One Week

So much has changed in the past week. For one, I feel like a grown-up now. Matt and I's induction into parenthood has had its challenges as well as its joys and they have stretched us in ways that only having child could. We even look older now- a bit more careworn and something I can't quite describe has changed in our expressions. A small part of me looks longingly at the stage of life that has passed- it looks so carefree and spontaneous. Matt and I don't catch quite as many moments of being together, but the ones we do have seem more precious. My love has increased for Matt as I watched him love and care for our son. I love this kind and gentle man and our little boy so fiercely it kind of hurts. I feel grateful to have a Heavenly Father who knows me perfectly and who has trusted me with the care of this special spirit. I am in awe of the responsibility I have to learn and grow into a better parent and a better person but I feel a strong sense of his love and confidence in me that I can rise to the challenge. Being a mother to Jonas has brought so much joy into my life and I could never want to go back to life one week ago.

Hospital Pictures

Jonas came out squawking like an angry parrot. Mom and Dad Harker knew the instant he was born because they could hear him from the end of the hospital hall. It was an amazing feeling to have a full grown baby laid across my stomach. We instantly felt like we belonged to each other and Jonas seemed to recognize my voice right away.



Everyone says Jonas looks like me- and he is quite Stoddard with his big hands/feet and long fingers/toes. He undoubtedly has my funny protruding upper lip and Matt's folded ears. I'll have to wait before I can decide about that cute nose though.


This is Dad after a rough first night- we'd only slept two hours.


This was taken right before we took Jonas home from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. We were so excited to show him his new home!

Jaundice

Poor baby Jonas can't seem to stay away from the hospital this week. We stayed an extra day after the requisite 24 hours because his bilirubin levels were high but not quite high enough to qualify for jaundice. So then we were allowed to come home for a day and half before being re-admitted yesterday morning because his levels had increased. He was such a good little sport about it though and after 24 hours under the blue lights he is doing better so we are home again. Hopefully we can stay here, his bilirubin levels need to be tested again tomorrow.

HE'S HERE!

Jonas Matthew Harker
born Sunday, March 7 @ 4:00 p.m.
7 pds 5 ounces
21 inches

Confessions of a frustrated sew-er...

I chose a very simple project to motivate myself to learn to sew. I wanted to create a baby mobile to go over Jonas' change table like this one I saw on Etsy. I bought the felt, needle, and thread, and eagerly got to work.

Except after hand-stitching one of the raindrops it didn't look quite right. I asked Matt for his opinion, to which he didn't need to verbally reply because his expression confirmed that my uneven hand-stitching resembled the clumsy handy-work of a child. Blast! I tore the stitches out and tried again. Still that dubious expression. That was it, I tore the stitches out and pulled out the hot glue gun. Anyway here is the finished project, which I think at a distance looks respectfully like the inspiration (insert dubious expression here).

The Bump

35 weeks

Being 34 weeks pregnant...

makes me want to:

1) crush ice with my teeth something fierce (also I have to restrain myself from sneaking a swipe of snow and jamming it in my mouth whenever I am outside)

2) organize everything in the apartment to an obsessive degree (is it weird I have created a catalogue of everything I own and planned exactly where it will go in the house?)

3) soak in the tub every night while I stare at my tummy to see the baby move