Joyful weekend

This weekend was perfect.  It was relaxed time with our little family at home.  We didn't do anything particularly exciting or special.  Spending time together, just the three of us, makes me so happy.  Elijah makes me so happy.  It amazes me every day how he can smile and laugh at the simplest things.  Last night I pulled out the hand puppets. While Elijah sat on Daniel's lap, I showed him how the sheep says "baaa" and the chicken says "cluck cluck" and the horse says "neeeeiiighhh."  I repeated this over and over again.  And then I pulled out the chicken and had it say "baa."  Elijah smiled and laughed!  He thought it was so funny that the chicken said the sheep's sound.  I have no idea if he really understood, but it was so cute.  

One of my favorite parts of the day is right after Elijah wakes up from a nap.  I go into his room and unswaddle him in his crib. He lifts up his arms over his head and stretches really big, then looks at me and smiles.  I can't help but smile back.  

I also love to watch Daniel and Elijah interact.  Daniel is such a natural Daddy.  He comes up with fun games to play with Elijah all on his own.  I get so focused on making sure Elijah is fed, dressed, clean, warm, and comfortable, that I forget to just play.  But that's what Daniel is good at.  One of his favorite things to do with Elijah is joke about "Daddy kisses."  He comes home from work and if Elijah is fussing, then Daniel picks him up and says "Oh, did you not get enough Daddy kisses today?"  and then kisses him all over.  Yesterday when Daniel was changing Elijah's diaper, he kept repeating "not enough?  You want more?!" and kissing Elijah on his belly.  Elijah loved it.  

When I was pregnant, I would sit in the rocking chair in Elijah's room and look around at all the things we had accumulated and imagine using them for this tiny baby that I haven't even met.  And now I sit in his rocking chair and look around at the pacifiers lying on the dresser, blankets crumpled up in his crib, dirty clothes in the laundry, and a garbage can filled with dirty diapers.  And it's everything I wanted it to be.  And more.  Of course it's completely exhausting.  If I get 15 minutes to do something for myself (usually sleep) then it's an extraordinary day.  But when I think about leaving Elijah, even just for a couple hours, I don't want time for myself anymore.  Every minute I spend with him is precious.