I just realized in all the commotion, I forgot to post Matthew's stats from his 2 week well child visit on Friday. He's a great eater, so it's no wonder that he's already growing big! As of Friday he was 6lbs 7 oz, and still just 18.5 in long. His head circumference was 13 in.
He's really a good baby. Luckily, I was blessed with yet another sleeper. Most nights he sleeps in at least 4 hour stretches, but I've had a couple 5 or 6 hour stretches already too. He's a pro at nursing. I was worried that it might be difficult for him as it was for Clara (and for many other tiny babies), but we've had no problems at all.
He's still so new that he scarcely does much more than eat and sleep. He doesn't cry unless he's hungry or cold. He loves to be bundled up and warm and most of all, to be held. Luckily, he'll still let me put him down to get things done though.
Clara and Jonathan have adjusted well to their new baby brother. Of course it helps that he's not a demanding baby. Though I think there are times Clara is ready to just ship Jonathan off and go back to having just one brother, one who's not quite old enough to torment her yet! Jonathan has really assumed the role of big brother. If Matthew cries and I can't get to him right away, you can count on Jonathan to be by his side, talking to him and loving on him, letting him know, "Don't worry, Mommy's coming."
A neighbor asked Jonathan the other day where she could get a baby like Matthew, to which Jonathan's response was, "Umm, my mommy's doctor." Clara has since informed him that the baby came out of my belly though.
Jonathan has the most difficult time understanding that he can't feed Matthew. He got really upset with me one day when I told him I had to do it, so I said, "OK, then get out your boobies and you can do it." He folded his arms across his chest and insisted his boobies were out. Chris may have to do a little damage control now when he gets home, because Jonathan still insists he has boobies. Just ask him where they are, he'll fold his arms across his chest and pat his elbows and say, "Right here".
Clara, on the other hand, has been more preoccupied lately with how the baby got in my belly in the first place. Apparently she must have asked Chris at some point and he explained that the dad has the seed and the mom has the egg, but he didn't explain much more. Apparently, somewhere in his explanation he must have also encouraged her to ask me these questions and told her he'll explain more when she turns 10...she told me today that she didn't want to wait that long. The fun part is that Chris didn't even let me know that their conversation had taken place, so now I'm fielding these questions and trying to figure out a delicate way to explain the truth to a 5 year old. So far she knows God is responsible for putting the 'seed' and the 'egg' in the daddy and mommy, and that's why it takes both a mommy and daddy to make a baby. She asked how the seed gets into the mommy's belly with the egg, which I kinda side stepped by adding that love and marriage are also necessary and never fully answered. I know it's just a matter of time before she realizes that and asks again, so if anyone has a suggestion on how to answer, let me know. I don't want to lie to her, but I'm not sure I'm ready to have 'the talk' with my 5 yr old. At the same time, it's best that she learns proper information from me and that I keep this line of communication open so that when the time IS right, she'll still feel comfortable coming to me.
I LOVE your new opening pics of Matthew! How precious!
ReplyDeleteoh good GRIEF Chris! Way to stir all that up and then deploy and stay right out of the way of the answering!!! my boys never have asked any of that...happy with just the "God put it there" answer. I guess that's the difference between boys and girls! I can't believe how big Matthew is already - that's SO great that he's eating and sleeping so well! You're doing GREAT!
ReplyDeleteYou could go totally technical-biology-mumbo-jumbo and break out the encyclopedia:)....this from the childless biologist;)
ReplyDelete