One Month...Already?!

Time really does fly when you're running on fumes, sleep deprived and falling in love with a new baby, doesn't it? Yup, Zach is already a month old! In some ways it feels like I was just pregnant yesterday, but in other ways it's hard to remember our (very predictable) family routine before Zach arrived.

We are all totally amazed and in love with Zach. I know many second-time parents wonder before #2 is born if they really will be able to love their second child as much as the first. It just doesn't seem possible. But then, boom, it totally is. Amazing.

Getting used to being a family of four has been an adventure. I'm not gonna lie, it's been hard. The lack of sleep, combined with dealing with a willful 2.5 yr old combined with a somewhat fussy newborn definitely takes its toll. But, we were kind of expecting that and it's exciting in its own way. I love that we are an expanding family and it's hard to explain but it just feels right. I know things will settle down in time. And I know how quickly these kiddos grow up, so I'm trying to enjoy all those awesome little things about having a newborn, like the endless cuddles, the middle of the night bonding time when nursing and the feeling of amazement at every new move and noise Zach makes.

I keep trying to remember things about Zoe's first month to compare, but I cannot for the life of me remember. So I am going to give some details here that I'm sure will be more than anyone else needs/wants to know, but I'd like to have a record of it. So here's the latest on our favorite little man:

-Weight: 11 lbs, 4 oz (75th percentile)

-Height: 20.5 inches

-Eating: He's been an awesome eater since he was born and caught on to breastfeeding right away. He has about 8 feedings a day with his last at around 10 p.m. During the day he goes about 2-3 hrs between feedings and lately he's been going 4-6 hrs between feedings at night. He's a totally noisy nurser and is sometimes a bit fussy after eating, but the boy does like his milk. We haven't given him a bottle yet, but we're going to try to introduce that in the next week or so.

-Sleeping: He's been a decent sleeper so far. The biggest issue we're having is after his last feeding of the night he is often fussy and we have to swaddle him and then walk around/bounce him for almost an hour before putting him into his bassinet. It definitely wears on us because we are so ready to just go to sleep by the end of the day. But, once he gets down, he's out for a while. He is also a noisy sleeper--lots of snoring and grunting.

-Wearing: As he continues packing on the pounds, Zach's outgrown most of his newborn stuff and is fitting nicely into 3 month gear.

-Likes: Being held, eating, bouncing up and down, tummy time, waving his arms around, kicking his legs, the Baby Bjorn, looking at his sister, looking at the wall next to his changing table (there's nothing really to look at but he sits there staring at that wall in particular for longer than most places), sleeping on his tummy (supervised, of course), sleeping over our shoulders, the double stroller

-Dislikes: The car and the car seat (just like his sister he is a total car screamer--no fun), sleeping on his back unswaddled, baths, getting his diaper changed (he's getting calmer on this, but still plenty of crying involved)

-So-So on: He will sit in his swing and his bouncy chair for a little while, but neither one has been a total favorite yet. Nope, Mommy and Daddy's arms are still the top place for him to chill.

-Looking forward: He hasn't started any real smiling yet but he has just recently started locking eyes with us and noticing a bit more around him. As our pediatrician said the first month is all about the baby being grumpy and gassy...and Zach fits that description. He's still pretty fussy during his waking time, but he is getting a little better and it should begin to subside in the next couple weeks.

Welcome to the World Zach!

It's a boy! Welcome to the newest Schirel: Zachary Samuel! Born on June 29, 2011 at 2.25 p.m., and weighing in at 8lbs, 4oz. and 20.5 inches. He's pretty awesome already!

I ended up getting induced at 39 weeks and 5 days. My doctor was worried about him shifting positions again and about him getting too big, so I was okay with being induced. It was a little surreal going to bed the night before, knowing that I was going to have a baby the next day. Needless to say, Jody and I hardly got any sleep that night...or since for that matter!

All went smoothly with the labor. It was a 9 hour labor, with about 25 minutes of pushing. Really, the first four hours were basically just sitting around waiting for things to progress, so we were playing on Facebook, watching TV and just hanging out for a while. Once my contractions really started coming, things moved really quickly. I was worried that being induced would be a much longer and worse labor, but it was pretty much the same intensity as my labor and delivery with Zoe.

We've been home almost 10 days now and things are going pretty well. We're all trying to adjust to being a family of four. It's hectic and I'm pretty sure our house will never be clean again. Zoe has been having an okay time. She's been sweet as can be to Zach, but she has had her fair share of tantrums and breakdowns. Although we were expecting it, it is still hard to see her struggling, especially with these raging post-partum hormones. Honestly, just trying to make sure Zoe is okay and giving her enough attention and time has been the hardest thing for me. Every day is getting a little easier and once we get into more of a routine, I'm sure things will work themselves out.

Zach has been a really good boy for us. He's way bigger than Zoe was, and he caught on to breastfeeding right away. So that has been a huge relief. He's a good eater and as good a sleeper as any newborn. At first he was going just about 2 hours between feedings at night, which was rough. But in the past few days he's been going 3-4 hours between feedings at night, which has given Jody and I more sleep than we imagined. Of course, we're still totally sleep deprived and will be for a while, but, hey, a 3-hour stretch is better than nothing. The best part about being a secondtime parent is knowing how quickly babies change and knowing that we will get into a routine and we will eventually sleep again. It just may not be for another six months!!

Other things we've learned about Zach so far: he hates getting his diaper changed, like really really hates it; he loves being held at all times; he sleeps best when swaddled; and he totally konks out when being carried in the Baby Bjorn.

Even though it has been challenging, I love having a newborn in the house again. You forget how little they are and how totally new the world is to them. It's awesome seeing Zoe interact with her little brother, and knowing how special it will be for them to have each other to grow up with. Stay tuned for more adventures from our She-Z and He-Z.