Stephens' Stories: June 2014

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Campbell at 2 Months

Campbell's 2 month doctor's visit was on Thursday June 5. He appropriately slept for 8.5 consecutive hours the night before the visit so that we would have something to brag to Dr. Pielop about. Campbell weighed 10 lbs 14 oz, which is 19% in weight and was 23 1/2 inches tall, which is 78%. So he is tall and thin! His head was 15 1/2 inches, which was 63%. He is getting big! I looked back at Austin's statistics at 2 months and he was 11 lbs 6 oz and 23 inches tall, which was about 50% for both. It's funny because Austin was 7 oz heavier when he was born and at 2 months he was 8 oz more than Campbell. They are very similar so far! Campbell does not like to follow any kind of schedule yet. He eats when he wants to eat and sleeps when he wants to sleep. He is a very fast eater and doesn't always want to eat when I offer him milk. I often try to feed him right before we are supposed to be somewhere and sometimes he won't eat then. About 30 minutes later, when we arrive at our destination, he will be hungry. Thanks buddy! So then I just nurse him wherever we are or in the car. Thank goodness he is easy going and a quick eater. He is sleeping well at night but not quite as good as Austin did at this point. 8 hours some nights, and only 5-6 hour stretches feed, then back down for 3-4 hours. I can't complain. He will get there! I seriously think he is about a week behind Austin at everything - gaining his ounces and sleeping 9 consecutive hours every night. After all, he was almost 6 days early and Austin was right on time, which could explain the small timing differences with these brothers. Campbell is proving to be a very content baby so far - he likes playing on his playmat when he is awake and I just move it and the lamb chair from room to room. He naps in his carseat if we are out and about or in the lamb chair on the kitchen table if we are eating or I am in the kitchen. He usually sits in the swing each evening after Austin goes to bed while I clean up the house or sit down to eat my dinner. Until about 6 weeks, he just wanted to be held in the evenings from 7:30-9:30, but now he is happy to be in the swing or lamb chair on playmat. We are developing a routine of a 3-4 ounce bottle around 6:30/7 (and mom pumps) so that you can get used to taking one bottle a day from either me or dad (whoever is not giving Austin his bath). It will be very nice once the boys can bathe together. Now Campbell has his bath in the infant tub in the kitchen right before he nurses and goes to sleep for the night (usually around 9/9:30). We are guaranteed Austin will wake up around 6:30 so it is important that we get Campbell in bed before 10 so that mom can go to sleep too! Austin is a sweet big brother! When I would bring Campbell in his classroom at school to pick him up, he would run up to us and say "Campbell, MY Campbell". He loves to get close in Campbell's face and talk to him. Sometimes he smiles and sometimes he turns away as if if is saying "leave me alone big brother". It's cute either way! I hope they are best friends!

Swinging

Celebrating MiMi's retirement from 40 years of teaching (Austin had to stay home from the party)

Found his hands - and boy they taste good!

All serious in the tub

Small smirk of a smile

Big lips

Double chin, no neck at 2 Months today!

Brotherly hugs

Austin loves HIS Campbell!

Cuties (Austin bonked his had with Campbell's head right after this and C screamed- poor little brother!)

Here are a few comparison pictures - Austin at 2 months

Austin at 2 months

Austin

Austin swinging

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Austin's activities

Austin's spring show at Zebra Zone was on April 25th. Campbell stayed with my Aunt Carrie while daddy, mommy and MiMi attended the show (DiDi was in Dallas for a wedding). The show was "Fun in the Sun" and all kids wore a bathing suit. Austin's Giraffe class performed to "Surfin USA" and "Fun Fun Fun". Austin danced and shook his bell; he did not have stage fright that's for sure! He held his sunglasses on his face most of the performance.

On Friday May 16, Austin's school had their annual field day. Campbell attended too and slept in his stroller the whole time. They had a gymnastics bus that was air conditioned and had music, gym mats, and jumping things inside. I didn't get to go in but Austin did with his class and then slid out the back. They also had golf, baseball, face painting (not interested in this at all), and of course, sno-cones. He loved eating a blue sno cone with his buddy Pedro and getting a blue tongue and face! It was a fun end-of-year event.

