William's First Wedding!

This weekend, we headed to Branson for the wedding of one of Bret's cousins (Kylie). I worked a half-day and the we were off! Not only would this weekend be Will's first wedding, but it is his first road trip! After being fed, our little man slept almost the whole way:

After a quick outfit change, Will was ready to impress the family! He got LOTS of comments on his ginger-status. We've concluded that he will be a redhead for at least the first part of his life (it may darken up). Will was very alert and watching all the people around him at the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. He took his formula mini-bottle and took a snooze in his wearing carrier while mama and dad ate. 

Here he is with with Great Grandparents Dinkel (Grandma & Grandpa Great, as they are known). This picture makes my heart explode with happiness!

We are staying in a treehouse (that sways at times...) with Bret's parents and Andrea & Dustin. They graciously gave us the downstairs master so we would have room for Will and maybe so they wouldn't have to hear any cries (although he's not really ever a fussy baby and a crying sleeper anymore!). Here's our room (sneaking in some tummy time!):

And Will has his own room (just don't tell him it's a closet!!). This is his first time sleeping in a pack n play and he's being amazing. I love how adaptable he's been lately! Such a good baby!!

Here is the chapel of Kylie & Paul's wedding

Family pic:

The men in my life:

Will with Kylie:

Will's Grandpa & Grandma Brown:

Grandma & Grandpa Dinkel with all the grandkids & great grandkids:

The happy couple, Kylie & Paul:

The highlight of my night was getting to participate in the mother/son dance with William :)

William: 4 months

Month Stats

Weight: 13.5lbs

Length: 23in

Eating: William is a rock star at both nursing and taking a bottle! He switches back and forth between the two easily and will take a bottle from anyone offering him food. I'm thinking he's going to be a non-picky eater ;) When he sees the bottle coming close, he opens his mouth like a baby bird wanting a worm. And most of the time he's mad when the bottle is empty, his stomach seems to be a bottomless pit!

At his 4mo Dr's appt, Will's weight landed him in the 13th percentile, so he's a little guy (his length and head size are in the mid to upper percentiles). Because of this, and to help him be content/get better sleep, we have incorporated some formula into his feedings. Each bottle he takes with my mom and Bret's dad is breastmilk (usually about 3oz) and then topped up to 5oz with formula. We also added a 6pm 2-3oz bottle of formula each evening. Hoping this helps him pack the ounces/pounds! We've already seen it help with his sleeping!

Bedtime: We have hit the sweet spot of sleeping!! William starts going down to sleep between 7:20 & 7:40pm and is sleep IN HIS CRIB (!!!) by 8:15pm. I dreamfeed him about 10:45pm and he sleeps until 6:45/7am. Mama is LOVING all the sleep and it's wonderful not to have to worry about him throughout the night. He is now sleeping with both arms unswaddled and is doing great!

Naps: Naps seem to be getting better. I really think it's owed to the larger bottles he's taking. His belly is more full, so he can get better rest. According to his weekday watchers, his naps range from 50min to almost 2hours! 

Diapers: Still in size 1. This kid loves to poop and usually does it once a day (maybe that's why he is such a little guy!). Our Dr said he could go up to 5/6 days without pooping, which would scare me! William is pretty regular ;)

Clothes: We are stretching out the last of the 0-3mo outfits and are using all the 3mo outfits now. I think he's worn all of them, so that's good! He isn't upset when he's changed and sometimes thinks it's funny to have a shirt/onesie going over his head. 

Favorites: He loves his toys now! He plays mostly with his green grippy ball and his rattles. Each morning, he plays in his playgym to start his day and loves to kick and grab at the animals hanging down from it. He also is into his bouncer/jumper. He has his police car one and his activity one. 

Dislikes: Tummy time isn't always his most favorite time of day. Sometimes we can get a couple minutes in before he realizes what is happening and that he 'should be' upset about it. He doesn't fight naps like he used to, but he does enjoy a good cuddle if he wakes early from his nap. 

Development: William rolls well from his belly to back and continues to arch when on his back, but hasn't quite turned over. His arm keeps getting caught under him and preventing him from going all the way. 

His unswaddled sleep is great! The first couple naps, he was distracted by these crazy arms that could now move all over the place, but now he's used to them. I love when he sleeps with his hands up (touchdown-style) or tucked behind his head (sooooo relaxed). 

Will 'talks' a lot more and wants to tell you about his day and what going on with him. He gets so serious when he's talking that you can't help but really pay attention and try to understand him. He's so adamant about his conversation! 

We have also started giving Will a spoon to play with a couple times a day. We just want him to get used to what it is and how it feels for when we start solids. 

Looking Forward To: There are less than 20 days of school left! 

Sometimes toys can be overwhelming:

Outtake:

Four Month Dr Appt

Four Month Dr Appointment Update

Today was William's four month appointment. He weighs 13lb & 9oz (13%). He was measured at 25.5in long (61%).  His head measured at 16.75in around (78%). Although he's a little on the small side weight-wise, William is healthy and progressing right along!

She listened to his heart and lungs, which are great. Will showed off his neck strength and his Dr said he is so strong. She continued to be impressed with his legs as well. 

William's arms are now unswaddled for his naps & night sleep. He goes down with a pacifier, but he generally spits it out soon after laying down. We put one of his thin blankets over him to both keep him a bit warmers and for him to entertain his hands before he falls asleep.

