These days

Dear Elliot,
These days, you wake up to eat at about 4:00am. You start making cute little noises starting about a half an hour to an hour before that. I call it your 'fake-out' time. You start grunting, I wake up, sit up, get ready to pick you up, and as soon as I am standing over your bassinet, you are sound asleep and snoring again. We repeat the process about 10 times before you're actually awake and ready to be fed.

These days, as soon as pick up up and have you in my arms you start nuzzling your head into me and trying to suck on my shoulder. Then as I'm getting situated on the rocking chair, you begin to eat your fist. It's like your saying, "if you don't hurry up and feed me, Mom, I'm just going to have to eat my own hand!" Once you're latched on and eating, you look up at me with the cutest, sweetest expression ever, like you are just so happy to be doing your favorite activity (eating) with your favorite person (mom).

These days, you take about 15-20 minutes to eat (which is down from the 45 minutes to an hour it took in the beginning!). After you're done, I burp you, cuddle you a bit, then wake up your dad so he can change you and get you back to sleep. Then I go downstairs and pump (you only take one side your first feeding of the day, so my other boob feels like its about to explode!)

These days, you sleep again until about 6:30. I feed you again, then after a little bit of playtime and sending Dad off to work, its time for one of my favorite parts of the entire day--our morning nap. You lay on my chest and we cuddle on the couch together until about 9:00. There isn't a feeling in the world that beats the way you clutch my hair in your little fists as you sleep, your head nestled perfectly under my cheek.

These days, after your next feeding, we go upstairs and get ready for the day. I sing silly songs to you as I get you dressed in a fresh onesie and outfit. Then you sit on my bed, your head propped up on my pillow, and watch me while I get dressed and do my hair. Usually I put on your tunes (a playlist called 'E's Mix'), and you are super content to lay there and kick your legs along to Raffi, ELO ('Mr. Bluesky'), and the Jungle Book soundtrack ('the Bare Necessities' is your favorite!) After I'm done getting myself ready, I come and lay next to you on the bed for awhile. We talk and sing more silly songs and cuddle with the dogs.

These days, after we're both ready for the day, we take the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood. I put you in one of our carriers (Ergo, Baby Bjorn, or Moby) and get the girls leashed up and ready to go. You usually start out the walk super awake and alert. You love looking around and taking in your new surroundings. As we walk we've started playing the 'color game.' I don't know why I started doing this, but I pick a color and start telling you all the things we see as we walk. So I'll say, 'what can we find that's green? Oh, there's green grass...green trees...there's a green hose...a green garbage can...a green car..." and it goes on and on until we switch colors. I know you have no idea what I'm talking about yet, but you seem to enjoy it anyway :). Most of the time the 'color game' puts you to sleep eventually and you spend the rest of the walk snoring away in your carrier.

These days, you stay sleeping for another hour or so once we get home. Sometimes I just keep you in your carrier, sometimes I take you out and you sleep on my arm/shoulder as I spend some time on the computer (like right now!)

These days, you normally spend some time in your bouncy chair after you eat again. You watch me clean up the kitchen, tidy up the house, and attempt to eat something for lunch. I usually come and sit on the floor next to you and talk to you while I eat. Once you start fussing to be picked up, we dance around the living room. You LOVE being danced around to music. It's always something different--some of your favorites have been Lady Gaga, old Dixi Chicks, and Jack Johnson. It appears you have a pretty eclectic taste in music!

These days, its time for your afternoon nap after your next feeding. We cuddle on the couch again, only this time I'll usually put on a movie on Netflix to watch while you sleep. Some days, if its really nice outside, I'll put you down to sleep in your lounger/napper pillow right inside the door and sit outside on the deck and catch some sun while you sleep.

These days, Dad gets home from work after your next feeding, at around 5:00. He misses you all day, so he's always really excited to see you. He takes you and I usually go shower or switch out laundry, or just take a little break. He usually puts on a record and you guys hang out and listen to music for awhile.

These days, sometimes I entertain you (by reading books, playing on your activity mat, etc) while Dad cooks dinner, other times Dad puts you in a carrier and you cook dinner with him. Once dinner is ready, sometimes you'll let us put you down in your bouncy seat while we eat, other times you insist on being held and we take turns eating :).

These days, after your next feeding, its bath time! You used to hate baths, but now bathtime is one of your favorite times of the day. You love to stretch out and relax in your little tub. We sing songs ('row row row your boat' is a favorite), and you love to kick your legs and splash around in the water. After your bath, we give you a little massage with lotion, and put you in a fresh onesie and pair of PJs.

These days, after one more quick feeding, its time for bed (about 9:00). You do this thing at night, where you want to be nursing whenever I hold you (even when you're not hungry), so Dad is on bedtime duty. He wraps you up in your swaddle blanket (we use Miracle Blankets, best things ever!), gives you your paci, puts on your bedtime music ('Rockabye Baby'), and rocks you for 10-15 minutes. Once you're really tired (but not quite asleep), we put you down in your bassinet. You usually grunt for a few minutes and then fall sound asleep.

These days, I usually fall asleep myself shortly after.

These days, they're exhausting.

These days, they go by so fast.

These days, they're the best days of my life.

Lots of love,
Mom