit at first, but newborns are fun for about 30% of the day. This 30% consists of feeding, talking, tickling, singing, bathing and playing with toys.  The other 70% of the day involves poop and staring at eachother.  As Harrison is getting a little older he is becoming much more of a participant in our playtime and conversations which has made the days much more enjoyable for us both!

Napping with Daddy

Harrison is most definitely a baby that needs to be entertained.  Not one to play with his toys on his own, he wants your constant involvement by making faces and singing in weird voices to him.  Sometimes just being in his sightline is enough.  Sometimes.  That being said, I can immediately tell when Harrison gets to the "okay mom, please leave me alone for a little bit" time.  I know this because of his dead-pan stare :)  We've started to encourage him to play with his toys on his own by lying next to him, but waiting for him to initiate play himself.

The more toys, the merrier

He has become quite the chatterbox.  Daniel and I love listening to him talk, sometimes it sounds like he is signig to us! Harrison is now talking to all of his toys, his newest "friend" is his new mobile in the crib (yes, you read that right! He is FINALLY in his crib!!)  I was really nervous about making any changes to his bedroom routine and therefore put off transitioning him from his bassinett to the crib for a long time.  It wasnt until I woke up one morning and saw Harrison smushed against the side of the bassinett with nowhere to move that I realized the time had come.  All of my worrying was for nothing, I'm not sure he's even noticed he is not in the bassinet anymore.

One thing that I'm starting to realize is that I'm a very concerned mother when it somes to safety.  That may be an understatement.  The bumper pads were converted into a blanket (thanks again, auntie Emily!), I freak out when someone tries to put his carrier on furniture when he's in it, the sight of somone bottle-propping THEIR OWN baby makes my palms sweat and I still poke him everytime I wake up in the middle of the night to make sure he's still breathing.  Oy.  I had thought these reactions would calm once he got a little older, but that doesnt seem to be happening.  Poor kiddo is going to have a nut for a mother :)

In other news, Harrison has mastered the art of raising one of his eyebrows.  Just like his Daddy.  I call this his "you fools" look.  There's definte judgement in that look!  He's also very very very close to rolling over without assistance.  Right now we're stuck at the half-roll.  This consists of 1) Roll onto  side 2) Get stuck  3) Get angry  4) Cry  5) Be rolled by mommy onto back again  6) Repeat.  Just a little more momentum and he should get it!    Harrison has also discovered his toes.  While sitting in his Bumbo chair the other day, a look of concern came across his face (complete with head-tilt to the side) as he stared at his wiggling toes.  Then a lightbulb went off and he seemed to make the connection that they belonged to him.  He's now obsessed with his  toes :)

3 Months

My Favorites

Lately, while spending my days with Harrison I'll find something about him that's just so cute I cant stand it.  I've decided to start a list of these adorable characteristics so that one day he can read about just how obsessed his mother is with him :)

* His feet.  This is a huge surprise to me, as in general I HATE feet.  Daniel and I have been together for over 7 years and I still freak out when his feet touch mine.  Its absurd really.  But there is something about Harrison's feet that are just so cute.  Every time I take off his onesie to change his diaper I kiss each of his feet. His little baby toes just make me want to bite them off :)

* This is kind of an add-on to the feet. Every time he gets a bottle, if you look at his feet he sits there and wiggles his toes until the bottle is gone. 5 minutes of just sitting there wiggling his toes. I love it.

* His pouty lower lip.  Simply stated, this kid can work the lower lip.  He is still discovering all of his facial expressions and it melts my heart to see his lower lip pout out (usually for no reason).  Its even cuter when he pouts it out and a second later he has a huge smile on his face. I have full confidence that one day he will begin using it to his advantage.  It has become my mission to capture a picture of it.

* The quiver. When Harrison sucks on his pacifier or bottle there is a pattern of suck, suck, suck, quiver.  You can see the whole pacifier quiver in his mouth.  If you're feeding him, you can actually feel it in the bottle.  He's been doing it since day one.  I have no idea why it happens, but it makes me laugh every time.

* His morning smile.  This little boy wakes up happy.  This in turn helps me to wake up happy :)  His bassinet is still located right next to my side of the bed so I quickly hear any change in his breathing, movements and have no trouble waking up to the sounds of him stirring.  We have a mesh breathable bumper pad on the sides of the bassinet--the bars are regulation so there's no real need for it, but we wanted something there just so he would have his own little space and could limit his distractions once put to bed.  Since it is a mesh bumper it is still see-through in the daylight, which means that each morning I look over to him looking at me with a smile. Melt my heart.

