5 Weeks ~Amelia~

  

It’s hard to believe a month plus has already come and gone.  I wanted to wait for this post until after Amelia’s 1 month check up today so I could include her official stats from the pediatrician. 

Growth:  Amelia weighs 11 lbs 1 oz (92nd percentile).  She is 22.5" long (84th percentile) and her head is 38.1 cm (84th percentile).  Overall, she is obviously growing exceptionally well!  She is wearing 0-3 month and 3 month clothing and size 1 diapers. 

Mobility/Coordination:  Amelia is very strong and her head control is very good already.  During tummy time she can easily hold her head at 45⁰ for 30-45 seconds and even look side to side while doing it (the doctor was very impressed with her today when she was showing off).  When sitting upright, she can hold her head high and steady and look side to side as well. 

I also thought it was a fluke when it happened last week but Amelia wide awake and bright-eyed smiled at me when I was talking and smiling at her.  Well, it has happened many more times since then so it seems we have our official conscientious first smiles.  I forgot how sweet those 1^st smiles are and how much they melt your heart.     

Language/Communication:  Of course there isn’t much language and/or communication to speak of at this point but we have noticed she is making some sounds other than grunts and cries.  She coo’s and we have even heard occasional aah sounds.  Otherwise she only fusses when she is hungry, tired or has a gas bubble.  We had a couple days when I was worried about colic possibly developing where she was very fussy in the evening hours but it has passed and I think it was just an upset tummy.    

Personality/Amelia-isms:  It is still very early to tell what kind of real personality is going to emerge but thus far Amelia seems extremely laid back just like Grant was.  We really haven’t changed our busy lifestyles and we haven’t slowed down one bit since she was born.  She is along for the ride and goes with the flow. 

       

Sleep:  We are no longer swaddling because she could break out of her swaddle since about week 2-3.  She made the transition very easily and was never as dependent on being swaddled as Grant was.  She still sleeps like a champ and I wake her or she wakes on the mark every 3 hours during the day and at night she easily sleeps 5-7 hours.  I thank our lucky stars she is such a good sleeper.  I have even been putting her in her crib for at least one nap a day since 3 weeks and she does it like a champ.  Otherwise, she is in our room at night and rotates between the crib, bassinet, pack n’ play, or our arms for sleeping just depending on where we are in the house and what we are doing.  90% of the time we can lay her down wide awake for a nap and she will quietly go to sleep on her own (very much like Grant was).   

Feeding:  Amelia still nurses like a champ and can easily finish in 15-25 minutes (Grant was a marathon nurser and would easily take 45 minutes).  I feel sorry for her a lot of times because I have such an abundant milk supply and she spends much of her time at the breast gulping and sometimes choking.  This is probably part of the reason she nurses for nutrition and then she is done and rarely nurses for comfort.  Just as an example of how much milk we are talking about… when I nurse Amelia on one side, I hold a container to catch the milk that leaks out of my other breast.  By the time she is done nursing on one side my opposite breast has leaked anywhere between 1-2.5 oz!  My supply is finally adjusting a little and it isn’t quite as bad now that she is getting older and she is able to keep up a little better.  Sometimes nursing sessions can turn into a leaky, wet mess though!

She is not much of a spitter and most days she doesn’t spit up a single time.  This is the opposite of how Grant was.

Amelia has had a couple of bottles and has done very well taking them from both Matt and myself.  She has been eating anywhere between 3-4 oz when taking a bottle. 

Likes:  Baths, lotion, massages, swinging, cuddling, tummy time for short periods of time (only if she has a pillow or boppy under her chest), her hands (occasionally sucking on them), mommy, daddy, and of course big brother Grant.       

Dislikes:  Car seat (if it isn’t in motion by either being carried or the car physically moving and she is awake she is normally fussing), diaper changes when she is trying to sleep, having a shirt/onesie being pulled over her head, having her nose suctioned, losing her hair… or maybe it is just me who is sad that she is losing it.  I know baby hair loss is completely normal though and eventually it will return.  As of now, it seems most of the loss is occurring on top so who knows… she may have a rockin’ mullet by her first birthday.   

Hard to tell but I think she looks a little like me.  My eyes were already turning brown/hazel but Amelia's are still a very dark greyish blue.  We'll see if she gets my eyes like Grant did or if she has Matt's baby blues.

We love you baby girl Amelia and we can't wait for what the months ahead of us hold!  Happy 1st month of life!

2 Weeks ~Amelia~

This post is going to be a combo Baptism, Amelia 2 week update, and Autumn 2 week post partum update.

Let me start with our beautiful little one

{Amelia}

Today on Mother's Day we welcomed Amelia through the Sacrament of Baptism.  The weather could have been warmer but the occasion was beautiful.  We were surrounded by family and friends and it was just perfect.  After the service, everyone came over to our house for lunch and cake.

