Dearest Everett-
Your first summer here on this beautiful earth was an adventure! You flew coast to coast, went camping, road tripping, jet setting, beaching and hiking. By 5 months old you had been in 5 states! You were such a champ and stayed happy and agreeable through it all. And when you were not feeling your best, a happy song could usually cheer you up. Everywhere we went, people would make faces at you, and comment on how cute you were. Holding a baby is the easiest way to get people to smile at you. :)
You learned to like your carseat, to rub your eyes when you were tired, to sit up in a Bumbo, and to squeal during bathtime. In California, you learned to roll over. In Georgia, you sat in a high chair for the first time.
When we weren't traveling, we were taking lots of walks around our neighborhood with our friends Kristy and baby Marshall- you two are only a few weeks apart. Kristy and I would put you boys in the shaded strollers, and walk and walk and walk in the hot summer sun. I'm counting Marshall as your first friend! He was super mellow, and had the greatest hair. You two may have seemed to care less about each other, but I was just sure that you were communicating in some secret baby telepathy.
During this time, you seemed to wake up! You learned to focus your eyes on things- like Colby, a plate of food, and toys on your exersaucer. You started putting your hands and toes into your mouth, and drooling a lot! Sometimes while you were nursing you'd stop and look up at me for a second, before going back for more. I imagined that you were checking if I was still there, or maybe saying 'thanks, mom!', or perhaps just sending me love for sharing a moment with you. At times I felt my heart would burst. You started doing longer stretches of sleep at night, and only 3 naps during the day. We stopped swaddling you, and that was a hard transition! But when I went to your crib, you'd look up and smile at me and it was so rewarding, I'd take that over a fat piece of chocolate cake or a new pair of shoes every time! You came with Daddy and I on little dates, like out for frozen yogurt, taking a scenic drive, or a stroll downtown.
You were so brave. When I took you for your shots, you only cried hard for a few seconds, and I held you tight to my chest and cupped your soft head in my hand, and you calmed right down. Even with your pouty lip and red face and teary eyes, you worked to steady your breathing. I felt so blessed to be the one to comfort you. I know you won't always need me so much.
You gave a us a good scare one night when you had a cold. You were having trouble breathing and we ended up taking you to the ER at midnight. Once we arrived, you were fine! You smiled at all the nurses and they looked at us with those sympathetic eyes reserved for naive new parents. We were just relieved that you were alright. I caught your cold and was miserable for a few days. Over the weekend, your daddy took care of you for 2 nights straight, and declared that I was superwoman- he didn't know how I had done that over and over. Then he caught the cold.
And I went to church without him one Sunday. Up until that point, you had been a sleeping bundle in my arms as I attended meetings. But that day, you decided to wiggle and squirm and squeal and I had to give in and ask for help. A nice lady was only too happy to hold you while I taught a lesson to the Young Women. Church would no longer be the same! The "village" of people helping to raise you grew by one more member that day. Yet another example of how motherhood has humbled me already.
Love, your Mama.
xoxo
Your first summer here on this beautiful earth was an adventure! You flew coast to coast, went camping, road tripping, jet setting, beaching and hiking. By 5 months old you had been in 5 states! You were such a champ and stayed happy and agreeable through it all. And when you were not feeling your best, a happy song could usually cheer you up. Everywhere we went, people would make faces at you, and comment on how cute you were. Holding a baby is the easiest way to get people to smile at you. :)
You learned to like your carseat, to rub your eyes when you were tired, to sit up in a Bumbo, and to squeal during bathtime. In California, you learned to roll over. In Georgia, you sat in a high chair for the first time.
During this time, you seemed to wake up! You learned to focus your eyes on things- like Colby, a plate of food, and toys on your exersaucer. You started putting your hands and toes into your mouth, and drooling a lot! Sometimes while you were nursing you'd stop and look up at me for a second, before going back for more. I imagined that you were checking if I was still there, or maybe saying 'thanks, mom!', or perhaps just sending me love for sharing a moment with you. At times I felt my heart would burst. You started doing longer stretches of sleep at night, and only 3 naps during the day. We stopped swaddling you, and that was a hard transition! But when I went to your crib, you'd look up and smile at me and it was so rewarding, I'd take that over a fat piece of chocolate cake or a new pair of shoes every time! You came with Daddy and I on little dates, like out for frozen yogurt, taking a scenic drive, or a stroll downtown.
You were so brave. When I took you for your shots, you only cried hard for a few seconds, and I held you tight to my chest and cupped your soft head in my hand, and you calmed right down. Even with your pouty lip and red face and teary eyes, you worked to steady your breathing. I felt so blessed to be the one to comfort you. I know you won't always need me so much.
You gave a us a good scare one night when you had a cold. You were having trouble breathing and we ended up taking you to the ER at midnight. Once we arrived, you were fine! You smiled at all the nurses and they looked at us with those sympathetic eyes reserved for naive new parents. We were just relieved that you were alright. I caught your cold and was miserable for a few days. Over the weekend, your daddy took care of you for 2 nights straight, and declared that I was superwoman- he didn't know how I had done that over and over. Then he caught the cold.
And I went to church without him one Sunday. Up until that point, you had been a sleeping bundle in my arms as I attended meetings. But that day, you decided to wiggle and squirm and squeal and I had to give in and ask for help. A nice lady was only too happy to hold you while I taught a lesson to the Young Women. Church would no longer be the same! The "village" of people helping to raise you grew by one more member that day. Yet another example of how motherhood has humbled me already.
Love, your Mama.
xoxo
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