He:
– Eats well (97th percentile for height, 68th for weight).
– Sleeps well. (Enough. Up about 1-3 times a night and I’m not too tired since we go to bed early. Also, he’s right next to me so I don’t have to get out of bed to feed him. Really, I hardly wake up.)
– Cries quite a bit during the day. To calm him, we bounce on the exercise ball I bought in my last few months of pregnancy and who knew it would be our number one baby item this time?? Also popular among the 5-week-old set: the Ergo, swaddling, and nursing. I’m not sure if Gabe cried this much or if we just have baby amnesia.
– Finally takes a pacifier and likes the swing…as of the last few days. (HALLELUJAH).
– Took a bottle for the first time last Sunday.
– Is starting to smile and it looks like there might be dimples. Hooray!
– Is absolutely adored by his big brother.
I:
– Am feeling great, physically. Recovery took a little longer (and rougher) this time, but 5 weeks later and I feel pretty fantastic (particularly compared to the end of pregnancy). My pelvic floor might never be the same, though. Looks like running might have to wait.
– Am feeling pretty good, emotionally. Every day is a little easier and I’m getting used to all the crying. I’m managing to get out and about quite a bit, which is important for my mental health (as difficult as it can be – last week I ended up pulling Theo out of his car seat and carrying him around the grocery store as he sobbed. I made record time pulling the grocery cart around the store one-handed).
– Feel like having a baby is sort of like going to the beach. I love the beach and it’s gorgeous and fun…but I also forget how annoying it is to get sand all over my body and the hassle of salt water and sunscreen and and and…it’s just more tiring than I remembered. When I think about the beach, I see a dreamy image of palm trees and my feet in the sand and the ocean waves crashing. When I think about having a baby, I see a snuggly little sweet thing cuddly against me. The reality of both is little less dreamy and a little more screaming babies and sand involved. Forget life’s a beach…babies are a beach.This metaphor might be going too far. I just really like metaphors.
– Lost my memory card for my DSLR so I haven’t taken a proper photo of Theo in a few weeks. Oops. Poor second child.
– Am trying to be patient about the baby weight. Nine months on, nine months off, etc etc. But, really, I was promised (by the hospital video about discharging procedures) that if I breastfed, I would lose 25 pounds without trying in the first 6 weeks. Well. It’s been 5 weeks and I’ve lost 18 pounds. Still have 16 to go. Like I mentioned, I don’t actually mind the extra pounds, but I am reallllly tired of feeling so schlubby. I had about 9 months of feeling rather sloppy (plus 7 months before that of being pregnant off and on and emotionally eating), so the fact that my clothes don’t fit means I’m still riding the sloppy train. I was wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans by one month with Gabe, but yesterday I tried wearing my jeans, just to see if they came close to fitting, and…I could not pull them up over my thighs. I don’t really have the funds or the space in my closet to buy a limbo wardrobe, so I’m stuck with stretchy pants and skirts.
– Keep replaying Theo’s birth in my mind. It was so slow and so fast all at once. I think brain is just catching up to all the events. Such a crazy thing, this creating, birthing, and sustaining a tiny human with your BODY. Anyway. Here are some pictures of my SECOND SON (I still cannot get over it. I have multiple sons!):
Gabe at one month – I don’t think they look very similar, but time will tell!
Thanks for sharing the photos and updates; he’s adorable and the Gabe + Theo pictures slay me in the best way.
I like the babies are a beach metaphor, too. <3 The fact that you manage to write blog posts, take pictures, go to the grocery store and etc.? Well I think you're doing splendidly!
Dimples! Oh man, I just love dimples and squishy baby cheeks and wow, you have the cutest boys ever.
I love how much Gabe loves Theo :) Topher was the same way with Ellie, and now that she’s able to actually play with him he loves her even more! He’s started asking for a brother lately, though. Uh oh.
I think the beach metaphor is a fantastic one! Between Topher and Ellie I completely forgot about all the sand. It’s getting easier now that she’s in the toddler phase but those first few months (okay, the whole first year, I’ll be honest!) was rough!
When I was in the sloppy phase with my weight, a friend dropped off a bag of clothes that fit her pre-diet. Included was one pair of jeans that fit, and made me feel a little more human and put together in that in-between phase. I’ll just send that vibe out to any friends in your area who might have some clothes to pass on to you…:)
One of the most jarring (in a fun way) things about having two was saying “the kids”- like “Oh, I’ll be there when the kids are up!”. Because KIDS means two! Weird and fun at the same time.
Oh sweet mercy those two boys together are melting my heart. They are just so precious. And Theo is just so snuggly. Also, your beach metaphor, love it. Totally makes sense, ha.
Oh Theo is SO cute. I couldn’t agree more about the beach analogy… except I can’t seem to be one of those people who “forgets” that the beach involves all the sand and sunscreen hassle. When people say they want 4 kids I just wanna be like WHAT. SERIOUSLY, DO YOU LIKE THIS CRAP?
you have sons! plural! and they’re just so precious i can hardly handle it. xo