Size:  Amelia weighed 9 lbs 6 oz at a weight check on Tuesday May 7th and just 3 days later at her 2 week appointment she weighed 9 lbs 12 oz (90th percentile)!  She is 21.75" long (95th percentile, 1.75" longer than when she was born) and her head circumference is 36 cm (50th percentile).  She is in size 1 diapers and pretty much all out of her newborn clothes and in 0-3 and 3 month clothing.  Amelia lost her umbilical stump at exactly 1 week but her belly button has continued to ooze and even bled alot on one day last week so our doc has advised we hold off another week on a tub bath so we will continue with sponge baths for now which she doesn't seem to mind.  

Grant 4 months

Mobility:  It seems her hands and arms never stop flailing and reaching even though she doesn't have the hand eye coordination to grasp objects she is constantly moving.  Her neck is also very strong already and she loves holding it high and looking around.  When Amelia locks eyes with you she easily tracks your face and voice side to side. 

Sleep:  Man oh man can this little girl sleep!  I am not complaining but I am still having to wake her for most feedings at 3 hour increments during the day and 4-4 1/2 hour increments at night.  I'll gladly take the night time sleepiness but sometimes it is such a battle keeping her awake at the breast to get a full feeding.  

Amelia 2 Weeks

Feeding:  Amelia feeds like a champ.  She has since day one.  She is very efficient and can nurse in 10-15 minutes and be satisfied and full (obviously because she is growing so well).  The problem we encounter is that she is so sleepy a feeding often takes 45 minutes to an hour because she falls asleep repeatedly.  I change diapers, dress and undress her, tickle feet, lotion her up, and on and on to keep her awake so she isn't just snacking.  Knock on wood, Amelia isn't much of a spitter thus far.  In the first week we had a couple of projectile vomit incidents but very little spit up since.

Personality:  When she is awake, she is very alert and bright eyed.  I love when she stares and locks eyes with us and when we catch glimpses of her sleepy or gassy smiles.  She seems very independent for a newborn already and there are many times when she prefers to be laid down and swaddled and allowed to go to sleep on her own versus being rocked to sleepinees or sleep. 

Loves:  Cuddling, rocking, swaddling, lotion, baths, tummy time

Dislikes:  Carseat (occasionally she will pitch a fit),cuddling, swaddling, tummy time

As you can see it all depends on what kind of mood Amelia is in as to whether she likes swaddling, tummy time, cuddling, etc.  Sometimes she likes it and other times she wants nothing to do with it.

And now for some post partum reflections and adventures of mothering 2 from Autumn...

Yes... I am as tired as I look :)

Recovering from a vaginal birth is much easier than a c-section.  I feel like I am completely back to normal.  I consider myself very lucky that I am only 5 lbs away from pre-pregnancy weight.  I have been in my pre-pregnancy jeans since 5 days post partum.  Now given my mid section is still mushy and squishy and my belly button is still migrating inward but I consider those huge accomplishments seeing as how I haven't been trying to lose the weight AT ALL or even thought about working out.  In fact, I can and do easily eat Matt under the table.  My milk makers are working over time burning up those calories.   

The moment we saw Grant in the hospital when he came to meet Amelia for the first time Matt and I agreed that he had turned into a giant over night.  He just seems so HUGE and sturdy.  We also agree that Grant's energy has quadrupled since Amelia was born... or maybe it is just because we are exhausted.

I have quite the oversupply of milk and a very fast let down.  I had the same with Grant and Amelia does pretty well keeping up but does get choked up and clicks (breaks suction) to try to slow the flow.  I will say, my freezer stash is pretty impressive already though!  I know once my mom leaves and I am having to juggle a toddler on my own all day along with a newborn I won't have as much time to pump so I have taken advantage until now.

I feel torn in two directions on the occasions it has been just me and the two kids (next week will be a rude awakening with my mom gone and Matt at work).  Grant wants to play, cuddle, read, and has the energy of I don't know what and Amelia just needs the basics but still alot of attention.  We will get there slowly but surely.   

Even though Amelia has been so sleepy, I am looking forward to the days when she is a little older and we are more comfortable letting her sleep in longer chunks at night.  It is rough not sleeping for longer than 3-3 1/2 hour stretches for weeks straight.  I forgot what that was like. 

Breastfeeding a newborn is very time-consuming, especially when trying to entertain a toddler.  And I am always sooo thirsty!  I forgot what that was like too.

I have been such a slacker with taking pictures.  Thank goodness my mom has been here and taking them nonstop and I vow to get better.  Usually I am the complete opposite and take them non stop!

Our dirty laundry has increased tremendously.  Even though she isn't much of a spitter it still seems we are going through tons of clothes.

Newborn go through TONS of diapers!

Matt has the magic touch getting both of the kids to sleep and I take advantage of that fact so I can have a break.

Overall, we wouldn't change a thing and we are so incredibly blessed.  Our little family is complete and I love being a mommy.