Benjamin 1 month

I refuse to fall victim to the 2nd child syndrome...where the baby book, pictures, videos of child number 2 become much less if not non exsistent.  Therefore it is my goal to post monthly updates of Benjamin's first year...as with Silas the first one is a little late, but better late then never.

BENJAMIN 1 MONTH OLD

When people ask us how it's going with Benjamin, and if he is an "easy" baby, Søren and I look at each other and immiediately answer..."It's going SO well, he is such an easy baby." Yes, this is probably due to the fact that Benjamin is an excellent sleeper.  In the beginning he was basically sleeping all day, and now at 5 weeks he is still sleeping all day. His "routine" is a 3-4 hour nap in the morning, awake for an hour and then another 3-4 hour nap in the afternoon.  Around dinner time he wakes up and is awake for a few hours before crashing for the night at around 8:30 pm.  He sleeps best in his baby carriage just outside our front door.

At night Benjamin sleeps from around 8:30-1am in his baby basket.  While/after feeding, he and I usually end up falling asleep and just in the past few days I have been able to lay him back in his basket afterwards where he sleeps until 4 or 5.  Most days he falls right back to sleep after that feeding and sleeps until between 7:30-8:30, where it all starts over again.  So yes, he sleeps A LOT!

(The above "rountine" is how it has been the past week.  The first few weeks contained just as much sleeping, but it was mostly in our arms. He did not want to sleep in his basket and woke up, from what we thought was a deep sleep, almost immediately upon being laid down there.  At about 3 weeks we started walking with him and thats when he started sleeping in his carriage for longer periods.  Now we don't even have to walk with him, we just bundle him up in his fleece suit and he almost falls asleep instantly.

Other "traits":
- In the middle of a meal, Benjmain gets a burping break where he burps 2 times and then gets the hiccups.
- At 3 weeks old he had a few nights where he slept 5 hours straight at night.
- Started taking regular naps outside at 3 weeks. (3-4 hours)
- Would only sleep at night in bed with us...but that is slowly changing.
- Makes a lot of CRAZY noises, especially at night.  You would think he is wide awake or needing something, but he is completely asleep making grunting noises, squealing and other high pitched noises. We sleep with earplugs when he is in the basket next to the bed, as we now know that these are just his sleeping noises and that he doesn't need us for anything.
- Around 4 weeks Benjamin had his first smile.  It was while getting changed after a big release of gas. He now smiles quite often, and mostly on the changing table.
- He sits with us at the dinner table in his own infant chair and seems quite content.
- Has a lot of gas and can really let some loud ones rip.
- Is most fussy in the evenings from 6pm-8:30pm...and it is here where we have to walk around with him.  But otherwise he doesn't need us to walk around with him to keep him happy. Just look at him and talk.
- Mommy and Benjamin have a routine of sitting at the piano everyday.  Benjamin has begun to coo and make quiet noises while I am singing to him.

We are enjoying getting to know Benjamin more and more and cherish each special day of this amazing newborn phase.

Another interesting bit about Benjamin coming to the world, is that he is a little brother and therefore his big brother is around.  Silas has taken so well to Benjamin.  He is so gentle with him and uses the sweetest voice while talking to him.  Silas has to give hi and goodbye kisses and will also just come up to Benjamin and say "Hi little brother...or Hi sweetie...or Hej, min skatte basse."  Silas wants to help out with giving Benjamin his sut (pacifier) and in general try to cheer him up if he is crying.  Silas has not wanted to hold Benjamin, but he did hold him for about 20 seconds the other day.

Some funny stories between brothers.
1) I was sitting in the living room about to give Benjamin some food, and Silas asked from the kitchen what  I was doing.  I told him that Benjamin was hungry...one second later, Silas came with a big spoonful of his oatmeal to give to Benjamin.

2) At daycare a few days after Benjamin was born, they were walking to the park and when a complete stranger walked past Silas shouted "I'm a big brother!"....Silas has also told this fact proudly to many guests and strangers since.

3) Silas sometimes wants to push the baby carriage when Benjamin is in it. Otherwise he has fun playing on Benjamins activity blanket or in his basket. Silas also likes to pretend that his stuffed doggy is a baby and put it in Benjamins chair, blanket, clothes, etc.

4) Silas was a bit overwhelmed by all the guests in the beginning.  When we had guests Silas wanted Søren or I all to himself and would drag one of us into his room, shut the door and say we had to stay there and play with him.  Sometimes others weren't even allowed to talk to him...not even Grandma or Farmor.  (This phase now seems to be long gone)

UPDATE: At 6 weeks Benjamin weighed in at 6.24kg (13.7 pounds)  and grew to 58cm (23 inches)!
 He gained 2 kilograms (4 pounds)  in 6 weeks! Crazy!!

Some pictures of the first few weeks:

 

Benjamin's first bath

Grandma was visiting

Silas helping with Benjamin's bath

First trip in the baby carriage