little things

to love about him.

those cheeks.


these thighs.


ridiculously long eyelashes.

his crazy morning hair.

always warm, rosy cheeks.

if you are wondering if you should have another...

yes. yes you should.

breakfast with luke.

Max was at preschool this morning 

and Noah got invited to grandma and grandpas. 

Which left just me and the littlest mister. 

A quiet morning without  any car trips or brothers causing ruckus around the house. 

Just you & me

and some banana oatmeal.

The sweetest part 

is the way you stop after each bite 

and suck your thumb.

 Sometimes lulling yourself to sleep mid-meal. 

As much as I try to fill our days with places and motion,

I am the happiest in these quiet moments.

via

a first.

My first thumb sucker.

 I love it!

 It is the sweetest thing to watch Luke sucking his thumb.

Not so sweet will be receiving his first bill from the orthodontist 12 years from now...

but let's live in the now.

Right now its pretty darn cute.

When he starts to fuss that little thumb is plopped in there before I have a chance to swoop him up.

Self-soothing. This kid is quickly climbing the ladder to favorite. 

(kidding)

And the thumb sucking puts him to sleep. 

I think I have this little thumb to thank for the fact that he slept 9 hours in a row the other night.

 (ok not kidding about the favorite status anymore)

Now that Luke has his bff, his thumb, he will fall asleep anywhere.

 The car, his chair, the playgym.

It's staying asleep with his rowdy brothers that's the problem. 

Too bad this thumb didn't come with complimentary headphones.

I read that thumb sucking is hard wired in babies brains and many begin in the womb. 

How sweet is that?

 A much nicer mental picture than my 2 bigger boys that were busy battling and getting tangled up in the umbilical cords.

Luke and his sweet thumb sucking. 

The comfort and good sleep it brings him.

Please don't burst my bubble. 

I know this is another thing I will have to break one day.

 I still have a binkie, diapers and a crib on Max's list.

Thumb sucking will be on the have that conversation with Luke list

if he's still doing it at a business meeting when he's 30. 

Check.

and babies don't keep...

I find myself these days immersed in life with three. Some days in, fully over my head. Most days, flowing and enjoying the 3 little people that fill my days. I spend my afternoons sitting outdoors with Luke in my arms, watching the two older boys play in the yard and enjoying brief periods of quiet between their screams and cheers. 

Their summertime cheer is contagious.

The sweetest sounds I hear are the tiny breaths and coos coming from Luke. He lays curled up on my outstretched legs, smiling up at me. Peaceful and content.

His peacefulness is contagious.

I am busier than I have ever been in my life. But there is something about this baby that has drawn me in and slowed it down. Like nothing else. This old poem comes to mind. 

(ruth  hamilton, 1958)

oh cleaning and scrubbing

will wait till tomorrow

but children grow up

as i've learned to my sorrow.

so quiet down cobwebs

dust go to sleep.

i'm rocking my baby

and babies don't keep. 

growing.

2 months old.

growing

taking bigger pieces of my heart, day by day.

In the last 2 days Luke has slowly come out of hibernation and started gracing us with his presence. Now when I go to get him up from his naps he greets me with a big gummy smile or sometimes a laugh (which sounds like a hiccup and lights up his whole face).

These days, I am grateful for my live in nanny, Noah.
When I have to run and grab a quick something,
I ask Noah to stay with Luke.

 

And you should know
he takes his job as babysitter very seriously.
He likes to stay within 1/2 an inch of him at all times.

I love that when I come back into the room I find them like this. Deep in conversation.

And the conversations usually go,
"Hi Luke. It's me, your big brother Noah again.
I'm still the biggest brother."
(He really wants to drive home this fact).
And then he usually says to me,
"Mom. Say 'Noah, you are the best big brother ever'."
He's pretty bossy like that, my nanny.
He likes to tell me what to say.
But in this case, he's right.

blue.

little boy blue {eyes}.

the best.

maybe it was his time in the nicu. maybe it was luck. or perhaps, the fact that he is # 3. 

maybe its just him. 

this sweet boy is the best. 

best baby ever.

 sleeps often, content and sweet when awake. 

doesn't ask for much, just feed him, hold him and he is yours.. 

(well, ours. we're not trading this one away for anything).

luke,
you take the prize.
cover model of the magazine.
you're the best.

sweet disposition.

a bath for luke

{luke's first bath} 

not a fan...

even with moral support from his brother that loves his baths.

after a week in the nicu with no bath, luke sure needed this.

{goodbye greasy rockstar hair.}

{hello, sweet smelling baby boy.}

Home.

Look at the sweet gift the stork dropped off at our front door...

{I am home.}

With my brothers.

Noah is making cookies to celebrate.

And Max is simply smitten.

Our house feels so much warmer tonight with you in it.
{So do our hearts.}

Luke, Day 8 { Pictures } & Update

Tonight was a good night. And I feel better overall. We have had the sweetest nurse the last few nights and she has been so great with Luke and with us. {Kimberly if you read this, you are the best! Thank you for taking such good care of Luke}. When we got there tonight his nurse was rocking him in the glider and it reminded me that even when we aren't there, Luke is in such good hands. 

I nursed him and we spent the rest of the night holding him while he slept and we small talked with our nurse. Minus the beeping alarms, it didn't feel that much different than being at home. It definitely holds true, home is whenever you are with those you love. Am thankful for a good night.

{Sleep tight, Luke.}