One Month!

Holy crap. I feel like I've been spun around. Having two kids is crazy -- particularly now that Gavin has decided that Liam's naptime is the ideal time to be totally awake and need to be held and bounced. No rest for the weary. Or is that no rest for the wicked? Either way applies.

(As I type this, he is draped across my lap, finally asleep.)

We went in for his one month pediatrician party yesterday, and man. This kid is growing like crazycakes. 10 pounds, 3.5 ounces and 23 inches long. ZOINKS. That's a gain of 2 pounds, 2 ounces and three inches. No wonder his newborn clothes seem small all of a sudden.

For you number junkies, that's 80th percentile for length, 50th for weight.

In addition to quite obviously growing, Gav has started to fill out and lose the newborn old man look. The frown lines between his brows have started to disappear (Thank god. I wasn't sure where I was going to get baby Botox.) and his cheeks are getting baby-delicious. He's started to really try to get that head up (you can see it in the bumbo shots below) and will even push up on his hands when he's on his tummy. He's rolled from front to back a couple of times, but only on really soft surfaces (namely, our bed), but he does put his feet in the air and try to twist when he's on his belly.

Here's his one month Bumbo growth-o-meter photo shoot:

These look more like Liam's second month than his first.

And some more from Gav's first month in the family:

Snuggling with LD at bedtime.

Indoctrination courtesy of Uncle Graham and Megan

Not a fan of baths. (He likes them better now.)

Rockin' the bumGenius diapers with Liam.

Bath Hilarity

Liam's favorite bath game is to pour water into Damian's hands. Once he's decided it's "ready" ... well. That's when it really gets fun.

Little Bit O' Liam

Leaving his poor pregnant mama in the dust on the way to the park.

Flying.

Stopping to smell the flowers.

Excited about using his Thomas umbrella on a rainy day ...

 ... because rainy days mean puddles.

Brothas

Being only 2 and a half weeks old, Gavin doesn't do much. Eat, poop, sleep. Lather, rinse, repeat. Pretty boring stuff if you are a nearly-3-year-old big brother.

Still, LD seems pretty taken with the little guy.

Liam holding Gavin for the first time on his birthday. 

Another one. (Notice D tearing up after Liam said, unprompted, "I love my baby brother.") 

"Baby makin' dat noise." 

Now and Then

Gavin and I went for a loooooong walk with the BOB today. It was a beautiful day and I've been feeling twitchy after months of doing nothing more strenuous than lifting spoonfuls of ice cream into my mouth.

I'm having a hard time remembering that I still need to take it easy, though. Long walk was followed by an even longer nap.

Gavin enjoying the ride:

 

And, for comparison, Liam on his first trip in the BOB, wearing the same goofy hat (he's four weeks old here, twice Gav's age): 

 

A stroll down memory lane.

Gavin

We are adjusting to life as a family of four. Four! 4! Such a nice round number.

Gavin is a good baby. As many of you know, one of our biggest fears about having a second was that we would have a tough kid. Liam made it so easy on us -- he was a good sleeper, didn't cry often, we could put him down awake and he'd fall asleep. We were afraid that we'd used up all of our good luck with him.

But so far Gavin is exactly the same.

He only wakes us up twice a night and then only to nurse, then he goes right back to sleep. He's awake for long stretches mid morning and later in the evening every day, but is content with whatever at those times: whether he's being held, hanging out in the swing, or working out on his tummy.

He's also a champion eater. When we left the hospital last Saturday, he was down to 7 pounds, 7 ounces. On Monday--a mere two days later--he was up to 7 pounds, 14 ounces and by Friday he was 8 pounds, 3 ounces.

Liam continues to make it easy for us. He loves his baby brother and has been pretty good about the new addition. He's a little more interested in cuddling with us than he ever has been before and he's definitely testing some limits, but nothing too serious.

Ok. Onto the pictures. I know that's why you're here. These are all from the hospital.

 

Liam seeing Gavin for the first time.

   

Kissing his baby brother.

   

Being born really takes it out of a guy.

   

The four of us.