I can't believe Clara is almost a month old. Time is flying by. My days are feeling slightly longer than when I was more sleep deprived, each day now feels like a few hours long instead of one. Clara is getting so big. I had to pack up her newborn clothes this week, I was trying to avoid it, Andre pointed out her PJ's make her legs bend since they're too short for her. I'm already trying to prevent her from getting older/bigger. I am unable to keep my lips off of her, she is so adorable, even screaming, I try and gobble her up. Last night she had her first decent stretch of sleep. Daddy brought her to me around 12am after her awake/fussy time and I had her sleeping by 1 and she slept until 4. Then she slept from 5 until 7:45. I could handle this if it would stick. I know Andre keeps getting the brunt of her fussy time, she just misses him all day and is giving him a taste of what mommy does all day long.
Snuggles
Mornings in bed
Daddy thinking this is cute
She loves looking at herself in the mirror
earmuffs
Weekend mornings
My favorite of week 3
She found her thumb this week. I was a thumb sucker so I won't be surprised if she is. She can't always find it but when Lisa and Gabby stopped by she found it and sucked on it for a while. She still sleeps better all day, especially when we're on the go. I went to CVS to print pictures and to the grocery store, it took a few hours and she was sound asleep. The times she woke up I would swing her in her car seat or make sure the cart was moving and she'd fall back to sleep with her pacifier. Her car seat is really the only time she'll take her pacifier, which is fine by me, it helps her behave while she's hungry and we are out. She enjoys listening to Baby Einstein from Karen Whitford and when she had trouble falling asleep today we went for a walk which does the trick. She likes to be held and walked around until she is asleep. This is fine until Andre and I are ready for bed and it takes an hour to get her to sleep. I'm not sure how that habit formed, I guess trying to get her crying to stop and she doesn't like to sit still. She is fussy when she is hungry, has gas or is over tired. She has a good fake cry, which is what she does most of the time. She is never a serious cryer unless there is something really wrong which is rare and she's easily comforted. She likes her back patted not rubbed, when I try to rub it instead of patting it she wakes up and gets annoyed. She is spitting up quite a bit, we have her sleep in her swing chair since it's at an incline and that helps some. It seems like every time she is flat she will spit up, even if it's been hours since she last ate. She will get the hiccups after she spits up, poor baby, that's a few times a day. She has projectile vomited her entire belly's worth 4x now, once was from eating to fast with a big gas bubble, the rest I'm not sure. We go to the doctor tomorrow for her one month checkup.
Found her thumb
Clara turned 3 weeks the day I turned 31 years old. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing birthday present. Before Clara arrived I couldn't wait to have a drink, I'm shocked to say I could care less about having a birthday beverage. Aunt Brandi and Uncle Nick came to visit for my birthday. Brandi has spoiled me two years in a row with a birthday visit, last year for my 30th was a little bit different celebration. This year was very calm and relaxing which we both desired so it was perfect. Brandi snuggled her new cousin/niece for two days and Nick held his first baby since his little brother at five years old. We enjoyed our time with them greatly and again, it was a torturous departure. I'm so sad to live so far away from so many of my family members. I'm so thankful for the Internet and facetime so they can watch her grow from afar. We spent the weekend looking at the baby mostly, we went out
to lunch for my birthday on the beach at Sloppy Joes and I enjoyed two rum and diets, it did taste darn good but I could have gone without. Then we had the Crews and Fegers over for pizza and cake, Lisa, Ed and Rebecca couldn't make it. Sunday we went to get firehouse subs since it's Brandace's favorite and then toured downtown St. Pete for a bit. It was a beautiful weekend, Nick got some sun and Brandi got to love on Clara. It was so hard to see them go. Thank you both so much for making the trip, we love you and miss you so much! They got me a mommy necklace among many other things for Clara and myself. Clara hangs onto the pendant when she eats like she knows it represents our bond. What a smartie! ;)
Steven and Tiffy were in Tampa so they met us at the airport to welcome Brandi and Nick
Can't wait to meet Aunt Brandi and Uncle Nick
Out to lunch at Sloppy Joes
Our first lunch out
Clara's "1st month" visit went great. Here are the details: She is in the 69%tile for weight at 9lbs 10 oz which the doctor said was a great amount to gain, her spit up is not preventing her from getting the nourishment she needs. She is 22 and 1/4 inches long and in the 96%tile for length so she doesn't fall on the bell curve where most babies do because she is long and lean, maybe she'll get daddy's height too! Her head measured 14.1 and is in the 42%tile. The doctor said we're doing great and to keep it up. She said at 10/11lb most babies either sleep better or spit up less, I forget which one, I hope it's sleep better. Next time we go back for her 2 month visit we have to do shots...oh no! I'm not going to like that as much as she won't!
She has done great this weekend. She does have a 2 hour span, sometimes more and sometimes less where she appears to have colic. She doesn't scream and cry like colicy babies do, she will if she is put down or if you hold still. She is just wide awake and needs to be walked around. The doctor said this is very normal and usually stops at 2 or 3 months which is when mommy goes back to work so at least that will be done so I might sleep better. At night after her "witching hour" as Andre calls it she sleeps well and can go 3 to 4 hours. She knows it's nighttime and doesn't try and keep us up, for the most part. She is a very noisy sleeper, always squirming and grunting. In the morning on the weekend I try and sleep after her morning feeding but I'm stuck between Andre tossing and turning and snoring and Clara squirming and grunting, I wish I was a deep sleeper! I love you both dearly, even when I'm sleep deprived!
I hate bibs but they save changing her all the time.
baby hands
Bath time - getting fun!
Greasy mop before bath
