The Seminaras: Week 3 with Parker

Parker is growing fast. In his week by week photos you can already see his skin losing the redness as the baby fat fills in and he gets more of that golden baby glow. His movements are still jerky and uncoordinated, and his fists clenched, but he'll follow you with his eyes and his legs get stronger with every push. He's still sleeping well, sleeping 5.5 hrs last night uninterrupted. We try to keep him awake for a period of time at night before bed to help him acclimate with sleeping through the night. He still has some reflux and Mom will hold him upright 10-20 min after feedings to help. He's getting longer, making it harder for Mommy to hold him up against her when she's sitting, but he can still fold into his newborn pose and be Mommy's "squishy" (reference from the movie Nemo). Parker still eats about every 3 hrs, poops afterward, and falls asleep. Since he is being nursed his poops are yellow mustard, soft, with only a light smell. And with all the noise in our house, and his loud older brother, Parker is sleeping through it all sleeping about 20 hrs/day.

Seemed Brady had the biggest developments this week. First he fell out of his crib one morning. We were asleep so not sure exactly what happened but he has been jumping on the mattress and pillows, and climbing on the crib bumper. We took one pillow and the crib bumper out. Second he decided he doesn't want to nap after lunch despite having this routine for the last couple of years. He gets into his crib and plays and plays, then calls for Daddy to come play with him. Mommy tried to coax him to sleep in his play yard in the other room instead, but he managed to climb out when Mommy went to tend to Parker. When Daddy came in from mowing Mommy was trying to nurse Parker as Brady was jumping and dancing on the guest bed. After watching some TV, Daddy was able to coax Brady to sleep on the floor under his blanket - just another day in our crazy family! Hoping with Brady back in school he'll get back into a nap routine, otherwise we may have issues when we go to NH/Maine next month. Also started thinking about setting him up with a toddler bed. Brady still shows no real interest in using the potty. Daddy tries and tries to get him to go poop in the potty, especially before his nap (or it'll wake him up prematurely), but Brady just wants to play. After changing Parker's newborn diapers, changing Brady's size 4s seem like parachutes. And Brady's are much more stinky but easier to change.

This was our first week solo without any of the family around to help. With our second child seems overall we have acclimated quicker. We've gone out to dinner with both kids, gone to a movie, and taken them on walks to the park. Mom started driving again this week making a few trips out and one with Parker to the grocery store. Daddy went back to work. Since he was on paternal leave his work network access was deactivated so it's taking some time for him to get back online, not that he's in any hurry. Mommy enjoyed her first day home with just Parker, it was restful and quiet.

It was Memorial Day this past weekend - as always, our fallen friends and their families are in our thoughts and in our hearts. Gone but not forgotten...