I'm Four Weeks Old!

Hard to believe, but I'm nearly a month old. It's gone by in a blur, Mommy says -- mostly because she only gets to sleep in two-hour increments. Of course, I'm sleeping in two-hour increments, too, but that's all I'm used to, so it's okay.

I'm getting really big. As of this past Monday at the lactation consultant's, I weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. That's two whole pounds over my birth weight! And seven ounces over what I weighed on Friday at the doctor's (we went because my brother gave me pink eye and I had to get some antibiotic ointment). So I'm definitely gaining at least an ounce a day, which is what I should be. By the way, I'm all better now, no more pink eye and I didn't catch Jake's cold. I guess breast milk does help keep babies like me healthy.

Mommy and I went to visit the lactation consultant because Mommy had mastitis, a nasty breast infection. Didn't bother me any, but poor Mommy didn't feel very good. Turns out I'm not latching on very well because I'm "defending" myself against Mommy's floods of milk. I kept trying to tell Mommy that she was drowning me, but when you can't talk, it's a little hard to get your point across. Mommy makes so much milk that I have to pull away. Sometimes she even squirts me in the face! I really hate it when she gets me in my eye. You try latching on when you have one eye squeezed shut and no peripheral vision to speak of anyway...

The consultant weighed me before and after my usual five minute feed. I ate more than three ounces, which is plenty for a tiny tummy like mine. In fact, usually I eat so much my belly is actually bloated and you can hear the milk sloshing around in my tummy. No wonder I'm gaining. Mommy is very proud of me because I am such a good eater and nurser.

I'm also a good sleeper. I'm spending a bit more time awake, but I still go to sleep after most of my feeds. I eat about every three hours now during the day, and I go a bit longer at night, so Mommy only has to get up once (11 pm, 3 am, and 7 am).

I still don't cry very much. My digestion is bothering me a bit and I will fuss when I need to go in my diaper, and I cry when my diaper is actually changed, but otherwise I'm a very mellow baby. Why not? I get everything I need, exactly when I need it. It's all good.

I didn't even cry when I had my first real bath (unlike my big brother). I liked the warm water and getting clean. It was fun to splash in the tub and I felt sooo good afterward! Mommy even gave me a little massage while getting me dressed. That was nice.

It's my first Valentine's Day today. Apparently, this is a holiday where you tell people you love them. I got lots of hugs and kisses this morning. My big brother came in first thing to give me a hug and kiss. Poppy stayed home today so I got lots of hugs and kisses from him, plus my normal cuddles and love from Mommy. What a cool day!

Not cool? The silly bib Mommy made me wear. Not to brag, but I could wear a cardboard diaper and still look handsome but red is really not my color. It takes a confident baby to wear a giant terry cloth heart and still look good, you know.

Love and lots of heart-shaped kisses,

Charlie