I'm sure there will be more to come :)

Shots! Shots! Shots! (and no, not those kind)

Harrison had his 2 month appointment last Thursday. An event I was both excited and scared for.  Excited in that I was anxious to see how much he has grown since his 1 week appointment, and scared because of the 4 vaccinations that were coming his way.  Harrison has been growing steadily since his last appointment, but has definitely slowed down in weight gain since he made his arrival. Daniel and myself both knew he had to plateau at some point, we don't exactly come from families with big/tall genes :)  He is now weighing in at 11 lbs 13 oz (25th percentile) and measuring 23 1/2 inches (50th percentile).  He is healthy as can be.  Everything from the straightness of his spine to reflexes checked out perfect. Another check off the list of a worrisome mommy! Harrison did not enjoy his appointment. Massive understatement.  Poor kiddo screamed bloody murder from the time we walked into the exam room until we were back in the car.  At one point the doctor and myself were having to shout questions to each other just to be heard.  Harrison also received all of his 2 month immunizations (TDaP, Pneumococcal, Rotavirus and Polio)  He received his Hep B vaccine at his 1 week appointment, so I had at least a little idea of what to expect, unfortunately that didn't make it any easier.  Unlike most parents, my fears and discomfort wasn't due to his reaction to the shots themselves.  I've heard many times about parents being in tears and not being able to watch as they're giving the vaccinations.  Not me.  Instead, my instinct to protect my baby skyrockets. I am watching that nurse like a hawk.  Every move she makes.  Instead of not being able to watch, I would actually feel more comfortable if I was able to give the vaccination myself.

I scheduled back-to-back appointments for him and myself--I was having my final c-section check up so I could be cleared to start working out.  That turned out to be the worst idea ever.  I have vowed never to bring him to one of my appointments alone again.  It was heartbreaking to hear the little man crying in his carrier (hysterically, I might add) and not be able to do anything.  There was actually a point while the doctor was checking my incision that I looked at him with "hurry the #@%! up!" look in my eyes.  Needless to say the moment the exam was done, we were out of there fast.  Harrison usually loves car rides, but this one required static on the radio the whole way home.  Poor guy :(  He was finally able to sleep and got to spend part of the evening with Nana. Thankfully, he was all smiles and chatter by the time we got home. Now we just wait and dread the 4 month appointment!

So sleepy!

2 Months

Month 2 Reflections

Tomorrow, Harrison will be 8 weeks old! I cant believe how fast time has been flying by.  In just a few short weeks, we have seen him begin to smile, talk, hold his head up without assistance, and begin to scoot his legs when on his stomach.  The reason for the scooting is yet to be determined, we've narrowed it down to either an eagerness to jump start the "army crawl" or an act of desperation to move as he HATES tummy time.  In either case we have had so much fun watching him!  It also makes staying at home a lot more enjoyable since our relationship is a little more balanced when it comes to interaction :) Last week I brought Harrison to my parents' house and he was able to spend some time with Papa Gregg.  They were laying on the living room floor chatting with each other for the longest time. It was the cutest thing, you would have thought they could understand what was being said, it was like an actual conversation going back and forth.

Harrison and Papa Gregg

He is still growing like a weed (we have our 2 month appointment tomorrow and I'm anxious to see what his height and weight are at!) Just the other day I re-organized his dresser and went through ALL of his clothes again, separating things once again into "fits" "doesn't fit" "wont ever fit" piles.  It breaks my little heart to see all the clothes he wont be able to wear, its just another reminder of how fast he's growing up.  Its also a reminder that we need to buy more clothes!  Before he was born I remember thinking "We have sooo much clothes!! We are set!"  This may have been the case if he wasn't such a big boy, he's already sporting a lot of 3 and even 6 month clothes.  Even the 6 month clothes we had purchased prior to his birth may not work--we were thinking 6 months would be spring, not winter!

Playing with Daddy

Using his big boy chair

Harrison seems to be in another growth spurt, his once routine eating schedule has turned into cluster feedings.  He sometimes eats between 6-7 oz at a time (WHAT??) This seems ridiculous to me, but I've been told again and again that if he's not spitting up to let him eat until he's satisfied. 

