Baby Boy!

My goal was to update the blog with pictures of our completed house before Mark was born, but he came 10 days early so I never got the chance!

Maybe eventually I will, but I doubt our house will ever be as clean as I'd like with this precious little boy in our home now. :)

So instead I will inundate you with a ton of pictures of our little boy.

But first, ^ the last bump picture. This was taken on our anniversary at one day shy of 38 weeks, five days before he was born.

Mark's first picture. I love this one. Jack is cutting the umbilical cord. I love how you can see our rings framing Mark's little body. The ring I am wearing is actually not my wedding ring (that didn't fit thanks to the Georgia heat!) It's a present from my mom after my dad passed away- his October birthstone. I think that makes this picture of Mark even more special.

Mark was born at 11:01 pm. 6lbs 12 oz, 19 inches. A healthy baby boy.

My first picture with Mark. Jack loves this picture. You can hardly tell that I had just gone through 21 hours of a natural labor!

Our first family photo. This was taken shortly after we made it back to the mom baby room. I didn't sleep a wink that night. 

Daddy and son. Be still my heart!

Nana and her grandbaby. My mom booked a flight when I went into labor and made it to the hospital just in time to see Mark in the minutes after he was born. 

You might be able to tell we are a little tired.

But so in love with each other and our baby boy.

A hospital birth photographer took adorable photos of Mark. My mom snuck some in on her phone.

My sweet boy!

His little cloth diaper! <3

Cuddling with daddy

One thing we forgot to pack were mittens. So socks kept him from scratching his face!

His first time being worn in a wrap. 

Daddy and son selfie

Just being cute

Getting ready to take him home!

About to leave the hospital

Mark's little going home outfit

Getting him in the carseat!

Mark's first night at home. It's been 4 weeks so he looks SO tiny to me!

My tiny babe

Mark's first sponge bath

Nana and Mark. Mark had to be under the "lights" (although really he was attached to a blanket light) for the first week. It made the first week a little tiresome because we were driving up north (a 30 minute drive) for his appointments every morning at 8am.

Love his little fluffy tush

Pictures after Mark's first mass

<3

Family selfie

Another bath

Yawning

Mama and baby spending time together all day

Goofy faces

Love this monkey

Sleeping in mama's arms

Pretty much all we do all day is cuddle and nurse

Caught him smiling

Sleeping with daddy

Cutie

Reading our first book

Munchkin

Starting to get a little chunky

But not as big as the kitty

I could just eat this little face up!

Cuddle bug

Well, that's the first 3.5 weeks. I will update soon with pictures from his baptism and meeting his family! And I'll tell a little bit more about his birth. But right now all I want to say is how much Jack and I LOVE this little boy. We love being parents. It's hard and exhausting but we can't imagine life without Mark in it. It's funny how strangers come up to us and tell us how cute he is and then offer unsolicited advice about how life is going to get so much harder as he gets older (as strangers tend to do). But you know, people said similar things when I was pregnant ("Sleep now because you won't get any when he's born!") and I don't mind that I don't sleep as much or that things are harder now because every moment with him is precious. It's all worth it. Jack and I have talked about how being parents had helped us to grow; we can't be as selfish because we have a little person to take care of. We are blessed BY this little one. So yes, being a mommy is hard so far but I wouldn't have it any other way. He's everything I could have dreamed of and more!