You are one month old today, and Dad and I can't believe how fast time has gone. We call you our "sweet girl" because that's just what you are. You are such a good baby, and we feel so blessed to have you with us finally! We wondered for so long what you would look like, and you are just perfect. We think you look like a blend of the two of us, though some people say you look more like me or Dad. Time will tell!
Sleeping: You are a good sleeper! You slept in our room with us for the first few weeks. While you were sleeping in our room, your "nighttime sleeping period" typically lasts from about 9pm to maybe 7 or 8am. Often you'd sleep for 3-4 hours before waking for a feeding, so you graciously let your mommy get a few hours at a time. Even though I was awakened 2-3 times throughout the night, I never felt helplessly exhausted this month — people even told me that I didn't look like a tired new mom...what a compliment! At exactly 3 weeks old, you slept in your crib for the first time — what a big girl! That first night you slept from 9pm - 3am before you woke up to eat!! Then you went back to sleep for several more hours before you woke up again. I think you like being in your own room, where it's quieter and you can fall asleep listening to a lullaby CD. Thank you for being such a good nighttime sleeper!
Napping for you is less regular, but you will usually take about two naps a day for anywhere from 45 minutes to 3 hours (you like to take a long nap in the late afternoon, which always makes me nervous that you won't sleep that night!). You've had some gas issues and a ton of hiccups, which I think makes it hard for you to fall asleep sometimes.
Eating: You were a great feeder from the start. We didn't have any latch issues, and you gained weight like a champ! It seems like you want to eat more often than the "average baby" — usually every two hours unless you're sleeping at night and then you're able to go longer. And sometimes you eat even more frequently than that, and I feel like I haven't gotten up off the sofa all day! So while I feel like a feeding machine, I'm so happy that you and I were able to have success with breastfeeding. We want to start introducing bottles to you soon so you get used to them. Grandma fed you a bottle about a week ago when I went to the dentist — you were a little clumsy with it but drank 4 ounces!
Stats: By 1 week old, you were just a half ounce shy of your birth weight (8lb. 14 oz.). I'm guessing you weigh around 11 pounds by now. We'll know for sure at your next pediatrician appointment in a couple of weeks. You wore newborn diapers for the first week or two, but only because we wanted to use the carton up that we had on hand. You quickly switched to size 1, and those seem to fit you much better!
Clothes Size: Some of your newborn clothes that we got as gifts were too small even when you got home from the hospital! You wear clothes that are mostly 0-3 months.
Milestones/Firsts: You had your first ride in the stroller when you were 1 week old on a warm summer evening. Dad and I took you for a stroll around the block, but it was a short walk since it was still fairly humid outside. You looked so tiny in that big stroller! We took you for several more walks in the following weeks too, and you enjoyed being outside in the warm sun.
You had several trips out this month — your first was to the pediatrician for your one-week check-up. You did great at the doctor until the very end when you got hungry. But I fed you in the exam room and you went back to sleep in the car. Dad and I ambitiously decided to try having lunch at Honey's Sit & Eat, one of our favorite neighborhood "joints"...you slept the whole time and we really enjoyed our lunch. I think people must have thought we were crazy to have a one-week-old in a restaurant!
That following weekend, we had another outing to lunch at Chipotle and then to Buy Buy Baby to pick up some more clothes and supplies for you. You did really well! I fed you in the nursing room at BBB since you woke up a little bit upset. But you seemed content with me holding you in the store.
You also made several trips out to Wegman's with Grandma and me for groceries, and you seemed to like being in the Moby wrap while we were foodshopping.
You also had your first trip to the Reading Terminal Market, one of our favorite places to have an early lunch and buy fresh produce/groceries on a Saturday morning. My friend Shannon met us there to meet you, and once again you slept the whole outing!
I also had my first outing by myself, and you stayed home with Grandma and Grandpa. They took you for a walk, brought you outside on the roof deck, and you did great! And I had some time alone for the first time in a while — I think it was good for the both of us!
You went to the annual August Birthdays Party at your Great Grandma's house — she turned 80 this year! She loves to hold you, and you two seem to enjoy each other's company! Since you were also born in August, you're the latest addition to the yearly photo we take of all the August babies.
You smiled for the first time (with it not being gas-induced) on the day you turned one month old! We had sensed for a few days that you were starting to show happiness via smiling, but we got a definite, purposeful reaction from you at one-month old. It was so exciting and made us do and say really silly things just to get another out of you.
Likes/Dislikes: You love to snuggle with Daddy and me, and we're not complaining! You don't mind being in the stroller or carseat as long as we're moving. You do not. like. standing. still! At least not as long as you're strapped into a carrying device. You really like to take baths, so we have a fun time each evening washing you up. You don't like having a wet diaper, and we find ourselves going through a ton of diapers! But once you're wet, you're super fussy and changing you seems to make that all better. You love to eat! And you're not pleased if eating is delayed. You just love when Dad sings to you, and his favorite tune to put you to sleep is Three Little Birds by Bob Marley. You like to watch lights and screens (you stare at the curtains/windows, lamps, the television, etc), and you seem to like music.
Visitors: You were a popular girl this month and had a lot of special visitors! In the hospital, Grandma and Grandpa were your first visitors on the day you were born. The next day, you were visited by your Grandma's side of the family (Great Grandma and Grandpa Puffy, Aunt Karen, Rich, Aunt Carol, Uncle Bob, and cousins Christina and Gina). And later that afternoon, Daddy's friends Alex and Rory and Ashlea and Tony came for a visit. Ashlea was only in town for a few days and was hoping you would be born before she left town — so great timing on your part, Katy! Once you got home from the hospital, you were visited by Ashley and Justin and took in your first roof deck sunset with them. A couple of weeks later, you met your cousin Lauren, Aunt Patti, and Uncle Don, who were in town to move Lauren into her dorm at Temple. You also had another visit from my friend Shannon.
All in all, it's been a pretty laid back month. But I must say that I'm glad that nothing too eventful happened! At about one week old, your skin started peeling, and your entire body basically molted! It was a little crazy that we could peel big pieces of skin off of your face/hands/legs/etc. And then you had a bout of baby acne, which made your skin look a little sad for a couple of weeks. But towards the end of your first month both things seemed to resolve themselves.
