1 month old!

Dear Bauer with love ~

 

 



How can it be?  Our sweet boy is one month old.  A month of so many firsts for mama and daddy.  We are adjusting to parenthood well.  It feels natural.  Mama's known it her heart all of her life ~ she was  born to be a mama!  We are getting in a good groove and loving this experience.  All of it.  The middle of the night feedings, changing a diaper for the third time within five minutes... the full time job it is for mama to pump milk and alternating feedings with daddy.  THE LAUNDRY. (Which is never ending)...  We both still have this euphoria... a giddyness when we think that you are finally here... healthy, happy and ours. 

Mama is so thankful that, as of now, she's escaped the baby blues.  A huge blessing.  She worried that she might feel overwhelmed and that her hormones might make her slip into that postpartum depression.  She didn't want that and prayed that God would spare her from that pain. He did.  Daddy helps so much with that.  He makes sure that mama has all of the help she needs with you.  And we get out of the house every day.  It's one of his rules.  And it's good for all of us! 

 

 

 

You sleep in our room in a mini crib.  It's right by (daddy's side) our bed.  The first half of the month you seemed to have your days and nights mixed up.  You'd sleep all day and then want to be up all night.  As much as we tried to tire you out during the day, come ten o'clock you'd become bright eyed and ultra alert.  Somehow we managed to reset your clock and now you are such a good night sleeper.  Mama and Daddy have a bedtime routine (bath, lotion, songs, swaddle, binky, kisses, bed...) and you are usually in dreamland by 7pm.  We have to wake you to feed you every three hours to feed you ~ but that's only until we know that you are gaining weight the way that you should and getting enough to eat. 

 

 

You've had so many visitors.  Nana and Papa Oregon stayed with us for a week when we brought you home from the hospital.  It was so nice to have extra sets of hands and advice from folks who have raised five children of their own.  Everybody wants to meet you.  They drop by for snuggles and Bauer time.  Your cousins have brought us yummy meals (so appreciated) and lifelong friends call constantly to see how our special boy is.  Grandmama visited for ten days.  She cried tears of joy the first time she met you.  We were waiting for her at the airport.  You had a big sign saying, "Welcome, Grandmama" resting in your stroller.  She spoiled you with lots of new clothes, (you have more clothes that Mama and Daddy combined!) toys and baby gear. 

The pictures.  By now you are used to the camera being in your midst.  The black iPhone and huge Nikon DSLR are always in Mama and Daddy's hands.  Oh, that, and the flip video camera.  We don't want to miss a thing.  AND you are so dang cute, we can't help ourselves.  We may get a little carried away with posting your pics on Facebook... but we want your friends, near and far, to see your sweet face.

 

 

You are our binky boy.  You definitely have your preferences.  In the hospital in was only the Tommee Tippee.  Then you moved to the soothies, and now it's the UGA one from Grandmama.  Daddy and I elected to give you a binky in lieu of you sucking on your hands.  We are trying to avoid a thumb sucker!

 

 

 

 

We love you big like Heaven, B.!  You're making our dreams come true!

  

Things we don't want to forget...
     *The way Daddy can make Mama laugh by making you into a dancing machine.
     *The way Daddy props you up and says, Look mama, I'm sitting like a big boy!
     *The first time Mama attempted to trim your nails.  She cut a little too close and your thumb started to bleed. You stuck out your bottom lip and cried real tears. Mama cried real tears too and sought the advice of many seasoned baby nail trimmers.  She now uses Tweezerman nail scissors - muuuuuch better!
     *The way you stick out your bottom lip when you cry.  So pitiful.
     *The way Daddy lays you on his pillow in our big King size bed.  It's one of your favorite places to be.
     *The way that you make yum yum noises when you eat.
     *Your first vaccinations.  Mama and Daddy both cried right alongside of you.
     *The urgent trip to the doctor to see why you were so restless.  Turns out you weren't getting enough milk when Mama nursed you.  You prefer the bottle, and now we know why.  There's talk of you needing to get underneath your tongue clipped so that you can have a better latch.  Daddy and Mama are researching it.  We hate to do something that will cause you pain.
     *The kissy face that you make when you are ready to eat.
     *Your huge baby blue eyes.
     *Your first trip to the pool.  How laid back you were and what a natural you are in the water.
     *Your "air in your tummy" and how frequent you release the gas!
     *How strong you are.  You hold your head up really well and have a very strong neck.  It surprises many!
     *How easy going you are.  Not much bothers you!
     *How to-do lists get neglected because you are our priority and most things will just have to wait.
     *The presents and cards that keep appearing in our mailbox and doorstep to welcome you.  You are so spoiled!
     *Your newborn photo session and how you didn't want to sleep.  The sleepy poses we wanted became shots of your bright eyes staring sweetly at the camera!

We love you, Bauer John-Thomas!

Always remember,

You are smart. You are kind. You are important. You are loved.