15 Weeks

(I like to call this photo "Big People Are a Little Funny, Right?)

Wow. I love this kid. Just when we thought he was perfect...he decided to start crying for no apparent reason. I am certain he has a good reason, but he isn't spilling the beans. Maybe it's just a growth spurt? Maybe teething? My darling Aunt Marie is here this week, and she couldn't have come at a better time. My sanity is just about shot with the prospect (ahem....certainty) of returning to work looming. Thanks to all of you who assure me that everything will be ok, keep it coming, I am not convinced yet.

We've had lots of laughs with Lucas, and marvel at his ability to eat. I suppose you can't get as big as he without being able to pack the food away. Soon we'll be on our way to PA and the second leg of the Big Trip of 2009 to Madrid.

Both of the videos this week feature a fat, laughing baby, and you can't get enough of that as far as I am concerned. Love to you all! R

Giggle Video Zerbert Video

Thank Goodness for the Goodness of Moms!

Well, today again I realized how much I need all the moms in my life. After the most bizarre and furious 45 minute screaming spell from our Lucas today, I was in a tizzy for answers. Why the crying? Why so loud? Why so terrifying? What should I do? Am I qualified to handle this kind of screaming?

It hit me...I need a mom! The internet was no match for this kind of question! No book could help me feel better about the obvious misery my littlest guy was suffering. I couldn't reach my mom, so I called on...MRS. BENOIT! For those of you who may not know her, Mrs. Benoit is the greatest neighbor that anyone could ever have asked for, and since she did raise three excellent children, I used my lifeline and made the call. Man, am I glad I did. She assured me that all would turn out OK in the end, and darn it if she wasn't right.

What would we do without all of the moms (biological or otherwise) we are so lucky to have? I, for one, would still be freaking out about an infant's crying jag. So watch out, moms, I may be calling you next! Thanks, Mrs. Benoit!!!!

14 Weeks?!!?

I can't believe it either.

This week has seen such greatness, where to begin? The sleeping has been outstanding. I mean it, outstanding. What I can't stand is that those baby books were right again. It is truly amazing that right at the three month mark, it does become a whole new ballgame. As if by magic, he just began to follow the baby schedule that you can only dream of in the first few months: asleep by 8:00, late dinner at 12:00ish, first breakfast at 5:00ish, second breakfast at 7:00ish. Even more shocking is that this schedule sounds really really good to me.

He has learned to really blow bubbles. And does he love to show off! Sometimes his bubble blowing really blows his mind and he can't stop giggling, which only reminds me that he is the most brilliant child of all time. His little giggles are just too much to take, I tell you!

What else? Oh, the eye-rubbing! Now when Lucas gets sleepy, or is having one of his many pre-sleep snackfests, he has started to rub his eyes before he really drifts off for a solid nap. It is just so amazing to see him learn to have control over his hands. I so look forward to when he reaches for objects. Did I mention he is brilliant?

I got out to buy his big-boy car seat. He is definitely in the 'husky' category, and just about grown out of the infant car seat. At last measurement, he was just at 18 pounds. I can't stand it!

We are getting ready for the big cross-country trip and the even bigger cross-Atlantic trip coming up, sometimes I wonder if I am totally crazy, but then I remember that I am totally crazy.

This week's video is just a little of his PTB time. We call him PTB when he is being Prime Time Baby and is nothing but supreme. You gotta love him!

Sleep Part II and The Elusive Giggle

Just so you know, last night was every bit as supreme as the night before. Maybe even more supreme since we put fresh sheets on the bed which always makes for a better night. Man, I am LAME!

This baby just gets better every day!

We went to the library for storytime today and got to see some of our favorite faces, and just before a little nap...I caught the elusive giggle on video! It is just a little one, he is capable of so much more, but this will have to give you Lucas junkies enough to hang on to for just a bit longer!

This Just In....Best Night Ever!

Well, that brilliant baby must have heard I was tired and not too pleased with his nighttime sleep behavior, or I somehow tricked him into sleeping, because last night was the VERY BEST NIGHT OF SLEEP! Its like he read all of the baby books and decided to follow the rules! I love it!

So, let me set the stage. 7:30 pm. The baby starts to act a little fussy. I will not be fooled, I know it is because he is getting soooo sleepy. So I get the bedtime started. Warm bath running, I get the baby all naked for bathtime. (Insert Mr. Benoit's "It's Bathtime" song here) In he goes, all fun and loving it. He splashes and kicks and gives me the smiles and giggles, but he doesn't fool me, I know he is still tired. This is all just part of my plan. Mwah ah ah.

After cozy bathtime, I lure him back to the changing table. (OK, so I carried him, but doesn't 'lure' sound better?) I comb his hair, get him all dressed for bed, and then I see it.... a super deluxe yawn! I knew it! Victory will be mine! He is READY FOR BED!

