November was a busy month for Baby Benjamin!

Like most families, the holidays have been beyond hectic for us...and it's not even Christmas yet!  But I wanted to take a moment to share some photos and highlights from November, before I fall even farther behind.

Here are the most significant dates...

11/18 - Went to the doctor for vaccinations.  He's getting so aware of his surroundings that he started crying as soon as we reached the waiting room.  And he didn't really calm down until we left.  He was so glad to get home after the ordeal.  But sadly, he got a post-shot fever again that night (about 101-102).  As usual, the night nurse we called said it was no big deal.  So we spent the next 24 hours trying to keep his fever down...dressing him in diaper only and placing a damp cloth on his head.  He dealt with it so well, like he does everything, but it kills us to see him suffering in any way.  Sorry, Benjamin.  :(

11/24 - Benjamin got to spend Thanksgiving with Poppy (all the way from Arizona), Mimi and Nana!  
11/26 - Benjiboy ate his first solid food - rice cereal!  It wasn't his favorite, but he did great!

Other highlights...
- we put up forest-themed wall decals above his crib
- we put up Christmas lights inside and outside (which he loved)
- he keeps gaining in so many areas, including hand-eye coordination, comfort with tummy time, and communication!

Now, on to the best pics from November!

One of our new favorites of his cute face!

You talkin' to me?

Reflective Bean

It was so sad seeing Bean feverish after his vaccinations again.  We did our best to keep him cool.

As usual, his parents were the only ones freaking out.  He didn't even cry!

Visiting with Mimi!

With Mimi and Poppy...and trying to steal some pizza!

Look at this cute little puppy!

If angels ever "kick back," this is how they look doing it.

Benjamin is so much happier during tummy time now!

On the porch with Poppy on Thanksgiving Day!

Blue Bean!  He was checking out some indoor Christmas lights!

November 26th - he ate rice cereal for the first time and did great!

We had these wall decals for months and FINALLY put them up above his crib.

Thanksgiving Bean!

Bath Bean!

Another new favorite.  He's adorable.

He was looking at us upside down on the bed...so of course we couldn't resist another photo.

Benjamin loves to play with all his crib toys.  Especially the turtle mirror!

#10: Most things get better as babies grow, some things get worse

It's amazing how much things change when you're taking care of a little one.  Some of the changes are sudden, while some are more gradual.  Some things become less challenging, and other things more.  It's an incredible process - one I've enjoyed discussing with my wife and documenting here.

Here are some things that have changed, through the first 4 months and 11 days of Benjamin's life outside the womb...

BETTER: His feeding, sleeping, and pooping schedule is SO much more sane.  As impossible as it seemed during the first couple months that we would ever get to a point like this (we would get a 1-2 hour break at most before he cried again!).  Now, he's already sleeping through most of the night!  He only wants regular feedings (every 3 hours, approximately) during his more active hours - generally about 9 AM to 11 PM, though it can vary.  He also poops MUCH less frequently!  The best part about this change, over the last couple months, is that he doesn't irritate his bottom.  Before, he was constantly exacerbating his own rash.

WORSE: However, that also means that his bowel movements, when they do occur, are ENORMOUS.  When it's already been 2-4 days (the longest wait so far was 4 or 5), we truly dread the arrival of his beastly unloading.  Thankfully, it's only been disastrous timing once...but it almost made poor Marie late for work that day.  We had a frantic cleanup effort, which continued even after I brought him back home from dropping her off.

BETTER: Obviously, babies become more aware as they grow.  This is a beautiful thing when it comes to:
- responsive facial expressions (he's been smiling quite a bit since about the 3 month mark, and we can fairly reliably trigger it now with our voices and expressions)
- vocalizing (he loves to coo at us when in the right mood)
- eye contact (he LOVES this and literally strains for it when he hears a voice behind him - sometimes to the point of making himself sick from all the twisting around)
- grabbing for clothing, burp cloths, toys, etc. (he has been doing this in a more directed, less random way for a week or two)

It's incredibly rewarding to gain a greater sense of reciprocity in your interactions with your child.

WORSE: However, greater awareness can sometimes be a bad thing!  Benjamin used to have no idea what was going on in the car, or at the doctor's office, so it didn't really phase him.  He either slept, or took it all in passively.  As he senses patterns and remembers more of the world around him, some of it can be scary.  Let's just say that his last couple trips to the doctor were NOT his favorite.  He spent about 80% of the time crying at the top of his little lungs, and it only got worse when his 4 month shots were administered.  Good grief, I felt awful for him.  I've never liked lying on a slab and getting injected with things either.

Overall, we are overwhelmed by his progress and how beautiful this boy is.  We love him so much, and we tell him about a thousand times a day.

#9: Yep, you worry about EVERYTHING when it comes to your baby's health

I've already documented the diaper rash issues.  But that's far from the only thing that Marie and I have panicked over when it comes to Baby Benjamin.  

Thankfully, the rash is gone!  It feels amazing to say that.  He's been totally rash-free for about a month now.

But we've had these things to worry about (which probably seem trivial in comparison to our worries during the pregnancy):

1) Blocked tear duct in his right eye - ongoing, virtually since birth.  According to the doctors, we won't need to worry TOO much about this unless it persists past 8 months.

2) Various rough patches (probably eczema) on his face and left arm.  Hopefully, this will clear up.

3) Fever when he got vaccinations at 2 and 4 month checkups (temporary, but alarming at the time). We gave him liquid tylenol and it returned him to normal within about 24 hours both times.

4) Poor Benji has this tendency to ALWAYS turn his head to the right when sleeping...and, as he's a little baby, he's supposed to always sleep on his back.  Well, that has resulted in both a bit of a flat AND lopsided back of his head.  We'll need to keep an eye on this condition (positional plagiocephaly) - hopefully he won't need to wear a helmet!

While you learn to cope better as time goes by, any new element thrown into the mix can really be jarring.  When you have a beautiful boy like ours, you want everything to be perfect for him.