Changing of the Parental Guard

ADJUSTED AGE: 11 WEEKS

As of today, I return to work, and Ben becomes a stay-at-home dad. Ben finished work a week ago, so we've spent the last week at home together transitioning from a somewhat day-time nursing schedule to an evening and early morning nursing schedule and adjusting my pumping schedule to accommodate the change. I will work about half days for the next two weeks before returning full time at the beginning of March.

Although I've confirmed over the past 11 weeks that I would not be very good at being a stay-at-home mom indefinitely, it's still sad for our special one-on-one Mom and Truman time to be coming to an end.

Truman has become a much easier baby over the last couple of weeks or so, primarily he has gotten easier to get to sleep and has started wanting several short periods of playtime on his play mat or in his cradle every day, giving Mom and Dad's arms a much-needed break. He has also really picked up the pace in "talking" and smiling while playing. He has learned how to actually hit the toys he swings at on his play mat, and we have discovered that he is ticklish.

Truman has started eating greater volumes (3+ ounces at a time) and is therefore taking longer breaks between meals. He still, however, screams at many of his bottles and still struggles with bottle feeding. We have our assessment at the feeding clinic on Friday to try to work on that before he loses his sucking reflex and greater problems begin.

--Kara