*disclaimer - please ignore the horrible horrible grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, paragraph structure, narrative structure, basically every rule in the English language...*
Can you believe it's already been a week since you were born....I CAN'T!
A little bit about our last week/your first week in this world -
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| Hi cute sir |
Weight/Feeding: You were 8 pounds when we left the hospital on Sunday (down 10 ounces from your birth weight, which the doctors assure is just fine). My milk has finally come in after almost a week, so you shouldn't have a problem packing in the ounces from here on out. You're a chugger like your brothers - which is a good thing. You manage to get through a feeding in about 15 minutes, and I couldn't image what it would be like around here if it took any longer than that! You're also eating about 8-10 times a day/night, depending on how tired you are during the day.
Diapers: We finished up the 2 packs of newborn diapers they gave us in the hospital, and since I refused to purchase any newborn diapers at the store (because you're a little chunk), you are in size 1s, we just fold them down a little bit since your nub has not fallen out yet. I also love putting you in the Lil Joey's. We only have 4 of those though, so you cycle through those in about half a day (and I'm not doing extra wash, so they get washed with brothers diapers about every 4 days)
Schedule: You don't really have a set schedule yet during the day since it's pretty crazy around here to say the least, but you have nighttime down pretty well. You go to "bed" around 10pm, wake up around 1am to eat, pass back out until 6am-ish, eat, and then wake up around 8am when your brothers wake up. This is where it gets crazy!
You're pretty content for a few minutes while Mama makes her morning coffee, gets brothers some breakfast, then the 3 of you will eat together. After breakfast we go into your room and the 3 of you get dressed for the day. Then Braden just wants to hold you (which is great, so I can get dressed). I'll turn on a kid show for y'all and you will usually lay around for an hour or so. Around 10am you're ready to eat again (and yes, you stay awake for almost 2 hours in the mornings!), then pass out. You have been sleeping anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours during this nap - honestly, I think you just want to snuggle Mama during this time because obviously if I am holding you then you sleep longer.
Lunch is anywhere between 11-1 for your brothers, and you eat whenever you wake up from your afternoon sleep. Sometimes you hang out, sometimes you pass back out...either way we just go with it. You're back up around 4-ish, eat, hang out, poop, sleep...you get the drill....that happens a couple more times throughout the evening. It's really nice because you have been sleeping through our dinner time, so I am able to throw something together for the rest of the family during this time. The last couple nights it's been a lot of leftovers, Costco Chicken and Salad, and we actually did manage to go out to eat last night for the first time!!!
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| Kid show time with brothers...is this really my life?? |
Milestones: Daddy went back to work on Tuesday, and you got your newborn pictures taken on Thursday. Obviously your first bath at home (just a sponge bath though since your nub has not fallen out yet). Your brothers really enjoyed helping out with this. Braden wanted to make sure you were okay (since you were screaming your head off) and Zach just wanted to dump water on your. We went out for the first time as a family of 5 to dinner....I mean you really just eat, sleep, and poop, so there has not really been anything too exciting going on ;-)
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| All clean post bath |
Loves: Afternoon snuggles, eating, laying on the ottoman with brothers, looking around trying to check out the world around, sleeping, and pooping/farting (seriously, you're a Schleifer-Bell boy already) :)
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| Night time snuggles with Daddy |
Dislikes: When Braden and Zachary poke you (obviously), getting your diaper changed (stop pooping so much boy!), and I think I might have to add the bassinet to this list. At first I thought you just liked sleeping when someone was holding you, but now I am starting to realize you will sleep almost anywhere except your cradle.
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| B scolding Zachary for poking you |
Mommy and Daddy could not get through the week without: Netflix instant stream (for your brothers) - Best. Babysitter. Ever. You're also the 1st of the 3 to enjoy being swaddled, so your blankets have been a life saver. The weather has been beautiful, so we are able to go on a walk with brothers and daddy after work which has been helping them get out of the house for a bit and not go completely stir crazy.
Braden: Oh man does your big brother just adore you!!! He just wants to have you sit with him on the Boppy all day. The other day during Zach's therapy he was playing puppet with your arms while you were sleeping. It didn't phase you, but it freaked Mommy out. He loves to stand with us while you get your diaper changed and will talk to you and try to sooth you while you're freaking out. He also enjoys picking out your outfit/Pjs for the day. He was such a big helper with Zach when we went out. Holding his hand, walking with him, etc. He is very concerned with your 'drinking' habits, making sure you are getting enough, and asks if you're thirsty all the time.
And then Paul comes home. When Paul gets off work Braden has been turning into a completely different child, being naughty and rebellious, having meltdowns for no apparent reason, it's been tough. I think it's an attention issue, he feels threatened that his time with Paul is going to be taken away maybe? I am not sure, all I know is that something better change with that behavior in the next few days or he is going to be spending a lot of lonely spring nights in his room and not outside playing once daddy arrives home.
Zachary: At first he was having quite a hard time adjusting. I think that both the boys were just coming down from a crazy weekend. Nonna and Papa had watched them while I was in the hospital so they were just not in their normal element/routine. Now that things have calmed down and it's just the 5 of us in the house, I really think Zach was just over stimulated. (Side note: Stimulation and sensory issues are one of the many things that he works with his therapists on every week.) Anyways, now that he has come down from the craziness, he is doing MUCH better!! He loves laying on the ottoman with you, runs in to check on you while you're sleeping, tries to give you a binky when you're being fussy, makes sure your socks are always on (since they are ALWAYS falling off), will help me get out diapers, just to name a few thing.
He is also talking A LOT! Like talking, and saying words! I am not sure if having you around has been motivation for him to start talking, or he is just starting to figure it out. He will repeat the last word of directions you tell/ask him or things you say to him, he will point and tell you 'names' of items when he sees them (a favorite is 'socks!'), tell me what he is handing me (diaper, plate, spoon). He also has picked a heck of a time to learn the word 'NO' and start talking back to Paul and I. Lastly, he is starting to stand up for himself against Braden. Paul and I sometimes don't know whether to scold him, or be proud of him for getting back at B.
So that's pretty much it Mr Chase. Your first week, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have!
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| Happy 1 Week Birthday Mr Chase!! :) |