We have been given the OK to start solids within the next few months. Bret & I decided to wait until I am on summer break to start down that road. Rice cereal & oatmeal are expected as the baby foods. I am debating on skipping them and going right to veggie purees. I read French Kids Eat Everything and this is what they do in France. The rice cereal & oatmeal don't really have any taste or any nutritional value, it's just to get the baby used to using a spoon and eating something simple that isn't milk/formula. We are thinking that starting with veggies is better. More on that later!

According to our doctor, what we need to be working on between now & his next appointment (6 month appointment)

-cuddles, love, and rocking :)

-reading to William each day!!

-tummy time 15-20min twice a day to continue to strengthen neck muscles; eventually this will help get him into the pushing off and crawling position

-Will passing objects back & forth between his left and right hands

-encourage the babbling, cooing, & squealing Will does each day (this is hilarious!)

-following objects across the midline & turning toward noises

-reaching and grasping for objects in his range

Next Appt- six month appt in June

Sleeping Through The Night, Maybe?

We have a breakthrough in sleeping! Well, an inconsistent breakthrough at least! William was waking up at the same time each night to eat (somewhere between 2:30-3:30am). I experimented with just rocking him back to sleep to see if it was habit or hunger that was waking him up. Each time, he was going back to sleep and waking again in the 6am hour. Also, William is 3.5 months and weighs over 12 pounds (research supports that he can make it through the night without eating). With this information, I implemented Operation Sleep Through The Night with our angel. He was not such a fan at first, I'll let you know.

I tried it on a night that Bret wasn't home (he's a big softie and gives into the night cries easier than I do). I fed Will at his normal time and put him down to sleep by 8:15pm. I also added in a dreamfeed at 10:40pm to refill his belly and help him last the whole night. The idea behind the dreamfeed is to not wake them, but let them eat while they are still sleeping (the suckling reflex helps this process). His first stretch of sleep had typically been to that 2:30/3:00am time. But, that night, instead of going into his room and nursing, I let him cry. And oh man, did that little guy cry! But he went back to sleep and made it until the morning. I was a wreck and checking the monitor to be sure he was actually sleeping, but Will got his rest! It took a few nights for this to become his new habit and I'm not completely sure he's bought into the fact that he doesn't need to wake up throughout the night, but we are working on it!

His naps are getting better as well. The first nap of the day is always the best, which doesn't make sense to me. He just woke up from a long sleep overnight, so you wouldn't think the first nap would be the best of the day, but who am I to mess with what works?? I would like for him to have three (at least) 1.5hour naps a day. He loves to wake after 45minutes (when his sleep cycle ends and the next is hard to connect), but that is getting better as well. Even as I write, he has been sleeping for almost an hour and 45 minutes. He did wake and cry out once, but went right back to sleep. 

Our little guy is growing up!!

These are all of the little guy sleeping on us, but I'm not messing with is overnight sleep enough to take a picture of him then! ;)

3 Month Clothes

We are trying to make sure William wears all of his 0-3month clothes before he gets too big for them. He isn't so much a chunky little guy, but he's long! Don't worry, that won't last long, his mom and dad are shorties!

Here are some of his latest outfits:

And one of the baby chunks that he does have:

Back to Work

My maternity leave ended March 30.  Ughhhhh, I did not want to go back. I could not imagine being a stay at home mama (I think I would miss adult interaction too much) and I think that being a working mama is good for me and good for Will. But none of this made going back to work any easier! I was begrudgingly counting down the days until I had to go back. I chose to go back on a Wednesday so that I didn't have quite so many days to 'get through' before having a weekend back with my darling. I am so very glad I did this!

Bret and I are blessed in that our family is able to care for Will for April and May until I am out for summer break. His dad is taking three days a week and my mom is taking two. We really cannot thank them enough for watching our baby. It was easier going back to work knowing he is being cared for by family who loves him just as much as we do!

Just leaving the house the first day was pretty difficult. Bret's dad was on Will-duty that day and I think I cried three or four times before leaving out house! I knew Will would be fine, but it would be the LONGEST time for us to be away from each other. We had only previously spent 4 hours away from each other and this would be closer to NINE!!! I was a mess! I tried to stay focused once I got to school, but another teacher asked me how I was doing and I immediately was a basketcase. My sweet best teacher friends left me a welcome back basket and sweet card (knew not to read it until the end of the day for fear of more tears!).

That first day was a whirlwind! I have 23 students in my class and each of them provided a welcome distraction from thinking about what William was doing at home without me. I was bombarded with sweet hugs and 'welcome back's from my third graders and the fourth graders across the hallway. They asked about William and me and Bret which was sweet. I was so happy to be back in the classroom. I definitely feel like I am a whole person again (a mama and a teacher). You better believe I raced home that day and got as many baby snuggles as possible!!

Pumping at work was (and will probably continue to be) an adjustment. I would like to breastfeed as long as the milk is acomin', so I needed to find coverage for my classroom during the times I would need to pump. I requested of my principal to have coverage around 10am and 1pm as those are William's nursing times. After a bit of juggling and finding support, my classroom is covered for me and I am able to pump at school. I'm hoping to keep this up so I can provide as much milk as possible for Will while I am working.

I know it will take me a while to find a balance between work and home. It will probably get easier for me just as summer is starting and I can stay home again. Then I will get to do it all over again in August, saying bye to my (by then) 8 month old.

Baby snuggles!!!