7 Weeks Old!

Gabriel hit the big 7 this week (7 weeks, that is!).  (If you think the onesie in the picture below looks familiar, it's because it's one of the ones I made over the summer.  He's cute in purple, isn't he?)

• Gabe is smiling & giggling & cooing a lot this week.  I love capturing his cute little face!

• He's found his fists (and sucks them occasionally until I switch them for a pacifier) and can track slow moving objects with his eyes, both of which are 3-4 month old milestones.  Sometimes he even "holds" the pacifier in with his fist - this is definitely a subconscious thing still though.  He also is pretty good at holding his head up and he even pushed himself up on his elbows during tummy time once!

  

  Thanks for the monkey, Auntie Rene!

Gripping his mirror toy too!

• We did a lot of snuggling this week, since I have been dealing with a cold & cough for (ugh!) 3 weeks now.  Can't take much of anything except ibuprofen & cough syrup without affecting my breastmilk supply, so I'm just dealing with it.  I did get an Rx for antibiotics from my doctor but they didn't help one bit.  Consequently, I also finished all of the tissue boxes in the house and am onto toilet paper until I get to the store tomorrow.

After vacuuming & mopping together

Watching some TV

• I received a coupon for a free ceramic ornament from a personalization website I use fairly frequently, and I picked on for Gabe's birth statistics & newborn photo.  I think it came out beautifully!

The front - my beautiful boy!

The back has all his birth stats

• Daddy got some quality time along with Gabriel this week.  I went to a Christmas dinner with the Commission for Women (a church group), and Gabe did fairly well without me (a couple of 15 minute stints of crying even with Craig holding & rocking him, but I returned to them quietly snuggling on the couch after a bath).  Craig is pretty good at soothing him as long as he's not "starvin' like Marvin!"

Man talk

"Don't take my picture; my hair is a mess!  (Hence the hood!)

• We went to my 6wk post-partum check-up with my OB/GYN this week.  I'm totally healed and cleared for exercise.  (We were discussing the possibility of baby #2, and the doctor said, "Well, I wouldn't recommend you try induction again."  I really wanted to say "No s***!" but I managed a more subtle, "Yeah, since none of it worked.")  So Gabe & I took a 2 mile walk to/from the post office to mail out our Christmas cards.  It was SOOOO cold, but he was toasty all bundled up in his stroller.  (I was the one who was freezing, not to mention sniffly from my cold!)
• I think I need to attend "I can't resist buying my child cute stuff" anonymous meetings!  There are seriously too many presents under the tree for Gabe, most of which he can't play with for at least a few more months, haha!  (I got them all at great discount prices though, so that's ok, right?)

Here are some other pictures from the week:

Thanks for my turtle, Gina & Aunt Donna!

My view of Gabe when he's in the Infantino carrier.  Love his forehead!

Mommy couldn't refuse buying this "Holiday Hunk" onesie!

Sourpuss (blurry) face because I couldn't stay in the bath all night!

6 Weeks

I was about to start this post with "Wow..." but then I realized that I have started many a post that way, and I should probably work on being less predictable!  Haha!

Gabriel is 6 weeks old today.  Supposedly this is the "hump" of the fussy baby time.  Some would call the first 3 months of a baby's life the "4th trimester," when baby wants to be attached to mom at all times.  This is surely the case with our son.  I do my best to make sure he gets held by other (healthy) people quite frequently so he gets used to others, but during the hours of 5-8pm, he definitely prefers his mother (though I think this is frankly because I am his food supply!).

All smiles!

Cracking himself up!

• Gabriel was excited to wear a cute new outfit for the Kozaczka holiday party this weekend!  (Ok, really I am the one who was excited because I love dressing him up in fancy outfits.  I would have him in suits every day if I had the pleasure of owning more than just a few for special occasions.  Anything with a tie or bowtie!)

This onesie was worn underneath the outfit!

• We have become more adept at feeding in public (though the backseat of my car is not particularly popular for the public to frequent).  He is a little bit of a noisy eater though, which makes being inconspicuous an unreasonable goal for the most part.  He also kicks a lot when he eats, which moves the nursing cover and makes him a wiggly bundle to hold.
• I can't deny that I am really into buying clothes for him.  Especially the "fancy outfits" I mentioned previously.
• We attended the holiday party at the breastfeeding support group this week.  After eating, Gabe was all smiles!

 

 

• Gabe already has a few gifts under the Christmas tree from his parents.  Again, can't seem to avoid purchasing cute things for him.  Some are a little too old for him to use yet, but they were on sale, haha!  I did get him a cute set of stuffed tools - figured he has to start early to keep up with Daddy!  One has a rattle and another a squeaker.  I'll put up a picture when he (ahem, us) opens them on Christmas.
• Speaking of Christmas...  We took family Christmas pictures the other day.  Craig took a few HOURS setting up the perfect spot.  Thank goodness, Gabe was in a decent mood by the time everything was ready.  Here's a preview:

Santa & his elves!

