not a fan
Levi is not a big fan of bath time.
The first two weeks he just screamed.
The entire time.
I know that is normal, but I think this mama and daddy forgot.
Cora loved bath time.
Of course she screamed at first too.
But, we have such good memories of bath time with her.
Especially with daddy.
Cora always liked bath time with daddy better.
So the first night we gave Levi a bath,
I got the camera and video camera ready.
We videotaped Cora's first bath
and I wanted to videotape Levi's first bath too.
Levi immediately started screaming...
and by the end we were all in tears.
Levi was just mad.
But his mama and daddy were missing Cora and all the "fun" bath times.
This bath and the screaming wasn't so fun.
Poor Levi.
We know the fun bath times will come with him too.
After all the poor guy was only a few days old!
It was just one of those many things that caught us off guard.
One of those times when the memories started flooding back,
and our hearts just hurt.
This week bath time has become much more enjoyable.
There is no splashing or laughing yet,
but at least Levi is not screaming through the whole thing.
And mama and daddy aren't crying anymore either.
like he was going to smile at us.
What a sweetie.
And there is nothing better than cuddling with a squeaky clean baby!
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If you are wanting to enter the Cora's for Calla giveaway leave your comment here.
posted by the mcclenahans @ 3:02 PM
53 Comments:
Wow! That does look like a smile in that last photo -- nice photo!!!! I'm glad Levi's doing better with baths...Luke screamed for the first couple of weeks as well. Then, since then, it's all been good. I haven't talked with you guys in awhile...Hope all is well.
he's so adorable! Even when he's mad :) He'll be splashing and loving it soon. How can he now, he has such great, loving parents to share his bathtimes with :)
oops I meant "how can he not" sorry!
Oh my goodness he just gets cuter every day! What a sweet little guy you have!
Look at that gorgeous smile in the last photo! Adorable!
He is SO cute.
I can only imagine how the memories must come flooding back with each new milestone.
It's so funny how siblings can be so different, too! Although, it looks like he's well on his way to loving the bath.
Chloe has hated the bath since the moment her toes first grazed the water!
With Camden, on the other hand, you can't get her out of the water!
Have fun with that little guy :)
He is adorable, I love the last picture.
I sent you an email about entering some Dishwasher safe labels in the raffle. I hope I can help any way that I can.
Here is my etsy store
abivens2.etsy.com
Caroline
I have been following your blog since I learned that Cora was so sick about a year ago. I prayed for her with so many others and hoped for the best. I don't know your family, personally, but I still get teary-eyed when I think about all of you. I can only begin to scratch the surface in my thoughts about what kind of an emotional roller coaster this has been for you and Joel. You have continued to be in my prayers.
I am not trying to bring you down in writing this comment today. It's kind of a bittersweet thing; I know you've experienced a lot of "bittersweet" in the past year. When I read the part of this post where you mentioned that ALL of you were in tears during Levi's bath, I just felt really sad for all of the aches that you must feel in missing Cora so much even while being blessed with your beautiful new baby. I can really appreciate how hard it must be.
When I saw that first picture of Levi in the bath on this post, something about his facial expression reminded me, ever so slightly, of a picture I saw that you posted of Cora getting a bath with her daddy. I think it is because they are both looking kind of sideways out of the corner of their eyes. I just found it amusing that they had a somewhat similar expression at bath time. See the post from 12 January 2009, to see Cora's sideways glance. It's the 3rd one down. So cute...
"[The Lord] heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
Psalm 147:3 NIV
I pray that the Lord continues to heal the broken places in your hearts and binds up your wounds.
"He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy."
Job 8:21 NIV
I will continue to pray for all of you.
he is SO cute! thanks for sharing.i will be contacting you about calla...would love to help out.
P.S. ~ I was trying to figure out the appropriate description for that look Cora & Levi each exhibited. I thought of it after I posted my comment. It's the "We are not impressed" look. :)
what a little sugar! bless your sweet hearts.
He is so handsome! What a precious little guy he is!
Oh that last picture just melted my heart! He is a cutie pie!
Praying for you...
That last photo made my heart melt.
Levi looks SO much like his Mamma! Beautiful babe....won't be long and he'll be loving it I'm sure!
I haven't visited in a while and don't post often, but this was my first time seeing Levi and wanted to congratulate you on this special blessing. May he bring you a great deal of joy and may God continue to comfort you all.
Sweet baby. I remember sitting in the tub and having my husband hand me the baby. it was so relaxing to take a bath with them when they were so little. my first had big-time colic and that was the only peaceful time of day....I forgot those early baths too; the newborn screaming part; not so fun.
Aww--that *IS* a sweet smile in the last picture! And I had forgotten about those screaming bath times in the beginning--not fun!
he is just so precious! he's beautiful!
Your little son, Levi, is so precious. We thank God for him and for you two who are his parents whe will love and nurture him in the church. I have read your blog since you asked for prayer for Cora, and now she is being held in the loving arms of Jesus. Now we are praying for Calla. I have donated $30. and if I understand things correctly I will need to send you three comments for the raffle. I will post two more. My granddaughter lives in KC and will have our new great granddaughter on Jan. 29. I will have to figure out a way to get the new baby one of the Cora dresses. Bless you for the support you are giving to the Johnson family right now. Love and prayers from Marylou Levrets in Abilene, Texas. My email is levtalk@aol.com
awww. i about cried, too.