Also new? Harrison has discovered his hands.  I read that its very common around week 8 for babies to distinguish between objects (toys, bottles, pacifiers) and their hands.  Ever since he made this distinction he is  CONSTANTLY putting his hands in his mouth. Apparently the double sensation in both his mouth and his hands helps him to understand that the hands are apart of him and not another object. We've tried really hard to limit the use of mittens on him for this reason, using them only to keep his hands warm if they feel cold. I know this sucking is extremely important for his development but it drives me nuts.  Everyday I'm terrified he will have figured out how to unclench his fist when bringing it to his mouth and he will turn into a thumb sucker.  Eek.  One cool thing I've noticed about it is that he is favoring his left hand...do we have another lefty in the family??

nom nom nom

More to come tomorrow after our appointment!

Harrison's First Christmas

This past week we celebrated our first Christmas as The Herrera Family!  I can not describe how much fun it is to celebrate the holidays with this little boy, watching him stare with amazement at all of the lights, trees, and ornaments.  Harrison's first Christmas was a wonderful balance between plenty of family and periods of peace and quiet. 

Friday evening we celebrated with my parents and my siblings (plus spouses and children).  We shared appetizers and Buca (YUM!) and mommy even treated herself to a glass of wine.  On a side note, I've quickly discovered that the relaxation and happiness that comes with a glass of wine does not outweigh the frustration and sadness that comes with having to "pump-and-dump." Harrison got to meet his Anderson cousins and hang out with his aunts and uncles.  He also received some very cute outfits, and his very own Elf on the Shelf.  I can't wait until he's old enough for us to start using it! 

Our first Elf!

Harrison and his cousin Nolan

Winston playing in the wrapping :)

Christmas eve was spent with my parents and my sister Emily.  This was the first year that I've celebrated Christmas eve with my family knowing that I wouldn't be seeing them Christmas Day for presents.Yes, I have been incredibly spoiled for the last 7 years with Daniel, and No, it did not make it any easier :) Daniel, Harrison and I opened our gifts from my family that evening after dinner.  Harrison received some great toys (some for now, and some for later), a lot of cute outfits and even pair of sunglasses to match!  I'm sure his favorite present of all was the wipe warmer, he definitely hates a cold wipe.  My sister gave me a Baby Bullet (think Magic Bullet, but for babies) which was an AWESOME gift and something I had no idea even existed.  I've always wanted to make homemade baby food and I'm so excited to start using it.  Only 2 more months and we can start incorporating solids into his diet.  I'm excited for all the new things coming up, but it makes me so sad to see how fast time is flying by!

Harrison and Auntie Emily

Harrison and Nana

The Baby Bullet!

Christmas Day we spent at Daniel's family.  Once again, Harrison was spoiled rotten!  He now has a bin full of toys waiting for him to develop the skills to use them.  For now, he just watches while I dangle them in his face :) This boy will also be sporting cute clothes for awhile.  We also got another car seat base from Grandma Cathy which will make all of our lives a lot easier!  Now Daniel and I don't have to play the "which car are you going to take" "who's taking the baby?" game.  It was so much fun opening gifts for Harrison, and I can only imagine how much fun it will be to one day watch his excitement when he can open them on his own. 

Toys!

With Auntie Brianna

With our first Christmas as a family over, we've learned that as with adults, the holidays are all about balance.  It was a delicate situation ensuring Harrison wasn't too overstimulated with all of the people and noise that he's not used to in his quiet little bubble inside our apartment but I think overall went well.  Only a few hiccups with him reminding us that he can "take it to the next level" in case we forgot. Now we can all relax and look forward to whats to come in 2012!

Finally I can sleep!

Catching Up

Its been awhile since I've found the time (or the motivation) to get on here and update!  Things have been going extremely well here at the Herrera house and Harrison is adjusting wonderfully.  We've settled into our own little routine.

Harrison is proving to be like his mommy was as a baby in his distaste for daytime naps.  Since he's not much of a daytime sleeper, he does sport his cranky pants in the evening.  This usually means a period of near-hysteria around 7:30 until he is fed, changed, swaddled and placed in his swing around 8:30.  Once in his swing with his hair dryer CD he usually falls asleep rather quickly.  The challenge has now become transferring him from his swing in the living room to his bassinet in the bedroom.  We're averaging a 75% success rate on the first attempt, which isn't all that bad considering our second attempt rate is currently at 100%....knock on wood.  The three of us are usually in bed by around 9:30-10:00. Never having gone to bed so earlier before baby, Daniel is actually getting more sleep now than he was before Harrison. 

"Don't even think about it woman..."

