1-Month State of the Family

Kole is a month old today. But then, he was 4-weeks old this past Wednesday ... so, whichever calculator you’re using, he’s growing up fast. Many of you have met him, many others have not. Here’s what I can say about him and his life today and what we’ve figured out about him over the past four weeks.
He likes bottles of formula; his mom’s boobs; getting a diaper taken off and letting his twig and berries air out; swinging; having his head rubbed; laying against his mom or dad’s chest while they hum or talk so he can feel the vibrations of their voice.
He does not like having his clothes changed (garments pulled over his head either way); sitting in a wet diaper or taking a bath. And he does not, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, care to be left laying in a bassinet or swing when he is HUNGRY! That’s a recipe for shit to hit the fan. And when the shit in this scenario is green, soupy, and smells of a possum carcass - LOOK OUT!
Speaking of which ... we are desperately trying to close out his Newborn diapers while they can still tape up. He is so ready for the next stage (8-14 lb.) of diapers it’s not funny.
In a recent inventory of clothing, we realized that there were actually three little onesies that we deemed were to small for him in the first place and he never wore. The size on the tag said “newborn” but it was obvious that they would squeeze him like a body suit.
The BabyCenter.com site has a Milestone chart of things babies should be doing, what some are doing, and what advanced babies may be doing at different stages.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_milestone-chart-1-to-6-months_1496585.bc

Kole is vocalizing and cooing, but I don’t know if I’d categorize them as “oohs and aahs”. He smiles briefly, but has not laughed. He can hold his head at a 45-degree angle. He’s already doing things it says 2-months old do, as he follows objects across his field of vision and he notices his hands; and if you’re laying him on your chest - like burping him - he will hold his head up for short periods. So - he’s ahead of the bell curve on some things, maybe behind on others. Take that for what it’s worth.
For the parents-to-be whom I know, and I know are reading this, we have been able to do some final math on what having a child cost us, the medical bills alone. When Kathy was confirmed pregnant by her ObGyn last October we got packets and packets of information, a gift basket, and essentially a 9-month payment plan which would cover all of their expenses for her prenatal care all the way through delivery and recovery, less deductibles, out-of-pocket, etc., lock-stock-and-barrel. The idea being to have all of their bills paid before the baby comes. Then came the recent hospital bill. Then came the pediatrician’s bill. After taking nearly an hour to sift through papers and add it all up ... (catch my breath) ... it cost about $17,870 to bring a perfect, healthy child into this world without ever paying for the first diaper or bottle or can of blue paint for his room. After insurance stepped in and did what they’re supposed to, as United Healthcare is the Fox Entertainment Group’s provider of choice, our out-of-pocket final tally was $2972. The biggest chunk of that came from Arlington Memorial for “Room & Board; IH Misc. Services” which was $11,999; not including the services of the anaesthesiologist which was $797. Those two things alone accounted for $1953 of our out-of-pocket expense.
God bless the USA and our current state of health care.