One Month!

Hello world! My name is Zachary Isaac and I have been in the world for 1 whole month! I am really starting to get the hang of this whole "life outside of the womb" thing. I am a pretty happy and content baby. I am very active and alert and have had a VERY busy first month of life. Here are some things that I have been up to in this first month.... 

• I have already celebrated two birthdays- Aunt Amy's and Aunt Jen's!

 happy birthday aunt amy!

 special onsie for aunt jen's birthday!

 happy birfthday aunt jen :)

• Times I have been to the Biltmore Estate: 3 (although I slept through 2 visits). Mommy had to see the tulips and the wisteria!

first visit at 6 days old!

 3 weeks old

• Went to tea at the Biltmore Estate. Thanks Aunt Jen for helping celebrate Mother's Day for my awesome Mom and Nana :) 

• Went on my first road trip to Columbus, Ohio. It was only suppose to take 7 hours to get there but because I eat so often it took 10. Dad was a trooper and woke up and left at 2:50 in the morning and drove through the night, just so that I could sleep longer in the car. I did really well in the car. I really like my car seat. It is so cozy that I sleep a lot in it. If I am awake, I like to look out the window. 

• Attended my first wedding! I was so happy for Uncle Jon and Aunt Lacey that I slept through the entire ceremony! 

• States I've already been in: North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina
• Celebrated my first Mother's Day for Mommy by getting her an Ergo carrier so she can carry me around and get more stuff done. I also got her flowers and some tiramisu!

• Went to my first soccer game to cheer on Aunt Jessica, although I slept the whole time- are you noticing a pattern here?!?
• Went to Greenville, South Carolina to cheer on Uncle Ryan in his lacrosse game.

• Walked around Lake Louise with mom and dad. They said we will be doing this a lot!
• I had my first explosive poop on April 21st. The look on dad's face was priceless! Mom still laughs just thinking about it!
• Mom thought that I would get through one whole month without pooping on her. Well, she was wrong... I have her a nice present two days before I turned 1 month! Just you wait, dad, I'm coming for you next!
• Mom says Shout is her new best friend. She always bring it out after I have had an explosive poop
• The first week, mom and dad were adjusting and learning how to change a boy's diaper. They called me a little squirt because I always started to pee once my diaper was changed. They have finally got the hang of it and I am also now used to my diaper getting changed.... a lot!
• Dad reads to me [almost] every night out of the most expensive Bible. He calls it a family heirloom and likes to think it belongs to him, even though it is mine. He makes me smell it before he starts reading. I think he is doing some psychological conditioning on me so I associate the smell with it. 
• I have already begun to memorize my first Bible verse with dad. It is Genesis 1:1- "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." We practice it many times a day. 
• I have met all my aunts and uncles and cousins on my mom's side. Still have to meet some on dad's side [this will be a separate blog post since I have so many aunts and uncles!]
• The two songs my mom sings to me most often: "You are my Sunshine" and "Touch your Finger to your Nose." 
• I love it when mom sings me this song that she changed the words to, "Hey... hey baby. I want to know oh-oh-oh if you'll be my boy!"
• I can focus on faces. 
• I like to look at lights, fans and the outline of things (mom and dad's headboard, picture frame outlines and the blinds). 
• There have been a couple times while laying on mom's chest that I have held up my head and looked around for several seconds, having complete control.
• Mom loves it when I go cross-eyed and make the "ohhh" face. 

• I have started to smile purposefully- it melts mom and dad's hearts.
• Sometimes I giggle in my sleep.
• I sleep pretty well through the night. After my last nighttime feeding (usually between 8:00-9:00) I will sleep for 4-5 hours and wake up around 1:00 or 2:00. I then wake up usually at 4:00 in the morning and then around 6:30/7:00. 
• I love daddy time. This happens around 7:00 in the morning. Mom stays in bed and sleeps some more. 

• Mom loves when I wrinkle my forehead, my hairy little ears and everything about me. 
• Mom also loves after I'm done feeding and when she pulls me up to burp me, I wrinkle my forehead, pucker my lips and bring my hands together and lie on them. She is trying to capture it in a picture. 

Statistics:
Weight: 11 lbs. 5.5 oz! [85-95 percentile]
Height: 23 1/2 inches! [over the 99 percentile!!]
Nicknames: Zachy-baby, Zachypoo, Jellybean
Likes: My pacifier, laying on my belly on someone else, my hands, faces, lights and fans.
Dislikes: Getting my diaper changed, baths, tummy time. being swaddled
Clothing: I skipped newborn clothing and went straight to 3 months!
Milestones:

• Lost my umbilical cord: 6 days old (4/22/13)
• Rolled over from belly to back: (4/29/13) Mom says that it was random and that it probably wasn't suppose to happen. 
• Smiled: (5/14/13) 

1st Month Pictures: [Aunt Kim is a WAY better photographrer ;) ]

 artwork that mom never made- she decided to use them as props

A Note from Mom

Zach’s first month has been one of the best and most challenging months of my life. It is incredible how you can love someone so much, the first time you lay eyes on them. I have LOVED being a mom. I love Zach’s cuddles, his little noises, and most recently his smiles. I love singing to him and talking to him. There have been a couple times where I have just started to cry because I am filled with so much joy to have this little boy in my life. Have I loved every single minute- not necessarily. Being a mom is hard work and takes lots of patience, but it is so rewarding and worth it! Justin and I are both learning how to become parents and find a balance in our new roles as mom and dad. Justin told me that I am really learning how to pray by being a mom. I am learning to ask the Lord for wisdom and help, for protection, for energy and strength, for trust and for patience. Zach is a complete gift from the Lord and I would not be able to do this without the Lord’s help.

Zachary, I love being your mom. You have brought your dad and I so much joy and happiness [and sleep deprivation] this first month! We are so excited to watch you grow and experience so many new adventures with you! We love you!