On Friday May 23, DiDi, Aunt Ricki, Aunt LaLa, cousin Annabelle, Campbell, Austin and I went to the Houston zoo. Austin had not been to the zoo since he was 15 months old. This time he was very interested in the animals and had a great time especially since Annabelle was there. She is very mature and had just been to the zoo a few weeks before. We had a fun time and Campbell slept through most of it. :)

Over Memorial day weekend, we went to the lake. It was Campbell's first road trip and he did great. Unfortunately, it rained (monsooned) every day so we did not swim or go in the boat. The guys' golf was also rained out both days. We got to see Pop too since he was at his Horseshoe Bay house. We ate dinner with him on Saturday night and went over for a visit on Sunday. Cecile, David and Andrew were there, along with DiDi and Granddad. We also went over to the Spurgeons to visit baby Caroline, Meredith and Matt. Cecile bought some plastic golf clubs at HEB for $5. This was Austin's indoor entertainment the whole weekend and Granddad helped him perfect his grip and swing. Austin slept in the bunk room with Daddy on his new inflatable toddler bed. He did great! It was his first time to sleep in an unconfined bed (he is still in the crib at home and the last time we travelled was October and he was still in the pac n play). We told him not to get off the bed until we came to get him, and he obeyed, even during nap time! Maybe he is ready for his big boy bed at home soon???? My plan is to wait until Campbell is sleeping 8 hours consistently each night, and then we will switch the boys - Campbell to the crib and Austin in the twin bed. Campbell and I slept in the back room. It was a fun weekend at the lake even though it rained a ton. Hopefully when we go back in mid- June we can boat and swim and golf!

Sportin the green shades (I can't tell which girl is which, but Austin's friend Ewan is the boy on the right)

Holding his sunglasses on tight

Hugs for buddy Jackson

Sliding out of the bus

Balance beam

Working on his golf swing - needs some work here. Thank goodness Grandad taught him how to swing at the lake over Memorial day weekend

Sno Cones with Pedro (yes, Austin looks huge. Pedro is a little guy)

Blue faces, yellow shirt with new blue polka dots.

Water table at home

New big boy Longhorn hat! Looking so grown up

Zoo buddy - Aunt Ricki

Checking out the animals with Annabelle

Giving the elephant kisses

Walking like he is 13 - we are in trouble!

Watching the giraffes with LaLa

Selfie on the carousel with mommy

Cousins

Austin, look up!

Was not scared of the petting zoo this time - LaLa went in with him

Running through sprinklers on golf course near Pop's house

The big ball went flat this trip (stickers in the hill country). Fortunately we bought a new one at Target for $3

Hanging with Bear on the porch

Silly Bear

You might think it was game day

So grown up with his backwards hat

Austin was sad we left the golf clubs at the lake, so I found them at HEB here in Houston - now we have a set at our house too!!

Sunday, June 1, 2014

First 6 Weeks

Now that Campbell is 8 weeks old, I figured I better catch up on the blog. This is so bad but "Blog" has been on my "to-do" list every week for the past 5 weeks and I am just now getting to it. Campbell has been a very easy baby so far. The first six weeks consisted of lots getting to know each other, as I like to call it. I basically studied him to understand his cues for hunger, tired, bored, and uncomfortable. Now that he is 8 weeks, he rarely cries at all and even in the first 6 weeks he didn't cry very often. Daddy would say "he only cried when I touched him". As with any baby, he does favor his mommy. But, as we have seen with Austin, that changes. Austin loves his daddy! Around 1 month, he started sleeping longer than 3 hour stretches (4-5 hours at a time). Now that he is 8 weeks, he has been sleeping 5-6 hours consistently and then eating, and going back down for 3 hours. Hopefully he next time I write he will be sleeping 8 hours consistently! He would wake up to eat and have a diaper change and then go back to sleep easily. His first official smile was just before he turned 6 weeks. He prefers to nurse and is picky about his bottle (first bottle at 6 weeks old). We are trying to have a routine of one bottle a day at the evening feeding so that mommy can have some freedom (and possibly enjoy a glass of wine :) Austin loves his baby brother, especially when he can play on the playmat with him and put his face nose to nose with Campbell's. He doesn't seem to mind! Campbell has no choice but to go with the flow and get carted around to big brother's school for drop off and pick up. He has also napped almost every day in the BOB Stroller while mommy runs (now it's almost too hot for this though). We will find out how much C weighs at his 2 month appointment soon. He is out of newborn clothes and diapers - mostly wearing 0-3 month and 3 month. He certainly is growing fast!! I can't wait to see what the next month brings us - maybe some giggles?? We love you little guy!