WOW! 1 Month Old!!

15 Across:

A condition marked by recurrent episodes of prolonged and uncontrollable crying and irritability in an otherwise healthy infant that is of unknown cause and usually subsides after three to four months of age. (Starts with "C"; 5 letters)

I don't want to even type the word let alone say it out loud. One thing Tim and I know for sure is this little boy certainly has a very strong set of pipes. I guess he feels he needs to be loud like mommy. His Jaundice is officially something we no longer have to worry about, but as that problem went away we faced a new challenge. Tim and I start to dread the evenings where crying episodes can last up to 5 hours before he finally tuckers out. It is such a helpless feeling not being able to soothe him. He'll calm enough to feed, but then he is back at it once he is done. I'm lucky that Tim and I can tag team and take turns trying to help him through it. We do laps around the living room, we take walks around the block, we get in the car and drive around the neighborhood on top of the Prevacid, gripe water, and Little Tummies. I'm learning that it is no reflection of my parenting when he gets this way, but wow, was that a hard thing to try to understand. There have been times of crying myself because I can't help him, but I feel better equipped each evening when I see the signs of a bad night. His poor little belly, I want to take away his hurt so badly. Tim has compared his bowel movements to "a car crashing through a wall". When he is finally able to relieve the pressure he can relax, but it's been a hard task for him to learn. He very literally sleeps in his car seat, that we prop in his bassinet, every night. It is the only angle that he can settle in. He also never wants to be put down, so my hands tend to be full all day long, but I don't mind holding my little man; it just means that my house will get a little messier, and facebook will have to wait. That's fine by me!

Each day Connor changes. It is amazing to look at pictures of the day he was born and look at him today. Little by little he is gaining weight and developing his own little features. My favorite new development is when he smiles at us!!! We have our play time when he is awake (and happy) and he will smile right at anyone who is loving on him. What a charmer!! We get a few coo's out of him as well, and my heart just melts. I think I'm a sucker already. He's also allowing us to get a little more sleep at night...when he sleeps, which leads to much more happy parents. Granted that means a four hour block instead of two for the first half of the night, and then another 2 hours after that. I am beyond blessed that my mom comes and sits with Connor every morning and I can grab another hour and half of sleep. That is honestly my soundest sleep...it gives me joy just thinking about it right now.

I love that Tim is home today on this gorgeous Veteran's Day and we can enjoy our little boy on his one month birthday. We're going to pop in all of the home videos we've taken this past month and relive it all. We cannot believe it's been a month already. He's growing up much too quickly, he needs to slow down just a tad. It's hard for me to even remember what day it is, let alone knowing a whole week has passed. I live by diaper changes and feedings, these are the things of mommyhood, this is how I feel like I've accomplished something. I am the world for one precious little boy. It's been a whirlwind, and true to the title of this blog, a fun ride!