So, I know what you're thinking. Or what you should be thinking. "So, he's cute, but what's he like?" I assume you're thinking that because I figure if my world revolves around this little 11 pound bundle of joy, everyone else's should too.
Xander is absolutely the most precious little thing. I love newborns. There is nothing more sweet and innocent and beautiful than a brand new baby. Of course, for those first few days, they sorta look like cute little aliens, with little skin imperfections and blotches and they're all tiny with way too much skin. Beautiful, of course, but in an alien sort of way. I always think every stage is the best, though. SO right now, I think they're the best at one month.
He's got the softest skin in the world. He's got a better tan than I do. He's got these adorable round little cheeks and a double chin. Tiny little ears with a fringe of black hair. And of course, the thick, silky black hair covering his head.
He's smiled since birth. And don't tell me it's gas. I read a great section in The Baby Book by the wonderful Dr William Sears, about baby smiles. There are inside and outside smiles. Inside smiles start at birth and are an expression of inner happiness. Outside smiles start a couple months later and are reactions to specific external events - like when you smile at them, they smile back. Before reading that, I just kept saying, "look at him. He's smiling. He's a happy baby. You can see it in his eyes, AND he's smiling!" He's a very happy kid. Proponents of water birth say that babies who are born in water are typically calm and happy from the start, because it's such a gentle entry into the world. I think he's also happy because he's darn lucky. He's what past generations would call "a spoiled baby." He gets to eat the moment he shows signs of hunger, he gets to sleep cuddled up to mommy, and he's held for most of the day. He's lucky to have a big sister who is fiercely protective and nurturing, a big brother who is (trying to be) entertaining, and a daddy who loves to cuddle and dances with him to Bob Marley (though he insists that Xander's favorite is Pink Floyd). So he smiles a lot.
He likes to sleep on his belly, curled up in that little ball that only newborns are capable of getting into. (Have you ever tried to get your legs to do that? It doesn't work.) And when he does it, he crosses his arms and rests hid little head on them. It's the cutest thing ever.
He's getting more and more aware of his surroundings. It started with him looking around with his big, curious eyes. Michael's guitars are all hung on a wall that is a few feet from my desk. When I sit here, Xander likes to look over my sholder at them. He especially likes the red Casino. And now he's started to care about the sounds around him. One day last week, we were in the bath tub and he was reclining back with all but his head in the water. Mikayla hurt her finger and came into the bathroom, screaming at the top of her lungs. He twisted his back and tried his best to sit up. I pulled him upright and he looked over at her. The expression on his face said, "What's she crying about? That's MY job! I'm the one who cries! What on earth is her problem? And she's disturbing my peaceful bath!" Really, it said all that. No, really he just looked perplexed. That was the first time we saw him really react to someone's voice and take an interest.
His little gurgles and coos are just the sweetest sound on earth. I wish I could record them. I was thinking that if everyone just witnessed a content baby cooing at least once a day, it would drastically lower the amount of people with high blood pressure. The sound just melts you.
He's a little cuddle-bug. Like most newborns, he loves to be held. I worried some about how I'd deal with having a newborn and older kids. He came equipped to handle this just fine, though. While he DOES love to cuddle up and sleep in my arms, he's also perfectly capable of staying asleep on his own. It makes me think about how amazing it is that God gives us strenths and talents that he knows that we, in particular, will need. Looking back, I can see how the other two were born with specific abilities that equipped them for our lifestyle during their infancy as well.
And now, he's peacefully snoozing on my chest.
Yep. One month olds are perfect.
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