It's hard to believe our baby boy is already a week old. I still haven't lost that overwhelming surreal feeling, although it is being pushed aside by a big case of new-parent exhaustion. Since Little Man spent some time in the Special Care nursery while at the hospital and didn't come home until the day after we did, I feel like Husband and I hit the ground running immediately after his delivery. We were allowed to hang out with him every three hours in the Special Care nursery, which we did around the clock for several days. The nurses kept telling me to skip feedings and get rest, which was probably good advice. However, between getting stiched up after his delivery and when they realized he needed to be monitored, I only had about an hour with him and couldn't stand the thought of him waking up and being cared for by a stranger. So we could be found at all hours of the day in the Special Care nursery, even after we had checked out of the hospital.
But now we're home, and I get to snuggle and love on him all I want. It is a wonderful and overwhelming feeling. And at a week old, we're all getting to know each other: Husband and I are getting to know our baby, he's getting to know us, and Husband and I are even getting to know each other again--as Mommy and Daddy. So far Little Man has quite a personality--some of which I recognize from his time on the inside. He likes to have his hands up by his face, just like he always did in his ultrasound photos. He HATES having his diaper changed, and yells mightily the minute his back touches the changing table. In fact, he has very little tolerance for being on his back in general. He has been a good sleeper, and while he's not insistent that someone hold him all the time, he prefers to snooze propped up in his boppy or his swing on an incline.
Little Man is a super eater, and blows through bottles and nurses like a champ. He's also all boy, and his burps often sound like he belongs in a frat house. We always know when he's filled up his diaper because of the unmistakable sound and satisfied smile on his face after the fact.
He has defined alert periods of the day, and while they are short right now, he loves to interact with us and check out the world around him. Much like when he was in the tummy, he still enjoys 3 AM. This morning from 3 to 4 found us wandering around the house in the semi-darkness, looking at photographs and out all the windows. He didn't fuss, he was just wide awake.
Speaking of wide awake, this mama bear is not right now. While Little Man snoozes contentedly in his swing, I'm going to take this opportunity to get to know something I haven't had the chance to spend a lot of time with recently: my pillow.
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