Baby's First Christmas

What an exciting first Christmas for Baby Hank! A week filled with firsts-first road trip, first time visiting extended family, first Christmas, first trip to Waffle House, and first snowstorm!

We rented a van, packed it to the gills with presents and baby gear and ventured out into an impending ice/snow event to travel 700+ miles to Chicago to visit all of Kim's extended family. Hank marks the beginning of the 4th generation in the family and he was excitedly welcomed by his great grandma, great aunts and uncles, and second cousins. I was very nervous about the 12 hour car ride with a 7week old, but Hank was a trooper and impressed us all. Johnny and I are glad to see what a good traveler he is, since we love to hit the road!

We arrived in Chicago just as the snow was starting to fall and it continued on and off for the next 3 days. We had a true white Christmas, and Johnny was thrilled to take his son out for his first walk in the snow. Hank had a wonderful week being spoiled by his cousins and aunts/uncles. He loved being rocked by great grandma Reba, playing with all his new toys from Santa (I have no idea where everything is going to go at home), looking at all the lights on the Christmas trees, and being passed around from lap to lap (which I loved as it gave me and my back a break from carrying the little guy around). He loved the family get-togethers, and just sat back and took it all the action in as his cousins ran around and opened presents!

It was a wonderful first Christmas with Hank! It is hard to believe that next year he will be walking, talking, and opening his own presents!

Our first Christmas as a family of 3!
Getting ready to go for a walk in the snow with Dad!
One of my new favorite toys!
Opening presents
4 generations!
Waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve. Dad's finger is his favorite!
Hank's new activity gym! He goes crazy in it!
Rocking with great grandma
Hank loved meeting all his great aunts/uncles, and cousins!
Making faces at Dad in the backseat
Diaper changes in the car!

Sweet Smiles

There is nothing sweeter in the world than seeing your baby's face light up with a real smile at you for the first time. Hank had his first few true smiles at about 6 weeks. Over the past 2 weeks the smiles just get bigger and more frequent, and a few giggles are starting to come out! I'm having a hard time catching the smiles on camera, but here are a few pictures at 7 weeks...

5 Week Stats

Here's how Hank sized up at his 1month check up...

Weight: 12 lbs 90th percentile

Length: 23 inches 65th percentile

Head: 15.8 inches 82nd percentile

Here's where he was when he was born...

Weight: 8 lbs 14 oz

Length: 22 inches

Head: 13 1/2 inches

We've got a big boy on our hands! I get the feeling he'll be eating us out of house and home someday...

Happy 1 Month Birthday Baby Hank!

It is hard to believe that Hank is already 1 month old-people really aren't lying when they say "they grow up so fast!". We are slowly establishing a routine at home-I'm anxiously waiting for that first true smile at me! Hank is a very alert baby, and is awake a good part of the day which surprised me because everyone told me he would just sleep through the first few months-not my boy! If there are people around or something going on, he wants to be a part of it.

Of course the therapist in me is always on the look out for the next developmental milestone! He has just started really looking at me in the eyes and focusing on objects. He has started visually tracking objects. He is very strong and loves to "stand up" on our laps, and already has amazing head control. He will push up on his hands and can hold his head up turning it from side to side. He is also rolling from side to side. And best of all, he's just started making "oos" and "ahhs" making his speech therapist mama proud. It is amazing how much he has changed in just 4 short weeks.

So in honor of his first month of life, I'll give a run-down of his current likes/dislikes:

Likes:

1. Eating!

2. Being carried in his sling on mommy while I do housework (or just being carried by mommy in general)

3. Looking out the window next to his changing table at the leaves and trees.

4. Listening to mom sing songs-our current favorites (or at least what will keep him from fussing) Wheels on the Bus, Do-Re-Mi, My Favorite Things, Itsy Bitsy Spider

5. Looking in the mirror at himself

6. Walks in his stroller (they put him right to sleep)

7. After 2 weeks of screaming during bathtime, he now only cries when I take him out of the tub!!

8. The sound of the hair dryer-puts him to sleep in no time!

9. Practicing holding his head up-he's really strong already!

10. Stretching. He will stretch for a good 10 minutes everytime he wakes up.

Dislikes:

1. Being left in his bouncy seat too long! He will let you know when he's had enough

2. The hiccups (unfortunately he has them all the time)

3. When he is not the center of attention

4. Waking up-he has a hard time waking up and is grouchiest after a long nap!

5. His pacifier-sometimes he's a fan, but not typically. Although, I've caught him with his thumb in his mouth a few times this week

We go to the doctor next week for his 1 month check-up! I can't wait to see how much he's grown, I know my arms and back are killing me from carrying this pudgy boy around all day!