Weeks 0-4

You are my sweet sleepy boy. I'm trying hard to get to know you but you sleep so much, it's taking a while! You cry when hungry, when your diaper is being changed and if you have to burp. Other than that you are pretty much asleep, or on a rare occasion, looking around at the world in shock and wonder with your incredibly big deep blue/black eyes.

When you were born you had such a conehead that your features seemed to change over the first few days of your life, as your head sort of re-morphed into a normal head shape and your features sort of fell into place. You have a high forehead and little dents on the side which gives you a wise old man head look. Your chin is sweet and somewhat heart shaped, and your nose is somewhat nonsymmetrical which I find fascinating and stare at quite a bit. Your ears don't match either, the right one is sort of bent over at the top, smushed in the womb I guess! You didn't really have any stork bites or anything, a little bit on your right eyebrow, but not too much. All in all these little quirks make you who you are, and you are one sweet baby! Even the nurses say how sweet and handsome you are.

You're a furry guy too, lots of sweet baby down hair all over your body. You have huge hands with long fingers and perfectly formed nails. Your feet are pretty huge as well and your toes are really, really long. Your dad calls them prehensile. Mean dad!

You are a sprayer. Every diaper change is an adventure let me tell you.

I love your little noises. Especially your funny little cry. You go "att att att, att att att" - so little sounding and sad! You groan and squeak and sometimes grunt. Lots of reassuring noises while you sleep to let me know you are ok.

And of course all those great reflexes - I love the startle reflex, and the sleeping pose with your one arm down and one arm up, or both up. I love when you stretch, how your arms go up and your legs curl up and then out, how your face changes expressions and your neck cranes out.

You've grown so much already sweet Owen. I call you my Ow-ee Ow-ee O. I hold you on my belly and I think there is no way, no way at all that you ever fit inside me. You are so small but so big at the same time! And then your dad reminds me that not only did you fit in side me but somehow you came out too and that is the most amazing part.

I am trying to soak in every second of your babyhood. It goes so fast! So many things I had already forgotten from Alec's babyhood. I just want to hold you close, marvel at you, snuggle you. Smell your baby smell. Never let you go.

On your two-week mark you smiled at your big brother. I don't think it was gas, we were interacting with you and you kept smiling at Alec, it was so sweet! Big old toothless open mouthed grin.

You are starting to be awake just a little bit more now which is pretty cool. I love to just stare into those big deep eyes of yours.

Your color is so improved. Your skin is basically a pinky white now, a big difference from the yellow orange it was last week!

16 days later and your cord has come off. It came off when I was holding you, pressed against my chest. It was so hot I had unsnapped your outfit. It must have hurt because I couldn't figure out why you suddenly started crying :( Poor guy. There is still a bit of white cord attached to your belly button. I'm a bit freaked out by it but maybe it will dry more now that it is exposed more. Or hopefully the doctor will put the magic stuff on it Friday at your appointment. Almost real bath time for you!

You are seriously waking up more now, staying awake for over an hour. So neat to see your eyes! When you open them it is like a puppet or doll opening their eyes, or even coming to life. Your eyes just sort of pop open and stay wide open, soaking in all your surroundings.

The doctor gave you a great review and thought you were such a beautiful baby. And you are growing and doing so well - 9 lbs 15 oz this appointment. You regained your birth weight and then some no problem!

Your acne is so bad bud, and so is your yeast diaper rash. I hate thinking of you in pain. I hope it gets better soon.

You had your first bath tonight (at a day shy of your 3 week birthday)and you just loved it. You lay there so calm and alert, it was fun for your dad and I to watch you, you just aren't awake all that much in the day still!

You just go everywhere Owen. Must be the difference between a first baby and a second baby. This weekend was your Grammy and Pa's reunion at Cornell so we took you out to all the picnics and parties. You slept through it all and were such an easy little guy.

You are growing too fast little one! You are getting so long and your face is really filling out. Your head is growing because I can see your hair line getting higher off your neck. You have such a crazy hairline, I have no idea what it will end up being like, if some will fall out and grow in again or what. It is so similar to your dad's its freaky. But you are just covered in that fine downy hair still which is interesting, Alec had no body hair for months. You even have it one your forehead.

I think you truly smiled at me today 6/18, a few days shy of your four week mark. You have been doing those sleepy smiles and chuckles, but this I think was really all for me. I was looking into your eyes and talking to you and it seemed like a jolt of recognition coursed through you and you just smiled. It was very sweet.

I love the searching fish face you make when you are looking to nurse. Kind of like "where did it go?" Your neck sort of cranes out as well and your eyes pop open. Love this. Love when you suck on my face too, I forgot how sweet that is.

When I pick you up and hold you upright against my chest you immediately move yourself into position to nuzzle your head in the hollow under my neck and above my chest. And I get to tilt my head down and smell the sweet top of your head and rain kisses down on you. I want to keep you this small and sweet forever.

Poor baby Owen. I was near tears last night. Your diaper yeast rash doesn't seem to be getting any better, actually getting worse I think. I am so worried that you are in pain. We're doing everything we can but it just won't go away. I guess we may be heading back to the doctor soon. Poor guy.

You went on a major growth spurt eating binge at 3.5 weeks old. It was insane. For awhile I thought maybe you were freaking out on me and turning colicky, but it was just a growth spurt and you are back to your normal sweet sleepy self today. You were so inconsolable yesterday, I really wanted to scream.

You are so strong, the way you lift your neck and head off my chest is amazing. You are amazing my sweet Ow-ee-bee-doe-ee. Yes that is the silly name I call you!

You love your bath, you look around in wonder, like what is this place? It feels so good! Your eyes are so wide and dark.

You are growing so much, filling out a lot and getting chubby. You have great fat rolls on your thighs now and your belly is starting to stick out too. But then I'll lay my hand on your chest and my hand is longer than your chest, and I realize just how small you are. Amazing.

You love to be carried in a carrier or the fleece pouch. I don't know if it's the body heat, or my heartbeat or what, but thankfully this will calm you down usually when you just can't settle down. You get so riled up now! Usually it is because you have a burp, but sometimes it's that you are just so tired but can;t soothe yourself yet. The carrier or a pacifier works very well then!

You hate the car, scream almost all the time we are in it these days. Don;t know if it is your carseat being uncomfortable or what, but you are breaking my heart buddy.

I love when you make your "searching face" as I call it - your little mouth kind of opens and shuts and you crane your neck, looking for the food, then you start grunting and getting angry, wondering why it isn't there....