Time flies ...

Joel is one month old today ... and what a month it has been! We've gone through bringing a newborn home to Madelyn getting RSV to currently dealing with a very difficult two year old. All four of us have been to the doctor this month - Madelyn and Joel multiple times - that it seems like it's our second home. It was so tough watching Madelyn suffer from RSV. It brought tears to our eyes watching Madelyn cough almost non-stop for 16 hours and worrying about Joel getting it. Praise the Lord Joel stayed well. It was extra tough for Madelyn to share her mommy while she was sick. I was going back and forth between the two of them changing my shirt and washing my hands each time. I was so happy to relax the crazy sanitation procedures around day 9 when Madelyn finally stopped coughing and sneezing. Needless to say, I was exhausted and my hands were so very dry. On top of that, we were bummed to miss hanging out with our dear friends Brad and Liz and their boys from North Carolina for fear of spreading germs. Madelyn wanted to love on Joel so badly while she was sick. I would tell her she had to stay away from him so he didn't get sick too, but that she could hold him when she was all better. The day she finally got to love on him and hold him Madelyn looked at me with excited, big brown eyes and said, "I all better mommy!" Getting to touch him was her confirmation that she was well.

Joel has been such a good baby. He gives us the biggest toothless smiles that just melt my heart. He is a very alert little man and only fusses when he needs something. He has gorgeous blue-grey eyes, a beautiful complexion, big hands like his daddy and baby soft skin with peach fuzz all over. I love how his hair is fluffy and light after his bath like a baby duck's down feathers. It makes me smile every time. We are still waiting on his umbilical cord to fall off. His sister's took a month and it looks like his is going to take a bit longer. Here are some pictures of the past few weeks. The top one and first two below were taken today.


Looking at his big sister.




Madelyn was thrilled to have Joel beside her as I read them a bedtime story. This was taken around ten days old.


Jonathan won two tickets to a Dallas Mavericks basketball game on Monday for military appreciation day. Joel was such a trooper!!


Thankfully he hasn't decided to refuse bottles like his older sister. He's taken four already! Look at him holding on.