Changing Already!

We have loved having our little Nathan around. In fact, when I think back at things we did before he was born, like our fun summer trips, it just feels like he's missing from the picture! It's amazing how real the feeling is that he's always had a place in our family!

Nathan hasn't changed a ton since we brought him home; he's lost his cord, he's gradually spending more and more time awake during the day, and he's almost done shedding his "sea skin". Every day I hope he'll just stay this little and sweet (but I wouldn't mind getting a little more sleep!). He's grown out of most of his preemie clothes, which is expected, considering he never was a preemie. (I did a lot of garage sale-ing this summer and picked some up cheap, just in case!)

He's impressed us a lot so far. He holds his head up on his own most of the time, which he's been doing since we were in the hospital! He still looks a tiny bit like a bobblehead. Especially when he's tired and is just like any other floppy newborn! We also noticed him rolling onto his side, then eventually onto his stomach, in his sleep. What the heck!? We had to get some of those stabilizer wedges to have him lay on so he wouldn't roll over. He'll also roll over onto his back from his stomach if left on his stomach for about ten minutes. (Again, unless he's tired, then he's just grumpy and doesn't want to show off!) He's rolled over a handful of times, but his mother isn't ready for him to be mobile, so it doesn't happen as often as it could!

We love the little faces he makes. Especially the hilarious newborn trait of making googly-eyed faces when he's falling asleep. It's the funniest thing ever. That's also usually the time when he smiles the most, "practicing using the muscles he'll use one day to smile on purpose" (thanks, multiple child development textbook authors!). The smiling + the googly eyes makes him look all kindsa crazy, but we still love him! Mitch caught this picture recently when we were out and about in Idaho Falls:
He's been doing great at getting on a schedule at night. Since my mom left on the 17th, he's been pretty good, except for last night. He usually wakes up every two hours like clockwork, which I don't mind, because it means he's sleeping for a LOT longer in his own room than he did in the bassinet in our room. Our noisy little man woke us up with his constant "sleeping noises", and since we can only hear his crying over the baby monitors, we don't pick him up when he's sound asleep (but SOUNDS like he's wide awake and talking/gurgling...). We're all a lot happier and more rested than before! :o)

The biggest change we've had has occurred in the last few days. I told you all about how much he loves the black and white pictures above our couch. He still stares at them for hours, but he's now noticing almost everything we have hanging against our sterile white walls! I love when he's really alert and I can just walk him around and let him stare at everything. He loves it. I love that he's focusing in on colors and objects and shapes. It's the first step to building motor skills of any kind! Woo hoo! He loves the bright colors of his room (I'll put up pictures of his room eventually...), which makes me glad that I changed from pastels to bright colors a few months before he was born.

He'll follow us with his eyes if he can see us walking around the room, which is amazing. I love to think that he knows who I am and can recognize my voice. I love him so much and all I want is for him to love me back! :o) I savor every one of his little hints that tell me he knows and recognizes me!

This week he gets to meet his (almost) entire extended family. He's met my mom and one aunt and uncle so far, but that's it! This week he'll meet my family, one set of my grandparents, and Mitch's family and his grandparents. He's started these moods where he just wants attention, and I love that he'll get so much this week! We can't wait to bless him** over Thanksgiving break and enjoy being together with family!



**(In our church, we give babies a name and a blessing when they're born. It's kind of like a christening, but is just a blessing and official name given to the child, usually by their father. It's a very special occasion, but is separate from baptism, which we carry out at eight years old).