Happy Month-Birthday, Boy!

Well, The Boy is now one month old.  I'm not going to be like, "I can't believe he's already a month old!!!" because I sort of CAN believe it.  It's been a great four-plus weeks, and he charms and amuses and exhausts us every day.  Just a few highlights as to what's going on from where I'm sitting (The Wife has been great about blogging updates and pictures too, the latest of which you can see here):

•  Father's Day!  It was last Sunday.  (And the treat at church told me I'm worth 100 Grand!!!)  I confess that this particular holiday may or may not have made me cry in the past, so it was especially exciting for me to celebrate my first Father's Day as an actual father of a living, breathing human.  It was especially delightful to wake up that morning when this is what greeted me:

Best Father's Day present ever, Wife!!!

I will neither confirm or deny that this was posed.  I just thought it was only fitting I should have one of those photos that everyone takes when they just HAPPEN to come upon sleeping baby/daddy.

•  I love a baby burrito.  He doesn't always love being one, but I'm the dad and what I say goes, right?!?

So tiny and scrumptious!!!  It's also very handy to have a phone actually capable of taking semi-decent and accessible photos.  Though, then a lot of them end up looking really similar, adorable-sleeping-babies-in-arms and all that.

•  I think it's funny how he sometimes cries for no apparent reason, since his every single need is met, usually at the very moment when it arises.  He's especially vocal during his bath.  I guess that means he's a healthy baby, since, as the doc said, crying means breathing (...).  His expression is usually one of constant concern, but he's starting to smile (yes, smile!!!  I die every time).

Those smiley eyes!  Just like his mum's!

•  He still has his thick, dark hair!  (*knocks on wood*)   Now and then we discover a stray strand that has somehow escaped, but that's only happened a handful of times in all these days, so I think it's going to stick around for a while.

•  Tummy time!  I love tummy time.  I think I like it better than he does.

*poke*

•  I find myself rocking my dinner in my lap when I hear the poopsie squawking in his swing or even while he's nursing or in his mother's arms.  I've probably taken to being constantly subconsciously in motion, actually, just in case.

•  I'm still getting used to the idea that this sweet, innocent child will one day make decisions of his own (and hopefully the right ones) in this sometimes wonderful and sometimes increasingly rotten world, and all that that entails, but for the moment, we'll just do our best to keep him sweet and innocent.

Sometimes I just snuggle his face and can't believe how cute this child of ours is.

•  Our lives in general go on, we still are able to do a lot of the things we like to do, we just have a little more company and accessories than we used to.  Working from home is yet again a very convenient situation, making for a fairly flexible schedule and our ability to take turns watching him while the other does their thing.  It's nice to have an occasional little co-worker napping next to my desk while his mum naps or gets some things done.

This sight can often be seen on the floor just to my right during working hours.

•  Some of his nicknames at the moment include Snuffly (his tiny nostrils!  They make him sound snuffly), Little Son, Boo-Boo and Handsome (borrowed from one of our/his favorite onesies, which he is quickly outgrowing).  The Wife usually calls him Buddy or Little Bird.

•  ALIAS!!!  We are watching it.  It is good.

•  His mother has certainly taken to her new calling in life.  She hasn't always been exactly comfortable with knowing what to do with delicate newborn nieces and nephews and friends and such, but with her own she has definitely shown an instant ability and capability to protect and provide for this new little absolute dependent, and I can see just how much she cares about him.  I love watching her be a mommy.

Let's all give a big Dharma welcome to the newest member of The LOST Club!!!  I've been excited to see him in this for months!

A happy little Dharma family.

Happy One-Month, little one!  We like you a lot.

Speck-tacular Speck-tacular

Three weeks ago yesterday, this happened:

C.A.G., 8 lbs. 15 oz., 20 in.

The Speck no more!  It was glorious!  Julie has already done such a great job of documenting the happenings (breech, water breakage false alarm, attempted/failed version, VERY efficient c-section, remarkable recovery by Wife and wonderful development by Son, etc.), which you can see here, so for me to post something similar in much depth would seem rather redundant, but I still wanted to document this most life-changing event just a little.

So, here he is!

Thanks for the pictures, Cami!*

He's a great little boy, and at three weeks (based on this morning's checkup) he's right on schedule with growing and gaining weight (by now up to 9 lbs. 1 oz., 21.5 in.).  He's fun and funny and always amusing us with his ever-changing expressions and his constant diaper changes (maybe amusing isn't quite the word for that bit).  He basically has four functions right now -- eat, sleep, cry and fill diapers -- and he does them all very well, but none of them excessively, or more than is expected or healthy.  He's even started sleeping pretty well at night, sometimes up to three or four hours at a time before waking up for a snack!  Sure, there has been the occasional loooong night when he might not have slept as long or as soundly as his parents might have wished, but he really is a pleasant baby and (so far) doesn't seem to cry forever long for no apparent reason (*knocks on wood*).  It was great to have an extra pair of hands and words of advice from Julie's mom when she visited for a week after we brought him home, and also from my mom when she visits, but we've also been doing pretty well all on our own.  We've even still been able to watch movies, get well into finally watching Alias, and even read on occasion!

Look at this girl!  She is such a rock star.

I might have cried when I saw him the first time.

Stretch, Boy!  Look at those runner's legs!

Check out that hair!!!

Meeting Mum.

Such a face he has.

Hanging with Dad.

First family portrait!  The nurse who took it for us was very nervous about her lack of photog skills.

And that's it so far!  Aaahhhh, I am becoming a parent bloggerrrrr!  I promise I won't be (too) annoying about it.  It's just amazing how much I can adore this child so much already.  I know new parents say that all the time, but I guess that's because it's true.  Our family dynamic and priorities have definitely changed, but it's been a pleasure to watch as things develop.  Keep being a good baby, Boy!

P.S.  I also posted my first Speck-inspired arts on our art blog, which you can see here.

*Cami took more really great newborn pictures, but maybe I'll save those for their own separate post.