Slow down

Slow down little boy! Let mommy catch up... How are you, my little baby, already wearing size 1 diapers? How are you filling out your 0-3 month old jumpers? How are the pants I thought you would have to grow into already snug? Slow down my baby. I want to love you at this stage for much longer.

7 Weeks!

handsome daddy and baby boy

mommy and cutie

punkin'

baby yawn

The Fekkes Family

Sweet love

Sweet baby boy is almost 7 weeks old (Tuesday). 

I can't believe that we get to love on this sweetie every day! 

Thanks to the 75+ weather, we were able to snap some family pictures after church - 

Baby heard Daddy preach for the first time Sunday! 

1 Month Celebration

 "You Make Beautiful Things out of the Dust

You Make Beautiful Things out of US! "

Oh how true are the words to this song. God you make such a beautiful baby and gave him to us! 

Our little "pumpkin, punkin wunkin, little boy, cutie pie, sweet boy, noodle and bug"

has made it to his first MONTH birthday! And yes, we held a photo shoot in his room to commemorate the occasion. Our little love bug has overwhelmed us with love and pure joy over the last month. 

I remember the first night we brought him home, we took turns throughout the night watching him sleep. I couldn't close my eyes. I had to watch his chest move up and down, completely mesmerized by the wonder of our baby boy. 

 This cutie gained over 2 lbs in his first month of life! That is A LOT! He out grew his premie clothes. He averaged 10 diapers a day! He grew 1.5 inches (painful, right?) He curled his finger around mom and dad's and he SMILED!

 Practicing head control!

 Giving up practicing head control...

 Hold me please!!!

We love our little boy. 

Christmas E.L.F.

 E had some photos taken at home today. The cutest ones are of his naked little touchy, but I'm not comfortable posting those for the internet world to see... sad day!  E started the shoot by peeing all over mommy and the couch and finished the shoot by pooping all over mommy...not a little poop...a major poop - ALL OVER MOMMY! Soaked straight through my clothes! I'm so glad we bought a nice camera to capture sweet memories with E. Newborn shoots cost upwards of $800.00 here. So, mommy/photographer/poop cleaner/wife/blogger to the rescue! Oh and little E celebrated his 1 month birthday today - Christmas shoot + birthday shoot!

 Grandparents, you will get this picture printed out as a "LATE" Christmas gift unless you choose another one you want more!

 Just for laughs...naughty ELF! How do you get a baby to relax while you snap photos of him with a big black camera? You nurse him for a minute, lay him down, snap and nurse again!

 So cute, even when he is about to cry!

 Ezra is so thankful Daddy gave him his fair complexion! Tomato is a great color on E. (Wishing I had mommy's olive skin!)

Mommy and daddy joined in for one picture! We love our little family!
(All pictures copyright the fekkes family. DO NOT print or distribute.)

1 Month Expressions!

Favorite face!! 

Tomorrow, Baby E will be A MONTH OLD!! I can't believe how fast time has flown by!

But, look how far we've come in such a short amount of time...E is holding his head up, enjoying some tummy time on mom's tummy, adjusting to a dairy free (mom) diet, grown at least 1.5 inches and climbed up the scale 2.6 lbs!! (That was over a week ago!) E has also become famous on istagram! 

I think E looks like Mark Richt (UGA head coach) in this picture! Holding on to mommy's finger! 

This is E'z "pondering" face! "Hum, let me see, do I want milk or milk..."

My "ignoring you" face! 

"Why yes, I like my belly tickled!" (Cutest face)

"All the ladies go wild over my right cheek dimple!" 

"Look mom, I found my finger! So stop shoving that paci in my mouth!" 

"Nom nom, this finger tastes good!

Loving E's daily changes! Tomorrow will be his 1 month picture!! 

A letter from a fussy baby

Dear Mommy & Daddy,

First, I love you.

Second, I have some things I want you to know...and remember...

Late at night and in the early evening, I get a little fussy. Can you blame me? I've only been in this new world for a month and everything is SO different from when I was inside mommy's tummy. I get a little overstimulated by the new sounds, smells and noises. Give me time to adjust. I promise I will in time. But, when I do cry for what seems hours on end, just remember...

