Week 18

Week 18 5/23-5/29

How Big- I am going to have to accept that my Bug will not be gaining weight very quickly. He is 11.4 lbs.

Size- 3-6 months and a mix of size 1 or size 2 diapers

Sleeping- Bug is a great sleeper! This makes me very happy. He still gets up 1-2 times a night but we that is nothing anymore. I get up and not even think about it. Plus Bug is very snuggly at night and loves to cuddle with me after eating. That more then makes up for the lack of sleep getting my middle of the night cuddles.

Movements- When is he not moving! He kicks his feet, rolls side to side, and is always moving his hands like crazy in the air. Bug has always loved the bathtub and now he loves it more. Mom and Dad get a bath too with all the water that is splashed!

Milestones- The thumb sucking, the happiness and peace this baby has once you put music on, great head control, and his constant alertness. Every day is a new day and is better then the last.

Hardest Moment- My hardest moment for this week is my constant concern with Sammy, his weight. It takes a lot but we have come to the conclusion that I can’t stress about his weight. He is eating well, not spitting up as much anymore, and I can tell his stomach has done a complete 180 from where it was 8 weeks ago with the reflux that we were competing against. My tall and thin Bug he will always be!

Best Moment- When I went into daycare to pick him up this past Wednesday and I got a smile that was seen from across the room. Best part, I knew it was for me! In over 2 months of picking him up, I don’t think he realized I was his mom and it always took him several moments to realize it was me. Having him recognize me, smile, and be so content in my arms was one of my proudest mom moments yet.

Highlight- Happy Memorial Day! We had a great weekend with friends, family, and as a family with the 3 of us. It is important for me to always tell Sammy the importance of holidays. To celebrate Memorial Day, we took him to a parade to pay our respects to a few of the millions of Veterans that have fought for us. To be able to explain this to him year after year the importance of this day, I want him to know that this was something that was explained from the very beginning.

 

Weel 14

Week 14 4/18-4/24

How Big- at least 12.5lbs. Can’t wait for the weigh in next week at the Dr’s office.

Clothing Size- Same

Sleeping- Doing great still! Although my sleeping in 3-4 hour stretches every night is starting to make me very tired, I am not even going to complain about that. Having children means that your nights of sleeping without a wakeup are done for about the next 18 years! I am ok with this!

Movements- Summersault is so close to happening. Head control for him is great and we carry him facing outwards around the house now so he can control his head on his own and see everything around him going on. He hates being carried any other way but forward facing.

Milestones- HAPPY EASTER!! Sammy went on his first road trip. He did really well for the most part in the car. We were happy to bring him to Erie to visit Frank’s family. Sammy had some cranky periods while we were there that took him awhile to get out of. Meeting all the new people and being in places that he doesn’t recognize was hard on him but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. The entire Cirillo family was so great to us and the love that was shown to Sammy was amazing.

Hardest Moment- I am having a hard time letting go of my baby. The second I hear him crying or I notice that he needs something; I want to go running to him to do it. It has been hard but I need to make a conscious effort to try to open up to allowing Frank to help more. Part of me always wants Sammy to always need me. I know he will but other people can help him as well. There is no award at the end for Wonder Mom that is given to the moms who do everything. I need to stop pretending that there is and not be afraid to ask for help.

Best Moment- Sammy’s personality just keeps coming out. He smiles so easily now and there are a few statements that you can say or moves that you can do for him that make him laugh and smile. Now that he is able to laugh and smile, I feel that is an indication that he truly is a happy baby. I questioned if he was a happy baby for so long because of his reflux concerns and colicky periods.

Highlights- Sammy’s first big holiday was a success. He was spoiled to death and of course by mom and dad, Nonna, Papa, and Aunt Mo. I am looking forward to when he can understand holidays and get excited for them. Seeing children have fun on the holidays is the best part of any holiday.

Week 13

Week 13 4/11- 4/17

How Big- easily 12.5lbs! I can’t wait to take him to the Dr. at the end of the month and have him weighed.

Clothing Size- Still size 1 diapers, size 3 pants (for length purposes for our tall Bug), and 1-3 shirts/sleepers.

Sleeping- GREAT! Couldn’t ask for more in this department. Even though he still gets up about 2 times a night, I am relieved the crib worked out so well. Also at daycare this week, he took 4 hour naps twice this week.

Movements- I said it here first; Bug will do a summersault before he rolls over from tummy to back. He is soooo close to doing a summersault.

Milestones- 3 MONTHS OLD this week! Grow Sammy… GROW! I have no idea where the last 3 months have gone.

