My Farm Baby

Oh, what fun was to be had at the Minnesota Zoo today at the Farm Babies exhibit. Shirley Jean had a wonderful time checking out all the animals with Auntie Lauren.

Sink Bath

Richard Joseph FINALLY lost his umbilical cord on Monday--on his one-month birthday--so he got to have his very first real bath.

I wish I had been able to give him a real bath earlier because it was very calming for him. One of the hardest parts of having a baby this time around has been knowing how uncomfortable the world must feel to an infant. Suddenly he is a part of this smelly, cold world where he has to wear diapers, clothing, deal with diaper rash...on and on. I love the idea of putting him in warm water where he feels safe and at-ease.

I digress.

Here are some of the photos Richard took of the event:

Shaving Cream

I took a page out of Jodi's book and gave Shirley Jean a dollop of shaving cream before her bath the other night. I'm not sure how much fun she had...I think, more than anything, she thought I had lost my marbles.

Richard Joseph's First Bottle

Here is a video clip of Richard Joseph's first bottle. I say on the video that it's April 20, but it's actually April 21, which makes him three weeks and TWO days old. If anybody's counting.

Let the record show that I HATE this milestone. And that it was necessary to offer him a bottle on this day because I was so sick with the flu that I was too dehydrated to nurse. Praise the Lord I had started pumping and freezing breastmilk about a week before. Thankfully, things are getting back to normal now.

Richard didn't LOVE his bottle, but he didn't hate it, either. One more step to a couple hours of freedom for mommy!

Siblings

I finally managed to get some really great pictures of Shirley holding her baby brother.

She has been calling him "Ma'Babee."

This one just warms my heart. I hope it warms yours, too.

Bubble Blowin'

This post contains a lot of photos--I literally could NOT choose.

Singing and blowing bubbles.
Checking stuff out.

The poor girl tried and TRIED and I think she actually managed to make about three bubbles (though not for a lack of actual bubble stuff...I think she managed to spill two full bottles). Thankfully, she is none the wiser.

Phone Pics

Here are some of my best photos from my phone over the last three weeks:

I was so excited to send a picture of our new baby to friends and family from the hospital. I later learned that hardly anybody got my picture, and even fewer people got his name and info.

This was the picture I tried to send:First smile for Mama in the hospital.
Not thrilled about burping.
"How YOU doin'?"

Pensive.

Tuckered.

Another smile for Mama.

Biiiiig yawn.

"Oh!"

More yawns.

"Again, Daddy?! Again?"

The Thinker.

Angel baby.

Certifiable

Erin [filling out Richard Joseph's Birth Certificate application]: Hey are we making Baby Richard a "Junior," or a "Second?" What do you think?
Richard: Junior. So he can drive Nascar.
Erin [shrugs]: Seems reasonable.

Two Week Check

Last Monday was Baby Richard's two-week check up (I'm late, I know...sorry.).

I am VERY pleased to say that when we left the hospital on March 31, he weighed 7lbs 15oz. Two weeks later, he weighed 9lbs 5oz! There is literally no better affirmation for a mommy than a growing child.

The doctor visit went very well and I got all my questions answered. It's amazing how much you FORGET in two years!

We are now fully into baby acne and goopy eye mode. I remember having these weeks with Shirley Jean, but he doesn't look very pretty right now.

He is also too big for most of his newborn-sized clothes and already wearing 0-3 month sizes. On the one hand I am proud that he is so healthy, but on the other hand, I wish he would stay tiny just a little longer. He, surprisingly, doesn't hate tummy time the way SJ did. He seems to get a kick out of laying on his tummy and looking around. He lifts and turns his head to check out his surroundings.

)': Pollen :'(

I got up to check on dinner and came back to find SJ like this:

Maybe we'll stay inside tomorrow. :( Poor girl.

She's so flippin' cute!

SJ has started posing for the camera.

Who taught her this?!?

So funny.

Sleeping Boy

These two are from our first day home:

Second day home:

First Bath for the Bairn

Richard (the Senior) took these pictures of Richard (the Bairn) during his first bath last week. I think they're pretty gorgeous. Enjoy!