This month, I learned that he can roll. With absolutely no concern for where he is. Couch? Table? Elevation be damned, he wants to roll.
I learned that he's better from back to front, and almost always rolls to his left.
Pumping isn't fun, but I think it could be worse.
The stroller is a reliable device to put him to sleep.
He likes the pets! Soon, tail pulling will commence.
He misses me when I'm gone, and he has a lot to say to me when I get back.
His frown is the exact same that mine was when I was his age.
He may be a terribly stubborn child. Maybe.
This is the first month where I think it all really began to click. We're moving out of baby boot camp, and into the glory days of babyhood. Just as the second 3 months of pregnancy began to get easier, I think this next three months will be much different than the first 3. August slept through the night for the first time last night, and I have never been happier to wake up at 5:30. My first instinct that was something was wrong. I did not, after all, wake up to him screaming. I crept over to the crib to check on him, and he had rolled onto his belly and was sucking on his fingers. I was so astonished to find him sleeping after 8 hours that instead of getting an extra hour myself, I took a shower, did the laundry, read the paper, and ate breakfast, all in peace. While I know he probably won't begin doing this every night for a little while, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and felt renewed hope that this summer will actually be pretty great.
The sickness of Dave continues, however, and trying to be at work while Dave suffers and takes care of Gus has been really hard. I left the baby with his grandma for the first time yesterday, and it was easier than I thought it would be. He behaved beautifully, and again, I see the light. I think he'll be spending more and more time with grandma, even after Dave is on the mend. I trust her so completely, and Gus loves being with her. I'm grateful that we have family in town to help us when we need it, and it's actually a little surprising that we haven't left him alone yet. We're fortunate in many ways, even though this past month has been hard. Summer has arrived and is in full swing, and I feel grateful to have a healthy, happy, playful little boy to spend it with. Ah, fambly.
This month I learned that sleep deprivation is cumulative, and it will catch up with you.
I learned that I will be grateful for 5 hours of sleep when I get it, even though I never would have though of 5 hours as a "good night's sleep".
That hormones are weird.
That the desire to protect the baby bear is totally instinctual, and there are times when my mama bear instinct surprises even me.
That the happy gurgly sound he makes in the morning is the sweetest sound on earth.
That I don't miss work, not even a little bit.
That friends and family can surprise you even after you've known them your whole life.
That it doesn't really bother me when the dog licks the baby, so long as it isn't his face.
That even though he can't roll, he can squirm until he moves himself.
Life with baby Gus continues to amaze and humble me. This month his personality really began to show, and I can't wait until his baby googles have a little more meaning, and our conversations aren't so one sided. We make a point to spend at least an hour reading to him each day, and he's begun to really enjoy story time. I have to begin pumping soon, so in the next week he'll get to learn how to eat from a bottle. I'm very much looking forward to that, since it will give Dave the opportunity to take over even more of the baby care. Gus goes everywhere with us, usually in the sling. He can nearly hold his head up, so having him tummy to tummy in the sling works much better now. Today is Dave's first day back at work, and I miss him terribly. It has been so great having him here for the first two months with August . Now I feel like I have to start living life again, leaving the house regularly on my own. I'll get the hang of it soon, I'm sure. But this new phase will take some getting used to. For starters, I'm getting pretty good at typing with one hand. I have knitting projects to show off soon, thank-you gifts for my midwives.
Time goes so fast, I can't believe it's been two months already. Look at this little bug:
This month, I have learned that newborns do, indeed, smile.
That it is possible to get poop on one's socks, and not be bothered by it.
That sleep deprivation really isn't that bad if you never get into a deep sleep.
The dog is more patient than I had ever imagined.
That the best time to knit is in the car, since I know how long I will have based on how far we're going.
That I don't miss being pregnant, and I hate all of my maternity clothes.
That my baby cannot mess his pants discreetly. He prefers to let the whole room know.
That there is a right and a wrong way to put on a cloth diaper, and I am more likely to do it wrong in the middle of the night.
That breastfeeding ain't so bad, once you get the hang of it.
Baths can be fun, once you're sharing them with a little monster who kicks his legs and splashes.
I think the most important thing I've learned, though, has more to do with Dave than it does with Gus. My love for Dave grew exponentially in the days after the birth, and it continues to grow. I feel so lucky to be married to a man who is so strong, so hard working, and so patient that he does all of the cooking, cleaning, gardening, and laundry without so much as a thought. He has absolutely put the needs of me and the baby before his own this past month, and I can't begin to tell him how grateful I am that he's been here to take care of us. I don't know how we would have got through this month without him, and I had no idea that I would love him more with each new day. I feel so blessed that we have a son and that we get to raise him together. This baby boy is going to have the best poppa in all the land, one who will teach him and show him worlds that no one else knows about. Thanks, Dave. You're amazing.
And so is this little butter bean.
