Hey Jasper! The past 6 weeks at home have been wonderful. You are growing so much every day and we have loved every minute of having you here with us.

Papa has been back to work full-time, so you and Mama spend a lot of time cuddling at home. Mama is anxiously awaiting the warmer weather of summer so you can start spending more time outside. You love being in the stroller (actually, you LOVE being in your car seat), so you and Mama go on walks to the Pediatrician’s office, to the produce stand, the grocery store, and to the West Seattle Junction.

In the past 9 weeks, you have learned SO MANY things, Jasper. One of the biggest challenges you had was learning how to eat so that you could gain weight. First you learned how to suck (a big thanks to your frog Wubbanub), how to coordinate your suck/swallow reflex, how to drink from a bottle, how to latch on to mama’s breast and finally, how to EXCLUSIVELY BREASTFEED!

Jasper, you and Mama have been working so hard. It was really difficult, but Mama knew how important it was for both of you that you learned how to breastfeed. So, after 8 weeks… after IVs, TPN and lipids, gavage feeds, bottles with fortified breastmilk, nipple shields, an SNS, HOURS of your Mama pumping, MANY tears, and fear about you gaining enough weight… YOU DID IT! You are exclusively breastfeeding.

You had been having weight checks with your Pediatrician two times per week, and after one week of exclusively breastfeeding, you gained 11 ounces! Your Mama was SO EXCITED when she saw the scale. You weighed 7# 5ounces and continue to pack on the pounds. Since you are doing so great, we get to wait a whole month until your next check up! Yahoo! We love watching the bag of clothes that you’ve grown out of fill up.

You’re getting so much stronger too, Jasper! You enjoy tummy time and like to show off with how long you can hold your head up. We think we’ve caught a few smiles too! You still LOVE to be held. Watching you grow and get stronger is so much fun and so exciting, bud.

On June 9th, we had a photographer come over to the house to take some photos of us and can’t wait to see them. We really love the photographer and can’t wait for her to take more pictures as you get bigger. Just one week before your birthday, she had taken some pictures of Mama’s tummy when you were still in her belly, then she visited you when you were in the NICU. We think she enjoyed seeing you out of the hospital and growing at home.

Last week was very special – you got to meet your Babcia and Dziadek (Polish for Grandmother and Grandfather)! They flew all the way from Connecticut to be with you for the week. You all went for walks every day and even visited the Woodland Park Zoo! They love you so much and were very sad to head back home. But, you will be making your first trip to New England later this summer to see them again. Your Granny Jan and Auntie Jen also came to give you some snuggles and visit with your papa’s parents while they were in town. It was a very busy, fun-filled week.

Today your papa is celebrating his first Father’s Day. The three of us have had a deliciously lazy Sunday morning and will keep cuddling the rest of this overcast Seattle day.

You are the best thing we’ve ever done, Jasper. We are so proud of you and every day, are amazed with your perfection. You keep growing and getting stronger, little man.