11 weeks

Miles fussiness is decreasing by the second!  As his fussiness decreases the number of times we leave the house for meaningful experiences increases!  Last weekend was a flurry of activity.  On Friday night we had our birthing class reunion.  Miles won the cuteness contest hands down - no bias here.  There was another baby that was just a few days younger than Miles but was enormous!  That baby was 10 pounds when he was born!  Lucas suddenly realized at the reunion that you can't judge how old a baby is by its size.

On Saturday morning we went to brunch with some friends of mine from work.  One of them was pregnant and she had her baby this week!  Miles was very well behaved - only fussing for a moment.

Saturday afternoon I went to a birthday party for some friends of ours who were turning forty.  There were a ton of families with kids there.  It was really neat to spend time with other people who had young kids.  A woman and I bonded over the carrier (the Ergo) I've started using with Miles.

Sunday morning was a long walk to our old neighborhood and the largest free arts festival in America - Artscape.  Miles was very comfortable in his Ergo and slept through the entire thing.  I had some amazing hawaiian shaved ice and Lucas remarked that the festival was a lot more artsy and less craftsy than in past years.

Sunday afternoon we got an unexpected but delightful visit from Granny and Gramps Carscadden.  We all went out to dinner and again, Miles was so well behaved.

This week Miles got another little friend as our good friends Mike and Julie had their little girl, Frankie. Miles got to meet her on Wednesday when they came home from the hospital.  Miles is waiting on just one more little friend to be born sometime in the next couple weeks!

Developmental milestones are popping up all over the place now.  Miles can stand and bear his own weight.  He can bring his hands to his mouth and suck on them.  He delights in fart noises and sticking his tongue out.  He holds his head up in the sitting position and lifts his head like he's trying to sit up.  He's babbling more - telling us stories about elephants and teeth thieves.

Artscape - Banana Car!

Artscape - Battle Car!

Chilling out at Papermoon Diner

One eyebrow!

You know how people say babies are so cute you could eat them right up?      ...Nom, nom, nom.

I can totally stand up!

I still sleep all the time.

"So I met this elephant and he went to the dentist to get his tusks polished..."

"No really.  I totally met an elephant!"

10 weeks

Miles has started to meet some major milestones.  Lucas: Or should you say MILESstones?  No, no, you shouldn't.  He easily holds his head steady and upright.  He can do a mini pushup while on his belly and lift his head and turn it side to side.  He holds his hands together and sometimes brings them to his mouth to suck on them.  He has started to squeal in delight in the morning.  

He's also finding new things entertaining.  Granny Carscadden made him a mobile that we hung above his crib.  He finds it endlessly fascinating when we give it a little spin.  If he's crying we can bring him into his room to look at his animal friends - vinyl applications of animals and letters that we applied to the wall.  

His fussiness seems to be waning.  This week he's even been able to fall asleep a few times without being wrapped up.  We've started a bedtime routine that involves a bath, breastfeeding, a book and bed.  If I lay down with him in the evening he often goes right off to sleep without a fuss!

This week also marks the longest times Lucas and I have been away from him.  Last Friday night I went to dinner with some friends in Northern Virginia and was gone for 5 hours.  Lucas worked a long shift on Saturday and was away for 8 hours.

I go back to work in a little under two weeks and when I think about it, I'm not super concerned but my subconscious would tell you otherwise!  I've been having bad dreams about work - forgetting to bring my pump with me to work and having to birth an unknown twin without having any maternity leave left!  But in reality I think we're ready.  I've built up a pretty good supply of frozen breast milk and although the first couple weeks may be difficult, we'll adjust.  

Weekly Miles photos for your pleasure:

Fatface Carscadden

Enjoying his crib

Baby bath and modesty facecloth

Fascinated by the mobile!

Sometimes Miles is really active in the morning.  This series of pictures is entitled Riding the Boppy Roller coaster.

A boppy roller coaster huh?

Here we go...

Too much!  Too fast!

Slow down!

I'm getting nauseated!

Well, that was fun!

He's so gosh darned cute, even when he's flipping me off in his sleep!

Sometimes I accidentally scratch the little man when I'm changing his clothes.  Here he is doing his best impression of Harry Potter.

This series is called Superbaby!

Excuse me citizen! Have you seen any ne'erdowells?

No, you haven't?  Alright, I'm off!

This week we put together an activity saucer that is a touch to big for the little man.  Even though it's intended for babies 4 months old and older, we still put Miles in it and he is FASCINATED with the lion!  He will stare at him endlessly.

Whatcho lookin at?

Hey dude!

Hey dude, I'm talking to you!

Another cute smile!

9 weeks

When you get a vaccine, you also get a little fever. Fever means Tylenol! Even though I gave Miles the Tylenol really slowly and in his cheek pocket (not straight down his throat) and an hour after eating, he still projectile vomited all over me...twice! I think if we're going to give him syrupy medication, we should try to do it just before he feeds. 

Here is your weekly dose of MKC.

Freestyle Sleeping!

After a bath.

So fresh and so clean, clean.

Tiny guy

Tiny, tiny guy

"This is how we pretend to be a rhinoceros!"

"Good afternoon. I am Miles K. Carscadden, CEO of Poopy Diaper Industries"

"Sales are up!"

"Another pie chart? Curse these long meetings!"

"What do you mean we're out of breast milk cappuccino?"

"Oh, hello!"

"Hey, have you guys heard about hands? I've been getting really into hands lately"

"No really.  I'm really really into hands. It's a developmental milestone I've reached."

"I can't get enough of these hands!"

"Hands, hands, hands."

Token Mommy picture

"I'm a shark!  And I'm swimming in my shark robe!"