Ryan is getting so much bigger and better!  He’s able to hold his head up in a supported sitting position for a few minutes at a time.  His alert periods are getting more frequent and he spends his time waving his arms legs about and just looking around while breathing like he is excited.  They last a couple of hours.  Eating seems to put him to sleep.  A very lovable baby and likes to be held if he’s fussy- will calm him right down.  His little thighs are getting so chunky, hard to resist chewing on them a little bit.   The other evening he slept for nearly 5 hours in row.  That was artificially induced by a car ride in his seat, but hey- if it works…. He’s really great about traveling and going places, but I’m too nervous to be gone from home for long, unless Dave is there for backup.  He’s also tracking objects from left to right, right to left and somewhat up to down now.  Likes the rattle toys and will follow them or turn his head to our voices.  It’s so rewarding to see him progress!!  He’s taken to his pacifier which I will be eternally grateful for and  Dave is still Best Dad Ever and I think we both fall in love with Ryan a little more each day.

We have been waiting for what seems like forever for the last of Ryan’s umbilical cord to fall off. Dave discovered this morning that it finally fell off in his clothes overnight. I’m looking forward to be able to bathe him for real instead of the spongebaths he has been getting- which by the way he no longer screams through. The mornings seem to be his most alert periods, he’s staying mostly awake from about 6-12 the last few days and needs to be held a lot, then drops off into a coma for a few hours. I think he may not be getting enough milk from nursing during this period because I finally break down and give him a bottle when nursing doesn’t seem to be cutting it and he falls right back to sleep.

He’s getting really good at holding his head midline when he’s held upright, and lifting his head more each day from partial prone position. He’s not getting much “tummy time” because he doesn’t like laying on his stomach for very long. Still can’t get him to track a moving object but he seems to like staring at faces.

He’s already grown out of some of his smaller outfits- kind of sad but I guess I’d better get used to him growing like a weed.

Would dearly love for him to start sleeping longer at night, but he’s on his own timer for waking every 3 hours to eat. At least he normally falls back to sleep easily. Dave has been doing a great job of spelling me for awhile when he’s home and I just need to sleep. It is so moving to see them together and the absolute adoration Dave has for our son.

Today is Ryan’s official due date, but Angel Baby is nearly 3 weeks old. After his dr. appointment this morning I am especially glad he came early. Ryan was born weighing 7lbs 9 oz. Today he is 9 lbs 8 oz (wearing diaper). Dr. Sova says this is “off the charts” for growth and that he is a very healthy baby. It’s a little sad he’s growing so fast, so I’m trying to enjoy each day as much as possible!

It has been a great help to have my mom here for the last several days too. Has made for more naps for me and healthy meals to boot. Will be sad to see her go.