Abby at 1 Month

So this is only 5 days late at this point, but better late than never I guess!

1 month - 1.3.11

Abby,

I can't believe an entire month has passed since you entered our lives and changed our world forever.  While I've already forgotten what life was like before you arrived, well except for being able to actually sleep at night and the ability to get ready and out the door within an hour, it still seems like it was just yesterday that we found out we were expecting you so how in the world can you already be a month old?

This month definitely started out a little rocky once we got home from the hospital.  Mommy's milk didn't come in right away, but since we were new to this whole parenting thing it took us a few days to realize this.  In the mean time, we were starving you and boy were you one unhappy baby (not to mention that I felt like the world's worst mother)!  Once we figured it out we supplemented with formula until I was able to give you what you needed.  this ended up being a blessing in disguise because now you aren't picky at all when it comes to food or how you get it - you'll take formula or breast milk (although you definitely prefer the sweet stuff as evident from the faces you make when you do get formula) from a bottle or a boob and you'll also take a paci.  On average, you eat about 2.5 oz every 3 hours.  Some babies give a few minutes warning when it's time to eat, but not you.  You go from perfectly content to YOU BETTER FEED ME RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND in an instant.  What can I say, you like to eat just like your mommy and daddy!

Sleep still isn't the best, but it is getting better I think.  The first few weeks you really had your days and nights reversed.  You would sleep all day long no matter what we did to try to keep you awake and then you thought it was time to play from 12:30 to 3:00 every morning.  Mommy and daddy were very tired - thankfully, your Mimi came to stay a few times to watch at night so we could get some sleep.  While you still have some relapses every now and then, lately you've been going to bed around 10 or 10:30 and getting up around 8:45 or 9 in the morning with 2-3 feedings in between.  There was even one night that you went 6 hours in between feedings - if only we could get a few more of those!

You lost your cord on Christmas Eve and got your very first real bath on Christmas day.  You started following things with your eyes towards the end of the month, as well as cooing at Franny the Fan, and social smiling (although this is still pretty infrequently, but when it does happen it melts our hearts and makes all the hard nights worth it a million times over).  You really like your swing that Santa brought, your tummy time mat (although you don't like tummy time at all), and your play gym.  You like to ride in the car, but you absolutely hate your car seat.  If the car's not moving, you are very unhappy!  Bath time is pretty hit or miss, but you usually do pretty well until it's time to have your hair washed and then you get really mad.  I keep telling you that one day you're going to go to get your hair cut just so someone will wash your hair, but you don't seem to believe me yet.

We celebrated your first Christmas what seemed like a million times this month with lots of family and while you had no idea what was going on, I think you had a good time because there was always someone to hold you.  You are most certainly a baby who prefers to be held and there are never a shortage of people willing to do this!  You even got to meet Santa.  Once Christmas was over, we celebrated your first New Year's at home with your daddy and I giving you a kiss at midnight.  Not too exciting, but we wouldn't have wanted to spend it with anyone else.

At your one month appointment, you weighed 8 lbs, 12 oz (50%), were 20 3/4 inches long (50%), and had a 14 inch head circumference (25%) so you're getting to be a big girl.  You're still wearing newborn diapers, but they're starting to get a little snug and most of your clothes are newborn as well (but, again, they're starting to get a little small and I imagine it won't be long before you outgrow them).

We also determined at your one month appointment that you have a herniated umbilical cord, severely clogged tear ducts, and a pearl (a small, white cyst) inside your mouth.  All of these sound pretty bad, but none of them are.  We'll watch your belly button and it should heal on it's own by the time you're two.  The clogged ducts should also correct themselves by the time you're 18 months, and the pearl will go away on its own as well.  In the words of your pediatrician, you are a perfectly healthy baby. 

One other thing that was confirmed during your one month appointment was that you have a classic case of colic.  You are a pretty fussy baby and there are times every day (usually at night) that no matter what your daddy or I try we can't seem to make you happy and it breaks our hearts.  We absolutely hate to see you so upset and feel so helpless that we can't comfort you.  It does seem to be getting a little better, so, hopefully, it will pass soon and you will be a happy baby all of the time because nothing makes us more happy than your perfect little smile.

Abby, this has been a very eventful month and we can't wait to see what your second month of life brings.  Your daddy and I love you more than you will ever know and we wake up every morning and can't wait to pick you up and give that sweet little face a kiss.  We can't wait to see you grow and develop into a beautiful little girl (although, please don't do it too quickly).

Love,

Mommy