Right Before Our Eyes

It seems as though Jackson has grown up "right before our eyes" like everyone has warned.  All in one day, we have noticed we have an even more alert and interactive baby on our hands.  On Sunday, Jackson turned five weeks old and spent the entire day eating with very little time for sleeping.  For twelve hours, he took two half-hour naps and spent the rest of the time snacking with great fervour.  The midwives said that he would have two of these feasting days toward the beginning, but Jackson has exceeded expectations and this was the seventh day like this.  I don't know if all other babies have experienced this or if it is just a symptom of baby boys.  Either way, all of this eating is paying off because Jackson now weighs 10 pounds 13 ounces and he is more aware of his surroundings--so his brain must be growing, too.

Besides getting cuter by the day, Jackson started to smile in response to singing and high-pitched 'silly' noises as well as when toys are dangled in front of his face.  Sometimes, he reaches for the toys and taps them lightly.  During changing time, he has stopped crying and enjoys watching his rainforest mobile go round and round.  For a bit of respite, I'll let him lay a bit longer watching the leafy carousel until he gets bored or the device automatically turns itself off.  Once this past week, I noticed that Jackson's pacifier fell out of his mouth and he actually pushed it back in from where it was on his chest with his fist.  Jackson has luckily began to hold his food down much better than before and Lee and I can feel the difference in his weight when we hold him.  He's still lean without much 'baby fat,' though.  There's also been a big difference in his height because he really curls around me when he eats.  (Next week, he will finally be measured officially at his first doctor's appointment.)  And lastly, Jackson now stares into our faces for lengths of time and responds to us if we change facial expressions, sometimes.

This growing-up deal is tricky because although we want Jackson to be developing on track or ahead of the curve, we also want him to stay our little baby for as long as possible.  After he gets his immunisations next Tuesday--which I am hoping to get through without any tears from either of us--we will start attending the mommy and baby groups where I'm sure comparisons amongst the babies will be made.  I'll be able to see then if Jackson is on track with others his age.  Also, hopefully I'll make some friends who live in Southport.

Over this past week, Jackson had some other changes:  he grew out of some of his clothes and moved on to the next diaper size.  All of these milestones are signs that our little bundle is growing up right before our eyes.

One month old!

A picture from Halloween

Our happy little baby

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.

Yes Sir, That's My Baby

And I don't mean maybe!  The first day in the hospital, I had to keep looking at Jackson because every time I looked, I saw something new.  After a day of trying to memorise this new face, I was worried because I wasn't confident that in a room full of babies, I would be able to pick out which one was mine.  I told this to one of the midwives and she said that Jackson would be able to identify me by smell alone.

Luckily, we didn't have to rely on his super sense of smell since he never left my side at the hospital.  Also, with the little sleep that I get, I'm glad to say that I can already see Jackson in my dreams so I'm pretty sure I could take on the "room full of babies challenge" now.

On Wednesday, Jackson will be one month old already!  The first month has gone by quickly, but I try to do as many activities as I can and hold Jackson as much as I can every day to make the days go as slowly as possible.  His new developments include cooing and babbling, reaching for his toys that hang above his head, and sleeping for longer stretches of time like he did the first week.

My friend asked me this week what I enjoyed the most about being Jackson's mom:  I love the fact that he calms down when I hold him merely because I'm his mom and he feels safe and secure.  Whenever I baby-sat little ones in Ohio and they were upset, sometimes nothing I did could settle them down until they saw their moms again.  It feels good to have a little one of my own now who fully depends on me and knows that I'm always here for whatever he needs.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.

Growth Spurt

I don't know who programmed babies to have a growth spurt during their second week of life, but it is a a bit cruel to do to an already emotional mother.  It's amazing how much Jackson's facial features have changed within the first two weeks and how much more alert and active he is with each passing day.  It seems like he's always moving and making little squeaks--even in his sleep!

In England, parents need to register their child's birth at a registration office within 42 days in order to receive a birth certificate.  This means one doesn't technically need to have a name picked out before leaving the hospital which seems strange to me.  Last Tuesday, we travelled to Ormskirk to register Jackson's birth and buy copies of his birth certificate.  We received a 'short' birth certificate free of charge, but had to buy any additional longer versions for £4 each.  These versions are used to open bank accounts and order a passport.  The meeting was fairly short and luckily, Lee and I were able to answer all of the questions posed, so we essentially 'passed' and our baby was registered.

Earlier that day, we visited a pumpkin patch to get Jackson out in the sun--trying to escape any remaining signs of jaundice--and to fetch a couple of pumpkins so that he gets the most out of his first Halloween.  A British pumpkin patch is apparently a new tradition because the owner said this is only their third year of operation and Lee's grandpa said he had never seen a pumpkin until he went to the USA in the 1960s.  Therefore, the pumpkin patch was no Honey Haven Farms, but I did like the mini wheelbarrows they had available to collect the pumpkins and push them back to the storefront.  Halloween itself isn't celebrated a great deal here.  For instance, last year only three children came to our house for candy.  It also isn't spoken of at Catholic schools so I'd have to search long and hard to find any bobbing-for-apples, costume contests, or spooky stories like we had at Montgomery Elementary long ago.  Halloween doesn't have to be 'evil.'  When I think back to Halloween as a child, it was all fun and games and great memories...that is except for going to the Delaney house for candy.  Mr. Delaney knew how to scare the bejeezus out of every child in the neighbourhood by recruiting former students to create scenes of horror and sneakily follow behind trick-or-treaters from his cul-de-sac up the steep Rook Drive.  I remember feeling as though my legs wouldn't move trying to get up that hill running from the masked characters.  For a few years, I just avoided all the houses in that cul-de-sac because it wasn't worth the tricks for the treats.

Last week, the health visitor and midwife came to see how Jackson was doing.  His weight went down to eight pounds and four ounces, but she reassured me that was a normal weight loss.  Today, my favourite midwife came to visit--her name is Laura--and Jackson has gone up to nine pounds and six ounces.  She noticed his strong neck and ability to hold his head up and to sit up on my lap with great competence.  Since all was well, we were both 'discharged' from midwifery-led care and we're now in the care of the health visitor if there are any questions.

Today was also the day that Lee returned to work and Jackson and I were left to our own devices.  Because he is still going through a growth spurt, he is eating a lot and left me with only two and a half hours free--believe it or not.  The midwives warned me about these big days of non-stop feeding, but I didn't take the warning too literally or seriously.  Whatever Jackson needs, I'll provide so I am happy to spend these days at home with him and centre the hours around his schedule.

A couple of things that he hasn't 'grown' out of yet:  small tufts of hair on the side and back of his ears, quiet peeps of snoring, and sweet little whispery puffs of breath.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.