Our sweet baby Elyse is officially 1 month old!!
WOW! what a wild month??!! Our very own March Madness π Seeing as this is my first go at the whole Mom thing, I’m not quite sure what I was truly expecting or how exactly I thought this was going to be… I honestly couldn’t imagine how surreal it would be to have this new little person in my life who Dillon & I created, she is truly a gift from God and we are so thankful! Bringing a child into the world is nothing short of amazing and I am soaking every little moment in, this last month has been covered in blessings! My hands and my heart are SO FULL!
That being said, motherhood parenthood, is hard work!! I am so thankful for the love & support from our friends + family, the deliveries, quality time… my Mom stayed with us the first week, and Dillon has been able to take paternity leave with me!! So we have had 1 whole entire month together as a family uninterrupted in our home, and this has been a gift! I had no idea how time consuming this 24/7 responsibility is, how many things were two person jobs, how many steps there are in “simple” tasks, how you must prioritize and schedule your day, only to have your tentative plans blow up in your face minutes later! & how your entire day is dependent on your child’s mood/diaper changes/feedings/sleep… We have learned so much these last few weeks, it’s funny to think of the things I have googled or purchased that I never even knew existed prior?! Our “new normal” is so fun, gross, & crazy, but I am enjoying the ride and my new role as Mommy. I’ll be sure to share what I learn along the way.
GROWTH
Our little baby continues to surprise us every day! One of the biggest surprises has been her size?! While she is just a tiny, perfect baby… as far as babies go she is in the 99th percentile! Her birth measurements were 8lbs 3oz, 21in and she now ends the month topping out at 9lbs 9oz, 21.5in long!! After birth her weight decreased only to 7lbs 11oz and she was been eating so well, her birth weight was achieved again very quickly!! Elyse started off in this world wearing Newborn clothes with the sleeves rolled up and now she is rocking 0-3 months, her legs were so long we had to switch out the outfits much sooner than we expected! Baby girl grew out of her NB diapers and upped to size 1 in just 2.5 short weeks?! & her hair continues to spill over her ears, already! Every moment is so fleeting and I realize that even more now with her rapid growth, every day she is a new person! It is amazing!
EATING
Another Mom surprise, I’ve discovered is how invested I am in her growth and development, she is my biggest project right now so I am obsessed with making sure she has everything she needs and we are covering all of our bases to be proactive and keep her safe & healthy. For the past month, Elyse has been 100% breast fed and by far the biggest Mom surprise for me, for sure- has been my change of thoughts on breast feeding. Pre-delivery I didn’t really understand BF, I thought it was kind of weird and seemed complicated and a complete disruption to your life. Now, it’s still weird & time consuming but also an amazing gift! My body not only carried her for 9 months, but now it can provide this magic potion that fits her every need the second she wants it?! Luckily Elyse and I are a great team! She latched perfectly instantly and my strong supply came in very quickly! It was painful at first and I don’t really enjoy all of the spills, leaking, multiple clothing changes throughout the day, creams, back pain, pads, q2h wake up calls, nursing bras, swelling, pumping products and planning involved, but it makes it all worth it when she goes from screaming to 100% satisfied in mere seconds! then to see baby girl thriving and growing so rapidly! BF is much more rewarding then I ever expected and we plan to continue on as much as possible! I went from questioning the process to being thankful for the opportunity, what a roller coaster?!
SLEEPING
This little girl definitely takes after her parents! She loves to sleep!! At the very beginning- week 1, we had to wake her up to eat! We got really spoiled, and I can’t take credit for anything because she has been like this from the very beginning… but she sleeps SO WELL- nothing bothers her and she can sleep pretty much anywhere! She sleeps through all of the crazy sounds, we talk around her, vacuum, run appliances, watch TV, dog barking… you name it, she barely stirs! Weeks 1-2.5 she slept around the clock, we woke her up every 3 hours and it was super chill -hooray! Now baby girl has found her voice and will not hesitate to scream, she also spends a lot more time awake and will fight sleep in between feeds during the day, but at night she sleeps so well from 1am to 6am. She sleeps in her Halo BassiNest downstairs during the day and in her Babyletto crib in our room at night, we also utilize the Boba Wrap Baby Carrier and Dock a Tot during the day. Even with all of her many choices, Elyse prefers our chest and if we would hold her 24 hours a day she would be very pleased! I adore her snuggles, and some days that is all we do! There are times I have to break away to do the smallest thing, and it feels like the biggest accomplishment! Those 2-3 hour windows of time when she is sleeping hard I have to quickly decide if I am going to sleep myself or try to get something done, it is a crucial choice π then again there are some days where she is so fussy and I don’t get to put her down for more than 30 minutes?!
LIKES/DISLIKES
Elyse likes: cuddling, being held, breast milk, footie pajamas, BATH TIME, playing with her Deluxe Kick & Play Piano Gym, listening to music, going on stroller rides, being carried/walked around, bouncing in her bouncer. Elyse doesn’t like: being hungry, spitting up or diaper changes, that’s the only time she is super fussy. It’s quite comical to see how she goes from completely fine to insanely fussy back to totally chill all within minutes, Elyse brings the drama lately! So many facial expressions and movements! Generally she is cooperative baby doll π
MILESTONES & HIGHLIGHTS
Our family has had such an amazing month! While we are so proud of Elyse for cruising through life, she kind of needs the rest of us to get by π I am so happy as a Mommy that I have been able to navigate the whole breastfeeding game, it is a full time commitment, but we are working through it well π Dillon in Daddy mode is awesome! he is great at diaper changes, soothing the baby cries, bath duty, waking up all hours of the night, multitasking, nursery installations, pump prep, running errands, making food, operating all the baby gear- car seats, strollers, etc. laundry, you name it, he’s on it! He even gave Elyse bottle #1 on her 1 month birthday! Lucy has made us so proud! While she is still a wild & crazy pup that lives to bark out the window and attack our visitors with all the jumps and kisses, some how she instantly knew to be gentle around the baby and has been so patient and loving towards this new addition to our family, she also continues to be Dillon & I’s best friend– she snuggles me during every feeding and is always ready to love us or play!
So many memories & special moments this past month!!
- Safely coming home from the hospital 48 hrs after delivery!
- Two great pediatrician appointments with Dr. E π “a vigorous baby”
- Bilirubin levels were high normal, but after multiple labs- no additional treatment was needed
- 1st Holidays- St Patrick’s Day & Easter!
- She has met almost ALL of her family and some of Mom & Dad’s friends! she has had a ton of visitors from near & far, so exciting!
- So much movement, loves kicking & tummy time… she is very strong!
- Snuggles with Lucy π
- She will take a pacifier occasionally, but 0 nipple confusion here!
- She traveled to Greensboro for the 1st time!! & stayed overnight at my parents house! thankfully does very well in the car so far!
Wow! Still can’t believe an entire month has passed! Thank you for keeping us on our toes Elyse! I have been pleasantly surprised by parenthood & without having to navigate babyhood + working, with the help of your Dad… the crazy 24/7 schedule hasn’t been too bad, we get to hang out all day & night!! We have been so blessed by your calm sweet nature and good health! Thank you for a great month together. I am soaking in all the baby moments as I look forward to all of the fun in store for us! We can’t wait to learn more about you & see who you become, but don’t grow up too fast! Love you so much!!!
