Feeling so very fortunate

Noah is currently in his Exersaucer. But he's not playing with any of the toys. Nope. He is intently studying the pattern on the fabric of the seat. He's pawing at the vividly colored elephants, monkeys and lions as if he doesn't’t understand that they are flat pictures on fabric. He did this the other day with the bee fabric on his Boppy. He'd touch a bee and then look at me with this confused look on his face. These babies have so very much to learn.

So nap time used to come to an abrupt end when Noah woke up and began crying to be retrieved from the co-sleeper bassinet. In recent weeks the crying is infrequent. Now I hear a garbled mumble in the monitor and then silence. So I go upstairs to investigate. The co-sleeper has a mesh side so I can see in it as soon as I round the corner from our bedroom steps. And there is Noah. He has flipped from his laying on his stomach to his back and he is playing contentedly with his hands, his pacifier or his blanket. I say something sappy to the effect of "Where is that beautiful baby of mine?" And he turns, sees me and breaks into a huge smile. That feeling has got to be on the short list of the best feelings in the world.

Saturday through Tuesday we spent long stretches of time at the hospital. And for a boy that doesn't leave the house too often - this was a major adventure. I didn't think they would let an infant hang out in the hospital, but I guess as long as he wasn't causing a disturbance they weren't going to crack down on us. And Noah was such a good baby. Except for an occasional dolphin shriek of happiness, he scarcely made a peep. He spent a lot of time in the arms of Mee Maw. We took walks in the parking lot and kept him occupied playing with water bottles and granola bar wrappers. We passed him around to visitors, stood him on our laps and told him he was "SOOOO BIG." He had charming smiles and flirty eyes for nurses, aides and doctors alike. So much was going on at the time that I wasn't even fully focused on how good he was being. But now I have to give him credit - he's such a wonderful little boy and we are so very lucky to have him.

On a much sadder and more powerful note, I have to share this blog posting. It made me cry earlier today.