I Get It Now

Possibly for the first time (I don't completely trust my memory), I understand why people love the newborn stage so much and don't want it to end.  I mean no disrespect to my older children, but while there were parts of the first three months I loved (a newborn asleep on my shoulder = heaven), I generally considered that time something that must be endured.  "Just 6 more weeks," I'd mentally encourage myself, "the crying will subside in 6 more weeks!"

I think I'd really amped myself up for the newborn stage to be really hard, and while the transition to 4 kids has been hard overall, Graham is as sweet as can be.  He does really crazy things like - falls asleep in the car, lets other people hold him without screaming, takes his pacifier happily, and spends his evenings grinning at us.

When Graham and I were in the hospital when he had his infection, one of the nurses (who doesn't yet have kids of her own) suggested that the reason Graham is so "easy" is because he's my fourth baby.  "You're an experienced Mom," she explained, "babies can sense that your calmer, so they're calmer too."

While I appreciate her compliment, I say, "Baloney!"  I can no more take credit for Graham's relaxed temperament than I am to blame for Aubree and Thane's colic.  Graham is two-months old!  How much "parenting" have I really done? Besides, as far as my personal experience shows, how they act the first few months has very little bearing on what they're like later on.  I think it's probably more related to how well their digestive systems are working than anything else!

The only challenging thing about Graham is that he likes to be held all. the. time.  If he's being held, he's as content as can be (which means, fortuitously, he's a huge fan of my wrap).  He still sleeps most of the day and all of the night (not through the night, but he goes immediately back to sleep after eating).

And those blue eyes!  I hope they stick around.

Not too bad for a baby whose "experienced" mom forgot about tummy-time for the first 2 months!

All the older kids love their baby brother and are big helpers.

When my sister had her first baby (just a few weeks after Thane was born), I told her, "the thing every new mom really needs...is a four-year-old!"  But, now I know I was wrong.  The thing every new mom REALLY needs, is a seven-year old!

Aubree adores her baby.  Mark came home one night and asked, "does Graham think he has two mommies, but only one that feeds him?"  Probably a true statement.

Aubree spends a significant amount of time every day talking, cooing, singing, and complimenting Graham.  "Oh, Mr. Big Eyes! You're soooo cute.  You're just the sweetest baby in the world - yes you are!"

In the mornings, Aubree is usually as hard to get out of bed as...well...as me!  But since we've had Graham, all I have to do is call out, "Aubree, please come cuddle Graham while I take a shower," and five seconds later she's bouncing into my room.  One morning, I called for her and she didn't come, so I figured she would rather sleep and made other arrangements.  As I got out of the shower, she came bursting in, angrily accusing, "why didn't you call me to come hold Graham?!"  When I explained that I had called her, and had just assumed she hadn't wanted to get up and hold him that morning, she shook her head and incredulously responded, "I always want to hold him!"