Carson's First Few Weeks

I am a mommy in love.

This little guy has brought us so much joy!  Being our third, I have learned to enjoy the little things.  I know this short newborn stage will be gone in the blink of an eye.  I've been very calm and relaxed, knowing that there is nothing to get all worked up about :)

I love his soft, downy, blond hair... especially when he's fresh out of the bath.  The smell of that tiny little head is a scent that I want to bottle up and save forever.

I love his little grunts and moans when he's dreaming.  The funny little half-smiles he gives when he has a full belly and is drifting off to sleep, and way his face morphs into ten completely different looks when he's dreaming make me smile.

Carson is my favorite reason to lose sleep.  He has been a pretty good sleeper, and usually goes right back to sleep at night after eating.  He doesn't sleep for very long stretches, but that will come.  So far, he's gotten in a couple of 4 1/2 hour stretches, but mostly I get 2-3 hours between feedings at night.  I know this phase is short, so I'm soaking up our night feedings, trying to enjoy being the one thing he needs to be happy in the night :)

I love being home alone with him.  Don't get me wrong, I love the time of day when Cooper and Izzy get home from daycare, but the atmosphere in the house is so calm, peaceful, and quiet while it's just Carson and me home for the day.  I am soaking it up.  We spend our days snuggling, rocking, reading books, playing on the floor, and I know his first real smiles have to be just days away!

I forgot how much of my day revolves around diapering and feeding :)  When he's gassy, it's like the end of the world.  The boy can scream!!

I love staring at his sweet face and his squishy little lips. His cheeks are so pudgy!!  I love how he's starting to hold a gaze for a while, and it seems like he's just thinking about what he's looking at.  I think he's beginning to look more and more like his daddy, which I secretly love :)  I think he'll end up looking more like Izzy than Cooper... but we'll see!

I love how laying on my chest and listening to my heartbeat calms him down.  It is his favorite way to lay, and I can usually get him to calm down within minutes.  Even though at his two week check-up, he was a whopping 10 lbs. already, I could hold him all day long!

Carson's First Bath

We had lots of help :)

Such a sweetie

Morning of delivery... and due date, six days later...

With Auntie Amanda and cousin Laura

Our usual position :)

Daddy's forehead!

1 Week old already!!

I love how much Cooper and Isabelle love him.
Izzy loves to feel important--if I tell her I need help with a 'very important job,' I can get her to help me in any way I need.  She doesn't hold Carson much, but she does love to lay on the floor by him and read stories or bring him toys to play with.  She is slowly warming up to having him around, but she's still two years old.  She wants her mommy and daddy time, and she lets us know by being kind of whiny or getting an attitude.  But it's getting better each week.  I know in no time, they'll be the best of friends.
Cooper is infatuated with Carson.  He gives him dozens of kisses each day, and he loves to hold him and check on him.  He has started loving to sing to Carson, mostly because it actually does calm Carson down.  It's really cute how that little baby boy will just stare at Cooper, sometimes reaching for his face, and quietly listen.  Even though Cooper thought the baby would be a girl, he has not once said that he's disappointed or that he wants a girl instead.  He loves having a brother!!  I love when he says, "Carson is the best baby brother EVER!"

Brothers

Playing together

Story Time

Kisses, kisses, and more kisses

More stories :)

Izzy sneaks in a kiss every now and then, too!

"Mom, I love my brother."

Doesn't it look like Carson is smiling??!!

We love this little guy, and he has already made our lives more exciting, more fun, and more full of love in these first few weeks!!