Fantastic Fall update

I have posted a lot of pictures and not a lot of info.  Sorry.  Most of the time I am typing with one hand!  I intend to keep a journal updated on here of Tank's latest happenings!

In the hospital the doctors commented of his perfect health, perfect this, perfect that!  Every mothers dream come true to hear that!  I didn't doubt that perfectness that the drs. where telling us from the start and ever since!  We are very thankful for our baby boy that is finally here with us and doing SO well:)  He has just fit into our lives so easily and we have adapted to his needs as well.  Ever since Scooter's party on Aug. 28th, Tank has slept up to 9 hours straight at night.  The day time schedule is another story where the multiple hour newborn naps wore off quickly.  I adjusted quickly to his patterns and kept up with him being awake all day and sleeping very well at night:)  At first it he would wake me in the 3 am range.  The past four weeks or so he will go to sleep for the night at 8:30 pm and wake me anytime between 4-5:30 am. to eat then go back to sleep until 8 am.  I am so thankful I am home with him so he can get the sleep and care he needs.  I nurse him on demand so during the day its about every two hours.  We have had a couple growth spurts where I end the day feeling like the "milk wagon" and didn't get much accomplished otherwise.  Feeding and taking care of a baby to me is an accomplishment within itself!

At 7 wks old, Tank was smiling:)  and smiling, cooing, babbling, almost laughing as each week passes.  Its been great fun interacting with him with our voice, singing, talking, cooing back, reading, playing, etc.  He has noticed his hands as of 11 ish weeks.  Lots of hands in the mouth, no thumb yet and we haven't offered him a pacifier yet.  Even 12 weeks he was drooling excessively to the point I was sure he was complaining about his gums.  The cool teethers seem to provide some relief.  I haven't relied on Oragel yet.  Chip has made up 2-3 different songs.  I'll have to write down the words and post them!  Its great!!  He really responds to Chip well and he can calm Tank down very easily.  As I continually nurse him quite often and take up Tank time during the day, Chip bonds with him after work and is looking forward to doing the spoon feeding after Christmas.

Our friends told us about the inferred tv monitor.  We got it and have been loving every minute of watching him in his crib.  Our DVD set up lets us record him!!  The past 3+ weeks he wakes very happy, babbling, hanging out while I restrain myself from going in his room too quickly and soak up the sweet noises he makes.  So before I go in I press record on the monitor and see him smiling, talking, and enjoying waking up that morning.

As I wrote in the other post about our IL trip, Tank really started being verbal then.  He held his hands together a lot and started making eye contact and being interested in toys!  Once I arrived home it was a wonderful milestone to pull out the age appropriate toys, etc. for him to enjoy:)  He slept great in my infant crib as well~ 9 nights total.  It was hard being away from Pop Pop I think he wants to be called, but we skyped everyday!  It was great to see my parents and for Tank to spend more time with them:)  The Aunts and Uncles have made visits as well.  Emilee and Nathan, Jared and Betsy, Trysta and Joe have enjoyed holding him and seeing what new things he is up to!  Grammie and Paw Paw came for a visit as well.

At Tank's 2 mo. appt. he weighed 12 lbs. 12 oz.  I am sure he is 14-15 lbs. now!!  We measured him the first week in Oct. and he was 26" long.  I can't wait to see how much he has grown at our 4 mo. appt. on 11/17.

Oct. 14th Tank rolled from tummy to back!  I did get his first two times ever doing this on film!  I stood there for a moment and said, "He's going to go over!"  and he did!!  Chip saw the third time and several since.  Just as of yesterday 10/25 he is moving around a lot.  I'll lay him in his play gym on his back and he'll do a 360 by just kicking his legs and squirming his body.  He is about to roll back to tummy.  He gets to his side then he falls back onto his back again.  He has taken a liking to one of the blankets!  Its really cute.  This past week 10/14 he has almost in a day routine of a morning nap for sure, sometimes an afternoon nap then sleeps his usual 12 hours only getting up once at night!

We renewed our gym membership.  I have spent the past two weekends swimming laps at the pool.  I nurse him and change the diaper (cloth by the way are going pretty well), then Tank is good for a couple of hours until I come straight home.  The weather has been wonderful so I have taken Alvin for a couple of runs and I enjoy riding my bike.  I still walk with friends 1-2 times a week and stroll with Tank or walk with him in the Babyhawk. Its been wonderful to get out and exercise like I was when I was only a little bit pregnant!  LOL

We have enjoyed going to consignment sales!  I found some unique/quality outfits and costumes.  We also picked up a few toy items.  He is going through clothes so fast!!  At 14 wks. 6 mo. outfits fit him to a "T".  The 6/9 mo. clothing seem to fit him a bit better, especially the sleepers.   My neighbor, Marie went with me to one sale and we loaded up!  We waited in line to check out for an hour!  It was crazy!  Grammie just attended the second fall consignment with us and I think she was very impressed of the great quality of the items as well as what people get rid of at cheap rates!  I told Chip when we get out of the baby business we'll be rich!!  ;)

My neighbor, Julie has a son 7 weeks older than Tank.  We were just over there and they stared at each other, talked, laughed, etc.  It was so fun!!  Julie has been a huge help with my questions and trial and errors of cloth diapering.  I finally found a system that works for us.  Though one night we went through 3 outfits I haven't tried the cloth through the night since.  I plan to keep working on that.  During the day the cloth work great.  I have even taken him out and about for a few hours, changed him and he's fine. I have ordered some items from Diaperswappers and waiting for them to arrive.