Matthew: First Impressions

I first noticed it months before he was born. Matthew was a chill dude. His movements were gentle "re-situating wriggles," not the bruising, passionate kicks I'd experienced only two years prior.

My initial impression has yet to be discredited. His demeanor is relaxed, very much mirroring that of his father. He'll cross his little feet at the ankle (a happy accident no doubt), and quietly look around. So much like Mitch I have to laugh.

He's also the "less-vocal" type. Quite a contrast to baby Clara, and, again, quite similar to Daddy. When he's upset, he'll spend about 10 seconds scrunching up his face before the first actual "waaaa" errupts. And that sounds more like a spoken word than a true cry. If I can anticipate and address whatever is bothering him within those first several seconds, he never actually makes a peep.

Upon meeting him, many people say, "Wow! Those are some big hands! He's either going to be a tall guy or a piano player." To which I say, "Maybe he'll be both..." :)

He's content for the most part. The only struggle he's had is falling asleep. That becomes a fussy, messy process at night and nap times when he's so tired but can't quite get there on his own. I bounce him, give him a paci, rub his tummy, burp him, but refuse to put him all the way to sleep in those moments. I know I will pay for it later if I teach him to rely on me to get to sleep. However, we've started some good bedtime routines and are seeing improvement already.

Overall, he's awesome. We love him. He's a great fit to our family and SO sweet!