busy BUSY day!

Whew! What a wonderful and busy day!
First the 2 little boys and I went to the first CBS of the year! YAY! We are studying Acts this year and I'm back in the New Moms Group. THANK GOODNESS Thursday is Josh's day off so he can help me get out the door on time with these 2....it's still a big challenge to get anywhere on time..no matter how far in advance I get the process started....and SURPRISE, they moved the start time to 15 minutes later, so for the first (and likely only) time we were EARLY!
After CBS we met Daddy at Zaxbys (and used our new SMART CARD). Then Daddy took Jack home and I took Wesley to run a few errands.
I noticed something today....back when Jack was itty bitty I really didnt get OUT a lot with him...we would run a few quick errands here and there...and we DID go a lot of places that were in walking distance, given where we used to live....but if it was anywhere near time for him to eat, we were hightailing it back home. It just seemed too exhausting to get a baby and all his STUFF out and about and way too intimidating to nurse a baby in (gasp!) public!
Oh what a difference a 2nd child makes. Now if given the choice of getting out with BOTH kids or just ONE, getting out with just the baby is almost a relaxing breath of fresh air. I also successfully nursed him 4 times today in public locations other than our home...that NEVER happened with Jack....EVER! (Thank goodness for nursing cover-ups!) After a full day of running errands (we left the house at 8:45 and I didnt get home with Wesley until 5:45) I feel refreshed and invigorated instead of exhausted-just getting out of the house seemed like a treat!
We went to CBS, Zaxbys, the library, the Methodist Church on MOPS business, a local consigment sale, and Walmart. Then I came home and had enough energy to do some dishes, make french toast (from homemade sourdough bread) AND go for an evening walk with my boys. Just listing all that makes me think I should be tired, but I'm ready to tackle some laundry too. Guess I need to get out more often.

A few cute comparison pictures of the brothers

Can you tell them apart?

Happy 2 Months, Baby Wesley!

We went to Wesley's 2 month Well-Baby check-up (how awesome that he is a WELL-BABY? YAY!) Exactly 1 month ago he weighed in at 9.1 pounds....today he was a whopping 13.5 pounds!!! Yes, he has gained 4.4 pounds in a month! He went from the 50th%ile to the 95th%ile! Guess that is what happens when you eat every 2.5 hours or so! I've noticed that he will stretch out longer if he is sleeping (sometime even to 4 hours at night...but only sometimes...) or if Daddy is holding him (he KNOWS he wont get food from Daddy) but when I hold him, he INSISTS that he eat every 2.5-3 hours and will NOT be distracted from his mission! His length is 23.25 inches long which I think as about 75th%ile and his head is 16.25 which was the 50th %ile. We are thrilled. There were a few concerns we asked Dr. C about, but he didnt seem worried about any of them, so we wont either. We FINALLY got the results from his ECHO at VCH...it wasnt good news, but it wasnt bad either....the neonatologists were the ones who contacted us and said that his heart looks the same as his previous ECHO...no better, but no worse...so they want us to repeat it in 2-3 months...and no need for medication at this point...I would have loved to hear that everything is healed....but I'll take "no change" over getting worse.
He got his vaccines today and earlier today he was VERY fussy and pretty much inconsolable...hopefully the tylenol I gave him is taking the edge off. You'd think 3 shots wouldnt even compare to all he has had done to him....but maybe he is like me....with all the busy-ness and bliss of being home, its easy to just forget all that nightmare even happened. I'm certainly glad he wont remember any of it! Personally I only want to remember as much as needed to stay thankful to the Lord for His mercy and Grace for sparing our son's life. All the nitty gritty details are welcome to leave my mind at any point.

Wesley is working hard at strengthening his neck and back muscles as you can see:

He's getting steadier and steadier all the time!

He LOVES sleeping on Daddy's chest (just like his big brother). He is wearing size 1 diapers, and hopefully he will still fit in them for a while since I ordered a HUGE box of them, not realizing how quickly he is growing. I think we have used up 1/2 of them so far. He seems to be built like Jack in that he is VERY long waisted, therefore he long ago outgrew his 0-3 month onesies and several of his 3-6 month onesies are getting quite snug (or they have been washed so much they have shrunk...) but 0-3 month pants still seem to fit him best. 3-6 month ones only fit if we want him to look like Steve Urkel (just realized that when/if our boys ever get around to reading that reference, they will have NO IDEA what I'm talking about! :) His feet are WAY too long for any newborn socks...seriously, his feet and toes are SO long! I need to compare them to Jacks at that age....and I need to find Wesley some bigger socks.

He's sleeping ok...at night like I said he will go usually 3-4 hours in between feedings, but he grunts and groans a lot, especially if I lay him back down before he is completely asleep. He doesnt sleep well at all in his bassinet during the day, but He sleeps pretty well in his swing and baby chairs, although he is often awakened by Jack's antics. Honestly he takes his best nap of the day during Jack's nap when things are calmer. I'm hoping that his new crib will be at our house within a few weeks. We ordered it at Babies R us on a Friday, and I got a call that it was there by the next Tuesday...even though they said it would be 7-14 days! WOW! Granny Ruthie picked it up, and she will bring it to us when she gets a chance. Maybe I will sleep better if HE is sleeping in his own room, although I'm not counting on it, since I'll just get to hear his grunts and groans over the baby monitor.

What Josh and I have worked out is that since Wesley usually eats twice during the night, after the 2nd feeding (usually 2 or 3ish...4 or 5ish if I am lucky) I will put him back down in his crib and then go out to the couch to sleep without all the "sound effects"....then Daddy will get up with him around 5 or 6 and listen out for him until his next feeding....or until Jack comes to wake me up, whichever comes first. This allows me a few hours of more restful sleep....some days. I know this wont last forever, so I'm TRYING not to wish it all away. My FAVORITE part of these early months has finally happened...just this past week he's started smiling really smiles at us...I'm not able to catch any on camera yet, but I'll be sure to post them as soon as I can!!

My husband is in love...

and so is our son.......
with what you might ask?

our neighbors Craftsman Ride-on lawnmower! You see, between all the rain, and the busy-ness and the occasional headache, our lawn hadnt been mowed in 2 weeks....and it was a JUNGLE out there...the other night Josh tried mowing the thinner, easier part of our lawn out front....and had a terrible time of it with our push mower, so today Mr. Frank offered to lend Daddy the riding lawnmower...and it was true love.

This is how Jack spent a good part of his afternoon after waking up from his nap. He would wander from one end of the deck to the other watching Daddy riding on the "tractor"

and because I am still learning that leaving Jack outside on the deck alone for more than a few seconds isnt a good idea, this is how Wesley and I spent part of our afternoon too!

(Not-so) Artistic Mini-Session with(out) Becca Y.

