Cam's First Hanukkah!

It's been a hell of a week around here. From a lost wallet, to a breast infection, to Cam starting meds for acid reflux and some very rough nights, I was sure glad to have some holiday cheer to look forward to last night. Unfortunately because of said week, I really didn't prepare the house for the holiday as I have in the past. In fact, when Rick came home last night and we were ready to light the menorah, I realized I didn't even buy Hanukkah candles this year! Luckily we had some left over from last year, and our celebrations began!

Rick came home with a beautiful Hanukkah bouquet of flowers to make this mama feel better after a particularly overwhelming day. 

We lit both our menorahs -- our family menorah and Cam's special menorah from Mimi!

 I put pre-made latkes from Whole Foods in the microwave so we could have SOME taste of the holiday... I have not mastered the whole cooking with a newborn thing yet!

And then we opened presents. Cam opened his present from Mommy and Daddy. You can tell how excited he is in the picture below!

Candy will appreciate this gift. You see, she bought Cam an adorable monkey outfit before he was born. I planned to bring it to the hospital for him to wear as his coming home outfit. But, when I went to put it on him I realized it was a preemie size and even my little 6 pounder was too long for it! I was bummed because I thought it was so cute. Well, I found the outfit and bought this size for Hanukkah because it's just delicious. Monkeys for my little monkey!

Rick opened his gift from me... some new warm gloves for our frigid winters!

And I opened my gift from Rick... a new fancy wallet to replace the one I lost last week.

Here's to hoping the sparkle and cheer of this holiday lasts far beyond the eight days!

Bath Time Round 2

We made a second attempt at bath time last night. Rick made the water a little warmer, we used our bathroom for more space, and I took a chill pill. It all resulted in a much happier little baby in a tub.

Splish Splash!

Due to some lengthy circumcision healing, Campbell has been getting sponge bathed for the last five and half weeks! We were finally given the go ahead to give him a real bath, but because neither Rick nor I would be home together in the evening this week, and we both wanted to be part of his first water experience, we had to wait until last night for his first rub-a-dub-dub! He definitely does NOT take after his Mama when it comes to relaxing and enjoying bath time. It was kind of stressful and borderline painful to watch him as he squealed and squirmed throughout the entire thing.

I think the water needs to be warmer and I'm sure Cam will be loving his bath in no time.

The BEST part of the bath last night? When we were done and he was snuggling up in my arms in his towel he went straight for his thumb and started sucking! It was real thumb-sucking and melted my heart.

Here's to hoping tonight's bath goes more smoothly!

How To Survive The First Month of Parenthood

Figuring out this parenting thing has been quite a trip! Rick and I are a good team and we have had a tremendous amount of help from our families and friends as we have settled into our new roles. But what we have learned about surviving these first few weeks of parenting came from trial and error -- accidentally stumbling upon tricks and tips that somehow make Cam a little happier and a little more peaceful.

So to those of you new parents or soon-to-be new parents, take note. Here are some of our favorite gadgets, tricks and tips!

The Blow Dryer: we were told to play white noise when Cam is sleeping to help soothe him (it's supposed to mimic the sounds of the womb and help him feel comforted). Well, a few nights ago when Rick was trying to calm our little fussy pants down and I was attempting to dry my hair in the bathroom, Rick shouted "turn that back on!" Apparently, the blow dryer was an instant soother and Cam was instantly asleep at the sound of it. Needless to say, my blow dryer is about to blow from the amount of use it has gotten in the last few days!

Note -- I have since downloaded an app on my phone which plays a constant blow dryer noise. Only problem is as soon as someone texts or calls me, the app is interrupted and Cam starts screaming, right on cue. So, if you try to reach me and I don't answer my phone... assume the blow dryer is to blame!

The Miracle Blanket: this thing is like crack. It looks like torture but makes Cam melt like butter. As soon as we started using it, Cam has been sleeping better. And so have we!

The NoseFrida (aka Snot Sucker): This thing totally grossed Rick out when I first told him about it. But it's amazing! Poor Cam has been congested and it has made eating and sleeping rather challenging for him. So we took out the snot sucker, hopped in a steam shower with him and sucked away. It's strangely satisfying to watch how much you can get out of such a tiny nose! It's amazing what you'll do for your kids.

