Last weekend we went to visit Great Grandma Goodenough in the hospital. She smiled when she saw me… I seem to have that effect on people! Unfortunately, she passed away a few days ago and today we attended her funeral. I put a white rose in her casket so she knows that I loved her. I know I’m going to hear stories about her for years to come… stories of cheese popcorn, pork chops, casino runs, blonde brownies, camping, cheering for the underdog, fishing contests, 48 hours, Judge Judy, cats, Euchre, and more. I can tell she was pretty incredible by how deeply she was loved. It’s funny how you can miss someone that you’ve only just met, but I trust that I will see her in those around me. And I hope that, somehow, she sees me too.

Today my lovely parents took me on my first 4-wheeler ride. It was so much fun that I decided to sleep throughout the entire ride… what a blast! It’s sort of like riding in the car, but much windier. And bumpier. Yet, more peaceful And nature-y. And really, not so much like riding in the car after all. At any rate, I think I’m going to like hanging out with mom and dad. I can’t wait to sleep through the next big adventure they take me on!

I have arrived… cute as a button! My name is Jaeger Amari Goodenough. Jaeger (pronounced “Jay-ger”) means Hunter, and keeps me connected to my German origins. Amari means courage, strength, and to be loved. Amari links me to my African and Mexican/Spanish roots!

The date was Wednesday, April 16 (7 days past my original due date) and the time was 5:26 p.m. (21 hours after we arrived at the hospital). Mom said I was stubborn and late, but cute nonetheless. All 21 inches and 7 lbs, 5 ounces of me… cute, cute, cute! I started out life as a conehead because Mom tried to push me out of the birth canal for 3 hours! When that didn’t work, the doctors decided to perform an emergency c-section. Yikes… that was a little scary.

Once I came out, I got taken to the NICU to be treated for a possible infection. Although I couldn’t keep my temperature up initially and I needed a little bit of oxygen, I seemed to be in pretty good shape. It turns out I never had an infection, but I was a little jaundice and so we ended up staying in the hospital for 5 days!

I finally got to head home on Easter Sunday (April 20). We stopped at Aunt Julie’s where I got to see a bunch of my family, including Great Grandma Goodenough! After that, I got to settle into my new home with mom and dad.