Comment # 2 for the raffle. I did enjoy so much seeing the pictures of your new baby. Sorry he did not like those first baths. It has been a long time ago when my children were babies, but I can still remember the screams during those baths in the early days. I think both mom and baby cried together.
Comment # 3
Hello again, and I do commend you for the love and support you are providing little Calla and her parents.
I'm sure that was hard. It's one thing to prepare for things you *know* will be tough, but the the unexpected memories just aren't fair!! I'm glad the baths are going better. He is such a cutie & that smiley picture is adorable!!
Omigoodness, is he a handsome little guy! Looks like a smile to me!
I haven't lost a child, but I think back to my second child and I struggeld with how to love my second one so much without feeling guilty I was somehow slighting my first. I can only imagine that is exponential for you. And all the unpleaseant memories always get pushed to the side. I would imagine again that is more so for you. Those post pardum mommmy hormones had me in so many tears as well without all the feelings of loss. It will get easier and eventually you'll forget the screaming baths (I did until I read your post) because those will be few and far between but the ones with giggles will happen more often and there will just be plain more happy memories to have, but savor them all. One of my favorite pictures of my son is when he threw a tempertantrum. It was so uncharacteristic of him it was special. I hope everyday for you to have peace. Love to your and your family.
That last picture of Levi is definitely sporting a happy baby smile for his mommy & daddy. :)
so glad to hear those baths are going better for all of you - Levi can't miss out on bath time with daddy for too long - daddy's just too much fun!
Ohhhh he is such a sweet sweet boy... I had tears just thinking of you guys crying... and him crying....
But that last photo, that is all worth it huh!
The fun baths will come soon!
Praying for splash-time happiness... and all the rest of course!
♥
What a cutie!! A true gift from God. Continually praying for your family.
Marsha in VA
Those pictures are just beautiful!! :)
Oh wow, he looks sooo much like Cora in the last picture. I can only imagine how upside down your hearts must feel. I remember your bath time pictures of Cora - you had her in the sink because your bath was "sick" at the time - and she had the funniest facial expression. You must miss her all the time. I hope Levi is bringing you some much-deserved joy as you continue to work through your grief.
As for the screaming first few baths, with all three of my kids we ended up only bathing them once a week. When they were as little as Levi we didn't bath them at all, just sponged them. I found it was gentler on their skin if I left off soaping them much. I'm not telling you how to bath your baby, just that it doesn't matter if he doesn't like it yet; they do grow to love baths either way. And I do believe Levi is smiling in that last one!
Keep the pictures coming, he is gorgeous!
I think they all scream at first but he looks much more content in those last couple of pictures. Love the last one - he'll be smiling at you during baths in no time. Praying for all of you as you remember past times with Cora and make new memories with Levi.
Oh, that precious little man! My kids didn't like baths when they were that little either, but they soon grew to love playing in the bath as they got a little older. The smile in the last picture is so sweet!
Oh I can't imagine how hard it is to be dealing with Post partum hormones and grieving your sweet little angel at the same time. You have hundreds of loyal readers thinking of you and praying for you and I hope that eases the burden. Early days with a baby are stressful (though joyous too!) at the best of times, and inexorably so in your case. Be very very gentle on yourself and take comfort in your faith and your friends, both IRL and here. Hugs, C
That smile is precious! Jillian did not like bath time either.......
what a beautiful baby. i'm smitten.
I was just thinking about you this week and I couldn't remember when your baby was due. But now I now that you're little boy has already arrived and you're all doing well. I have a Levi, too! Blessings to your family!
It's such a foreign feeling for them, I think, it just takes time for them to feel comfortable, mine all did the same...but here's a product that looks interesting, I would have tried it if I had known about it...check it out, it's a European baby bath(spa)...
http://www.spababytubs.com/
I love that last picture, Levi does look like he's smiling! Such a handsome boy!
Man that boy is cute. I could eat him up!
Please do not compare everything to Cora, this is so not fair to Levi. Perhaps you should have had more time to grieve before having another child.
He is absolutely precious, Jess. And I love his name. He looks like his daddy!
xoxo...Kathy
Oh my goodness, that last photo is precious! He is a beautiful baby boy. Hopefully he learns to love his bath!
He looks has this look like are you serious? Most tiny ones don't like bath time. They spent 9 months warm and cozy. Bath time is cold brrr... I'm glad he is doing better, and that everybody is starting to enjoy bath time. I'm sure it's hard with all the memories that each milestone brings back.
Hi I just found your blog. Your little guy is so cute. Love the last pic!
That last picture is precious! When I gave my first a bath the first time at home, my parents were video taping. I was so nervous. She screamed the whole time. And as soon as I got the towel around her and began walking to our room where the diapers were, she pooped! I stopped in my tracks like a deer in headlights. Of course it's all on film.
Sorry about the rough start with baths. By the time I had my third, I didn't even give her a real bath forever. Although that came back to bite me in the rear, since even though she was older she hated it, and screamed louder than she would have if she were small. haha Joke's on me.
He is a cutie!! I have been following your blog for awhile..I think of your family often..Many prayers have been said for you and your family!
Looks like a smile in the last picture...Levi is a beautiful little boy!
He look does look like he is smiling...Preying for yall and lots of fun bath times to come of sure of it
What beautiful photos! He is gorgeous! I think he looks like his daddy in these pics ;)
PS. Just been over to Whatever - such stunning photos!!!
Been thinking and praying for you ALL day and know that our hearts were with you today and this most hurtful day in your life. I am praying Levi has helped this day God Bless.... here in NY
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