Our Five Ring Circus: Month One

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Month One

Dear Liliana,

It's so hard to believe, but you are one month old!

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I'm a bit late with this, because I just got around to taking pictures of you in your one month onesie today. You actually turned 6 weeks old today!

It took me so long to take them because you slept non-stop up until two days ago! Every time I would attempt to take pictures, this would happen:

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And...it happened again today, so our photo session was cut short!

You are an amazing sleeper. You will sleep anywhere and through anything. You were sleeping in 3-4 hour stretches at night in the hospital, 4-5 hour stretches at night before you turned a week old, and now you average about 6-7 hours at night. Other than a few rough nights, we are all getting plenty of sleep!

You slept through most of your days up until this week. I would actually start to miss you and end up waking you up, because you slept so long! It's funny how I feel like something is missing when you aren't in my arms.

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It's amazing how much you've grown over the past month. At birth, you weighed in at 8 lbs 12 oz and you were 22 1/4 inches long. You quickly dropped down to 8 lbs. At that point, you looked like a plucked chicken...long and scrawny! At your 1 month checkup you weighed in at just over 10 lbs, and you were 23.5 inches long. You are wearing newborn and 0-3 month clothing and you just moved into size 1 diapers today. You are above the 95th percentile in height. You are taking after your brother and sister!

You still have the pale golden blond hair that you had at birth. It is growing in even more. We joke that you have more hair now than your sister had at a year old. Your eyebrows and eyelashes have grown in, but they are so pale that you can't see them! Your eyes are still blue, and we're wondering if they will stay that way. You still have a layer of downy fuzz covering your entire body, from your ears to your arms to your cheeks to your back. Your skin is so soft, and we are constantly stroking your ears, shoulders, and feet. You had a pretty bad case of heat rash/infant acne on your face and neck, but it's finally clearing up with the cooler weather. I'm so happy to see that beautiful, rosy skin again! Your fuzzy head has earned you the nickname "Fuzzball." You can thank Lexie for that one!

When you were in my belly, I constantly said that you were bony. There was always a hard lump sticking out of the side of my belly. I now know that those were your big feet. Your heels are so bony!

Your umbilical cord stump didn't fall out until after you turned 3 weeks old! You now have the cutest belly button...it looks like a smile!

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You have the tiniest bum and hips. We have tried size 1 diapers on you, but we have to overlap the tabs. I finally ran out of newborn diapers. You wore your very last one today. It was bittersweet putting it on you for the last time!

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You love to cuddle! If you are being snuggled, you are perfectly content (especially in my arms). When you were just newly born, I would lay you on my chest, and you would scoot up until you were perched on top of my shoulder with your head buried in my neck. You were like a little parrot. You are now too big for that, and I miss it so much!

Your brother and sister are still in love with you, and constantly want to hold you. They adore you! You fit in perfectly with our family from the day you were born.

Other than fuzzball, Dylan and Lexie love to call you Chilly Lily and Silly Lily. Some other nicknames are Lily Bit, Lily K, and Lily Kate. Mommy and Daddy call you fuzzball a lot too. You are the cutest little fuzzball! Even though you were Nugget in the womb, the name didn't really stick!

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Toward the end of your first month, you became much more alert. You actually rolled from belly to back for the first time just before you turned one month old. You have done it two more times since then! You love to lay on the floor or on your playmat and kick. You really get moving, and those kicks and punches are adorable. Your movement is so jerky, and it looks like you are swimming!

You are such a strong baby. When you are on your belly, you push your head and top of your chest off the floor and look around. Your pediatrician was extremely impressed at your strength at your 1 month checkup!

You started smiling early on, but those smiles are impossible to capture!

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On Monday, when I was sick in bed, you were snoozing next to me. You woke up before me, and I could sense that you were kicking and looking around. I opened my eyes and said hello to you. You turned toward me and flashed me the biggest smile. It melted my heart!

You are the sweetest, cuddliest little baby. You do have a bit of a temper though, especially when you lose your binky! You hiccup all the time, and it really frustrates you. You usually end up crying and hiccuping at the same time!

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The drama starts early with girls!

Another bad habit? Pulling mama's hair!

Your days used to consist of (mostly) sleeping and eating, but now you are more active and awake more during the day. You are a quick nurser now. Once or twice a day you have a long nursing session, and usually fall asleep, but most of the time you are done in 5-10 minutes. It's doing the trick though, because you are growing perfectly!

Other than having to get your tongue snipped, you have been an incredibly easy baby! If you have a full belly, a clean diaper, a binky, and comfy arms to lounge in, you are happy!

I love how you root when you are hungry. I love how you tickle my neck with your nose, and how your breathing gets faster when you do that. I love when you stare up at me while you nurse, and hold onto my arm. I love how you fall asleep in my arms, and are content to stay there for hours. I love how you pull your knees in and stick your butt up in the air when you are on your belly. I love every single inch of my adorable baby!

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I carried you for 9 long months, wishing time would hurry up so I could meet you. Now, I'm wishing that time would slow down. You are growing way too quickly.

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I can't even believe over a month has passed since you were born. I remember your birthday like it was yesterday, yet at times, it seems so long ago. It feels as if you have always been with us.

You are my sweet baby girl, and I am treasuring every single moment with you, because these moments are fleeting. I want to remember everything.

This letter was honestly difficult to write. How do I write about just how much I love you? How do I sum up every moment with you, everything I love about you, everything I want to remember? It's impossible to do. All I can say is that I love this. I love being your mom. I love my moments with you. I love YOU with all of my heart. I am blessed.

Happy 1 month, Liliana Kathryn! I love you more than words can say!

Love, Mommy



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16 comments:

  1. She is so adorable and man.. 6 weeks already, time flys.

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  2. I totally felt like I could have written so much of this! I wish time would slow down. Our girls are growing up fast. Lily is gorgeous and you are such a loving mama, Stef!

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  3. Such a sweet post! She is so beautiful and the picture of you holding her is precious!!!

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  4. Happy first month sweet baby girl!

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  5. What a precious post, Stefanie! I can see how much you love your family and your words are so wonderful to read. What a blessing that your little girl sleeps so much :).

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  6. Awhh that brought tears to my eyes. Happy 6 weeks Lily!

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  7. What a sweet letter to her!!

    She's incredibly adorable.

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  8. She is so cute! And this just may be the sweetest post ever! She looks just like Lexie!

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  9. You daughter Lily is beautiful, what a wonderful keepsake, I wish had of thought of it. I am lucky that I have kept up with my baby's memory book. Very cute! Happy Birthday Lily!!

    Lynn



    Can you remove the previous post that I sent you under Jamie Boyle, my husband wasn't signed out, sorry!! Thanks you (You can delete this too :)

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  10. Her belly button does look like a smile. LOL

    Cracks me up that she fell asleep during the photo shoot.

    You'll capture one of those smiles soon, I'll bet!

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  11. what a sweet post Stephanie! She is perfect, and you are right about the smiley belly button! Cute!

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  12. Awww! Such a sweet post! :) Happy first month Lily! Hugs!

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  13. She is darling - happy 6 weeks! Love all those changes that happen - but not how quickly they occur! :)

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  14. Awwww. That was so sweet and it brought back so many memories from when Daisy was a newborn. I still wish I could go back to the day she was born. It's just going so fast!

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  15. She is adorable - her smiley belly button is too cute!

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