2 Weeks Old

So as far as photogs go, I am not one. I am a terrible mother in said field. But I'm ok with that. I will get pictures when I can and right now that is not the first thing on my mind.

Anyway...

I say that because I have no cute picture to post of my wee one for her 2 week birthday. But I have some wonderful stats from her 2 week check up :)

14 inch head circumference (grew 1/2 inch since birth)

21 1/2 inches long (another 1/2 in gained)

and 7 lbs 15 oz! (that is from her 7 lbs 3 oz at discharge or 7 lbs 4 oz taken 8 days ago and healthy as a horse as that surpasses her birth weight of 7 lbs 10.1 oz :D)

This momma is a happy momma. Not to mention, if we would let her, she would sleep through the night. If that pattern continues, in about 2 more weeks I will be back to getting a more normal sleep schedule with the exception of growth spurts.

Thank you Jesus for a healthy, growing baby girl!

Baby Life

I'm sitting in my kitchen listening to the baby monitor pick up the sound from Zoë's sound machine, aka white noise to block out other sound. :) Life has changed. Drastically.

I knew it would. I was not under any assumption this would be easy. So I mentally did my best to prepare myself for the pending change I knew would be knocking at my door faster than lightning.

But nothing prepares you for this. No amount of time you spend reading books, journaling, conversing about it with others ever prepares you. You can say you're ready, but the truth is, if you believe you're actually ready, you're most certainly not. To honestly say "I'm ready" means you understand amidst the blissful moments of a newborn and the wonderful moments as you raise them, there will be moments to try you in every possible way and many a time they come when you are most fatigued.

Writing this makes me think of my hospital discharge: I will never forget the look on Ben's face as the nurse was "educating" us on being open and honest with how we felt and if ever we found ourselves in a place where we thought we might harm our child to put distance between you and them (of course make sure baby is in a safe place) and call someone immediately - do not take it out on your baby and shake them. That last part was a shocker to Ben. He stared at me with an indescribable expression which had mixed in there a "I can't even imagine doing that to Zoë". He had never heard of such a thing. (Shaken Baby Syndrome is serious. Read about it here)

Needless to say the frustration I had felt as we worked through one of our toughest battles with breastfeeding, I found myself in a place where I felt the feelings I'm sure are attached to those who have actually carried out shaking their baby. As I laid a screaming Zoë on the floor to gather myself before I picked her up again I kept thinking, "Dear Lord, I need your strength!"

That is what will get me through the tough spots. That is what will help me to be the best mommy to my little girl (gah! I still can't believe I am a mom!). That is what will allow me to have peace when there is none physically :) That is what will allow me to enjoy the sweet moments I have and cherish them despite my frustration. I hope I will never forget that.

She's HERE!

So it may be a while before I post again (and I know it's been a while since the last) but

Zoë Grace Daigle has made her debut into the world.

Born on 03/13/2012 @ 17:27

Weighing in at 7 lbs 10 oz

Measured 21 inches long

She is completely healthy and doing quite well!

Here's our first family photo :)

Waiting

'Tis seems my lot in life these days. Oh that I may solely rely on the strength of my God not worrying about tomorrow but trusting He knows and His timing is perfect. I say this because Zoë seems to love her current home. Though she is head down she is not doing anything to make birth a possibility.

I know that can change on the turn of a dime but everything in me wants to begin worrying about the "what if it stays this way".

So I wait. And in this time may I begin the forever continual process of relinquishing the control I think I have into God's hands. May He remind me He alone knows all and I am a meer vessel of His.