Milo Chap, Month 7
Here we are. At the 7th month of raising two boys in the Sanders' home. So that we are on the same page, you can know that it is 5am and I'm tucked in on the couch with Milo on the floor and a box of toys spread out in front of him. There is an impossibly tall pile of clean clothes in the corner of the rug, and a Daniel Tiger coloring book on the coffee table. The lamp beside me is dimly lit, because I'm hoping that Milo will decide that 5am just isn't worth it.
This baby, you all. He has done so much growing over the last month. We were in Oklahoma for the holidays (blessed with close to three weeks of time with family) and by the time we landed back at SFO, we had a different baby with us. Overnight Milo learned to sit up and play with toys. He found his balance in what felt like a matter of days and suddenly would NOT tolerate laying on down to play.
He now weighs in at 14 pounds and is in the 20th percentile for height. He cut his front bottom teeth just before Christmas. Thank goodness for teething tablets and infant tylenol. He's found his voice and loves to tell us just how he's feeling, at top volume. "Da Da Da DA" and "Pa pa pa pa" are his favorite sounds, next to growling, which he does, A LOT.
Over the last month, my milk supply continued to drop and I nursed this sweet boy for the last time a few nights ago. I'm still pumping twice per day, but I'm sure that will wrap up shortly. I am so thankful for the tender hours we've had nursing over the last seven months... it is definitely work to contain my perspective and choose thankfulness over disappointment as this precious season with him closes. He's now drinking 4oz-5oz per feed every 4 hours. Last night he gave me my longest stretch of sleep since he was born. He slept from 10:30pm - 4:13am. (Granted, he didn't want to go back to sleep until 5:50am, but still, momma got to sleep for over 5 straight hours!).
He's settled into eating three meals per day... and is just now starting to tolerate homemade baby foods, versus store bought. Buddy definitely loves fruit, and grimaces when we slip spoonfuls of peas or squash into his mouth. Last week he managed getting his first finger food to his mouth on his own... you know, just charting the major accomplishments.
I suspect we are weeks away from having a crawling boy. He rolls and squirms all over the living room, which is starting to make me nervous... trying to keep Oliver's tiny barn animals, and marbles, and everything deemed "Special to Ah-ver" away from slobbery fingers.
His favorite things right now are any toys that have lights and make noises (For sanity's sake I've tried to keep these toys out of our toy box and out of our home, but nonetheless, we have several and they are his favorites, naturally.)As long as his brother is playing near him, Milo is content. He loves his paci, and needs it to fall asleep. I'm systematically trying to make his grey lovey his favorite... but he has yet to seem too attached to it.
It's hard to imagine life before this squirmy, fuzzy little baby was sleeping down the hall, adding to the music of our chaos with his squeals and his screams. We are still tired. Not dead on our feet tired anymore, most days it feels like there is a low drum of fatigue humming in the background. Life with two is an exercise in doing more with less. And we are blessed to have our hands full. And we are really blessed when we have our hands full and are well rested.
Milo, buddy, you are special to us.