Fear Not the First 42

I am not that scary, am I?

Six weeks. How could it be already? Wasn't it just yesterday we just brought him home from the NICU, sleeping by his bed just to hear him breathe, and picking him up like frail crystal stemware? Six weeks. Wow, it is truly amazing just how much you can learn in such a short amount of time. It is an awesome reminder of just how fortunate we are for each other, our health and the ability to love.

We will be celebrating Hutch's 6th week, which started yesterday, by enjoying numerous milestones...some being his; some being ours.

1) Happy Birthday Hutch... your umbilical stump FINALLY fell off. In a lighthearted, joking manner, I asked his pediatrician two weeks ago, "Will he still have this thing when he is 18?" He looked as me very seriously and said, "No." Noted. Most babies lose them in the first 2 weeks, but as you can tell, we like to do things a little late around this house *ahem, 41 weeks*.

Here is Hutch (at one week) and his pediatrician, Dr. Timboe

and and his nurse, Sarah, who he loves dearly.

2) Happy Birthday Hutch... you get to watch/sleep while momma and daddy eat sushi. I am truly looking forward to this celebratory dinner with my boys and a couple of good friends as we feast, of course, in honor of my son, on "fatty rolls" as my friend Al calls them and seaweed salad. If you have never had a seaweed salad, 'it's so choice'.

Because I don't have pictures yet, here is one I failed to post last year. This was the first time we went out... love these girls...

3) Happy Birthday Hutch... daddy is going to go fishing with the neighbor. I get to stay at home with the little man and get some quality 'lil e' time in while KP heads to the dock with a fishing pole and cooler to spend the day basking in the sun. I call that, friends, a win-win situation.

4) Happy Birthday Hutch... momma is going green. Golf that is. I will be hitting up the course for a round of golf this Saturday with a group from work during our annual outing. Should be interesting. I have some great stories from years past- none of which I will share here, but they make me laugh hard on the inside. Hutch I will tell you when you are old enough, maybe.

5) Happy Birthday Hutch... you re-met the man that literally held you for the first time and you recognized his voice. It was incredible how the second he walked into the room, you stopped squirming and focused in on his general direction. You couldn't stop staring at him as he held you for this very cute photo op. Don't worry, kid. We have already started to save for your medical schooling.

Dr. Polzin at our 6 week checkup!

The cherry on top is that he is doing amazing. Wish I knew how much he weighed exactly but I am guessing close to 12 lbs and 23 inches long. He is highly alert, holds his head up, follows voices and faces back and forth and is sleeping 4-5 hour stretches in the night. Did I mention he allows us all the cuddles and kisses we please?

Speaking of family (tree) *stay with me here*

While in KC over the 4th, my brother-in-law and I painted a tree in his daughter's room. We only painted the trunk and branches but here is the unfinished project. I can't wait to see how it looks with the leaves.

Also while there, I captured this very touching moment on camera. Ethan's Busia was watching him while KP was running and I was getting ready for the day, when I walked in the room to check on them. The record player was humming at a low level with Kate Smith coming from the speakers. She rocked him gently in her hands and just stared at him. I could have stood there forever. Later, I told Hutch, "those are the memories you will want to hold in your heart forever..."

and another. He will never be this small again. So sad to imagine...