Snuggling, a Trip, and an Ouch!

When we were spending time with Lincoln in the hospital we quickly realized how fragile life can be...and we learned the importance of "living in the moment". The times that we were able to hold him close became really important to us and we were quick to celebrate each accomplishment...when he could breath on his own, when he had his i.v. taken out, and as he gained each ounce. Now,Lincoln has been at home with us for a month and we are continuing to celebrate each "moment" with him. Although he looks and sounds like a "normal" baby with his little chubby cheeks and all of his baby noises, we haven't forgotten what he's been through and how much he's grown.

Lincoln loves to snuggle! It started when we began holding him against our skin in the hospital, and it still seems to be really comforting to him. One day last week I was holding Lincoln for a little bit while April got ready for the day. Truth be told, I was still in bed because I had overslept my alarm again! So...I let Lincoln lay on my chest. Well, as is pretty common at our house...our dog "Belle" was also "sleeping in"... in our bed. When Belle realized that Lincoln had joined us she didn't waste anytime getting as close as possible to us. Belle has continued to be a great protector of Lincoln and it makes for some fun moments when we can catch a picture of them together. It's going to be fun to watch Lincoln get older and be able to interact with Belle more.

This past weekend provided some more special moments for us. On Saturday we traveled back to Modesto for a friend's baby shower. On the way, we made a quick stop off to see Lincoln's great grandma (April's grandma). It was the first time she had seen Lincoln in person so it was definitely fun to watch her hold him. It was just one of those moments that is hard to describe in words. It's really just easier to share a picture with you and let the picture say it all.

After our friend's baby shower was over, we had a lot of fun sitting around and sharing some of our "baby knowledge" with them. Although we haven't been parents for a very long time (and we are far from "knowing it all"), it was fun to share some stories and encourage them as they wait for their baby's arrival. Another special moment came when Jim,decided that he wanted to hold Lincoln. I don't think Jim was too sure about holding him, but once Lincoln was lying in his arms, the world seemed to stop and Jim couldn't stop smiling...I think he's going to be a great Dad!

Yesterday Lincoln had another checkup with his pediatrician. He is up to 8lbs 10oz and 20 inches long. Like I said before, he is really looking like a normal baby these days. It's crazy to think back to how little he was when he was born. One thing is for sure...the kid has no shortage of appetite! After the doctor took a look at him and gave us another good report, a nurse came in to give Lincoln some shots. The doctor has been great at trying to space out the shots so that it's never too much at one time...but still, they are shots and well...those are never fun. Thankfully, Lincoln has never really been one to cry a lot. However, after the first shot yesterday, he let out a very big cry...complete with tears...his first tears! Being the great mom that she is, April jumped right in to try and calm him down. After it was all over we left with a tired little boy. We'll be back in a month for his four month check-up...yes, that's right...he'll be four months old in April! It's hard to believe.

April and I are just really glad that he's doing so well and growing up healthy. We couldn't be more thankful for how God has been so faithful to us over the last several months. As many of you already know, being a parent is not always very easy, but no matter what, I don't think we'll ever be able to look at Lincoln without being reminded of how precious life is. Those moments help to put things into perspective.