Just so you know, I have been preparing for the best night of sleep ever all day. I have already laid my shirt down in the crib for him to lay on hoping that it may help him feel comforted in the night so he wouldn't feel the need to wake up eight thousand times. I have the muslin swaddle also in the crib so that I can wrap up his little arms which sometimes wake up the little guy when he reflexively moves them. I am prepared for almost anything. I can practically taste the sleep.

I sing, he eats, his eyes are getting heavy. Eureka! Sleep has landed. I lay him in the crib, wrap up his little arms, and slowly back away.

It worked! Now, I rush to bed myself. I won't miss out on one more minute of potential sleep. I WILL sleep when he sleeps, just like everyone says.

Except it is 8:15. I lay in bed until 10:00, wide awake. blink blink

Next thing I know, it is 11:40 and the baby is up for a snack. Not bad, 3 1/2 hours! I don't want to get cocky, things can turn sour so quickly. But, after he is done eating, I put him right back in the crib, wrap up his arms, and skulk back to bed where I find it much easier to sleep, even though I am giddy with anticipation. Will he sleep...will he?!?!

Yes! I am awakened at 4:30 am! This is the most supreme! He has done it! He has stuck the landing! After a little nursing, back to sleep!

Until 7:00 am. Does life get any better than this? I don't think so. He is sweetly playing with his mirror and play gym and I can hear Panda snoring and Ben sleeping in the other room, so Lucas is all mine. He is well rested and happy, and so am I! I love today!

Big Boy!

Hi again,
I just have to tell you about our kid. What a shock.
Maybe it is just because I am so tired, I mean sooooo tired, but I can't believe how fast he is growing and how amazing he is. Did I mention that he is giggling these days?!?! I mean, giggling! He just flashes a big old toothless gumsmacking smile and will let loose a silly, breathy, husky baby boy giggle. So of course, I will repeat whatever ridiculous thing I had just done to see how many times I can make him giggle like that. And the best part is, he seems genuinely surprised by his own ability to laugh. Man, I just love that!
While I was getting the little man dressed yesterday, on his big birthday, I realized that he no longer fits into his 6 month clothes. For crying outside, people, he is only 3 months old! I had to bust into some 9 month clothes since the 6 monthers looked like sausage casings on his legs. How can this be? Ben and I weighed him on our VERY inaccurate scale by taking subtracting my weight (scary) from my weight while holding the baby. Looks like he is 18 pounds. Babies aren't supposed to double their birth weight until 6 months! Does this mean my baby is a prodigy, or just a chunk? I am going with prodigy, but most likely he is a chunk.
Oh, and such a cozy chunk. He is so snuggly when you put him in his crib at night! He does the little neck snuggle and his little arms get all sleepy limp.
Now, if he would only stay asleep longer than an hour at night, I would be in heaven. I should be napping now while he is, but I wanted you all to know these little facts about our favorite baby.

13 Weeks!

Hi All!
Well, today is Lucas's Official Three Month Birthday! This week has been full of firsts, like his first trip to You See Sushi, where we were treated like royalty due to Elaine's patronage and Lucas's cuteness factor. Also, this week, our big boy started to sleep in his own room. He has already outgrown the bassinet in our room, so it was time for him to move on up in the world. I can't say that the transition has been smooth, he has been waking up every hour and a half through the nights. I am sure it will get better, at least that is what I keep telling myself.
Lucas's passport showed up at the house this week also, so the trip is on, full steam ahead! I am starting to think I may be a little crazy to take him all across the world, but I can't wait for him to meet more of his East Coast family.
Our friends Shawn and Moira just had a little baby girl this week also, so we send out lots of love to little Miette Millalen Thomas!
Enjoy this week's video!

Lainey and Lucas Birthdays!

What a week! This week, Lucas is 12 weeks old. But Aunt Lainey is an age that we won't mention since it is much older than Lucas. To celebrate her birthday, Elaine, Christian, Ben, Lucas, and I packed up and headed up to Wine Country for an exciting night at the Sheraton. It was Lucas's first hotel stay, and also the weekend I decided that we need a King size bed, but that is just an aside. Just in case anyone has one laying around. Just in case.
I wish I could show you all the photos from the weekend, but I'll just post a few to give you the flavor of the weekend. Lucas was great, we had high hopes for his first dip in the pool, but the water was just too cold. We were ready with the video camera, I swear we are just total losers now.
Now, on to the videos....this one is Lucas cooing in his crib while looking at the fan or his toy, or thinking of how to solve complex mathematical equations, we can't really tell. I think it is the math option.
This little video gem is of Ben's invention, just check it out!