Four Weeks

Zachary is four weeks old today. I can't believe how fast this is flying by. Why doesn't pregnancy fly by this fast?

Our little Zachary is so cute. He has started smiling. But, the smiles are not commonplace quite yet. The first one I got from him was last Saturday. The next big one--which included a tiny laugh--came on Sunday after church. It was so cute! The only thing that wasn't cute about it was that it wasn't directed to me, it was directed to one of my friends from another ward!

He still coughs a lot. Meaning, he coughs and sputters. He's got reflux and sometimes it scares me. I've been trying to do what I can to help the problem, like keeping him upright for at least 20 minutes after feeding him and even keeping him semi upright when he's down for the night or for a nap. His geyser spitting-up still happens occasionally, but it doesn't freak me out like it originally did. I wish he could keep his food down all the time. It makes me sad that his reflux bothers him so much. He really tries to keep it down.

I love when he flares his fingers. He hasn't started looking at them yet, but he sure waves them around. It is so cute.

Zachary has blue eyes. Right now they are a navy blue. But, they'll be like his dad's eyes. I'm so pleased with that.

I have left Zachary with Mark twice while I've gone to do something. The first time was on Sunday evening when I went to a stake meeting. I was gone for an hour and a half. The second time was last night. I was gone for two hours. Sunday Zachary was good the whole time. In fact, too good. I came home and he was sleeping on Mark's lap. I said, "Wake that boy up! I want him to sleep better tonight and he won't sleep tonight if he's sleeping now!" Last night, however, Zachary wasn't as good. He started crying a half hour after I left. And, he got hungry before I got home. So Mark started giving him a bottle I prepared.

Much to my dad's displeasure, I give Zachary a binky. I wasn't sure I was going to let him have one, but I've decided it's okay considering how often he'll even take it. And, when he does take the binky, most of the time he spits it out or pulls it out himself. Yes--he pulls it out. Most often when that happens, he gets mad because I think he didn't want to pull it out.

Zachary does the PURPLE cry now. It started last week. It usually starts around 8:00 or 9:00 and goes for about an hour. Two nights ago, we were both trying to soothe him when Mark had it. Mark really gave it to Zachary--and Zachary responded. What did Mark do? "WHAH! WHAH! WHAH!" Mark "cried" louder than Zachary. It startled him and he stopped crying. Mark did it last night too and it worked then.

One of my friends and my mom suggested that when Zachary gets fussy in the evenings to give him a bath and then massage him. Doesn't work--at least, not yet. Zachary doesn't particularly like baths yet. And, he's usually crying when I want to massage him--so his body is writhing. It sure doesn't make it easy. In fact, the other night, I tried to give him a bath. He liked it for about two seconds. And then he cried even louder.

Another thing that totally makes me smile is when Zachary is hungry but not yet to the crying stage. His little tongue is lapping at the milk that has not yet reached his mouth. It’s so cute.

I actually have really enjoyed being home with Zachary. He is so sweet (other than the PURPLE crying). He looks at me and I can tell he recognizes me. Now that he's started smiling, it melts my heart when he gives that toothless grin for me. And I just love holding him when I know he wants me to cuddle him. *sigh*

I'm so blessed.