Child of God...

Aaron was baptized a few weeks ago at our church in Iowa City.  We were a little afraid he might be fussy fussy baby through the service, but our pastor assured us that no one would mind, least of all God. :)

Aaron is the first child that Pastor Connie has baptized in our church.  She was just installed a few weeks ago, so that makes us feel kind of special.

She didn't minced on the water either!  Good thing Aaron likes having his head washed in the bath cause he got good and baptized!!!

 

After the sacrament was performed, Aaron even let Pastor Connie introduce him to the congregation.  Welcome Child of God!

 

 

Great Grandma's being proud

Aaron with his sponsors Becky and Chris.  Sad that Amy and Peter (also sponsors) couldn't join us but it would have been a pretty far journey from Salt Lake City.

Bengtson family

Root family

Oh what a beautiful morning...

I have always been a morning person, but since Aaron has been born mornings have become even more my favorite part of the day.  You see, mornings are when we get the most consistent "happy" time and there is nothing that can make my heart jump more than rolling over (yes, we occasionally co-sleep, don't judge), stroking his little face, undoing his swaddle sack and seeing his beautiful smile.  Not a little gassy smile that says "I just tooted," or "I just peed myself," but a full out, eyes included, just for you mommy kind of smile.  Sometimes I even get a giggle.  Some mornings we will play and talk and sing songs for a good half hour before we even get out of bed!

These are the moments I live for some days.  Parenting Aaron can be challenging at times.  He is what Dr. Sears would call a "high needs baby."  (Click here for his article on the subject, which has been especially helpful to me.)  He has figured out early on that it is better for him to be held than to be put down.  He protests quickly and loudly when he has a need that has not been met.  And he craves physical touch. But although there are evenings when we pace the floor for hours, and nights when I am up every hour to feed, or rock, or just comfort him, I am becoming more confident that the attention we pay to him now will help him through whatever is going on in his brain and body and ultimately help him turn into a toddler, a teenager, and a man with the confidence to tackle whatever trouble he runs into and the knowledge that his parents will always support him. 

I think this blog might turn into a journal of sorts, and maybe a bit of a catharsis for me in times of stress.  But less anyone reading this thinks that I am not enjoying our new adventure, here are 10 things I love about Aaron:

1. His smile.
2. The way he smells after bath.
3. His coos, which are louder for Jonathan and I than for anyone else.
4. His soft hair.
5. The way he looks at me as I rock him to sleep.
6. The way (sometimes) he stops crying and smiles when I hit on the solution to his problem.
7. His need to be cuddled.
8. The way he snuggles down in the Moby wrap or ring sling when he is relaxed.
9. He makes a great running partner.
10. His little snores when he is sleeping.

And so, when people ask me if Aaron is a "good baby" I think I can confidently answer "yes."  No, he is not an EASY baby, but easy and good are not the same things, and with any luck the personality traits that make him a little more challenging now will serve him well as he grows.  Until then, we just keep dancing.

Colic and the cow

Before I became a parent I knew a lot about parenting. After all, I work in child development and regularly instruct parents as to how to help their children reach their developmental milestones, learn social skills, and generally blossom to their full potentials. However, in the last few months I have learned that my knowledge and skills mean exactly....nothing.

Aaron is 11 weeks old now, and for those of you who are around locally you know that since he was about 4 weeks old we have been dealing with excessive fussiness and colicky behavior. I love my son more than I can say, but his crying can be intense and is often very frustrating. If you have ever seen the DVD "The Period of Purple Crying" you will understand the level of crying I am talking about. I have been frustrated, I have been depressed, and I have cried many tears. Jonathan is sometimes better than I am at soothing the crying, and I am thankful to have him with me as a part of this parenting team. After doing a lot of research and talking with our pediatrician, we have made the decision for me go dairy free to see if that dietary change will lessen what we think is intestinal discomfort and pain, as well as some silent reflux. Since many kids with dairy sensitivities also have soy allergies, I am also limiting my intake of soy. So far I've tried Almond Milk and rice cheese. Not too bad tasting alternatives I must say.