Four Weeks

Wow. Has it been four weeks already? Karston's getting old!

What's different? He's still growing, and in fact size N newborn diapers are getting mighty snug. We won't be buying any more of that size! Of course he's stronger now. His legs are very powerful, and it seems like he could start walking any day now if only he could balance. His fingers have a powerful grip, and he can even push himself up on his arms (but not intentionally, it seems). At this rate, I wonder when he'll be stronger than his parents! He hardly makes Angry Face when feeding anymore. He needed lots of burping this week, especially Thursday when he decided to gulp at every feeding. By the end of the day, he was very hungry and very fussy. And from the other end, he farted a lot this week too. He's figured out the nose trick, where we offer him a nose to suck to see if he's ready to feed, so he doesn't always go for it. That's a shame because it was such a handy trick.

We went to a family luncheon Wednesday, so my grandparents could see him again and so my aunt could meet him. He slept quietly most of the time, occasionally opening his eyes and smiling. Of course he was a hit!

Whoops, this one's broken

When Karston's asleep, sometimes his head is so far to one side that it doesn't look attached. "Whoops, this child is broken, his head fell off again." It doesn't seem to matter how much padding we put around his head and neck, he'll lean his head forward when the car stops, and then let it roll off to the side. Oh, and sleep peacefully the whole time!

Three Weeks

It's very ironic, but the day after the pediatrician asked if Karston needed burping and we said no, he started eating faster, gulping, and needing burping. So I guess it's normal, but it sure is louder that way with the crying! He also developed some infant acne the next day.

Pediatrician: Two Weeks

I've been wondering if Karston eats enough. He usually feeds for 5 or 10 minutes, and then he's done for 2 hours. He really goes to town, but he doesn't do it for long.

Today we went in for the second pediatrician visit. His metrics are 7 pounds 15.75 ounces (1.5 pounds more than his birth weight when the goal is to be back up to birth weight at 2 weeks), 20.75 inches long, and 14 inches head circumference. The pediatrician looked at Karston's record, and said, Is this weight right? We said, Yes. I asked if he were eating enough since he rarely goes for more than 10 minutes, and the doctor laughed at me. If he's gaining weight like this, his feeding habits are fine. So once again, a feel-good visit.

The increase in his head size does explain why the hat I made to fit him (since the purchased hats were too big) and then washed a few days later did not fit him. His head grew faster than I did laundry!

Two Weeks

He's so much older at two weeks! He lost his cord stump yesterday, so now we can dress him in something other than tee shirts (not that the weather needs anything more). I'd say that's the end of "newborn" and we've moved on to "infant" now. Yesterday he also had another first that we knew was coming, the fountain while changing his diaper. Well, it was about time for another bath anyway. And yet another round of laundry.

Barracuda and the Angry Face

Karston has two major modes of breastfeeding. The most common is what I call The Barracuda. He'll be moving around erratically, head going everywhere, until he's within striking distance. Then BAM! his head snaps and he latches on. And you might not be expecting that quite so soon ... Barracuda are very fast and look very single-minded, and so does Karston at these times. However, maybe every third or fourth feeding, he does Angry Face instead. His eyebrows go down, his nose crunches up, and he looks angry. He comes in with Angry Face, one mouth chomp, backs off, and repeat at least half a dozen times before he settles down to eat with a normal expression. I laugh and ask him why he's angry at Nipple Buddy when he's chomping instead of feeding. I wish I could take a video of Angry Face, but I don't think it's visible from any vantage other than mine. A tripod couldn't look over my shoulder easily so someone would have to stand there getting a neck crick, and Angry Face is not common enough to be easy to capture.

First Pediatrician Visit

This morning I noticed several breast-related things. First, bigger (after staying the same size all through pregnancy). And second, I think my milk came in last night after two days of colostrum.

Today we went to see the pediatrician for the first time! His vitals are now 6 pounds 3.3 ounces, still 20.5 inches long, and 12.75 inches head circumference. The nurse complimented me on the happy bounce in my step that she said was surprising for a first-time mom at three days (I ate it up). The doctor laughed when he agreed that my milk had certainly come in for Karston to weigh more than his hospital discharge weight already! He also said that he's rarely seen a newborn hospital record with so few checks next to boxes on medical things to watch. I take Karston's health as a compliment, so I ate that up too. All around, a positive visit!

Going home

We left the hospital midday on July 5th. Karston's discharge weight was 6 pounds 1 ounce. (It's ok; babies lose fluid weight in the first few days. Usually your lowest weight is Day 3 or Day 4 of life.) I'm more tired than I thought I was, but I still can't wait to be at home with our new baby!

Welcome Karston!

Born at 11:16 AM this morning on July 3rd, 2005: Karston Keller! We're delighted to meet him! His statistics are 6 pounds 7.75 ounces, 20.5 inches long, and 12.5 inch head circumference.

He arrived "stunned" (quiet, and looking around with big eyes) with three (loose) loops of umbilical cord around his neck. He had a fetal heart rate monitor on his head throughout most of labor and all of delivery, so we knew he was fine. Nevertheless, the attending physician hit "the panic button" that I never saw (despite looking), and the delivery room was filled with half a dozen pediatricians within 20 seconds of his birth. All of a sudden it was standing room only, and he wasn't on my chest for very long. He was fine, though; I knew it, and I wanted to hold him.

What I didn't expect ... Because he wasn't screaming, he wasn't red. I expected a red, cone-headed lizard of a baby, and instead he was the very picture of a small pale baby. I also expected him to have a very floppy neck and weak muscles. Instead, he holds and moves his own head frequently and for fairly long periods, and his legs are very strong when he straightens them.