10-4, Good Buddy

Nathan, Sweetie. When you were born, you were a teeny 6 lbs 2 ozs - my smallest sonshine, by far. When you were just 3 days old, you were even smaller - only 5 lbs 9 ozs. Now, only 6 weeks later, you're HUGE! [Look at those beautiful rolls!] What happened?!?

Weekend before last, we went to visit your Auntie Anna while she was working at the hospital. I had to feed you and change your diaper while we were there, so we figured we might as well weigh you, too, while we were there. Daddy and I were so anxious to see what the scale would say. Auntie and I both made guesses - I said 8 lbs 8 ozs. Auntie said 9 lbs 3 ozs. Daddy was the smart one and declined to guess, because we were both way off. You weighed 10 lbs 4 ozs!!! That was darn near double what your lowest weight was, only 5 weeks before! That means you've been packing on a pound each week!!! By now, a week later, I'm sure you're well on your way to doubling your birth weight. Yikes. You've already outgrown your smallest onesies. I can't bring myself to pack them away, though. I just leave them at the top of the drawer, and dig underneath them for the ones that are a little bigger.

When you were born, you were my teeny little peanut. Your tush fit so perfectly in the palm of my hand! I'm not ready for that to change! I won't say that you're not allowed to grow up, because I can't wait to see what an incredible toddler, boy, teen and man that you will someday be. But, could you please slow things down a bit, for your poor mommy's sake? I'm just not ready for this!

BTW - As an interesting addendum, I did the math to see how this rate of weight gain would correspond in a grown person. Here's the example - if you had a 180 lb man, it would be similar to him packing on 30 lbs a week. Right now you're 6 weeks old and I'm betting you're getting close to 12 lbs. If this poor guy packed on weight like that for six weeks, the once 180 lb guy would now weigh 360 lbs! Double yikes!!

Momma

Wonderful, gorgeous, amazing Sarah, it is your first Mother's Day as a mother of three boys and you have never been more beautiful. I am honored to be your husband and I am so excited and grateful that I get to spend this life with you. I want you to know that all four of your boys love you and appreciate you. Thank you for all you do and all you are. You are patient. You are kind. You are strong. You are gracious. You are loving. You are a mother, a wife, a friend, a woman, a daughter of God and there is no one like you anywhere. We love you! Happy Momma's Day, momma!

Cheeks

After lunch today, I put you on the counter in your bouncy seat for you to have some "awake time" while I laid Owen down for his nap. It didn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes, but when I came back this is what I found...


I don't think you understood my instructions. Stinker! And check this out... Daddy and I have been trying to think of a good nickname for you. Maybe it should be Cheeks? Whoa, Baby - good work! [You're getting WAY too big, WAY too fast - stop it!!!]

Catching Up With Caleb

It's not an easy thing to do, you know. I mean catching up with you, Caleb. You are almost always on the go - and fast. You accidentally whacked your head on the corner of the bathroom counter this afternoon and when you were in my lap crying I was overwhelmed at just how big you are. You barely fit in my lap! You're growing up way, WAY too fast, my Big Guy.

Your biggest piece of news is that you lost your first tooth...


...on Monday night while we were eating dinner. All of a sudden you hollered, "Mom! My tooth! I pulled my tooth!" And you sure had. You grabbed on, decided to give a tug and out it came! Daddy and I were both so proud of how brave you were! And, you asked immediately for Mrs. Dowdican's phone number [your teacher] so that you could call her to tell her. I told you that you'd have to wait and show her the next morning at school. The next morning, you wanted to take your tooth to school for show-and-tell, even though it was Tuesday and your day for taking something wasn't until Thursday. I told you that we'd have to compromise - that you could take your "empty spot" to school with you Tuesday to show everyone and then you could take your tooth on Thursday for your real show-and-tell. Then you insisted that you wanted to take your empty spot on Thursday, too, and asked if it'd be okay if you took two things - the tooth and the empty spot - just this once. How could I refuse?

What else have you been up to? Your usual silliness. You love telling jokes. They're always either knock-knock jokes or chicken-crossing-the-road jokes. And the punch lines almost always involve a chicken head and poop. You think it's hilarious! What a boy... Whenever you start telling jokes, you usually want me to take turns telling them with you. The few times that I've actually obliged, you just look at me with a straight face and say, "Mom, that was NOT funny." I'm sorry, Buddy, I guess I just don't have a chicken head and poop sense of humor.

Today when I picked you up from school, there was a broken egg on the sidewalk that fell from a nest earlier in the day. You pushed at it with your shoe and I told you not to do that. You said, "It's okay, Mom. This is an egg from a person, not from a bird." I'll have to remember to tell you that next time you ask me where babies come from, instead of stammering and changing the subject. "From an egg, Caleb, from an egg."

Your hair is getting crazy long. I know you really do need a haircut, especially since it's starting to get hot. I just can't bring myself to cut off your beautiful curls, though. You're such a handsome boy!


What else? You've been such an amazing helper lately - especially since Nathan was born. You're such a good boy and you have such a great attitude. I appreciate you so much. I guess, for now, the only other thing I have to say is: I Love You. I have from day One and always will!