Two Months Old!

My dearest Avery,

Oh my, how you've grown in a month! I can't believe my eyes when I look at last month's pictures - you're 23.5 inches long (91st percentile) and 13 pounds, 1 ounce (91st percentile) and your head circumference is in the 88th percentile. Daddy and I have come to the conclusion that we must have some recessive Amazonian gene that we passed on to you! My little baby is growing way too fast for me to keep up!

Here's your two month old photo:

New things this month:

You're cooing so much lately - I really love this age because you've started to interact with us. You babble to us and sometimes smile in response to our smiles. It's the best thing in the world!

You've started sucking on your hand to soothe yourself. I'm thinking you're going to be a thumb sucker when you can figure out how to get just the thumb in there...you seem to like your hand a lot more than the pacifier for now...

You've started to have a really good night schedule. Ever since you were five weeks old, you've slept about seven hours a night. Thank you for this - your dad and I are very appreciative. We get done feeding around 8:30 at night and then daddy rocks you to sleep. We wake up at 4:00 for a small feeding session - just enough to get you back to sleep. We think you're actually a baby that likes to sleep in. When we let you, you will sleep until 8:00 in the morning! I know most parents would LOVE this - of course, daddy and I are morning people so we're up at 6:00 anyway....perhaps we can learn your sleeping habits!

You still hate tummy time....with a passion. Daddy is more sympathetic than I am on this one - I can't wait for the day you enjoy tummy time because it's going to lead to you rolling over and crawling!

Trying something new...anything to get you on your tummy!

Our daily walks have gone from 2 miles to 3 miles. We are also a part of the "regular" crowd on the path now - too bad I go back to work next week!

My favorite pic from this month - I love the different faces you make!

We have also become a little braver when it comes to taking you places. We've taken you to restaurants and on errand trips and to the July 4th town event. We also took you to Phoenix for a day - daddy likes walking around with you in the carrier:

Daddy put your headband on....I'm sorry, kiddo!

You've also started looking around at the world - I know you can't see much right now but I swear you can see farther than the doctor says. I see you looking at shadows or pictures with lots of contrasting colors in them - you're very interested in everything around you. You also stay awake more at first in the car - looking at what's going on around you....

Some other photos from this month:

Such a ham!

Go State!

Not happy with me because I tightened your seatbelt

Enjoying the mountain view after the rain cooled things off...

You've started to sit up-right on the couch now 

A jealous dog....

Enjoying the monsoon rain...while the dogs keep their paws dry

So far, I'm loving the two month age best! You're a very happy baby and you let us sleep well...don't know how I'm supposed to go back to work next week - I'm going to have Avery withdrawals!

All my love,
Mom

One Month!

My dearest Avery,

I think I've learned more in the past month than I have the entire rest of my life. I love getting to know you and your growing personality and I'm trying very hard to cherish this time I get with you.

Here's your one month photo:

Some new things we've noticed about you:

You like to sleep with your arms up - like you're riding on a roller coaster. Let's just say this makes swaddling pretty much a no-go for you.

You're getting to be more tolerant of tummy time but I must say you're more a fan of just laying there than actually trying to work on anything like lifting your head...

We've started going on walks every morning (early - to get you into a routine and because it's summer in Arizona so it's the only time we won't melt)....

Love that smile!

We talked daddy into a walk even in his dress clothes!

We've also started bottle feeding you - although I'm not sure how you like it yet. You seem to do ok while taking the bottle - just a little fussier afterwards. Hopefully we all get better at it as we go - many more bottles in your future. You're also pretty indifferent towards the pacifier. Instead of using me as your pacifier, I'd rather you use a binky - I think it's growing on you but you're not completely sold yet. 

You've also outgrown the newborn size clothing already. We've worked really hard on those chubby cheeks, thighs, belly and double chin! Here's your first bottle...

Your bouncer and carrier have been life savers thus far - don't know what we'd do without them. Thinking this is all we need - no swing for you! We'll look at bouncers in a few months!

Here are some more pictures from the past couple of weeks - can you tell that we're camera happy? We just can't get enough of you - wish more family lived nearby so they could see you...

You're also grabbing things with your hands (like our fingers or blankets) and you're "talking" a lot more (making lots of sounds when you're awake). And you've started to kick and flail your arms in your sleep in the morning hours - we're not sure but thinking it has to do with you trying to take care of that morning poop session (hoping you get it figured out soon).

All my love,

Mom

Two Weeks!

My dearest Avery,

I don't think I've ever learned so much in such a short timeframe! From recovering from a C-section to learning the ins and outs of caring for a newborn, it's definitely been a whirlwind. Here are some highlights:

Your official 2 week photo!

-You have the most expressive face. I'm afraid you're like your mom in that you show all of your emotion on your face - dad will have to work with you on your poker face someday (mom's still working on hers).

Can't help but love the faces you make!

-You look just like your dad when he was a newborn - check out the similarities!

