One month update

It's hard to believe that you're one month old already, Oliver. The time has flown by, but we've enjoyed very minute of you. To me, you're such a calm little guy, but then again, my only job right now is you, and I'm thoroughly wrapped up in you. Dare I say, the phrase, Why not four? has come up. (Referrals to mental health agencies welcome. And urologists for that up-and-coming snip, right Kev???).

Exciting developments- Now that you're a month old, your eyes are open more and more.

Elliot's observation: His eyes open now! I think somewhere in there, he's been afraid that you'd only sleep and eat forever. We love seeing those big brown eyes. Your "whites" are still slighty yellow from the jaundice that the ped. promises will leave in a couple more weeks.

You LOVE to nurse, and are never far from me. Your feeding cue: a throat-clearing kind of noise that you do continually until your needs are met. We really enjoy replicating that around the house.

When you get frustrated, your first bellow turns you beet-red; you typically calm yourself down within a short period, which always surprises and impresses us.

You're not sleeping during mealtime as much, but you are sleeping quite a bit. Night-time is a blur to me still...you sleep with us most nights. I don't notice if it's been a "good" or "bad" night...just feed you while I sleep if need be, and catch up on zzzzs during the day. Maternity leave is such a luxury, and I try to enjoy each day that I'm home with you.

You smile in your sleep and we all crowd around to see if another will come. Sometimes you get a "superfrown" or as Tita calls them: cucharitas (little spoons). Those are fun too, as I wonder what you could be thinking of to evoke such a sad, sad reaction--a world without breasts? John McCain as President?

Elliot greets you with "Hello, little guy" with a voice that is so sugary sweet. Ana plays mama with, "Hello, my sweetheart." She's now brimming with ideas of what you could be for Halloween. Don't worry, I'll protect you(-; Her favorite behavior of yours: rooting until you find skin, especially if it's our cheeks and noses.

I love seeing your poses with those mitts: both hands over head (stick-em-up style), mitts over eyes, or mitt-to-mitt as you lie on your side. I pose around the house with our fingers stuck together in "mitt poses." I guess it's the opposite of Spirit Fingers.

I'd forgotten how much little babies bring people together. Perfect strangers say hello, or want to peek at you. My favorite is when ladies bless you...as in "God bless you and your baby. "

It makes me wonder if we need to horde those blessings given so freely in our early years for later use. The world becomes less kind as we grow older, but couldn't we all use some blessings, given from folks who don't know anything of us but that we exist. Still they wish for us, these other perfect strangers, that things will go smoothly, that we will be healthy and loved, and that our needs will be met? Well, for now, my boy, I can assure you of those things, but only for this brief period. And I plan on cherishing every moment that I can shield you from everything else.