Graham has officially been a member of our family for a full week! It’s been great being home as a family of four. Having Jeremy around the house has made the transition go much better than I expected. With two adults and two kids, we’ve been able to divide and conquer. In fact, that is how I am able to write this post. Graham is taking a nap and Owen is out running an errand with Jeremy. The true test of our transition will be Thursday when Jeremy goes into work for a full day and it’s me and the kiddos at home.
Owen has done pretty well accepting his role as big brother. He loves to give Graham hugs and kisses. He also has no problem suggesting we put Graham in the swing when he wants us to have our hands free to focus on him. Smart kid. Owen continues to grow and change. In the last two weeks, Owen has changed from loving bubble baths to loving showers. He requests a shower everyday! He has decided that while he likes to eat at the table sometimes, but he really prefers his high chair. I think the elevation of his high chair is what he enjoys. He is able to take in more of what’s going from that chair than at the table. For the most part we are back to the high chair for our meals. I’m okay with this because it keeps him in one spot and helps him focus on eating. Owen has been waking up before Graham the last few days and this has allowed me some time with just Owen and I. I can tell he appreciates it because it gives me hugs like every 5 minutes. It’s sweet. I’m hoping this routine will continue so I can balance alone time with both my boys. Plus, I will admit that just “Owen and I” feels comfortable to me. It’s what I know and it feels stable.
Graham has been a fairly easy kiddo thus far. We had many sleepless nights where he was up every two hours or less to eat. However, he has surprised us. He has slept for a 3.5 hour stretch one night and a 5 hour stretch the next night and last night a 6 hour stretch. I’m not sure if this is something that is going to stay or just a fluke, but I’ve been soaking up the extra sleep. It’s a lot easier to function on 6 hours of solid sleep and it helps me keep up with the boys. Graham has the best eyes and makes some awesome faces during his alert periods. We are trying to make sure that he has some awake time before bed. I think this has been our key to getting him to sleep the last couple of nights. So far Graham has been fairly quiet. He only seems to cry at diaper changes. Even then you can give him a pacifier and he calms down. With Owen, we waited weeks before giving him a pacifier, but Graham is such a great eater that we (and our doctor) aren’t concerned about it upsetting his ability to breastfeed. It has been amazing to watch him grow over the last week and I am so curious to see how he continues to develop and find his place in our family. He is a great addition and I am so blessed to have two such wonderful sons – and the most helpful and fantastic husband. I am truly surrounded by best guys ever!