3 weeks old

Dear ML,

This is you a few minutes after you were born:





You are 3 weeks old today.



Time really flies.



I can't believe that you haven't always been here.





You seem wise, like an old soul.





You are doing all of your jobs: eating, sleeping, poo'ing, peeing, crying... You are thinking very seriously about coo'ing; you've given your mama a few fleeting smiles.




Sometimes you seem bored. You kind of look around, wide-eyed as if to say, "Ya'll got anything fun to do around here."



You are soft and like to be held. You quiet down when we pick you up and grunt yourself into tears when we put you down. Even the swing or a car ride is not that soothing to you as compared to the arms of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and loving friends.





But you do sleep at night: 3, 4, 5, sometimes 6 hours (from 10pm to 4am when you are at your best.) Mama contends with the flip side of this which amounts to 3, 4, 5, sometimes 6 hours of near continuous cluster feeding during the day.



You eat well. Latched on since the day you arrived.



You take a bottle when Mama needs a break and we are giving you "binki sucking lessons" several times a day. (you can't seem to figure out how to keep the thing in your mouth... just like your brother at your age).



You have admirers near and far. So many were so anxiously anticipating your arrival. So many people have brought us gifts and food and sent well wishes in the ceremony of welcoming you.





Your brother, especially is "holding it all together" and thrilled that you are here- more impressive than it sounds as he has just recently turned 2 years old.





Our family is in the middle of great transitions. Mommy has gone back to work a few days a week, and next week we are moving to a new house.



You don't know it b/c this is how it has always been in your lifetime, but things are a little "tense". We won't always be this "in flux". The anxiety and uncertainty that you are no doubt perceiving, but have no way of naming or categorizing is just your mommy and your mama trying to figure out how to take care of 2 beautiful boys instead of one, and how to pack up our lives and relocate just a few towns down the interstate.



We have a good plan, a plausible strategy, and a lot of good people willing to help. But we are tired and a tiny bit overwhelmed. We are trying to take care of each other too... that will always be our goal- to find a few quiet moments, just the two of us, even when we are exhausted to look into each other's eyes and say, "thank you" for the luxury and blessing of doing "this thing", raising this family together.





You are all we ever dreamed of.



We love you,



Your mommies