My Dearest Belle,
Today, you are one month old.
WE SURVIVED!!!
Between birthing you, the 7-day stay in the NICU, and bringing you home to FINALLY figure out what it means to be a parent to you… it’s been a whirlwind of a month… and time certainly has flown by. Don’t get me wrong: there are still plenty of moments throughout the day when I think, “When will all this start to feel normal??? Will there ever be a normal again???”
And then, I look down at your milk-drunk face fighting sleep while so contently cozy in my arms, and everything else melts away. In that moment, I am overcome with you - your smell… your raspy breath… the way your hair curls out around your ears… how tiny you feel in my arms…
It hasn’t been easy for me to step into the role of your Mama. I’ve been going through a lot of ups and downs - things I will share with you when you are at an age when you’ll understand what it all means. But your Papa has not only stepped up to the plate, but fully embraced the role of your parent in all the ways that made me fall in love with him in the first place.
You and all the little things you do each day are evidence of the miracle that God has gifted us and a testament of how much He loves our family:
You were able to lift and move your head on your own when you were only a little over a week old!
You don’t seem to LOVE tummy time, but you do so well with it!
Most newborns need about 1 oz. of milk per feeding, but you need 4 oz., and there are still days when you need more to finally get you satisfied and asleep.
By the way, formula should be able to keep you satiated for about 3-4 hours, but Papa and I are lucky if you stay asleep past 2.5 hours after your last meal.
At your three-week check-up, you measured 24 in. and weighed 11 lbs. 6 oz. - right on the mark for a three-MONTH old.
When we un-swaddle you after a nap, you like to stretch your arms and legs, and when you stretch both simultaneously, you’re almost too tall for the changing table that comes with your Pack & Play!
You started with Size 1 diapers right off the bat, but Papa and I are thinking you’re now ready for Size 2 diapers already because the Size 1s seem a bit too tight for you now.
Although it seems like every day is an endless cycle of feeding, burping, changing, then putting you down for sleep, each day has been an adventure on its own, and Papa and I are enamored with you more and more with each passing hour. We can’t wait for the MANY firsts we have coming up for you, but we’re trying to remind ourselves that we need to savor these moments as much as we can before they flit away into the past…
Love always,
Mama