January 29, 2010
SMILES!!!
Well, I think babies have a way of knowing just the right time to bust out the smile - right about when Mom thinks she has reached her breaking point, going on 6 weeks with little to no sleep, the only feedback from her child coming in the form of crying or not crying. Juuuuust when you're getting down, baby decides to woo you all over again with his smile. Ah yes, the most precious, beautiful, welcome smile you have ever seen. I have truly never wanted a human interaction as badly as I wanted this level of recognition from my child. It wasn't just his smile - which, of course is absolutely the most charming and precious thing - but more so for me, it was the fact that his whole face lit up and many things we communicated to me that he had not been able to express up to that point. In his smile I saw joy, contentment, recognition - true, unbridled happiness. Which of course, as a parent, is what you want most for your child. I expected to be excited by his smile. To love it. But I didn't expect to fall in love with the twinkle in his eye every time he smiles. The way his whole body smiles. Oh my goodness, this baby knows how to Work. That. Smile. And I truly couldn't be happier.
January 25, 2010
One Month
Benjamin,
Today you are one month old!
You are doing SO well being a baby, and Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!!! You are growing and changing every day. You're nursing great (we finally figured it out so it wouldn't hurt Mommy anymore - yay!) and you're already up to 10 lbs which your doctor can't believe! You hardly ever cry, and when you do, it is very predictable ... you're either hungry or need to be burped. You're VERY strong for your age, holding your head up often and doing lots of arm and leg "exercises". When you have "tummy time" to strengthen your neck muscles, you like to scoot yourself along the ground like an army crawl if we put our hands against your feet. We can tell there is a very active boy inside just waiting to be old enough to scoot around!
One of the neatest things that has happened towards the end of your first month is that you have become much more alert. You have longer periods of awake time, and you are SO wide-eyed and curious about the world around you. You pop your head up and fix your eyes on things around the room. Your head bobbles around after you've had it up for a while, but it's just the practice you need to hold your head up on your own.
Ben, you love looking at your books and toys. Your favorite is Swirl the Snail, which has a black and white swirled shell. You also held a toy for the first time this past week - you were moving it around and didn't want to let go! Mommy and Daddy couldn't be more proud :)
Mommy takes you for a walk almost every day, because we have had a lot of nice sunny days over the last few weeks. As a family we have even ventured out to dinner with friends, the grocery store and a local park. Mommy was very nervous the first time I took you to the grocery store with me ... I realized once we got home that I hadn't taken a deep breath the whole time we were out!
This whole month has been an amazing adventure! In many ways it's harder than we ever anticipated, but it's also brought more joy than we could imagine or ask for. You are a precious angel, Benjamin. Happy one month birthday!
Today you are one month old!
You are doing SO well being a baby, and Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!!! You are growing and changing every day. You're nursing great (we finally figured it out so it wouldn't hurt Mommy anymore - yay!) and you're already up to 10 lbs which your doctor can't believe! You hardly ever cry, and when you do, it is very predictable ... you're either hungry or need to be burped. You're VERY strong for your age, holding your head up often and doing lots of arm and leg "exercises". When you have "tummy time" to strengthen your neck muscles, you like to scoot yourself along the ground like an army crawl if we put our hands against your feet. We can tell there is a very active boy inside just waiting to be old enough to scoot around!
One of the neatest things that has happened towards the end of your first month is that you have become much more alert. You have longer periods of awake time, and you are SO wide-eyed and curious about the world around you. You pop your head up and fix your eyes on things around the room. Your head bobbles around after you've had it up for a while, but it's just the practice you need to hold your head up on your own.
Ben, you love looking at your books and toys. Your favorite is Swirl the Snail, which has a black and white swirled shell. You also held a toy for the first time this past week - you were moving it around and didn't want to let go! Mommy and Daddy couldn't be more proud :)
Mommy takes you for a walk almost every day, because we have had a lot of nice sunny days over the last few weeks. As a family we have even ventured out to dinner with friends, the grocery store and a local park. Mommy was very nervous the first time I took you to the grocery store with me ... I realized once we got home that I hadn't taken a deep breath the whole time we were out!This whole month has been an amazing adventure! In many ways it's harder than we ever anticipated, but it's also brought more joy than we could imagine or ask for. You are a precious angel, Benjamin. Happy one month birthday!
January 18, 2010
Grandma CiCi's Extended Stay!
