My son is now three weeks old, doing well, and I have no clue why.
Oh, we're feeding him on demand, changing his diapers, giving him skin-to-skin contact, spending quality tummy time, holding him in our arms, singing and talking to him, watching him sleep during the day and night, and laughing with each sign he has his father's petulance for flatulence. These are all things we should be doing as first-time, or anytime, parents. I get that.
What I don't get is how he's a functioning newborn. How all of his organs and body parts create and process his blood, urine, and stool. How his lungs and heart pump blood and receive oxygen over and over and over again. How his brain works to make him cry for food, a diaper change, or an extra blanket. How he has tiny bones that allow him to curl his fingers and toes.
How his eyes focus on our faces or a picture on the wall to bring him relief. How his fingers, arms, and legs move independently and randomly. How other times his fingers, arms, and legs move in unison to grab my chest hair, support his leaning when being burped, and kickoff his blanket (he probably doesn't mean to do that last one).
How he turns his head to feed and snort like a warthog when he wants more. How his mouth works with his throat to take food while breathing through his nose. How he learns to hold his head up for a millisecond more each day, turning it side to side to either see his mom's smiling face or the window shades. How he gets hiccups at least once a day and is not bothered. How he can go from a crying baby shaking his lower jaw to one that's calm, sleeping in my arms, and even more precious than the day before.
I know he and these things can and will change, some good and some bad. I'm just amazed that any of this happens at all.
What I don't get is how he's a functioning newborn. How all of his organs and body parts create and process his blood, urine, and stool. How his lungs and heart pump blood and receive oxygen over and over and over again. How his brain works to make him cry for food, a diaper change, or an extra blanket. How he has tiny bones that allow him to curl his fingers and toes.
How his eyes focus on our faces or a picture on the wall to bring him relief. How his fingers, arms, and legs move independently and randomly. How other times his fingers, arms, and legs move in unison to grab my chest hair, support his leaning when being burped, and kickoff his blanket (he probably doesn't mean to do that last one).
How he turns his head to feed and snort like a warthog when he wants more. How his mouth works with his throat to take food while breathing through his nose. How he learns to hold his head up for a millisecond more each day, turning it side to side to either see his mom's smiling face or the window shades. How he gets hiccups at least once a day and is not bothered. How he can go from a crying baby shaking his lower jaw to one that's calm, sleeping in my arms, and even more precious than the day before.
I know he and these things can and will change, some good and some bad. I'm just amazed that any of this happens at all.
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