Dear Graham, Weeks 15 and 16

Dear Graham,
There's so much to say about the last two weeks! The reason for the combined letters is that we were out of town last weekend. However, over the last two weeks you experienced many firsts, including:

• Your first trip to both South Carolina and North Carolina (you've now been to 4 out of 50 states by week 15)
• Your first time meeting your great-grandma and great-aunt in South Carolina
• Your first wedding
• Your first stay in a hotel
• Your first ear infection and upper respiratory infection (and therefore your first antibiotic)
• Your first time using the Bumbo chair
• Your first time being featured on a blog other than mommy's: http://sarahromingerphotography.com/asheville-photo-booth-the-official-launch-of-the-cliqueit-booth/

Mommy's best friend Krista got married in Asheville, NC over the long Veteran's Day weekend. In the week leading up to leaving for the wedding, you had a dry cough. Somehow the night we landed, it had transformed to an evil, wet sounding cough that woke you up at least five times a night every night we were gone. Fortunately you were such a trooper and you didn't let your cough stop you from being a happy baby during the day. You enjoyed your first wedding...especially being danced around with your grandpa and uncle. You also again were wonderful on both flights, despite not feeling well.





Daddy was on vacation this week and he stayed home with you while you were sick. It was a good experience for the both of you, although you sure know how to wear daddy out. It was fun for mommy to leave my boys home together and come back to you both here.



You've discovered a few new tricks over the last several weeks. The first is blowing bubbles...you love to blow spit bubbles, which means there is always drool on your cute chin. You have also learned that you have legs and feet, so while sitting in your bouncy chair you stick your legs straight up into the air and hold them there in front of your eyes as if they were a field goal. It can't be comfortable, but you don't seem to notice. You have also been grasping your hands together, almost like you're praying. Most times you're trying to get both of those grasped hands into your mouth.

While we've enjoyed the beautiful color blue that your eyes have been since birth, these last few days they really appear to be changing to brown right before our eyes. I think this will cause you to look even more like your handsome daddy...which is just fine by me.

It's become especially evident lately that you recognize mommy and daddy and want to be in our company. We are having so much fun with you and love watching each of your cute developments.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, Week 14

Dear Graham,
Well, everyone said week two of daycare would be easier than week one, and they were right. Although, I don't know that I'd consider it "easy" yet, we both definitely got a bit more used to the routine. Daddy has been taking you to school on the mornings that he's home, and it's so much easier on mommy those days. I love leaving you here with him and coming back home to find my two boys together.



While we made progress on our morning routine, our evenings are still so busy. You're often exhausted when you get home from school, so I try to spend as much time as you'll let me together before putting you to bed. Normally this involves spending some time outside together, as you continue to love to be outdoors. (Even one of your teachers commented this week that you like going outside!)



Well, on Monday after work you and I went out to our back porch and spent time together. As I decided to come back inside to give you a bath, I learned that I had locked us out of our house. Without my cell phone. Without a pacifier. Without any possible thing that could help us. And to top it all off I was wearing PJ shorts, flip flops and my the cami I wore under my suit to work. Classy.

So, we walked as quickly as possible around the block to our neighbor James, who works with mommy. He helped us to call a locksmith, who then proceeded to charge us an arm and a leg get us into the house. You were not at all amused by this whole ordeal and were exhausted by the time this was done. At least you can now add getting locked out of the house to your list of "firsts."



My favorite time with you is our mornings together, as you're always so happy. I hate that we are often rushing to get out the door, but I always try to carve some time just for us to interact and for you to brighten my day with your smiles. Those smiles are what gets me through to the end of the day when I can see you again.



Throughout the first 14 weeks of your life, and especially in the early days when you were often so fussy, mommy would sing to you to calm you down. (In hindsight, you were probably crying to get me to stop singing!) In addition to normal lullabies, I'd sing you songs that were stuck in my head. One of those is the Sugarland song, "Stuck like glue." Now, I every time hear that song on the radio, it makes me smile though tears thinking of you, my sweet baby.

You and me, baby, we're stuck like glue.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, 13 Weeks

Dear Graham,
We survived the week! While I'm sure there was never a doubt in your mind, your mommy wasn't quite as certain. Day one of day care was rough on mommy, but you seemed to be just fine. Your naps were short and sporadic, which is no real surprise given they are short and sporadic at home. You were worn out the first few days...mommy was so sad that we didn't get to spend more time together because you were asleep by 6:30. (Although you tried to make up for it by waking multiple times during the night!) By the end of the week, you were taking longer naps and you were awake more in the evenings. Let me tell you: I've never been more excited for a Friday knowing that we could spend all weekend together.

