1 month old!

To my little love,

Today you are 1 month old!  I can't believe how fast time has gone.  The day you were born was the happiest day of my life, but every day since has only been better as I get to know you and learn your sweet personality.

What's happened in the past month?

You're a breastfeeding pro!  I call you my little monster because you make adorable growling noises when you're nursing.  You often fall asleep when you're eating.  Usually I'll just let you sleep on my lap and watch your cute sleeping smiles.  I can't wait for your first purposeful smile.  I know it's coming soon!  I'm pretty sure I can almost make you do it.

Daddy and I are constantly telling each other just how darn cute you are.  You're so cute that I can hardly stand it!  I love the fact that your daddy no longer has pictures of his car, or the dog on his cell phone.  It's now filled with photos of you.

You make us laugh constantly.  We love watching you watch things....the ceiling fan...a light...your fish tank...a picture frame... :o)  You now can follow us with your eyes and will look in our direction if you hear our voice.  I don' know if you know us yet, but you definitely seem comforted in our arms.

We have lots of nicknames for you.  I call you 'little miss', 'monster' because you're always growling at me while nursing, 'lovey', 'my love', 'sweetness', 'baby girl', 'Carly bear', 'Carly bug' and 'princess'.  Daddy calls you 'squawker', 'munchkin' and 'sweetheart'.  And we both call you Carly May.  Honestly I thought I'd never use your middle name...but it just come out so easily...Carly May :o)  Oh, and daddy thinks you hiccup like a chipmunk!  Adorable!

You and I have gone to a breastfeeding support group about 4 or 5 times so far.  That's actually the first place you and I went by ourselves.  Everyone there always says how cute and alert you are!  Actually, everyone, everywhere always comments how awake you are.  There's too much to see to sleep all the time!

Speaking of sleep.  You are a great sleeper!  For now you sleep in your bassinet next to our bed.  You eat for the last time around 11:30PM and let mommy sleep until 5 or 6AM pretty much every night!  And even then you'll sometimes go back to sleep for 3 or 4 more hours!  I think that the secret is your swaddle blanket.  You LOVE it!  You usually take 2 or 3 good naps every day, but otherwise you're just happy and awake.  Sometimes you'll sit with me or daddy while we're using the computer.  And sometimes you happily swing in your swing.

You've been to the doctors 3 times already and have your 1 month appointment this Monday.  At your 2 week well-baby appointment you had gotten back up to your birth weight (actually 1oz over @ 7lbs 6oz) and grew 1 whole inch, to 20 1/2"!  As of last Tuesday you were 7lbs 15oz, up 8oz in 7 days!   I'm anxious to see how much you've grown.  I'm going to guess that you're 8lbs 6oz and 21 1/4".  Some of your newborn clothes will need to be put away soon!

Just in the past week you've gone several places.  You (and mostly I!) were getting cabin fever and needed to just get out!  We went shopping!  I was a little nervous, but you pretty much slept in your stroller for the whole 2 hours we were out!  You've also been to all of your grandma and grandpa's houses several times, and also to your friend Ryan's house to play.

I have no clue how someone so tiny can generate so much laundry!  I do at least a load every other day, sometimes more!

Just the other day we gave you your first bottle!  You (and daddy!) did great!

 

We also gave you a pacifier.  You weren't sure what to think at first....but it didn't take long for you to catch on!

I've tried to take pictures of everyone when they've held you for the first time.  That's a lot of photos!  You have so many people who just love you so much!

I just can't believe that you've been mine for an entire month already.  It's amazing to know that we get to keep you forever.  I had no idea what I had been missing.  I love you so much baby girl.