Indian DancingI: It's a very special, sacred dance that involves a precise heel-toe motion. Rick's boss pulled him aside a few weeks ago to show him this magical baby dance, and ever since we have been Indian Dancing Campbell to sleep when he's fussy or wide awake. I'll have to post a video soon to show you Rick in action.


Most of all, the best way to survive the newborn weeks is to take a look at the little peanut and remember how helpless he is and how his every need is being met by you. It's an overwhelming feeling and gets me through the brief moments of frustration. It just doesn't get much cuter than this:

One Month Stats

We had Campbell's one month check up yesterday and he proved to be a super star! Immediately upon seeing Cam, the doctor commented on how big he had gotten! Cam now weighs 10 lbs 6 oz (50th percentile) and is 20 3/4 inches long (25th percentile). I don't remember the exact measurement of his head circumference but it was in the 50th percentile, too!

The doctor was so patient and kind. I had a laundry list of first-time-mom questions and she just listened and reassured us that our baby was perfectly healthy and normal and while we may drive ourselves crazy trying to figure him out or put him on a schedule, there really is nothing we can do at this stage of the game other than survive these first few months. I felt a million times better when we left the office!

One of my major concerns is Cam's hips. His hips are perfect and the doctor has been very pleased with is growth up to this point, but given our family history and Izzy's yucky experience with hip dysplasia, I really wanted to ensure that if Cam were to need any intervention, it would be caught early. So, though the doctor sees no real need for further testing, she and I agreed that we'd both have peace of mind if we did a routine, harmless ultrasound of his hips to be 100% sure that they are as perfect as we think! So, I am in the process of scheduling that appointment for next week!

Finally, poor Cam had to get a shot yesterday. I was NOT prepared for a vaccination at this appointment, but luckily Cam was a rock star. He cried for a bit and once I nursed him for a little comfort for a few minutes he passed out and slept the whole way home. I'm dreading his two-month check up when he'll have another round of shots. Poor guy.

Look at those rolls! :)

After a long appointment, Rick and I left feeling confident that we were doing something right with this kid and couldn't help but smile at the thought of our growing boy! Keep up the good work, Campbell!

One Month Already!??!

Dear Campbell,

I can hardly believe you are one month old today. It seems like just yesterday your dad and I were announcing to the world that we would be welcoming a new addition to our family in November. Little did we know, your arrival came sooner than expected and we are so happy you arrived when you did! This past month has been one of the greatest adventures of my life. You have taught me what unconditional love truly means. You have taught me patience, perseverance and the power of positive thinking. Who knew you would be so wise at such a young age!

You already amaze me every day with the new things you do. Some of my favorites so far are the fishy faces you make, the way you stick your arms straight in the air when you are in the middle of a deep sleep, and the way you grab onto me as if you never want to let go when I'm nursing you. You've developed cheeks this month and rolls on your arms and thighs. We call those "pilkes" in our family and yours are coming in beautifully! This month, you are eating like a champ, every 2-3 hours. Though you don't like to sleep very much at night, you take great naps during the day. You are becoming more alert every day!  You love to bounce in your bouncy chair, read your black and white board books, and play on your play mat. We have so much fun together!

Campbell, your dad and I are already so proud of you. We love watching you grow each day and we can't wait to share in the rest of your successes throughout your life. You are our little angel and we are so blessed to call you ours.

Love always,
Mommy

We've Been Busy!

Having a Winter baby has its challenges when it comes to staying sane. Taking walks to get fresh air isn't really an option for us, so we have to be creative in our outings. I have made it a point to be sure to get out of the house at least once a day. And, boy have we been busy!

Cam took his first trip to Starbucks to meet the Desais for a coffee break:

We've gone to Target, had lunch dates and coffee dates with friends, and getting outside has made both Cam and I stay a little sane. I have to admit, I've been bad about capturing all our adventures on the camera. I need to get better at that... New Year's Resolution perhaps!??

After all our outings, Cam gets tired. So, we've done a lot of swinging:

We've also had fun with visitors! Thanks, Elle, for hanging with us today. We loved seeing you :)

 And of course, Cam's favorite activity -- Looking cute. See evidence below:

It's kind of hard to believe it's been four weeks since Campbell arrived. On Friday, he'll be one month old! While it seems like just yesterday we were in the hospital waiting to meet his sweet face, it also feels like he's been a part of this family forever. What a ride these four weeks have been... can't wait to see what the next four bring! (Hopefully more sleep?!)