Baby LaTour: 5 Weeks Old

Gabriel is 5 weeks old this week. Some interesting changes are happening...

He now cries with tears! For the first month or so, Gabe's crying was not "productive" I guess you could say. It turns out that babies' tear ducts are not finished forming until about a month of age, so their cries until then are tearless ("crocodile tears" some would call them). I never knew this, but suddenly he was crying with tears, which made his cries so much more sad to me, haha!
Gabriel doesn't like being changed, but lately he is using his "mega-lungs" to belt out how much he hates being half naked. This especially occurs at diaper changes before nighttime feedings, which of course wakes up Craig (and probably the rest of the neighborhood!).
Gabe slept for a half hour nap for the first time in his crib the other day. Getting him used to the crib has been on my list of things to do. He currently sleeps in the bassinet section of a pack'n'play in our room, but eventually he'll move across the hall to his own room. I've also been trying to get him used to hanging out without me for short periods of time - in the swing, on the rocker, in the vibrating chair, even next to me on the couch. I'm worried he is getting to attached to falling asleep in my arms or just being there for comfort, but I know he's too little to "self-soothe" yet, so I try not to let him get too angry in these other places. Luckily, he sleeps great in the bassinet.
This week we've stopped formula supplementation! I am excited to see his weight at the breastfeeding support group meeting on Thursday. I'm a little sad though, because I've been using these bottle feedings to pump breastmilk to store for when I go back to work. I'm still getting a little when I pump after each feeding, but it will take at least 2 days to get enough to freeze in a single bag. Guess it's good that I still have a little over a month of maternity leave to bank milk. (But so sad that it's only that small amount of time left!)
Gabe & I went to city hall and picked up his birth certificate this week. It's so strange - every time I get a new document with his name on it, he becomes that much more of a "real" person to me. (I know he's a real person, but I'm still in that "shock" period that I'm a parent!) The snap&go stroller has been a Godsend (thanks Zia Teresa!) - it is so easy to plop the carseat (complete with a sleeping Gabriel) in and go. We try to get outside a little every day, even if it means just a little bit of time parked in the stroller on the front porch while I was putting up decorations.

Catching flies... I mean, zzzz's

Gabe & I decorated the house for Christmas (still need to remove the pumpkins!)

Gabriel received a most thoughtful gift from our friend Father Henry this week - an apostolic blessing from the Pope for the occasion of his baptism! It's beautiful! (On a side note, Father Henry & Father Joe (may he rest in peace) had given Craig & I an apostolic blessing for our wedding, which was equally as beautiful and thoughtful.) I need to get a frame to put it in for Gabriel's room.

Gabriel's Papal Blessing on the occasion of his Baptism

We finally put up our Christmas tree over the weekend. We got a "selfie" picture with Gabriel awake in the Infantino carrier (Thanks Theresa!), which was only for about a minute - then he passed back out! He loves being worn by mommy.