My friend Becky had a family photo session with a new local photographer, Becca Y. a few weeks ago. The pictures she posted on Facebook blew me away...they were so BEAUTIFUL and then when I learned that Becca only charged $50 for the 1/2 hour session AND we get a CD with all the pics, I KNEW I wanted in on this deal! Becca was hosting another weekend of "Artistic Mini-Sessions" this weekend, so I got us an early appt on Sunday morning. Having never had photographs taken like this before (hers are very casual, non-traditional, etc) I pored over her handbook packet of suggestions....looking for the right kinds of clothes to wear, best ways to style hair, make up, nails, etc. Given I gave birth a mere 8 weeks ago, finding clothes that both fit AND looked even remotely flattering was a huge HUGE challenge. Also following her suggestion of solid colored clothing was VERY hard to do in size 3T and almost IMPOSSIBLE to do in size 3-6 months. Almost everything had some sort of cartoon character on it...and trying to coordinate the colors with Mommie and Daddy's outfits...AUUUUGGHHH! I'm sure I got more stressed out than I should have...and Josh really came through in the end...giving me a few hours on a Saturday to shop (ALONE) at Target and helping me coordinate the outfits this morning. He was VERY helpful getting the boys ready this morning (a process that actually started around 5am when Wesley woke up to eat...I decided to just go ahead and get my shower early etc) by the time we headed out the door (ON TIME!!!) to our appt at the local historical Train Depot, I was feeling triumphant and successful...and looking cuter than usual, I might add, all without even having one picture taken yet. The weather was lovely, sunny and the temp was still pleasant with even a little breeze in the air. PERFECT for 2 young children getting photographed!
We get to our destination about 5 minutes early, unload all our gear and "props"....and realize we are there alone....no photographer....no other people being photographed...hmmm.....I'm SURE this is the right day and time.....finally, after a text and 2 phone calls I finally get a text back from her saying that she CANCELLED todays session....because of rain.....RAIN???? The weather is GORGEOUS (and btw 3 hours later it is still sunny....although much warmer, I'm sure) Since she had not gotten my phone # (all the arrangements were made via email and facebook) she had to email me the notice about the cancellation....but did I have a chance to check my email this morning....NO!!!! I was too busy plucking my eyebrows, gathering props, changing diapers, nursing a baby,coordinating outfits, painting my toenails, hunting down a matching pair of earrings, trying to find a pair of pants that arent too big (all my maternity pants) or too snug (all my prepregnancy pants) and using a hair dryer and straight iron for the first time in almost a year...there was no time for emails this morning! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!?
To say I was disappointed would be a HUGE understatement. Josh could tell I was upset, and offered to take a few pictures of our own, since we were already there and all gussied up...and because I was seriously considering NOT rescheduling with her.....GRRRRRR!
Something I have heard from photographers in the past is that you have to take lots and LOTS of not-so-good pictures to get a few really good ones....what do you think about our efforts this morning?

Jack was VERY eager to climb on the train, so the only way to keep him still for a few pictures was to let him listen to Pandora on Daddy's phoneHe's not really excited about sitting still.


Daddy tried propping the camera on the stroller...obviously it didnt stay propped very well...and I am trying to stash my phone before th camera clicked....whoops! btw-Wesley was arching his back and putting himself into that position....maybe its baby yoga or something.

"Hello, anyone seen our photographer around here? Amateurs, I'm surrounded by amateurs!"

These two are pretty cute!

Zoning out while listening to Veggie Tales

I like this one of my boys!

Jack is trying to give Wesley a kiss

and now he is digging in his nose for buried treasure or something....how lovely.

Aww! Brotherly love....this picture makes me smile, but I'm just silly and irreverent like that!

This one is probably the best one of the 4 of us...believe it or not, all 4 of us appear to be looking in the general direction of the camera!

He must be Italian the way he talks with his hands "Whaddaya talking about?"

Awww!

Sitting on the train

Inspecting the train...he can tell you all about it....

just ask him....does this train have buffers or a cowcatcher...he knows...he'll tell you....

Josh being artistic

Sweet Baby Boy

working those neck and back muscles!

and leg muscles too!

teddy bear bootie

So, as you can see....we are still in need of an Artistic Mini Session with Becca Y....so I am looking forward to trying again next week, same time. Wish us luck! Hopefully hers are a bit better than ours!

Some Lessons in Potty Training (and humility)

TMI ALERT...(SOME) POTTY TRAINING DETAILS AHEAD!!

(I'm actually going to try NOT to share too many details below, because honestly, they are too gross to share....WAAAAY too gross. )

You're welcome!

