Being mom

It's been almost three weeks since we came home with our little snuggly boy. :) That's really odd to me, but at the same time it doesn't seem like a long enough amount of time either.  Like I had written before, it's all seemed really familiar. No, I still don't know all the ins and outs of raising a baby; (in fact I had to google when they're supposed to hit all their milestones when Matt asked me about some of them,) but I've been surprised at how natural it feels to be feeding and rocking and changing a tiny human in a very non-babysitting kind of way. :) 
This past weekend, my mother in law and step father in law (Vicki and Mike) as well as sister and brother in law Mallorie and Matt came down to visit us. They all got here Friday evening and Mike and Vicki brought us some dinner. Friday night we spent visiting and letting everyone get some snuggles with Jaden in. (Even Matt H. held him! It was pretty entertaining, as he usually is, to watch Matt rock Jaden to the rhythm of the washer and dryer that were going. :p)  Saturday we got up and my Matt made us pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Saturday was my birthday so Matt took Jaden after I fed him and let me go back to sleep for another hour or two. :) We all got ready, and then Vicki, Mal, and I went to get pedicures. It was really fun to get out of the house, and ever since Christmas two years ago when Vicki took me to get a pedicure while she got her nails done I've been a little in love with pedicures. :p They just feel so heavenly! It was the first time I'd left Jaden for more than like... twenty minutes, so by the time we got home I was ready to snuggle my boy again. :) The guys decided it was only fair for them to get to do something fun too since we did pedicures, so they went to the driving range. Matt Harker bought all of them some golfing visors, and my Matt has decided he's going pro. :p  We kind of just hung out for a while after that, and everyone besides Matt and I ended up taking a nap before we met up at Applebee's for my birthday dinner. :)  Dinner was really good, but I think both Matt and I are still in the 'psycho parent'/new parent mode where we stress about having Jaden in public too soon. I mean he stayed in his car seat and covered the whole time, but we're worriers apparently. (No surprise there, right?) Our family had to leave Sunday, late morning/afternoonish, but it was a nice weekend. We don't get to see Matt's side of the family as often, so it was fun to visit and catch up. :) 
So, I've decided I want to steal one of my friend's ideas. MarLyn, who I met at EFY when Aubree and I went, has the most adorable daughter in the world. I'm not even kidding, she has the cutest naturally curly hair and the most precious little face. Plus MarLyn is just a super cute mom, so how could she not have an adorable daughter? Anyway, she's done a series of posts on her blog for her daughter and she calls them, "Tiny Tuesdays". She basically writes the post like a letter to her little girl, and she calls her "Tiny". Hence Tiny Tuesdays. It has such a cute ring to it, and I've tried and tried to think of something equally cute, but slightly more boyish to do for Jaden. I think I'll probably just use his name (unless inspiration strikes at one of our upcoming 3 am feedings. :p)
So. Here goes...
Jaden, you're growing so fast! You're still such a little person, but I can already see you changing. I have mixed feelings about that, because I absolutely love how small and snuggly you are right now! I love all your funny little new born sounds, and how you smell like baby lotion and milk all the time. :) At the same time, though, I find myself trying to picture what you'll look like as a toddler, and what your personality will be like. Right now I feel like you're just a very sweet, and calm personality. Except when you're anxious to eat. You get so flustered when you have to wait for a minute while I get ready to feed you, and you usually do your little 'feeding frenzy' thing where you'll start eating and then spit it out and shake your head really fast while you try to start eating again. Sometimes it makes me frustrated, but mostly I just have to try not to giggle at you. That's another thing I've learned. It's next to impossible to stay frustrated with you. I'll feel like I'm not doing a very good job at being your mom, and then I look down at your face and your big blue eyes just watching me, and everything feels better again. :) It feels nice to be really needed by someone, and to know that sometimes I'm the only person that you want or need for things.  You're definitely a daddy's boy. We keep seeing more things about you that are just like him. :) I hope you two are always buddies. Sometimes when daddy's holding you, you just study him for a long time. He loves to hold you and talk with you when you're so alert. You two have already read a couple of books together, and you loved the colorful pages.  Right now pretty much everything you do seems like such a huge deal, and really it sort of is. A little over two weeks ago you were still playing in my rib cage and didn't know how to use your lungs, or eat, or lift your little head. You're much stronger than I anticipated a newborn could be. From day one you've just wanted to hold your head up so bad. I think it's because you're like me and hate the thought of missing out on anything. You just want to take everything in all the time! Now you're getting better at it, and you can actually hold your head up for a little while whenever I'm snuggling you against my chest. :) You also love to kick your legs straight down when I'm holding you that way, and you push off against my lap so you look like you're jumping almost. It's one of my favorite things you do right now, it's so funny to feel your little jerky movements.  We've discovered you love having your hair washed, and you don't really mind hanging out naked. I've heard most babies don't like it, because they don't feel safe, but you don't seem to be phased by it at all. (I hope that you decide you really love clothes soon though, because naked toddler boys peeing on everything sounds like a lot to keep up with.) After your bath you're so calm and happy, I almost hate to put the baby lotion on you. You absolutely hate lotion. It's kind of funny, because you're ok while I put it on your legs and arms, but the second we touch your back or belly with it you sure yell at us. That's probably the most, and the loudest you ever cry. You're such a good, sweet baby the rest of the time. :)  We love having you in our house, Jaden baby. You're so much fun, and you make us so happy. :) We're already so proud of you Super dude! Love mom.

1 week old! (I decided I wanted to have an object for comparison
to use in his monthly pictures so you can really see how much
he grows and changes. :) Hence the giraffe.)

1 week old

Oh yeah! And he's been rolling onto his side for probably the past week now. :)

Daddy reading books to Jaden. (I missed the ones where Jaden
was really checking out the book. :p Which is why I should
just leave my camera out and ready so I don't always miss things.)

Jaden's first 'bath' at home. (We still haven't given him a full
bath since he's struggled with his belly button. The last little bit
of his umbilical cord wouldn't dry out all the way and so the dr
had to cauterize it. So we're still waiting for that to heal. Until
then we do sponge baths for just his head and bottom.)

I love his little cow lick. :)

Here's my '42 week' update photo. ;)
I can't believe all that fit inside me! Babies are
such a miracle, aren't they?

This is the only picture I took this weekend with family. Because I
apparently get easily distracted and forget to document anything. :p
Here's Jaden with Grandma Vicki. :)