Long Live Long Weekends!

It probably had something to do with my first week back to work, my yearning to rekindle my old Friday night flame of nothing but a pair of sweats, a good movie, and some take-out. It probably had something to do with our new series of professional development at school, learning the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, of how to live and let go, take charge of my life, and get ‘first things’ done first. It probably had something to do with the fact that both Beau and I have felt a little run down this past week, in and out of colds, Kleenexes, and Carmex. And it probably had something to do with Cruz starting day care and being away from him more in five days than I have in the first three months of his life. It was a weekend to stay in, to hibernate, to forget the to-do list and listen to all the new noises Cruz has been making without any interruptions. And with MLK day today, I get an encore.

Cruz has been sleeping through the night since he was five weeks old. I’ve gotten very used to going to bed when he does at 10:30 and waking up when he does at 7:00. Of course, the week I go back to work, Cruz has decided he doesn’t need his typical nine hours of shut-eye. No, this week, he’s been up around 4:30 every morning. So, what do the three of us do at 4:00 in the morning?

We play.

Beau thinks it’s hilarious to unload every single stuffed animal and toy that Cruz owns onto our living room floor, then one by one, place them on top of Cruz after reciting each of their stories in a number of different voiceovers. My personal favorite is the bat/flying squirrel/hippo. It flies over Cruz’s head, telling him of his twisted identity, then dive-bombs onto Cruz's face. And the little man loves every minute of it. I guess he’s making sure he gets lots of family time before we take him to day care.

Saturday night, the three of us went on a date night. We celebrated our first week of ‘real life’ with some steaks at the Texas Roadhouse, and coffees and books at Barnes and Noble. We sipped caramel lattes, read Cruz But not the Hippopotamus, and laughed as he showed off his mad burping skills to the peaceful group of readers at the café. I could’ve stayed there forever. Forever as in go-home-grab-a-pair-of-pajamas-and-sleeping-bag and sleep in a pile next to the cookbooks and self-improvement collection.

Cruz loved Texas Roadhouse. He loved the peanuts and the people, the crowds and the big screens. He loved the middle aged women who made googly-eyes at him, and he especially loved the cute waitresses that played a little hard to get. His car seat fit just perfect in our snug little booth, and he smiled at us as we devoured steaks, sweet potatoes and of course, the famous Roadhouse buns.

How else did we spend this wonderfully long weekend? We stacked plastic towers in between Cruz and a warm fire. We warmed our toes by the space heater, cuddled with Cruz during church, and cheered on a Bears win against the Seahawks. Beau was a lot more relaxed after that! We’re not superstitious people, but when it comes to the Bears and Cruz’s sleeping habits, we become a little voodoo. I am not allowed to talk about the Bears in the Super Bowl for fear I might jinx it, and Beau is not allowed to say anything along the lines of Cruz ‘sleeping well.’

TOUCHDOWN!

Like father, like son.

Today is a day of naps and playtime, books and baths. Watching the snow fall outside and being thankful for a day off, a warm house, and a very cuddly little baby.

Happy Monday!  And more importantly, a short work-week!

Cruz is ONE MONTH

Happy One Month Birthday, Cruz Bennett.  While it pains me to admit that you are already a month old, it's also unbelievable that you've been a part of our lives for an entire month.  As I look back at the last four weeks, I'm convinced I've learned more this month than I have in any other month over the course of my life.  I feel like the three of us have grown closer together than I ever dreamed possible.  Your dad and I have loved growing into these new shoes of parenthood, discovering more about ourselves and our relationship every day.  You have brought such a newfound happiness to our lives.  I think I've had a permanent smile on my face every day since bringing you home, and it's amazing how every day just keeps getting better and better.

Cruz at One Month...

...You are a mover!  Everyone who listened to me go on and on about how much you moved while you were cooking away inside of me has now seen the proof.  Dr. Chandra, your pediatrician, even commented on how active you were when you wouldn't stop moving on the hospital bed!  You seem older than what you are, almost discontent at your inability to move around the room!  I think you are going to give us a run for our money someday!