So the Lord must have really wanted to humble me today after my being so proud of Jack's potty training successes yesterday. First of all he started out the day with a success...while I was nursing Wesley, Jack was able to "go", AND take care of emptying out his potty all by himself....that last part was a bit nerve wracking! He was ALSO able to put his undies back on by himself...he was VERY proud...I dont think he realized they were backwards! It was really cute!
A few minutes later I was finishing up with Wesley and I hear Jack hollering from the dining room. I run in there just in time to witness the GROSSEST thing I have ever seen in my entire life... (I am NOT going to share details publicly...its just too nasty...but if you want a good laugh..or if you enjoy being grossed out, I'd be glad to share privately). In his defense, it wasnt all Jack's fault that it was so nasty. If it had just stopped with him...it wouldnt have been too terribly shocking. Suffice it to say...I was feeling nauseous for the rest of the day just from thinking about it. YUCK!
He and I had to have a talk about how to prevent such yuckiness from happening again, and our day went on...until a few minutes later when I discovered that Wesley had also made a mess while I was cleaning up Jack's mess. Oh JOY!
Another aspect of potty training was revealed to me today. Part of what led to Jack's success yesterday was that he has learned to disrobe in order to sit on the potty independently. That's great...but the bad news is that he has learned to disrobe independently. Apparently he thinks that is pretty cool and he spent most of today in varying degrees of undress...I had a hard time convincing him that playing with his choo-choos while in the buff was just not a great idea. Am I ever going to be able to take him anywhere after this? :) Being the mother of a toddler and an infant brings new surprises, both wonderful and shocking, every single day! I think I'm keeping my sense of humor about it, most days.
When he is a teenager he is never going to forgive me for these stories, is he?

PRAISE THE LORD!!

TMI ALERT!!! POTTY TRAINING DETAILS AHEAD!!!

Since bringing home a baby and with all this blasted heat we havent really gotten out a whole lot lately...which has been the perfect opportunity for some potty training boot camp. I've pretty much had him in big boy undies non stop as long as we are at home (other than at sleep times...I'm not CRAZY!). We've had our ups and downs during this time and I was getting discouraged because it seems that even though he is super motivated to wear his Toy Story/Lightning McQueen/Thomas the Train big boy undies, he just wasnt figuring out the urge to go and the making it to the potty in time. Sigh. I was just a day or 2 away from giving up completely...but we have made some BIG progress these past 2 or 3 days. On Sunday Jack came back from Church with a nasty diaper rash....the worst I've ever seen him have....so bad that it made him walk funny, like a cowboy who has been riding his horse too long. While I was very very sad to see my child in such discomfort, I really think this was the key to his potty training breakthrough! You see, he was never really bothered much at all with wet or dirty diapers, therefore I dont think he ever felt the need to go in the potty. But with the increased discomfort due to the diaper rash, he was VERY aware of his dirty/wet diapers/undies and really REALLY wanted to put it all in the potty instead of his diaper or undies. Sunday and Monday he would actually ask to sit on the potty, or at least go immediately when we would prompt him, and with out much delay, he would do his business and move on with life....a vast improvement to sitting on it for 30 minutes or more in previous weeks. Whats also been wierd is that these pastt few days we have had him in pull ups (due to all the desitin) instead of undies...maybe for some unknown reason they are helping instead of hurting like I've hheard from so many other moms.
Then today something MIRACULOUS happened! I was in Wesleys room nursing him and Jack was playing in the bonus room (where his little potty had been left from the day before). Suddenly Jack comes racing into Wesleys room with a bare bootie exclaiming "I went peepee in my potty!!" Turns out he had recognized the need to go...pulled down his pull up..... and put himself on th potty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PRAISE JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!! We did all sorts of celebrating over this accomplishment!!!WOO-HOO!!!

Feeling Nostalgic

This is my little brother Daniel. Today he moved into his dorm room at Vanderbilt for his Freshman year. I cant believe how quickly time has passed. I completely and totally remember when he was the same age as my boys. I took so many pictures of him as a little kid...I was his main babysitter...I saw him almost everyday from birth until he turned 5 (which was when I myself went to college). Ithink sometimes, ok a lot of the time, I mothered him a little too much....but it seems like time has passed so quickly from when he was a little tyke and I was rocking him to sleep and now....when he just turned 18 and is in college. If time passed this quick for my brother....how quickly will it pass for my own children? This is blowing my mind!

Have fun my "baby" brother. I am so proud of you! I need to go hug my baby boys now.....

almost....

