Ian is 1/12 of a year old!

While the baby sleeps and the repairman replaces our water heater (that's a long story involving blisteringly hot water and then no hot water at all...), I'll take a few minutes to try to update you all on Ian's progress and anything interesting about his parents that happens to come to mind.

First, a few words about the parents, so we can get the drudgery out of the way and get on to the baby. We've just reached the end of a series of longer visits from special folks, including both of Ian's grandmas and Heather and Jeff. We also had shorter visits from Erik and Robyn (who are now enjoying getting to know their own little guy who was born just over a week ago) and from Kevin and Barbara.

We've passed a few milestones in the lives of Ian's parents, including a 7th wedding anniversary and a 40th birthday (Daddy's). Jeff and Heather helped us celebrate the latter, and the former was celebrated quietly at home on the day of the occasion with lovely take-out food from Cucina Bravo.

Now, on to the good stuff!

Ian weighed in this morning at 10 pounds 1 ounce, putting him in the 50th-75th percentile in weight. His height (21.25 in.) is around the 25th percentile, and his head circumference is in the 10th-25th percentile. For those of us who are unfamiliar with what this all means, the doctor was pleased with all of the numbers and said we just want Ian to stay in the same categories relative to himself. In other words, if his head suddenly measures in the 95th percentile, we would be needing to ask why, but being on the low end of the percentile ranking now or having weight and height and head circumference in different percentiles does not cause worry.

Ian got his first Hepatitis B immunization today. He didn't like it. He also didn't like the taste of the wood tongue depressor the doctor used to check out his mouth, but I think it is safe to say that he liked the shot less. Also less than fun was the cauterization of his navel; he has had minor bleeding there, so the doctor removed his scab and applied silver nitrate to the area to prevent further bleeds.

Some of the best news of the morning is that Ian is gaining weight well enough that we no longer need to wake him up in the night to feed him. We can let him sleep, which we hope will mean more sleep for us! He's eating between 25 and 30 ounces of expressed milk per day, and he nurses occasionally with the help of a little silicone shield that helps him to latch. Nursing is still a hit-or-miss proposition, but he has the opportunity offered at least a few times per day.

Ian has been trying out his smile, which his mommy finds very charming indeed. He also has become much more aware of his surroundings over the past week or so, and is starting to enjoy looking at toys, such as the little pull-down bee toy that is hanging over his pack-n-play. He spends some awake time contentedly looking around his surroundings. We also try to give him plenty of time on his tummy. His neck seems to be very strong, and he moves his head around quite a lot to see what he wants to see. He also enjoys "standing" when someone holds him up by his chest. He coos and says something that sounds like "obey" - we think it is an all-purpose command for the adults in his life - and he has quite the range of facial expressions. I find it challenging to capture them all on film, but I do try. He also has a rather amusing habit of opening his hands in the Vulcan "live long and prosper" gesture (with the largest spread between the middle and ring fingers), so we think he may be a born Trekkie. He's got a bit of what the doctor called male pattern baldness developing, so the hair in the front of is head is thinning. We hope it will be a long time before his more permanent baldness kicks in, but he's got a pretty wicked widow's peak at present.

Ian has outgrown his cute little newborn clothes, but that has given us the opportunity to try out his also cute 0-3 months clothes. Most of them fit him well, except that the sleeves all seem a little short. It would appear that he has rather long arms, fingers, feet and toes.

Ian has started sleeping in a co-sleeper at night rather than the bassinet he was using to begin with. Ashleigh was kind enough to send it to us, and it has been great so far. Basically, it is like a bassinet or pack-n-play with one low wall that butts up next to the grown-ups' bed. It is strapped to our mattress so that it won't move, and it gives something of the effect of sleeping together without the dangers of baby in the adult bed. He actually sleeps about 5 or 6 inches below me and just inches away. I like to have him so close to me, because I can simply look over at him to reassure myself that he is still breathing and that all is well and just roll back over and go to sleep without getting out of bed or even craning my neck to speak of. He can look up at me when he is falling asleep, which is helpful, especially considering that he has been known to cry when I leave his sight.

I have been using a Maya wrap to keep him near me while I do things around the house the last few days. In fact, he's sleeping in it now. It's a cozy set-up that makes me feel a bit like a kangaroo. We quite regularly walk as a family in the evenings, and Ian also seems to love the motion of the stroller.

I have several photos that need to go up here, but since I don't have time now and the cable I need in order to download them is upstairs, I will have to add them to another post later. I will, however, try to share a short video in the meantime for Ian's adoring public.