Six and six

Serene is one day shy of turning seven weeks old at six weeks and six days old today, which may not seem very momentous except that we actually dressed her up in a going-out outfit. We've hardly seen the outside world since her birth, so all she customarily wears at home are onesies and pajamas (which caused a couple of people to ask if she has enough clothes). Our destinations are as thrilling as the doctor's and Costco can get, but at least she gets to make use of some of the sweet articles of clothing dear friends and family gifted to her before she outgrows her newborn clothes. The only piece not gifted above is her hair clip, which I made while seven months pregnant.

Our leader

While Serene has indubitably been the star of our household since she's arrived, Alex is our showstopper of a leader. I am so grateful for my dear husband, who has been beyond patient and sacrificial to put all of his responsibilities aside in order to wholeheartedly take care of me and the baby, not only during the first few weeks postpartum, but also since last week once I made an unforeseen jaunt to the ER for surgery. I had accumulated a few spider bites that got dangerously infected and became unbearably swollen and painful so that I could no longer walk or sit without crying, which entailed some major slashing into my skin and tissue to remove the bacterial buildup.

I've been in recovery mode for a week now, which has been humbling. The first few days post-surgery were agonizing. I was confined to bed and was not able to do even the most basic tasks without Alex's help since I could not get up or walk on my own. I couldn't really take care of Serene, which made me so incredibly sad. I felt so helpless, but God taught me that I must care for this body He’s given me, and trust that this is working together for my good, for nothing occurs outside of his control. I had been feeling anxious because my doctor said I had the worst spider bites he'd ever seen, and that if they didn't get better, I'd have to undergo another major surgery. Praising God for His grace because as of today, my wounds seem to be healing to the point where I am able to amble around a bit and do other things (like blog!), though we are anticipating a few more weeks until I am fully up and running again. What a pertinent reminder that in the grand scheme of things, this really is no big deal at all, particularly when I reflect on the devastation permeating the Philippines left by last week's typhoon. We have been praying fervently for God's mercy upon the people there, especially since it is home to many we know and love. Thankful for organizations who've rallied to provide relief and aid, so that we can help in a minuscule way.

Our cuddler

Serene has become even more of a cuddler since she turned a month old. She's figured out that her cradle, swaddling blankets, and bed are now substandard substitutions for what she prefers: to be in our arms or atop our torsos. We stumbled through a couple of sleepless nights replete with her high-pitched wailing before we ascertained that, as Alex likes to say, she just wants to be loved. Now we do a lot more snuggling around the clock, which means that she often wakes up in the crooks of our arms now. Even though this is just a stage, we're trying to cherish holding her littleness as much as possible because we're told these moments are fleeting. The other day, as Serene was resting contentedly on Alex's chest, he started getting teary. "What's wrong?" I asked, alarmed. "I don't want to give her away," he replied forlornly, holding her tight and kissing the top of her head. It was so endearing that I laughed. "Lord willing, we'll have her for twenty-something years before she gets married," I replied. I'm so thankful for this time with my two loves. These really are the sweetest days.

Letters to Serene: 1 month

My dear Serene Joy,

I can't believe you're already one month old. At the same time, it hardly feels like merely a month because we've been anticipating your joyous arrival ever since we discovered God blessed us with you in my womb. Nevertheless, time has flown by, and since you've been born, God has been teaching us how great His love is for His son. We finally understand just a smidgen more how fierce, encompassing, and sacrificial a parent's love is for a child, which causes us to better comprehend God's great love for us because He gave up Christ for us. God is so kind to us through Christ, and we daily pray that in the years to come, you would know Him for your ultimate joy. This past month has been an steep learning curve for us as new parents (as expected), and despite the hiccups along the way, our love for one another and for you is unconditional, steadfast, and grows ever more by the day. Because of you, your daddy wants to have seven kids like the Von Trapp family. Needless to say, you've made us proud new parents, little love. We're learning that we cannot love you best if we do not first love the Lord and one another.

My sweetheart, we're treasuring every single minute with you since you came into this world. We love snuggling with your cuddly self, talking to you in hopes that you understand us, exclaiming over your beautiful smile, snapping endless pictures of you, laughing at your adorable newborn grunts, and playing with your littleness. Especially with your little feet. We love how you curl your legs up froggy-style; that and your perfectly teeny toes kill us each time. You are a such a sweet newborn; this past first month of life, you have slept soundly through the night in three hour stretches the majority of the time, only waking up to feed from Mommy the Milk Machine and to get changed by Daddy on Diaper Duty (we hope to be more than just that to you someday!). We're slowly adapting to your nighttime schedule even if we teeter around like zombies the rest of the day. I tell people that we're real parents now - we have real(ly dark) bags under our eyes! On the other hand, you're slowly adapting to our daytime schedule by being more alert while the sun is out, but napping well in about two hour stretches nearly anywhere, from your cradle, to my sling, to our bed, and especially in our arms or in the arms of the many admirers who've come to meet you for the first time. You expressed your gratitude to them by snoozing through all their visits this past month. You were not fussy at all until you went through a growth spurt at three weeks old, when you began cluster feeding while simultaneously crying intermittently for two to four hours during the day, which made nursing in the midst of it a battle. Tears were shed on both ends, and we are thankful that stage is tapering off. We never would have fathomed that newborns could eat or poop so much. Besides eating and pooping, you also currently enjoy warm sponge baths and being wrapped in a toasty towel while listening to Disney songs that your daddy plays for you. Though I'm a tad sad that you're no longer as teeny as you were on that first day, we are so grateful you're growing healthily. At 1 month, you are 8 lbs 14 oz and 21 inches long. We are so thankful we get to cherish all this and more with you, our precious gift from the Lord.

Love you so,
Mommy

P.S. Serene Joy at 0 months.