7 Quick Takes - Time Stands Still

It seems like every time I have a new baby, there is just a short moment while time stands still.  This past week has been that for me.  The big kids are at Grandpa and Grandma's house, so the regular routine is gone, and my life revolves, for this short "moment" around this new little creature God has entrusted to me.  I KNOW I will blink my eyes and be celebrating his first birthday, but right now, I am just soaking him in.  I do not even mind that he will not let me put him down, or that he wakes every two hours to eat.  He is not going to be little for long and I just want to remember him this way - even though I know I will not be able to.  Life is just funny like that I guess.  Anyhow, the following are some of my reflections/observations from this week of bonding bliss, with our new little Peter Joseph.

1) He makes the cutest little noises - similar to a cat, when he is sleeping or trying to wake up sometimes.

2) Peter is the smallest of my babies thus far (weighing 7lbs 13 oz at birth) and he seems absolutely perfect to me.

3) I had forgotten how holding a newborn, while sitting, makes one feel SO WEIGHTED DOWN - as in, "Honey, can you bring me a glass of water, I'm holding THE BABY."

4) Peter prefers to be held basically all the time and protests loudly if left on his own for more than two or three minutes at time.  (Yes, I realize we are "breaking him" by allowing him to dictate the terms of his living arrangement and he will never self-soothe or grow up and get a job because of this, but we hold him anyway and I cannot imagine doing it differently.)

5) I am pleasantly surprised to discover that I have managed to pick up some decent breastfeeding skill and am able to do almost any household chore one-handed, while nursing this sweet baby - or carrying him around asleep after nursing.

6) There is some sort of tangible goodness that comes from a sleeping baby in one's arms.  It permeates everything and leaves a sense of peace and joy in the air.  I'm soaking it in - along with the quite of my clan's absence as they share their "noise" with their grandparents.

7) I am amazed at how good I feel!  Giving birth always gives me quite an emotional high - for several days, but even more than that, I physically feel very good - much better than I expected - a true sign of our merciful God I think :)

Dear God, thank you for the amazing blessing of our seventh child, 
Peter Joseph!!