This time last month

Little Abigail is a month old today!

Coming home day!

When weighed on the home scale she has gained 2 pounds in one month- already bringing her to a whopping 9 pounds. :) She outgrew newborn diapers and is not even swallowed up by size 1 diapers anymore. Nor does she practically slide right out of her seatbelt in the carrier anymore.  While still sleeping in the pack and play, she is long enough to reach almost end to end in the bassinett part.  Her upstairs crib makes her look so tiny though...

Still by far my most laid back baby, when she gets hungry enough, she can squall (only seen on a few occasions). She is eating every 3-5 hours for the most part. She is on a very loose schedule but on the whole eats at 7ish am, 10, 1, 5, 8, 11, 4am. The afternoon /evening feedings are likely to adjust a bit but somewhere in there, she will sleep for 4-5 hours at a time once or twice. She seems to get a lot of gas bubbles while feeding and at times will cry until she can be burped. 

I have decided that she will end up with a receding hairline like her sister--all because she is definitely a tummy sleeper too!  Much happier on her tummy at bedtime-although she likes to sit straight up when she is awake and look around.  (very alert)  She also likes the paci too.

Her siblings love her, especially Elizabeth.  E has the strong desire to be a little Mommy (just not quite so gently yet).

She has now met several of her relatives--Gram, Uncle Andrew, Aunt Shayna, Ibra and Suma, Uncle Paul, Aunt Susan, Caleb and Colin. 

Ever the joy...we love you, Abigail!

ps at one month one day she gave her first huge "social" grin to me totally unexpectedly!

Lest I forget

God is gracious to remind me that this sleep deprivation will not last forever. Although it did not help me much last night because if the timing of it, Abigail slept 6 1/4 hours at a stretch last night!

So thankful for my little girl Elizabeth who sings almost nonstop in the car now. (at A's age and many months thereafter it was screaming nonstop)  Often, the words Jesus and Bible can be heard.

And my big boy (boy boy) David? He loves to get two thumbs up for helping me with the stroller. The first time, he noticed me struggling to fit the double stroller in the trunk and still close the door quickly before the stroller moved. Incredibly sweetly and thoughtfully--without me asking, or even thinking of it, David leaned over the seat and grabbed the stroller to hold it in place while the door shut. Already a man to take care of me when his daddy is not around!

fun in the tub at two weeks

The morning of her two week old birthday, Abigail lost her umbilical cord stump--suddenly and without warning. 

Time for the full first bath at home! Like everything else, you just sat back and calmly took it all in.

guilt trip

I have never wanted to receive a diaper cake because I know myself well enough to know that as beautiful as they are, I would feel bad taking it apart to use.  It was with this understanding that I looked at the incredibly sweet gift from Michael's coworkers.  Last time, they sent flowers.  The cats ate them.  This time, I was relieved to find no live plants.  Instead, however, I saw an adorable caterpillar.

Only problem, it was made up of a tote bag, changing pad, hooded towel, 4 pairs of socks, rattle, squeak toy, and blanket.  To make matters worse, as I was finally taking it apart to use the various parts, David was watching and asked, "Mommy, why are you taking the head off the caterpillar?" 

twice the fun...again!

We braved the crowds and headed to Chick-fil-A on Friday for cow appreciation day...not once, but twice.  Going out with such a little one requires playing it by ear and making plans on the fly.  I had tentatively decided to try and take all three for lunch but it was not until lunchtime that the plan solidified.  God graciously answered two requests.  One, no rain (which miraculously happened the entire time we were there--and only once we arrived).  Two, A slept peacefully the entire time! 

Much like last year (and Christmas with Santa etc...), E was plenty happy to have her picture taken with the large cow. D not not so much! He also refused to have his picture taken in front of the real cow until I could convince him that the cow could not get out and hurt him.

Dinner was a bit more challenging, but at least M was with me then. D did agree to have his picture taken with the cow this time though.

Thanks, Chickfila for two very yummy (and free) meals! Next year, A will be dressed up in cow attire too.