Hi, We Are Your Parents. Are You Worried?

http://www.emaphotography.com/slideshow/jackson/

Last we spoke, our little dude was 5 weeks old weighing in at 9lbs, 2 oz and 21 3/4 inches.

On his two month birthday (Feb 17 he was 8 weeks), we are happy to report that he is: 11.5 lbs and 22 inches!

Like Father, Like Son

We must say - before we forget - Happy Valentine's Day!

Growing like a little weed.  A little weed that eats a lot, poops a lot and sleeps a little....and, now GRABS things and holds on....like my hair or necklace or chin.

But, 

Who needs sleep?  I don't need sleep.  Accenture trained me to not need sleep.  Except that....they didn't train me be teased with 1-2 hours...only to have to get up, walk to the crib in another room, change a diaper, feed, burp, swaddle and rock another human being.  

But, it's absolutely amazing what one can do even sleep deprived!  It's just that some days....I have to choose between eating, sleeping or showering.  I most often choose to eat.  Don't judge.

So, Jack - he has good nights and he has bad nights.  Needless to say he's not an awesome sleeper, but he's not terrible either.  We count our blessings that we get the 5-6 hour stretches that we get (which are pretty often these days!)....and we laugh off the "cluster feeding" sessions where he's up every hour.  (What do you mean there's a growth spurt at 6 weeks?!  Someone should tell us this stuff!  I need a calendar of events!)  Luckily, he hasn't had one of those cluster feeding sessions in a couple of weeks.

We mostly just do what feels right....and let him lead the way on most days.

Hell, sometimes?  We just sleep in the bouncer.

And, sometimes?  We all sleep in the same bed:

Uhm, Dad?  I'm awake.  Are you?  No?  How about now?

Sometimes?  We pass out while mom is trying to make the bed.



And, sometimes....we just pass out in mom's arms while she's trying to get a burp outta me:

....or while laying on mom's lap.



Mornings are the best....when Jack hangs with his momma...and we talk about his tubby little belly:

....and his big boy yawns:

...and how he makes the cutest stretchy face:

Some days, we hang out in our sock monkey gear (and watch the Super Bowl):

Along the way, we've learned what we need....and what we don't need, that's for sure!  We know there's so much more to learn, but it's CRAZY how much stuff we thought we needed....and how much we've really used.  Honestly?  This is our list of newborn must haves:

• A white noise machine (Thank You Becky!):  Because apparently, babies like it to sound like it did in the womb....and this machine mimics that....and, well, he sleeps.  Thank God.
• The "Miracle Blanket" (Thank You Oscar and Steph!):  It's a swaddle blanket on crack...helping you to tie down even the most hulk-like little arms.  Jack is going to be a professional wrestler (Jack the Ripper, duh.) with the amount of wrestling he does to get out of a tightly swaddled blanket.
• The Happiest Baby On The Block DVD (Thank You Oscar and Steph!):  This DVD is all about how to calm your baby down....and it is SPOT ON.  I can't believe we waited until week 4 to watch this!  It changed our lives.  And Jack's.
• Nice Burp Cloths:  ....are the ones that are actually cloth diapers.  Never buy the ones that are technically called "burp cloths."  Only buy cloth diapers...and use them for everything (even diapering, if you so choose, which we didn't...but to each their own!)
• Baby Socks:  Buy lots of them.  Thanks to Matt's genes, Jack has constantly ice cold hands and feet.  Also thanks to Matt?  We lose baby socks like it's our job.  Actually, we've been losing adult socks like it's our job for quite some time, but those little bastard baby socks?  Holy crap are they hard to keep up with!
• Nipple Cream:  Let's just say this isn't for Matt.
• White Onesies:  Because on most days, it's not a fashion show....and we change clothes a lot around here.  I mean, with the peeing and the pooping and the rookie parents/diaper issues....there are a lot of wardrobe changes.  Again, we aren't talking about Matt - although he does contribute to the overall gas problem in this house.  Living with boys is tough.
• Video Baby Monitor:  Nothing says neurotic (uhm, ME) like waking up every hour of a 6 hour sleep stretch to check the video monitor.  To be perfectly honest, I get up A LOT to make sure he's still breathing.  Do not judge.

Then, there are those day to day items like aquaphor, stain remover, snot suckers, saline, gas medicine, hand sanitizer, etc....that you must have on hand to survive.  Thanks to my friend Amy for a goodie bag with all of those items and more.  She knew this ahead of time....because she's got three little angels of her own!

With all of this excitement, you'd think Lucky would be bouncing off the walls, but honestly - Lucky is less than amused with the whole night time production.  He generally finds himself back downstairs on the couch rather than on his dog bed in our room.

Lucky isn't so much interested in all of Jack's amazing feats like grabbing things and holding on....or mimicking what we do with our mouths....or smiling/laughing/swatting at the little animals that hang from his activity mat.

Lucky isn't so much impressed that our little guy scootches himself across the room during tummy time or that he presses up on his (ever thickening) little legs to "stand up."

This is my rock n roll onesie from my friend, Jeneane.

Who is this weird man?

Yeah...Lucky, he'd be just fine snoozing the day away rather than be bothered with the achievements of Jack.

Lucky:  "This is my fur-less little brother"

But, he knows that he must always be calm and submissive....and patient, because Lord knows it takes us AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME to get ready to go anywhere.