Time sure flies! I can't believe Calvin is already just over 4 months old. Where did the time go? And while I often feel guilty for carting him along to all of Kira's activities, I know that he's observing and absorbing every bit of activity into his little head. I wonder what he's thinking when he furrows his brows and looks so concentrated. For the most part, Calvin is easygoing and just a happy baby. He smiles with any amount of attention you give him, and is satisfied as long as you can figure out what his needs are (usually milk, or sleep). And what a dream of a boy to put to sleep! I can put him in his crib at night with his eyes wide open after nursing, kiss him goodnight, and he amuses himself and soothes himself to sleep generally without a fuss. I'm just hoping this continues, because I read only today, that it could change at around 6 months...
So, what are we doing differently with Calvin from what we did with Kira at this age? For starters, we're much more easygoing ourselves about our approach, and so maybe he senses this and that is why he's so calm. :) We aren't sterilizing everything Calvin touches. We don't panic just because his nose is blocked and he isn't breathing well (a little Salinex always does the trick!). We're not stressed about getting him on a schedule, and actually on this point he has done fabulously by putting himself on a very regular and consistent sleep schedule (feedings are on demand).
There are so many differences in the characters of our two babies that it really is impossible to put comparisons out there, the way most people expect us to. The sleep issue in itself is completely the opposite of our situation with Kira (she always has been and continues to be, difficult to put to sleep). He has loved his bath since day 1 and smiles the entire time he's in the water (Kira took awhile to adjust to bathtime - I don't think either of us enjoyed the experience until she was several months old). There are 2 things we are very careful with, and they are his skin (he has eczema) and my diet (he has bovine protein sensitivity and so I have to watch what I eat because it is processed into my breast milk). I'll be writing more about these issues after our medical appointments in the coming weeks.
One thing I am disappointed with is my inability to be able to go outdoors with the 2 kids on a regular basis. I can't take the kids for a walk without the entire family going together because: a) the stroller doesn't push well through our snowy streets and sidewalks; and b) Kira doesn't want to stay put in her stroller and it's impossible for me to push the stroller while she wanders off or fails to stay by my side. Mark and I go for walks when we can with our kids, because we feel it's important for them to get fresh air and to be used to all of the different seasons that we are so lucky to have where we live. Calvin isn't very aware of all this yet, and he screams when we bundle him up, but he seems to enjoy the outdoors and sleeps well after long walks.
Calvin's milestones? Let's see... he can push himself up on his belly, he regards his hands often and has started grasping things, and he "jumps" in the exersaucer. Oh, and he's mastered the art of "charming" with his beaming smile. He's inadvertently rolled over but I can't quite call this a skill yet. We're waiting for rolling and sitting in the coming months. Here are a couple of photos of my handsome little boy.
So, what are we doing differently with Calvin from what we did with Kira at this age? For starters, we're much more easygoing ourselves about our approach, and so maybe he senses this and that is why he's so calm. :) We aren't sterilizing everything Calvin touches. We don't panic just because his nose is blocked and he isn't breathing well (a little Salinex always does the trick!). We're not stressed about getting him on a schedule, and actually on this point he has done fabulously by putting himself on a very regular and consistent sleep schedule (feedings are on demand).
There are so many differences in the characters of our two babies that it really is impossible to put comparisons out there, the way most people expect us to. The sleep issue in itself is completely the opposite of our situation with Kira (she always has been and continues to be, difficult to put to sleep). He has loved his bath since day 1 and smiles the entire time he's in the water (Kira took awhile to adjust to bathtime - I don't think either of us enjoyed the experience until she was several months old). There are 2 things we are very careful with, and they are his skin (he has eczema) and my diet (he has bovine protein sensitivity and so I have to watch what I eat because it is processed into my breast milk). I'll be writing more about these issues after our medical appointments in the coming weeks.
One thing I am disappointed with is my inability to be able to go outdoors with the 2 kids on a regular basis. I can't take the kids for a walk without the entire family going together because: a) the stroller doesn't push well through our snowy streets and sidewalks; and b) Kira doesn't want to stay put in her stroller and it's impossible for me to push the stroller while she wanders off or fails to stay by my side. Mark and I go for walks when we can with our kids, because we feel it's important for them to get fresh air and to be used to all of the different seasons that we are so lucky to have where we live. Calvin isn't very aware of all this yet, and he screams when we bundle him up, but he seems to enjoy the outdoors and sleeps well after long walks.
Calvin's milestones? Let's see... he can push himself up on his belly, he regards his hands often and has started grasping things, and he "jumps" in the exersaucer. Oh, and he's mastered the art of "charming" with his beaming smile. He's inadvertently rolled over but I can't quite call this a skill yet. We're waiting for rolling and sitting in the coming months. Here are a couple of photos of my handsome little boy.
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