My Mom was kind enough to stay for about 3 weeks after Ben was born. She was a lifesaver!!! She taught me a lot about life as a mom ... every day had lessons little and big ... the best way to burp a baby, how to properly "latch" for nursing, how to wash your hands while holding baby, how to take a trip out with baby, and on and on. She also cleaned, did laundry, cooked us meals and helped keep me (mostly) sane :) She also encouraged Jeff and I too go on our first little date as new parents. It felt really weird to leave Ben at home, but it was nice to reconnect as husband and wife over dinner and - gasp - a glass of wine!
During the time Mom was here, we had Ben's and my 2-week checkups. Precious did great at his checkup and I was cleared to drive.
Thanks Momma!!! We loved having you here and will always be grateful for all your help during this crazy, special time.
During the time Mom was here, we had Ben's and my 2-week checkups. Precious did great at his checkup and I was cleared to drive.
Thanks Momma!!! We loved having you here and will always be grateful for all your help during this crazy, special time.
January 12, 2010
The Early Days
From mom's perspective, the first few days at home have been a blur. Most importantly, Ben is a happy, healthy, thriving little boy. He has already brought immeasurable joy to our lives - we are in love :)
He smiles in his sleep a lot, he is very content and hardly cries at all. So far he seems to be a very patient, mellow baby. We hope he stays that way! Dad has become an expert diaper changer, burper and swaddler practically overnight. Mom and baby have been trying to get the hang of nursing, and we are doing feedings every 2-3 hours, leaving small 30-90 minute windows for sleep. Despite the lack of sleep, we are feeling good and enjoying the day to day experiences of being new parents. We ooh and ahh over every expression and squeak that Ben makes, and are in awe of the miracle of this new little life.
We have SO much support from our parents, Patrick, Chris and Shannon who have helped with meals, cleaning, shopping, errands galore and anything else we needed. Not sure how we would have done it without all their help. Here we all are on 12/28, celebrating Christmas :)
We decided to have Ben in our bed with us for these first few days so we can clearly hear his breathing, and be ready with the suction if he had any breathing problems (typically paranoid new parents!) He makes so many funny/suspicious noises in his sleep, but we are learning that it's normal and to be expected.
He had a visit to his pediatrician the day after we got home (5 days old), and he was almost back to his birth weight already, weighing in at 7lb 10oz. We had a whole list of questions for the Dr., and left the appointment feeling a lot more confident about life at home with Ben. We went for a walk with him and gave him his first sponge bath 2 days after we got home from the hospital.
We celebrated New Year's Eve as a family, played games and had a great time toasting the newest addition to the family :)
He had some early visitors too ... my Godparents, Lou and Kathie, as well as our friends Katie K., Katie O., Marisa, Meredith, Megan and Angelo. It has been so much fun to introduce this little miracle to our friends and loved ones!
He smiles in his sleep a lot, he is very content and hardly cries at all. So far he seems to be a very patient, mellow baby. We hope he stays that way! Dad has become an expert diaper changer, burper and swaddler practically overnight. Mom and baby have been trying to get the hang of nursing, and we are doing feedings every 2-3 hours, leaving small 30-90 minute windows for sleep. Despite the lack of sleep, we are feeling good and enjoying the day to day experiences of being new parents. We ooh and ahh over every expression and squeak that Ben makes, and are in awe of the miracle of this new little life.
We have SO much support from our parents, Patrick, Chris and Shannon who have helped with meals, cleaning, shopping, errands galore and anything else we needed. Not sure how we would have done it without all their help. Here we all are on 12/28, celebrating Christmas :)
We decided to have Ben in our bed with us for these first few days so we can clearly hear his breathing, and be ready with the suction if he had any breathing problems (typically paranoid new parents!) He makes so many funny/suspicious noises in his sleep, but we are learning that it's normal and to be expected.He had a visit to his pediatrician the day after we got home (5 days old), and he was almost back to his birth weight already, weighing in at 7lb 10oz. We had a whole list of questions for the Dr., and left the appointment feeling a lot more confident about life at home with Ben. We went for a walk with him and gave him his first sponge bath 2 days after we got home from the hospital.
We celebrated New Year's Eve as a family, played games and had a great time toasting the newest addition to the family :)
He had some early visitors too ... my Godparents, Lou and Kathie, as well as our friends Katie K., Katie O., Marisa, Meredith, Megan and Angelo. It has been so much fun to introduce this little miracle to our friends and loved ones!
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