Caroline Grace {1 month}!

Our sweet little Caroline Grace is officially one month old today!! There is literally nothing I love more than being Caroline’s mama. 

Yes, I spend most of my sleeping hours awake, I am sucked on, pooped on and spit up on all before lunch (if I even get lunch), I haven’t had a moment alone or a cup of hot coffee that hasn’t been reheated a million times in over 4 weeks and I still look and feel about 5 months pregnant. On top of that, most days the house is a complete
disaster, I haven’t showered until daddy is home, a million errands need to be run, meals need to be cooked and dirty clothes are spilling out of the laundry room.

Being a mama is hard work but she makes it so worth it all. All day long she snuggles and loves on me. I cherish her little smiles, her “cheerio” and “frownie face” expressions. And although she’s growing so fast and changes a little more each day I don’t feel like the weeks have flown by because I am intentional about savoring every
moment.

One of my greatest joys is watching Caroline with her daddy. I love them both so dang much. It is amazing how a baby has changed my relationship with Matt. I know it sounds cheesy, but I really do love him so much more than ever before. I love hearing them in the next room reading, watching them snuggle and catching Caroline’s expression the second her daddy walks into the house from work. She is well on her way to becoming a “daddy’s girl” and I don’t mind one bit.

I don’t think we could have survived the first 2 weeks without my mom. She took such amazing care of Matt and I so we could take care of Caroline. Without having to ask, she worked around the clock to cook, vacuum, do all the laundry, grocery shop, water the plants, walk Charlie twice a day, attend our doctor’s appointments with us, run errands, bake lactation cookies and lots of other treats, cook and freeze meals for later and help us take care of the baby so I could take time to shower and put on makeup. Without her I’d probably forget to eat lunch, my fridge would be empty, our plants would be dead, Charlie would hate me and we’d be sleeping on the same sheets from before we left for the hospital. Not to mention, she was there to encourage me through the long days, breastfeeding challenges and Caroline melt downs. And with the confidence of having her with me, I was able to get out of the house quite a bit once Matt went back to work too which really helped me to feel “normal” despite being incredibly exhausted and sore.

Breastfeeding has been quite a journey. A few days after we left the hospital we attended our first pediatric appointment and found out that Caroline’s weight was down from 6.11 lbs to 6.4 (totally normal for newborns during the first week). It wasn’t until our follow up appointment 3 days later that we became worried when she was down another ounce and the doctor recommended that I start pumping and feeding the milk back to Caroline to increase her intake during feedings. Pumping was pretty discouraging. I would pump for an hour only to bottle about mere .5 ounces of milk. We decided to go see a lactation consultant the following week and I began using Fenugreek and Brewers Yeast supplements, Mother’s Milk tea, upped my daily water intake drastically, started eating oatmeal with extra flax seed for breakfast, increased our skin-to-skin time, got a prescription for Reglan (a breast milk enhancing drug) from my OB and snacked on lactation cookies in hopes to increase my production. Our LC also instructed us to supplement small amounts of formula too once I’d run out of breast milk. The following week we were overjoyed to learn all of our hard work was paying off when Caroline weighed in at 6 pounds, 15.93 ounces (exceeding her birth weight)! It’s been a uphill battle, but I refuse to give up!

One Month Highlights:

Caroline,

•  You weighed in last week at 6 pounds, 15.93 ounces and we were so happy you exceeded your birth weight!
•  You love to be held…all the time. If I even think about putting you down you get upset. You also love to be worn in the K’tan wrap.
• You wear newborn clothes and diapers but they are getting more snug every day, and that makes me sad. I want you to stay little forever but I’m also excited to watch you grow.
• You are so strong and constantly lift your little legs all the time. You can also hold your head up pretty
  good and roll to your side by yourself often.
• Daddy gives you your baths and you love them, until it’s time to dry you off.
• You love the paci, most of the time.
• You prefer tummy time on Daddy’s chest.
• We still can’t decide if your hair is coming in thicker or falling out each day. Sometimes we think you have my auburn hair. Other days we think you have daddy’s brown hair.
•  Charlie has warmed up to you quite a bit this month. Even though he ignored you the first two weeks, it’s been so sweet watching him grow more concerned and protective of you recently.
•  You love our morning walks and so does Charlie.
• We haven’t decided who you look like, but most people are quick to say you look like daddy.
• You’ve been held by so many friends and family members. People have flown in from all over just to see you and bring you little presents (and meals for mommy and daddy). 

And now, picture overload…

– One Week Old – 

 

First Bath

– Two Weeks Old –

 

The “Cheerio” face!

 

A growing friendship

 

– Three Weeks Old –  

You are so loved, my darling. You fit into our little family so perfectly. 

Happy 1 Month, Caroline Grace!