My old college roommate swung through this afternoon on her and her family’s way back to Chicago.
Meet Hannah. She is about 6 months older than you.
Her mommy is Monica. I have known her a LONG time. I do so hope and pray that you will have special, godly female friends in your life – the kind that love you through thick and thin . . . and over time and distance.
The hat is compliments of Meagan, from church. She had a little “welcome to the world” gift for you, that she blessed us with at a baby shower we attended for my friend, Terri. Terri’s husband goes on Daddy’s Winter Wilderness Trips.
It was our first “girls” party we attended. It made me excited for the mother/daughter teas we will get to go to together. By then you won’t have to stay shrouded in a sling!
Check out these amazing flowers Mommy’s friend, Sarah brought over. The Starbucks wasn’t bad either! If you find that you like Starbucks Vanilla Lattes when you are older, you can blame that on me.
At our church, when a family has a baby, mommy’s good friend -- Casey, organizes meals for a couple of weeks. It is so helpful. So keep that in mind, should the Lord tarry, that when you become an adult, a timely meal can be such a blessing. Here is a list of some of the meals we have gotten thus far – maybe it will spark an idea in your head:
Some things to think about when you bring a meal would be to provide paper plates and napkins, a simple gift or card for any older children, a coffee for the mom, ask if any family members have food allergies or likes/dislikes, check the food schedule to make sure the family isn’t getting the same meal twice, stay long enough to properly “ohh and ahh,” but don’t overextended your stay or have your children run around like crazy, etc.
These are just some of the things that our church family has done for us, and it has been such a blessing.
Today you saw Swathi, your healthcare provider, for the first time. Daddy and Sir Honey came to your appointment, too, while Nana babysat your brothers.
Swathi thought you were perfect, but I already knew that. God did such a good job knitting you together.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you. (Psalm 139: 13-18)
You weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces. And you shrunk an inch!
I thought that we were going to get out of going to the doctor all of the time for all those silly well-baby visits since we were abstaining from immunizations. Alas . . . no.
I think that Swathi genuinely wants to be involved in your life and development.
Really. At least, I hope.
But still . . . . it is kind of inconvenient to go, when you are healthy. And I’ll be bringing 4 children with me most of the time.
Now that we aren’t joined by an umbilical cord, you often spend your days in the Moby Wrap or a ring sling. I do believe I like having you much better on the outside of me. However, I can’t be remiss in healing the site where we were connected.
Simple solution.
Goldenseal powder.
Because you belly button was remaining moist and not quite healing, I applied goldenseal powder to your belly button. It is a bit messy, but very effective. If you can’t find a jar of goldenseal powder, simply break open a capsule and pour out the contents onto a belly button!
P.S. Goldenseal powder is also very effective if sprinkled on a hemorrhoid.
Bath night.
You still didn’t like the whole water experience.
Girl – you were born in the water! Being a fish should come naturally to you.
All in good time.
Daddy got a hold of the camera while I was feeding you. So here is a rare picture of me. It isn’t unusual that I am holding or wearing you . . . just unusual to find a picture of me on the camera!
A trip to the midwife revealed that you have surpassed your birth weight.
You also made your first trip to the fabric store. It was hard to resist buying fabric to make you a dress.
But I needed to buy some sling fabric. For three special ladies.
Focus.
Our date also revealed to me that I need to fold your cloth diaper differently.
Girls need their prefold twisted.
Not folded. Unless you like to do laundry. Or you like to have your clothes, my hands, and the car seat filled with poop.
And don’t forget to add the cover (not pictured).
Nana came today . . . she did all things cleaning.
She also held you which enabled me to re-claim Daddy’s and my bedroom from a birth-room to a bedroom, which happens to be your bedroom right now too.
And here is your outfit today. Oh, you’ll be happy to know that I also organized your bedroom and closet today, too.
Two weeks have gone by now since you have been living in our household. Reality has set in. Though I love you more and more each day, you have begun to reveal some of your likes and dislikes.
And I think that one of those dislikes is coffee.
Boo-hoo!
Anyhow, the weekend was a bit rough. You cried a lot. You certainly didn’t sleep well. And the whole bathroom thing (ya know . . . pooping) was an issue. Which, since you are nursing, going potty should come quite easily and naturally.
I had been noticing that you always tilt your head to the right, much like your eldest brother.
And it got me thinkin’.
That thinking ended with you hanging upside down.
Now don’t think that we are torturing you. This is Dr. Cole. He’s a chiropractor.
Baby Girl, you simply were out of alignment.
Here is the interesting fact about your little body, though. You were actually in pretty good shape according to the scan thing-a-ma-jig they took down your neck and back. Much better than most newborns.
I wonder if that has something to do with being born in the water? I’d be interested to know how other water birth babies would test.
Afterwards, you were so calm and content the rest of the day. You took two really great naps and were so happy.
Until I had coffee. Maybe if I only have one coffee a day, not two.
Even. Though. They. Are. Decaf.
Sigh.
