Jack: 3 Months

Month of Milestones 

Jigga what?  Is it May already!?  This past month went by WAYYYYY too fast..I almost forgot to get a post prepared.  There have been so many changes this week with Jack and within our family that I feel it most appropriate to discuss them in terms of what I am going to call "milestones".

Milestone #1 and #2=Jack's first Easter and first overnight outside of our home.  

Rockin the new shades and bunny bib Jack got from my aunt

We had a very nice Easter weekend that started with a somewhat impromptu trip to Nate's cabin in Osceola to be with some of his family.  The ONLY way I even considered staying over night was because I knew it would be a very small crowd and I knew our family of four would have a place to sleep.  I wanted to be sure to have a spot for Jack to sleep as well as for Mia so we would not wake up everyone else with out night time feedings and early risings of a toddler.  We ended up staying two nights and just relaxed, chilled, watched tv, cooked amazing food and visited...but I was pooped by the end because we didnt really get any good sleep :(

Jack's first campfire in Osceola, all snuggled up with grandma G

For "actual" Easter, we headed to my parent's house for apps, dinner, an egg hunt and dessert with our close family friends.  It was super fun, the kids loved it and we FINALLY got some pictures of our family of four.  The pics kind of suck and Nate chose not to take any time to make them look much better...but at least we have SOMETHING :)

Jack with Nana Kathy at Easter

family of four pics...it's the best we can do right now 

so you'll have to deal with the shadows and bright lights :)

Milestone #3=Jack's first bloodshed.  Oh my poor little peanut.  I stand by my statement that Mia truly does love her baby brother and wants to be around him a lot; however, come bedtime...she can turn in to another creature and become careless.  Mia was very excited about a kids magazine she got in the mail and was waving it around Jack before bed.  She tested her boundaries a bit too close and whacked him on the face with her magazine...right below his right eye.  I was shocked to find that a few second later, he was bleeding!  She had given him a big paper cut kind of thing and he was NOT happy about...neither were we.  He was all smiles and just fine soon after, but we really tried to get it in to Mia's head that she must be gentle around babies...or anyone for that matter.  You can slightly see his ouchie in the below pic.  Mia kept asking if he was all better and if he had blood still. :)

LOVE this bear outfit for outside strolls!

Here is a pic to "prove" Mia just loves her bro...she calls him "Jack-a-butt"

and insists that he snuggles with her in bed some days

Milestone #4=Jack's first solid night of sleep without waking up.  Jack has improved DRAMATICALLY in the overnight sleep department this past month.  The majority of nights, Jack only wakes up one time...and if he doesn't wake up one time...wait for it....he sleeps the whole night!  His first REAL long stretch was at the cabin in Osceola and I was starting to freak out since he wasn't waking up.  Since then (around Easter), he has pretty much slept one nice long stretch at night, wakes up once to nurse and then back to bed until usually 7am...which is the earliest acceptable time for him to wake up for the day...otherwise, back to bed for him :)  I believe the first night he slept 9pm-7am non-stop and the second time was 8:00pm-7:30am...I just about died.  Both of those nights I did wake up to pump once, but I was so pleased that he slept straight through that it didn't matter.  I really can not recall the last time he has woken up more than once to eat in the middle of the night. He does sometimes require a few minor adjustment like putting his Nuk back in or being moved to his bouncy seat for the vibration; but those only take about 20 seconds to do and are more annoying than time consuming.  His naps are getting better too, especially his afternoon one.  It is my mission on the weekends to get a nap for myself so I make sure I do whatever I can to sync the naps of my kids...so far, it has worked amazingly well and they have been pretty cooperative.

winking at me as he flirts :)

bundled up for a mid-day stroll...the weather has been very unpredictable this month

Milestone #5=My first day back at work after a 12 week maternity leave.  I was NOT expecting to be sad at all going back to work and I had actually been looking forward to it for a few weeks.  I felt ready to go back, ready to get back to my career and ready for adult conversations every day.  I was not ready to feel the push and pull of "leaving Jack" with others to be cared for, while also wanting to snuggle his face all day long.  Thankfully, our family has a very nice set up until early June which includes Jack being home with me one day, home with my parents 2 days and at an in home day care the last two days of the work week.  This is a nice way to ease everyone through the transition and allow me to adjust to a normal life again...whatever that means :)  I enjoy being back at work, but it was a lot harder to leave him than I thought it was.  I kind of hit the ground running with going back to work...I have been pretty busy and have LOTS of paperwork piling up.  I like being busy, but I dont like feeling overwhelmed so I am hoping that the initial stress of being back will subside soon and I will get back on my game.  This section is particularly short because I didn't have time to blog at work and I have to be back at work tomorrow morning at 7:45am and it is after 9pm right now...gotta get this done quick!

Could this little boy BE any cuter!?

Typical activity after work, Mia "getting home from work"
where she says she makes apple sauce and orange juice

Jack working on his neck :)

Mia taking her role as big sister VERY seriously

Milestone #6=Jack's first days of "real" day care (away from family).  Holy hell were those emotional days!  My friend said it best when she told me that I had forgotten that I was basically a "new" daycare mom...she was right.  For the first year, Mia was exclusively watched by me or her grandparents.  Even between one and two years old, she only went to traditional day care 2 days a week; so I am pretty much a new day care mom and that hit me hard last week.  Bottom line is that they LOVE Jack at day care and think he was a wonderful baby (they have only had him two days so far) and wondered if "he was always this perfect?"  That made me feel glorious and proud; but early on in the first day, I was an wreck and got very upset about my first "check in" phone call to the provider.  Long story short is that I am very sensitive about my milk supply and I want to do my best (within reason) to make enough milk for Jack on my own.  I felt that the provider was way too quick to feed him too much of my milk and didn't seem to think it was a big deal at all to feed a barely 3 month old 6oz in one sitting when I ABSOLUTELY was not making that much at all in one pump or nursing session.  But what bothered me most was how she told me about his morning and how she communicated her perceptions and observations as if she had known him for years.  I felt like a horrible mom who didn't know her son; I know that was all my fault and not her intention at all.  I've done this before, Im no parent rookie and I also have bene managing very well nursing and pumping for 3 months...dont tell ME what my kids needs and wants :)...let me figure it out on my own and then you can sit back and give yourself props for knowing all along...silently :)  I had some venting time with friends and felt WAY better after just getting a bunch of stuff off my chest.  I have some friends who do a great job of being on "my side" and validating me, and I have other friends who put me in check and call me out on my shit...it was nice to get both.  All in all, the first two days at day care were great for Jack, I am SO happy they like him and will keep him and are already teaching him...it's just hard to share him and watch someone else raise your kids sometimes....sniff sniff.

Aren't these pics to die for?  I could look at these pictures over and over and over again...and probably will :)  He is just the cutest, happiest, most lovable baby (at least that is how I feel at this moment, hehe).  Jack has had a lot of activity, outings, visits and milestone events this month, I can't wait to see what the next few months have in store for us.  Up next: May....my birthday, mothers day and our first overnight away from Jack for a friend's wedding, yikes!