Downtown stroll

Today mama and baby ventured out on their own. We went to my workplace to visit grandma and to run an errand. Baby got to meet many of my coworkers. But he was most excited to see his majka.

After making the rounds at work, baby boy and I stopped by Starbucks, walked around the sculpture park downtown, and had lunch at Panera Bread. Baby was so good throughout the entire outing. The weather was also quite nice. I just love this time of the year.

Taking a stroll downtown

Chai latte break

Admiring the sculpture

Content little boy

Heading back

We will try to do this more often. It's a nice way to spend the day together.

Gifts for baby

Mailman has been bringing lots of wonderful presents from family and friends in the past couple of weeks. There was a gorgeous Hanna Andersson outfit that my dear friend Jean sent. This store is now one of my favorites (a Swedish retailer - which is in line with my propensity towards anything Svenskt). Can't wait till he is a little bigger so he can wear the outfit.
I also received a beautiful little handmade keepsake from my friend and former boss Lee. It was a little wooden cube engraved with baby's birth stats. It is so precious, I'm going to cherish it forever.
And then yesterday we received a cushy, beautiful custom-made blanket for baby Jack from my dear cousins in Canada who recently had a little boy themselves. Absolutely adorable.

We are so grateful for all the presents, but most of all, for such caring family and friends. We feel very loved.

Mid-way through maternity leave

Ahh, baby... There is nothing cuter than watching this little boy kick his little feet, flail his little arms, make funny faces and noises. He has also started rewarding us with genuine smiles now and then - not the reflexive ones, but the ones that light up his entire face. He makes little grunts and billy goat sounds when he sleeps, and when he cries... oh boy, I can't believe so much volume comes out of such a wee boy.

So angry!

He gets fussy when he is tired, and he is also colicky every other night anywhere from 8pm to 12am - sometimes for 3-4 uninterrupted hours. He wakes up around midnight and then around 3am, and then again around 6am for his feedings.

Our little night owl

He has slept at both grandmothers' houses and was really good for them. He is now definitely out of newborn-sized clothes, and we are guessing he weighs close to 11lbs now.

Hooo loves you?

Mama and daddy are still adjusting to the demanding new schedule. It is difficult to get much done around the house. We have brief spurts of activity whenever baby boy naps (make meals, wash dishes, pump, do a load of laundry, pick up around the room, check mail), but we can't commit large amounts of time to anything more than that. I'm starting to think about going back to work and how we will transition. It will be hard, but luckily I don't have to face it for another 43 days. I know how incredibly lucky I am to work for an incredible company that allows me to take maximum time allowable to bond with my baby. And I appreciate every single minute of it.