Happy 1 Month Birthday!

Dear Luke,

At 1 month old:

You are 10 pounds, 2 ounces, and 22.5 inches long.  

You love staring at ceiling fans.

You prefer to lay on your right side.

You cry so hard you can't breathe while getting a bath.

You love to be held upright.

You suck on the back of your hands to self-soothe.

You like the infant swing in the kitchen.

You enjoy when Daddy plays the piano with you in his lap.

You often look at us with this expression that says, "Who are you?" or "What do you think you're doing?"

You have begun to learn how to fall asleep in your crib.

We love you!

Love,

Mommy

First Visit to Parkway Fellowship

Dear Luke,

Yesterday I took you to church for the first time!  I felt a real sense of accomplishment that I was able to get us both ready and to church on time in between your feedings.  It wasn't easy and I wasn't sure if we'd make it, but we did.  And you were SO good during the service.  You slept the whole time and only made a few tiny peeps.  I was nervous you'd start crying, so didn't listen as well as I normally would.  It was fun to introduce you to lots of people.  So many people are so excited about you and everyone comments first on your hair.  They also say you look like Daddy.  We took you to small group for the first time last night, too, and everyone had fun passing you around.  I'm glad I brought a bottle with me because you got hungry earlier than I would have expected.  But then you went right back to sleep after having something to eat.  :)

Love,
Mommy

Activity Mat

Dear Luke,

You've spent a good amount of your play time on this cute activity mat from Great Aunt Susan and Great Aunt Connie.  You've also practiced some tummy time on it.  I think you like the bright contrast of colors and the music.  Here you are looking in the mirror!

Love,
Mommy

Cute head

Dear Luke,

Don't you have a cute head and great hair?  This was my view while burping you the other day.

Love,
Mommy

I love the way you... (March 18)

...have rubber band rolls on your wrists and neck.

...rotate clockwise in bed.

...eat so well and are becoming a little chunk.

...are sleeping longer stretches at night!

...are more alert at times during the day.

...breathe on my neck when I'm burping you.

...will be crying and calm down the second I pick you up.

...work so hard during tummy time.

I love the way you... (March 8)

Dear Luke,

I made this list while feeding you a week and a half ago.  I don't want to forget these things!  I love the way you...

...have hair growing at the top of your ears.

...look at me with one eye open.

...look like a glowworm when you are swaddled.

...shake one leg when you're asleep like you would if you had your legs crossed.

...look in a fresh white onesie.

...stretch when I sit you up after eating.

...look so content after eating.

...burp when I sit you up after eating.

...wiggle your hand out of your swaddle.

...smell fresh and clean after we put on Desitin.

...love having warm water poured on you during a bath.

...oink like a pig.

Love,
Mommy

You've Arrived!

Dear Luke,

You're here and you are already 19 days old!  The past two and a half weeks have been a whirlwind.  We've had lots of help from Honey, Grandpa, Uncle Sean and Aunt Elise, and Aunt Holly.  Uncle Tim and Cousin Caroline so wanted to come see you, but haven't been able to yet and are very excited to meet you soon.  Nana and Papa are on their way right now for the week.  We've also had lots of visitors come to meet you and bring us dinners!  We have certainly been very blessed.

You are a precious baby and I am so very thankful that you are healthy and thriving.  At your two week checkup we learned that you had grown an inch and surpassed your birth weight by three ounces!  Way to go, Luke!  You are eating well and we are still learning how to help you calm down and sleep well.  Sometimes that's a challenge, but once you start sleeping, we almost always have to wake you up once it's time to eat.  We have learned a lot and still have a lot more to learn.

The first couple of weeks were more difficult than I expected in terms of my own recovery.  Even with all that I had going on, I still remember thinking how I already loved being your mom.  I am thankful I was the one having a hard recovery and not you.  I've felt overwhelmed at times with adjusting to parenthood, but I am also just so grateful to be at this stage of life.  Your Daddy and I love you so very much and are so enjoying getting to know you.

In the weeks and days leading up to your birth, our facebook pages, e-mail accounts, and cell phones were receiving all sorts of well wishes and prayers from friends and family.  I have certainly felt very loved by friends near and far.  I copied below pictures of all the congratulations we received on Facebook so you can see the nice things people had to say about you - they think you are quite the handsome little man, as do I!

Love,
Mommy