My Smiley Guy

He finally almost fits into his onesie!
This was the first thing I bought when I found out I was pregnant.
He really looks like Cody here!

Our big boy is 7 weeks old today and reaching major milestones! Last week little Jackie Boy made his first real social smiles at us and even some giggles. He's been smiling in his sleep since day one, so we've gotten to see his potential cuteness but this really trumps it all so far. The giggling was mixed with a little crying, and sounded on the edge of majorly losing his shit over what seemed like nothing. But to him it must be something! Lots of emotions. From what we've read the 6 week mark is when babies typically "wake up" and start to realize all the new sensations around them in their huge environment. That must be intense.

To say the least, the last week or two has been quite the ride. Hours of trying to soothe the baby, and trying to soothe ourselves also is necessary. Thank goodness for hot coffee in the morning, and for our rock and play, which allows me to set him down while he's napping and take him with me into the bathroom, and I get a nice hot shower. And for being able to have a beer or two at the end of the day finally, after being pregnant for so long, is such a treat. Oh, and these brownies. I am not allowed to make them anymore because we have been eating a pan a week. Comfort-eating at it's finest in my opinion.

So this baby stuff is totally mind-blowing. Who knew that a tiny 9 pound person can have so much power over you?! The helpless feeling is felt by both child and parent much more than I ever thought before.

But really, all those tears (yes - crying REAL baby tears now) and screams are rewarded with his extra need to snuggle with us right now, and of course with those precious smiles and smirks. Jackson has even started crying what we call "the fake cry," which is just his way of saying that he isn't pleased with something. It's a cute little shrill, screamy-cry.

And during the wee hours of the morning I find myself thinking all these sweet thoughts, holding him as his face is nuzzled up in my neck and chest, listening to his breathing and coos as we rock together. I think to myself that the moment is so precious and fleeting. I tear up and think that I should remember all the thoughts and write about them so they aren't forgotten. But at 4 am, somewhere between another night of little bursts of sleep and yet another diaper change, all the exact thoughts are forgotten quickly. I don't recall them at all. All I can know for sure is that this time is so special. He won't be this way for long, so tiny and innocent and helpless right now, so we must just let him be this way and embrace him, and not forget about each other in the process.

1 Month - New Normals

It's hard to believe we've had our little Jackie Boy for a month already! Having a baby and being a parent is such a crazy-unbelievable experience. We are just taking it day by day, and everyday is different than the next. We are in no way on a schedule yet, we just go by what the baby seems to want to do. And he is such a good baby! Such a sweet little boy.

I hope I'm not jinxing myself here but compared to other's horror stories about their little ones screaming all day and night, he is fantastic, and so sweet. 

But night time can be....tough. Tough for two people who up until now, were used to just crashing when they felt like it and sleeping soundly through the night, and waking up feeling rested in the morning. Like normal people.

Well, I guess this is our new normal. Everything is now harder and more complicated. It's a hard fact to get over but we are doing the best we can to accept that this is our new normal and the days of us doing whatever we feel like, are GONE. So with that said... 

Some nights are easier than others to get through, and we are clinging onto the fact that eventually babies do sleep through the night! Not like we expect him to yet, I mean, he is a baby after all. But the hope is there that he eventually will. Currently he wakes up about 3-4 times a night and on a good night, goes back down to sleep without much of a fight. A bad night (like last night, *yaaaaawn*) means he wakes up every hour and a half or so to eat, cry, poop, fart, and/or demand that we co-sleep with him. 

We don't like the idea of co-sleeping at all really (although it does feel so nice to cuddle with him on my chest for hours at a time), but there is a point during the night, usually early in the am, when it's just easier to let him sleep with us in bed because we REALLY need to go back to sleep, or risk being extremely sleep-deprived the next day. Normal, right? 

Anywho, here are some of my favorite photos from our first month with the boy. He has already changed so much! 

Hi.

"I'M BATMAN"

Jackson Cody - melting hearts since day one

Mom thinks it's okay to change me in the car...WTF?

I have had one real, full-submerge bath so far in life

This is the one successful attempt so far in using our baby wrap. We try everyday to use it so Mommy can maybe get a few things done around the house. Fail.

"Bring me to the light, Mother"

A little puke never hurt