1 Month!

Emily Marie  1 Month Old



 I know I'll say this many more times over the course of Emily's life, but wow! It seems like just yesterday we were meeting her for the first time in the hospital.  Now here we are a month later.  It seems like the blink of an eye and forever all at the same time!  At one month old, Emily is now almost 10 lbs (weighing in at 9.8 oz on our scale at home).  She's mastered the arts of eating, sleeping, and pooping and we still consider her to be pretty easy baby.  We feel lucky to be feeling less sleep deprived than expected at this point and I am so thankful for the easy physical and emotional recovery I've had this time around.  I didn't think I'd had a particulary hard recovery with Noah but I still had to recover from major surgery with him.  This time around I was crawling around on the floor and chasing Noah within days of giving birth and there's no way I would have done that with another C-section this time.  I think just feeling good physically has also helped us make transitions easier at home and for that I'm very thankful!

Emily still nurses like a champ, eating mostly every 3 hours.  In the last week or so she's been awake a bit more in the morning and evening but basically just eats and then goes back to sleep during the mid-morning and afternoon hours.  Evening hours have been the most challenging though--it's as if someone flipped a switch around 730-8 pm where she's basically frustrated with the world.  Thankfully this fussy/crying period is pretty short, lasting only about 30 min to an hour depending on the day.  She's still pretty restless only sleeping off and on till her last feeding around 11pm then she sleeps peacefully.  Night feedings have been the biggest blessing--she usually wakes twice a night but quickly goes back to sleep after nursing most nights.  The last few days she's spaced out her first waking from about 11pm till 3am or so.  3-4 hours of uninterrupted sleep make Mommy a very happy woman! 

As I reflect back over the last month, I have some words I want to share with each of my sweet family members:

Sweet Emily: Precious girl, it amazes me how seamlessly you have fit into our lives already.  We all love you so very much.  You big brother dotes over you, trying to give you kisses almost anytime you are close to him.  I know he can't wait for you to be able to get down and play with him.  I'll have to remember that as you two are fighting over toys later!  Daddy and I love to watch you stretch especially after we unswaddle you--your great big stretches with your sweet little body are so cute!  And we love the faces you make!  You often smile in your sleep and we can't wait for a few more weeks when those smiles start coming more and more and are actually in response to us.  My favorite thing right now is to just hold and snuggle you while you are sleeping and stare at the details of your sweet face.  I never cease to be amazed at the fine detail God created in you--tiny eyelashes and eyebrows, tiny lips, ears and fingers, and all perfect!  You were most certainly "fearfully and wonderfully made"! We are so enjoying getting to know you and can't wait to see your little personality unfold.  We love you sweet girl and are so thankful to have you in our lives!

My Noah Bear: I want you to know how very much we love you.  There is nothing and no one that will ever change that.  You are so special to us!  I have loved watching you grow into your role as big brother to Emily.  You are so very sweet to her.  Though a bit rough at times, the roughness is not a fault but only you trying to love on her the only way you know how.  You make me very proud!  Just this morning it was you that were able to calm her down as I tried to get breakfast ready for us--you gave Emily her pacifier, turned on her bouncy seat, and got an armful of trucks and cars then sat and showed and talked to her about each one.  You are a great helper!  I know the last month hasn't been the easiest for you--you've had to really learn how to share our time and attention.  For a three year old, I think you've done quite well!  We're all still learning, so thank you for the times you've been patient with us.  We'll all keep working on being patient with each other.  I still love to snuggle you and have loved the naps we've taken together in the afternoons lately.  I also especially love learning things with you--doing crafts, learning all about dinosaurs, and all the other fun things we do to occupy our time during the day.  Thank you for being my sweet boy!

And finally to my sweet husband: It seems only fitting that we just celebrated our 8th Anniversary this past year.  Actually we're going on 11 years of  being in each others' lives.  It's crazy to think back to when we first started out and see all the things that have happened in our life together over that time.  I love doing life with you.  I couldn't ask for a better husband and friend or father for our children.  It's amazing to be in love with a person for so many years yet still find new reasons to love them as time goes on.  I've loved watching you be a Daddy to Noah for the last three years and now love watching you begin to be a Daddy all over again to our little girl.  You are so great with both of them and I am so thankful for the positive influence I know you will be in their lives.  Thank you for loving me and loving them and for making our family a priority in your life.