Rylan - One Month

Rylan's first month flew by! With Ava in daycare (for at least part of the day), I was able to get in lots of good one-on-one time with our little man. And I am totally smitten. 

He is the sweetest, snuggliest little baby, and loves to be held all the time. This is completely wonderful, but it doesn't allow me to get much done during the day. However, since he is most likely our last baby, I'm trying to soak up every newborny moment. Dirty dishes be damned. 

Rylan is so tiny, particularly in comparison to how big Ava was as a newborn, but his hands and feet are disproportionally huge! I think he's going to be really long and lean when he grows up. Also, despite his size, he eats like a champ, and breastfeeding is going much better than last time. 

He seems like such a boy already, not only because he looks like a little old man, but also because his bodily functions are loud enough to scare the dogs. 

His sleeping (in the Rock n' Play in our room) got a little better towards the end of the month, but we still have some rough nights. When he is awake, he is constantly moving. And he can escape a traditional swaddle like a little ninja. 

Ava absolutely loves her baby brother (I melt every time she says "I love you so much, baby brother"), and has adjusted pretty well to the new addition to our family. However, she definitely took issue with the fact that I couldn't pick her up due to my surgery. I explained that mommy had a boo-boo, which she understood most of the time, but she was inconsolable for the first couple weeks when I couldn't hold her before bedtime. It was really rough. And both of us shed quite a few tears. 

Speaking of the C-section, my recovery was a lot easier this time. Also, my postpartum hair loss doesn't seem to be as crazy. But just like after having Ava, it has taken a while for my body temperature to adjust, so I am always freezing...even in July! 

Despite the fact that I now have TWO children, which is still completely surreal, Rylan's first month at home was relatively easy. Having a toddler makes the newborn phase seem like a cake walk :). 

Here are my favorite photos from his one-month shoot…

He decided to sleep for most of it. 

You can really see how big his hands are in this one. 

His classic startled look. 

Constantly moving. 

How you doin?

Stats:

• Weight - 6 pounds, 15 ounces (2nd percentile)
• Length - 20.5 inches (5th percentile)
• Head - 14.75 inches (55th percentile)

Milestones/Firsts:

• He can roll over from his back to stomach, but I think it's because he is so strong and yet so tiny. As a result, he can just throw his big head over and his whole body follows.
• Rylan can lift his head and turn it from side to side while on his stomach. 
• He celebrated his first Fourth of July. But he wasn't very excited about it :). 

Likes:

• Being held. 
• My boobs :). 
• Soothie pacifiers. Although he does not appear to be as obsessed with them as his sister was. 

• The Rock n' Play. 

• Being swaddled. But this is kind of a love/hate thing. He sleeps better when swaddled because otherwise his flailing arms wake him up. However, he doesn't like being swaddled too tight, which I think is because he was not super cramped in my stomach due to his small size. 

Dislikes:

• Having his diaper changed.
• Waiting to eat. The boy's crying goes from 0-60 in about two seconds when he is hangry.
• Being put in his carseat/riding in the car.

Finally, a few more pictures from his first month at home…

"Watching" USA in the World Cup. 

His poor hands were bruised from all the poking and prodding in the NICU. 

Rylan's first bath at home.

On his due date. 

Our snuggly little guy. 

Rylan had several visitors during his first month, including Bunny, Grampsie, Aunt Bee, and Aunt Hannah.

And finally, my favorite photo. Tummy time with his big sister :).