...When you're not working those feet and arms, you can be quite the snuggle bug too.  You are happiest when you are in the arms of one of your parents, and especially love sleeping on our chests and holding onto our fingers as you sleep.  From your first day of life, you loved to be held, swaddled, and kept nice and warm with lots of cozy blankets.

...Speaking of swaddled, I don't know what we'd do without your Halo Sleep Sack.  I discovered it in your closet one night and you immediately slept three straight hours!  Not to mention, you look adorable in it too! 

...You are expressive!  Everyone comments on all the little faces you make, especially when you wrinkle your forehead and point your eyebrow bones down.  You kind of look like you're concentrating really hard on something, but other times, you look like you're scowling at us!  You are also a noisy sleeper.  Our favorite noises are your little snore, your Super Mario Bros. squeak, and your little lamb call you make when you eat!

...You are growing!  When we brought you home from the hospital, you weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz, and were 21.5 inches long.  At your two-week appointment, you weighed 8.9, and even grew a half inch.  You are a little under the 50th percentile for weight, but over the 85th percentile for length!  Your stats are proving to emulate your parents...tall and skinnny!  

...You love to nurse.  The nurses called you a prodigy from the start!  I wasn't sure if I was going to like the uncertainty that comes with nursing, but it's proved to be such a bonding experience for the two of us...it's one of my favorite moments of the day!  You eat about every three hours during the day and have been gradually making it about 4-5 at night.  This week, you surprised me and your daddy by sleeping from 10:30 to 4:45, without waking up ONCE!  You let me know when you're hungry at night, but usually go right back to sleep after rocking you a bit.  Your dad has also given you a few bottles and you take them down like a champ!  You're a good eater, a good burper, and on your way to being a good sleeper! 

...You are so strong, especially when it comes to lifting that little neck of yours.  Tummy time is a lot of work, but you seem to enjoy it.  You work and work and work and when you get tired, lay your head on its side and look as though you could fall asleep.  I have a feeling you might be a tummy sleeper if I'd let you!  This week, you are content on your tummy for a half hour at a time!  Sometimes, when you lift your head high, you also lift your legs and the very tips of your toes!  And last night, you got so high that you kicked your feet and rolled from your tummy to your back!  You were as stunned as we were!   

...You have a love/hate relationship with bath time.  At first, you despised them, especially when we couldn't fill the tub very full because of your cord.  After about three attempts, your mommy and daddy worked out a system.  While I wash your hair and scrub between your toes, your dad keeps you nice and warm by pouring warm water over your chest, over and over and over again.  We sing and laugh and try our best to make bath time enjoyable...sometimes it works and sometimes, well, we should know better than to give you a bath when you're hungry!

...You are quite the social lite.  We've taken full advantage of the warm weather the last month by getting you out and about.  You walked the mall with us when you were just four days old, have been out to eat six times (including a packed Texas Roadhouse), traveled to Allison and Hampton to visit your great-grandmas when you were just a week, have been to church twice, and have ran numerous errands with your mom.  Turns out, you're pretty easy to take along.  If it wasn't for one exception the night we were requesting to get you baptized, you've slept through every one of your outings! 

...Although you love to be cuddled, you also like your independence.  You enjoy stretching out on your favorite star blanket or lounging in your boppy pillow.  You love to look around and it didn't take you long to spot the TV, the windows, and our faces.  You definitely recognize your mommy and daddy's voices and LOVE being talked to. 

...You love your daddy, especially when he marches around the house with you, improvising silly songs to the tune of whatever is in his head.  My favorite is when he sings, "When the Saints Go Marching In," while you kick your feet to the beat.  You also love when I sing songs from church to you.  When you really get into it, I can start to see glimpses of some very cute cooing.