-Breastfeeding is not for the faint of heart. We had to seek help from a consultant but I think we've got it down now.....just need to work on a better schedule :) Because we had a difficult time, we started out a little shaky with your weight gain. You lost a pound after birth, which was a little too much. BUT, we got going on the right foot and by your two week check-up you weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces (well above our goal)! You like to be fed!

-I don't know why but I wind up burping when I'm trying to burp you. You've turned out to be pretty difficult to burp but you seem to spit up just fine (much to dad's dismay).

-You already turn your head really good - that comes in handy with all of your spit-up :) You've also started rolling to your side when you sleep - I think you like it better than sleeping on your back.

-You're quite the kicker! You like to kick off your swaddle and you kick and flail your arms sometimes when you're about to cry. I knew you'd be a kicker when you were kicking my ribs all the time but it's funny to see it now!

Look closely - don't know how you were able to do this with your foot!

-"Stinky Stein" is definitely a fitting term for you - let's just say dad and I are considering investing in diaper companies!

-Contrary to what dad and I originally guessed, Kansas is very interested in your well being. She's very responsive to your cries and movements, while Baxter is very unconcerned right now (we're thinking that may change as you become more interactive, though).

-During our alone time, I like to turn on youtube videos and sing and dance with you to Disney and Country songs. I usually like to start out the party session with the first song that came to mind when I first saw you: "You Are So Beautiful" - I can't say that enough to you!

Your Grandma Dotty and Grandpa Mark came to visit for a week - I think you really enjoyed being held by your grandpa. I was grateful to have some help while Brian was at work - so sad to see them go. We're about to have Grandma Gail and Grandpa John in now - I know they're very excited to see and hold you!

All my love,
Mom

Your Birth Story

My dearest Avery,

You were born a day after your official due date, although dad and I had predicted you'd have a May 5 birthday since we found out we were pregnant. I woke up on May 5 at 1:26 am with some small contractions, lasting about 30-55 seconds each and 8 minutes apart. After about an hour, I woke dad up and told him we were going to have a Cinco de Mayo baby.  By 5 am, the contractions were 3-5 minutes apart so we fed the dogs and finished packing up and headed to the hospital.

When we arrived at the hospital I measured 5 cm so I was admitted. By 8 am, the contractions were very strong so at 9 am (and 7 cm dilated), I got an epidural. By 11 am, I measured 8 cm - things were progressing very well and it looked like we were going to have a lunchtime or afternoon birth. However, you had different plans. You were still facing to my right so you weren't ready to come out. Since I stayed at 8 cm for the next 7 hours, the doctor and nursing staff had me tossing and turning myself to get you into position to give birth. At 1:30 pm I started receiving pitocin to help move things along and at 3:30 pm the doctor broke my water. At 6 pm I measured 9 cm and around 10 pm you finally moved into position to start dropping so I could push. Unfortunately, by the time you had moved into place my uterus was very weakened from contracting for so long. There was also a slight dip in your heart rate at the end of each contraction so it looked like you were beginning to struggle too. As much as I didn't want it to happen at the time, at 10:30 pm we decided to move forward with a C-section.

At the time, I hated the fact that we were going into surgery - it was my one goal: have a vaginal birth. But the doctor said we didn't really have any alternatives at that point without further risk to you. We had a wonderful anesthesiologist who helped keep the mood light throughout the surgery. Everyone was so excited because we didn't know if you'd be a girl or a boy - that helped keep my spirits up, as I was finally going to know soon! The temperature of the OR and the medicine combined to make me so cold that I couldn't stop shivering - I shivered throughout the entire surgery, so much so that the doctors couldn't get a good blood pressure reading off of me. The surgery didn't last long - you were born at 11:10 pm. The doctors let dad announce that we had a baby girl on our hands - what an amazing moment that was for us! While the doctors were cleaning you up, dad was telling me how you had a lot of hair on your head. I got to see you within 2 minutes and you were so pale - but you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I couldn't believe that your dad and I had made such a beautiful baby! And I couldn't believe how fortunate we were to have you all for our own.

After all was said and done, it was the right decision to have a C-section. Your head was swollen from the lengthy labor and the side of your head was the shape of a cone (which disappeared within hours) so you were trying to come out by the side of your head and my body just couldn't handle it. You also had a raw spot on your head from the contractions. Fortunately we avoided any more trauma to you by going with the operation.

Here are some favorite pictures from the hospital:

Getting you cleaned off

The first time I got to see you!

First family photo!

 

 

In the first of many girly hats we got for you!

One of the many faces of Avery

Ready to go home!

It's now been a week since you were born and we've grown so much in that short amount of time. I'm sure there's so much more for us to learn but for now we're just enjoying having you around and learning more and more about you (you should see some of the faces you make - you have such a personality)!

I'm so happy you're finally here and that you're a healthy girl with a strong heartbeat. You're perfect in so many ways - dad and I are just going to try not to mess it all up!

Love you with all my heart,
Mom