Our Precious Luke at 3 Months

Our sweet Luke is going to be 3 months old tomorrow!  These past three months have flow by so fast and have been so full as I mentioned in my previous post.  I thank God for our precious son.  My biggest prayers for him are that he grows to know, love, serve and glorify our God.  I pray that God help us help Luke discover who God made him to be and find what He wants him to be and do.  I love watching his personality starting to shine through as he passes the newborn phase and is heading on to the baby phase! 

Here are a few things I want to capture about Luke the past 3 months:

Luke is very calm and laid back.  Thus far he only cries when he is hungry, over tired or hurting with gas from the colic.  He can sleep through anything; and trust me, Gavin and Wyatt test this every day!  High volumes of noise and activity don’t seem to bother him in the least. 

About 3 weeks ago, Luke started trying to smile and coo more, but then he (along with his older brothers) got a bad cold and was congested for 2 full weeks.  During this time he barely cooed at all.  Now that the congestion is gone (and I’m sure his sore throat too), he has started to talk a whole lot more, interact, smile and show some excitement.  I just love watching him start to interact!

He is also starting to grab more and more things and at times put them to his mouth and lick on them.  He continues to be very strong.  During tummy time he often rolls from his tummy to back over and over again (and has done so since about 3 weeks or so).

This past Monday (5 days shy of 3 months), our little Luke had to have surgery to repair 2 large inguinal hernias.  About 3 weeks prior I was giving him his daily morning bath and noticed hardness above his penis area.  I called the pediatrician and she agreed it was likely his testicles just moving around as is common with little boys.  I took him in later that week for his 2 month check up and she said it was not his testicles, but likely a hernia.  Less than a week later I met with the recommended surgeon at Texas Children’s and he confirmed that Luke actually had two hernias and they needed to be repaired soon.  We waited about 2 weeks so he was over the 52 week gestational age they prefer.  I am beyond thankful that Luke was able to get the surgery, that we were able to take him to the best hospital for children, and that he was in wonderful hands (the surgeon and most importantly God’s).  But it was still so hard to see my tiny boy have to go through all of this.  The surgery lasted 2 hours (1 hour each side) and he did wonderfully!  It was so hard passing him to the nurses in the OR in his little hospital gown.   He has been recovering great and is such an amazing trooper!!!  I am so thankful to have this behind him so he can recover while his movements are minimal as it is!  (I think I forgot to mention in his 1 month update, but he also had his tongue clipped at 1.5 weeks because he was born tongue tied.  They didn't do this procedure in the NICU because of his low platelet counts.  We tested his blood again before the surgery and his platelets were great!)

Luke has also had colic since about 3 weeks or so.  It starts in the evenings some days, but typically hits the hardest between 3 and 6 in the morning.   Most of his pain is intestinal gas.  Because of this, his nights are very restless.  He seems so sleepy most nights and not even very hungry, but just can’t sleep.  Just the past 1.5 weeks, he hasn’t had screaming pains.  He is uncomfortable and can’t sleep, but he isn’t crying out.  I am praying this phase is about over for him (and us)! 

Because of this, I have not been able to sleep train him to the extent I want or did with Gavin and Wyatt.  Every day breakfast is sometime between 7 and 8AM and he eats ‘dinner’ about 5 or 6PM and a last meal about 7:30 or 8PM.  These days he gets his bath when we are done with breakfast and he takes a nap about 9 or 9:30AM.  He was sleeping a good 2 or 2.5 hours at this time, but since the surgery, everything has been off.  The other naps are short and not on a patterned time.  We often let him sleep in the baby pillow in his bed or bassinet as this seems to give him some comfort.  I do lay him down flat as well though to make sure he is use to that as well.  We swaddle him at night and his first morning nap.  I also try laying him down sleepy but awake for naps and that goes well most of the time.  Evenings are a mess and I can't figure out how to get him on a schedule or routine.  I know this has to do with the colic though and should get better this next month.  As soon as this colic has passed, we can start working on a schedule.  But for now our little guy has to get the sleep and food he can when he can!

Luke highly favors turning his head to the left.  He has developed a slight flat spot and I've tried EVERYTHING to avoid this.  You name it, and I've tired it.  I put blankets under sheets, I use head wraps that go in carseats when they are newborns, etc.  They work sometimes, but when he's determined to sleep with his head to the left, he'll wiggle past anything and then snuggle in!  I have noticed the past week though he is getting better at this and not fighting the resistance as much!  I guess he was just pretty comfortable int he womb that way!

He eats about 2-5.5 oz every 3-4 hours, even at night.  The past couple of weeks since his cold and surgery, the norm is actually about 2-3 oz every 3 hours. 

I don’t have his 2 month ‘numbers’ with me, but I do know that this week he was 12 lbs and 23.5 inches.  He’s tall and lanky.  I’ve been pulling out all the 3-6 months and a few 6-9 month clothes because he is so long.  I can’t use the one piece outfits with feet unless they are big because he is so long and his feet are so big! 

Our Luke is so sweet.  I love looking into his big eyes (I’m thinking they will be light brown like mine or possibly green) as he looks deep into mine.  I love him holding tight to my finger as he feeds and I stroke his thigh.  He loves to snuggle in on my chest and squeeze my arm, or tight in the cradle position with Daddy.  He loves to be pat (like you are burping him) and Gavin and Wyatt love to help out too!  His older brothers love to kiss him, pat him, lay down with him, swing him, bring him toys and blankets and the such.  He lights up when they come around!

I will try to capture more about Luke this next month! 

2 Month Photo shoot:

Luke's first Halloween: