Baby LaTour: 13 Weeks = 3 Months?

Not quite real math it seems... On January 31st, Gabriel was 13 weeks and on February 1st, he was 3 months old. Confusing, I know! Luckily, I know that every Saturday marks a new week, and every 1st of the month marks a new month. It helps me keep things straight! I got to use the 3 month photo to fill the First Year picture frame at the base of the stairs.

I learned that somehow, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around how it could possibly work, putting a baby to sleep earlier in the evening makes them sleep later into the morning. I moved up Gabe's bedtime to 7:45pm (as opposed to 8-8:15), and he's been sleeping later into the 6 o'clock hour in the morning (when before he was up somewhere between 4:30-5:30am to eat). Don't get me wrong, it's very pleasant on our end as parents, because we can catch up on things in the evening that we can't do with a needy infant during the day.
Speaking of needy, this boy constantly wants to be in physical contact with one of us. Even if we're not actually holding him tightly against us, he would prefer to sit on our lap or be in one of the baby carriers than be in his swing or bouncy seat. The previously used "birdcage" system (aka putting him in his carseat, putting the canopy down over him so it's dark, and rocking the stroller base a little) has not been working as well as it was in the past. I am having a hard time figuring out if he's of old enough age for "crying it out" a little - leaving him in the swing or bouncy seat but soothing him without picking him up. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. He definitely doesn't like it when we leave the room (he is always safely strapped into something when we do).

I enjoyed spending 2 snowdays home from work with Gabriel this week, but I had to finagle ways to get my students the information they missed from losing lecture & lab time. However, Craig did not enjoy snow blowing 34.5 inches! This was the most Worcester has seen in a single snowstorm in 110 years! It was pretty amazing to watch the blizzard; the wind was CRAZY! Unfortunately, we're supposed to get another foot or so this coming Monday (though I would welcome the day off to spend with the boy, since I don't teach any classes on Mondays).
Gabriel started really gripping things well with his hands this week. I gave him his first bath toy and a rattle (thanks Lisa!), his Lela deer teether (thanks Uncle Gregory & Auntie Christina!), and a ring rattle (pictured above; thanks Auntie Janet!).

Meet Lela, my deer teether

My first bath toy!

Watching TV with my monkey

Gabriel is enjoying tummy time a little more, I think. He is holding his head up fabulously, and his legs are ready to crawl even if the rest of him isn't yet! He likes being propped up with a nursing pillow (thanks for the slipcovers Justine!)

Staring contest!

We've been doing a lot of Skyping with Nonno recently. It's hard not having my dad in the States, but I try to Skype at least once a week if not more frequently so he can see his grandson. He can definitely tell when Gabriel goes from a good mood (typically immediately post-eating) to a cranky "I'm tired" mood (about an hour later). Gabriel listens to his voice and kicks his feet wildly when he sees Nonno's face on the phone.
I estimated my frozen breastmilk stock this weekend. I have about 300 ounces, which would be enough to feed Gabe for approximately 10 days by bottle alone. It seems like such a lot of milk until I figure in that he needs ~30 oz per day! I would love to get one month's supply stored so I could stop breastfeeding at 11 months if I so desire (my goal has always been to give him breastmilk for 1 year, even with the introduction of solids at 6 months or so).
Gabe has been eating more during the day while I'm away, so I'm freezing less per week than before. Hopefully, as is what I've read, he will stabilize out at some particular amount of ounces. (Apparently, breastmilk composition changes as the baby ages so that the same number of ounces will give him whatever nutrition he needs at that particular time.)
Daddy has been excited since Gabriel now laughs & smiles at him all the time. Quite a change from when he was younger and Mommy was the apple of his eye! They are so cute together! (And yes, I am vaguely jealous!)

Early in the week, we weighed Gabriel using our "Polish baby scale" (version 2). We learned that a bowl works A LOT better than a baking pan! Gabe weighed in at 9 lb 9 oz.

Our "Polish baby scale"

We were supposed to celebrate the Superbowl at the Kozaczka's house, but poor Wyatt was sick, so we ended up staying at home. Gabe wore his Pats onesie (thanks Auntie Janet!), his football PJs (thanks Rachel & Mark!), and his Pats slippers (thanks Auntie Deb!) in preparation for the big game. He of course went to bed before halftime, but I know that he is dreaming of a win. I'm posting this before the end of the game, but our family is rooting, "Go Pats!"

Gabriel graduated from bathing in the kitchen sink to an actual bathtub this weekend. He got too long for the bath sling, which made me sad because it worked really well. However, I'm not sure how much I love the bathtub system we have... He seemed to slide down the infant insert too easily, and I had to hold him up out of the water. I am going to try less water tomorrow night, and I may have to invest in some of those sticky non-slip things that are supposed go at the bottom of bathtubs. Or I may just exchange it for another bathtub entirely. It may just have a learning curve I have to get over!

Here are some more pictures from the week: