for the love of july : tatum ross

oh sweet tatum.
here we are.
a whole month already! feels like it has flown by.
the world has just been spinning on around us while we are living slow within the walls of our home. and there's no other way i'd have it. and truly don't plan to have that change anytime here soon. these are the days that i live for with a newborn in our family. the most precious, cherished days.
baby boy, you are a dream.
you are the sweetest, snuggliest, most calm + content.
we are all in awe of you and couldn't love you an ounce more than we already do. you are adored by your big brother + big sis. as they've been running around the house playing hour after hour, day after day, i can't help but imagine the day that you're right there along side them giggling and playing all together.
YOU ARE LOVED, MY BOY.

beyond your arrival (labor + delivery :: birth story still to come!), and joining you into our family, it really has been quite 'uneventful' this last month. and i am thankful for that. it's been an adjustment, but also such a smooth transition adding you in. i couldn't ask for it to be better. you fit right in here and fill up a space that was made just for you.

TATUM:

one month old :: 11 lbs 6 oz (85%) :: 23.5 inches long (>95%)

birth: 8 lbs 2 oz :: 20.5 inches

2 days: 7 lbs 10.5 oz

12 days: 8 lbs 10 oz

name sign :: quincyjeanart

banner :: hooray everyday

sweater outfit :: h&m

.eat.

so thankful this boy has been a good nurser from day one, hour one. he nursed soon after being born, and has had a great latch and been an efficient nurser ever since. and it shows with his growth!! it's 100% breastmilk for him straight from the source ;)

he's started to get those sweet chubby cheeks + a couple thigh rolls... and i'm IN LOVE.

i don't watch the clock for nursing, just go on demand. there were times in the first couple weeks we had lots of cluster nursing in the late morning or early afternoon. basically, if he's hungry, mama will help him to fill up that tummy. he certainly isn't the hungriest of babies i've had though- i remember tanner at this age- ate, and ate, and ate! as of late tatum has kinda fallen onto a routine of eating once he wakes up from sleep. that's not always, but often. over half the time, he'll usually wake to eat and then fall right back to sleep. he's still a sleepy guy and loves his rest!
(being slightly jaundice contributed to some of his sleepiness in the beginning)

- - although it wasn't creating a problem with nursing, we did choose to have sweet boy's tongue + lip ties taken care of. my midwife is amazing and very preventative. i trust all that she says as she's been with us since pregnancy with harper. she shared with us that there have been lots of findings with various complications related to ties. i would suggest researching it as it is actually very fascinating all the things that can be related- -

.play.

it's minimal of course! during his wake time, we all love to talk to him and watch him as he takes in his world around him. in the first week, first days, we got those sleepy smiles from him, and then just this week we have gotten awake smiles and it make my heart burst! having him look at me (us) and him to smile back warms a mama's heart! he has just the sweetest smile!

we haven't done much (and as of his one month check up yesterday morning i was reminded we need to be on it), but tummy time! that will be our next new thing to add in during the few hours that he's awake in the day.

.sleep.

he is rocking it in this department!

first couple weeks it wasn't uncommon to get a 5-6 hour stretch of sleep out of him. which was much appreciated as his older siblings were adjusting to the changes of having a new baby and finding themselves waking in the night. (which isn't a norm for them!). brandon joked, but not so jokingly, that the older two were waking us (him) more than the newborn was. and some nights it certainly was true. thankfully they've fallen back into normal of sleeping all night. a little sticker chart bribery did wonders. ;)

as of late tatum is waking more on the 3-4 hour marks. wakes from hunger. then it's a quick diaper change, swaddled back up, nurse, and then back to sleep.

during my pregnancy we debated and debated on whether or not we wanted to buy a snuggle me or dock-a-tot. so glad we did! we went with the snuggle me and baby boy sleeps right on our bed in between us. i don't even have to step foot out of bed in the night. it's heavenly!
he's a bit of a loud sleeper and grunts and squirms. during naps and night time. which i'm finding is kinda keeping me on my toes in wonder of if he's actually about to wake or not. but more often than not, after he gets it all out, it's back into his sleep he goes.

we've been experiencing some fussy time in the evenings 'witching hour' the last few nights. it's been due to getting overtired during the dinner/bath/bedtime hustle when we're all running around and before we know it he's been awake for too long and then has a harder time actually getting to sleep.

.things i never want to forget.

:: that fresh newborn smell + feel when you were first born and that week to follow.
:: your little {loud} grunts and swirms
:: somehow your face when you cry is actually so darn cute
:: sleeping up on mama's chest is your favorite way
:: that perfect little button nose
:: such a tough little one you are. shots/pricks and "other things" ;) haven't hardly bothered you
:: that epic "mess" you made (multiple times) right before your first bath
:: how you love your fingers to your mouth and occasionally suck on them
:: your HAIR. and LIPS. and NOSE.

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photo dump..pics in order from birth to present :)