Vaught is ONE Month!

Happy One Month Birthday to this sweet little boy! It has been a crazy but fun-filled thirty days! We are just so in love and so blessed that they've gone rather smoothly, though we are all still learning and have a lot to learn. Vaught's already passed a few milestones and has hit at least one growth spurt since his birthday. It's so much fun watching him grow and change a little each week!

Our pitbull Lola had to get in on the photoshoot!

 

 

All dressed up for Ava's 1st birthday party!

 

Love my little pumpkin! Thanks to my Godmother for the Halloween outfits!

 

 

Weight: 10lbs, 3oz

Length: 21, 3/4in

Food: He eats anywhere from 3 to 7 ounces every two hours during the day. It all depends on the time of day and how hungry he is. Early morning when he first wakes up is when he eats the most. We are blessed with a baby boy whose stomach isn't at all sensitive. I breastfed the first week, but now that he's on formula, he takes Similac Advance but does well with the generic brand too. It's great because you get so much more and it's a few dollars cheaper!

Sleep: Ahhhh, new moms' favorite topic... This past week, Vaught's been sleeping five and a half to six hours at a time. Before then, he woke up every three-four hours most nights, but we're definitely getting somewhere with sleep training! We began sleep training early last week, so we've been at it for almost two weeks... I am doing a special blog post on that because it's going so well, and I want to share what we're doing with new moms and moms-to-be. Vaught Charles has not and will not co-sleep with us. I am a big advocate of "do what works" when it comes to parenting, but co-sleeping is an enormous no-no to me and Eric. At three weeks old, I put a stop to his morning naps in our bed for fear of him getting too accustomed to sleeping there, if only for a couple hours every day. He now takes most daytime naps in his playard. He's currently sleeping from about 9:30PM to 3:30AM and will go down for a nap by 6AM and sleep until nearly 10. I've grown to love my early mornings with him... I have my coffee ready to brew and enjoy a hot latte while feeding him and watching George Lopez on Nick! Eric gets up for work at 4, so I'm usually able to get Vaught back to sleep in time to cook breakfast before Eric has to leave.
Speaking of "do what works," Vaught began sleeping on his tummy when he was eight days old. We monitor his breathing with this Angelcare monitor under his mattress. I keep trying to justify my reasons for putting him on his belly, but I'm done with that. He sleeps better, I sleep better, everyone's happy. The end.

Clothes: Onesies are a mom's best friend, but I'm not a huge fan of sleepers--too many buttons, though I do like the ones with zippers. He can still wear size newborn pretty comfortably, but I feel like he'll outgrow them soon. All 0-3 sizes fit but are a little large. He's got a few 3-6 month onesies that fit, but I personally thought they were tiny to begin with... And then I shrunk nearly everything when washing! He's got the cutest little wardrobe though... LOTS of Ole Miss stuff!!

Diapers: I used my last newborn size last week, but Vaught can wear size 1 comfortably now. I was told several times that I would find a diaper brand that I prefer for Vaught. At first, I didn't really believe this; I got such a huge assortment of diapers as gifts, I just used different ones and thought they were all the same. But I've come to realize that they're really not, and what I was told was true. My cousin Audrey Anna did a science project in 9th grade where she tested the durability of each major diaper brand. The worst? Pampers. And maybe it's just a coincidence, but I noticed that Vaught is fussier when he wears Pampers. I don't think they absorb as much, so I have to change him more often when wearing those. Not only that, but it seemed like with each messy diaper, there was some spilling out over the sides. The best, according to her project at least, was Huggies. This is probably my favorite brand for Vaught. They are super soft, and Vaught just seems more content in them. Luvs are great too!

Developments: Since his birthday, he's been able to lift and hold and turn his head, so he reeeeally enjoys tummy time! He can almost do a half push up on his elbows. He's trying so hard!! He will grin a little, and Wednesday night we got his first real smile. He even tried to giggle! His facial expressions are to die for! He also grabs on to the bottle for dear life. I can almost guarantee you that at two months old he'll be able to hold his own bottle.

Eric: A lot of people have asked me how my husband is handling parenthood. It's like they got tired of hearing me say, "Oh, it's wonderful... I love it.. It's new but so much fun!" and now they finally want to hear about Eric! Well, he is... adjusting. When he comes in from work, he usually scoops Vaught up to spend some quality time with him. He'll gladly play Mr. Mom while I go work out or go to the grocery store. Or both, because I sometimes need a little more than an hour to myself :) Eric won't admit this, but Vaught's crying still bothers him. Newborns cry because they need something-- food, sleep, a new diaper, attention, to be held, warmth, cool air, a hug, the list goes on and on. Our job as parents is to try our best to figure out what baby needs then do our best to satisfy it. Eric will say, "He's been fed, changed, and burped. Why is he crying?" And I can tell it's a little frustrating to him, which is totally understandable. I can also tell that it baffles him a little when I come to the rescue and know immediately what's causing Vaught's discomfort. I just remind Eric that since Vaught's birthday, I have spent every single day with him; I care for him all day long and wake with him in the middle of the night. Truthfully, I know our baby better than anyone else right now, and I feel that that's my one and only job, while Eric's is to help me when he's her but stay well-rested so that he can go to work each day for our family. With time, Eric will learn to pick up on Vaught's cues too. Pretty soon, he'll get to know him just as well as I do :)

How I'm Doing: That first week I was an emotional train wreck, and I thought I'd never feel like myself again. I couldn't understand how I could be so happy and so sad at the same time. I know now that I was experiencing the "baby blues," and that it is totally, perfectly normal, expected even. I called my doctor for some medicine on day 8 and have been wonderful ever since. I am so glad that I had the courage to call and ask for help. I was embarrassed at first but know now that there's no reason to be at all. I feel great and am adjusting to motherhood well. Vaught's crying doesn't faze me anymore. I used to think it was the most horrible thing and I would just want to cry with him! But now when I have to go to the bathroom or switch over some laundry, I'll lay him down while I do what I need to do. I didn't think this at first, but it is not going to hurt him to cry a little! I think motherhood does something good for women, emotionally and physically. I am so much more comfortable with myself since becoming a mother. It's an exhausting job, but the most rewarding, joyful one there is. I love it and my little man so much!

Vaught's LIKES:
being swaddled with his arms OUT not in
bathtime... as long as we've not woken him up for it!
eating
tummy time
his carseat and riding, especially rough or bumpy roads
strolling
being worn in his SevenSlings wrap
Mommy's hair
Mommy's singing
napping on Daddy's chest
Lola... he is so fascinated by her

DISLIKES:
suck-sucks (pacifiers). He's pretty much lost interest in them, though it's probably a good thing. He'll suck on one for a minute or two before spitting it out.
having his diaper changed... the horror!
being too warm
wet diapers

Pictures

 

Our little family is complete :)