Dear Chris: 5 Weeks

Dear Chris:

I can't believe we've had you for such a long time! I think back to the first few days with you in the hospital. You were so skinny and fragile. I didn't feel like we had much interaction, but I loved to hold you. Fast forward to today: you may not be fat, but you are definitely chubbier! It's amazing how I can tell the difference. I can even tell that your little hands have more meat on them. I love that you are getting fatter. You fill out your onesies, so I finally feel like you aren't so teeny. You even have a bit of a double chin sometimes when your head is down.

You are awake so much more! You love to look around and love to stare at lights, which makes me a little nervous ha ha. I don't want your cute eyes to get hurt! But it is fun to see you look around and look at me so much more! Now I just am waiting for some more smiling.

You hardly mind your car seat now! I think you know it means you get to go outside, and I think you love outside. You always calm down whenever I take you out there. You also love the car. You almost always fall asleep when you go in it. That makes me feel so much better, because it was always so sad to hear you cry as I drove because I couldn't do anything!

You are still a little cuddler and have given us some long nights where you wouldn't sleep unless being held. We still count our blessings, though, that the majority of the night you sleep very soundly, only waking up when you're hungry. I feel like getting you to sleep is like an experiment: each night we tweak just a little thing and see if you sleep better with that change. It makes me laugh, but it really has helped you sleep better!

Feeding you at night can be a little hard. I get so tired! I am so glad I have the boppy to prop you up, so when I have fallen asleep, I don't have to worry that you could roll off my lap. To help me stay awake, I eat lots of snacks! Cheese nips have been the latest snack. Rice cakes and fruit snacks have also been my snacks. I am so glad to have an iPhone, too, to entertain me.

Speaking of that, the fact that I can play on my phone while you eat is amazing. You latch on so well! I rarely have to help you eat. So it's like what everyone said: around a month, it gets easy. Thank goodness!

A sad thing is that I think you have acid reflux. You've been having a very gurgly stomach, more gas, more spit up, and you've been pretty upset during and after feedings. I thought maybe I just was eating something you didn't like (I already can't eat chocolate, broccoli, and spicy food because it makes you too gassy), but I couldn't figure out what would make you so unhappy after cutting those things out. Once I figured out it was acid reflux, we keep you upright after feedings and that helps a lot. We propped up a side of your crib mattress so that you can sleep better, and that seemed to help. Now, the doctor told me that I should stop eating dairy to help you out. I love my milk! But if it makes you less uncomfortable, I won't have any. I'm excited to see if this helps you! If not, you might have to get a prescription from the doctor to lessen the pain.

You continue to be a generally pleasant baby. Your dad and I love to look at you and love to hold you. You are so loved and we are so glad we have you! Keep growing, little one!

Love,

Mom and Dad