Rhett Kauffman: 1 Month Old



Gosh, here we go again with these monthly updates.  I both love and hate them--I love looking back on them, but they can be a bit overwhelming to write because I feel like I need to remember every single little detail, which stresses me out!  Ditto to the monthly photos.  They are somewhat easy to snap now, but I know that won't be the case in about seven months!  Nonetheless, I also know I will regret not following through with these things (mainly because I don't keep a baby book) and besides, being the baby, Rhett is going to get everything he wants, right??  So here we go...

Oh, Mr. Rhett, or Rhetti-Spaghetti as Daddy says, it's been a month and a day since you entered this world.  And what a month it's been!  You got to celebrate your first Christmas (too bad I had mastitis), your first New Year, and your 1-month birthday all within one week of each other!  A pretty great way to round out your first month of life, huh?

You fit in perfectly around here!  Your brothers adore you beyond words and even though it took Holden two weeks to get comfortable with the idea of holding you, they both loooove doing that and ask once or twice per day!  Though they have good intentions, they aren't always the most gentle with you (a couple of days ago, I caught Brantley picking you up😁)  and I have a feeling you're going to grow to be the toughest of them all!  

Speaking of, we've been blessed with two really great babies to this point, but dare I say you're the best one yet?!  You rarely cry (you do get a little fussy/squirmy during the evening "witching hours"),  you are super low-maintenance, and--ahem--you've been sleeping through the night since just over one week old.  I am now fully convinced that this trait runs in our blood because I'm not sure how else to explain three babies who have each slept through the night by one month old.  I may have even lied to your doctor ("Ummm he eats about every 4 hours overnight") because I wasn't about to be told I needed to wake you to eat.  Did I mention, I'm far less concerned about all the "rules" this go around?  Because, yeah, I am.

As for eating, you eat about seven times per day beginning around 7am.  You take one final bottle around 10:30pm and then sleep for eight(ish) hours straight.  As of last week, I'd like to say I'm done breastfeeding.  It was still super painful for me and truth be told, I'm just not one of those girls who loves it.  I am exclusively pumping right now and giving you three ounces per bottle.  My milk supply seems to be sufficient this time (so far anyway, not sure how long I'll be able to sustain that), but being the numbers person I am, I like knowing that you're getting enough to be satisfied.  Your weight gain was slow, but steady, and it took about two and a half weeks for you to be back to birth weight.  However, your doctors were always happy with your progress and for the first time ever, I made it to one month without any formula or supplementing.

A few additional notes about your first month of life:

We were referred to (and have seen) a physical therapist because of your extra flexible ankles.  They hyperextend so much that the top of your toes touch your shin.  The PT assumes it was due to your position in-utero and thinks that with some exercises, it can easily be corrected.  It's already better than it once was... however, you might have a pretty cool party trick come adolescent and adult years. 😉

I caught a smile (on camera) at just 11 days old!  I know you weren't smiling at me, but it sure felt like it, and it made me pretty excited for what's to come!

Perhaps because you're our last baby, but I've really been soaking up these newborn moments with you.  I've never described myself as a huge newborn lover (I much prefer the toddler stage), but I feel like I'm enjoying these early days and everything they entail exponentially more than I ever have in the past.  Orrrrrr maybe it's just because you're a nice break from the two older two who whine and fight on the regular...regardless, I am loving and appreciating every part of this newborn stage right now.  On the flip side, I also look forward to what's to come.  I know it only gets better with time and I can't wait to watch you grow, both physically and personality-wise.  I look forward to watching the bond between you and your brothers and can't wait to see what your 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year self looks like.  It's truly been the best month ever and you are the perfect completion to our little family.

Love you, little man!



 



1 Month of Rhett

Size: Somewhere between 8 and 9 pounds

Words: None, obviously

Activity: Eat, sleep, poop.  Repeat.

Food: 3 ounces every 2 to 4 hours during the daytime hours.

Sleep: Still napping quite a bit during the days and sleeping for 7 to 9 hours overnight.  You are still in our bedroom, but we are thinking of moving you to your crib sooner than later.

Bedtime/Waketime: We put you "to bed" after your 10/10:30pm bottle and you generally wake sometime between 7 and 8am.

Hair: More than Brantley ever had, but less than Holden. Almost a reddish tint.

Eyes: Blue

Teeth: None

Wardrobe: Newborn and 0-3 month clothing.

Diapers: Switched to size 1 only because we ran out of newborn size.

Likes: Laying by the fire (on your DockATot), your paci, car rides, sleep, being held tightly, your vitamin drops, your mama, crossing your ankles.

Dislikes: The hiccups and being hungry

Mommy Update: Doing well and feeling great!  My recovery has been the easiest yet.  I'm still carrying about 20 extra pounds (10 more than what I'd consider my normal weight, I was at an all-time low pre-pregnancy) but I'm happy with my progress considering the amount of cookies I ate during the holidays.

Brother Update: Both brothers are transitioning flawlessly with absolutely no jealousy issues.  They both adore Rhett, love helping by giving him his pacifier, and ask to hold him at least once per day.  I think their connection has strengthened as a result of having a newborn in the house.

Mommy's Fave - I love your hair.  I think babies with hair are the cutest!  I also love all the little faces and expressions you make at this point.






10 comments:

  1. Girrrrrl. Teach me your baby sleeping ways! So jealous!

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  2. I am so jealous that you've had 3 babies who slept through the night that early. Damn! I wish I could say mine did at 6 months, but I'd be lying. Ugh! Rhett is such a sweetie and I love how much he's adored by his big brothers. So special!!

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  3. Rhett is seriously THE cutest!!! How is he already ONE month old?! My goodness. I love him and his carpet and his letter board!!

    Also, I fully agree on these recaps. I wish I did a better job with Mason when he was a baby. I also wish I would do a better job now that he's older. A yearly recap is SO daunting!

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  4. He is just so sweet. And seriously he needs to teach my kids to sleep!

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  5. What a sweet update! Rhett sounds perfect and I am so jealous of you for getting all good babies LOL! We didn't have it too bad either but Ella had colic for a few months and I thought I would never live past that, and to this day am surprised I voluntarily had another child after her. That totally sucks you got mastitis! I never had that but hear how awful it is! Good for you for hanging in there after that! I love all the pics, he is just so adorable!!

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  6. He is so cute!! I especially love that last photo in the New Year's getup :D

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  7. Sooo sweet. I love the pictures! I like how you're using the letter board for his age - he'll be bigger than it soon enough!

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  8. He is precious and a sleeper??!!!! LOVE him!

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  9. Oh Rhett is just perfection!! I have loved seeing all his baby pictures on IG. My goodness did that first month fly by!

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  10. He just gets cuter and cuter! I am so jealous of the sleep you're getting. Mila was a great sleeper just like Rhett. Maci is kind of all over the place. Some nights we'll get a good stretch out of her, other nights she'll wake every 2 hours. I'm also right there with you with the weight loss. I have 15 lbs to lose that don't seem to want to budge. Starting to work out soon though (I hope). I miss my old clothes!

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