Four months, Version 3.0

This week was kind of boring.  I'm working on building up my milk supply by pumping four times at work.  It's responding pretty well.  On the longest days I'm away from Miles, L&D days, I am now pumping 11.5 ounces for the 12 he's taking in.  And I started pumping once or twice on the weekends to keep up the supply.  So far we haven't had to use the frozen stock but it's there when we need it.

Today Miles and I are going to DC to see our friend Katherine.  Then to Rockville to see the Grandparents Carscadden.  Tomorrow, Lucas and I are going to IKEA to get a high chair.  Miles doesn't really tolerate being on the ground when we eat, but he's gotten so grabby that it's hard to eat without him grabbing at our forks or plates.

His hand eye coordination and ability to grab and manipulate objects has vastly improved recently.  He entertains himself in the car by playing with a stuffed bird that has been in his car seat since the beginning but that he was not capable of manipulating by himself until now.

The pacifier is still in play.  He sucks his thumb and fingers when he's happy and content but hasn't realized he can use them when he's upset.  I think when he discovers that, the pacifier can go.  Right now, we've had a few battles for sleep without the pacifier and it's been Miles: 2, Parents: 0.

Next weekend is one of the busiest of our fall schedule.  Lucas has a bachelor party and I have an office party, we have a wedding, a brunch, and I have a baby shower.  All in three days!  Then our wedding Anniversary follows a few days after that.

For your viewing pleasure, Miles K. Carscadden (AKA bubbub, roozer bruiser, saddagruber, ubba dubba, baba booboo, and bugga bugga):

Best friends

Hey Mom!

This is what happens when Miles tries to sit on his own. Splat!

The screen is so mesmerizing...

Making out with toys!

What're you doing back there?
Taking a picture?

And now, a series called Miles on the floor:

I've lost count of the weeks.

I just went back to look at how many weeks he is and I'm counting 18 and 1/2, which means I was off somewhere.  It also means it's probably time to stop counting the weeks.

Here is your four months' update - version 2.0.

This past weekend was really busy.  Who says you can't get anything done with a newborn?  On Saturday we went to the farmer's market, out to breakfast, and to the hardware store. Then we drove to a town about 20 minutes away where we went to a specialty food store in the mall, Barnes and Noble, Target, and Michael's craft store.  And we did this all before noon!  What'd you do before noon on Saturday?  Oh, you slept in.  That sounds nice.

Saturday evening, while Lucas was working, I went to my friend Dan's house for the soft opening of his new deck!  We had grilled pizza and bacon-wrapped, cream-cheese-stuffed dates!  And it was vegan!  All the babies were together again.  Turns out Miles has to be in the mood for pictures, otherwise it's... karate kick to the nearest baby!

Brooks, Miles, Frankie.

Karate kick!  Or, maybe, he's just trying to roll over.

Sunday was breakfast out again, this time with friends.  Miles sat in his own big kid chair for about ten minutes with a pillow wedged in behind him for support.  Sunday afternoon was football, football, football.  Trying to keep the little dude from watching TV is getting increasingly difficult.  I almost gave in!  Instead, Miles and I left the football social gathering early and did laundry!

I rode my bike to work today.  I started riding to work again a couple days last week.  It feels good to be active, but I surely am out of shape!  I prefer riding my bike because it takes about the same amount of time to get to work riding as it does if I drive, park in the garage, and walk all the way across campus to my building!  I'm trying to add some fitness back into my life.  I've lost about 45 pounds since I gave birth (which is more than what I gained in the pregnancy) but I'm trying to take advantage of the extra calories I burn with breastfeeding to get to a normal healthy weight for once in my adult life!

Here is your (sort of) bi-weekly dose of our sweet baby Miles:

I wear my sunglasses inside.

What's up there? Ice cream?

That's a cat in a bucket!

That's a cat sniffing my face!

What kind of world do we live in where cats
live in buckets and sniff my face?

Wedged in, lazy Sunday slippers.

Sunglass are a great toy!

Just chillin' in my swing with all my accouterments:
Teething giraffe, cow-eared stuffed mouse, pacifier, headband.

