1 Month [Aubrey]

Time always seems a funny thing when you have a newborn. Even funnier when you have an almost 2 year old and a newborn. The days seem infintessimally longer while weeks seem to slip straight through your fingers. There are even those rare days which seem to fly by, which throws a complete curve ball into grasping time, when you get to soak in all the glory and blessing of having a quiver full of children. And I'm just today experiencing the full fledged reality of raising two kids on my own for 8+ hours of the day. (Please, pray for me!!)

That being said, I'm several days late in getting this written and posted, but when it comes to my kids always better late than never I try to write the post at some point so I have it as a keepsake. And just to keep it real: while I'd love to say the posts are late because I'm engaged 100% as a mom and giving them what they need from me, sometimes I'm still wasting my time on social media or half-way giving them my attention even when my writing has fallen to the way side.

Anyway...

I cannot believe Aubrey is already a month old! As of last Wednesday! Gah.

I'd really be ok if time would stand still. If even for a moment. Mentally I feel it may help with the emotional roller coaster the month of March will always be for me, but especially this year. I will always have Zoë's and my Angel baby's birthdays, but this year...yes, this year...I am still dealing with postpartum hormones, celebrating Aubrey's 1 month milestone, Zoë's 2 year, and my little Angel's 1 year.

This is such a joyous and sorrowful time.

But this post is a joyous one. A post to begin the monthly milestones Aubrey makes. A post celebrating the wonderful blessing of another child. Life is a gift.

To that end I wanted to post some extremely rookie pics taken with a point n shoot with a manual mode that no longer functions properly. And auto mode...well, it's just not as great for taking pics of an infant. But I'd rather have pictures than none to capture this time at all.

First off, let me show you just how good I am at making my babies cry when I attempt any semblance of a mini photo shoot. This particular picture was captured after several different positions in different places. Every. last. one happened to make Aubrey cry. Way to go, Mom!

This one isn't a great pic, but the face. Oh, the face! I crack up every time I see this picture. She purses her lips like that a lot too. Already bringing additional laughter into our home.

Finally was able to get her to settle down by swaddling her. Then big sister decided she wanted in on the "cheese" action. Here she is pointing to Aubrey's head band. Though they obviously can't truly interact with one another yet, moments like these melt my heart and give life to the hope of them becoming best buds.

I'm biased, but man she's cute! And it still blows my mind she has so much dark hair. I seriously thought I would always have bald babies.

Nothing like a sweet, sleeping baby.

I consider this her first "see how I'm growing" picture. There was no way I was going to get one with her unswaddled; plus, she still hasn't lost all the newborn womb syndrome (curled up in a ball like she still has no room to stretch).

1 Month Stats

• At 2 weeks you weighed 8 pounds 5 ounces. This means you had gained almost an entire pound in about 7 days. As your doctor told me, "[You're] killing it on weight!" Mommy has "ghetto weighed" you since then. If our scale is correct, you now weigh around 11 pounds. I'll be very curious to get an official weight on you at your 2 month check-up. You're healthy so we weren't required to go in for a one month.
• You measured 21 inches at 2 weeks old which is up 1 1/4 inches from birth. You currently are almost out of newborn size onesies. It does depend on the brand, but a majority of them do not fit.
• You're very patient with me as I try to figure out the correct size on the cloth diapers we are borrowing. I'm curious to see if this will transform into a more laid back personality.
• You are becoming more alert by the day. Your most attentive times are when we first wake up in the morning and after your midafternoon eating session.
• You continue to nurse like a champ. I'm so grateful nursing has been a relative breeze with you. We've had our hiccups, but the older you get, the fewer problems we have. You've even had several days where you will nurse for 10 minutes each side and last three hours between nursing sessions.
• You aren't a big fan of tummy time. Rarely you'll last a good ten to fifteen minutes, but most of the time I feel like as soon as I've set you down you begin fussing about it.
• You enjoy snuggling. Oh, do you snuggle! Your favorite spot is to be on my shoulder but able to nestle your head into my neck.

Aubrey,

Words cannot describe how much my joy has increased by having you in my arms. I am still amazed I was pregnant with you so quickly after we lost your sibling. And now to have you, flesh and blood, in my arms. What a sweet, sweet gift you are!

As you continue to grow and show signs of thriving I become ever more curious of who you will develop to be. How will you touch the lives around you? What will the daily interactions with your sister look like? What will you like? What will you dislike? (We're already very aware of the fact you do not have an inclination for music the way your sister did. We have yet to find any song to soothe you. In fact, some of them seem to make you more riled up or angry.)

It is my joy and honor to be your mommy. To get to know you as only a mother is able.

I love you very much, sweet girl!

Mommy