The Callegaris!: One Month (Posted at almost 7 weeks)

Dear Drew,

You are one month old today. Seeing as the baby book I purchased for you has yet to be written in, I think it's best that we document all the milestones in your life here. Don't worry, I do plan to go back and put it in your book.

First, you are an absolute joy and your dad and I have just loved "figuring you out." It took some time, but I think we are finally learning what your cries mean, able to read facial expressions, and generally just getting comfortable being parents.

You now weigh 8 pounds, 12 ounces and are 21 inches long. You were born at 6 pounds, 11 ounces and 19.5 inches, and then dropped to 5 pounds, 11 ounces, so we are quite proud of our almost-nine-pound boy!

If you have any nickname, outside of your "given" nickname of Drew, it's Drewby. Your dad and I started calling you that right after you were born, and then two of my friends called you that without knowing we were doing the same. I'm not sure how we all came to the same nickname for you, but it just may stick.

Just like your momma, you go from content to STARVING in two minutes flat. You can be dead asleep and then screeching for food in less time than it takes me to get a bottle ready. I just try to remind myself that I, too, know what it is like to be miserably hungry.

"Hey Mom, faster next time!"

We got lots of good insight at your one month doctors visit today. She tells me that you are tracking things with your eyes closer to that of a two month old, rather than the month old that you are. That makes mama very happy to think you are "advanced," and I'm hopeful that you got your daddy's eyesight!

She thought your cry sounded good and you seemed to be a happy, mild little boy.

Interestingly, your umbilical cord has not yet fallen off. We did everything the doctors told us to, but you seem to be hanging on to it. The doctors say they won't worry about it until 2 months, but it will be nice to get to drop that step when changing your diaper and finally put you in the bathtub!
You are a lot more interactive than you were, and have some good stretches of alert time every day now. You love to stare at faces and whatever is closest to your face. You seem to find great joy in light fixtures, ceiling fans, and walls. I'm sure as your eyesight improves you will find less mundane things fascinating.

We try to do tummy time with you every day, but you absolutely hate it. However, in your anger you start to lift your head and flail your arms, which is the point of tummy time in the first place, so I guess it is productive nonetheless. What you really like is laying on your tummy on my chest. When THAT happens you stay happy AND will lift your head to look at me. Ever since you were born many people remarked that you seemed to have great head control. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if you can hold your head up on your own pretty early.

For being just 8 pounds, you are STRONG. Your little fist has a way of snaking a fist full of my hair when you are mad, and you can yank like no ones business. Luckily I have remembered to take out my earrings before I pick you up, otherwise we would have serious problems. I think a ponytail will soon be the hairstyle of choice for me.

Our house is filled with various kiddo paraphernalia, including a bouncy seat and a swing. Turns out you could care less about the vibration feature of these items, but you LOVE the music. We were glad to find out what would soothe you, but the musical soundtrack of the Fisher Price My Little Lamb infant swing leaves something to be desired. We just brought a CD player and some lullabies into the room to use to lull you to sleep at night, and those are quite a bit better. But we are going to need to get some new ones quickly or we are going to lose patience with those, too. Both grandmothers have been told that might be a good Christmas gift for you!

You love to nap in your swing. We don't turn the thing on yet because you weigh so little that even on the slowest setting I'm afraid it will sling you across the room. But it looks to be a pretty comfortable place to nap in the living room, so you do spend quite a bit of time in there. You do love to look at the mobile when you are awake.

Speaking of grandparents, you have 4 who LOVE and ADORE you. Luckily there haven't been many days were all of them were with you at the same time, otherwise we might have some issues dividing time holding you between them. I text pictures of you to your grandmothers on most days, just so they can be caught up with your daily goings-on.

I think your sister Sophie has had the hardest time adjusting to you. She was the center of our world before you were born. I think now she has realized you are here to stay and is adjusting. She has been very good about not licking you. She does get curious when we put you in your bouncy seat on the floor-- she can finally see you at her level! We keep telling her that you two are going to be best of friends in just a couple of months.

Drew, you make my world go round. Just looking back at pictures from the last month I can see how much you are changing. For as much as I want you to stay exactly the same right now and savor ever minute of this, I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us.