The First Two Weeks

On December 1, 2015 at exactly 10:30 AM our little boy was born.

Christopher Golden Reed

I couldn't believe how immediately I fell in love with this boy! I guess I had been falling in love with him all along but when I actually held him in my arms it was a whole different story.

He has been such a good baby these past two weeks. He has learned to eat like a champ and sleeps five, six and sometimes seven hours a night. He loves to take naps on mom's chest and snuggle with dad while looking at the lights on the Christmas tree.

The first two weeks have flown by! I have loved being a mom way more than I expected to. I have loved every second with Christopher. I miss him like crazy when he sleeps all night and I can't wait till he wakes up so I can see him again. I love looking at his hairy little ears, back and thighs and kissing his chubby cheeks. He is so perfect!

Bringing him home to the nursery we'd spent so much time putting together was surreal. So many times I had walked by that room and imagined what it might be like to see a baby in the crib. It is so much better to see him there than I could have dreamed. I love spending time with him there.

My best friend, Melanie, came up from Texas for 5 days starting the day after we got home from the hospital and I can't even begin to say how enormous a blessing that was for us. She gave me such confidence in my abilities while she was here. She cooked and cleaned and changed so many diapers. She coached me on breastfeeding and snuggled Topher so we could nap during the day and sleep in.

How do you thank an angel for coming to help like that?

There have been a few days while dad was at work that Christopher and I didn't have anything to do so we just sat on the couch all day. That is heaven I tell you! We have changed so many diapers and been peed on almost daily.

Christopher wasn't a huge fan of sponge baths but sink baths are one of his favorite things.

Christopher is so content and happy, he has the sweetest disposition and I can't believe he is ours to keep forever and ever. 

Mel & Bently Come to Boston

My bestest friend in the whole world came to Boston a few weeks ago. Her husband bought her plane tickets for Mother's Day- thanks Shayne!! I think most of the trip consisted of eating copious amounts of food and enjoying the lovely summer weather. It was probably the nicest week of the whole summer so far- not very humid and in the mid 70's the whole time.

Day 1-- First stop- Kimball Farm! This was a big no-brainer, the ice cream here is just unbeatable. We made sure to get enough ice cream to stick in the freezer at home and nibble on for the rest of her trip.

Day 2-- Pool, all day! Bently is such a fish! All the moms in our ward hang out at the pool every day in the summer so it was fun to introduce Mel to all of them. The moms throw pennies in the pool for the kids to dive after and exchange for marshmallows. Bently dove and dove until he came up with pretty much all the pennies in the pool! For dinner we went out to Swampscott to Paradiso Ristorante- one of our favorite restaurants in the area.

Day 3-- Biscuits with strawberries freshly cut by B. This is a big tradition when I visit the Lehnen family. I always make biscuits with the boys one morning so mom can sleep in. Strawberries on top are a must! Bently made his into a deer with bacon antlers and everything.

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon at the beach in Gloucester. The ocean has always held a special place in Mel's and my heart. It just feels like home even though we both grew up in landlocked Utah. Watching Bently playing in the ocean and sitting in the sun was glorious!

Next stop was- surprise, surprise- more food! We had to take Mel to Bearskin Neck in Rockport for a freshly cooked lobster. She had only eaten lobster once before and didn't really like it but we quickly converted her with one freshly caught and cooked up by a burly fisherman.

Bently wasn't as sure he loved it...

That evening my boss' family threw a dance party. It was such a dream! Thomas and I brought some music and everyone at the part took turns plugging in their phones and playing their favorite songs. Bently danced all night long and made a couple friends. Everyone was very impressed with his dance moves. At one point he came up to Mel and said, "Mom, I think I'm about to be famous!"

Day 4-- Downtown, Shake Shack, Boston Public Garden for Swan Boat rides and Boston Common Frog Pond. We walked a lot this day! The weather was so nice that we hardly noticed.

Bently looked forward to the frog pond all day! He was soaked in a matter of seconds! He was so fun to watch play in the water and at the park next door. It was a nice relaxing break for us to just sit in the shade and chat too.

Bently carried his balloon dog around with him for the rest of the trip. He was devastated when it started to deflate a few days later.

Day 5-- sitting around the house and church. Taught B how to play Uno. Baked chocolate cake and went for a walk around the neighborhood. For some reason Bently was obsessed with our basement. He thought it was just the coolest place he'd ever seen. Every time we left the house he wanted to go through the basement and out the hatch doors. He even asked to sleep down there. When we asked what he'd sleep on he replied, "Oh, maybe in a cage or something". So weird!

^^ Bently love climbing the trees in our yard too, they don't have many big trees in Texas^^

Day 6-- I went to work, met Mel and B at the park to play hide the stick. This is a very complex game where Bently hides two large sticks somewhere in the park (it's a tiny patch of grass) and we have to go find them. Surprisingly it kept us all entertained for quite a while.

In the afternoon Mel and I went through the nursery and all the things we have for the baby. We talked about the essential things she had with her boys and we drooled over the tiny clothes. I loved having her there, it made me feel like this whole baby thing is a lot more manageable than I sometimes think it will be. 

Mel and Bently left early the next morning. I was really sad to see them go. I'm pretty sure I cried most of the way home. Next time I see Mel I will have a baby! That is so nuts to me! I remember the days when we would drive around town in our old beater cars in high school. Things have changed so much in the past 13 or 14 years. I love all the life we've experienced together and I am so grateful that I have this girl to call my friend and sister.