No longer a newborn!

One of the biggest parenting lessons I'm learning is all about "prioritizing."  If Ethan happens to take a nap during the day (something he has given up in order to give us a decent night's sleep), what should I do?  Brush my teeth (probably a good idea)?  Drink some coffee (a necessity)?  Maybe sneak in a shower (that's usually cut short)?  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to get much else done on the to-do list, including updating this blog!

Ethan is almost six weeks old and no longer a newborn!  He had his 1-month check-up last week and weighed in at 10 lbs., 11 oz. - what a chunk!  I can't believe it's the same kid they were worried about losing too much weight in the hospital!  With teary eyes, I had to pack away all of his newborn clothing.  I held on to his umbilical cord stump for about a week before I finally decided I was crazy and threw it away.  Now that it has fallen off he can have a real bath in his baby bathtub.  He has graduated from the small bottles to the full-size bottles.  He had his first trip to the mall and even behaved while his mom & dad ate out at a real restaurant!  It's funny how things that we used to do several times a week have become such big adventures now.

What's more remarkable is how much he's changed since we brought him home from the hospital.  Besides being bigger, he's starting to develop his own personality.  He is so alert and has begun to "play" during the day.  He likes his bouncy seat and is fixated on the birds that swing around above his head.  He seems to realize when we are reading to him and listens and stares intently (especially during Make Way for Ducklings).  He loves mirrors (if only he knew the tiny human staring back at him was him!)  He gurgles and coos and gives real smiles (not gassy ones) a couple of times a day.  Nothing in my life has come close to the feeling I get when he smiles at me (and I try to remember that when he's been crying for an hour straight!)

I say it every time, but it's so true - I love him so much, I can't believe he's ours!

Hopefully I'll have time to post again before he's walking and talking!