Blankie

At around 4 weeks, you clearly expressed to us your hatred for the car seat. Riding in the car was miserable (mostly for mommy since she's the one transporting you most of the time). Once we were stuck in traffic for about 50 minutes and you screamed and cried the entire way. You screamed so hard that mommy started crying, too. Every car ride had to be strategically planned - you couldn't be close to your feeding time and you had to be just a little bit tired so you would fall asleep for the car ride. Somehow you also know when we're stuck in traffic and our speed goes from freeway-fast to a crawl. It was so stressful to live a "normal" life which involves leaving the house - mommy gets cabin fever quite easily.

So, we asked ourselves, was it the car seat itself? Was it too hard? Was it too upright? Were you too hot? Was the sunshade not positioned right? Were your legs uncomfortable? Did you not have enough lumbar support? Did you hate facing the fact that the law states you have to face rear and you just get to stare at the blue upholstery of her Honda Civic Hybrid? We scoured through baby forums for the "perfect solution" in hopes of making our car rides less of a nightmare. We put a mirror so you could see and entertain yourself. We bought a toy to put over your car seat. Nothing really helped. Finally, we thought maybe you just needed to feel close to mommy. The solution? Her sleep-shirt. Embedded with her scent, you found comfort in this tattered grey cloth. This shirt was old and frayed, yet, the moment you hold onto it, it somehow soothed you. I guess this is your blankie now.

Friends

You are blessed to have so many friends at such a young age. You silly boys will start kindergarten at the same time and be the class of 2027. Incredible!

*Thanks to the Chyos for the picture!

More Kisses

Kisses

Son, whether you like it or not, we're going to smother you with kisses.

A Turning Point

I know that this is supposed to be "our" blog and "our" updates, but it wasn't until very recently did I feel any motivation to write in this. Our son was born 9 weeks (and 1 day) ago. I was so overwhelmed with being a first-time mom and how my whole world was turned upside down that I didn't even know what to write about. There have been so many changes in the past 9 weeks. He's growing up so fast, right before my very eyes, but inside, I didn't feel like a real Mom until this past week. I'm going to be brutally honest and say that I didn't know how to bond with this guy for his first month. I just felt like a milk machine, feeding him every 3 hours (sometimes more frequently), the whole time feeling like he didn't know who in the world I was. It wasn't until he cracked his first smile at 4 weeks did I feel a connection. Almost like a small "Thanks for the food, Mom!". Then he started cooing at 5 weeks, like he wanted to tell me something. I pretend I understand what he's saying and we have a semi-dialogue. It's pretty neat. Then he started to entertain himself for 10 minutes, slowly lengthening to 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and today he laid there and cooed and laughed for 40 minutes. My baby is growing up before my very eyes and I don't want him to pass right before my very eyes; I want to cherish every moment and remember who he is and who he is becoming.

I am now fully enjoying being a mother. I love taking him out and showing him the world, even if it's just the post office or the grocery store for a gallon of milk. I never knew I could love someone so much, to have such an overwhelming desire to protect and nourish, to hold him and look at how perfectly made he is. It took me a while to get to this point - of loving him with ever fiber of my being - but it's the greatest feeling in the world.

I am his mom. He is my son.

-NL