Hardest Moment- he started this thing where he will let out one loud and screeching scream in the middle of the night. Just one scream and goes to sleep. I am sure that he is just waking up out of a dream and just freaks out. It is just one scream and he is done and back to sleep. The first few times it happened this week, I was terrified and went running in the room.

Best Moment- He imitates us now. If we make a sound, he does too. If we stick our tongue out at him, he does too. The other night he made the cutest noise as we were making animal noises and now we are working so hard to try to get him to do it again. It was after the sound an owl makes and it could have been his imitating us with the biggest smile on his face and laughing at us at the same time but this noise was THE.CUTEST. NOISE. EVER! Second best moment was watching him have about 10 minutes of consecutive belly laughs. I was upstairs feeding him after his bath and getting him chilled out before bed. The shades were shut in the room and we were talking while I was rocking him. He was staring at the shades and just starting laughing out of control because they were moving because of the heater vent under them was making them blow around. I tried to yell downstairs for Frank but he didn’t hear me. Also, I hope we can recreate this moment so I can get it on video (of course this cute moment has to happen when I don’t have my phone with me). I have never laughed harder at him in my life.

Highlight- Obvious one is 3 months old. Then we had an over 70 degree weekend for the first time since August/September and we lived outside for the day. Running errands, walking at the zoo, going to the park, visiting with cousins, riding around in the car with the windows down blowing the air, and getting out of the same walls that he looks at constantly with his 2 favorite people ( at least we would like to think)- mom and dad!

Week 10

Week 10 3/21-3/27

How big- About 10lbs. I can’t wait to find out how many inches he is. I think we are going to have a tall boy on our hands!

Clothing Size- 1-3 months. Sometimes 3 month pants at Carters. Size 1 diapers

Sleeping- HE IS SLEEPING IN HIS CRIB!!!!!! Can you sense our excitement?!? Some nights he sleeps through the night and other nights he gets up 1-2 times.

Movements- He loves his kick and play piano now. It is so fun to watch him play. We are still working on tummy time. I know it is torture to him but he does so well when he gets really mad. The more angry he gets, the closer he is at rolling over.

Milestones- Loves nice weather days and having the wind blowing in his face. If it is a nice day and we are in the car, he loves to have the window cracked in the back seat for him to get fresh air. It used to be music that calmed him down when he became upset in the car but now it fresh air.

Hardest Moment- we are still dealing with some colic which I think is coming from a buildup of gas. It breaks my heart to see him screaming and I can’t figure out how to help him. Every secret in the book, we have done it. It is the worst in the evening and we just try to not let it stress us out. It can be really hard on the parents because it tests every ounce of patience you have.

Best Moment- my early birthday present, Sammy being here with us! I couldn’t be happier to spend a whole day inside with my boys celebrating my birthday. Dad and Sammy cooked me a great dinner and spoiled me to death with gifts. Best part of the day is when he snuggled up with me and took a nap on my chest. It doesn’t get any better then that!

Highlights- I have never looked more forward to my weekends. I love having us together as a family. I have found that sometimes I need to be selfish with my time on the weekends now that I am back at work but I am trying to make it all work. I think we are doing a pretty good job at splitting up time with others and having our own time as just the 3 of us (4 of us when Frankie is available in heaven to spend some time with us in spirit).

Week 9

Week 9 3/14-3/20

How Big- Just over 10lbs

Clothing Size- 1-3 months. Size 1 in diapers now.

Sleeping- Great! He is sleeping at night in about 6 hour stretches. He had a little cold this week and was up more often this week during the night. He is still sleeping with us and we will start transitioning to the crib next weekend at night.

Movements- He loves kicking his feet and legs. This is his favorite part of the day. He also loves his kick and play piano now.

Milestones- Smiling often in his sleep, holding his head up all the time, and staying awake a lot more.

Hardest Moment- 2 hard times this week. First, I hated seeing my sweet boy sick. Pulls at your heart strings to know there is nothing out there you can do. He had some congestion and a cough. The colds have been awful this winter and we picked these germs up somewhere. Second, this was my first week back to work which means time for Sammy to be at daycare during the day. It was hard to leave him and I call and check on him often. I feel really good about where he is going. I do look at the time at work and think to myself what I think he may be doing at that moment based on our schedule together. I have his beautiful pictures on my work desk and when I miss him I will look at those and smile!

