Home From Tennessee!

Chad, PaciBaby, and I just returned from a five day trip to Tennessee to spend with his family - his father and sister had not gotten to meet the baby yet, as Mom and Josh had come out when she was born. It was a very long drive as always, nine hours each way. We left nearly 1 am last Wednesday night and drove through the night to arrive the next morning, then stayed until this past Tuesday morning.

Nana and PB, reunited

Grandpa meeting PB for the first time

Aunt Cassidy and PB

We had a great time there. We were able to relax a lot more during the day because his family was so wonderfully eager to help out with her. She only slept well for one night, though (getting up every four hours is considered a good night, a bad night is every ninety minutes or more).

Sunday morning we awoke to a beautiful snowfall before church:

Now, THAT is one of the zillions of reasons I miss living up north, or even just a little farther north. There are only 3 seasons here: hot, warm, and rainy.

PaciBaby was weighed on their home scale Friday morning, and she weighed in at a hefty 9.6 lbs! (9 lbs, 9 oz.) Today, a week later, she should be weighing in about ten pounds. She has her two-month well baby visit on Monday, so we will get the official measurements then! My little one is getting chunky. Speaking of chunky, diaper changes + chubby baby thighs = DESIGN FLAW.

I have all kinds of updates on her, but they will wait until the two-month letter. The biggest one, however, cannot wait - in the last two weeks, she has started "social smiling", then in the last 48 hours, those are REAL smiles, plus now she's cooing! It melts my heart every single time. I am so excited that she is developing so quickly - it's weeks earlier than we expected, based on her adjusted age! She has such a little personality now, and is much more alert and active. She responds to everything in her environment in some way.

She is such an adorable little monkey. More later!

First Month's Letter (sort of)

Tiny, precious, just-over-seven-pounds bundle of cute:

You turned six weeks old yesterday. Mama is a little behind on writing your first month's letter!

Oh, Caia. Having you home, here with us finally, has been such a whirlwind. I feel so blessed to have been chosen to be your mother, and terrified at the same time. I'm always kicking myself for doing this wrong, or that wrong, or "is it supposed to be this way?" or "does she want this or that?". I know that the basis of all you want is just food, sleep, clean diapers, warmth, and cuddling in Mommy or Daddy's arms, but I'm always looking for ways to stimulate your mind and help develop your muscles, and I don't want to put too much pressure on Daddy and I, or to take away from any time you just want to spend cuddling or napping in your Moses basket.

You are still this tiny, fragile little being of course, but you are developing rapidly. I noticed today that when I sit you upright to burp you on my lap, you can hold your head straight unassisted for at least several seconds, and look around. Daddy says you've been able to to do this for a couple of weeks, but I don't quite believe him. =) You can hold your head up when you are on your stomach for several seconds, too, and you are still practicing rolling over from your stomach to your back. I haven't seen you roll since we videotaped it five weeks ago, but Daddy says you've done it a few more times since. You continue to amaze us every day.

Your little personality is coming out in cute ways. You are not a fan of having hats on your head, and like to kick off socks very rapidly. When you fall asleep, if I leave your arms unswaddled, you will take your fists and hold them up by your face on each side, particularly your right side. This makes me smile every time because this was the position you were in when we got our 3-D ultrasound image of you - right hand in a fist by your cheek, and other arm under your chin in an L shape to the right arm. You make me laugh every day.

You haven't started to "social smile" yet, as some other babies do at your age, but your pediatrician says to wait that milestone out along with others, because your development will typically be a month behind to catch up with your gestational age. After all, you were due just sixteen days ago! Daddy and I can't wait until you smile at us - you are such a silly girl.

You started nursing from me last week, which amazed me to no end. We didn't continue it at every feeding thereafter, because my supply has been low. But now we have to stop breastfeeding/pumping altogether - I have a medical issue with my eyes who's medicine requires me to stop breastfeeding you. I am not happy about this at all, and feel terribly guilty, but I am trying to remind myself that we got six good weeks of antibodies and nutritional value, and that you will be just as healthy on straight formula from here on out. I have stopped pumping, and boy oh boy is it achy, but it's for the best. I will be treated here shortly and hopefully all will be well.

My baby daughter - I still sometimes can't believe that you are mine. I nuzzle my nose into your neck and inhale your sweet scent, and just close my eyes in wonder that you are half of me. You look more like me every day, after a strong resemblance to Daddy at birth. I wonder whose eye color you will have...?

We are packing up and taking a trip to TN in a week to go see Nana, Poppy, Aunt Cassi, and Uncle Josh, and Daddy and I are so excited! It will be a very long drive with you, but we are looking forward to it. We will get to spend four days with our family, passing you around for kisses and taking way too many pictures. I hope you have a blast, baby girl. We all love you so much.

Right now you are sleeping, and so I am going to take further advantage of this quiet time and maybe get a few minutes of a movie in. Sweet dreams, baby. I love you.

Mama