One Month Old

It's hard to believe Daniel is already one month old.  Looking back over the last month, it's amazing how much he's already changed.  No longer the sleepy, mellow baby - Daniel is awake and alert now for hours at a time.  He is most often an awake, happy baby in the mornings and evenings.  Content to sit in a lap, or a swing, or a corner on the couch, and take it all in.  He loves his baths but as soon as the water is off and it's time to dry off, we have a screaming, grumpy baby.  So we've learned that bath time is right before meal time which is right before bed time.  He also loves his swing and will stare at the mobile of elephants above it, fascinated as they march in circles around his head.

Trixie and Aspen have adjusted very well to the new pack-member.  We've been walking every night and everyone has a great time.  Daniel usually stays awake through the whole walk, watching everything go by, and the dogs are thrilled to get out of the house and smell the neighborhood.  Around the house, though, they mostly ignore him.  His crying doesn't bother them at all.  As seen in the pictures a few days ago, Aspen doesn't mind him being on or near her.  Trixie is a little more wary.  She is usually very curious and wants to sniff him, but as soon as I try to rest him on her, she gets up and moves.  I'm sure once he's old enough to throw her food from his highchair, they'll be fast friends.

Amy and I both take every opportunity we can to play music for him - as I write this she is in the nursery with him listening to The Police - and he seems to enjoy it.  It often has a calming effect on him when he's upset.  I think he's more partial to my music than Amy's, but she might disagree. ;)

We've also been reading books to Daniel and telling him stories.  I read him a family favorite for the first time last night - The Monster At The End Of The Book.  It felt fitting considering one of his main nicknames around here is Monster Man.

During the next month we will spend a week in Iowa where more family and friends will be able to meet him.  We're so excited to show him off to everyone.  And when we get back, he'll have his 2-month pediatrician appointment where we find out how good of a job we're doing messing this kid up.

I turned one month old and all I got was this cute t-shirt

'Milk drunk' - full, happy, and sleepy