Visit from Aunt Britt

Aunt Britt, my college roommate, came to visit Jack for the first time. We had a great tome! I remember seeing her for the first time after she became a mommy and it was such a special time.  I remember the most precious moment of my visit to see her and Evie when Evie was just two weeks old. Britt was sitting on her bed admiring Evie and Britt's mom (Mama Kim) came to the door way of the bedroom and admired Britt just loving Evie. It was a beautiful moment. I also found Mama Kim curled up on Evie's bunny in her nursery sleeping (everyone was understandably exhausted)...so precious!

Britt helped out a ton while she was down. She didn't miss a beat. Folding laundry, washing dishes, making dinner, refilling Jack's diapers, changing out smaller sized clothes in his drawers for ones that he can fit into now (6 month pajamas!) and everything in between, Britt did it all. She is a seasoned mama for sure and it was so wonderful having the extra set of hands. Not to mention all the catching up. So much life has happened since our last visit and baby Namey #2 is on his or her way come this August. I'm thinking boy but we'll just have to wait and see. :)

Warming! Cute baby coming your way!

Look at this face. I just love his little expressions!

Even cute when he spits up. The second pictures makes me laugh...it's like he's saying, "no one saw that right?" Haha!

It's such a wonderful time in life. I can honestly say, this is the best time in our lives. We are starting our families, so in love with our spouses (you fall in love all over again when you have a baby), building our lives, and everyone (including parents) are in good health. It's a time that we can just bask in the naive notion that things will always be this rosy.

 Hopefully these videos below will work. I'm not even sure which ones they are (we have so many) or if they're even worth posting but here ya go! ;)

8 weeks

The last two weeks since my post have absolutely flown by! So much to catch up on. First, I turned 30!! How crazy is that? It started with breakfast in bed (sweet hubby...check). Justin ran out and got us bagels (yummy food...check). Then Jack and I cuddled and talked while watching the Kardashians (cute baby and smut TV...check) Mom, Dad, and Katie came down to visit and we had a wonderful day. We went to Kickin' Chicken (cheese fries...check).

Then Mom and Dad stayed with Jack while the rest of us ran to Lowes to make a few returns and buy myself a rug (home improvements...check). We enjoyed yummy birthday cake (chocolate...check). Then I ended my evening snuggling with Jack, watching my Ina Garten and Rehab Addict on HGTV (more cute baby and TV...check) and eating my fake chicken nuggets and those delicious chips and sour cream I just love (junk food...check). All in all, I'd say it was the perfect day and incorporated all of my favorite things! This was mom the entire time at lunch. She didn't even eat she just wanted to snuggle Jack. :)

I'm looking forward to this new decade. My twenties were amazing...finishing college, nursing school, getting my masters degree and my first jobs as an RN and NP. Marrying the love of my life and giving birth to the greatest blessing I will ever know. I hope my thirties holds just as many precious moments...first steps, first words, a new home together, five and ten year anniversaries, and hopefully, more babies :)

The picture below was taken on my birthday and one of the rare pictures taken of me with Jack, as I'm usually the one holding the camera ;) Daddy hadn't gotten to hold Jack all day so he got in his much needed snuggle time as well. 

In other news (more important news), Jack turned 8 weeks! Holy smokes my boy is growing up. So you know what that means...two month shots :( We went to the pediatrician today and he did so great! So so great! He was just so precious laying on the table looking around and then he got the first stick and let out a little cry. If that had been the only one, I don't think he would have cried at all but he got two more which really sealed the deal. Poor baby. I thought I was going to cry right along with him but thankfully Aunt Britt had come down to see us and put him in a nice swaddle and held him while he got his shots. Mommy chickened out. But I did get to comfort him immediately thereafter with kisses and a bottle. He only cried a total of 30 or 45 seconds. He was a trooper and forgot all about it.

Then when we got home from dropping Britt off at the airport, we snuggled in mommy's bed and fell asleep for 4 hours! I have to say it was the highlight of my week and such a guilty pleasure since I know he should be in his bed but he is just the best snuggler. He'll even turn his face to touch mine in some way (his cheek will press against my nose or his forehead against my chin). And we'll just snooze the afternoon away. Neither one of us budged until 5:30 when we got up to see where daddy was. Justin was a little late getting home today so he missed all Jack's talking and cooing and playing on his playmat. Good thing I caught it on camera :) I'll try to post it later.

Here are a few sleepy baby pictures. I love how big his cheeks are now...built it pillows, Justin calls them :)

 Love those sweet feet and that cute hiney!! (sp?)

Milestones

Justin said all my posts are written to Jack so I will do my best to address the masses with this one :)

This week was a big week for Jack. He started to smile at mommy and daddy for real!! Not the gassy smiles which are equally cute but he smiles at us and it just melts our hearts!

