One Month Already

Wow, February flew by and before I knew it, it's March already and Porter is one month old! I think I can say that we are slowly starting to adjust to our new "normal". I am crossing my fingers that by the end of this month Porter will be sleeping through the night. He will sometimes sleep a 4 hour stretch at night, which is always nice, but usually I get up with him every 3 hours. Here are some things about Porter at one month:

• Pretty sure he weighs around 9lbs (or more) now
• loves his baths, but hates to have his hair washed and me scrub on it
• is more alert. His favorite awake times are right after we get up in the mornings and then in the evenings around dinner time.
• can lift his head and hold it up on his own
• is starting to smile and make little noises (I love this)
• and this is HUGE for me: he is sleeping in his own room. Brooke slept in her bassinet in our room until she was 5 months old. I just couldn't bear to part with her. Porter can get kind of fussy before he goes to sleep and I got to the point where I couldn't keep getting up and rocking him until he fell asleep. I got less sleep than I was already getting and it just made me cranky in the day and so that I couldn't function. I just really felt like he needed to learn to fall asleep on his own at night and that would be best for everyone. So after I feed him, change him, and burp him...I swaddle him up, give him a kiss and a snuggle and lay him down and close the door and let him cry. Usually it's no more than 5-10 minutes before he's fast asleep. I know some parents wouldn't dream of doing that with their one month old, but we all need our sleep. I definitely still have my panic-attack moments, but really feel like this is for the best.

This was as close to a smile I could get from him:

I love my bouncer chair because Porter can be where we are in the house. However, just the other day Porter was asleep and Brooke calls to me, "Look mom! Porter is waking up!" I peek my head around the corner and Brooke is touching his face and he's starting to stir. I didn't want this and had a talk with her about not touching him when he is napping. If it happens again, nap time might need to take place in his crib.

And since I get up to go to Porter's room more often now, it inspired me to make some finishing touches:

We moved the rocker in so I have a place to feed him (much to Brooke's unhappiness)

Hung some pictures on the wall

Got a little more organized..

My friend Aubrey made the cute bulletin board. It's a fun way to remember his birth. I stuck in there his birth annoucement that was printed in the paper and some momentos from the hospital

and of course the striped wall...probably my greatest painting accomplishment to date.Brooke has done really well adjusting to having a little brother around. She is so sweet with him: she will come up and talk to him, "pet" him on his face and head and just loves him. I love this video of them together.

This is a poem Blake's mom wrote for Porter. There were a few things that went into his name: 1) It's a name you don't hear too often--we'd only heard it twice before and didn't have any bad associations with it (you moms know what I mean!) 2) We love Porter Rockwell...or as Blake calls him "the Mormal Wyatt Earp" :) I am pretty sure Blake was a wild west cowboy in another life...and still wishes he was one ;)

A man named Porter was Utah's Marshall long ago.
History is written and so there is much we know.
The bodyguard to Joseph, his lifelong friend
Errands for the Prophet, Porter would defend.
He calmed the Indians as the Saints they harrassed.
Supported Emma and Joseph till the very last.
Cut his hair for a woman in need.
Seventeen children, three wives he did feed.
Porter is a name that will serve your little boy well.

But the middle name is the one that will really tell
What kind of a man he someday will be
For Blake is a good man, a great Daddy is he.
And we can't forget the Mommy that made this come true.
Courtney is a super wife, and a great Mom for number two.
So hang on to your shorts for an adventure sure to come
We certainly know where these blessings are from.

Thanks Deena for this sweet poem!