Best Moment- On Thursday night after we had dinner, Sammy was in his bounce chair and Frank went to join him on the floor. I went to wash the dishes and I looked over and saw the two of them interacting. Frank was talking to him (top secrete but I think they were discussing my birthday plans) and Sammy was staring at him so intently. Just staring at him, smiling, and laughing for almost a hour. I went upstairs and would peek down from the banister to see them both having such a great time. I left them to enjoy the moment. This was something Frank always envisioned doing with our children. I am glad he had one of his many moments he dreams of with Sammy.

Highlights- After a long work day, I go into the daycare and lay my eyes on him. I can’t wait to get him back in my arms! I look forward to the day down the road when he sees me come in the door and crawls or starts walking over to me with a big smile on his face. That will be one of cherished moments. I love this kid more then I can even begin to describe here.

Week 8

Week 8 3/7-3/13

How big- I would bet about 9lbs now.

Clothing Size- 1-3 months. I did move up to size 1 in the diapers this week.

Sleeping- He is taking good naps in his nursery as long as he is not in the crib. I leave the rock and play that he sleeps in our room in and put it right next to the crib. He will take about a 2 hour nap in there now. At night he is sleeping from 10pm-4am when he gets up to eat. Then he will go back down until about 8am.

Movements- He rolls over on his side now. It is fun to watch him because he starts by kicking his legs high in the air to gain momentum and then rolls on his side. He isn’t a huge fan of tummy time but he is getting better now that he has good head control and can keep his head up to see things.

Milestones- This little guy LOVES to smile! I mean it is non stop during the day. He also has a new obsession with mirrors. His 2 activity mats that he has both have mirrors. He doesn’t pay one bit of attention to anything else on the mat but the mirror. We stand in the bathroom mirror in the morning and smile and giggle together.

Hardest Moment- When is this colicky period in the evening going to get better? It is already getting better but he is a completely different baby at night from 8-10pm then he is the rest of the day. Patience has been a virtue through this time.

Best Moment- I have 2 this week. When he wakes up in the morning and will smile and talk back and forth with me. I talk and he watches me, then I let him chat and make noises. We go back and forth with this for about 15 minutes every morning. The second is a reassuring mom moment. We had lots of visits with friends over the last week of my maternity leave. He would get cranky with other people holding him. Once he is back in my arms, it is great to see him calm down and notice me. This mom thing is paying off!

Highlights- I had the greatest weekend with just the 3 of us. It is what I have always dreamed of for many years. Out and about shopping, having fun, and have a happy baby to go with us. We even had our down time at home cuddling and playing with our little guy. He smiles at us, allows me to take pictures of the moments, and is just noticing US more and more each day. Insert heart melt <3 My weekends are something I am cherishing more and more as I prepare to return to work M-F next week. I want every weekend to be just like this one.

Week 7

Week 7 2/28-3/6

How big- 8lbs9oz on 2/25

Clothing Size- Size 1-3 months. Still not understanding Carter’s that they go from tiny newborn to double that size at 3-6 months.

Sleeping- Sammy is doing a great job sleeping at night so I honestly can’t complain. During the day he will fight naps and usually wins! We are working on the crib thing every day. 20 minutes one day, a hour the next. Making strides and I hope by the end of the month he will be in the crib at night.

Movements- He likes to keep his head held high and often picks his head up while I am holding him so he can see my face. He loves his ottoman kicking time and is on his activity mat kicking about 30 minutes a day now.

Milestones- the many faces of Sammy… the smiles, the smirks, and his pouty lip he gives me. I can’t help it, I could stare at him waiting for his face to change all day long. I hope to react quick enough soon to catch it on camera. On 2/28 at his early morning feeding and snuggle time with me at 4am, he had a smile that went from ear to ear that lasted about 30 seconds.

Hardest moment- Gas pains and constipation. My poor baby, I just want to snap my fingers and have him feeling better. We have been using gas drops, gripe water, warm baths, warm cloths to his stomach, bicycle legs, and bouncing. We are going to try some different holds to keep him in during this time. He wants to be in our arms at all times which makes for a very unproductive day for me.  I am praying this pain moves quickly and we are back to him feeling better soon.

Best Moment- Our bath times have become our great moment. Frank and I both give him his baths and we have it down where most of the time he won’t even cry. It takes some time but I move very slowly and calmly to get the bath done and he loves it. He falls asleep and gets this look on his face that is now coined the Sammy Spa look, which is an expression of pure and utter relaxation and bliss.

Highlights- Just watching this little man grow. I can’t believe how much he has changed over the last month. He is gaining personality now and that makes me so excited for our future together with him. Right now he is chatty like his mom but can be very stubborn, finicky, and funny just like his dad. Every day is a new day with Sam and he has something new and exciting to surprise us with daily.