My first smile was in the car on Wednesday when he was fussing up a storm, he'd had enough of the carseat. We were only a few miles from home but I decided to pull over and calm him down. I got him out of the car seat, fed him a bit, and then held him up and asked him if he felt better. Then I got the biggest grin in the world! Its like he was saying, "Yep Mom! That's just what I needed!"

Jack is also tracking objects across the room. The other night I was holding him and Justin got up from his seat and walked to the kitchen. Jack's head turned almost completely around as he was following daddy's every move. Too precious!

He's growing bigger every day and getting such a personality. He has the sweetest little rolls everywhere! Jack has such a mild temperament, just like his daddy...thank goodness!

We love our baby monitor. This is a photo that we could take while the video was going. Sweet!

Napping with Daddy...

Plan on finishing Jack's registry from Pottery Barn this week. So exciting! The nursery will be complete except for the chair which I am hoping to order this week as well! Woohoo! Have a great weekend everyone!

6 weeks

I can't believe you are 6 weeks old today! These past six weeks have been the best of my entire life! You are changing every day. You are awake more during the day and your hair is filling in. You are the cutest baby and everyone is shocked when they learn you are only six weeks old. They all say, "He's BIG for six weeks!" I just smile and nod. You have already outgrown your newborn clothes and there are some you never even got the chance to wear. You are in size 2 diapers!

I found out that I get to have Fridays off when I go back to work in February! That's an extra day that I get to spend with you sweet boy! I'm so excited to be able to take you to get lunch with daddy, go to the beach, the kids museum, the aquarium...it's going to be so much fun! It'll be our special day.

You love your paci. Or "bink" as I call it. You don't use it very often, just to go to sleep at night and if you get fussy in the car. We are currently in the process of finding you a nanny. We've interviewed several and I'm sure God will send us the right person to stay with you. Only the best will do for my little guy!

A few pictures below of you being generally cute! I have you in the kitchen with me everyday when I make dinner. You're such a big help!

I don't think there is one day of your life that hasn't been documented. In fact, I know not. :)

You have such a sweet face. You are so happy in the mornings when you wake up. You love to smile and coo at everything. You and the ceiling fan are becoming very close. ;)

Little crab pajamas make me smile.

Here you are today wearing your sock monkey onsie.

Spending some time in your swing with the giraffe that Granna got you. It plays "You Are My Sunshine" and you seem to like it very much!

We can take photos from your baby monitor. Here you are with night vision. I sit and watch the screen every night until you fall asleep. You're such a good baby!

Here is the RL outfit aunt katie got you. You sort of look like Hugh Hefner. :) Ladies man for sure!

Hanging out with dad in the bed while he plays his xbox.

More night vision baby camera. You eventually spit out your paci.

Hope you know how much we love you!

12 pounder

Our boy is getting so big! We went to the doctor today just to make sure his cough wasn't a cold (decided it was likely reflux and starting him in Zantac) and he weighed in at 12 pounds! He's only 5 weeks old. I can't believe it but that explains why my back is killing me all the time ;)

We are currently in the pacifier debate. Trying to decide whether or not to use one is a major dilemma. You'd think it would be an easy decision, either use one or don't but it isn't. Relying on a pacifier is super easy to sooth and calm Jack, especially in public or in the car for long rides so I love that! But on the flip side, he wants it every waking second! If he doesn't have it in his mouth, he is fussing. And if he spits it out while sleeping,  I have to play the pacifier police and fetch it for him. Major con. Not using it means we are walking the hall for at least an hour in the evening trying to get him sleepy. Or nursing him forever (basically same issue as paci b/c he wakes and wants to nurse). What to do?!? There is so much more to this baby raising than I expected ;) In the picture below, he has momma's lazy eye. So cute!

I was shocked when the NP at the doctor's office looked at me in shock when I told her I was nursing him every 2.5 to 3 hours at night. She said (with a wide eyed look), "Oh, he can definitely go much longer than that." She told me about a seven pound, seven week, seven hours principle...meaning that by seven weeks, if he weighs seven pounds, he should (or could) be sleeping for 7 hours straight! He'll be double that by 7 weeks! :) I'm not to the point that I'm willing to let him self sooth. He's just to little and sweet! But I have decided that at 8 weeks, if we are still doing these every two to three hour feeds, I'm going to enforce mommy law. 1 minute of crying. I know, a whole minute, I'm such a softy! :) But look at this face!

Here is daddy and Jack playing the other night. He was captivated by whatever daddy was saying.

Uh..Whadya say ma?

Here he is enjoying his play mat that Santa bought him. It is such a great activity mat. Things sing and buzz and crinckle. Very cute and he really enjoyed it!

He loves napping on daddy.

This is a slightly older picture from 3 or 4 weeks but he found his thumb one day. Cute, cute!

I am so in love! Hoping to put up Christmas pictures soon. I am falling behind with these posts but hope to catch up soon. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Happy New Year!