Michaela @ One Month Old

Our first month together has just flown by!

I'm guesstimating that Michaela weighs between nine and ten pounds by now. She's a very good eater. I give her three ounces of formula every two or three hours. We are going through at least twenty-four ounces of formula in a twenty-four hour period of time. I feed her on demand, and when she's hungry, she's very hungry! She does not like to wait for her bottle. We were having problems with excessive spit-up, and so I've tried some different formulas for that. The one we are using now has rice starch in it, and she is spitting up far less now. Michael's mom joked that of course she needs rice with every meal!  That's the way Michael grew up, and once we got married he always had a fresh batch of rice in the rice maker for us.

And, because input equals output, I change an incredible number of diapers each day. I haven't actually counted how many, but I'm thinking that to say ten or twelve a day is being conservative. She has graduated from the newborn size, and is now wearing size 1. I'm happy that I learned about Amazon Mom and their subscribe and save program because it is a great way to save. I was able to order 284 diapers for just $33 the other day, and two-day shipping is free. Can't beat that!

Michaela's temperment is very easy going. She seems to be like her daddy in that regard. The only times she fusses are when she's hungry, needs a diaper change, has a gas bubble, or is resisting a nap. I can usually figure it out quickly and give her what she needs. When she's resisting a nap, I either swaddle her or I hold her tight. That does the trick every time!

Michaela is a very good sleeper. Overnight she will sleep anywhere between three and six hours at a time. Some nights we only have to get up once, and other nights we get up a couple of times. I'm getting more sleep now than when I was pregnant! During the day, she may take long naps or she may take cat naps. There's just no telling. On the days she only takes cat naps, I don't get much done. But most days that's not the case. I continue to swaddle her overnight, and she's still sleeping in her bassinet right next to my bed. I love that she's so close, and sometimes I just watch her sleep. Sleeping babies are precious.

Last week, I put together a little floor gym for her that was a baby shower gift. She is able to kick the ball and reach out and touch the toys with her fists. I've noticed that she is developing hand-eye coordination. She likes to try to hold her pacifier and her bottle.

In the last couple of days she has begun to smile at me in recognition and pleasure. I haven't caught her smile on camera yet, but each smile makes my heart soar! She's also differentiating me from other people. While visiting at my sister's house a couple of times in the last week, she watched me while others held her. She definitely knows who her mama is!

We have transitioned from sponge baths on the changing table to semi-sponge baths in the sink. She does not like baths anyway-which-way they are given to her. I've got a cushy foam liner for the sink, and I cover her with a towel for warmth, but she's just not into it. So, I try to keep bath time really short, and I only give her a couple of baths a week at this point.

Lastly, this past week we succeeded in trying two new things together. I successfully got the Moby Wrap on, and we were able to go for a little walk with the doggy and get some chores done. Also, we've ventured out for a couple of walks with the stroller. Yesterday we walked up to the market and the party supply store. Michaela slept the entire time!

What a wonderful month it has been! I'm sure the coming month will bring more changes and fun, too.