Dotzour Family.com

July 27: Andrew is five weeks old today.  For him, there are milestones every week!  We went shopping last weekend with Maretta, and after screaming until I found a dressing room in which to change and nurse him, he slept all afternoon in his sling while we wandered the mall.  We went to our parents group again on Tuesday at Happy Bambino, and I had a wonderful time meeting and getting to know other moms with little babies.  Andrew is the youngest again:)
He got to meet his Great Uncle Kirk who was up for a visit from Texas.
We’re keeping busy and are out running around most every day.  The heat finally broke (it was nearly 100 on Sunday!), and today we enjoyed a long walk around the neighborhood.  Andrew held on to the edge of his sling and stayed awake the whole time.  April had fun too.
That’s our news for now!  Here’s a link to this week’s photos.

Babycenter.com update

How your baby’s growing: That smile lighting up your baby’s face — and your own — may be the real thing. You can tell it’s a social smile (as opposed to gas) if he uses his entire face to tell you he’s pleased. Though babies will smile only when they’re ready, you can get yours there faster by cuddling, tickling, and playing with him. [NO SMILES FROM LITTLE ANDREW YET, BUT I’LL BE SURE TO UPDATE WHEN THEY START APPEARING!]

By this time your baby can focus both eyes on an object and has begun to prefer more complex designs, colors, and shapes. He can track movement, which means that a simple rattle passed in front of his face can transfix him. Or you can play eyes-to-eyes — move very close to his face and slowly nod your head from side to side. He’ll follow you raptly, and you may even get another smile, or chuckle, out of him. [HE’S REALLY GETTING GOOD AT LOOKING AT THINGS.  HE LOVES LOOKING AT TREES OUT THE WINDOW OR AT PHOTOS ON THE WALL.  NOT SURE IF HE LIKES THE CONTRAST OF THE FRAME AGAINST THE WALL OR THE PICTURES THEMSELVES.  HE IS ALSO STARTING TO BE ABLE TO SWITCH HIS FOCUS FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER…BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF CONCENTRATION!]

July 22:  As hard as it for me to believe, Andrew is one month old today.  On Tuesday, I went to a great parents group and met a bunch of really nice other moms.  I weighed Andrew and was shocked to find out that he now weighs 10 lbs!  I was so surprised that I took off all his clothes and re-weighed him.  Still 10 lbs 0 oz.  He’s also 21.5 inches long.  That’s up from 7 lbs 3 oz and 19 inches at birth.  This little guy is growing fast!
Newest photos are up in the gallery

Babycenter.com Week 4 Update

Head’s up!

Your baby’s neck muscles are getting stronger, which allows him to hold up his head for short periods. He can hold it up for a few moments while lying on his stomach, for example, and he may even be able to turn it from side to side. He may be able to hold it up when he’s in a car seat or front carrier, especially if he has lots of support and you use special baby headrests designed to help him in those situations.

July 13:  Today, little Andrew is three weeks old.  It’s hard to believe!  He’s still very little and kissable.  According to our home measurements a couple days ago, Andrew is 20.5 inches long and weighs 9 pounds.  That’s up an inch and a half and a pound and a half since he was born!
We had a wonderful visit with Aunt Melanie and Uncle Ben and Mom and Dad Dotzour over the past several days.  Photos of their visit and of Andrew doing various cute things like crying and looking at stuffed bunnies are available in the most recent album in the Summer album in our gallery (here).

Bryan and I have been having a wonderful time getting to know our precious little baby.  A couple days ago, we took him for his first visit to Olbrich Botanical Gardens (see photos in the gallery under Summer/Trip to Olbrich Gardens). I think he liked hearing the birds and feeling the sunshine.  His umbilical cord fell off too, so he’s pretty much an old man now.
He had his first bath in the tub this week, and he seemed fascinated by the whole experience.  We held his head, and the rest of his body just floated in the water.  I think we’ll like bath time.
He continues to eat every couple hours round the clock, but so far, he’s still a very happy and peaceful baby.  We’re looking forward to a visit with Uncle Ben and Aunt Melanie and “Granny Lu” and “Granddad” starting on Sunday!

Baby Center.com 2-week update

Comfortably curled

Because he was curled up inside your uterus until recently, your newborn baby will probably look “scrunched up” for a while, with his arms and legs not fully extended. He may even appear bowlegged. Don’t worry. He’ll stretch out, little by little, and by the time he reaches his half birthday, he’ll be fully unfurled! In the meantime, as he adjusts to life outside the warm, safe confines of your womb, he may enjoy being swaddled.

By the end of his first month, your baby may lift his head briefly — and maybe turn it from side to side — when he’s lying on his stomach. Jerky movements give way to more fluid ones as his nervous system and muscle control mature. Still, your baby’s primitive reflexes, such as sucking and chewing on his hands, remain dominant.

Ruled by hunger and sleep

Food is the most important thing in your newborn’s life, with sleep running a close second. Most newborns will eat every two to three hours around the clock. Sleeping schedules are equally intermittent and quite variable from one infant to another. Most newborns sleep for a total of 16 to 17 hours in a 24-hour period, but that’s usually broken up into eight or so naps. By the end of the first month your baby may have developed something of an eating and sleeping pattern. But don’t count on it; you may not notice real regularity for months.

Crying is his main form of communication

Having undergone the trauma of birth, your baby is now trying to deal with an onrush of stimulation. You may not be able to detect much of a personality just yet, as he spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness. Although the only way he knows to communicate is by crying, you can communicate with him through your voice and your touch. Most babies love to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. He may even make an “ah” sound when he hears your voice or
sees your face.

He only has eyes for you

Your baby’s sight is still pretty fuzzy. And since his range of vision is just about 12 inches or so, he can see your face clearly only when you’re holding him close. Studies show that newborns prefer human faces to all other patterns or colors. (High-contrast items, like a checkerboard, are next in line.) Give him plenty of opportunity to study your features by gazing at him from a close distance.

Learning begins immediately

You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning. Use these intervals to get better acquainted with your child — talk to him, sing to him, give him a tour of the pictures on the walls of your house. But if you try to interact with him and he doesn’t seem receptive, don’t insist. He may have gotten sleepy or moved into a state of active alertness (when he’s working on new physical tricks).

Even this early, babies can recognize faces and gestures intuitively — and sometimes even imitate them. Give your newborn a chance to imitate your facial expressions by putting your face close to his and sticking out your tongue or raising your eyebrows a few times. Repeat it. Then give him some time to mimic your gesture. Even if he doesn’t copy you yet, he’s keeping close tabs — and learning.

Newborn play

Mobiles with high-contrast patterns and books with photos of babies’ faces will captivate your newborn. So will his own reflection, so you may want to prop an unbreakable mirror next to him, or sit him in front of your mirror with you when you do your hair. A play gym with plenty of compelling things to watch, swipe at, and listen to will give your baby practice with arm, hand, and finger coordination skills — and make lying down less boring. In the first few months, he won’t move his arms purposefully to reach for particular objects — this sort of movement comes later, in a couple of months.

Remember, your baby is an individual

Each baby is unique and meets physical milestones at his own pace. Developmental guidelines are just yardsticks of what your baby has the potential to accomplish — if not right now, then soon.