Who can resist the smell of a clean baby?

This week Noah graduated from sponge baths on the bathroom counter to his first bath. He was so relaxed that he was falling asleep. By the time he got his jammies on he was out. Thankfully he spared us from dumping out pee water for his second bath.

On Tuesday Noah turned four weeks old. Already. Our little boy is all grown up. [sob] Okay, well not quite, but he sure is changing daily. I have really enjoyed being able to stay home with Noah. We’ve got a general routine down ... Sleep. Feed Noah, then change and dress him. Eat breakfast (if I can) while Noah is in his swing before putting him down in his crib for a morning nap. Finish eating a cold, soggy breakfast. Pick up after the tornado wreckage of soiled burp cloths, bottles, clothes and swaddling blankets. Feed Noah lunch and change him again before he goes down for an afternoon nap. Try to eat lunch, get up to give Noah his pacifier again. Finish lunch and cross my fingers he’ll sleep through my shower. Try to start dinner ... or at least think about it. Feed Noah again while I have dinner with Ryan who has just come home from work. Ryan burps Noah while I finish a cold dinner and do dishes. Ryan tries to get Noah down for a couple hours before he feeds him and then going to bed himself. I try to also get some sleep while Ryan is with Noah before getting up with Noah in the middle of the night. I hear things will change quite a bit in the next two to three weeks and he’ll be closer to sleeping through the night. We cannot wait!

This week (Thursday) Ryan and I are also celebrating our four year anniversary. We celebrated this past Sunday by going out to dinner. We left Noah at home with his Oma and Auntie Jill while we went to El Niagara for a mexican dinner. Ryan had enchiladas and I had a taco salad. Afterwards we got coffee at Starbucks and took a stroll around the Woodstock Square. We were back home about two and a half hours later. It was a short date, but it was nice to get a way for a little while. We look forward to venturing out again and maybe even catching a movie with dinner next time.

I Graduated!

On Sunday, May 17, 2009 my parents and Monica got to watch me cross the stage at Columbia College Chicago’s commencement exercise to earn my master’s degree in creative writing. It feels so good to be done. I feel like I have gained time back in my life to spend with my wife and new baby.

Noah has been changing so much in just the past three weeks. He’s surpassed his birth weight and is exercising his lungs and vocal cords regularly. Usually around the time mom and dad are used to sleeping. But we’re all learning this new life. And even with the challenging times, it’s such a joy and blessing to have him here.

Today was such a beautiful day so Monica took Noah for a walk with her sister Lauren and nephew Hayden. It was Noah’s first walk aside from a trip to Target last week (and one of his first trips outside save for Dr. visits). It was good for him and Monica to get out as she really hasn’t been able to since Noah came home.

I promise to post more pictures of Noah soon. I’ve been taking them, just haven’t done anything with them afterwards. Here’s one taken a few days ago.

Our Little Glow Worm

As most babies, Noah was a little jaundice when he was born. But instead of putting him under lights, they have this thing called a bili-blanket. It’s a little mat with photosynth lights that lie against his back under his clothes. He looked just like a glow worm! Too cute.

I can hardly believe it’s already been 10 days since Noah was born. So much has happened in that time. We spent five of those days in the hospital—came home on Saturday. As some of you know, my thesis was due the next Monday and since we spent so much time at the hospital I didn’t spend any time on it for five days. Yikes! So guess what the next several days consisted of? Then there was the regular house stuff to do including mowing the lawn and doing laundry.

The good news is I turned in my thesis on Tuesday (they gave me a one day extension) and I feel like I can breathe for the first time in months. If everything is on track I’m set to graduate on May 17th.

Monica and I are slowly adjusting to having Noah at home. Just when we think we have a routine down, it all changes. Thankfully we’re sleeping pretty well through the night. Noah sleeps a good three to four hours at a time most nights. But not all. And while he’s a very well behaved baby, he still has his screaming fits. Boy can that kid belt it out! Some days are more exhausting than others, but Monica and I both carry the load of diaper changes and keeping up on the house.

Next week will be my first full week back to work (this week I’m working from home). That’s going to be hard. I love being able to look at Noah any time I want, or just pick him up and bond with him.

Welcome Home Noah

Last night Noah took his first car ride. We were released from the hospital around 8 p.m. and went right home. Monica and I are so glad to be home after a long week in the same room. As for Noah, he did great for his first night here. We had to wake him up to eat throughout the night—no fussing at all unless we were changing a diaper. Not sure if this trend will continue but it was a real blessing for our first night home to get some solid sleep in our own bed.