Reece 1 Month Old

Reece is 1 Month Old

(actually almost 3 months as I finally get around to posting this)

Reece weighs about 10 1/2 pounds and is pretty consistently waking up 2 times during the night to eat. But he has gotten so much better at going right back to sleep. The longest stretch he has slept at night has been 4 1/2 hours. He takes about 4 naps a day ranging from 30 minute to 2 hours. He is in size 1 diapers now.

Reece really likes being held in the sitting position so that he can see what is going on around him. He loves baths in his blue infant bath tub and when he is fussy or overwhelmed, putting him in the Ergo carrier calms him down quickly. He doesn't like having his clothes changed. He especially hates putting on or taking a shirt off over his head. He is fussy each night from about 5 pm till we start getting him ready for bed which is usually around 7 pm. As soon as we start putting his footed pajamas on, he calms down instantly knowing that bedtime is coming. He also does not enjoy being in the car seat. If he has a chance to fall asleep in it deeply, he will sleep in it a while but otherwise he mostly cries during car rides.

Reece is beginning to enjoy his play gym more and more. But he still would rather be held and talked to face to face. He enjoys being outside and usually calms down when we go outside... unless it is too windy. If it is windy out he gasps as if he can't breathe. 

This month Reece learned how to make cooing noises. When he does this Ember always says "He's talking." And his cries are becoming distinguished instead of just the newborn cry. He is learning how to move his face muscles to make different faces (including smiles) but not yet in reaction to anything. 

Reece definitely had many firsts during his first year of life. He met many new people that are near and dear to our family. He went to church and Lifegroup for the first time. He went to his first birthday party and had Grandma and Grandpa Flin visit. He also took his first nap in his crib and did well with it. And of course many other firsts occurred this month.

This little boy has already stolen our hearts and we are so excited to continue to watch him grow and develop into who God has predestined him to be.

Here are a few more pictures from the last month.

Tummy time

My 30th Birthday

3 friends with their baby boys

(Reece - 1 month, Micah - 7 months, Owen - 4 months)

1st nap in crib

Real Life Raw Pictures

One of the young ladies in our Lifegroup is a talented photographer. She is working to expand her portfolio and wanted to take some pictures of Reece to add to her newborn gallery. She came over on short notice and I was in sweat pants with my hair not done and both Reece and Ember were in their PJ's still too. But I love the real life aspect of these pictures. Here is a glimpse of our life these days around 9 am :) 

September 15, 2015

DIY Newborn Pictures

Here are a few pictures that I snapped and edited of Reece in the newborn phase! 

(Love the cross eyes!)

And one of our good friends and a member of our church's Lifegroup (who is an amazing photographer!) took some pictures for us as well! I will hopefully post them in the near future. 

The New Big Sister!

Ember had been excited for her Baby Brother since the day she found out about him coming. She loves baby dolls and taking care of them and the excitement of a real baby coming was even better. Ember helped rub coconut oil on my belly weekly. She would check baby brother's heart "beap" with her stethoscope and make sure he was healthy, and she would hug and kiss him unprompted while saying " I love you." 

And when first meeting him in the hospital, she immediately jumped into her role! She helped push him back into the nursery, pet him, hugged him, kissed him, talked to him and it was obvious it was adoration at first sight! 

Of course it helped that Reece got her a present :) 

And thankfully, the love didn't stop when we got home with Reece and hasn't stopped to date! Here are a few moments of Ember in her new Big Sister role:

Rocking Reece in the Rock N' Play

First time holding him

Playing with him in his play gym

"Take a picture of me next to Baby Reece."

Wanting to watch every part of his first bath at home

Cuddling Reece with Daddy

Making and giving him a little snack

Mommy's birthday

Loving on her little brother!

I am thanking God daily that Ember already has so much love in her heart for her brother. I have seen no resentment toward him from her and Ember has not been acting out more or backtracking in milestones because of Reece's arrival. We are excited to watch her continually grow into her role as Big Sister!