Trading babies.

Four months

Today was Miles' four month pediatric check up.  Turns out, he's a skinny guy.  He dropped on the growth curve in both height and weight but not head circumference.  His weight today was 12lbs 8oz and his length was 24 inches.  After discussing it with the pediatrician we're going to increase each of his feeds during the day to three ounces and keep the breastfeeding schedule we have right now.  I will admit that I feel like a bit of a failure as a mom today.  I knew he was lean but I thought it was because he was super active, not because we weren't feeding him enough.  Either way, our plan is to fatten him up before his next visit in a month.

In other news, we had a nice visit from Grampy Phil and Grammy Diana last weekend.  They are just enamored with our little guy and we were happy to spend time with them.

Miles' new favorite skill is shrieking!  That's right.  You were just trying to eat some dinner/talk to the pediatrician/stare lovingly into your baby's eyes/insert other activity here.  Well, you can no longer do that in a quiet way!  Shrieking is so IN right now.



Miles has also started to notice the cats.  He watches them like the tv (which he's not actually allowed to watch).  He will lay on his belly in the kitchen and stare at those cats while they eat.  Fascinating.  In fact, Miles will watch anybody eat.  Our pediatrician says that means he's ready to start eating but I'm a little wary.  She suggests we do rice cereal or oatmeal at 6 months so he gets enough iron.  I guess we'll discuss it again when we get there.

Here is four month old MKC:

Hands!?

SHIRT!

Belly button.

Dan, the man, with all the babies: Brooks, Miles and Frankie

Frankie is pissed she has to hang out with Brooks and Miles.
If you look closely, Miles is holding Brooks' hand! 

Nom, nom, nom!  I like to mouth everything!

Watchoo lookin' at?

Ready for a walk

Push up!

Fascinating.

Skinny legs, cute tongue!

16 weeks

Success!  Baby Miles is now sleeping unswaddled.  Next up, the pacifier.  I don't think that's going to go as easily.

I had been worried about Miles' "talking." I had read that by now he should be making vowel sounds and as of last week his vocalizations were mostly crying and grunting.  This week, we hit the cooing stage.  He moves his tongue all around making all different sorts of noises, he starts really soft and increases his volume, he tells me stories while latching and unlatching during breastfeeding.

He also has started reaching for things this week. Including my face.  And everything he reaches for goes right in his mouth.  Including my face.  Of note, nearly four-month-olds don't have a sense that they shouldn't try to dig out your eyeballs.

Me: Lucas, do you like staying home?
Lucas: Yeah.
Me: What's the worst part of being home?
Lucas: Sometimes, he gets a little overwhelming when he's fussy and I don't know why and I can't solve it. It's usually toward the end of the day.
Me: What's the best part of staying home?
Lucas: Probably going out to places with him. Showing him new stuff.
Me: Are you looking forward to any developmental stages?
Lucas: I'm looking forward to him developing a personality and being able to talk.
Me: Do you think you'll want to stay home for the foreseeable future?
Lucas: I don't know, I can't really answer that.  Maybe.
Me: Any comments about staying home generally? Is it harder or easier than you thought it would be?
Lucas: I'd say so far it's been easier than I thought it would be.  He sort of has three basic needs: hunger, sleepiness and boredom.  And, those are relatively easy to meet.  Except for the five minutes it takes to heat up a bottle when he's yelling at me the whole time.
Me: Do you miss work at all?
Lucas: No, I think I get enough at the part time job at the library, enough work-like activity.

Miles, week 16:

"Uncle" Dan stopped by last weekend for a visit

Miles helping me make the bed

Hoodie wearing party. Miles doesn't care for it one bit.

Hoodie in the trees

Hanging out in the crib - his play area

I know I'm biased, but look at him.
Cutest thing ever.

I gots feets!

Feets are the new hands

Feets, feets, feets.

Drunk baby tries to stay upright

Miles and Lucas visited me in the office for lunch.  Miles tried to touch every part of my face:

Angry baby waits for bottle to warm.
Perplexed dad plugs ears.