Logan is growing!

from August 26, 2007 - Sunday

Logan is a well-mannered little manchild, but during the first month he would really fuss and get enraged in the wee hours of night during Daddy's shift. I would "shush" him loudly, which is a way the books say will comfort him if he can hear it over his own cries, since it reminds him of the sounds in the womb. Then I would sing old hymns and songs by Queen including a lullabye called "Dear Friends" and an Arthurian theme song called "Father to Son." We bonded in those late, late hours, and it was great to stare back into his eyes as he calmed down and listened. Vivian would be on call then from 4 a.m. til the next feeding. We gradually discovered the little guy was antsy because he wasn't quite getting enough milk, even though Mandy fed him all day and night on a tight schedule. Blocked milk ducts are a common ailment, and it's been a tough situation. We got him weighed after 6 weeks, and he was a pound below the norm for his size, so we have been supplementing nursings with formula. In just 3 days he had gained nearly the whole pound back (9lbs. 6oz.)! Now his arms, thighs, and even his little digits on hands and feet are getting chubby.

Our pastor (a word I'm not used to yet, coming from a church of Christ background) led a prayer that included many kind blessings on Logan and for us as parents the Sunday after his birth. They had a rose at the front of the sanctuary in his honor, which they gave to us. (We've attended this loving, reverent congregation since January even though we're Armenians masquerading as Calvinists. But they will baptize by immersion and at an age of accountability, if that is what parishioners feel a conviction for. It's a compassionate church that resists the latest fads and technological gimmicks, retaining instead some high church liturgical traditions like saying the apostles' creed each week along with the doxology. It observes rituals of reverence that keep the focus on God and not on hyper-seeker-commercialism, and so ushers one into a sacred encounter that is a special time, a holy time, unlike the rest of our lives bombarded by secular distractions.)

His eyebrows are starting to grow in, and his eyelashes sprouted sometime in the second week. Right now his baby acne (cheeks and forehead) is starting to recede. His hair, which looked well-groomed at birth with perfectly squared sideburns as if he'd just stepped out of a barber shop, is getting longer, and he still has peach fuzz growing on his shoulders. We have to clip his finger nails every week! His feet are definitely bigger, and his toes are not quite as stubby as they were. One of his cutest features is his big toes -- they're like bulbous little balloons down there.

He has always flailed his beefy arms about like a conductor or a rock star making dramatic sweeping gestures. He growls contentedly sometimes while nursing, during the first weeks almost like a song. I have enjoyed carrying him around in a sling-wrap we ordered online for $25 or so. It is another trick for making him feel the security of the womb, and it frees me up to be mobile and use my hands to type at the computer or get coffee when I'm "on duty." The other godsend has been the Snap 'N Go carseat stroller, which allows you to take a newborn out on walks by attaching the regular car seat into the frame, facing you as you push. It's helped Mandy and me get outdoors into the fresh air and stretch our legs, meanwhile exposing Logan to new sights, sounds, and smells. His first stroller ride was Aug. 7 while Jerusha was here. The whole family went, including Heidi. Jerusha refinished an endtable for us, sanding and staining it for the den. And she made reuben sandwiches and other tasty meals, too. While Vivian was here, she also did some sewing projects for the nursery and constant cleaning and laundry assistance. We could not have survived without all this help!

Mandy and I will be adding new posts to Logan's blogsite, so stay tuned for more details on his development. . .