...Your car seat has about a five minute "wake" period.  After that, you're out like a light.  You love riding in cars and especially love going for walks outside.  We had no idea we'd be able to show you around the neighborhood in the middle of November!

...your favorite place to sleep (besides with us), is your crib.  We were planning to put you in a pack n' play next to our bed, but you, nor I, could get much sleep with that set up.  You take a good morning nap and sometimes, even a long afternoon nap in your crib.  As we speak, you've been out for over two hours!

Maternity leave is like nothing I ever imagined. I have this newborn baby at home, a little life completely dependent on me; however, I’ve never felt so relaxed in my life. Mornings spent lying face to face with my little one; telling him about his family, his life, and his God. Rocking him to sleep in the recliner, then breathing in his baby scent for the next two hours.  Singing him to sleep, then watching all the little faces he makes as he drifts deeper and deeper into dreamland. Watching the clock waiting for Beau to get home so the three of us can laugh and love and soak in all that is Cruz. I feel incredibly blessed and sometimes undeserving of the love that God has placed in our lives.

Wow, what a month!  It's crazy how much you have changed since October 12.  You are such a strong little guy and we are continually amazed at all you can do.  I can't wait to celebrate all the blessings in our lives during this upcoming holiday season.  It's Christmas time, baby, and there are so many happy moments ahead.  

Love you forever...

Mom 

Swampy Serenade to a Spaghetti Supper

Last night, Beau and I sat down for our first dinner at the table since Cruz has been born.  It was memorable to say the least.  We made one of our favorite, go-to meals of spaghetti marinara, Caesar salad, and garlic bread.  Beau started cooking while I fed Cruz; this was all in attempts to get him nice and full so that we could get nice and full, together, instead of in the typical shifts we've mastered the last few weeks. 

It started splendidly.  We poured a couple of glasses of wine, breathed in the fumes of roasted garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes, and set the table.  Cruz hung out in his swing and we sat down, smiled at our achievement, and quickly began shoving in our extra large plates of spaghetti.  Did we drag out our dinner in attempts to stare romantically at one another and soak in each other's company?  Did we turn on our favorite Pandora station and let Frank Sinatra sing us into our food-induced comas?  Did we enjoy deep, intellectual conversation about life, dreams, and plans?  Not exactly.  Instead, we took turns repositioning the pacifier into our son's mouth, laughing at the look on his face as he longingly stared at us from the living room, and listened to the swampy, nature sounds that played from his motorized swing.  We felt like we were eating supper in the middle of the Everglades.  I kind of felt like Shrek.  And halfway through our meal, Beau decided he wasn't feeling well and on the way to the bathroom, threw the remains of his Caesar salad and spaghetti into the trash.  

Tonight, we'll try again.  A Pepsi roast is in the oven and a six-pack of Bud Light Lime awaits me in the fridge.  Will I eat my mashed potatoes with one hand while I nurse Cruz with the other?  Will we eat our dinner in the middle of the Everglades, or enjoy it on the beach, as the sounds of crashing waves and humpback whales sing to us in the background?  When it comes to a new baby in the house, the world really is our oyster.    

Perhaps our failed attempts to eat dinner at the table together is the reason Cruz has experienced dinner at about every restaurant in the Cedar Valley.  As Beau puts it, restaurants are Cruz's kryptonite.  When he was just five days old, he slept through pizza at the OP.  A week later, he slept through subs at the OP.  He's slept through Jordan's birthday dinner at Mulligans, a packed Texas Roadhouse, and a Saturday night at Amigo's.  Perhaps tonight's dinner should include a quick drive around town beforehand, a car seat, every light in the house turned on, and peanut shells on the kitchen floor.    

Yesterday, Beau and Cruz had some guy's time at Old Chicago.  Beau was bummed that the Bears weren't on TV, so the three of us headed to Old Chicago after church.  Cruz got a good, two-hour nap in, Beau watched the first half of the game, and I tried on some clothes at Express.  By the time we left, we were all three smiles.

