The Hayes Herald: Ezra: 1-3 Months

I have been meaning to write a post on Ezra for so long now! He is already 3 months old, so crazy to me! I have enjoyed this baby so, so much. He's so warm and squishy and I love to hold him cheek to cheek and just breathe him in and shower him with kisses. And now that he's smiling and 'cooing' regularly it's even harder to get anything done because I just want to sit and chat with him and watch his adorable bright eyes light up even more.

Ezra pretty much just slept all the time when he was a newborn. 'Sleep, Eat, Poop'' was definitely his mantra. He'd only cry when he was tired (but could start sounding like a scream). If he'd fight it I'd put him in the swing and it wouldn't be long til he was conked out, though he'd eventually get woken up by the fact that his body would always slide down too low to one side.

Now he still uses the swing when awake some, but much prefers being laid down for sleep time. If the swing is going and he's tired it seems to make him more upset; too much stimulation.

Such a big lil' tummy! Sweet little butterball. ;)

Here are Ezra's stats for the first few months:

4 days old:
9 lbs. 13 oz (96th %)
21 1/2 in. long (97th%)
34.9 cm head (30th%)

5 weeks old:
12 lbs. (90th%)
22 3/4 in. long (75th%)
38 cm head (50th%)

10 weeks old:
13.9 lbs (75th%)
24 in. long (75th%)
39.4 cm head (25th%)

He's still wearing size 1 diapers. He wears mostly 3 month clothes, except for jammies and a few other items which are 3-6 months. He currently makes 4-5 poopie diapers a day (I've only been peed and pooped on once!) He's never cried during baths or diaper changes. He chews on his hands every chance he gets! I noticed his bottom two teeth buds appear a week or two ago. I hope that doesn't mean the actual teeth are about to come in! Very loud noises that are too close to him startle him, which can cause him to cry out for a minute.

Sleep/Feeding: For the first month+ Ezra was such a noisy and restless sleeper at night. He'd have a fussier period in the evening, beginning around 8:30, until he would settle into sleep by 10:00. He would often cry hard off and on during that time, often on a nightly basis. He stopped that fussiness about a month ago now, and settles into sleep much more easily and happily, generally fading for the night by 8:30.

His schedule is getting fairly predictable. He wakes in the morning around 7:20. I generally wait to feed him until after I get Eli on the bus at 8:30 (unless it's been a few hours, then I''ll feed him when he wakes up). He takes a nap in the 9-10 time frame (though it varies a little, sometimes falling asleep as early as 8:45, or as late as 9:20. That nap is 45 minutes about, sometimes a little longer. I feed him somewhere between 10:15-10:40, depending on where we're going that morning. He always sleeps while we're out of the house, falling asleep by 11:30. He sleeps great in the carseat, usually sleeping through the 2+ hours we're out somewhere. I nurse him again when we're back home, sometime between 1:30-2:00ish. He falls asleep for a nap by 2:30/3:00, for an hour and a half or so if he can. I feed him again around 4:00, and he takes another shorter 30-40 minute nap in the early evening. I feed him around 6:00/6:30, then again before he's out, around 8:00/8:30. He stirs around 1:00 a.m. for a feeding, then again at 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. For the first 2+ months I was only able to get him to eat on one side at his feedings. Now he almost always eats on both sides every time, except for in the night, then he'll only take off before he's passed out. He used to be really hard to settle back into a deep sleep after a 5:00 am feeding, but lately he's doing well at it. Some nights I have to get up several times to try to pop his paci in after the 5:00 feeding, some nights he sleeps fine without it. During naps I often have to pop his paci in again for him to keep sleeping, especially until he's in a deep sleep.

For naps he sleeps on the boppy on the couch, and at night he sleeps on the boppy on our bed. He always moves down from off the boppy while sleeps. I know I need to get him sleeping in his bassinet. He just was so harder to settle in it when he was younger that I hated getting up again and again (even though it was still in our room).

He still rarely spits up, and if he does it's just a dribble. LOVE that!

Activity: When we're at home and Ezra's awake, I rotate between putting him on tummy time, putting him in the bumbo, the swing, and his bouncy seat. He likes them all fine, but in fairly short periods of time. He definitely doesn't last longer than 5 minutes on his tummy. He enjoys being where others are so he can watch people. Both kids love the baby but neither is obsessed. They like to see him and say "good morning" when they wake up. (Clara says the cutest "Good morning, Ezra! Good morning to YOU! Every time it's said with such genuine and tender love and happiness, even though it's such a simple thing to say.) Eli likes to come give him kisses or talk to him occasionally. They both help give him his paci when he fusses. Clara's much more interested in the baby. He coos a lot and when he does (all day long) Clara asks, "What's Ezra sayin?" She likes to help burp him, happily squeals "He's looking at me!" and tries to roll him over herself when he's on tummy time. Sometimes she'll ask to hold him, but it's pretty much just me laying him across her lap. :) When Ezra was newer Eli would sometimes say, "Mom, I think you love the baby too much." That was his way of saying he didn't like how much time the baby took of me, and having to sometimes wait for things from me when I was changing or feeding the baby, although nursing time is most always spent reading to the kids.

It's funny, Ezra hasn't rolled again since the two times he rolled when he was a 3-week old newbie! He gets close sometimes but then just starts fussing in aggravation.

We took a few photos while staying at my parent's last month. Ezra was newly 2 months old--

My sister and her kids were also visiting. We got some pictures taken of Ezra with his cousin, Rosie. The babies shared the same due date but Ezra was 15 days early and Rosie was 5 days late. So fun to have cousins the same age!

Ezra was completely passed out, but we had forgotten to get pictures, so we put him in them asleep. Those newborns can sleep through anything!.

Funny picture. :)

Clara wants her baby to lay on the boppy, too. :)

Personality: Ezra is such a great baby!! He's so relaxed, happy, and flexible. He generally only fusses when he's poopie or ready to take a nap. Only cries when he's really getting overtired, or wakes from sleep too early and needs his paci put back in. He loves to communicate. Coos a lot, and sure enjoys getting to make googly eyes and sweet smiles at whomever will give him attention. He's giggled on occasion, and enjoys watching the silly antics of his brother and sister. A few nights ago when David was rough-housing with Eli and Clara, Ezra was watching them from the bumbo on the floor. He was so engaged, and I could just see him a couple years down the road loving that same wrestling time with Daddy.

Ez is soo easy to transport. The carseat is soothing to him, and he happily sleeps in it on our outings, hallelujah!

David took a video while talking to Ezra, at 2 months old:

1st time in bouncy seat!

1st time in bumbo. He enjoys it much more now than he did. Way less head bobbing now!

This photo was taken today, at almost 3 1/2 months. So much change from newborn!

Ezra was blessed in church (along with two other boys born close to him) on September 4th. Daddy David gave him a lovely blessing, with both grandpas assisting in the circle. I was asked to bear my testimony to the congregation afterwards. It was a happy, special day!