Dear Madelyn,
Welcome to your baby journal. I documented how you came to be and I want to continue to document your life so that you can look back one day. You are one month old. I can't believe it. I can't believe that just over one month ago you were in my belly. I miss having you there with me every moment of every day but I love seeing your beautiful face even more. While you were in my belly I would tell your Daddy how laid back you were. You moved softly and seldom. Then you entered this world with the softest cry and have been the easiest baby ever since. You've been a dream. You cry only when your diaper is changed because you are cold, getting out of your bath because you are cold or when you are hungry or drop your pacifier. Oh, the pacifier...what have we done?
I noticed you had the need to suck after eating in the hospital one day and I asked the nurse for a pacifier and you took to it instantly. From day number two when you want your pacifier or passy as we call it you bob your head like a chicken into my chest or suck on your fist when you can find it. You love your passy and sometimes there's just no way to get around it. Daddy tries to make you cry for it each time you drop it but Mommy rushes right to you and puts it back in. I can't resist! You are sleeping in a bassinet next to my bed right now. I keep you so close to the bed that I can reach my arm out and put your passy back in for you when you drop it. We try laying you down without your passy but you insist on it! A few nights I have been kept awake by your constant grunting while you look for your passy. Oh well, I can sleep later!
It's taken me a month to get back to journaling since your birth so I am going to try and recap this last month the best I can and then keep this journal up to date! It's taken me a month to get adjusted to our new life with you. There was no time for journaling because I was getting used to our new family member...you!
So much has happened in your first month of life. I don't want to forget anything.
At 9:33 AM on January 18, 2011 my life changed. As I said you came out with the softest cry unlike all of those other babies I heard being born down the hall from our room. You were born sunny side up or face up. Quite the entrance! You were placed on my tummy immediately after you came out and that's when I told you how long I had waited to meet you. My dreams came true that day. When I was a little girl and all while growing up until this very day I always dreamed of becoming a Mommy. I fantasized about meeting my baby in a hospital one day. I never dreamed about getting married or walking down the aisle like many girls, I dreamed of being a Mommy. You made my dream come true.
Daddy and I went to our new room on the seventh floor where we would spend the next two days with you in the hospital. We thought we wanted you to be bathed in our room but after 23 hours of labor and not a wink of sleep we were so tired that we asked the nurse to take you to the nursery to clean you up and told her we would call after a quick nap. A quick nap it was and they wheeled you in all cleaned up. It was our first time seeing what you really looked like.
You were absolutely gorgeous. So much more beautiful than anything I dreamed you would look like for nine months and you had dark hair. I always thought you would be blonde like your Daddy and me were as babies. I love your dark hair and you looked so cute with the bow in your hair that the nurse put on you after your bath.
January 19, 2011-Our stay at the hospital was coming to an end. It was night time and Daddy had left to play hockey. A nurse came in and performed a test for jaundice and you had high levels and you were placed on a billibed that night. You were like a little glow worm in our hospital room.
We had nurses come to the house two mornings to take your blood and went to the hospital once to get your blood drawn. Your jaundice levels kept rising for days until one day, they finally started going down and Daddy came in the house after talking with the Pediatrician on the phone and told me that you didn't have to lay in your billibed anymore. This was just as I was laying you down. I was so happy but didn't know what to do with you! All of a sudden three days after bringing you home I was able to hold you and DRESS YOU! You had only worn a diaper for four days! I was finally able to dress you in your cute sleepers!
SLEEP:
Since you have come home you have only woken us up for feedings every three to four hours at night. Sure, you insist on your passy some nights but I can deal with that. I am so grateful you are such a great sleeper.
DAILY ROUTINE:
We don't have one quite yet but I am working on it. I have been tracking when you eat and sleep but I don't see any patterns yet. I take your middle of the night feeding right now since Daddy is working and I am on Maternity leave for 8 weeks. Daddy then takes your first morning feeding around 6:30 and let's me sleep until he leaves for work. I wake up and entertain you for an hour or so until your next feeding, feed you and then you usually sleep. Right now you are eating every three to four hours during the day. Typically three hours but if I let you sleep you will go up to four and a half hours between meals. You've slept the majority of every day, even sleeping through many feedings. When you are awake I like to read to you or lay you on your activity mat and watch you take in the bright colors and toys. I take a lot of pictures too as I want to savor every moment forever and can't help myself.
FEEDINGS:
Currently: light brown ..getting lighter! You may be a blonde baby yet!
EYE COLOR:
MILESTONES:
You have been lifting your head since you were a week old. It's getting stronger and stronger. Yesterday I laid you on your activity mat and tried tummy time with you. You lasted about five minutes. I think all of that sleeping on my chest is helping you out with tummy time! You are looking around a lot more and studying objects a lot more.
Lamb Swing.
FIRSTS:
First walk in your stroller. We walked to Starbucks down the street for some coffee. It was an unusually nice day for February and we just got your stroller put together so we were excited to get out with you. That night you had your first visit to the ER. Not because of our outing, if anything the fresh air probably helped you.
