fall time in Arctic Valley

Fall Time

hanging out with daddy this morning

making new friends

my growing baby!

Wow, can't believe my baby's already a month old..went by so fast! And he's already grown so much....he baby talks and smiles (on purpose) now, is getting more control of his arms and hands, holds his head more steady, pushes himself up on his legs when leaning on my chest...fun stuff. He was 3 ounces shy of 14 pounds when the baby nurse came over for his one month visit this week! And just about 2 feet tall. She brought over some clay and we imprinted his foot and hand, so cute.

It's time for us to start breaking out of our comfy nest :( It's getting time for me to start back to work. I've just savored these first 6 weeks getting to know my new little guy, we got to bond a lot. He coos and smiles at me, reaches out to me, grabs at me, stares at me....EJ always says "having another staring contest huh." He loves his baby massages. I love his grunts and growls, his enthusiastic full body stretches and growing repertoire of expressions. His stubby arms barely reach the top of his head, ah and I love his rolly polly legs. Poor my mom made two pairs of slippers for him already that are too small. She finally was able to get a good pattern off his huge foot and calf when we saw her in Ruby and I think is going to make some booties now.

We've only been separated one time so far. A few weeks ago I needed to go to the mall to get some nursing bras and EJ didn't want to come so encouraged me to go by myself to start detaching little by little. Man it was traumatic, baby got hungry and I couldn't get home fast enough..poor baby was all red and sweaty from crying, EJ couldn't console him. I felt so bad. I hadn't started pumping yet. But I got a few bags of breast milk in the freezer now and will start saving up more. We tried the bottle and he took it fine, so I'm not too worried.

Isn't it funny how a mom thinks nobody can love a baby more than she loves hers, and that hers is the most special, but really every mom feels that way. I just melt when he smiles at me. Sometimes it's terrifying because now I can't live without him. Haha I sound like a teenager in love. I guess that's what I am, a mom in the adolescent stage.

From Baby

For Juanita....baby's first jeans and skater shirt

baby's first trip

We drove to Fairbanks, and then flew out to Ruby. The drive took longer than we expected because he didn't tolerate his carseat for more than an hour or two at a time. He slept through the whole plane ride though..I was worried his ears would hurt. Quick trip, but we had a really nice time in Ruby. He got to get loved up by a bunch of his grandmas, aunties, and cousins, and see the river..the reason he's named Rio.



and some pictures...

Ruby

a few pictures

I tell EJ that he can't try to live his dreams vicariously through his son, but it's already starting, uh oh....says he looks like a point guard


my Buddha baby....look at those chubs!


in big boy clothes..already wearing size 3-6 months!

he's already so big....from the last couple days

haha this is what baby looks like satisfied after eating....milk drunk



he likes being on his tummy so he can bob his head around....like stevie wonder