Akiva at 4 weeks

Akiva is growing by leaps and bounds. Here's what I'm noticing lately:

- We finally solved the sleep dilemma. Often, Akiva would fall asleep on me and then I would put him down swaddled in a blanket in the bed next to me. I would then lie down and try to sleep. Inevitably, he would wake up within 10 minutes. This got frustrating as I became more and more zombiesque from lack of sleep. Finally it dawned on me that the temp change might be too much for him - to be cuddled up next to mommy and then on his own in the cold bed was too big a switch. SO, we figured out a new way for both of us to sleep. He goes to sleep on my chest. I then roll to my side and place him on a pillow next to me with my arm still around him and his body cuddled to mine. This works perfectly - I wake with his movement or with any squawks. We've been getting 4 hours at a time this way. Yay!

- He's getting huge. I bet he tops 12 lbs at the midwife today. We had been putting him in 3 month sleepers since we didn't have too many newborn sleepers. They were huge on him. Now, they fit him perfectly. He can still squeeze into his newborn outfits (I went and bought a few second hand), mainly because they are so stretchy.

- His hair is coming in very blond with a tinge of red - this is more noticeable under fluorescent lights and when he's wearing teal (like mom).

- He looked like Mark when he was born, but more and more I see shades of my brother and dad in him. I look quite a bit like my brother, so I guess Akiva looks like me, too.

- He does the flirty sleep faces less and less. I did manage to catch most of them on video, though. I'll see about posting them here via YouTube... maybe I'll even find a way to cut out my inane commentary.

- He loves looking in the mirror behind his changing table - my old dresser which Mark fitted with a changing table "mattress" my mom and stepdad bought for us at Sears.

- We had to buy a new carseat. Our original - the Graco Safeseat - failed the Consumer Reports front and side impact tests. Doesn't look like Sears will take it back. Now I have to figure out how to dispose of it. I suppose cutting the straps and putting it out with the trash would work.

- Akiva seems to like to be naked (I'll spare you the speculation on how he comes by this genetically...). His Great-Aunt Susie sent him a Lambie - a washable lambskin rug. If we can get the temp in the house high enough this seems the perfect place for Akiva to enjoy some naked time each day (though I'm not sure what we're going to do about the fact that he can easily pee six feet away from where he is...).

- Mark has been taking him out for walks in our Baby Bjorn carrier - Akiva loves the cool weather we've been having and looks around very seriously while we're out.

- He has more control of his head. If I place him on my chest he can hold his head up and look around (unless he's tired, in which case he just snuggles right in).

I'll try to be more on top of taking pics/videos now that we're taking him out in public more.