One Month with Owen

I'm running behind on getting this all finished up, but I tried to take notes as I went so I could at least go back and fill in the details.  Here is all about Owen's first month:

The first week at home was pretty rough, as Owen got his days and nights mixed up and stayed awake pretty much nonstop from around 10:30PM to 3 or 4 AM two nights in a row.  I was exhausted to say the least, but thankfully my sister Claire came over the next night to help me out with him so I could get some much needed rest (only getting up to pump). 

Once we got past that crazy first week, Owen mostly nursed every two to three hours around the clock, but worked his way to up to a maximum five hour stretch at night.  Of course, that was just a few times, but it was much appreciated when it happened!

Night sleep was usually his best sleep, as he was such a light sleeper and every little sound would bother him during the day.  To be able to nap during the day, I would typically nurse him to sleep and then prop him up in the edge of the recliner where he could take a nice long nap, wake to nurse again, and then take another.  During the mornings and afternoons when his big brother and sister were home, he just couldn't settle well, so that was just the routine that seemed to work for him.  

It turns out that Owen is my child that cries the most.  Thankfully, he was not my first child as my anxiety after Carter was so high and I can't imagine what the crying would have done for that.  This time around, I have done really good at realizing I have done all I can do and have learned to be able to ignore the crying sometimes when it gets to that point.  Thankfully, in month two it seems we have found some answers to that problem (acid reflux!).  

Besides the one week, two week, and one month checkup with the pediatrician, a couple of visits to church, and several trips to drop off the big kids at the babysitter's house, we didn't get out much.  Which was good because he hated getting in the car seat unless it was moving!  But once the car was moving (during the daytime anyways) he loved looking out the window at all of the surroundings.  

Other things he liked in month one are laying flat on his back on the floor and looking around the room, especially checking out lights and fans and bath time once we got past the "sponge bath" stage.  I'm pretty sure he could spend hours in the bath if there was an endless supply of warm water.  His hatred of the "sponge bath" stage made me realize his top dislike is being cold (or probably rather not being warm!), which made him also hate diaper changes and anytime someone touched him with even the slightly bit cold hands.  He is the only child I have considered buying a wipe warmer for!  He also was not a fan of the swing during month one.

At his one month checkup, he was up to 9 pounds 2 ounces (almost two pounds up from birth weight!!!) and 21 1/4 inches long.  I am amazed at how fast he is growing...time slow down!!