Things I've Learned

I've been compiling a list of all the assortment of things that I have learned over the last four months of motherhood. This is not by any means an exhaustive one, just a few.
For starters I've learned:
you can never have too many burp cloths at arms reach
Polo makes their baby clothes about 3 months smaller than any other brand
breastfeeding is more rewarding than I ever would have imagined
you need at least 2 changing table covers
pee pee teepee's really can come in handy
bath time = naked baby cuddle time
eye contact can be thrilling
the motor in a travel swing is pretty weak
The Baby Book (Sears)has answers for all of my zillions of questions
learning how to read Connor's cries/fusses/grunts has taken more time than I thought
Nuk makes the best pacifiers
diapers are totally over priced
Trupette socks stay on better than any other
although I was warned not to use them, I totally prefer Huggies
Swaddle Designs has the best blankets for swaddling & Swaddle Me blankets are no good
one piece footed outfits that snap up the front are my favorites - they're
convenient, easy to use and don't squeeze my chubbo's tummy
no picture will ever completely capture exactly how cute my baby is(regardless of
how many I take)
guilt is just a part of the package - you have to fight it everyday
there are insufficient words to express to my son how loved he is

Here he is:
Trying out a friend's Johnny Jump Up


Checking out our new tree.


Cuddling with Mommy


Hangin out in my Boppy, makin silly faces.


Taken this morning while sporting new (9 month!) duds.

3 months

Connor is now 3 months old! We had a fairly rough morning today but the afternoon is proving to be much better. Connor's first visit to a pediatrician was this morning and this was a big visit because we were considering which vaccinations to get, if any. Matt & I had done our homework and had narrowed it down to only a few possible vaccines we felt were worth considering. We decided to ask the doctor about them and decide based on her answers. Finding a doctor who would talk to us was a challenge in and of itself though. It is far too common these days for a doctor to be in and out of an appointment without ever listening or taking questions. This was another example of God's provision; I prayed fervently that the Lord would make it a positive experience and it was! The doctor spent quite a bit of time with us answering questions and was very encouraging about how healthy Connor is. Now, for the stats:
At 3 months old, our little chunker is 25 1/4 inches long - 75% and 18 1/2 lbs - 95%

I think my milk is closer to whipping cream than milk. Anyway, after talking with the doctor Matt & I decided to go ahead with the two vaccines. I have never heard my baby cry like that. He wailed and wailed. It was the most awful torture I could ever imagine putting him through. He didn't cry like that at all when he was circumcised. It was so much worse! I don't know if I'll ever be able to do it again. I tried nursing him to calm him down but he was too upset. He eventually took the pacifier and was asleep by the time we got to the car. Since he was out and we were already in Killeen (about 20 minutes from home) I decided to head over to Target (about 30 minutes from home.) While I was maneuvering getting Connor out of the car and into the stroller (and keep him asleep) the car next to me started moving. There was very little space between our cars and it startled me, so I dropped my purse in the car and turned and smacked theirs with my other hand. In the process of demonstrating my frustration and disgust with their impatience I hip checked our car and closed the door, locking my purse, phone, wallet, etc. in the car. I was in disbelief. I went inside and called Matt who was very understanding. He went home, looked for our spare keys and when he couldn't find them he drove back to Target and called a locksmith. It only took nearly 2 hours and thankfully my sweet baby slept through it all. Now we are home and resting again. Here are a few recent pics of the baby bear. Love to you all.

Connor is just getting big enough to use his exer-saucer but we have to wedge him in with towels!

Last weekend we visited Uncle Jake in Brownwood.

Connor is learning to sit up so big!

My little chub in his jammies!

This is at a local coffee shop called The Bean Tree.

Playtime

Connor is making more and more noises lately so we put together a little montage of recent giggles and noises. The first section is of Connor zonked out asleep. He began making shrieking squeals in competition with the tv but when we grabbed the camera and paused the tv he toned it down a lot. Trust me, it was much louder earlier. After that Matt is shaking his belly getting him to laugh. It made us laugh & we hope you do too!