4 weeks old

[written earlier than posted--Charlie is now almost 6 weeks old]]

My sweet, amazing little boy is four weeks old (yesterday), and I don't even know where to start. First of all, here's a post I did on social media after the first seven days of being a mom:

7 things learned in 7 days of parenting:

1. J can now safely and believably blame farts on the baby.
2. Getting out of the house takes an unknown, lengthy amount of time.
3. Every look and smile from Charlie makes me at least okay with the crazy experience of labor and birth. I could sit and stare at him for two hours straight (check).
4. It takes a newborn baby in my car for me to finally change my bad driving habits.
5. It takes about five days, but I finally feel confident in my ability to be a parent. Justin has been amazing, and he has completely stepped up as a wonderful dad.
6. People want to help and stop by and bring food. As much as I want to do everything myself, it is not realistic. I take the help gladly.
7. What's left of pregnancy weight and stretch marks doesn't bother me much because I'm a warrior woman, I birthed a baby, and it was the hardest thing I've ever done.

Now that it's been four weeks, there are at least twenty-five other things I would need to add to that list, but I guess that wouldn't be fun to just write a big list. Well, maybe it would. I do like lists. I'll try not to make it twenty-five more things.

[after four weeks]

8. It is possible to go places, and it can be fun, but having a newborn adds an entirely new element. Are they going to cry in the coffee shop? Can I carry the meal I bought and the carrier?
9. Long baths at night are appreciated more than they ever, ever were. I like to make them last as long as possible. 
10. Reading for fun must be done in the bath. Otherwise, it will never get done.
11. Charlie changes every day. He looks so old sometimes; I feel like I can see him as a teenager sometimes, and it's amazing. 
12. I love being with him, but after a long day, my yearning is to get out, take a drive, and get away by myself for a while. Luckily, J respects this, and it doesn't happen every day. It happens about once a week. 
13. Sleep is never guaranteed. It is very sporadic. And it consists of bringing out the boobs every time I'm awake to feed the babe. And that takes about forty minutes each time.
14. I never thought I could feel like a cow, but it is definitely possible and true. Having a machine suck our your nipples right before your eyes is a little self deprecating. Especially when your husband has to laugh at it, too. 
15. I am with Charlie all day. J is at work all day. With this said, I have very quickly learned Charlie's cries and personality, and I think it will take a lot longer for J. I can also change a diaper in record time, and J takes like ten minutes. It bothers me, yes, but he's learning. 
16. The car does NOT always put Charlie to sleep. There have been a couple of scream-bloody-murder-until-home rides. Luckily, they were only about fifteen minutes, but my ears were definitely ringing afterward.
17. Babies fight sleep. It's so annoying! Just go to sleep! Don't you realize how amazing sleep is!
18. Watching shows will become a very interrupted task. 
19. I am a better person because of him.
20. My husband and I make a great team.