Brothers!

We are SOOO in love with this Monkey Moo, Scrunch Monkey, Buddy Bear, Grahamy, Graham Bear!

I know how fast the time goes, so I am desperately trying to soak up every minute of Graham!  So far, he has a very laid back attitude (like his daddy) and fits in just perfectly around here :)  He really only gets upset if he is hungry, needs some snuggling, or has some tummy issues.  We are getting more and more stretches of awake time from him each day!  I love that!  It is very clear that he and Jackson are brothers, and the baby pictures of them sleeping will indeed be very hard to tell apart, but once Graham opens his little eyes, you can see his own little self!  

Sleeping is going very well.  His favorite place to nap (when not in our arms) is backwards on the recliner!  We know we don't have too long where that will work, but for now it keeps him snug and happy, so we'll go with that.  At night he pretty much sleeps exclusively in the Pack-n-Play next to our bed.  He enjoys his swing MUCH more than Jackson ever did--woo hoo!

Graham is eating like a champ!  Well, in terms of the mechanics of nursing...  It is all clicking a bit better than with Jackson...  I am crossing my fingers extra hard that this keeps up because I LOVE getting to nurse my little guy!  The doctors, however, are a little concerned with Graham's weight gain.  He lost almost a pound in the hospital, and still hasn't reached his birth weight again.  At his two week check-up on June 19th, he weighed 8lbs 8ozs (45th %).  They want us to come back in one week to have his weight checked again.  Josh and I aren't terribly worried since Graham seems content after each feeding and sleeps for long stretches between them.  But, we'll keep an eye on it...

Graham loves to be swaddled (maybe not quite as much as his big brother did), and it continues to amaze us how magical swaddling can be for a sad baby!  He sleeps swaddled at night and usually takes one of his naps in the swaddle during the day.  He enjoys rides in the car, but I feel like he doesn't sleep as soundly in his carseat and stroller as Jackson did.  When we are out and about he is more likely to get fussy or want to be held.  Maybe as he gets a little bigger he'll zonk out more deeply???  I've noticed when he is really fussy and not taking the paci, if I hold my palm to his cheek this helps him calm down and catch his breath so he can latch onto the paci.  Yes, he does like his paci!  Again, I'm not quite sure if he will be as attached to it as Jackson was, but there is a love already :)

Overall, we are doing really well!  I am trying hard to make sure I give Jackson enough attention during the day as well as not expect too much from him.  He IS the big brother, but he also is only 3 1/2.  I can't expect him to help me as much as Josh does or to be on perfect behavior all the time...  Josh has THE BEST job (and boss) and is not going back to work until Labor Day!!!  I originally was worried about how having him home so long would affect my routine I know and love, but a couple weeks in, I have NO idea what my days would look like without him!!!  It is summer, we have no need for a strict routine, and we are just soaking up all of this family time :)

This big brother thinks Graham is pretty awesome too :)