Growth

There's been a lot of growing going on in this household.  Growing grass to be mowed.  Growing my identity as a mom. Growing into this new thing called "our family." And, of course, a rapidly growing baby boy.

Did anyone ever tell me life with a newborn is hard?  I know they have-- but it's one of those things that you don't get until you're in it.  I've spent more than a few days in the past 4 weeks watching the clock simply waiting for the next feeding, predicting how long Obi will sleep, and hoping he'll sleep well at night.  Only to wake up and do it all over again.  I can cry almost on cue thanks to those post-pregnancy hormones.  I worked hard to get out of the house with him, if even for just a walk around the block.  I needed that more than he did.  I was simply enduring each day.  "Enduring" in the best possible connotation. I am enjoying my days and enjoying my son.... but also partly getting through each day!

And then after the weekends, I look back and can't really remember what last week was like.  Or in the evenings I don't really remember how tired I was getting up the previous night to feed him. After a few hours of peace, I forget what his cry sounds like!

I think I can actually say that days are moving fast!!  We have a 4 week old. Whoa! We're watching him pack on the pounds-- or rather the ounces.  And we're also watching his eyes turn a steely gray blue and his hair turn blonde!!  Those blonde hair roots just happened recently.

Here's his appointment stats at just 18 days old for my sake of recording...

8lbs 13 oz, 75th percentile in weight

22 inches long, 90th percentile in length

14 1/4 cm,  40th percentile in head circumference

By now, he's at least 9 lbs and a few ounces.  (which is actually how much I weighed at 1 day old!!)  

So he's growing!!- at least an ounce a day since leaving the hospital- so something is working there!  We've noticed more awake time and alertness from him lately.  He can be awake and content fairly easily! But watch out when he's hungry or tired.  He needs his mama or needs to be swaddled and tucked under your chin to fall asleep.  His daytime napping is sporadic-- sometimes a good couple hour stretches, other times its random 30-45 mins.  His nighttime sleeping is going well (gotten 6hr stretches the past several nights!!)... and hopefully will continue! 

And finally, the pictures:

Where we took a nap today

Fist pumping... "Whoo--hoo..... I survived 4 weeks!"

I think baby clothes are hilarious.  Nothing quite looks like it fits right :)

And this was a tummy time session with daddy at 3 weeks.  His neck has always been freakishly strong for a newborn-- he's a little sleepy during this practice though :)

what a year can do

Mother's day 2011.... I hopped on a plan with 11 other people and flew to China.

Mother's day 2012....   I fed my son, changed his diaper, kissed his face, snuggled him to sleep, and dedicated him with our church family to raise him to know and follow God.

Oh, what a year can do!    :)

Obi's first week at home

More than a few times this past week, I've been amazed thinking about how each person I've ever seen was born.  Someone was pregnant with them and someone gave birth to them.  The universality of birth and newborn care has brought me some comfort this week.  I am not the only person to have ever done this! 

It hasn't been bad, at all really.  I'm just dealing with lots of extra hormones and lots of time at home with little "real" accomplishments (like laundry, food, cleaning, etc).  It is a constant cycle of feeding, burping, changing, sleeping, waking, feeding, burping.... etc. I'm looking forward to the days of a schedule and routine so I can have some predictability in my life.  Yet I always here people say how it goes so fast and cuddle with your newborn while you can.  So I'm trying to do that.  Already, we have a one week old.  Only 3 more of what I just did and we will have a one month old!  

I've been able to sneak a shower in nearly every day thanks to naps in his bouncy seat in the bathroom.  Today was my first shower before noon!  Since dad's been back at work this week, I've found that it helps to have something to break up my day.  We've taken walks a few evenings as a family and we walked Obi to a BBQ at a friend's house last night.  Getting out helps and I'm SO thankful for the nice weather. 

Today I might be brave and actually take him somewhere in the car.  I'm thinking I'll get a 1/2 price Starbuck's frappacino.  I might end up driving further just to go through the drive through Starbucks-- but that's OK.  I'm looking forward to it!  Tomorrow I'd like to go to a breastfeeding group at the hospital and have him weighed before and after eating just to see that something is working.  I don't know when it's "OK" or acceptable to bring a baby out  in the world-- but I think it'll be helpful to me so we're going to do it.  Ben and I are trying to keep in mind that this baby has joined our lives (and yes, drastically changed it...) but we can still do normal things.  

But really, he's gotten good 2 or 3+ hour stretches of sleep at night before waking... and I wake up more than him!  I've woken up several times thinking he's in my arms or in our bed and get slightly scared when I can't find him.  I have to get up to see him in his crib (which is only 5 steps from my bedside) just to assure myself that he's there.  I've read a few places that that can be common the first few weeks.  

The comments about his hair are never ending!  I love it.  Here's what we did after his first at home hair washing.

And it was such a blessing to have my aunt and a couple cousins to come Sunday and take some precious newborn pictures.

  This is a favorite and pretty much sums up my life lately... holding a precious little baby while he tries to eat me :)

sweet baby Obi

Obadiah Alan Jensen

born April 30, 7:50am

8 pounds (and 1/2 ounce)

21 inches long

too many hairs that only God has numbered :)

Getting well taken care of at this hospital here and will go home tomorrow afternoon!  Obadiah means "servant of the Lord" and we'll call him Obi for short.  Nurses love his hair!  Besides cute, perfect, and adorable-- he's been called "Elvis" because of his sideburns... and "Barracuda" because of how he's breastfeeding :)   Loving my baby and looking forward to the days ahead learning how to be a mommy :)