2 weeks old and wiser too!

What I love about my little Riley:

• He loves to cuddle.  He hates not being in someone's arms.  When he is asleep he will peek his eyes open to make sure he is being held.  If he is being held he will close them again, and if he is not being held he will start screaming.  SO FUNNY...except for when it is night time!
• He loves his hands more than anything...especially his right hand.  He has to have them up by his face.  When I swaddle him tight in his blanket and put his arms straight he will find a way out of it.  It doesn't matter how tight he is wrapped his hands always find a way out and up to his face.
• A few days ago he started smiling.  Now he smiles non stop when he is asleep and it sure does make mom smile back!
• I love love love his full head of hair.  It is so soft and smooth.  I love that he has black hair like his daddy!
• He has a crooked butt crack.  Oh it is so funny.  He sure is one unique little boy! :)
• He is so very strong.  I cannot believe it.  I swear he is stronger than his mom.  I am AMAZED at how strong his neck is.  His neck, legs, arms....everything is so strong.  I can't keep him down.
• He already knows how to move himself and he is only TWO WEEKS old!  I cannot believe it.  He will bend his legs and plant them into the ground and shoot his body back.  He does it all the time and moves himself seriously like 6 inches in one push.  It is AMAZING.  He also rolls every once in awhile which is crazy that he can do that at his age.
• He is a perfect mix of Allen and I.  He for sure got the Richards gene's in his heighth!  He is 22.25 inches long and has the LONGEST feet and the BIGGEST hands.  All the nurses at the hospital were amazed by his hands and feet.  He looks just like me when he is asleep but when he is awake he looks JUST like Allen.  I love it so much.  
• I love his round face.  He got that from me.  I hate it on me...but I love it on him!

I love so many things about him but my FAVORITE thing about my baby is...

• When he starts to cry he will stretch his neck and quiver his lips and will let out the cutest little cry.  The face is PRICELESS!

Riley is doing great.  He is home from the hospital.  We have a machine that we hook him up to at night time and it tracks his oxygen and heart rate.  If it isn't where it is supposed to be then it sets off the  LOUDEST alarm.  I cannot believe how loud it is.  The company that makes the machine will download the data from it and give it to the doctor.  That way the doctor can see what he is doing at home.  Riley's breathing has been normal again.  He hasn't been breathing quick shallow breaths anymore so that is great!

Allen is working hard and trying to finish up this semester of school.  He is such an amazing husband and father.  He loves his little boy so much and loves to cuddle with him as they both fall asleep.  Riley loves his dad as well.  Yesterday was a tough day for me.  Riley did not stop screaming ALL day long.  He wouldn't sleep.  I nursed him seriously like 15 times...he wanted to eat every hour.  When he wasn't nursing he was screaming.  I had a brief second to get in the shower but then had to pull my hair back wet and thats as much as I could accomplish all day.  Allen came home at 7 and walked in the door.  I felt like a failure.  I was not able to do anything, not even comb out my hair.  The house was a mess and my baby was screaming and I looked like trash.  When he walked in, I looked at him and just started crying.  I felt like I failed as a wife and as a mom.  Allen took him from my arms and told me to go lay down and go to sleep for the night.  How thoughtful of him.  I think that was the sweetest thing that he could have done and it was much needed.  Luckily Riley fell asleep for him and then Allen woke me up at 11:30 to feed him.  Thank you so much Allen for being so thoughtful and understanding!

Today we finished Riley's newborn pictures.  We tried to take them last Friday but Riley was being too difficult.  He was a little bit better today and we were able to get some great pictures.  Maria showed a few of them to me briefly and I am so excited.  They turned out great!  Maria has a ton of photoshoots in the next few days so I will post pictures of this photoshoot when she gets a chance to edit some of them.  Thanks again Maria!  Allen and I really appreciate it!