Now is the time!: 12 Week Update

I honestly can’t believe our baby is 12 weeks old today! Someone told me that with a baby the days seem long but the weeks fly by, and that is the absolute truth. I don’t know where the summer went! Here we are at the end of August and fall is just around the corner (though it’s sure to be hot for another couple of months unfortunately). This weekend is Baylor’s first home football game, and we plan to bring Wesley along for the fun. It’s never too early to get him engaged in all things Baylor, right?!

Wesley is doing great and growing more and more each day. At his two month appointment he weighed 12 lbs 10 oz (57^th percentile for growth), and he was in the 100^th percentile for length (right at 25”) and head size (just means he'll be smart!). I’m not sure what he weighs now at almost 3 months, but he certainly feels and looks heavier! His cheeks have really rounded out, and his legs are finally getting a little chubbier. Our long and lean guy is getting a little more meat on his bones!

Wesley has now been sleeping in his crib at night (he’d previously been in the “rock and play”) for almost a week now, and he did great with that transition. The first night he cried for about 30 minutes and then fell asleep and slept most of the night. I am now giving him his last feeding for the day around 8:15, and he is usually down by 9:00. He typically wakes up anywhere between 4:45 and 6, at which time I feed him and put him back down until 8:15 or so. It's nice to put him back down in the mornings because that gives me the opportunity to sleep a little more, get ready for the day, have my devotional, pick up the house a bit, etc. When I wake him around 8:15, he is all smiles! He is such a happy baby in the mornings! He’s really been a more content baby for the past few weeks, and I am so thankful for that. The first few weeks of his life, Wesley was pretty fussy for much of the day. He loves to be held and bounced and constantly moving, so at first I felt like much of my days were spent walking circles around our house trying to calm a crying baby. We then discovered that he needed to be getting more to eat, so once I began feeding him more (and supplementing with some formula), the difference in his demeanor was like night and day. My fussy baby became my content baby, and that made for one very happy momma!

I am now breastfeeding and bottle-feeding him every 3 hours (6 times a day). He also has a better napping schedule which allows me a little more time to blog, do laundry, make phone calls, etc. I am so thankful for my “free time.” In the beginning I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to get anything done again, and now I am realizing that it is possible to multi-task with a baby (not always easy but definitely possible). J

From the beginning Wesley has loved being outside (just like his dad and two grandfathers), and that was often our solution for getting him to stop crying. He still loves to be outside, and we love taking him for walks in his stroller in the evenings. He also loves to smile, coo, look at pictures in books that I read to him, reach for different things on his play mat, watch his mobile in his crib, take naps in his swing, and look at himself and his momma making faces in the mirror. His neck is getting stronger by the day, and he is finally liking tummy time (in short intervals) more than he used to. He also began rolling over from his stomach to his back about a week ago (he did that once when he was only a few days old but didn’t do it again until recently). In the afternoons, he likes to nap on my chest, and I cherish those times that we get to snuggle together! Wesley also loves his bath time with daddy in the evenings. He loves the feel of the warm water when we splash it on him, and Bill is definitely the expert bather. J

Dare I say that Bill and I are beginning to get the hang of this whole parenting thing? Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t go as far quite yet. Just when we think we have one thing down, I’m sure something will change completely and that’s all right. This is a journey that is ever evolving and changing as our son grows, and we are just thankful to be in it together. I have my best friend by my side to help, support, and encourage me each and every day, and I couldn’t ask for more. Of course things aren’t all nice and rosy all the time, but I am learning to appreciate the small things more. There are still days that I cry and think to myself that I’m just not sure I’m up for the challenge. However, I’m grateful that there are also days where I feel confident in my ability to be the best mom I can possibly be to my son. God equips me with the strength and endurance I need when I cry out to him, and I know I couldn’t do any of this without him to guide me.

I’m not going to feel super chipper every moment of the day, and life isn’t nearly as perfect as facebook, pinterest, or instagram make it out to be. But this is the life God’s given me, and it’s a blessed life. I have the most incredible family and friends in the world, and I have a baby boy who is smiling at me as I type this. Christ has forgiven me for all my ugly sin, and I’m saved by grace. What more could I ask for?

Now I’m going to go spend some time with my blue-eyed baby boy. The dishes can wait. The dog hair covering our floors can wait. It can all wait because I’m realizing that the time I spend with my son and invest in his life is what matters more than anything. Our house may be a mess, but I’ll take quality time spent with Wesley over a perfectly clean and organized house any day.

Before I go, I thought I'd share some pictures from throughout the summer of our growing guy. Enjoy!