I can't believe our little Amelia is now more than 8 weeks old!
THE GOOD:
Amelia is soooo cute. I know everyone thinks their own child is cute, but Amelia is definitely a cutie pie ;0) She was 5 pounds, 11 ounces when she was born and according to our scale, she now weighs over 9 pounds! She is growing so fast. I can also tell she's a lot taller too because of the way she fits in her crib and bouncy. Last week, she grew out of the newborn size and now wears 0-3 months, although, 0-3 months is still really large on her.
She started really smiling at us at 5 weeks and it just melts my heart. She opens her mouth so wide while she's smiling and it almost looks like she's about to laugh out loud, so I'm so looking forward to that. She loves, loves, loves diaper changes and smiles and wiggles around so much. Once her diaper is changed, sometimes we end up playing with her on the changing table for a long time since she's in such a good mood.
She has also started really interacting with her toys, which is super cute and exciting. She now plays independently too. She can stare at her mobile for sometimes up to 20 minutes! She kicks her feet and smiles as the animals move. Amelia's other favorite toy is her play mat and that can keep her occupied for a long time too. She stares, grabs, and knocks at the animals. She seems to have an infatuation with the elephant, ha ha ha.
Just last week, she has really started interacting while we read to her as well. She stares intently at the pictures and has a longer attention span. She LOVES books with faces... she loves staring at anything with eyes. Jimmy and I want to get her a book with googly eyes! Right now, her favorite books are Eight Little Monkeys, Ten Little Ladybugs, The Belly Button Book, Baby Animals, and Dr. Seuss's ABC. She loves the books with the textures and tries to touch the pages. It's amazing to me how much she takes in!
THE BAD
Hair:
Poor girl... some of the hair on top of her head fell off, so she now looks like an old man- bald at the top and long hair everywhere else! However, it's growing back fast, so hopefully she'll have a full head of hair again by the end of the month.
Nursing:
The first few days back from the hospital were tough. Breastfeeding has been, by far, the hardest part about being a mom. The first few weeks, Amelia wanted to nurse every hour... which meant I was pretty much up all night and all day. It was (and still is) exhausting.
The actual act of breastfeeding is tough too! It's complicated and takes getting used to. It's so much more difficult than it seems. I read all the books and took lactation classes and still had trouble. Thankfully, I have a good support system to keep me on track!
At eight weeks, I've pretty much got the hang of it, but I still have issues I need to work out. I love it because I feel so close to her and I feel like it's made our bond stronger. It's also really convenient because there are no bottles to make, heat up, or clean! I'm starting to get the hang of breastfeeding in public, but I still feel awkward about it.
I'm going to try to breastfeed as long as I'm able to-- but no more than a year ;0)
Sleep:
I really miss sleep! Because of the breastfeeding, I don't sleep for more than a few hours at a time. "Sleep when the baby sleeps" is easier said than done. It's hard to get back to sleep at night after getting up with her. During the day, I try to shower, eat, and get chores done while she sleeps. I would feel guilty if I napped during the day!
THE UGLY
At first, my schedule was out of whack and it was hard to get on a routine because Amelia wasn't on a schedule and we had so many guests the first 6 weeks. I would literally wake up in the afternoon, take a quick shower, and get back into my pajamas and spend the rest of the day looking like I got hit by a bus. Sometimes, I didn't even comb my hair!
However, I am finally getting back on track!! Amelia is doing great at night. I usually only have to get up with her twice. Once I change her diaper and nurse her, she falls right back to sleep... she's such a good baby! I've also figured out how to get things done while she's awake and am very efficient with my time while she's napping during the day.
Now, I'm up showered and dressed (in actual clothes, ha ha ha) by about 7:30 or 8:30am. I actually iron my clothes and put on a little make-up too. I'm finally starting to feel like my old self again.
Amelia and I try to go for a walk every day in the afternoon. When the weather gets too cold for walks, we will probably go across the street and take walks in the mall. Once she gets older and on a more solid schedule, I can't wait to take her to all the fun baby classes, like Stroller Strides, Kindermusik, Gymboree, The Little Gym, etc. I'm also trying to find a play group to join as well.
I really think Jimmy and I have made it though the tough transition and have finally settled into somewhat of a routine. Parenthood is tough, but so worth it! I love having Amelia in my life!