I dont know for sure, but I think I ALMOST saw Baby Wesley's first smiles today...they were kinda 1/2 smiles at me, and definitely some looks of recognition and pleasant expressions...I know full fledged smiles are just around the corner...I'm so excited! I really enjoy having my babies interact with me!!!

golfing

Thanks Granny Ruthie for sending me most of these pictures!

this past weekend we celebrated Uncle Daniel's 18th birthday and Mzee's 60th birthday by playing mini golf here in Cookeville. I didnt get to go because we figured the heat would be too much for baby Wesley and for Granny Franny....so we joined the party later at Crawdaddy's. I asked Daddy to send me a picture of Jack golfing. From what I heard he tried really hard to be "helpful" and move peoples balls closer to the hole, sometimes putting the ball in the hole for them. What a gentleman! As soon as the weather cools off I cant wait to go back and see him golfing in person!

Friday the 13th...

I'm not superstitious but if I were, then the kind of day I had today would solidify my belief in unlucky Friday the 13th.....ready for the series of unfortunate events....sorry if it is tmi....I just have to record this for posterity as one of my craziest days ever....
8/13/10 Friday
please keep in mind that I am needing to drive into Nashville for Wesley's 11:15 echo at Vandy...I am hoping to leave around 830.....
12am-6am-I get a "good nights sleep" about 30 minutes at a time due to SOMEONES snoring and SOMEONES grunting/groaning/tooting/straining all night long...I'll let you guess who is who!
7am-Jack has a NASTY diaper that nearly knocks me down when I enter his room...I finally talk him into sitting on the potty for a few minutes, which turns into about 30 minutes because once he sits down he is DETERMINED that he's gonna put something in there so he can get a "special treat"
7:30 I am feeding Wesley, hoping that this timing wont interfere with getting him to the appt on time and interfere with a future feeding
8 am I start running Jack a bath since he didn't get one last night due to Daddy's migraine. I need a shower too, but I always bathe Jack first in the morning so he has hot water. I go to the kitchen to try to rustle up a quick breakfast of smoothies and cereal bars when.......
8:05 Wesley spits up....no.....vomits all over himself, the new outfit I just put him in, and his baby chair which I cannot take apart to wash, it will just have to wait until Daddy gets home. I also realize that the fact he just emptied his tummy means he will likely want to eat earlier than 3 hours....like right around the time we need to leave Granny Ruthie's house to get to the hospital on time.
8:15 I check on Jack in the bath (don't worry, the water had been turned off) but for some reason there is water ALL OVER THE PLACE in the floor and it takes 5 towels to soak it up...and proceed to bathe Jack who throws his usual fit about getting his hair washed and rinsed.
8:30 Jack is bathed and dressed and sitting in front of a TV show while I finish making smoothies and debate if I can get showered, dressed, and all of us packed up in 30 minutes (I've given up on leaving on time...now just hoping for a little late)....and decide I cant. (I also cant believe I am admitting that) I do the best I can to make myself look and smell presentable and proceed to pack up bags, put up the dog, put on make up, get everyone in the car while praying Wesley doesn't spit up again.
9:05 we pull out of the driveway.
9:10 I realize that I need some caffeine or this trip could be a disaster (given the "fabulous" nights sleep I just had) so I pull into Sonic, realizing that Jack will expect an apple juice slushie.
9:15 order myself a Mocha Java Chiller (YUM) and discover that they don't make apple juice slushies anymore, but thankfully my son is fine with just apple juice. I am adding up in my head that I will likely have just enough time to get Jack to Granny Ruthie's and and hopefully I will have just enough time to try to feed Wesley and leave in time to get to Vanderbilt early enough to park, go in, get directions, inevitably get lost before getting to our appt....
10 am before even getting to Lebanon....our half way point, we hit some heinous traffic that is backed up for MILES....but thankfully still moving, very slowly. Wesley is starting to FREAK OUT from being so hungry and I'm trying to put the passy in his mouth from the front seat....at least the traffic is slow enough that I can occasionally put the car in park for a second, reach for the passys he has lost in the bottom of his seat and start all over again.
10:45 We are running so late that we get to Granny Ruthie's, basically throw Jack out the window into her eagerly waiting arms and zoom out the driveway with a very hungry and fussy baby boy in the back seat.....
