Friday, September 30, 2011

Journey into Motherhood

I can't believe it's been almost a month since we brought home our sweet little baby boy Luke Andrew. He was born at 4:16 pm after 14 hours of labor on August 31. God, you see, has a sense of humor and is so cool! He knew the exact day that Luke would be born, I gave birth to Luke 9 years to the day that Nick and I started dating.

Luke a few days old in dad's warm and loving arms.

This month has been full of many late nights, many, many diapers, many onesies, many smiles, and a few tears, not to mention the many prayers I have said as I am learning how to do this mommy thing. Although I am at awe of all that comes naturally and is instilled in us women by God our creator.

First it was labor, it was hard, and painful, yet doing it all natural in a birth center with midwives was the best choice for us and for Luke. When they put him in my arms I knew all that pain, the vomiting, and the toughing it out with no medical intervention was so worth it to have my healthy beautiful boy. Many people ask me,"so how was your labor, would you do it again or do it in a hospital with drugs?" My answer every time is of course I would do it again, just not any time soon, ha!

Nick holding his son for the first time, I love this picture!

Second, people tell you your life will never be the same, that it will be totally different, and while you can prepare with all the books and classes, nothing prepares you for everything that happens when you bring a baby home. Yet, with the little amount of sleep we get, the Lord really supplies us with so much energy. But I have to admit there were a couple of nights where he wouldn't go to bed, wide awake, happy, which is a blessing, but wide awake at like 2 am for 2 hours! We have been working on a schedule and he is sleeping better at night, it's amazing that we get excited to get four hours of sleep at a time in between feedings.

Enough complaining, it has been such a joy to see him grow so fast. About two weeks old, he started holding his head up on his own, we were so proud! He is one strong fella, he kicks like a soccer player and he's got my thigh muscles. He laughs like his daddy and smiles all the time when he is awake and asleep.  I have not had a real problem breastfeeding in fact he was 7# 4 oz at birth and now a month later he is almost 10 lbs and really long too. Luke is growing like a weed! He loves his bath time and is so chill until we pull him out of course because it is so cold. I still can't believe that he is our son, it is such  miracle.
He has the cutest faces!

Almost a month old and loves his bath times and hooded ducky towel.
On a personal note, motherhood is never what you expect it to be. You have to be totally selfless, taking care of this little one 24/7/365. It is such an incredible picture of our God, we are totally dependent on our Lord. It is when we give up control and go to Him with everything we are and for all our needs that we are nourished to the full. Luke doesn't get his nourishment from anywhere else but breast milk, and how cool is it that God created this, milk that sustains and grows my baby boy is in me. The Lord knows just what he needs and supplies it in such an intimate way, I love it and I love our bonding time. I also love those feedings, and there are many at this age, because I can listen to many podcasts from Ben Stuart, David McQueen from Beltway in Abilene, Nancy Leigh Demoss on Revive Our Hearts, and James McDonald on Walk in the Word. All of these speakers and pastors are so different yet fuel me as a Christ-follower, wife, and now mother. I also really enjoy that time because I can lift up my family and friends in prayer. Pretty cool how I am forced to be still and I am learning to take full advantage of that, but I will admit since I have facebook, email, and pinterest on my phone I am having sometimes to choose to not look at those and devote that time to God. I really see that I am a better wife, mother, and friend when I do.
Our first walk, we all loved the little bit of exercise we got!

I cherish the times when he fall asleep on us.

Fatherhood is such a joy too, well from what I can see in Nick. He is such a trooper, he gets up with me when I need a hand with Luke, he holds him whenever he can, talking to him and playing with him. He loves his son and is so excited to see him when he gets home, I really try to send videos and pictures everyday so that he doesn't miss a moment of Luke's life. I am so so blessed to have Nick as my husband, God definitely knew what He was doing when He brought us together 9 years ago. Now, 9 years later Nick is such a blessing to Luke as an incredible, godly father. I love you Nick!

We are so in love with our little man, our miracle, our blessing, our first born son whom I pray will be a kingdom-impacter for Jesus' name! We love you Luke Andrew!







2 comments:

  1. Seriously, you need to stop making me cry. Make sure that little one knowsI love him too! I miss you sweet friend.

    -Erin

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  2. Congrats again! I didn't know y'all had him at the birthing center, that is awesome! :D Josh and I plan on also having a natural birth...except at home whenever God does bless us with children. :) He is so beautiful. :)

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