8 Weeks Old!

Dear Baby,

You are completing your second month in the world. The baby books don't officially call you a 2 month old yet... for some reason, they wait until you've lived 9 weeks before you get that title. So for now, I can still call you a one month old, which seems so odd! You are so much bigger, stronger, and happier than when you were one month old.

Even this week you are more cheerful, even though you and I have come down with the dreaded SWINE FLU. This virus has gotten so much publicity and is part of pop culture, so its fitting that I mention it to you. In short, we survived! I started to feel ill on Sunday night and got very sick very quickly on Monday. I emailed your pediatrician, thinking perhaps you'd get sick, too. Luckily, we were able to go in for a visit. You had rashes and a slight fever, which indicated we needed blood work to see if you were a sick kid or a VERY sick puppy. If you were very sick, we would have had to stayed over night in the hospital as you were given IV fluids and medicine. Apparently, children who are as young as you aren't able to recover from illness as well as adults are. It was a very good thing that I took you to the doctor!

I did have to watch you get your blood drawn, which was probably your least favorite adventure of your little life so far. You were placed on a table on your back, and it was my job to hover above you and hold down your legs and torso. Two nurses worked at getting a line into the crook of your elbow. You screamed, wailed, and shrieked. It was a very negative experience for you. As for me, I found it unpleasant, too. I had fever and chills and watching your blood leave your arm through an angel hair pasta sized tube was nauseating.

You did not have to be hospitalized, and we both were able to recover from the H1N1 virus in th comfort and privacy of our own home. Your father stayed with us on Wednesday morning and all day on Thursday. He gave us the extra cuddles and attention we needed to beat the flu! He was also in charge of suctioning the thick mucous from your nostrils. Its gross, but needs to be recorded... you had some adult sized boogers up there. YUCK. However, you were so sick that I think you were happy to have those things removed from your nostrils so you could breathe better. We both benefited from the installation of a humidifier in your room, especially when I added aromatic vapor drops to the humidifier tray. We turned a corner towards healthy that night!

While at the doctor's office, your weight was recorded. I was utterly shocked to learn you weighed twelve pounds, 10 ounces! What a drastic growth gain from 8 pounds just six weeks earlier.

Other things you did in your 8th week include wearing this very proper little boy outfit in your photos. Our neighbors Zack and LeighAnne bought it for you when you were VERY tiny. However, now it fits and is in danger of being outgrown. I hope you will be able to wear it again because you look so sweet and grown up in it.

Let's talk about your photo shoot. You started out so peaceful, calm, and somewhat zoned out. After about one minute of photos, you became disturbed. Which turned to whimpering. Which turned to sobbing. Which turned to wailing. Then you barfed all over your cute outfit and the chair. So I stopped taking photos and cuddled you. You feel asleep as soon as you calmed down and wearing a clean shirt.

We traveled to Hermann to visit your family members on Friday evening. It was probably a bit too soon for us to travel after being ill, but we were getting cooped up in the house and had many family members who were lonely for you. We visited your grandparents in Hermann, your GGmas, your G.Aunt Sheila and cousin Kayla, our friends the T-Bones and their son Lucas, as well as my friend Laura, who was preparing apple butter at the home of her in-laws and your grandma Becky's friends. You got loads of attention and hugs on Saturday!

On Sunday, you and I went to church alone because your father participated in a competitive shooting match. I wore you in a fleece sling baby carrier, which made you look like a little joey tucked inside a kangaroo pouch. You slept through nearly all of the service, except the singing. You made lots of noises, and though they were guttural and not melodic, I think you were trying to sing praises to the Lord, too. I hope one day you enjoy singing in church with us, too.

New developments for you this week in the area of motor skills are finding your hands and fingers. Occasionally you manage to get them into your mouth and suckle them. This is short lived, however, and you lose interest in them fairly quickly. You've started to gaze up at the fabric designs in your swing, and I think you'll be able to explore the mobiles soon. You have also started to smile socially, though you smile more to just me and usually only after I smile and chat with you. You enjoy listening to music, especially having people sing to you.

I enjoyed you this week, son.  I am looking forward to next week and the next and the next!

Love,

Your mom

When you are sick or tired or crying, you have tiny red marks that pop up on your forhead and brow bones. You've had them since you were born.

You started to raise your eye brows when you make eye contact with us.