10:50 heading down West End to get to Vandy and West End looks like a disaster zone...tree limbs down....crews trying to clean up.....LOTS of bumper to bumper traffic.....I wonder what happened while trying to deduce an alternate route (turns out there was a bad storm with high winds that caused all the mess)
11:15 finally make it to Vandy (it usually takes about 10-15 minutes from my moms, NOT 30!)
11:15-1pm I am finally able to nurse Wesley in the waiting room, he has his test and the stays very calm and cute (guess a full tummy will do that)...the tech tells us it "looks good" but to wait to hear from the Dr about the results, I have him weighed at 15.5 pounds (that CANT be right!!)I get lunch and head back to Granny Ruthie's.
1-2:30 have a nice visit, feed Wesley again, head out to do some crib shopping (since our crib was recalled....and we MUST purchase a crib from Babies R us with our voucher.... )
2:30-4:30 drive to BRU, find a crib and a fun treat for Jack, feed Wesley again and head out (thanks for going with us Granny Ruthie and for being the bright spot in our crazy day)
4:30 we are on the road..I realize we will hit Friday afternoon rush hour but decide to forge ahead anyway. I'm ready to get home!
5pm traffic has been horrendous and for some reason Wesley is freaking out.....I pull off the interstate just past the airport in the hopes of finding parking lot to pull into so I can go back to calm him down....turns out I chose an exit with no stores, restaurants or gas stations for several miles...finally find a kroger to pull in...I calm Wesley down while Jack is begging me to "get my out mommie...we go in store?"
5:15 finally get on the road again, hoping traffic would settle down past the airport....no....pass mt juliet...still not clear.....Wesley starts to freak out again.....passy is no longer helping.....
6pm we should be home by now...but we are not even half way.....we pull over for dinner at the hwy 109 exit sonic. I successfully feed a baby, toddler and myself simultaneously in the car at sonic.
630-I try to get out to put Wesley back in his seat but before i do i reach for the waistband of jacks pants to sit him back down for the 22nd time.....and discover poop has shot up his back...just waiting for my fingers...GROSSSSSSSS!!!!!! i am also noticing that Wesley's diaper is about to burst so i pull a few things out of the trunk, lay down a mat and change big brother (it requires all but 1 wipe i had reserved for Wesley) Jack is squared away and then i find that Wesley is completely out of diapers....great!
7-I plop Wesley back in his seat and pray with all my heart that he doesn't mind wet diapers just like his big brother who doesn't mind them at all....which is making potty training an experience...anyway.....
705-from all the weeping and gnashing of teeth I learn that Wesley really REALLY doesn't like wet diapers. Traffic is STILL bad until just after Lebanon....even this late in the day! Wesley cries the entire way home. ignoring all attempts at calming him down. His cries cause Mommie to call Daddy at least 5 times on the way home for pep talks and cause big brother to contemplate jumping from a moving car to get away from the noise. Mommie silently wonders if it is possible to fashion a size 1 diaper from big brother's size 6 diaper, or if I could try to make one out of a burp cloth....I even contemplate stopping at a gas station to purchase whatever diapers they carry at whatever outragous price they charge....but keep forging ahead....I WANNA GET HOME!!!
8:15 we finally get home, almost 4 hours after leaving Nashville. Daddy got very caught up with work and gets home around the same we do. I tell him that he needs to meet us at the door with a margarita in one hand and a clean diaper in the other. Whew!
I hope that we never, EVER have to do this again!
Honestly, it's unusual for so many things to fall apart like this at one time...at least for me. I was really praying, wondering if God was trying to tell us NOT to come into Nashville today, but I couldnt figure out WHY....but then He revealed to me....this may not have been from Him at all. Maybe Satan was sending all these stressors and distractions my way in order to keep my stress level and anxiety about Wesleys test at a high level instead of focusing on praying and trusting the Lord's plan and His provisions for our family. I will say, that in spite of all of this, there was an underlying calm and the ability to chuckle in amazement at all that was happening to us this day....and amazingly, I dont think I lost my temper once. It truly was a peace that surpasses all understanding...because under normal circumstances I would have lost it before we had even left the house!

