Saturday, August 30, 2008

Parents in training


It looks as though we have all survived Leo's first month. :o) Although we're still figuring some things out (like how to tell the "hungry" cry from the "tired" cry), we are getting a hang of the basics. And Leo is training us well--here are some of the things we've learned.
  • Leo likes: eating, bathing, staring at lights / the ceiling fan / black and white shapes, cuddles, swaddling, morning naps
  • Leo dislikes: napping between the hours of 6 and 8 PM (his fussy time), "Nuk" pacifiers, aspartame (goodbye Diet Pepsi), and caffeine
In other news, Leo is losing much of the hair from the front part of his head though it is still thick on the sides and back. We were looking at baby pictures of Mike today and noticed that Leo's hair pattern as a newborn (and his ears!) looks very similar to Mike's (Mike is under the yellow and white blanket, and the other photo is of Leo at three weeks). I am curious to see what it will be like when it grows back in.

Additionally, Leo skipped his 2 AM feeding twice this week. That's a good sign that he is moving toward eliminating that feeding by his second month, as the pediatrician recommends. It also makes me very happy because the difference between two or three hours' sleep and five hours
of uninterrupted sleep is HUGE. I can't even imagine how luxurious sleeping through the whole night will feel!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Leo's a month old!

Christina and Rachel visit



My sister Christina came from Arizona with her daughter, Rachel, to visit Leo last week. They came directly to our house from the airport to meet Leo. Rachel immediately and accurately identified him as a baby. :o) On Friday, Leo and I went up to Ogden to visit with Nona, Grandpa, Christina and Rachel. The highlights for Leo were napping on Grandpa's lap on the balcony and getting a bottle from Nona. Highlights for me were getting some quality Zia (aunt) time with Rachel and visiting with Chris. On Sunday, we all visited the aquarium in Salt Lake City. Rachel had a wonderful time looking at all of the fish--she loved the octopus so much she kissed the glass of his tank. Leo, characteristically, napped the entire time.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Leo and Leo







My cousin Sarah and her daughter Kate sent me this wonderful lion that belonged to our grandfather and Leo's namesake, Leo Schiavone. Grandpa kept Leo the Lion with him through his battle with cancer, it was my focus item during my labor, and it is now one of Leo's special treasures. Mom suggested that I take some pictures with Leo the Lion to mark Leo's growth. Here is the first in the series--Leo is exactly three weeks old in these photos.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Leo's 2-week checkup

Leo had his two-week checkup today and is doing very well. Here are the statistics:
  • Weight: 9.0 lbs (75th percentile)
  • Length: 21.5 inches (90th percentile)
  • Head: 15 inches (75th percentile)
His jaundice is officially gone and all of his internal organs, eyes, throat, and ears are "perfect". The only upsetting part was the heel blood draw for the PKU test (a test required by Utah to screen for some birth defects)--Leo proved there's nothing wrong with his lungs! The pediatrician said, "Whatever you're doing, keep doing it because this is a happy and healthy baby." Those were wonderful words to hear, especially since I often feel like such a noob.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Out and about

Mike and I were both suffering from cabin fever this week, so we decided take Leo on his first social outings. On Wednesday, we went to our friends Andrea and John Maloufs' home. Andie cooked a wonderful meal for us and their son, JJ, was very excited to meet Leo at last. JJ gave Leo a very soft and lovable teddy bear and said that, because he is five now, he is pretty sure he could babysit Leo. :o) On Friday, I took Leo to see my friends John, Sutton, Amber, and Jim. Sutton made Leo an intricate and beautiful knit cap in gorgeous fall colors, but his noggin is still a bit too small--it should fit perfectly by the time the weather turns cool. Today we are taking our first trip to Nona and Grandpa Rocky's house, which is exciting. Leo loves riding in the car (puts him out like a light) and has been very happy and social on all of these visits. We are so glad that he makes getting out of the house easy!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Happy One Week Birthday, Leo!

Leo turned one week old yesterday! Its been a busy week of learning how to take care of a newborn (diaper changing is deceptively difficult with a squirming boy). Leo is seemingly growing daily--he's back up to his birth weight of 8.5 lbs after dropping to 7 lbs 10 oz earlier in the week. His jaundice is clearing up rapidly and he is a happy baby for the most part.

Friday, August 1, 2008