An Irish Tradition

Your Papa could NOT be prouder!!
His three boys (four if you count the hairy one! :)) all decked out and ready to cheer on our beloved Irish football team in their first game of the season!
Everyone has their Irish gear on...including you Jonathan!

Papa's ND Boys!

And soon you will know the Irish fight song :)And how happily we cheer when they beat the other team!

Welcome to your Irish legacy!! :)

Your first bath

Your brothers were more than ready and willing to help you have your very first bath at home!
Your Mama remembers when Papa used to be so nervous doing the first bath. Now he's an expert and old hand at it! :)

Your bath crew gives you the thumbs up! :)

You didn't enjoy this bath as much as you someday will (when you're wrestling with your brothers and splashing all of the water out of the tub :)) but you are all clean and smelling delicious!

A busy first week...

In your first week of life you already have filled your social calendar :) without even trying.
In addition to 5 blissful days in the hospital eating, learning how to poop and burp, and smiling, you came home to find not only a grand welcome party but acceptance to College....WHAT?!?
Mama is not on drugs typing this post!
You received your very first piece of mail today and in it was your acceptance letter to Mama's Alma Mater!

Alma College is VERY excited to welcome you in the class of 2036!! And they've provided you with your very first official Alma gear since you are an Alma legacy :). Mama thinks this is pretty darn awesome but I can't bear to think of you going off to college just yet. So we will tuck this away where it is nice and safe...for later :).
Next on your social calendar was your participation in an ice bucket challenge. You were right there front and center when your Mimi covered herself in ice water! :) You didn't even bat an eyelid while everyone was screaming! :)

What more can you possibly fit in to a week??? :)

Happy One Week Old!!

Time is already slipping away too quickly! It feels like we should still be in the hospital. Instead, you are one week old and thriving! Already above your birth weight and your Mama can see that you are beginning to grow!

One week old!!

My sweetheart!

I love you so much!!!

Mimi and Ga Love!

Mama and Papa are so thankful and so grateful that your Mimi and Ga could be here with us to welcome you in to the world and to help us with this big transition!
They have taken good care of your big brothers while we were at the hospital and in the first week Mama was home. And they are so excited to finally meet their Lucky #7 :) grandbaby!

Hanging with Ga!

Giving Mimi lots of baby sugar

A proud Mimi and Ga!

It is a special moment for your Mama when she gets to introduce the next generation of our family to her mom and dad! And I always cherish seeing my parents holding my new baby! What an amazing journey this is! I am so blessed!!!

Jonathan, you don't know it yet, but you are surrounded by SO much love!!

There's that smile!

 You actually laughed out loud when Mama caught this smile! You are a complete joy my sweet Jonathan!!!

We weren't kidding....

when we told you that your brothers were SO excited to see you!!
Stanford wanted nothing more than to sleep right next to you (with his big brother bandana! :)) when you first came home!

Hairy brother wasted no time sleeping with the new member of his pack!

 And your brothers are so completely smitten with you!

Smiling at big brother!

Your brothers want you to play with them so much....for now they understand that all they can do is surround you with the toys....something they do whenever they get the chance. They are patiently waiting until you can play! :)

Wanting to play with you so badly!! :)

Welcome Home Jonathan

After a glorious week at the hospital (and Mama means that with all sincerity!!) we are ready to take our little boy home!
He is all decked out in his going-home outfit (complete with little ducky shoes because.....he is my third little duckling :)).

 And as we've quickly come to see, our sweet little man took no issue with the change in scenery or schedule. He fell sound asleep riding in Mama's lap in the wheel chair out in to the very warm August air. He was happy as can be and sound asleep during his first trip in the car seat and his first car ride ever.

Your Papa strapped you in and was SO careful driving his precious cargo home!

Welcoming you home!

 And Mimi and Ga had a grand welcome ready for him when we arrived home!

Even Mama's room was all decked out for our welcome home

His big hairy brother Stanford was the first to greet him and Jonathan took it all in stride....sleeping through it all.

Mama and Papa introduced him to his new room. It is always a thrill for Mama to bring the new baby to the nursery for the first time...after putting it all together and then sitting in there for hours over the course of the pregnancy wondering and dreaming about when our baby will fill the crib, it is a true joy to then bring home my little one and walk in to that room.

We are SO happy you are home Jonathan!!! Welcome to your home and all the adventures it will bring!!

My little elephant :)

Your Aunt Suzette got you this adorable hat before you were born and Mama could NOT resist "dressing" you up while we were having our cozy days! :)

You are just delicious!!

Getting to know my sweet baby

I've known you for 39 weeks little one; I can tell you when you liked to be awake in Mama's belly, how you liked to stretch, that you always responded when I patted your little rump roast or one of your heels, and that you had the hiccups all the time after Mama would eat! :)
But for nearly 5 full days, Mama has had the most special and perfectly beautiful opportunity to soak in every little bit of you as we've gotten to "know" each other in our little hospital cocoon! Mama and Papa couldn't get enough of our sweet little boy in those first 24 hours!

Papa on poop patrol - he's an expert now!

My beautiful hubby loving his new little boy

And then when Papa went home to help with your brothers, outside of a few visits from your Mimi and Ga, your brothers, and Mama's friend, and frequent stop-ins from the nurses, it has been ME and YOU! And I can not begin to tell you how I have cherished every minute!

Can't get enough of your little feet and hands!

Your favorite spot (and Mama's favorite too :))

My burrito :)

My sweet little boy, talking with Mama and making my heart melt!

We sit for hours with you laying on my chest sleeping to my familiar heartbeat. That is your most favorite position and I imagine by the way you scrunch up those little legs and feet that it was the position you spent a lot of time in, inside Mama. I love how you lay your head on your arms and how you breathe in tandum with my heartbeat.
You sleep so patiently in your "bin" in the bathroom with Mama as I try to take my first showers by myself. And despite the nurses wanting to take you in the middle of the night so I can sleep, we spend most of our evenings together, you sleeping right next to my belly on the bed, just like we've done for the last nearly 10 months!
You never cry!! What a sweet and precious baby you are! The nurses can't believe how calm and peaceful you are :). When they take you to the nursery for checks, you let them know you want to head back to Mama by sucking ferociously on your arm or hand, but you don't cry. And even when you've been gone only a few minutes, your Mama feels like it's Christmas morning when they wheel you back in and hand me my little burrito. And I eat up your delicious cheeks and lips and you nuzzle me right back!
I love that you smile whenever I give you eskimo kisses!!! I know they say you can't officially smile yet, but "they" don't know you! I think you may have mastered smiling in the womb (which matches your sweet disposition so perfectly!) because you have smiled at Mama since our second day in the hospital. A smile that lights up the entire room and your Mama's whole heart!
Having surgery is definitely a hard thing to do, but getting you is worth all of the pain! And being able to have this quiet time with you has been priceless for Mama. I am excited to introduce you to your new home and I know you have two big brothers who are counting down the days until you get home, but Mama will always cherish these 5 days we've had together! I love you with all of my heart Jonathan and I am so happy that you are here for me to hold!