one month old

Cole is now officially one month old, and today he had a check-up at the pediatrician. Tony and I had bets on what his weight would be, and I won because we were abiding be Price is Right rules, and Tony's estimate was over the actual amount. Cole now weighs in at 10 lbs. 4 oz., though he literally tried to tip the scale by pulling on part of it. I had to let him hold my finger so the nurse could get an accurate measurement. He's also grown 3/4", and is now 22 1/4" tall...well...22 1/4" long is more like it since standing is still out of the question. However, he's working hard on developing those neck muscles and he can hold his head up for longer stretches every day. He's also stretching out his legs and kicking and pushing off a lot more. He takes his exercises very seriously.

This first month has been exhausting, frustrating, and amazing as we've tackled new things together. The hardest times have had little to do with Cole and more to do with my own health issues. I'm getting better though and that's a huge comfort.

Family begins arriving tomorrow. Tony's parents are flying in from Green Bay to stay for a week, and my family will be here this weekend as we celebrate Cole's baptism on Sunday. It will be interesting to see how Cole reacts to his popularity...and we'll definitely be keeping a close eye on the grandparents to make sure no one tries to take off with him.

To celebrate his great check-up and to savor our final quiet moments for awhile, I took him for a walk this afternoon around the apartment complex. Last time we went for a walk, Cole slept through the whole thing, but today, he was wide-eyed the entire time. He stared back at me and would acknowledge when we passed under a tree or when he heard an airplane. He's becoming more aware of his environment and I love seeing his reactions. The best part was he had his longest sustained smile ever and was still smiling when I got him back upstairs. Tonight, as I'm cleaning the apartment before family arrives, I've got a bit of extra energy and I know exactly where it came from...seeing my one month old's gummy grin.