The Breuers: Thomas

Today we went to the pediatrician for Thomas' two-week checkup. I was eager to see how much weight he has gained since I'm concerned about his feeding habits. When Lola was a newborn, she would nurse for 30-45 minutes at a time. Thomas is super quick, only nursing for 5-10 minutes at a time. He is having plenty of wet and dirty diapers, but I was still worried he wasn't eating enough. Thankfully, he has gained almost two pounds! The doctor said that is crazy (in a good way), since they usually just want babies to get back to their birth weight by two weeks.

Here are his stats:

Weight = 8 lbs 10 oz (50%) (weight at birth was 6 lbs 15 oz)
Height = 21 1/3 inches (87%)
Head = 14 1/3 inches (54%)

He is growing really well! The doctor said everything else looks great - his heart sounds good, his lungs are clear, and he is strong. He is already showing good neck control. Thomas does appear to have blocked tear ducts in both eyes, as they get goopy throughout the day. Lola had a blocked tear duct in one eye and she had to have a procedure done to clear it. We're hoping Thomas' clear up on their own, which usually happens by six months. The doctor said to keep massaging them and putting breast milk in his eyes.

Thomas also visited my chiropractor last Monday. She specializes in pediatric and prenatal care, and she offers a complimentary adjustment for newborns. So I took Thomas with me (Joseph and Lola came as well) for my appointment and she checked him out. It's nothing like an adult adjustment - she just holds the baby and feels along the spine with her fingertips. She said he felt really good and his spine was in good shape, indicating he had a good birth.

Thomas has been more awake the past week and has actually cried a few times. He does not like having his diaper change or being naked/cold, so that is usually when he cries. As I mentioned, he is a super fast eater, so I guess he's just efficient. He likes to eat often, every 1.5-2 hours (or sometimes more frequently), so he's a snacker. I'm feeding him 3-4 times during the night and hope that decreases a little bit soon. It doesn't take long and is easy since he's in our bed, but it still requires me to wake up at least a little bit.

Lola is a wonderful big sister. She loves to help change Thomas' diapers, and she likes to talk to him and hug him. She has this adorable "baby" voice she uses when talking to him, saying, "It's okay", when he's crying. It is so sweet. She is still a little rough sometimes, but she's learning that she needs to be gentle with him.

Joseph went back to work today. It was great to have him home for two whole weeks. It will take a little time to adjust to not having him here, but my parents are here for another week or two, so that will help. Also, Lola is still going to daycare while I'm on maternity leave, so after I get her ready and drop her off, I just have to worry about Thomas. I feel a little guilty about sending Lola to daycare while I'm home, but it will give me time to focus on Thomas, and I'm positive she'll have more fun at school than at home with me and the baby.

We've taken Thomas on a few outings, but we're limiting them since it's winter and so many people are sick. We took him to El Mexicano on Saturday for his first restaurant experience, and we also took him furniture shopping yesterday. I had to lug him along to the DMV on my birthday too - I was afraid to leave him since I had no idea how long it would take to renew my drivers license. So far he has been great in public, just sleeping in the car seat or carrier.