Wordless Wednesday

Am I Just Lucky?

Occasionally I'll mention on Twitter just how lucky I feel to have such a great baby. World, you have no idea, really. We have a routine that really suits BG, mostly because it is decided by her. She sleeps well, she eats well, she plays well, she laughs often and is generally in a good mood 95% of the time she's awake and she's not been sick yet. She's thriving and seems to be early on almost all of her milestones. Every so often I have people suggest that perhaps we are to take credit for it .

Afterall, I gave her a good start with being extra diligent while I was pregnant. We are good at picking up her cues and not letting her get overtired. We keep the atmosphere here calm and try not to overstimulate her. We anticipate when she will be hungry or when she will need a diaper change. We are almost always upbeat and happy around her (and how could we not, we love to make her smile and laugh). We are quick to comfort when needed and getting pretty good at redirecting attention when her temper does flare.

So the question is, are we just all really in tune with each other? Are we really just lucky in the good baby department? Could our demenure be reflected on our child? Just how much can we take credit for as parents?

I'm more likely to feel like we are just lucky, but I also tend to undersell my own achievements. Either way, I'll give myself a small pat on the back and thank my lucky stars that she is in our lives.


Fist bump mom, 'cuz you're worth it.

You Are Growing - 2 Months

Dear Baby Girl,
You are now 2 months old. It is so hard to believe how quickly the time has gone. Every day with you is a new exciting adventure.

This past month you've visited with a lot of people. Daddy surprised mommy with a party for her birthday. Even with all of the noise, you were very happy. We didn't see you much of that evening because you were passed from one person to the next because everyone was so excited to see you. You even met with our Bradley Method instructor and the other mommies and daddies she taught. She helped to make sure we had all the knowledge we needed to be prepared for your arrival.

There was also your baby shower. You met a lot of daddy's side of the family who came together to celebrate YOU! They were all so happy to finally meet you and get to hold you. Shortly before I went to work, we took our first road trip to see Aunt Ginnie for the afternoon. Did made the trip go smoothly since you slept most of the time.

Mommy's best friend had a baby this month. I know you and he will grow up to be good friends as you two grow up together. You have a new playmate! We can't wait for the two of you to start having play dates when you're a bit older.

There's also been a lot of changes. We haven't been having much luck with breastfeeding. You had another case of thrush and then mommy got mastitis which made her feel really sick for a few days. We decided to stick with bottles and expressed milk from now on. Sometimes you don't seem to like it because we have to take the bottle away so you can burp.

Other than sometimes making you mad, the bottles seem to work. You've not had another case of thrush, nor have you been sick at all! At your doctor's appointment you weighed 10lb, 10oz and were 24 1/4 inches long. You are a long skinny Minnie!

While you were at the doctor's office you got part of your 2 month vaccinations. 1 was liquid you drank. The nurse said you were the best baby she's given it to. Then you got two shots and you were so upset you screamed and made mommy cry. I spent the rest of the day cuddling with you even though you were back to your normal self after you woke up from a nap.

During the past month you've become much more aware of your surroundings and yourself. You've been kicking your legs like crazy and you've been noticing your hands more. Everything interests you to the point that sometimes it is hard to get you to nap. You don't want to miss anything by being asleep. When you do sleep, you continue to sleep in the napper in mommy and daddy's bedroom. Soon though, you'll be sleeping in a crib in your own room. We are also working on getting you in cloth diapers.

You Are Growing - 1 Month

Dear Baby Girl,
Today you are 1 month old, and let me tell you, it has been one heck of a ride! You've changed so much already, and even though I see you almost every minute of the day, I still can see it. You've lost your newborn face, rather it is really filling out. I'm proud of your new neck rolls, it means you are gaining weight.

You were born weighing 8lbs and 4oz, and 21in long. Your size was a shock to us all. One month later, you've gained 1.5lbs and 1.25in. Your doctor says you're growing just fine. Personally, daddy and I think you're growing up too fast! The days are flying by!

You were always a good eater, even though the two of us have had trouble getting breastfeeding going. We visited several lactation consultants to get things started but then we both came down with a case of thrush. You didn't seem to mind, but we felt awful that you were going through it. It did get cured and we're now back on track! We are still having to work on you're latch and will soon be trying to wean you off of the nipple shield that helps you latch on.

You're becoming a lot more aware of what is going on around you and spending more time awake. You love to just sit and look around and make faces. You're even starting to track movement. You've even given mommy and daddy real smiles, not just the ones from when you're falling asleep.

You've been sleeping in the napper next to our bed. The past week or so you've started to sleep through most of the night. You've been such a good baby. We've been blessed to have you in our lives. You've made our transition to parenthood so easy.

In the past month, Baby Girl, you've survived a historical Midwestern blizzard, and 3 weeks later you experienced your first thunderstorm and tornado warning. The weather has been pretty crazy here lately. I think we are all ready for spring so we can get outside and take you on walks around the neighborhood. We can't wait to see what the next month brings us.

SHE'S Here!

Baby Girl born on her due date, 1/29/11 at 3:35pm, weighing in at 8lb 4oz and 21in long with a full head of dark hair. She is an angel, just so content all the time.

I'm on a blogging hiatus for a bit to cherish this precious time with my bundle of joy. :)