His First Month

Congrats Jude, you did it, you're four weeks old (yes, I know, I am one day late). Your life right now is slow and sweet, eating all the time and sleeping a ton during the day even with your loud sisters running around, screaming, poking you and constantly mothering you to death. I am convinced you could sleep though anything, during the day. At night it's a whole different story, sadly enough you have already had a runny nose, probably brought home by you sisters from story time and given to you by the million kisses they shower you with each day. So its no surprise that you prefer sleeping sitting up and thats okay because its also no surprise that I enjoy snuggling with you 'til the break of dawn.


Four weeks ago I was wondering when you were going to join us, wondering what exactly you were waiting for. Your official due date was June 27th but I guess you weren't ready. The doctor measured you via ultrasound the Tuesday before you came and said that you were probably around 9lb 4oz but I convinced him I didn't think you were that big and to give me more time to have you without help from him because I felt so good. You gave me some great power and energy when I was carrying you with me, thank for that by the way. 


You still hadn't made your appearance four days after your due date so at 5 am, Daddy and I headed to the hospital so you could get a little wake up call and be forced to come into the world. We arrived at the hospital and they started giving me the medicine to make you come. 


Time passed and Daddy watched Sports Center and we hung out waiting for the contractions and then the contractions became strong and I had to close my eyes and concentrate to get through each one, but I welcomed the pain knowing that each contraction brought me one step closer to you. 


A few more hours later the contractions became really strong and I needed Daddy to help get through each one. I couldn't sit still, I was hot, sweaty and grumpy. I wanted Daddy to stand in a certain spot and he had to take his sweatshirt off because the fabric hurt my face. I had to have the shades closed on the window, wanted privacy though no one could have seen us with our awesome roof top view. I was ripping all monitors off, wanted my IV out, (though your Dad persuaded me to chill out) wanted nothing on me, nothing touching me. I had the sweetest nurse named Michelle with the calmest voice who also helped though this rough part. 


So I finally felt ready to push, that strong undeniable to urge to push, and the doctor came in and was all, "Lets have a baby!" and I didn't really care if he was ready or not because I was. I was so unbelievably out of my mind ready to meet you. 


So with two big pushes from somewhere deep in my soul, on Friday, July 1st, at 11:43 am, out you came and all I could do was fall back in my bed with relief and from absolute exhaustion. The doctor took one look at you and said, "This is a ten pound baby," and he was right on. He handed you to me with your swollen, sweet face and those juicy lips and that was it, I was a goner. You were pure perfection, the sweetest boy ever.  

You came home from the hospital on a Sunday and you were thrown right into this crazy life. You came home without a hat because your head was a little big for those tiny little hats they give out at the hospital. Don't worry, they weren't cute anyway. Your sisters took to you immediately. I honestly can't believe how much they adore you, it's so beautiful to see. Basically, there is a whole lot of love floating around here right now. 

Notice the doll in his chair.

Nyah can't stop professing just how cute her baby brother is, I don't know how many times I have heard, "He's soooo cute, my baby bruder is sooo cute." She also thanks God for you each evening as she prays before we eat dinner, "Thank you for our food and thank you for my baby bruder, AMEN".

Elsa is precious and the tenderness she treats you with doesn't seem possible for someone her age. She caresses you with the gentlest touches and is never too rough. You are now the only person in the house she will kiss, the rest of us just get her cheek. If you are crying, she announces to the whole house, "Crying!" Lately she has been calling you, "Big boy," which she has shortened to just, "Boy". And just today, she has stopped calling you Boy and now calls you, "Judah". I am not really sure what she will end up calling you in the end, seems she is just testing a few names out for now. 

The first thing everyone notices about you is just how big you are and let me be the first to say, you are huge. You have a healthy appetite, love to nurse, and I just can't believe how wonderfully you are growing. You are heavy and I can't wait to see how much you weigh at your next doctor appointment because you feel like fifteen pounds.


So that's you first four weeks of life little guy, you are the perfect addition to our family and our lives. We are in love George Jude, and we are so glad you've come.