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Faith, Parenthood, Young Married Mom

March 15, 2011

Starter Baby

Because Jacob is a friendly giant, John and I often joke about how he is a great starter baby.

 

You can try to prepare for it, but parenting is a learn-on-the-job kind of thing.  I imagine it’s that way even for those who have younger siblings or cousins.  Certainly for me, the younger of two children without any littler cousins, learning to care for Jacob was a whole new world.

 

With Jacob—thank God—nothing has been more trying than one might expect.  From the start, Jacob was a sturdy baby, never a delicate little flower.

 

 

His girth is more muscle than fat (with the exception of his marvelous baby thunder thighs), and he rocked tummy time really early on.  Of course, we immediately began fantasizing about him becoming a linebacker.  Maybe for the Jets or something . . .

 

For some reason, I worry much less about him than I expected to.  I’m a relatively nervous person, but I never had the oh-my-goodness-is-my-child-still-breathing thing.  I think because we got pregnant so quickly, I was always very certain that this child is here for some purpose God has for him, rather than simply to be my son.

 

The first week our only concern was that he was sleeping too much and not eating enough.  Turns out, though, when he gets down to it, he’s a fantastic eater, too.  I wonder where he gets that from. . . .   He was right back up to birth weight within a week.  The kid is a tank.

 

 

Yes, he has fussy times (that sometimes last three weeks), but almost every day someone we meet—at church, at the store, a friend—comments on how happy the little man is.  He’s taken to responding to this with a smile, only proving the point.

 

I hope we can help him to stay so healthy, so happy for all his life.  He brings joy to so many people every day.  Part of the privilege of being his mom will be seeing what else is in store for him.

 

 

If God only gives you what you can handle, I almost feel like a wimp, because this little guy is such a sweet-natured, big-bellied Peanut.  But I’m just going to count my blessings.

  1. Rebecca says:

    I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought to myself, “I don’t know what they mean with that ‘mom’s have that superhuman strength to just keep going’ business. I’m a wimp!” This job is HARD…and we have easy babies! Can you even imagine what it would be like if they were high maintenance?

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