Saturday, November 10, 2012

My Name is Sarah and I LOVE Newborns!

I've never been a person to "ooooh" and "ahhhh" over babies. Other than my own, of course. Even with my nieces and nephews - I'm so excited to have more babies in the family, but I've never been a newborn lover. Some people just gravitate towards a newborn and love all the snuggles and cuddles...I never have.

I typically enjoy from about 3 months on with other people's babies. They coo, smile, even laugh and become more interactive...not just sleep and do nothing like a newborn. Braden was so much fun from 6 months on, I always figured I wasn't a "newborn" lover, even my own babies. Until...
Sweet, Sleep E!
Ethan. Don't get me wrong...I loved Braden to bits as a baby. He was a great newborn...it's just that I can't remember it! Nothing in the world can prepare you for having a newborn. I read and hear of women whose babies sleep through the night from day 1 and they never look back...but that, my friends, is very rare and I tend not to believe it myself!

But yes - I just wasn't prepared to have a newborn the first time around. Getting up every 1-3 hours for weeks to feed the baby, changing diapers that often as well, trying to maintain your household, cooking...it was very overwhelming. And like I said - Braden was a great baby. Not high-demanding, very content and calm...but just still stressful as you're learning to take care of a BABY for the first time. Even as a nurse with a pediatric background, it was still scary because I had to keep and care for this baby all the time!
Sweet, Sleep E!
But my second time around? I am truly loving on this newborn boy. I'm trying to savor every moment with him...

Smelling his head as he nuzzles in my shoulder in his milk-drunk state.
Watching him when he nurses.
The little expressions on his face when he first falls asleep.
The way he tolerates yet does not quite enjoy his baths now.
How he loves to sleep on his sides with his arms out, just like his big brother did.

Sigh. He's already 3.5 weeks old and this phase does not last long. I know lots of people will away the newborn phase, but I don't want it to end.

But it must.

It's just so much less stressful this time as I mentioned in my post-partum update post. Lots of my recently new moms-of-2 have told me that exact thing and I didn't see how it was possible until it happened to me. The newborn thing - I got that! It's so much more enjoyable. I knew to expect to be getting up with baby every few hours in the night. I was prepared for broken up sleep and to be in a semi-zombie like Newborn Mom state. I haven't found myself getting frustrated with Ethan at all. I would question Braden so often wondering WHY he was still hungry? WHY won't you burp? But this time, I'm just rolling with the punches. So what if Ethan puked on 3 sleepers in one hour? We'll just keep changing him and doing laundry! No big deal...I got this!
Sweet, Sleep E!
I don't think I ever added this in a blog post, but my baby boy was 2 lbs over his discharge weight at his 2 week appointment last week! He was 6 lbs 5 oz at birth, dropped down to 5 lbs 15 oz on discharge, and was 7 lbs 15 oz! He's definitely still newborn size, but he's already outgrown a sleeper! He's growing so fast and just thriving. I'm so very blessed.

I really make a point of praying for both my boys every day, especially at night when they go to sleep. I thank God for these blessings. For making me a boy mom because He knows exactly what I need and what I can handle. I pray that He keeps my boys safe and healthy and happy and that they will grow up knowing Him and loving Him. I thank God for my husband who is a wonderful father to our children and for his grandparents who love our boys like they are their only 2 grandkids, even though they have 10! And for my Mom who would do anything for my boys and has shown that time and time again. Aaaand...I might throw in a prayer that we'll have a good stretch of sleep too! ;)

Moms of 2+...did you find the newborn stage easier the 2nd, 3rd, etc. time around? Do you like the newborn stage?

Sorry to be a broken record, but please please vote for all 3 of my pictures! Cash prize for the winner of each category!
 
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