Where did that month go?

Blogger and I are still not getting along.  See how  it uploads my pictures?  

Scary huh?

So we remain picture-less.  Which is a shame because I have some good stuff.  But what is a girl to do?

I thought I had better reflect on Mara's first month before the second one comes and goes.  But let me say, for the record, that I'm not sure where a whole month went.  I can't even blame it on sleep deprivation because all in all, that hasn't been so bad so far.  But it does seem that time is flying by.  I certainly don't want to take even a second of it for granted because I have never felt so much joy in my entire life.

At one month, Mara is by far the easiest going baby we have had.  She is OK with some alone time in her seat.  She is approximately 7 1/2 pounds based on a very unscientific measurement on the bathroom scale, but that's an increase of around a pound in just over 2 weeks.  It will remain to be seen whether her pediatricians find that acceptable.  Newborn clothes are still fitting VERY comfortably and probably will for another few months.  Good thing I stocked up on a whole bunch of small cute things!  We are obviously still in newborn diapers, and I don't see that changing for another month at a minimum.

Mara is a good eater, although I would not have classified her as such when we came home from the hospital.  After 2 weeks of bottle feedings of pumped milk and some formula supplementation (usually one bottle at night to give me a break from the pumping), she decided that she was willing to nurse.  So, with some patience and persistence on both of our parts, I believe we have it down now.  She is usually eating every 2.5-4 hrs during the day, and around every 3-4 at night.  She is a faster eater than her older sister, but the more I nurse Mara, the more I realize that I was Lauren's pacifier.  Mara takes a bink and seems to like it.  And when I get the sense that she's dozing and using me as her bink, I'm comfortable switching me for the pacifier and putting her down.  So far so good there.  We are seeing longer periods of alert/awake time between naps, and she seems (usually) to be quite a content baby whether she is held, laying on a blanket on the floor, or sitting in her seat.  There is certainly plenty of entertainment to see with the other kids running about.

I have done things with Mara that I have never done with the others, but for whatever reason it feels right to me this time.  Joshua and Lauren  spent their first night at home in their crib and never NEVER NEVER were in our bed.  Mara has been in her Rock & Play or Pack & Play in our bedroom, and despite Daddy's jokes about that expensive nursery we put together, I'm just not ready to put her there yet.  We also have developed a little habit of snuggling in bed while she falls asleep.  I absolutely love it, and so does she.  She especially likes it when my cheek is resting on the top of her sweet little head. Normally she drifts right to  sleep.

She has smiled at us more than a few times already, which melts my heart immediately.  She is beginning to coo a bit, and loves her big sister and brother to play with her and talk to her.  What a gift to see them all interact together, and I'm sure that only gets better from here.

Joshua and Lauren continue to surprise me with how well they are adjusting to life with another baby.  They both declare their love for her daily and think  she's "so cute". Lauren insists on holding her no less than 10 times a day, and Joshua has even asked to do so a few times.  Lauren is a champion burper and loves to rub/pat Mara's back when I'm burping her.  She loves to help at tub time and changing time, and has a step stool stationed at Mara's changing table so that she can see exactly what is going on.  It is beyond sweet, and I love so  much that we  have given Lauren a sister to love. 

Mara, you are so loved.  And a complete joy to us.  My heart is full to overflowing.