Dear Declan... You're One Month Today!!

ONE MONTH OLD

Dear Declan!

You're ALREADY a month old!  I can believe it because time keeps going faster the older I get, but I don't want to believe it... that's for sure!  Grandma Connie wrote me letters when I was young so I wanted to try and start the tradition with you a little earlier!  Maybe I'll get Dad to write you a few here and there but most likely he'll just "proofread" mine, find all my errors and tease me with "How do you even teach writing when you can't write?"  But you see, your dad has the better memory of the two of us so he'll be able to remember every detail of stories to tell you but if I don't write some down in these letters and blogs, I'll forget them...

We just got home last night from your first trip to the Purkat Cabin for our 4th of July nearly-annual trip after just a week earlier getting home from your first road trip to Omaha for a Looten gathering.. This coming weekend we are headed to meet all the Thrall's!   In all these trips you have been a great traveler and everyone gives their stamp of approval that you are an amazing and adorable baby.  The nicknames have been continuing... I most often use just your name or Dec, but Auntie Britt loves saying Deckers, Daddy hates when I call you Deckels, Uncle Brian gave you the endearment Upper Dec, and my newest favorite from Uncle Craig is Nightcrawler because you are the squirmest and strongest month old baby all of us have held.  We are ready to place bets again  on facts that you'll be crawling by 4 months and walking by 8!!  I hope those don't come true!   (There was betting going on with those gambling Lootens on the date you would be born... cousin Connor won the 60$ on that bet..)

I really feel so blessed to be your mom as you have been just the perfect baby.  You eat so well, only get me up once a night since you've been home from the hospital (Except one night a few days ago up at the cabin it was three times, but all day you ate lots and I'm sure you were just going thru a growth spurt) and you are just a content boy... when you cry we can fix it with a diaper change, some food or a burp.     I joke you will pay us back in your toddler or teenage years.  Even though I sometimes think... "Man, a diaper change already!?!"  and, "Really, it is time for you to nurse AGAIN?"  I can just look at you and tears come to my eyes with how much I love you and how excited I am to be your mom so I know all the diapers will be forgotten down the road!  

Here are some other facts about you right now:  

Age: 1 month

Weight:   I'm guessing 10 lbs 4 ounces but you have checkup tomorrow!
     7/9/13: I was way off... 10lbs 13 oz!  You've gained over 2 lbs in a month!  74 percentile!

Length:   22 1/2 "  89%
Head:  15 1/4" 89%

Feats/Mobility: You are STRONG!  You've rolled over from tummy to back at 2 weeks old and just the last few days you will roll from back to side... kick a little... than side to back... kick a little... and then you are on  your side again... you made your way off your blanket at the cabin and off your turtle mat a couple of times!  

No more leaving you unguarded up high!  Your head is almost always strong enough but you still head butt yourself and us when we all get lazy and forget you aren't totally there yet!  

Likes:  Your mirror/singing snail! Staring at lights and you are starting to really focus  And pretty much everything else... You are always content...  I can't wait til you start really smiling in a couple weeks and telling us what you really love!  

Dislikes: Sometimes just being held... you want to stretch and wiggle and not have us always cuddling with you!  You won't keep a hat on to save you from sun, cold, or the 4 mosquito bites that happened on top your head at the cabin!   Your arms in a burrito swaddle... in fact you normally sleep with both arms up by your head! " I-surrender"-style!

I love you through and through,

Mom