This week at school you also made your first artwork, which mommy and daddy have proudly displayed on the refrigerator. It makes me smile every time I pass by and I think we'll soon have to buy more magnets to display everything you will be making at school.







Friday evening we went to your first fall festival at school. You were dressed up as the cutest puppy dog that the earth has ever seen, and you received many compliments throughout the night. You weren't quite sure what to make out of all of the lights, sounds, costumes and people: you just looked around all night long studying your surroundings. Your teachers told us what a good baby you are at school and that you're one of the most content newborns they've had. We, of course, beamed with pride.




Although you're a bit young to be concerned with bald spots, let me tell you: yours is growing on a daily basis. The area on the back of your head where you sleep has little hair left. We were doing the comb-over trick for awhile, but I'm afraid it can't be hidden now. Your daddy and I are curious as to what color your hair will grow back as. Your eyes continue to be blue, although they are darkening a bit. We think they might turn brown, but we are enjoying the beautiful sea color they are right now.

Toward the end of the week, we decided to finally give up on swaddling, as you found a way to break out of every type of swaddling we had. We bought your first sleep sack and went cold turkey one night. As you fell sleep that night, you had your arms stretched out like a "T". I think you were surprised to learn your arms could actually go that way. We had a bit of a rough night that first night, but each night you're getting more used to the fact that you have arms that can actually move.



Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, End of Maternity Leave Edition

Dear Graham,
After the fastest 12 weeks of my life and the first 12 weeks of yours, I go back to work tomorrow. I felt inclined to write you a letter about this event not to chronicle your milestones or growth like your normal letters, but to tell you how I feel and explain my reasons about returning to work. Perhaps this is more of a letter for mommy than it is for you.

When I was young, I was taught that the only thing that would ever hold me back in life was me. This mantra has shaped nearly every life experience for me and it's one that we will try our hardest to instill in you. I hope you grab onto this lesson and ride it for all it's worth. As cliche as it may sound, you have the ability to achieve whatever it is you set your mind to achieving. And I can't wait to be there cheering you on the entire way.

Because of this mindset, I always knew that I wanted to be both a working professional and a mom. I didn't see why I would have to be defined by just one title or why I would need to chose one over the other. I knew I could do both.

Then, you came along. And I loved spending time with you. Watching you grow. Reading to you. Taking walks. Fostering your development. Much to my surprise, I started to dread the date on the calendar when I wouldn't have the opportunity to be with you all of the time. Yet, at the same time, I was looking forward to returning to the workplace and using a part of my personality that isn't stimulated at home. I felt so torn.

I was prepared for feeling upset about this transition. I wasn't prepared for the crippling guilt that comes with making this decision. Instead of feeling like the world was my oyster, I began feeling like I was choosing one lifestyle over another.

And, that's why I wanted to write you this letter. I'm not choosing anything over you, nor will I ever. Instead, your daddy and I are working to provide you with opportunities. Opportunities that one day I pray you will recognize, be thankful for, and run with. And, ultimately, it's my hope that you'll see in your mommy and daddy two people who are trying their hardest to provide for you, both at home and at work.

With so much love it hurts,
Mommy

Swaddling

On the same night that I published the post about how well the Miracle Blanket was working the unthinkable happened: when I got up with Graham at 2:00 a.m. he magically got his arm out of the swaddle.

You've. Got. To. Be. Kidding. Me.

And you just thought I was being neurotically superstitious.

This will be the last time I mention swaddling on this blog.

The End.

Dear Graham, Week 12

Dear Graham,
What a fun week we've had! Over these past several weeks you have truly started to shine, which has been so enjoyable for your mommy and daddy. You are happy, interactive, and confident. This is a huge contrast to the first eight weeks of your life, where you weren't certain of yourself or your surroundings. This transition has made it so much easier on your mommy and daddy. I am so thankful for the many blessings that shine through each of your milestones.

In fact, in a conversation earlier this week I asked your daddy why, in all of the books we read, they didn't tell you that the first eight weeks were so hard. He said it was because no one would have children...I disagreed and said I would have liked to have been better prepared. Instead of being blindsided, I would have rather read a book titled, "Get Ready for the Toughest Eight Weeks. Ever." or "You Just Thought Labor and Delivery Were Hard." or "Everything You Thought You Knew You'll Now Doubt." Something so painstakingly obvious that it would have struck me right between the eyeballs and made me say, "Oh, now I get how it's going to be."

I guess there is no substitute for experience, and while it was challenging, these past 12 weeks have been the proudest time of my life.