• On Friday, I took some additional pictures of Gabriel in his Christmas stocking.  Yep, he fits in it!  Skinny little guy!  I cranked up the space heater in his room to get him pleasantly sleeping, but all he wanted to do was laugh & giggle for the pictures (which was fine by me!).

• We got a beautiful gift from the Merigelli's this week (thank you!) - a personalized cross for Gabe's room with his birth statistics & baptism date.  Now to find the perfect spot to hang it...

• I gave Gabe a crinkle book (Thanks Rachel & Mark!) to "play" with while he was waiting for me to shower & get dressed the other morning.  (I'll admit, I staged these photos a little!)  
  
  
  

I can't wait to see what new things this little guy does next week!

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. 

Just put the tree up - time to decorate!

• Gabe has been smiling & "giggling"  (well, what you can call baby giggling anyway).  I got a short video of it - click this link 

Sticking his tongue out during a laugh

Great smile!

 Other pictures from the week:

Gabe loves being "worn" - passes out every time!

Practicing for World Cup announcer - "GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!"

1 Month of Happiness!

Gabe turned 1 month old this week.  Wow, time flies!  (I think that's my new saying!)

Getting older so quickly!

• This week Gabe is practicing his smile more frequently.  I love it!  Can't wait to teach him to smile at "Cheese!"
• At his 1 month pediatrician appointment, the doctor commented at how great his head control is for a baby his age and how alert & active he is (arms & legs always moving!).  He weighed in at 8 lbs even and grew a half inch longer since birth (now 21 inches).  His head circumference was 14.5 inches, but I have no measurement to compare that to, so more on that if she measures it again in the future.
• I am happy that Gabe's rate of weight gain has increased (from 13g/day to 17g/day) with changing the formula supplementation down from 4 to only 2 feedings per night.  I have hopes that dropping them totally in exchange for breast feeding directly will help that increase more.  So this week, we are down to only 1 bottle feeding per night (50/50 formula & pumped breast milk).  I'm pumping the same amount he's eating at that feeding, so I am hopeful that my supply will be just fine when we wean down to no bottle feedings at night.  I've stored quite a few bags of breast milk in the freezer, but I know that they won't last more than a few days without my continued pumping/storing once I go back to work in January.
• This week I have to go pick up Gabe's birth certificate from the City Clerk's office.  Good thing I paged through all the documents from the hospital, because a single pink sheet of paper told us we had to call to check that it was ready to pick up.  Different from his social security card that arrived in the mail on its own.  Seeing documents with his name on them makes it so real for me that he's a little person!
• Our boy loves to sleep in the most awkward positions!  Take a look:  

Time for some more pictures from over the week...

In conversation with Nonno

 

Smiling for Babcia

 

Quality time with Babcia

Welcome New Christian!

On Saturday, we celebrated Gabriel's baptism at St Brigid Church.  He was an AMAZING baby and slept through the ENTIRE thing!  The Deacon & I were joking that he should have added ice cubes to the baptismal font to get a reaction from Gabe.  All he did when the water was poured over his head was throw up his arms; he didn't even open his eyes!

Talking about our good little sleeper with Deacon Ron

Godmother Chelsea came over the house early to take some pictures of us putting Gabriel in his outfit, which was made out of my wedding dress by my mother's seamstress.  He looked so adorable (even though he cried a little while we were putting it on).  His Nonno & Nonna gave him a gold cross in honor of the occasion. 

Putting on his white outfit

Buttoning it up

His cross from Nonno & Nonna

Crying while I put on his cross

Babcia & Grammy soothing Gabriel's cries

(On a side note, I think I dressed my husband wonderfully well - do you see how beautiful his eyes look with that color shirt?)

Deacon Ron gave an incredible service - personal and heart-filled.  We really appreciate his willingness to accommodate our date needs.  Godparents Chelsea & Andre also did a wonderful job!

We had a photographer come to the church, since Chelsea was going to be otherwise busy with Godmother duties.  We're still waiting for her images, but she did share this one, which I am in LOVE with!  I can't wait to see the others, hopefully soon.

Photo by Jessie J Photography

We had a luncheon afterwards at Maxwell Silverman's Restaurant.  The food was amazing, and the (last-minute) cake was a hit, too.  They had even decorated for Christmas with some twinkle lights - these captured Gabe's attention the whole time!  After I fed him, he was awake and alert; he got passed around to many a relative and didn't cry but once!  Godfather Andre gave a beautiful toast to Gabriel.

Overall, it was a great day, though exhausting for Gabriel and his parents.  We were so happy to have had a lot of family and close friends from near & far attend this special occasion.