He's really Smiling

Kelton has been starting to show some little what you think might be and probably are smiles but today he gave me some huge, unmistakeable, real smiles!  It was so fun to have him look up at me and respond with those full face, twinkly eyed, open mouth grins.  Today was also the first day that I noticed him cooing. He's getting so big!  He's not my little newborn anymore.  Kelton is my long fellow.  When he stretches himself out fully he is almost too long for his 0-3m clothes but they are huge parachutes around his middle.  His feet are also long.  He's chunking up too.  His cheeks are nice and full and he's starting to go a little pudge on his legs, not tons but enough to make a little line of a roll.  He has a strong neck and is holding his head up very well.  His eyes are able to follow moving objects more quickly and he's opening his hands more.  He's more awake, a few hours at a time.  Harlow tries to show his toys or tricks to him.  When Kelton was born I told Harlow that if he'd click his tongue it would help the baby look at him. So he says "look Baby Kelton," click click click and puts it/himself right in his face.

Its just about June and we haven't turned the AC on yet but already I am worried about how warm he's getting.  His head and his body feel warm/hot while his feet and hands feel cool.  I have been dressing him in onsies to try and help him stay cooler.  At night is the hardest because he likes to be swaddled but that makes him hot.  I have been swaddling him in only a diaper and that seems to help but then the swaddle slips off him.  He is a tummy sleeper...but they've been saying not to let babies sleep on their tummies for fear of SIDS...I still do it but for naps and try to keep a close eye on him. It helps because his arms are secure against the ground giving him the comfort of the swaddled feel while still letting him be cool.  I would do it at night too but I just get a little nervous about it in the bassinet.  Maybe when I move him to the portacrib (he's nearly too long for the bassinet now) or real crib I'll try that.  When Harlow was little he was a tummy sleeper too but he would roll over and put himself on his tummy, I didn't have to.  I remember talking to nurses about it and most of them said that once he was old and strong enough to roll himself over onto his tummy and that's what he was doing then he was fine.  But one nurse told me to turn him over onto his back when I'd go in to check on him...That'd wake him up and get him crying, No Thank You.

A funny story from a few weeks ago.  I was loading some stuff into the car and Kelton was asleep on the couch.  When I was outside I heard Harlow say "Baby Kelton" so I ran in quick.  (When I hear that I know that Harlow is by Kelton giving him somekid of attention, I jsut have to make sure it is good attention and not attention like laying on top of him...which has happened many times...I'll share a story of this next*.)  I come inside to see Harlow standing beside the couch, Kelton hanging from his arms - one arm is around his neck and the other is under his arm and up around his neck with a huge grin on his face, obviously proud of the incredible helper he is being.  I quickly scooped Kelton up out of Harlow's grasp but had to have a little laugh inside.  It is an adventure having 2 and I love it!  This reminded me of a story of Ammon and Becca.  Becca was only a few months old and Ammon was about Harlow's age.  Mom put Becca down on the bed and was doing dishes.  The next thing she knew Ammon was coming down the hallway carrying little tiny Becca around the neck and under the arm, just like Harlow had done to Kelton.  It is fun to be having similar experiences to my Mom and thinking of her as a new Mom of two.

*Here's the story: We were down in Las Vegas for Sara and Spencer's Wedding, Kelton is 2 weeks old.  We stayed with my parents and they have a waterbed.  I had put Kelton down there to nap while I finished getting ready.  I hear "Baby Kelton" (which as I said above always makes me hurry back to Kelton) so I race to their room.  There on the water bed is a Kelton sandwich!  It goes waterbed, Ketlon, and Harlow right on top.  I pulled Harlow off so fast; poor little Kelton, he seriously could have been suffocated!  Holy Toledo Harlow!

When Kelton is in the baby swing Harlow likes to go watch him, tries to share the swing with him, or just plain lays down right on top of him.  We need to keep a close eye on both these boys.  You better watch out Harlow, in a few years Kelton won't just lay there and let you squash him.