Getting to know Nathan :)

Nathan is 11 days old today! I can't believe we've already had a week and a half to get to know our little guy... time is already flying! It is amazing to me that just a little over 9 moths ago he was conceived and now we have a little baby... I was just reflecting and thanking God this morning for such a huge miracle. It is things like this that make me wonder how anyone can claim there isn't a God! How amazing to have created a little person. How sweet to have two babies that are a part of me and the man that I love and share life with... what a special gift God has given us. Anyway, on with the point of this blog! :)

Here are things that we've gotten to know so far about our little miracle:

*At his first doctor's appointment (last Thursday at 6 days old) Nathan had gone from 6.2lbs (weight when we left the hospital - 5% loss) back up to 6.7 lbs! That means he's nursing great and is back up to birthweight :) His weight is in the 20th percentile, along with his height. The circumference of his head is in the 15th percentile. The doctor said everything looks great!!

*Nathan is such a good-natured baby. He is content most of the time and does not get worked up easily or frequently. (So different from what his big brother was like as an infant!)

*He does not like the sun to be in his eyes!

*When awake, he can sit and watch contently for 30 minutes or so in his bouncy seat just taking in all that's going on.

*He calms easily with a snuggle or being picked up.

*Nathan loves to watch Alex already - built in entertainment all the time for him!

*He is a champ at nursing! It takes him about 30 minutes total including a diaper change to wake him up about halfway through.

*He likes to be swaddled tightly at night, with his hands by his face and his legs curled up close to him.

*He tries to find his thumb or finger often... we decided to introduce the paci yesterday to help him satisfy his sucking reflex since nursing is already going so well... we've only had to give it to him twice so far though! He took to it both times.

*He eats pretty much every 3 hrs like clock work during the day. Occasionally he gets a little fussier at 2 1/2 and I feed him a little early. BUT most of the time, I get him up or start feeding him before he even "asks" for it.

*Night time is a little different... he has had about 60% "good nights" so far I would say. On these nights, he goes down easily after his night feeding (around 10pm) and sleeps for between 3 and 4 hours before waking up... gets up around 2am to eat, goes right back to sleep and is up between 6 and 6:30 to start the day. These nights are great and I feel fairly well rested by morning!

*The other 40% of the time he has trouble going to sleep after either one or two of the feedings and keeps mommy (and helpful daddy who usually takes him for me for a while too!) up rocking him and helping him sleep... and he usually ends up getting one extra night time feeding on these nights. I don't get near as much sleep and feel more tired in the morning of course.

*Needless to say, though, we have already fallen into a pretty good routine!

*He is SUCH a pooper! HA! He goes after EVERY feeding and often goes again RIGHT after I change him! I can't believe how many diapers we've gone through! He has pooped on me twice... the first time he did it, it was ALL over me - yes, I had to change my pants, shirt, and bra! Gary was hysterical with laughter as he took pictures before helping me get cleaned up!

*In addition, he's probably peed on Gary and I at least 8 times during diaper changes. He peed on the nurse in the hospital once too.

*He still sleeps a lot during the day of course... he is usually awake for an hour or so in the morning and again after another feeding at some point in the afternoon. After the rest of his feedings, he's usually just up a short time... and then we've been trying to keep him up some more in the evenings (or at least not in a deep sleep) so that he's ready for bed when we are!

Those are the first things that come to mind when describing our little buddy so far! He is wonderful and perfect and we love him so much already! :)