7 Weeks Have Already Gone By

Gabriel turned 7 weeks old on Monday. Gabriel and I celebrated by going to a Baby Steps class at the Center for Health Promotion. It is a class that meets weekly for new parents and their babies. Gabriel hung out on his blanket on the floor and for the first time had a chance to look at and listen to a bunch of other babies. He was very attentive and took in all of the new sights and sounds while Mommy listened to a Naturopath guest speaker. I thought that Gabriel looked older than other babies his age, and he was much more aware of his surroundings. I look forward to taking him back to one of these classes again before I go back to work, if we can work it into our schedule. After class, we called Daddy and made a lunch date to meet for pizza at Sal's. And then we got groceries on the way home.

What's little Gabriel doing these days? He will usually sleep 5-6 hours in one episode at night, so Mommy and Daddy aren't as exhausted as some parents might be. He smiles. He has been able to sit up assisted and keep his own head upright in that position for weeks, though sometimes he does get a little wobbly with this event. Gabriel is still not a fan of tummy time. He does grasp objects now, but isn't quite sure what to do with them. His pacifier popped out of his mouth last night, and he caught it with his hand and arm and made an attempt to try to put it back in his own mouth. Gabriel brightens and gets excited when he first hears his Daddy come through the door after work. His newborn outfits are getting tight around the belly and short, though, it's too sad for me to pull them out of the dresser and pack them away. When he is picked up by other people (especially the Grandmothers) he will look at them in the face and smile too. Gabriel will usually fall asleep right away when he gets in the car seat. He is also a master generator of dirty laundry. We believe his hair is lightening, and I am seeing more red highlights. Gabriel really likes to look out the window at the brightness outside.

I wanted to share this photo of Lucas and Gabriel sharing the Boppy on the couch. When Gabriel is quiet, both Elleigh and Lucas are happy to lay close to him.