One Month Old!

My precious Elisabeth Kae, you are a whole month old!

Oh how I wish you knew how thankful I am for you, my daughter. I think I've dreamed of having a daughter almost my whole life, and it's incredible to get to live that dream now and care for and love you.Your brothers are nothing short of spectacular, and I absolutely love being a boy mom, but there is a unique bond between a mother and daughter, and I'm thrilled to share that with you. This last month has been difficult and trying but also so very wonderful. Every time I look at you, I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness for the perfect gift you are.

You look just like your big brother Nathan. There are times I stare at your face and it brings back all the memories of when he was a newborn.

You are nursing every 2.5-3 hours during the day and usually need an ounce of formula after most daytime feedings. Your personality is already showing and you are good at letting us know what you need. Your feeding patterns and personality are similar to your Big Brother Samuel. You make it very clear when you are hungry and are just as clear once your belly is full. It's helpful for us to know your needs. You eat 8-9 times per day. You are a pretty efficient eater and nurse for about 20-25 minutes per feeding just like he did.

You always fall asleep when you are nursing, but almost all the time you are in a light enough sleep that you continue to eat while you are snoozing. I love that nursing is relaxing and comforting to you. You wake up after you eat especially when you are ready for your bottle, and then nap again after feedings. You are pretty sleepy but are having more awake periods as you get a little older. You are sleeping well at night. You usually have a 4-5 hour stretch between feedings and then go back to sleep and have another 3ish hour stretch. You usually have your last feeding of the evening around 9:00-10:00pm and wake up to eat around 1:00 or 2:00am and again around 5:00-6:00am. 

Little girl, you love to be held. I can tell you really crave human touch. You only will tolerate short periods of time without being held if you are awake. You'll lie on your playmat for a few minutes at a time (a little longer if your brothers are playing with you), and occasionally you'll sit in your rock and play by yourself, but you always prefer to be held. It makes it difficult to get anything done or tend to your big brothers, but I'm trying to take it as a reminder of what's important. I know you are growing to grow up way faster than I want you to, so I'll cherish the cuddles and snuggles and overlook the dirty floors and sink full of dishes. Thanks for helping me keep my priorities straight.

Your favorite way to be held is upright with your head resting on our chest. A few months ago a friend recommended baby wearing as a way to manage three little ones. Grammy gifted us with a really nice baby carrier, and it has come in handy since you've been here. We wear you during walks to the playground, during grocery shopping trips, and a lot of times in the afternoons and evenings when you are fussier and the boys are needier. You are so relaxed in it and usually fall right asleep.

You are wearing newborn clothes and newborn diapers. We had a doctor's appointment when you were 10 days old and you weighed 7lbs, 3.5oz. At your one month appointment you weighed 8lbs 14oz and were 21.5inches.  I'm glad you're not as big as your brother and we are getting some good wear out of your newborn clothes. They are all so cute!

As a third child you are learning to go with the flow and be adaptable with your schedule to accommodate our weekly activities. You've been to Story time, taken Nathan to school, church, and today was your first Bible Study.

I'm still trying to figure out how you prefer to sleep. I didn't swaddle you much the first couple weeks of your life. You would sleep soundly enough that it didn't seem necessary. In the last week or so, you've had a little more trouble falling asleep, so I pulled out your swaddle blankets. You seem to enjoy being swaddled, so we'll probably stick with it for nighttime sleep. I rarely swaddle you for naps.

You take a pacifier pretty well unless you are hungry, then it just makes you mad.

You don't like your bouncy seat, but you do seem to enjoy the swing. We keep it upstairs in the playroom so I'll put you in it when I'm upstairs playing with Nathan and Samuel. You'll look around for awhile and then usually doze off. Your brothers like to swing you fast. I have to watch them closely when you're swinging. They also like to bring you toys to entertain you.

You have yet to sleep in your crib with your beautiful bedding. For now you sleep downstairs in our room in your Rock and Play. You nap there too. Someday when you get bigger, you'll get to sleep in that fancy crib of yours!

Elisabeth, I hope you always know how much we love you. You are the best surprise of my entire life. I will always be thankful that God brought you into our family. You are a constant reminder that His plans are always better than my plans.