Porter @ 6 weeks

Hi everyone,
Porter is now 6 weeks old and so we thought we would give you an update on things we have discovered about him during these past weeks. Porter has been a good eater and in the first 5 weeks has gained 4 pounds since he left the hospital (born 9lbs 3 oz. and left hospital at 8 lbs 6 oz) and at 5 weeks weighed 12 pounds 6 ounces. Yep, he outgrew his 0-3 month clothes in just 3 weeks. Actually, his torso is so long (gets that from Kent) that he is wearing clothes for 12 month olds. His feet are also so big he can’t fit them into a sleeper with feet.

Porter has been quite fussy the last three+ weeks and we have suspected that he has reflux and the doctor prescribed Zantac for him, in addition to adding rice cereal to some milk to keep the milk heavy so it won’t come up so easily. Since we have added the rice cereal to his diet, he has been much happier and we are hoping that the Zantac will also help. Probably because of the reflux, Porter hates to lay flat and so since we brought him home he has been sleeping in his car seat in his crib.

Unfortunately, Porter also has colic and cries and is fussy from 5:30pm – 10:30pm each night. He has some tummy troubles and cold feet and hands all of the time. We are trying a new medicine for him this week.

Porter has already smiled several times and can be pretty cute despite the crying at night and fussiness. Kent says he is cutest when he is sleeping. Porter is incredibly strong. The pediatrician was amazed that from the start Porter will stand up if you hold his armpits. He has very strong legs and stands on them. The doctor thinks he might be walking pretty early--we shall see. Porter has also been able to hold his head up since he was born. Granted it can be a bit wobbly some times, but everyone who sees him comments on how strong he is to hold up his head already.

When Porter was born, he looked just like Grant (I am hoping to attach two photos showing the them each within an hour of their birth). Porter, however, is very different from Grant. Porter absolutely loves to be warm. We think he will really like Texas and we are so glad he was born in the summer. One of the only ways to calm him is to take him outside – yes when it is nearly 100 degrees out there he is the happiest. Don’t worry, we only take him in the shade. You can see Kent or I pacing our driveway with Porter both day and unfortunately in the middle of the night as well. In stark contrast to Grant, Porter also loves warm baths – (Grant cannot get enough of cold water).

Like Grant, Porter has a nice amount of hair for a newborn. Porter is already sporting some pretty good side burns. In comparison to Grant, Porter’s hair is lighter and his eyelashes are lighter, as well as eyebrows. Porter has very long feet and toes (so big that they would not even fit within the space on the birth record for footprints). He also has long fingers and arms. We think the long toes, feet and fingers come from Kent’s mom’s side of the family. Porter has blue eyes still and we think they may stay (compare to Grant’s brown eyes). Porter has less of a barrel chest than Grant, but is still pretty stocky.

Porter was blessed at church on June 15, 2008 and received a wonderful blessing from his dad. Mom and dad are doing pretty well and are back in the wonderful world of no sleep and/or sleep consisting of less than 2 hours at a time (and that is a good night). Actually Porter is doing okay for being so young. He sometimes does 4 hour stretches at night and once has done a 5 hour stretch for sleeping.

We love him, fussiness and all. And Grant is doing a great job at being a big brother!