Now, back to this week. In my last several letters to you I have avoided mentioning swaddling. Apparently parenthood makes you incredibly superstitious, as I've become convinced that just by mentioning progress, you would somehow know and decide to take two steps back. (In fact, when you were just a few weeks old your daddy and I banned saying "good night" to each other as we thought you would hear us and wake more frequently. This just about sums up how delusional and sleep deprived we were.)

For several weeks, on the advice of my good friend Melody, we were double swaddling you in two blankets and it worked like a charm. You actually didn't fight being swaddled and you didn't break free. You also looked adorable, earning many nicknames like pea in a pod, pig in a blanket and, my favorite, the glow worm. Well, as you've gotten a bit bigger and stronger, you eventually found a way to break free. So, we got the straight jacket Miracle Blanket back out and you've been using it each night. You don't fight it anymore and you don't break free...such progress.

You've been becoming more coordinated with your hands recently. Instead of them flailing mindlessly all day long, you're beginning to control them more. Your hands are finding their way to your mouth and you suck on your entire fist. You are also learning to grasp your "best friend" the rattle, but then you don't know what to do with it when it's in your hand.



As you've made progress recognizing voices, you are also now noticing music more and more. We are playing CDs for you before each nap and before bed, and it acts as a sign for rest. Your daddy also spent time with you playing guitar, and you were so vocal in response to his music.



You've changed so much in these last few weeks...it makes me excited to see what you're going to do in the next several weeks.

Love,
Mommy

Dear Graham, Weeks 10 and 11

Dear Graham,
This week's letter features two weeks as we were in Florida last week and didn't have the ability to upload all of our photos and we didn't have your bear to take your picture with. Let me just tell you that our last two weeks have been filled with adventures and many firsts for you.



As I mentioned in your last letter, (somewhat) cooler weather has embarked on Houston and we spent much of the time outside. We went and picked out our pumpkins and mums for our porch and you loved being outside. On Sunday of that weekend we met friends for brunch outdoors and then went to Discovery Green, a park downtown. You were being such a good baby that we decided to go to the Astros' game with them. Despite the open roof and the noises of the stadium, you were able to sleep on me while in your Baby Bjorn, which you love. All was going well until you woke up and decided you needed to eat 30 seconds ago, and you wanted to make sure that the entire section we were sitting in was aware of that fact.



On Monday you took your first (of what will be many) plane rides to Florida with mommy. Daddy helped get us to our gate and down the jetway, but he had to work a trip so you and I flew with you alone. You did such a great job...you took your bottle on takeoff and throughout the flight mommy bounced you on my knees as you like to constantly be in motion. (Apparently going 500+ miles per hour in a 757 wasn't enough for you.) Prior to the flight, I know everyone around us was cursing the fact that they had to sit in our section, but you didn't make a peep. I was so proud of you.



While in Florida you met so many people who love you so much. You met your grandpa, uncles, your great-grandma, great aunts and uncles, second cousins (we think), and friends. Everyone marveled over you and you didn't spend much time there not being held by someone. While in Florida you became more attuned to people's voices and intently follow whomever is speaking with your head and eyes. You also enjoyed nightly walks around the block in your stroller with your grandpa, who enjoyed them just as much as you did. While there you also learned to fall asleep on your own at night after being laid down drowsy but awake without us having to go into your room multiple times to give you a pacifier or calm you down. With all of our sleeping challenges, this was a task that I thought the books just talked about but that you might never accomplish.







Your smiles continue to delight all of those around you. As you get more rest both at night and with your naps, you smile more and more each day. I told your daddy recently that you've become so much fun and I love being around you so much more lately as your personality is shining through and you're actually responsive and interacting with us.



During these past two weeks your mommy has reached some important developmental milestones of her own. When given the choice between napping or running, I actually, gasp, selected running. This is huge progress on my part as several weeks ago I couldn't have imagined turning down sleep for a million dollars, much less to exert physical energy outside. I also spent my first day apart from you when I went to visit with friends in Florida. During my entire drive there, I literally felt like I had left a vital piece of me at home, almost as if I was missing a limb. Considering the longest we'd previously been apart was for two hours, this was a challenge for mommy, but your daddy and the family helped me through the day by sending many adorable pictures of you to my cell phone.

You were just as good on the plane ride home from Florida and your daddy met us in the airport to help us get home. While we had a wonderful time in Florida, it felt so good to be reunited as a family of three. We've spent all of our time at home just being together.

I can't put into words how much joy you bestow on all of those around you. I never knew that I could love this fiercely, this deeply, this protectively.



With all of that love,
Mommy