One Month

Dear Sarah,

Can we even begin to count the ways our lives have changed in just one month? As with your brother, the first month is a blur of feedings, diaper changes and fatigue. But the days are also filled with lots of snuggles and kisses and scented with the perfume of that indescribable sweet baby smell - the one that emanates from the top of a baby's head and fills your heart with love.

Miss Piggy, you are quite the chunk. At 3 weeks you weighed 8 pounds and 14 ounces, a gain of almost a pound and half over your birth weight! (In contrast, Max had only gained 4 ounces by his 3 week checkup). You look very short and rotund, and you love to burrow into our chests like a little snuggle bunny. Newborn diapers and gowns are being phased out and you already fill out some 3 month outfits quite nicely. In fact, you almost outgrew one of Mommy's baby dresses before we could get your picture in it!

You are a noisy baby! I cannot believe the very un-ladylike sounds that emanate from your little body! Snorts, grunts, poots, hacks, and smacks. Max thinks you sound like the Scary Snort in the book "Are You My Mother?" You're messy too - dripping milk everywhere when you eat and spitting up after almost every meal. It's a good thing you are adorable! Daddy calls you a little vampire due to your inclination to chomp down when nursing and the triangular peak of hair on your forehead. However, the hairline is already beginning to recede and you will probably be bald soon! Do not fear, I am confident you will be just as beautiful!

So many of your mannerisms remind me of Max, although maybe they are just newborn traits that I attribute to Max. There is the Scrunch-N-Stretch, the Buddha pose, and you are working on the Mummy Dance. You are already slurping on your hand in a desperate attempt to suck your thumb. Hopefully it will be big enough soon! You seem very conflicted about the pacifier - accepting it, spitting it out, and sometimes throwing it across the room. There have been a few bottles with Daddy and Mimi and you have taken them easily without complaint. My children will suck on anything, including fingers and toes!

Sarah, you resist being swaddled, but pass out as soon as we have you wrapped up like a burrito. You also love to sleep with your hands over your head like the chalk outline of a crime victim. During the day you sleep best in someone's arms and will instantly calm down when placed face down on my chest. But at night you have been sleeping very well in your bassinet, even dropping a middle of the night feeding on your own for several consecutive nights before your one month birthday! You have gone as long as 5 1/2 hours (doctor approved) between feedings at night and Mommy LOVES this trend. It makes the late evening fussiness worthwhile!

As Baby Number 2, you are reaping the benefits of more experienced parents. It definitely seems easier to handle the endless feedings and sleepless nights because we know they are a passing phase. We are more patient and not nearly as worried all the time. It also helps that you did not have any health, feeding or weight issues to cause us anxiety. But it is difficult to give you as much attention as you deserve. Often I feel as though I feed you and then immediately have to put you down in order to attend to Max. I hope that once you are on a more consistent schedule we can address that problem and create opportunities for individual time with both of you. I am also trying to enjoy these newborn days (even the long ones) because I realize how quickly you will grow and change! Thank you for making our family complete!

We love our precious sweet pea!

Love, Mommy