I can’t believe that Charlie is 3 months old. I have done absolutely nothing and absolutely everything in the last 102 days. My last update was at his one month (oh my gosh I want to cry, he has grown so much!) so here is what life has been like lately…
AMAZING! Being a mom is the best. Don’t get me wrong I definitely have my moments of panic when I miss not having time for myself, I miss taking long hot showers, I miss my clean apartment, I miss one on one time with Webster and I miss being able to do whatever I want. However, ultimately I just don’t care anymore. I miss Charlie when I take a shower and I miss him when he is sleeping even after a 10 minute screaming fit. I live for his smiles, when he lights up when I get him out of his crib in the morning, and they way he looks and loves on Dave and I. It’s true what my mom friends told me; every day is better than the last.
Charlie is generally a very happy baby, except when it’s time to get dressed, when he is overstimulated and when he is sleepy. He loves to eat, loves his mobile, loves cozy blankets on his face and loves his hands.
Here are a few other details of motherhood thus far:
Breastfeeding. I am still breastfeeding exclusively! Charlie is a champ. My supply has sort of leveled out since Charlie has become a bit more regular with his supply and demand. I am working to pump more so I can get going on my stock. I surprised Dave with a trip to Colorado for his 30th birthday in February and we will be leaving Charlie with my parents for 3 days (insert sobbing emoji).
Sleep. This is still a work in progress. I swear half of the stress with his sleep is completely my fault thanks to the amount of pressure the world put on baby’s sleep schedule. He is a great sleeper at night. He goes down around 8:30/9pm (would like this to be earlier, any tips?) and will either sleep until 7am or if he does wake up he wakes up around 4am for a quick feeding and then is back down immediately. We use Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit and this has been an amazing help. It weighs down their arms a bit which helps with his startle refluxes and acts like a big blanket. It’s a great transition from a swaddle and Charlie is really comforted by it – it was a huge help with holiday travel and lots of different cribs! We focus on the sleep, wake, change, feed, play routine and Charlie usually falls asleep every hour and half throughout the day. However, his naps could be anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours (on a really good day). He doesn’t wear the sleepsuit for his naps, he usually naps in the Rock & Play. Working on training him to self-soothe so he can fall asleep on his own in the crib. One step at a time!
Products. In no particular order: Medela Freestyle Breast Pump, Fisher Price Monkey Chair, 4Moms Bath Tub, Petunia Pickle Bottom Diaper Bag, Boppy (great for tummy time), Little Giraffe Blanket, Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit, Avent Natural Bottles (for when I pump), Motorola Video Monitor, Nuna Car Seat and IVVI Stroller and Ergo Baby Carrier.
My relationship with my husband. Talk about a strain. The first couple of months were really hard on Dave and I. We are opposite in the fact that I am a bit type “A” and Dave is absolutely not. When Charlie was born I felt overwhelmed with knowledge from the books, blog, forums, apps – I thought I knew it all. Dave on the other hand is very much go with the flow and laid back. When Charlie cried, I assumed I knew exactly what the cause was and what was needed to fix the situation. Dave would say “he is a baby, this is just how it is.” I turned into a bossy bitch but quickly realized that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Once I realized that I became much more relaxed about Charlie’s actions and how we responded to them. Charlie LOVES Dave and I swear it is because he is the happiest, most relaxed parent around. He immediately calms Charlie down. He calms me down too, which I am so thankful for. I love you, Dave! You’re the best dad EVER.
It’s crazy to think about that first month of motherhood. That was a rough one. I found myself (and still find myself) asking my mom if any other babies cry as much as my baby – because from the looks of all of those other awesome blogging mommies, their babies sound like angels. I will say, for those of you in the beginning, feeling the way I did, or getting ready to welcome their first child – eventually you’ll miss those hard days and long nights. As much as they wear you down, they also make you stronger and give you the confidence you need to be the best momma you can be. Charlie is only 102 days old and that newborn stage is completely gone, and I miss it. But I have to say that each stage gets better and better. I adore this chunky little bear.
Charlie is wearing this sweater (in navy and 40% off!) and Zara leggings (no longer available).