First time taking a nap in your crib. This lasted 5 minutes. Your monitor was on order and I was scared of not being able to hear you if you cried, especially since you were still sick after the hospital stay. You were released the day before.
FIRST OUTINGS:
To Lester's restaurant, the Doctors office, Walmart, Babies R Us, California Pizza Kitchen with Mimi Baba, Daddy's office, Furniture shopping, ER, Hospital stay.
So here we are princess. 1 month has come and gone. I'm trying to enjoy every single minute, especially my full days home with you. I don't want to go back to work and I am dreading sending you to daycare but I have to. I'm happy to be able to work part time though and spend afternoons and Friday's with you. Whether I like it or not, you continue to grow up and one day will be a big girl. I'm just so happy to have the opportunity to be there to watch you grow.
I love you Maddie.
You were absolutely gorgeous. So much more beautiful than anything I dreamed you would look like for nine months and you had dark hair. I always thought you would be blonde like your Daddy and me were as babies. I love your dark hair and you looked so cute with the bow in your hair that the nurse put on you after your bath.January 19, 2011-Our stay at the hospital was coming to an end. It was night time and Daddy had left to play hockey. A nurse came in and performed a test for jaundice and you had high levels and you were placed on a billibed that night. You were like a little glow worm in our hospital room.
January 20, 2011 - We brought you home around 2:00 in the afternoon. It was the heaviest snow of the year. The heaviest snow in many years, in fact. We had over a foot of snow! This is a few days later. Your silly dog Wilson was just relaxing in the snow! We didn't see grass for almost three weeks after you were born!
We ended up taking a billibed home with us and you slept on this bed your first three nights at home and all through the day. We were only allowed to pick you up to feed you. That was so difficult as all I wanted to do was to hold you. You slept on this bed on the ottoman in our living room during the day and in your bassinet at night. You never cried about it either. People were amazed at how calm you were. I think some people were even concerned that you were too calm. That's just you! You have such a calm and gentle spirit.
We had nurses come to the house two mornings to take your blood and went to the hospital once to get your blood drawn. Your jaundice levels kept rising for days until one day, they finally started going down and Daddy came in the house after talking with the Pediatrician on the phone and told me that you didn't have to lay in your billibed anymore. This was just as I was laying you down. I was so happy but didn't know what to do with you! All of a sudden three days after bringing you home I was able to hold you and DRESS YOU! You had only worn a diaper for four days! I was finally able to dress you in your cute sleepers!
Mimi came over everyday after you were born for a week and a half. She was such a help, making turkey barley soup for us and turkey and dressing and even spanish rice. She brought over lunch for me a couple of times and watched you while I took a nap a few times. I was having a hard time adjusting to our new life for a few days and she was quite a big help. For that I will always be grateful. Your Daddy was a huge help too. If I have one piece of advice for you when it comes to Men in your life...it is to find a man as smart, loving and dedicated as your Father. He's the best. For two weeks after your birth he kept the laundry going, did dishes, cooked, cleaned the house, grocery shopped and made countless runs to Babies R Us while I recuperated. Not all guys do that Maddie, only the Gems like your Daddy.
Speaking of your Daddy...he nick named you "sweet pea" from your first day. We were standing in our room at the hospital, you were brought to us after your first bath and as we changed you diaper and you cried he said "it's okay sweet pea" and the name stuck. In the past couple of days I have heard him call you "pea" or "pea pea" for short. He loves you so much and I have seen him sit and stare at you while you slept in your swing. Literally, pulled an ottoman up in front of your swing while you slept and stared at you. He changes as many diapers as I do and is so active in your life. He even wants to be involved with your Parents as Teacher visit which is coming up soon. That's not every Daddy...you are very lucky.
February 13, 2011 - I caught a cold when you were two weeks old and desperately tried not to give it to you but you caught my cold on Friday. Two days later Daddy and I started seeing you were getting sicker and sicker. You were really congested and just didn't seem yourself. We noticed you were working harder to breathe. I called the Doctor's office earlier that day and spoke to a nurse that told me what warning signs to look for and what to get at the store for you. I bought a vaporizer and sat in a closed bathroom with you twice with the water steaming as she suggested. I did everything I could to help you breathe easier including suctioning your little stuffy nose. That night you seemed lethargic after eating as you sat in Daddy's arms. He unbuttoned your sleeper and we saw your lungs working hard to breathe and then you threw up. After half an hour on the phone with Children's Hospital we took you to the ER. They did an x-ray and tested your mucus for RSV. Sure enough, you had RSV and you were admitted into the hospital at 10:00 that night. Now, you would think that your Daddy would have gone home and collected some clothes for us and a toothbrush for Mommy, etc. Oh no...he left and went to play hockey! I was wheeled in a stretcher with you in my arms to your room. Your vitals were checked and you slept while I watched not knowing how long you would be there or how long it would take for you to get better. I was so scared. Daddy stopped by after his hockey game to check on us and then brought us clothes and toiletries in the morning. We stayed in the hospital four nights and you spent your first Valentine's Day there. It was starting to feel like home. Three nights I stayed with you and the last night Daddy stayed with you.
