Meeting Toby

This past Saturday, Howard and I made it over to his sister's house to meet her new baby, Tobias! I was rather excited to see the tiniest new member of the family who will now make dinners a group of 7 instead of a group of 6. When my younger brother Matt was born, I was 14 years old. I was enamored, so I would sit by his crib in my parents' room or by the bassinet downstairs in the dining room and just watch him. When I saw Toby, I felt the strange desire to just observe once again. I was so content watching him and his little movements and adorable facial expressions while he was sleeping. I didn't realize Howard had his fisheye lens when he was taking this picture, so he caught me at the corner of Toby's pack-and-play.

Sharon and Keith told us that we could pick him up and carry him, but neither of us wanted to disturb him. Plus, it's been so long since I picked up a newborn and Howard has never directly done so that we were a little nervous about it. Despite the fact that he was sleeping, he was picked up and placed in my arms! Oh, that wee little one! So adorable and so surprisingly light! I think it's funny how easy it is to "forget" just how small newborns are and how you really don't need too much energy to hold them. After a bit of carrying him, I passed him off to Howard because he's going to need practice if we intend on having kids too!

In the early afternoon, we all ate lunch together with my in-laws and with Howard's Aunt Grace who flew in from Vancouver to be here when Toby was born. Toby woke up near the end of the meal, but it was because he was hungry. We waited downstairs in the living room for a bit and watched TV. Then Howard's mom and aunt used FaceTime to chat with one of their other sisters in Canada. It was kind of funny to see just how far we've come in terms of technology that they could do that with Toby in view too. I snapped a quick picture of the conversation as Howard held up the iPad. I think that's why Howard and I would make a good photography duo, don't you think? He can take great pictures, but I see the need to take photos of moments like these! Maybe there will be an opportunity in the future ... as long as I can continue shooting on auto, haha.

An hour or so before we left, Sharon said that we could go upstairs to his nursery and take pictures there. Toby was placed in his Boppy, but he then began fussing a lot. His crying was getting louder and louder, and Howard and I couldn't comfort him while he was lying there, so I just picked him up. I bounced a little and started talking to him. What do you talk about with a 4-day old baby? Um, Disney World, of course! I began telling him how one day we would be able to take him on a vacation to Disney World and how there are so many things to see there. I told him about "it's a small world" and all the colors that he could see. I told him about the castle and all the characters he could meet. After a minute or so, he had calmed down and looked at me as if he were listening to every word! Howard took a close-up picture of him with his fist propped up under his chin like it is in the photo below, and we see it and think it's like Toby going, "Hmm, Disney World you say? Tell me more!"

I fell head over heels for him at this point. I mean, I adored watching him when he was sleeping, but this just hooked me on that little man. He began closing his eyes and actually fell asleep in my arms, but for a few minutes, he kept opening them as if he still wanted to listen. Yes, I know he's just an itty-bitty baby, but hey, I can think about the future days of being the fun aunt who takes him him (and maybe our own kids) to Disney World, right? Every day since then I've said to Howard, "I want to hold him!" 

When Howard went downstairs to grab a different lens, Sharon popped these sunglasses on him so I took this picture. Oh man, look at that expression! Absolutely adorable!

I'm sure I will obsessing about this little face for quite some time!