The most wonderful thing of all (and I'm almost scared to "say" it out loud in fear of jinxing myself...) is that Harrison has been sleeping between 7-8 hour stretches at night for a little over 2 weeks now.  Could this possibly be how it always will be?!  I'm afraid of what it will be like if he decides to pull the rug out and we go back to waking up every 3 hours.  Knowing what its like to have a baby and still get a whole nights sleep, reverting back will be a huge shock to my system.

In other news, Harrison is now "talking."  He is constantly cooing and babbling--either to us, himself or his first aid kit (whom we now fondly call Arc, short for it's American Red Cross label.)  He can be heard talking all day, I actually woke up the other night to him chattering away to himself in his bassinet.  It is so much fun to talk to him and have him make little noises in return.  Harrison also blessed us with his first smile last week.  It has been a goal for us now to get him to smile as often as possible.  It melts my heart every time.  His most frequent smiles and chattering have come during and after his baths.  I wonder if he will be a swimmer like myself with how much that little boy loves the water!

Harrison and "Arc"

Smiles!

We're slowly starting to bring him out more.  Aside from our parents' houses, we've done our best to limit his exposure.  Honestly, its been extremely difficult.  More so for myself than anyone else, I get extremely stir-crazy in this apartment by the end of the week that I'm so excited to get out--even if just to the grocery store.  Once Harrison hits his 6 week mark we intend to get him out and about more. 

This past week we brought Harrison to the audiologist to have his hearing re-tested.  While in the hospital during his routine hearing test, Harrison failed to pass in both ears at the same time.  The first test he failed in the left and passed in the right,  the second test came back with opposite results with him passing in the left and failing in the right.  Even though it was technically considered a pass by the hospital's standards, our pediatrician referred us to an ENT doctor to have him retested.  We're happy to say that he passed in both ears and it was confirmed that the failing results were due to fluid build up in his ears from before birth.  One less thing for mommy to worry about!

Daniel and I have escaped a few times now by ourselves, once for dinner and another for a movie.  Each time has been anxiously awaited. Each time however, I've come to tears by the time we get to the car and have received pep talks by Daniel throughout the date on the importance of getting out.  While I know this to be true, I cant seem to shake the aching in my heart when I'm away from my baby boy. I'm hoping that in time this will fade some, because as of now the thought of spending a night away from him is out of the question!

5 weeks in, the 3 of us are starting to sync up with each other and Daniel and I are starting to get used to having a baby around--although we will admit that we will be all too ready for that second bedroom once we move.  Our nightly routine of watching the news and catching up on each other's day has become more of a quick whispered "goodnight" in fear of waking the baby.  Oh how things change :)

The Other Shoe Has Dropped

Where did my calm, serene baby go?!  Harrison has developed the fussies.  A case I'm hoping will be relatively short-lived.  They seem to be worse in the evenings, but he's started to transition into days as well.  Its amazing how such an loud, angry noise can come out of something so small!  I'm very thankful Daniel is such a patient husband (both with Harrison and myself) as the crying is beginning to sound like nails on a chalkboard, sending chills right up my spine. 

Leave it to Daddy to take a picture of him crying :)

This past Sunday after trying to soothe him for hours with no luck, we finally broke open The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD my mother gave me for one of my baby shower gifts.  One part of the DVD is an instructional movie where Dr Harvey Karp (the creator) shows his 5 S's for calming a baby:  Swaddling, Shushing, Swinging, Sucking, and Sideline positioning.  It was incredibly helpful to see the examples as opposed to just reading the descriptions-- I never realized how loudly they actually want you to "shush" in your baby's ear!  It was absolutely incredible, the immediate transformation from a blood curdling screamer to a baby as limp as a rag doll.  By immediate, I really do mean immediate.  It was a matter of seconds.  While each attempt since then has not been immediately successful, it still makes a profound difference.  As Daniel put it, this man is a genius and if we could afford it he would be our live-in baby calmer.  The second part of the DVD is a compilation of "soothing sounds" to play either to calm a baby or keep a baby sleeping once they are calm.  I've quickly learned that sounds that calm a baby are NOT sounds that calm adults.  Loud hairdryers and vacuum cleaners seem to work wonders on Harrison, but of course there's no way to relax when you're playing them at volume level 50 on the TV and you can no longer hear your own thoughts.  I'm sure our neighbors are loving us as well...  That being said, I really do recommend this DVD for anyone with a newborn.  I would have lost my sense of reality completely without it!

With no signs of ear infections, or other physical causes for his fussiness, it appears as though he may be going through a growth spurt.  Keeping him pumped full of milk is the only other way to keep this little boy calm! 

Finally passing out the one place I can't leave him...his changing table.