One Week Old!

Jude Freeman is one week old today.  I cannot even begin to say how much I love theses first few days with a tiny newborn baby.  As a person who loves to always be on the go-go-go, I find it totally amazing that I am so happy and at ease just sitting and snuggling with a tiny sleeping little baby boy.  I remember these days so vividly with Nova as well.  Not feeling a bit concerned about anything that "needs" to be done, but just loving every second of this new little person. 

 

Doesn't the soft, newborn sweetness just ooze out of him??? :)

 

Last night we put Grandma Stickley back on the airplane for Ohio. In the face of the mass confusion/chaos that became our lives over the last 2 weeks, it was so amazing to have Grandma here to handle all the little details of day-to-day life.  She got up every morning with Early Riser #1 (Juneau), and Early Riser #2 (Nova) at 6 a.m. (sometimes 5:30!!), and got them dressed, fed, and off to school.  Then set busy with little projects around the house (which i don't think has ever been so clean), and then picked the girls up.  We were unbelievably thankful that in spite of not having any control over the timing of Jude's birth, Grandma was here in Hawaii to hold down the fort during the unexpected hospital admission and delivery! The girls were very sad to see her go, but we are excited to have Aunt Becky arriving tomorrow!! How blessed we are to have family willing to make/change last minute plans to come to the rescue!!

 Yep, she's still glowing.  She can't even sit down and hold Jude without beaming little rays of sunshine and rainbows.   The other day Jude was sleeping on the couch, and I was working in the kitchen. Nova said "He's so confused. He doesn't know why he's not in his sweet mother's arms".  So I said "Well, I'm a bit busy nova, and he's sleeping, i'll hold him in a minute. 
Nova replied "No, he thinks I'M his sweet mother. He wants to be in MY arms"

 Juneau is pretty thilled with her brother as well.  It funny the things they each find cool about having the new baby around. Nova just likes to dote and coo.  Juneau seems to notice every little thing that he does.  "Ohhhh look! He's yawning! And he has a tiny little tongue" or "ooohhhhh look! he's opening and closing his tiny hand!"

Juneau's best quote so far (the day after talking about touching his head very softly): "Look how careful I'm being with his brains, mom!" 

 

The other funny thing Nova will do is to alert the entire house if Jude starts to fuss a little. At the first little peep she gets a desparate panicky voice and starts yelling "MILK!!! HE NEEDS SOME MILK!!! quick mom, quick....give him some milk!" 

 

For the record,  Juneau apparently knows the word "boobies" (which we have never said!), and Nova is convinced that milk comes from your "hips".  haha! not so sure about where they learned their anatomic terms, but i guess it all beats my own childhood terminology of "milkers".  I was dead convinced that "milkers" was a proper, anatomic term until....welll, i can't exactly renember the humiliating moment that i used the term "milkers" in a public setting, but i'm sure it happened, and although I grew up in the very rural woods of West Virginia, I'm pretty sure that even in Appalachia "milkers" is not proper terminology for anything. 

 

Anyway, we have ventured out on a few short outings, but today we decided to take a family walk around our neighborhood.  We live near the top of a very steep hill, so it definitely was a good little workout for everyone.  By the time the entire gang made it out the door (daddy, mom, baby jude, juneau, nova, 2 rambunctious huskies, and 1 lap dog) I was tired before we even started! But we made it dooooowwwnnn the hill and then back upppppp the hill without any major issues. 

 Jude had his first official visitors on Labor Day. Uncle Tim, Auntie Beth, and Cousin Melody were a great welcoming committee for our new little guy.  The girls were thrilled ot have their "BESTEST FRIEND" over to the house, and it was so nice to catch up wtih Tim and Beth. 

 Beautiful smile, Miss Melody :) 

Well, we are settling in just great as a family of five.  Jude has been sleeping away most of his first week of life, and I have to say, I am happy for his 3-4 hour stretches of sleep.  He has had a bit longer little wake-up periods during the day, and is so cute when he looks around and starts to explore the world.  He is a great little eater, and I'm sure it won't be long until his 5lb 8 oz little self starts to chub up a little bit. For now, however, I am enjoying this teeny tiny little bundle of sweetness!