{One Month Old - Emerson!}

Hi!

My name is Emerson Paige and this is my very first blog post! My big brother Ethan has told me all about this blog and how our family and friends like to read it and see our pictures. What a fast four weeks that was, huh? I've been busy getting to know my mommy, daddy, brother, and kitty and adjusting to life in the outside world. It was so cozy and warm in mommy's tummy, but this world seems pretty great too. As a brand new baby, most of my days consist of sleeping, diaper changes, eating, and crying. Lots.Of.Crying. I can't figure out if I'm happy or sad, hungry or full, tired or wide awake. So many emotions. I want to tell you about some of the things I do as a one month old:

• I like to eat. If I'm awake, I'm usually rooting or sticking my tongue out. Eating is good for me though. My doctor is so happy with the way I'm gaining weight. At my one month weight check, I weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. I'm still gaining over an ounce a day. I even have a double chin to prove it!
  
• I have very long fingers and toes. That was the first thing the nurse noticed when I was born!
• I've had a couple baths so far and overall I think I like it. My big brother helped me during one of my baths and poured water on me through his watering can.
  
• Things I don't like: bouncy seats, swings, and anyone but mommy (although I'm starting to warm up to others).
  
  
  
  
   
• I had a couple rough days during week three. Mommy and daddy said I had a "witching hour" which usually was from 7-10pm. I seem to have calmed down a bit since then...maybe it was my first growth spurt? Mommy is slowly learning how to soothe me and get me to sleep. After eating, she will swaddle me and then put me in her wrap. She then walks around, bounces, and pats my bottom which makes me sleepy. Once I'm officially asleep, she can then take me out of the wrap and put me either in the pack-n-play or rock-n-play.
  
• I might have a birthmark on my left ring finger. It wasn't there when I was born...it came a couple days later. It's just a small "strawberry" mark.
   

• I sleep really well at night for being four weeks old. The first stretch of my night usually lasts 4-5 hours (sometimes even six)! When I wake up, daddy will change my diaper and then pass me off to mommy who feeds me. The second stretch of my night usually lasts 3-3.5 hours and I tend to wake up around 6:30am almost every morning.
  
• I'm slowly starting to fall into a very loose 'schedule' and can notice a pattern with my naps. Right now, it's common for me to take two morning naps, a good nap during lunch (when we're out running errands - maybe 90ish min), a very long afternoon nap (2-3 hours), a early evening nap, and then it's bedtime.
  

        

• I got my first bottle at four weeks old. Daddy fed it to me. I didn't know there was any other source of food other than mommy! I guzzled it down and shocked my parents at how quickly I drank it. Now daddy feeds me a bottle at 8:30pm every night before it's bedtime.
  
• Everyone thinks I look just like my brother. That's a nice compliment because he's very handsome.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Mommy and daddy (and Ethan!) are doing such a great job taking care of me. I know I'm going to change so much in the next couple weeks so I hope you'll check back next month for another update!