One month old!

We've had a busy last few days! First, Grandma Pat left, and we had a few days on our own. Managing the two kids with no outside help (which we've been so lucky to have, and are very, very grateful) was manageable, but a little stressful. The worst part was the making / serving dinner hour. But I think we can do it!

In the middle of last week, Jacob turned one month old! (Now he's actually five weeks old, but who's counting?!)

He's doing great! He still saves his long sleeps for the day, but, overall, he's a pretty agreeable baby. 

 He likes his bath considerably more than his sister did. He nurses well, and with such efficiency that I worry he isn't getting enough. Except! Except! Big Boy is growing: on our own home scale, Mike weighed him in at 9lbs, 13oz yesterday. He's a total cuddlebug and so warm and compact and lovely to hold. 

He's a thumb-sucker, just like his sister:

  And, he smiles!

The smile isn't super-reliable yet, but we've each seen it a few times (although this kitten-tongue picture is the only photo of it that I've managed to snag so far).

Just so the cute doesn't slay you, we want you to know that he also cries.

Natalie continues to adore him, although she did say to me, somewhat sadly, that "it is going to take him a long time to get big." He's not the playmate she envisioned quite yet - but she loves to bring him toys and to press the buttons on his toys that make noise.

Speaking of growing up, she and I had this conversation the other day:
Natalie: At my next birthday, I’ll be four!

Me: Yes. Four comes after three. What comes after four?
Natalie: Five.
Me: And what comes after five?
Natalie: Thirteen!
You heard it here first…..

In a gymnastics update, Natalie is really loving her Saturday morning class. It took her a while to get really used to gym and participate fully (and to take her thumb out of her mouth when walking on the balance beam), but now she's really into it.

Natalie's school had a "Texas Shabbat" last week. The kids were supposed to come in their western dress (but, as Natalie dutifully repeated, "no guns!"). We don't have cowboy boots or a cowboy hat, but we did our best.

Natalie rode her steel horse to school, natch.


Watch out - Jacob's planning something!