4 Weeks Old

Well, the month has flown by! Nolan is now four weeks old and growing like crazy. It seems like he changes overnight almost every day. We had wonderful visits with both sets of grandparents during our first 3 weeks at home with Nolan and couldn't imagine making it through those first weeks without the support and extra hands. Nolan had his first outings to a nearby botanical garden and an olive mill while his grandparents were visiting. He's also been to church a few times and seems to enjoy sleeping through his dad's sermons!

The picture above is our new car...yes, crazy to even think about buying a car when we have a newborn; but we quickly realized that the safety and space of our vehicles were no longer going to work. So, we made the decision to buy a Mazda 5 "microvan." Luckily Aaron was able to quickly sell his 1996 Grand Am (although it wasn't easy for him to part with his first car!). We're very happy with our new wheels and the peace of mind that we're driving something much safer for Nolan (and with enough room for Lana, too).

This past week we have now been settling into parenthood "on our own." Nolan is definitely keeping his own unique schedule right now but we're napping when we can and taking night shifts to keep ourselves as rested as possible. He is keeping me very busy with frequent feedings, and we're still trying to become comfortable and confident with breastfeeding. Nolan is beginning to gaze more intently at our faces and seems to recognize voices much better within the past week. He enjoys his "tummy" time while laying on our chests and shows off his strength with picking up and turning his head from side to side. He has grown 2 inches and gained a little over a pound this month--soon those newborn clothes aren't going to fit anymore!

Check out more recent photos by clicking the link below.

Click here for new pictures of Nolan.

Lana & Nolan

So our dog has a few issues; most of you know that. She's not exactly the most outgoing pup. In fact, she would rather gnaw off her foot than meet a stranger. Therefore, Lindz and I were not quite sure how she would react when she would meet our baby.

The first moments home were honestly a little stressful. Lana walked right up to the car seat, sniffed, and seemed ok until Nolan made a squeak. Then she barked, backed up, and let out a soft growl. Nothing I was afraid of, but it wasn't what we wanted to hear.

Well, long story short, Lana has taken quite a liking to little baby Nolan. She can often be found laying in front of his crib when Nolan is napping. And she likes to lay at Lindz's feet when she's nursing. She even whimpers when Nolan cries. It has been great to see Lana welcome a new member of the family. Here's a video of Lana reacting to Nolan's first attempt at "tummy time."

Why "Nolan?"

Some of you may be wondering how we came to decide on the name "Nolan." Neither of us have personally met someone named Nolan. I am most familiar with the name from the Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan. I tossed out the name to Lindsey and was almost surprised to hear he say she liked it.

Selecting a name proved to be difficult given Lindsey's previous jobs working with special needs kids. It was not uncommon for me to suggest a name and have Lindsey say "Um, I like it, but I worked with a kid with that name and he bit/scratched/hit me." Nolan was unique enough that Lindsey had not worked with any boys by that name, so it wasn't tainted. We liked that the name is unique but not weird or awkwardly spelled. And we couldn't think of any negative nicknames associated with it.

Nolan is an Irish name meaning "noble." When combined with the middle name Christopher (which is also my middle name), he name means "Noble bearer of Christ." Sounds cool to us!

First Doctor's Visit

Click here for updated photos of Nolan

We took our first family outing yesterday for Nolan's doctor appointment. He doesn't seem to mind riding in the car seat (yet!) and is a very content passenger. In fact, he is a much better passenger than patient. It's not that he was very fussy during the appointment, he just happened to let loose about a gallon of pee when we undressed him on the exam table. Seriously, a gallon. Here's the picture to prove it!



Besides that incident (as well as the pooping on the scale incident), it was a great visit. The Doc was impressed with his demeanor, vital signs, and weight. He is now 20 1/2" long and weighs 7 lbs 10 oz. This means he's lost 1/2 a pound since birth, which is normal.

Nolan has been such a blessing and (so far) has been fairly easy to take care of. We're adjusting to the new sleep patterns and learning to decipher his different cries. Lindsey and I both look at each other a few times a day and say "I can't believe he's really here." It all seems very surreal, but also very amazing.

Thank you for all the cards, phone calls, prayers, and well-wishes. We're so fortunate to have such loving family and friends.