Literally.

We think we caught some of Cruz's first genuine smiles this weekend.  On Friday, he smiled twice at me as I was telling him stories of RC Cola making me burp when I was a little girl.  He focused on my face so intently, then smiled twice when I drug out the 'ohhhhh' sound in Cola.  And yesterday, Beau was talking to his son about the Bears' pregame and caught the same sweet smile a few more times.  I even managed to catch it on camera.  He just loves being talked to and definitely recognizes our voices.  If that doesn't make a parent feel pretty amazing, I don't know what would. 

Despite our somewhat screwy dinner last night, yesterday was such a great day.  It seems that every day that goes by, I think to myself, 'that was Cruz's best day yet.'  He's such a sweet baby and every day it seems we discover more and more about his little self.  Like the way he loves grabbing onto the collar of my shirt when I nurse him, or the way he loves grabbing onto our fingers as he drifts to sleep.  Or the way he seeks to impress his dad with his strong neck muscles as Beau attempts to hold him on his chest, or the way his little feet kick to an undefined rhythm as he chills on a blanket in the middle of the living room floor.  And as we discover more about him, we discover more about ourselves as parents along the way.  I'm figuring out his cries, when he's hungry, when he's tired, or when he just wants to lay on a blanket and stretch.  There is nothing more encouraging for a parent than figuring out what makes your baby happy.  And it seems like our puzzle is getting easier to piece together every day. 

Someday, I will be able to tell Cruz that he was born during one of the prettiest falls in recorded history.  A fall that allowed for stroller rides in the middle of November and bare feet on blankets in the backyard.  A fall that allowed two parents to trade in a romantic dinner for two for a satisfied soul and some catchy swamp music.
   

Pep talk...

Hi peanut,

We've made it to 38 weeks, less than two weeks from my due date.  I'm getting more and more prepared, more and more anxious to see you, hold you, and try my hand at this new mommy thing.  About a week ago, I decided it was time for you to come out.  I had waited long enough, had been pregnant long enough, and it was time to get on with things.  I would say I'm usually a pretty patient person; however, I once heard that 'patience is the art of hoping,' and well, I was really hoping for a baby this week!  

After today's appointment, however, I learned that it's really not up to me when this whole birth thing happens.  Weekly doctor's appointments are so much fun, as I wait in anticipation all week to see how much closer we are to D-day.  I like to call this 'cervical suspense.'  Today's appointment, however, was like one of those really suspenseful movies that ends about 10 minutes too soon.  The ones where you stay in the theater a little longer, watching all the credits, hoping the director will turn around and yell, 'Gotcha!' before revealing another, more satisfying ending. 

What I learned at my appointment today is that you are warm, snuggly, and content exactly where you are.  I'm not sure if it was the meal at Texas Roadhouse last weekend, or the dreary weather we've been having lately, but you are showing no strong signs of wanting to exit the ute anytime soon.  This is okay, as I've always envisioned an October baby, and have final work to complete at school; however, let's not get too carried away, deal?  I mentioned I was a patient person; however, your daddy is terrible at waiting.  In fact, he would like to remind you that he would really prefer a buddy to watch football with this weekend.  And the Bears have looked quite impressive so far this season!

Other news to report from this side of the ute?  Your momma has been a little emotional lately, my belly button is now half in, half out, and new shows started on TV this week.  Fall is in full swing in the Jorgensen household, with a Pepsi roast in the crockpot, a squash on the countertop, and mums planted outside.  I ordered you a Halloween costume last night and can't wait to see you in it.  

As I wait in suspense for another week to go by, I want you to know how incredibly loved you are.  You have given our lives a whole new meaning and for that, I can wait.  Your birth day will be here soon enough and until then, it's about savoring the last few days of carrying you, feeling you move, and having your sweet little companionship with me always. 

I love you, always and forever...

Mom

The three of us, 38 weeks pregnant.  Your dad is a goof ball.