Leap 3: blowing bubbles

According to The Wonder Weeks app, Noèl is entering the world of smooth transitions, leap 3. He is now able to observe the entire space and it shows! He has now (finally) discovered our dog. Before this we always joked that our dog, Biggie, and Noèl had absolutely no interest in each other, that is still true but at least they are now looking at each other. It’s a start haha.

The fussy phase has begun

Noèl’s third leap fell exactly with the calculation of the app. At the beginning of the fussy phase, he wanted to be held by us a lot and ate very irregularly. As with the previous leap, I gave feedings on demand, “open bar” as we call it here. During feedings Noèl now grabs his bottle by himself, this is very nice to see. He does not yet have the strength to hold it all by himself, also because he has glass bottles, which are a bit heavier than plastic bottles.

His nights were difficult, he didn’t sleep for more than about four hours. This is something I needed to get used to because Noèl actually slept through from week three. The moment he wakes up I have to get out of bed for a diaper change or a bottle. He also wants to play and have conversations. Very cozy but the puffiness under my eyes is growing by the day.

Leap three I experienced overall much less intense than the previous two leaps (leap 1 and leap 2). I definitely did notice that Noèl was a bit restless and sometimes “just” wanted to cuddle for his comfort.

Noèl his new skills

He has also totally discovered how to blow bubbles, Noèl produces a lot more saliva at this stage and blows little bubbles with his mouth. I read in the app that babies do this because they are learning to make a flowing motion with their tongue and therefore they start blowing bubbles, how cute!

Noèl is much more alert since this leap and can follow us well with his head. He now realizes where sounds are coming from and turns his face towards the sound. 

I do find that he tries to turn around much less now that he has discovered that he can also turn his head on his own instead of his whole body. I believe that this will improve in a few weeks. 

When I am talking or when I’m on the phone, Noèl happily babbles along. I notice that he tries to imitate my sounds. When I am mimicking him, he beams!

The 4th trimester

I had read a lot about it but the 4th trimester is really a thing! At first, I was a bit skeptical about it and thought that after giving birth I would just be the old Kim again but, nothing of that is true. Just like Noèl had to get used to the new world, so did I. 

With every leap, I notice that I am also growing as a mother. I am becoming more confident in motherhood, the days (and nights) are becoming easier for me. The old carefree Kim may be gone, but I am enjoying my new self one hundred percent!

Leap 4 starts soon, this leap will be a little longer than the past three leaps. I’ll be back with you in a month with the next blog!

Love,

Kim