Conner: 3 Months

Dear Conner,

Happy 3 months little guy!

These last three months have flown by, and I think I can credit much of that to the sleepless haze we've been functioning in. Sweet boy, you are so happy during the day now (yay!) and have a pretty consistent schedule, which looks something like: eat, stay awake for a bit over an hour, then sleep for 30-45 minutes. Repeat. In the afternoons you've been skipping a feeding in favor of a longer nap (YAY).

HOWEVER. We are struggling at night. I keep joking that we are paying the price for Jackson's stellar sleep habits. At a minimum, you are up every 2 hours to eat, and often, more than that just to be held or rocked back to sleep. You're at the tail end of a virus, and I'm very hopeful that once you kick it, we can get into a more reasonable sleep schedule. Until then, we'll just be over here, attempting to function in a normal way.

This month you rolled front to back, however I'm sure it was an accident every time. You are finally happy to hang out in your swing or bouncer, giving your dad and I much needed breaks and moments to complete other tasks. You still love to be held, and I wear you often. You deliver massive smiles on demand, and we've coaxed some seriously sweet giggles from you.

Jackson is more obsessed with you every day, and has come an incredibly long way from his original hesitation about the whole thing. Now he cuddles you, asks to hold you, offers his blanket and other toys, holds your hands, and I often catch him trying a number of faces and voices to get you to smile. And you love it.

These months are flying by far faster than I care to think about, and while I'm eager to get to a more restful phase, I'm also soaking up all the sweet baby smells, cuddles, and coos while they last. Sleep will come, but this will not last long.

We love you, little nugget!

Christmas

This Christmas might just be the most magical one yet.

Conner's first, and Jackson's 4th. With each passing year, Jackson's improved comprehension of the holiday means even more magic. And adding a sweet new baby to the mix meant extra cuddles and simple gifts. Magic, I tell you.

This year, Jackson struggled with the idea of getting anywhere near Santa. That jolly fellow might be delivering presents to our, home, but he can do so without Jackson sitting on his lap. Or talking to him. Although Jackson gave it his best effort, he just couldn't do the Santa thing. And that's quite alright. Instead, we sent a letter to the big guy. The letter made very clear Jackson's two requests this year: a jack-in-the-box, and a remote control robot.

And Santa delivered.

Christmas morning, Jackson found me in the wee morning hours feeding Conner in his rocking chair. Daddy soon joined us (along with thing 1 and 2), and we all made our way downstairs to find the Santa had munched on his cookies and drank his milk, and the reindeer snacked on the carrots left outside.

We then opened stockings and gifts, and Jackson was digging the whole thing. He was extra helpful this Christmas, and offered to 'help' open Conner's gifts.

The much-anticipated jack-in-the-box was the show-stopper this year, and today - days later - continues to get plenty of use. Every time the dragon pops out of the box, he squeals. And it's amazing, because it's so simple. (Clearly, we deprived him of the whole experience as a baby or toddler?)

The rest of the day was filled with Christmas movies, snuggles, eating, and playing.

What a very good day. What a very good life this is.

Conner: Meet Grandma and Grandpa

Chuck and Karen came to visit for a week - offering up their company and a whole lot of help. Their timing could not have been better, just as Tyler and I were hitting a wall of exhaustion, their arms were put to very good use. Conner and Jackson were spoiled for an entire week, with Conner being held nearly constantly, and Jackson's giggles seeming to be nonstop.

Being that their visit fell during the first week of December, we ushered in the season with tree-cutting, light-hanging, feast-making, and cookie-baking bliss.

Conner: 2 Months

Conner,

We're beginning to figure you out, which is making everyone happier. We've gotten you on reflux meds and probiotics, which is helping a ton. You seem to be feeling much better, and are much happier between feedings, offering up smiles and coos and melting our hearts.

Your personality is beginning to shine, and so far you like the following:

-Being held

-Being worn

-Being cuddled

-Bing bounced up and down

-Eating

You do not like:

-Being still

-Being in a swing

-Being on the floor

-Being anywhere but on someone

To summarize, as long as you are not hungry, you are being held, and whoever is holding you is moving - you are one happy baby. I remind myself to soak up the cuddles, as I know this phase won't last long.

Sleep is hit or miss (we joke that every other night is good, and the alternating nights seem to be terrible). You go to bed between 7 and 8, and sleep anywhere from 3 to 5 hours. Then you're up every 2-3 hours after that (on a 'good' night). The other nights you seem to be up every 1.5 hours to eat (and sometimes more often in between). The good news is that you go right to sleep at bed time, and usually go right back to bed after each feeding. 

We're falling into a new normal, and spend our days and nights soaking up your sweet cuddles. Jackson is still a bit weary of you, but he's nothing but sweet and cautious when he's near you. He's even held you a few times for the camera, and is less nervous about it each time!

Here's a photo roundup of the last month: