Simon: 4 Month Update

Guess who is 4 months old!!!

Poor baby had to get shots :( he was such a trooper though! We love our pediatrician but they take forever. We got in on time and were there for two hours. I had to feed him twice before the shots! Heck, he had put himself down for a nap right before the shots. Nice way to wake up huh?

Stats:

Weight: 12lbs 9oz (10th percentile)

Height: 26 inches (83rd percentile)

Head circumference: 16.2 inches (20th percentile.

He is a long lean baby! The doctor isn't as worried about his weight. We are still behind however, he appears to be gaining the appropriate weight at the right speed for a 4 month old. We have a weight check in a month but there is no talk of putting him on formula in any degree or having to start solids before 6 months. It is expected that Simon will be fine at the weigh in. And I don't mind having him weighed every month. I like knowing the official numbers and I think that I will bring baby #2 in once a month regardless for a weight check. 

His head is normal size and is not flat thank goodness. While the "back to sleep" campaign is good for SIDS 50% more babies are having issues with flat heads then before the campaign. Simon having a flat head was a big worry for me.

Simon is meeting all of his milestones but here are some that I want to remember that happened this month:

-mastered the yoga move "happy baby" ( holds both feet in his hands at the same time). He has been working on this ever sine Grampa showed him

-is taking the pacifier more. I don't think we will have an issue getting rid of the pacifier but I think it is important to note that he is taking it more

-sucking on his fingers. Not thumb to Brian's dismay, just his fingers

-can roll over from tummy to back

-nursing is getting better

-finally starting to eat more at daycare again. We are averaging 12 oz. When Brian babysits on overtime Saturdays he consistently drinks 4 oz at a time. He still drinks more from Brian in the 6/7 hours I'm gone then in the 10 hours he is at daycare

-loves the jumper though he is still to small

-teething. Everyone but Brian agrees with me. He is getting the 2 bottom middle teeth.

-still loves standy man and he is starting to push himself up

-still cooing and laughing up a storm. Especially in response to us. People are very impressed with how interactive he is.

That is it for things that happened in his third month. Right around his 4 month mark he started doing other things but I will leave those for his 5 month update.

Oh and the ducks name is Mr. Quackers.

"Torture" = Love

Yup! In our house we "torture" the people or animals we love. It started with the puppies as we were baby proofing them so that no matter what a baby, toddler, kid did our dogs would not react negatively. This involved taking food away while they were eating, playing with them while they were eating, tying their ears in knots (go Bassett Hounds!), pulling tails, wrestling and so forth. I even dressed them up in human clothes. We have always referred to it as "torture" and the dogs in turn didn't care or gave us kisses in return.

Well, the "torture" didn't stop with the dogs...

Yup...Simon is the most recent recipient

"Who me?"

"Eck not this again"

"Seriously?"

"Aren't you done yet?"

"Please?"

Sorry Hun it is just beginning :)

Simon Swimming!

Over Labor Day we took Simon swimming in Gamma's pool! We transitioned him slowly and he actually went in the water for more then a moment on Monday. Brian was going to take him but he had a really bad headache so he was resting before he had to drive us home. So it was just Gamma, Simon and I.  Since I am the one who takes the videos/pictures there is no video of that.

However, I do have videos of us testing the water with Simon so to speak :)

A promise fullfilled....

So I made Benjamin made me a promise.

Remember this photo?

Benjamin promised he would stick around until Thor/Simon came so I could get a picture like this one:

So I could have them both in frames in Simon's room.

However when we came down for Labor Day weekend he did even better!

I love how Simon is looking at him

And of course he gave me a picture I could never have dreamed or planned on getting....

(That last picture is going to be the one I put in the second frame I believe. Benjamin sniffing Simon in utero and out is just too precious!)

However, all good things must come to an end. Benjamin was 14, almost 15. Couldn't get out of the house anymore. Showed no real interest in anything any more. Barely reacted when I was there and I am his favorite person. The only person he really paid much attention to was Simon and that didn't last long. He was on pain meds and I am not sure they were fully working. It was quite obvious while we were there over Labor Day weekend that his quality of life just wasn't the same and not good enough to warrant everything he was having to live through.

So Labor Day weekend was spent saying good bye to my Mange Man. On 9.5.13 we let him go play and torture William with strict orders that he is to lie on top of William not next to him. William's vacation is over!

It was of course a very hard decision but it was the right decision. I am just incredibly grateful that we got so long with him and that I was able to get these priceless photos of him and Simon. It is still very surreal

What Simon was doing in August:

Like father like son....

Go Blue!

Brian has been DYING to get him in this outfit since we got it from Aunt Blair...still too big but wearable

on his way to Charleston to see Gamma and Grampa!!!

Getting kisses by the cutest basset puppy Tides

I apparently did not take enough pictures. I will keep that in mind for September :)

Work/Daycare Routine

So now that we have finally gotten Simon back on a schedule I can sneak onto the computer without feeling rushed. But of course, now after I have gotten all of the pictures/videos organized I am now tired. I have a couple posts of just videos but of course there is an error in uploading them so on to the next least daunting post :)

Simon unfortunately spends way too much time at daycare. I wish we could change that but, for now, it is what it is.

Here is what we do everyday:

Monday thru Friday:

5-6 am - The idea is that Simon sleeps until 6 but he has been known to get up as early as 5. When he gets up at 5 it makes a very LONG day.
6 am - Nurse Simon and get things in the car to go to daycare
6:40 am-Leave for daycare
7:10 am-Arrive at daycare, catch up with Ms Angela and Ms Tracy
7:30 am-I arrive at work and do pumping session #1
8 am -Start work
10 am- Break #1=Pumping session #2
12 pm- Lunch =Pumping session #3
3 pm- Break #2= Pumping Session #4
5 pm - Leave to get Simon
5:15 pm- Nurse Simon and swaddle him in car seat so he doesn't scream all the way home
6:15 pm- Change Simon into pajamas and nurse him to sleep
7:00 pm-Simon is usually asleep. Brian and I eat.
7:30 pm-9 pm-either I am in bed and Brian is playing his game or we are trying to watch TV
9pm-5/6am - Sleep with 2-3 pumping sessions on top of/at the same time with Simon waking up 2-3 times

Saturday/Sunday:

5-6 am- Simon wakes up and I nurse him and try to get him to go back down
7:00 am-if Simon loves me he wakes up for the day
8:00 am-Grocery store before it gets crazy
9am-6 pm- Lots of playing. Maybe another errand if we need to but lots of playing. I tend to pump at least once during this bit.
6 pm-Nurse Simon
7 pm-Simon is asleep
7:30pm-5am Same routine for us adults.

Look how much I have grown!

First week of day care:

This morning: