So Big!

Cale has grown so big so quickly! He already looks much older to me. And he has a plump little belly to fuel his growth. I can tell it's not my imagination about his growth because I washed the box of 3-6 month clothes, and they fit much better than the 0-3 month clothes. Yes, the 3-6 month clothes are a little long, but that was true for Karston too ... at 3 months! I'm just not sure where Cale got all of this growing when he's never had formula. Then again, yesterday at dinnertime, Cale wouldn't let me do anything for almost two hours so that he could have a nursing binge; I had a tough time getting my dinner, or doing anything else.

Weigh-In

Both boys had baths this evening, and we decided to weigh them after their baths. Karston was running away from clothes laughing, so he weighs 24.1 pounds naked as a jaybird. We didn't want Cale to get cold, so his 11.6 pounds includes a fresh diaper and romper. This means Cale now weighs more than our cat, and Karston weighs just more than twice as much. The rule of thumb is to triple birth weight after one year, so shortly after that, Cale's weight will match Karston's. I can imagine my just-over-one-year-old weighing more than my almost-four-year-old...

Sweet Son

This morning Daddy told Karston that Opa and Grammy were coming over this afternoon (I wasn't sure about getting him excited that early). Karston thought about it for a pensive moment, then said, I love them. Tonight was the last class so Daddy will have me around in the evening after this to help get the two boys to bed.

Tummy Time

Karston always hated tummy time, and didn't get much of it. (He also walked before he crawled.) So I was concerned about tummy time for Cale. Sure enough, he doesn't like tummy time on his play mat. However, a couple weeks ago I found a tummy time that Cale likes. When I need a cat nap or I'm waking up, I put Cale on my belly. (I can't sleep soundly on my back, and I have to be exhausted to fall asleep on my back. But I can be drowsy on my back until I wake up. Cale enjoys our tummy-to-tummy time. He will push up, lift his head and look around, and even move short distances. Hey wait, that is tummy time! Cale is getting regular tummy time now that I know the no-tears trick. Today, Cale did something new for tummy-to-tummy time: he rolled from tummy to side, watched me for a bit, and rolled over on his back! I think he's young for the rolling over skill, but he is strong. Although Karston's neck control, even on Day 1, was much better.

Right now, both of my boys are asleep on my lap on the sunroom couch. We came in the sunroom to watch the hail storm (temperature dropped 20 degrees quickly!). Cale nursed, then fussed to be cuddled upright until he fell asleep. He knows I've been trying to set him down all day so I can take a shower, so he was peeking for the longest time to check that I'm still holding him. Karston started snuggled up to Daddy, but curled up to me to "watch baby brother." As he got more comfortable, he slid down and fell asleep. (He napped in the bedroom doorway because he knows not to wake Cale during naptime, but he wants to see him. Karston is a dear!) I'm jealous of Daddy's freedom to walk right now. Myself, I'd be showering, but otherwise I'd probably be doing what he's doing, quick cleanup and light housework. Not that most couples are jealous of who does the housework ...

Initial Velocity

We've made "initial velocity" jokes (like the Internet joke to get pigs to fly), but today he outdid himself. The diaper change after today's fountain, Cale had a poop that shot right out the back of his diaper. Thank goodness we have a washer, a water-efficient washer at that, and solar-heated hot water. We do laundry quite often thanks to Cale.

I filled out the previous load with Karston's 3-6 month clothes. These outfits are a bit large on Cale, but not by much. These clothes are easier to put on him, so our one month old is wearing size 3-6 month clothes now. Such a change from Karston!

Karston watched the Backyardigans (his request) this evening. He's got rhythm and he dances to polka music. Must be his Wisconsin heritage!

Thumb

Cale discovered his thumb today. Actually, Daddy says Cale started to suck his thumb yesterday evening, but he was really intent on sucking today. I think he sucked his thumb, with fingers wrapped over his own face, for half an hour while he was in the Baby Bjorn and I was running errands around Main Street! A good thumb keeps 'em happy and quiet.

Cale's One Month

Cale had his one month well-child checkup this morning. He weighed 10 pounds 14 ounces (60th percentile! we now have a child who weighs on the charts!), still 22 inches long (75th percentile), and head circumference just below the 75th percentile. The doctor wasn't concerned about his sniffles or his baby acne. So we got a clean bill of health in very short order.

Headed to Eleven

I weighed Cale after a diaper change, but dressed (tomorrow at the doctor's, it'll be naked weight). He weighed 11.4 pounds! Margot down the street is 12 weeks old today and 12 pounds; Cale is 4 weeks 2 days old and 11 pounds. And he's only had breastmilk to do it. Wow. I expect he will never be as difficult about food as Karston.

Last Friday was a gorgeous day, so we walked around the neighborhood just to be outside. Cale was wide awake for three hours of mostly outside, then he nursed fitfully for three hours, then thankfully he fell asleep. I think it was life-changing for Cale. Ever since then, when I hold him near a window with a view, he lurks for the window. Cale was fussy this morning, but he went silent and looked all around with gigantic eyes as soon as we went outside. Since Daddy and I love the scenic day hike, I think Cale will fit right in with the family.

The other thing Cale has been doing for about a week is trying to stand up whenever he's alert and awake. Karston started this around 6 weeks, Cale 3. Karston was a stronger infant, especially for head and neck control, but Cale is no slouch when he wants.

Speaking of Cale, he's asleep now, so I need to take this opportunity to go to bed!

Cale History

I found this online mention of Coach Cale Keller, football coach at Apopka High School in Florida from 1939 to 1941. This could actually be my Cale's great-great uncle Cale Keller, since the Keller family lived in Florida then (before this branch moved to Wisconsin). Cool! And here's another cool Cale mention.

Scooby Snacks

We're always trying to get Karston to eat, since he will often eat very little, and he doesn't weigh much for his age. Since he ate a good dinner, we let him have an ice cream sandwich afterwards. Later this evening he wanted to watch Scooby Doo, and he asked for a Scooby Snack when Scooby Doo got one. Quickly we offered him a vanilla wafer, something we have that looked like what was on the TV screen. He ate it! Then he ate four more! I can't believe our Eatless Wonder had most of a Mickey Mouse hamburger, then 1.5 ice cream sandwiches, and then 5 vanilla wafers! Just remarkable. He probably won't eat for the next week after that, but what a surprise!

In contrast, Cale is eating well: he weighed 10.3 pounds after his bath. Yes, that's naked weight! So he has gained over 2 pounds total in the three weeks after birth (exactly three weeks in 5 hours), and that's from birth (not from the low point of his hospital discharge weight). Like they say, if you have two children, they're completely different.

Technorati Tags: Baby, Toddler

Daddy's Helpful Boy

First thing this morning, I checked my email and sent a few quick replies. Karston had some questions about my laptop screen. What's this? It's email, Karston. Email Daddy, miss you daddy. Hmm, where did he pick up that email is communication? Does he really know what email is?

Then I started to move back into my office after The Great Water Heater Flood three months ago. The repairs are finally done! Cale was asleep, and Karston was playing and talking to me. (I can safely keep an ear on Karston the Narrator without watching him.) Karston said, Want that! pointing to the picture of Daddy on my desk. Daddy!!! He looked closer. Where Mommy? I took the picture, dear. Where Daddy? He's at work right now. Karston gave me his dark thundercloud frown for a couple minutes, then said Want Daddy, want Daddy home. Then, Want this Daddy!, and showed me the picture in case I had any doubt who he meant. He's very serious about his Daddy.

He's also very serious about helping. I sent him to check on Cale several times while I was in my office, and he came back quickly with the report of baby brudder sleeping. Once Cale woke up, he was hungry of course. Karston asked, What baby brother doing? He's nursing. Yeah, nursing on ta-tas. Then Karston unzipped his romper, pulled his onesie way down, and showed me his chest saying, Karston ta-tas. Then ... Baby brother want Karston ta-tas? Yes, Karston is a very sweet, very helpful boy! I had to explain that only Mommy ta-tas have milk. But I know Karston would help me if he could!

I think Karston just had the easiest nap this year. I was set to tell him it was quiet time, and he should do quiet time in his room when he told me Want bed. I asked him, Do you want to go to bed? Yeah, want to go to bed. He walked to his room, he climbed his ladder, he climbed on his bed, he pulled the covers back, and he flopped down. Sure he made noise and sat up to play for the next ten or fifteen minutes, but I didn't have to do anything! I did check on him after some of the noises, but he wasn't crying so I just rubbed his back. If only all nap times and bed times could be that easy! However, it was so unexpected to me that you can guess this isn't the normal routine of books and snuggles.

Technorati Tags: Baby, Toddler

On to Nineteen

Karston's been a little fussier lately. I know a second molar, tooth #18, started coming in the month before Cale was born. However, yesterday afternoon he was drooling, and Daddy asked him if his mouth bothered him -yeah, did he have a new tooth -yeah. Karston opened his mouth wide when asked, and sure enough, there's another molar, tooth #19, coming in. Only one more baby tooth to come!

So right now, when Karston is fussy, we're not sure where to place the blame. Teeth? Not the youngest baby in the house? Or that runny nose he and the other boys in the house (Daddy and Cale) have? Rough!

Last night, I taught class again for the first time in a month. First was Spring Break, and then I lined up three guest speakers so I could be out for the standard two weeks of postpartum recovery (and not knowing when Cale would be born, I scheduled one just before his due date and two after; Cale was born the day before the first guest lecture). An evening with two children who need to go to bed is tough enough that I didn't want Daddy to face that alone so we asked his parents to come over. Karston did have a crying spell, but mainly he was so excited to play with Opa that nothing else mattered. He played as hard as he could, and he slept pretty well, too (after the bedtime struggle)!

Cale slept well while I was out, and responded well to Grammy by falling back to sleep. Apparently he wasn't thrilled with the bottle (his first taste was cold breastmilk; Karston prefered cold food so of course Cale doesn't), but he drank some, and we were both ready for him to nurse when I got home from class.

Crash and Honk

So Buzz says boys need nicknames.

For Karston, I think Crash fits. We don't know where he picked this up, but Karston loves crashes. He'll crash his wooden trains. He'll head right for you, grab your leg, and say crash!!! oh-so-happily. Karston likes the word and the action, so I think Crash fits him for now. (Hopefully he'll outgrow this, oh, say, before he gets a driver's license.)

Cale is a very vocal baby. He coos and snores when he sleeps. He purrs and hums when he nurses. He makes a lot of sound for someone so young. I think Honk fits right now; it goes with Crash on one level, and it describes one of the funnier sounds he makes.

So if I gave them nicknames, and I just use their given names, I would pick Crash and Honk. Subject to change as they do!

Cale's Two Week

This morning we went to Cale's two week well-baby checkup. His stats are 9 pounds 7.1 ounces (up two pounds from his lowest weight ever!), 22 inches long, and 14.5 inches head circumference (or 50%, 90%, and 25%). Other than that, a routine doctor's visit: he looks fine!

Cale nursed in the children's waiting room until the nurse called us. After a pretty good feeding on one side, before the switch to the other side, he had his eyes wide open, his mouth open in a circle, and he was bouncing his head off the breast instead of nursing. I had a sudden flashback: although I had forgotten for the past 2+ years, Karston used to do that head bouncing (I called it breast tenderizing) with the exact same expression. I had an overpowering sense of déjà vu ... probably because I have seen this already! Yes, these boys are related!

Technorati Tags: Baby

Going Up

Last month, while I was hugely pregnant, we had lunch with several of Daddy's coworkers. One of them, Alan, remarked how small I was, which seemed odd given how huge I felt. Then he said that his youngest was delivered (by C of course) two weeks early at almost 12 pounds. The punchline? That four-month-old already weighs 23 pounds, more than Karston weighs at age 2.5!

On the other hand, Cale's weight is going up respectably. After a diaper change this morning, I put him on the scale and Cale weighed 9.5 pounds!

Cale Goes to Work

Now that Cale's a big ol' two weeks old, I took him to work with me so I could go to a big meeting. He didn't cry until I was leaving (than goodness I have an office now, not a cubicle).

I got to eat breakfast easily because Karston wanted to hug baby brother so they sat on the couch together to watch Sesame Street. Karston was a little unsure about going to playschool this morning after two weeks off (Spring Break, not because of Cale), but he loved it again by the afternoon pickup!