When did he get so big?

When did he change from a baby into a little boy?

I know, I know, probably around the time we brought home baby brother (if not before)

Here are father and son getting ready for church on our first venture back to church since bringing baby Wesley back home.

One way that Jack is SOOOO grown up is that he is becoming a really awesome helper. Not just "helping" but actually HELPING! The other day when we got home from Walmart (yes, I took both boys to walmart......by myself....on the hottest day of the year.....yes...I must be crazy) anyway...when we got home I was barely able to put away the refrigerated stuff before Wesley started freaking out...apparently having him wait 2 hours and 31 minutes to eat will lead to starvation in his little body. While I was occupied doing that I heard Jack rustling through the remaining grocery bags in the kitchen. Then I saw him take the vaseline I had just purchased into the bathroom and his new shoes into his room. When I ventured back into the kitchen I saw that my sweet 2 1/2 year old had unpacked the rest of the groceries, put away what he could and placed the rest on the kitchen table. I was so very touched, especially when he said "I help you mommie!"

He has also learned how to let Maggie out of her crate and how to give her a scoop of dog food in her bowl, which have been a big help some mornings while I am unavailable to feed her. He also likes to help with carting dirty laundry to the laundry room and toting the clean laundry back to my room to be sorted.

One was that he is "helping" with Baby Wesley is being on Passy Patrol. He wants so bad to help calm Wesley's cries by putting the passy in, but most of the time he shoves it in there so hard and holds it there so firmly that it gags baby brother. You should see how happy he is though when Wesley actually accepts the passy. Jack will exclaim "Look, Baby Wessy so happy!"

He's such a good baby....

he really is! yes, its a little crazy with him wanting to nurse every 2.5 hours (3 if I am lucky) but most nights he will stretch out to 4 hours)...I really don't mind too much because 1)I am THRILLED that he has taken to nursing so well after SO long without eating at all...2)it means he is gaining weight (the other night he weighed in at 10.6 pounds...up a full pound in a little over a week...and now 11.2 pounds a week later than that...) 3)it is such wonderful snuggle time with my younger son. I do find it interesting that Daddy can get Wesley to stretch out for a bit longer than 2.5 hours during the day, but I figure that is because Wesley isn't expecting food from Daddy, whereas he KNOWS I am holding out on him if I try to stretch him out.

For the most part he isn't too fussy unless he is dirty or hungry or gassy. He is often very alert for long stretches of time.

Its hard for me to say if he is a great sleeper during the day because with Jack, when he would nap as a newborn I would be very aware because I actually had time to myself to get something done....whereas now when Wesley sleeps I am still juggling his big brother and still trying to get other stuff done too....I can say that he takes at least one good long nap during the day...sometimes it even corresponds to big brothers naptime and therefore Mommie can catch a snooze too!

Something that surprises me about him is that he seems to like being put on his tummy....his big brother did NOT enjoy tummy time!

He is usually fine with being put down, which is good, because if I am here by myself, there is only so much snuggle time I can do...he likes his passy, but at this point he is not in LOVE with it...I think we are also trying to not push it on him as much as we pushed it with Jack. Often he wont even take it at all at night! He is also a bit of an enigma when it comes to swaddling. He seems to sleep more soundly when he is swaddled, but it is very hard to get him to sleep swaddled, this kid is a major Houdini! It amazes me how he can get his arms and even legs out of some swaddles. I even purchased a velcro swaddle thing, which helped him sleep well the first several nights, but lately if he is awake at all at night he will grunt and groan and strain to get out...which also keeps me up too! Hopefully we will be able to get his crib soon and maybe he will get to sleep in his own room soon!