Brand New Colony: Baby Colin at One Month

Dear Colin,

You were born beautiful-- with a perfect round head full of dark hair and blue grey eyes. I don't know how I made such a pretty baby. My paternal grandpa always used to say, "every crow thinks his is the blackest," which means that everyone thinks their child is the prettiest, smartest, and very best to ever walk the earth. But you really are. You are the darkest, downiest, most melodic little crow I've ever seen. From the very beginning, you've had my heart firmly in your grasp.

Colin at one day old

I'm actually writing this right before you turn two months, and your first month is mostly a blur. The biggest struggle we had during your first month was breastfeeding. I knew it was best for you, and it's something I really wanted. Unfortunately, my milk never really came in, and I felt like I was starving you to death. It was a VERY hard decision, but I switched you to Similac at two weeks. You are growing and thriving, so I have come to peace with that choice.

One perk of switching to formula is that you very quickly transitioned to sleeping six hours through the night. You started doing this at about three weeks. You mostly cat nap during the day-- taking an hour-long nap every two or three hours or so. I feed you "on demand," but you have created a schedule for yourself, and pretty well stick to it like clockwork.

At two weeks, you started taking two oz. every two hours. At four weeks, you started taking three oz. every four hours. As in the womb, you remain a pretty laid back baby. Nothing really seems to phase you, and you only ever cry when you are hungry. And when you are hungry, you are HUNGRY! You have a very strong suck reflex, and sucked several hickies onto your arms at three and four weeks. You will take a pacifier sometimes, but not always.

You are the gasiest little thing I've ever meet, and have been that way since birth. You get the hiccups at least once a day, and you toot all the time. Your Nana was holding you in the hospital and worried that the nurses would think she was the one tooting, since you are loud, smelly, and unabashed about releasing gas. I guess a baby's gotta go when a baby's gotta go! The gas does not seem to bother you, although your dad did have to make a 2 a.m. run to Wal Mart for gas drops one morning.

Just like I knew he would, your dad relishes fatherhood. You adore him, and he adores you. I call him the baby whisperer, because he can calm you better than anyone else when you are acting fussy. I am really looking forward to seeing your relationship grow.

I wrote earlier about the emotional and physical struggles I had when you were first born. For the first two weeks of your life, I would not leave your side, and your dad and Nana literally had to beg and bribe me to leave the house. Since that time, I have gotten more and more comfortable getting around and taking you out in public. I met two other mom friends in the neighborhood with babies close to your age, and we go for walks together a few times a week. If they're not free, you and I will go alone, which is also nice. You seem to enjoy being outside and usually fall asleep in your stroller.

And now for the one month stats:

Weight: 10 lbs.; 0 oz.
Length: 22 1/2"
Clothing: some newborn sizes, 0-3 month
Nicknames: Goose, Grey Goose, Mama's Baby, Baby Burrito, Buddy, and (of course) Wilder
Milestones: started sleeping 6 hours or so through the night
Loves: Sucking on your hands, napping on mama and daddy's chests, going for walks, going to Nana and Daddy Ben's house, the vibration device on your Pack and Play (or any bouncing motions), smocked clothing, and delicious Similac
Hates: having your hands and feet restrained, having your hair washed, and being denied delicious Similac