1 month

Gage,

You were born with your bottom lip all sucked up. It lookedlike you didn’t even have a bottom lip! We laughed so hard at your little face,it was just the cutest thing! We all thought your hair was curly like yourDaddy’s the moment you were born, but when it’s dry it straightens out. Whenit’s wet we still think there is hope that you might have some cute littlecurls J Youalso had a longer tuft of hair at the base of your neck, kind of like a little“tail” like I did when I was a baby.

You were a hit right from the beginning. You had so manyvisitors at the hospital. Every fell in love with you on their first glance.The first night daddy was pretty conked out from labor & delivery (haha) sohe slept pretty soundly. Momma couldn’t sleep as much-so we stayed up all nighttogether & cuddled and that was the first step in us really bonding.

The day we brought you home we couldn’t figure out how tobuckle you in the car seat. The lactation consultant had to come into the roomand show us how to buckle your little body in the seat. That was just one ofthe many things we were clueless about as new parents! We had to laugh atourselves, because we felt like we had no idea what we were doing! Your daddrove home and was a nervous wreck every time we got close to another car. Wedrove 1 mile an hour coming down our driveway because we were afraid yourlittle head would bob around too much on the dirt road. Gram was here to greetyou & spent the first three nights with us so she could help me adjust tobeing a new mommy, teaching me all the tools of the trade J

You were so tiny that I was nervous at first picking you up,changing you, and feeding you! We kept you all swaddled up for the first fewweeks and you wore your hospital hat for the week at home. Finally I chilledout and realized you wouldn’t freeze to death if you weren’t dressed like anEskimo at all times!

You screamed the first 3 nights and I realized later it wasbecause of the vegetable soup I had been eating- that had chili powder in it!Worst mom ever! I don’t even like to think about it now- how your little bellyhurt & it took 3 days before I realized it was what I was eating!!! Thanksfor forgiving me, son. J

Who knew a newborn could eat from a spoon? But you could!Before I had lots of milk to give you, it was important that you got every lastbit- so I would pump some and feed it to you by spoon in between feedings. Wegot such a kick out of you taking the spoon like a pro!

Right from the beginning you have been our little “PooterTooter”.  Your dad was astonished thatsomething that loud could come from something that little! You cracked us upeverytime you made a diaper J.

Bath time is Daddy’s favorite. The first few weeks we had togive you sponge baths. Around 2 weeks you had your first bath in your littletub and LOVED it! We would just use our washcloths to squeeze that warm waterout on you & you were in heaven! You seemed so content to be in that warmwater with us “oooing” and “ahhing” over you J

We moved the crib into our bedroom (about 1 foot from myside of the bed lol) when you were just a couple of weeks old. Those first fewweeks I couldn’t sleep well because I was constantly staring at you watchingyou breathe J

The first time we took you outside the house you were twoweeks old and we took you to Top Rock Diner in the huge town of Alpena. It wasa Saturday night, we had no food at home, and your dad thought it would be funfor us all to go out to eat as a family for the first time. I, on the otherhand, was a nervous wreck the entire time worrying about you and could not evenenjoy dinner. You were just SO tiny in those early days and your car seatseemed to swallow you!

You slept so much those first few weeks. You stressed Mommaout, little guy.

You were such a little man and I wanted to make sure I fed youall that you needed to grow, but I would literally have to rub you, talk toyou, and sometimes even strip you down to your diaper to keep you awake to eat.All you wanted to do was sleep! At 5 days old you had lost down to 5 lbs 15 oz.and at 2 weeks old you had just gained back up to 6 lbs 4 oz. I had to startfeeding you more frequently (ever 2 hours) and that seemed to do the trick! Ataround 2-3 weeks you had your first growth spurt and you wanted to eat nonstop!All we did was sit in our rocking chair and you ate all day.

The first month was mostly us learning the wholebreastfeeding thing together, lots of naps, and lots of diapers. And lots ofbeing up all night. But that’s ok- I was tired at the time but I wouldn’t tradeit for the world.

It only took one second for you to come in and steal ourhearts & totally rock our world! From the moment of your first cry, lifehas never been the same. But what joy you have brought your dad & I! Thefirst month was lots of learning and at the end of it we finally started tofeel comfortable in our role as parents. We aren’t as clueless. We can usuallyfigure out what you are wanting when you cry now and we have adjusted to ournew life as Mommy & Daddy.

What a month!

We love you, Gage!