Sometimes I cry because I want to know that you are near...you don't have to pick me up always, sometimes you can just pat my back. Sometimes, I need you to pick me up and snuggle. I know when you are in the room...we are that close to each other...remember I heard mommy's heartbeat from the inside...I know her heart's rhythm. Sometimes, lets face it, you forget to change my diaper and naturally I want to let you know that I'm wet and need a pit stop...don't blame me that my digestive tract is shorter than your arm span!  And sometimes, I know this is hard to understand, but sometimes I just need to cry... I can't talk yet, I can't go for a run, I can't read a book to blow off some steam or pent up energy... so I cry. Love me during these times most and remember that when I cry you have an opportunity to show me love and patience.

Remember that I am thankful for you two as my parents and be thankful for me as your son. God was with me in the "secret place." The creator of creation knit me together in mom's womb. God called me a "crown" and a "blessing," so remember to always love me a such. I will be so thankful that I will grow to love and obey my father and mother. Teach me the way that I should go...even now...even when I'm fussy. God calls you "one" and now I'm "one" of the two of you together. We are a family.

Try smiling when you want to scream. I will learn to smile by watching you. Remember to laugh when you want to cry. You will teach me how to laugh. Remember to hug and hold me tight and I will find rest in your arms. Remember to love me as God loves you and I will learn to love God.

I love you mom and dad,
Ezra

Sweet Baby E had a good week hanging out with his Oma (Dutch for grandmother). 

Oma left yesterday midafternoon and Derek began working normal hours again. Today was just me and E. We had a good time snuggling this afternoon. He is really starting to focus in on objects and his wake time is longer now... sometimes too long! 

But, as daddy calls baby E, our little cutie, we adore him, even when he cries. 

Milestones

So, E has some major accomplishments that he would like to share with his friends and family...
His first NewBorn outfit that actually fits (above) because...

Ezra has gained another 1.3 lbs! For a total of 7.7 lbs!!

This is HUGE! Ezra was born 6.1...dropped to 5.15 two days later...was up to 6.4 by 8 days old and at 23 days he was 7.7! He is still in the 25th percentile in weight, but his pediatrician is very proud of his weight gain and thinks we have a little piggy (fekkes man) on our hands. 

First picture with mommy! 

First time meeting Oma - "grandmother" in Dutch

First UGA football game - Capital One Bowl - UGA = Won!

First wubbanub from aunt Natters = lovin' it! 

First dance under the playmat! 

First manly "leave me alone" face! 

E had many firsts over the past few weeks. 

He had his first shot, first visit to the hospital (to get the shot),

First visitors, first new people to hold him, first bath, first paci, first bottle,

FIRST SNOW!! first UGA game (and win), first Christmas and New Years,

Measuring in at...

E is now 7.7 lbs

20.5" long (born 19")

He is in the 50th percentile in head circumference and length. 

The beginning of a prayer I pray for E each day:

We thank you God for E's ten fingers and ten toes,

For his 2 blue eyes and his little button nose.

We thank you for his heart, his lungs that carry breathe,

We thank you for his health and the times that E can rest.

We pray for E's faith and that will always hold you dear

We pray for E's salvation, that you will always draw him near. 

Life and Times of E...

 Our sweet little E had his first full-immersion bath...I wrote down the date in his baby book, but I can't remember right now off the top of my head. He LOVED his bath, unlike his sponge baths. HE was so fascinated by the mirror and the warm water. Thanks to Amanda, his little turtle thermometer kept the water at the exact right temperature. Our little punkin checked himself out in the mirror during the bath.

 I love this grumpy face. He went to chew on his fist when I washed his hair, but he did not cry. His cord had fallen off two weeks before his bath. Look at his long legs!

 I love snuggling with this cute face. He has such a mature expression. Yes, I am that momma who thinks her kid is the best thing since sliced bread. Look at his big toe...I keep saying he has his daddy's feet...we aren't sure about the eyes, yet. But, oh I love his little piggy belly!

 Poster child for cuteness! He keeps his hands close to his face for comfort. In our sonogram pictures, he kept them close to his face, too.

 Baby E and Momma. Oh such sweet snuggles. Look at that smile??!! Sweet baby E is growing chipmunk cheeks and we are SO HAPPY! His weight continues to go up, Up, UP!

This is next year's Christmas car, or maybe this years...Christmas in July?!

Loving on this little baby is the sweetest joy! Getting his first bath was such a pleasant experience. I was dreading it based on how sponge baths went, but so excited that we have a little fish in our house.

**I remember that it is illegal to take pictures of a naked baby in the state of Georgia so I was careful NOT to take nuddies of E just in case the law was the same where we live. He strategically covered himself for each photo...smart little poser.