We've been wondering this for so long and now, after having known him for a week, we've gotten a few insights.
Luke is...Easy to Love
Probably every baby is, but the one we got definitely is! Jacob and I have both been heard saying "he's just so perfect." I think the word would be "smitten." I love seeing the love in Jacob's face and watching how he lights up whenever he sees Luke. And I see the same thing in Jack and Cora's genuine excitement.
Luke is...Popular
This is best captured in the first thirty minutes of being home post-hospital. We drove in to two welcome signs made by big brother and big sister. I then heard "I want to hold baby Luke" (or in Cora speak "I wanna hold baby Lute") pretty much non-stop as we made our way through showing Luke his new house. My instinct says to say yes as much as possible, so that's what I've been doing this week. We wash hands if need be and we've been working to get them to keep their coughs (yes, all four older Landrys have colds, myself included) directed away from the baby.
Cora is easily satisfied with a quick hold; Jack immediately says "I've got his head" and wants us to be hands off (I'm not willing to do this.) The saying "trust but verify" is my motto right now. I trust that they love him completely and genuinely want to be gentle with Luke, but I'm making sure I know where the baby is at all times so that 2 or 5 year old love doesn't result in unintended consequences. (Especially since one of my earliest memories is dropping my brand new baby sister back into her cradle when I, age 5, was caught sneaking in to hold her!!)
Luke is...Alert, Serious, Hard to Impress
As far as Luke's personality, the glimpses we've seen during his awake times show us an alert little baby that doesn't startle too easily and who will gaze very seriously at you. I love these moments of locking eyes and how intimate they feel. He's taking in his new world and taking stock.
Luke is...Not New Here
My sense is that Luke already was exposed to his life in our family while he was in the womb. I know babies hear to some extent and I just wonder if the voices of Jacob, me, and the kids (and the related screaming, yelling, fire sirens, crying, laughing, etc.) don't startle him because he's already accustomed to them on some level. I definitely feel he knows me and I love this connection. From soon after birth, I've been singing the same lullabies I sang during my pregnancy (and to Jack and Cora as babies) and this has been a pretty effective way of soothing him.
Luke is...a ??-head
We were so curious to know Luke's hair color, but the jury is out. Jack was born not with full on red hair, but hair that seemed to have a red tint in certain lights. Cora's hair was dark at birth. Luke's is a different color than theirs, light brown at the moment. Since Jack and Cora's hair changed to their current colors over a few months, we are wondering which direction Luke's will go. Blond is possible. Something with a little red in it? Brown like mine and Cora's?
LUKE
He seems so tiny to us, so sweet, pretty laid back, and I totally get the kids' desire to hold him because that's my current favorite activity too!
I feel like each day, week, month is going to reveal so much more about who this little guy is. Thinking back to Jack and Cora as babies, only the tiniest bits of who they are now was evident. I love this process of discovery!
Probably every baby is, but the one we got definitely is! Jacob and I have both been heard saying "he's just so perfect." I think the word would be "smitten." I love seeing the love in Jacob's face and watching how he lights up whenever he sees Luke. And I see the same thing in Jack and Cora's genuine excitement.
Luke is...Popular
This is best captured in the first thirty minutes of being home post-hospital. We drove in to two welcome signs made by big brother and big sister. I then heard "I want to hold baby Luke" (or in Cora speak "I wanna hold baby Lute") pretty much non-stop as we made our way through showing Luke his new house. My instinct says to say yes as much as possible, so that's what I've been doing this week. We wash hands if need be and we've been working to get them to keep their coughs (yes, all four older Landrys have colds, myself included) directed away from the baby.
 |
| That's a truck perched on baby Luke |
As far as Luke's personality, the glimpses we've seen during his awake times show us an alert little baby that doesn't startle too easily and who will gaze very seriously at you. I love these moments of locking eyes and how intimate they feel. He's taking in his new world and taking stock.
Luke is...Not New Here
My sense is that Luke already was exposed to his life in our family while he was in the womb. I know babies hear to some extent and I just wonder if the voices of Jacob, me, and the kids (and the related screaming, yelling, fire sirens, crying, laughing, etc.) don't startle him because he's already accustomed to them on some level. I definitely feel he knows me and I love this connection. From soon after birth, I've been singing the same lullabies I sang during my pregnancy (and to Jack and Cora as babies) and this has been a pretty effective way of soothing him.
Luke is...a ??-head
We were so curious to know Luke's hair color, but the jury is out. Jack was born not with full on red hair, but hair that seemed to have a red tint in certain lights. Cora's hair was dark at birth. Luke's is a different color than theirs, light brown at the moment. Since Jack and Cora's hair changed to their current colors over a few months, we are wondering which direction Luke's will go. Blond is possible. Something with a little red in it? Brown like mine and Cora's?
LUKE
He seems so tiny to us, so sweet, pretty laid back, and I totally get the kids' desire to hold him because that's my current favorite activity too!
I feel like each day, week, month is going to reveal so much more about who this little guy is. Thinking back to Jack and Cora as babies, only the tiniest bits of who they are now was evident. I love this process of discovery!
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| Luke in his first of MANY fire truck clothes. He's received so many as gifts thanks to his brother's interest! |
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