Staying in the pic.

If you are a mom, and you haven't read the blog post Mom Stays in the Picture please stop what you are doing and read it now. I figured it was a must read after at least five of my friends recommended the article on facebook. Sure enough, it has convicted me. Not only to stay in the picture, but to try to take as many photos of Isaiah at this stage as I did Kaleb. It reminded me that these photos are not only for me in the years to come, but for him as well. (Okay, maybe his wife, ha!)

One of my fav instagram photos as of late:



(I am mrsturek on instagram if you want to follow. Above photo taken with an iPod touch. I brightened and reduced noise using the photoshop app then instagrammed.)

On a random note. Our local mall had "Mexican days" recently so Saturday morning I got out for a bit and was able to check it out. What did I find? Truffles, sushi, fresh bread, sparkling wine, olives, fancy cheese, and a few tortilla shells and salsa. Hilarious.

Four month old Isaiah.

My little Isaiah dear just cooed himself into a happy, sleepy place. And my heart could not be more glad for those sweet sounds bubbling from his lips.

The days of having to bounce him around the house while frantically turning on the vacuum cleaner for noise seem so distant now. Smiles and laughs have replaced the inconsolable cries and screams. I knew the day would come, but I often had to remind myself that it was just a season. I would do it all over in a heartbeat, to be where we are now. Sure, we aren't sleeping through the night yet and I often find myself wanting to complain about the lack of sleep. But when I think about the progress we've made? Well, the shift of perspective makes me thankful to be where we are.

For you mamas out there that are in the same boat we were in just weeks ago. Hang in there. Your time will come. It will come before you know it, even if it does seem like light years away right now.



I have said that I knew right away that we were "in for it." Isaiah entered the world screaming and I quickly called him my "spirited child." This boy seems to know what he wants. He is already rolling from his tummy to back, his back to tummy, is scooting a bit on his tummy, moving in circles given enough time, and is even sitting up a bit with support. He loves his big brother, tracks him around the room, laughs, smiles, and imitates our facial expressions. I am loving nearly every minute of this stage.



Were we "in for it?" Yes. In for so much joy and happiness that this little face would bring to our family.



Lest you think I forgot about big brother, he melts my heart too. This morning he kept coming up to give me kisses on the lips. Oh my sweet firstborn.

Isaiah: Day Eight

I love newborn photos. They capture a stage in life that is so fleeting. These images bring back a flood of memories. I can so vividly remember Isaiah's eighth day of life. He lost his umbilical cord that morning, just in time for photos that afternoon. As I got ready for photos that day, it felt good to feel a bit "normal" again. The incision from my c-section was still painful as my skirt rubbed against it, but I was still feeling much better this time around than I did after having Kaleb.

Day eight: tired, but still running on a bit of an adrenaline after bringing new life into the world. I knew the effort getting photos taken would be worth it in the end. And, it was. Totally worth every ounce of energy.

We are fortunate to have had Creative Images by Tammy take our wedding photos, Kaleb's newborn photos, and now Isaiah's newborn photos. Three months later, I finally got around to creating a video with these images, and I get all teary eyed every time I watch it. My these little ones grow fast. Part of me wants to go back and do it all over again, but the other part is thankful to be through some of the most trying of days. As life goes though, some of our most difficult of days are also the most beautiful.


 
Isaiah: 8 days old from Suzanne Turek on Vimeo.

(A couple of stanzas of Brahm's Lullaby were played in our hospital every time a new life entered this world. Ever since Kaleb was born I have played this version for both of my boys over and over, often before bedtime. Every time I hear it, it takes me right back to the hospital room.)