Sweet Elias Leigh

It's been seven months and two days since sweet Elias joined our family. Seems like yesterday and years ago all at the same time. He melts my heart on a daily basis. Besides his cat napping tendencies of late, he really is a sweet, sweet baby.

From the beginning, Elias was a different little newborn than Asher. He was born and immediately became a nursing champ. He nursed and slept and nursed and slept. It was such a stark contrast to Asher at that age. I thought to myself many times - So this is why people love newborns!

Looking back, I think a lot of it had to do with my mental state and being a halfway experienced parent. The things that were locked in my mind for concern the first time around (nursing, screaming, pooping, puking, gagging, bumps, grunts, sleeping) weren't an issue in my head with Elias. It was amazing.

I began to understand why some people say that maternity leave was the best time of their lives. I understood why people said 'sleep when they sleep' because Elias did, in fact, sleep. And if I didn't have a toddler, I would have slept a lot those first three months.

I didn't worry about breastfeeding supply issues or the number of poopy diapers or the spitting up. I nursed whenever and wherever I felt like it. I shopped while he snoozed in his carrier. I just thoroughly enjoyed each and every sweet moment with this little guy.

And his grins, oh his grins. He smiles at the sight of me. He smiles at passersby at the store. And those dimples, oh they kill me. He is going to melt some ladies one day, I just know it. And he's loud. Really loud. Like really, really loud. I think it's because he has to make his presence known around his talkative and sometimes tantruming brother. He snores like a grown man. And makes you really work for his giggles.

He's a grabber. Whether it's my shirt, or a lovie or the nearest anything, he likes to grab and snuggle. I started laying a little lovey under his head when I put him down. Then, when he reaches to settle in, and starts scraping at the sheet, he grabs the lovey. It's adorbs.

He makes these cute noises when he nurses. And he likes to grab my face and scratch my lips. He gets himself settled in my arms just the way he wants. And he sprawls out in his crib and sleeps in the position that I love best, too. He sucked his thumb for a few weeks, and then sadly stopped. I loved seeing him find his thumb and sooth himself. So sweet.

He has chubby cheeks and skinny legs that tell stories all on their own with their crazed kicks. He scoots around on his back and is mesmerized by furniture legs. He wraps his little arms around my face and slobbers on my chin.

He's equal parts calm and drama. He's happy to be held - all the time, any time. And, he's pretty much a mama's boy so far.

He fits right into our family. And right into my arms. And has doubled the size of my heart.