One of us always had to go home at night to be with Wilson. You got worse before you got better and though they couldn't give you any medication. Two days into our stay, they did give you oxygen. Once you were weaned off of oxygen and you were looking better we were able to take you home. It was the best feeling.
BABY STATS:
WEIGHT:
1/22/11 - 6 lbs 9.5 oz
2/04/11 - 7 lbs 9.0 oz
WEIGHT:
1/22/11 - 6 lbs 9.5 oz
2/04/11 - 7 lbs 9.0 oz
SLEEP:
Since you have come home you have only woken us up for feedings every three to four hours at night. Sure, you insist on your passy some nights but I can deal with that. I am so grateful you are such a great sleeper.
DAILY ROUTINE:
We don't have one quite yet but I am working on it. I have been tracking when you eat and sleep but I don't see any patterns yet. I take your middle of the night feeding right now since Daddy is working and I am on Maternity leave for 8 weeks. Daddy then takes your first morning feeding around 6:30 and let's me sleep until he leaves for work. I wake up and entertain you for an hour or so until your next feeding, feed you and then you usually sleep. Right now you are eating every three to four hours during the day. Typically three hours but if I let you sleep you will go up to four and a half hours between meals. You've slept the majority of every day, even sleeping through many feedings. When you are awake I like to read to you or lay you on your activity mat and watch you take in the bright colors and toys. I take a lot of pictures too as I want to savor every moment forever and can't help myself.
FEEDINGS:
You are exclusively on formula. I really wanted to breastfeed you and hoped I would be able to but I couldn't produce enough milk for you and so you're a formula baby. You like your formula though. You chow down when we feed you. You have gone from an ounce and a half when we brought you home to four ounces at one month old. You've been drinking four ounces for a couple of weeks.Those formula burps sure are stinky!
WEIGHT: At birth you were 7 pounds 1 ounce. On February 17 you weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces. That formula is working!
SIZES: Still wearing newborn diapers but we have put your newborn clothes away. Snif snif. You're wearing 0-3 now and we have many more options for clothes now.
WEIGHT: At birth you were 7 pounds 1 ounce. On February 17 you weighed 8 pounds 11 ounces. That formula is working!
SIZES: Still wearing newborn diapers but we have put your newborn clothes away. Snif snif. You're wearing 0-3 now and we have many more options for clothes now.
HAIR COLOR:
At birth: dark brownCurrently: light brown ..getting lighter! You may be a blonde baby yet!
EYE COLOR:
At birth: dark bluish brown
1 month: light blue/gray
MY FAVORITE MOMENTS:
I love letting you sleep on my chest. You sleep best there.
I love when I sit you up in my lap or lay you back on my lap and you look at me with big eyes and pucker your lips. Your Daddy loves this too.
I love wrapping you in a towel after a bath and holding you. You are so cute all wet and you smell so good!
I love letting you sleep on my chest. You sleep best there.
I love when I sit you up in my lap or lay you back on my lap and you look at me with big eyes and pucker your lips. Your Daddy loves this too.
I love wrapping you in a towel after a bath and holding you. You are so cute all wet and you smell so good!
You have been lifting your head since you were a week old. It's getting stronger and stronger. Yesterday I laid you on your activity mat and tried tummy time with you. You lasted about five minutes. I think all of that sleeping on my chest is helping you out with tummy time! You are looking around a lot more and studying objects a lot more.
Lamb Swing.
First bath. We gave you sponge baths in your bathroom until your umbillical cord fell off. I would bring a heater in and warm the bathroom because you hated being cold and I would even play music for you. The same music I played to you while you were in my belly. Anything to keep you calm. I think you had one calm bath but the others were spent with you screaming as you hated being cold! You never cried as you had your hair washed though. You loved your hair washed with the warm water.
First walk in your stroller. We walked to Starbucks down the street for some coffee. It was an unusually nice day for February and we just got your stroller put together so we were excited to get out with you. That night you had your first visit to the ER. Not because of our outing, if anything the fresh air probably helped you.
First time taking a nap in your crib. This lasted 5 minutes. Your monitor was on order and I was scared of not being able to hear you if you cried, especially since you were still sick after the hospital stay. You were released the day before.
FIRST OUTINGS:
To Lester's restaurant, the Doctors office, Walmart, Babies R Us, California Pizza Kitchen with Mimi Baba, Daddy's office, Furniture shopping, ER, Hospital stay.
So here we are princess. 1 month has come and gone. I'm trying to enjoy every single minute, especially my full days home with you. I don't want to go back to work and I am dreading sending you to daycare but I have to. I'm happy to be able to work part time though and spend afternoons and Friday's with you. Whether I like it or not, you continue to grow up and one day will be a big girl. I'm just so happy to have the opportunity to be there to watch you grow.
I love you Maddie.
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