PoviChildren

[Matt] At the end of March, Kerean went back to work on a 4-10 schedule, which means she works Monday through Thursday, 10 hours per day (telecommuting on Mondays, which is nice because her commute is more than 30 miles each way). With Kerean once again very busy with work, I have become the primary caregiver Mondays through Thursdays. By working Fridays and Saturdays I am able to extend my 6-week family leave to cover the entire 10-week Spring quarter, so I do not have to teach. This “Daddy Day Care” has been a great arrangement because (a) Kira didn’t have to start regular day care at the tender age of two months and (b) I get a chance to bond with her at a very early age and learn what’s it’s like to care for an infant — a chance I never had with Maia and will never have again (no, we’re not planning to have any more children).

This schedule is punishing, though, and we only get one day per week (normally Sunday) together as a family. We’re so busy that time is rushing past us. The first month has already gone, and here are two photos to bookend it. At 2 months old, Kira was already smiling, cooing, and looking around. She weighed 14 lbs, 6 oz at her 2-month checkup. She also received the full slew of vaccinations—the afternoon after that appointment was my most challenging experience with her yet, she cried for 45 minutes straight, fell asleep, and then whimpered in her slumber as I held her for 2 more hours.

Now, at 3 months, she has gotten very good at holding up her head and is already trying to sit up. She is a great sleeper—she often takes 2-3 hour “marathon naps” that leave me with time to get other things done, like this blog post! Kira and I enjoy long walks in the morning, usually 3 to 5 miles, and she’ll either have a marathon nap then or be awake for part of the time and looking around. We haven’t weighed her recently, but she is eating very well and certainly growing! Take a look back at Kira’s 1 month photos to appreciate the difference.

During this past month, Kira got to meet and hang out with quite a few visiting relatives: Aunt Lydia, Uncle Romaine, Gram, Aunt Abby, Uncle Scott and Cousin Henry! Like I said, a busy time!