Dear Siena,
I can’t believe it has been a month since you entered this world! You certainly took your time but you were worth the wait. This month was all about getting to know you and although we’re still learning, your dad and I feel like we have you mostly figured out (until, of course, you decide to change!). Being your mom is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and the happiness I feel when you’re in my arms is indescribable.
When you first came home from the hospital, you didn’t seem very aware of what was going on around you, but by the end of the month, you clearly focus on your daddy and mommy’s faces and I SWEAR you smile at us (probably just gas but it make me better to think that you really are smiling at us). Although we had a rocky start with eating (you love to nurse, but your lip and tongue tie weren’t allowing you to get enough food), you’re now gaining weight quickly and are starting to fill out your newborn size clothes (newborn size pajamas are actually a little too small since you are so long!). I can’t wait for you to graduate to your 0-3 month clothes because you have quite the wardrobe waiting for you!
You are a popular baby and have had a lot of visitors! Your Nana and Boo (Dad’s mom and dad) and Aunt Claire and Uncle Josh have come to visit about once a week since you were born and your mom and dad are so thankful for their company and the food they bring! Your Grandma Ewing, Great Grandma Ewing and Aunt Kerry came to visit as well as your mom’s cousins Jessica and Jaclyn. Lots of your mom and dad’s friends have come to visit too and having so many visitors has definitely helped your mom and dad get through this first month.
Your favorite place in the world, besides on my chest while nursing, is the car seat. Funny, because we thought you hated it the first week. When we know you’re full and have a clean diaper but are still crying, the easiest way to console you is to put you in the car seat and swing you! We put on the white noise and you calm down and fall asleep quickly. You also love to go on walks and every single day this month mommy and daddy took you for a walk, starting when you were one week old. We take you through the neighborhood to the dirt trail near the house and as soon as we get on the trail you fall asleep – you love the bumps!
We’ve been told that you are very alert for a newborn! Even now that we have the eating thing down, you still love to spend time wide awake, taking in your surroundings. You sit in the Rock n’ Play or in your bassinet calmly and we can’t help but wonder what you’re thinking about before you doze off. We are thankful that as long as you’re well fed, you don’t cry a lot and you fall asleep easily. Right now you are sleeping pretty well for a newborn, usually with two feedings in the middle of the night with about 2.5-3.5 hours of sleep between and normally you are able to go right back to sleep after you eat and daddy swaddles you.
Your daddy went back to work this week after taking four weeks off to get to know you better. I am so thankful for the uninterrupted time we got to spend as a family of three. Your dad is so helpful and mostly takes care of things like making breakfast, bringing me anything I need while nursing, and swaddling and rocking you. He’s a really amazing father and I am so thankful for him.
You were born at a really exciting time because we have some big holidays coming up! You did SO well on Halloween at our neighborhood block party. You stayed awake for about a half hour when we first arrived at the party and were even a part of the group photo! I dressed you up as a bunny but wasn’t able to get a good photo of your little tail AND your ears. I respect newborn photographers even more now (speaking of which, we just got your newborn photos back and they are great!).
We took you to the ocean three times and out for coffee and lunch several other times. We have yet to take you out at dinnertime since your sleep and eating schedule is a little less predictable at night, but as the month went on, your dad and I were able to eat dinner at the same time (and I was able to cook) much more often.
Happy 1 Month Siena! I can’t wait to see what the next month brings.
Love,
Mom
So cute! Glad your newborn photos turned out so well. Also, that halloween block party…that’s adorable!
Well written, mama! I love her little Halloween costume. The little girl two down from Siena is looking very curious toward her… what a fun event! It sounds like the first month went fairly well for you and your family. Justin and I still haven’t gone out to dinner/lunch with Axel, but are planning to do our first outing this weekend. I still haven’t “fed” out in public. Have you?
No I haven’t fed her in public – I just try to feed her right before and not be gone for more than 2-3 hours . We have definitely ordered food for here and then changed it to go because we timed it wrong! The main reason I haven’t is because I can’t even imagine feeding her without my pillow! I’ve done mini feedings at the pediatrician in the football hold but my arm gets tired!
You both can definitely do feedingd out. It isn’t too bad.. I think the toughest part for me is getting a good latch under a blanket. And Trevor doesn’t seem to eat as much. But we are getting better at it. 🙂 I kind of sit Trevor in my lap, sometimes crossing my legs to support his back so I don’t have to hold all his weight and can still have a free hand.
Adorable bunny she was! That was a great recap and will e a great memory!
Aww, she is smiling already. 🙂 She is gorgeous!