Sunday, September 6, 2009

1 Month Old

Ok so this post is SUPER LATE!!! Brooke is actually almost 2 months old but I need to document her 1 month pictures and her stats and all that jazz so let's pretend that she is 1 month old :) I am in no hurry to have her grow up anyway :)
I have decided that I am going to take my own pictures of her each month accept for 6 months, 1 year... you know important ones like that I will take her in to get shots done :) I wish I would have taken her in for newborn ones :( I never even got as many of her as I do for my friends and family when she was newborn. Isn't that sad? Now I can never go back :(
( I am going to write this as if I was writing at her 1 month mark )
Well here is our little Brooke at 1 month old!





Her stats when she was born were 8 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long!
Her stats at her 1 week appointment were 8 lbs 9 oz and 21 inches long!
Her stats at her 1 month appointment were 9 lbs 14 oz and 21 inches long!

They did not give me what percentile she is, I do not think they do that until the 2 month mark? I am going to ask next time what percentile she is because I am super curious! I thought that she was doing a great job at growing and all BUT my mom and sister seemed to be worried that she had not gained enough weight :) They are used to chubby and rolly babies because my mom's kids were chubby and rolly and so were Amanda's and little Brooke is not chubby or rolly. I think that she has her daddy's body type as a little baby and not mine. I have been feeding her regularly, the only thing is that she has been sleeping for LONG hours at a time at night. I let her sleep until she wakes up because I have been told by MANY people that you DO NOT wake a sleeping baby. So that is what I have been doing. Brooke goes about 4 hour gaps at night so I end up feeding her at about 8 pm, 12 am, 4 am, and then 8 am. NOT TOO BAD!!! I usually go to bed between 12 and 1 am so I really only wake up 1 time in the middle of the night to feed her. I feel super lucky to have such a good sleeper! There has been a night or two where she has skipped her 4 am feeding and has gone about 8-9 hours at night! When Brooke is awake she is super duper alert and has just started smiling as a reaction to me or her daddy at about 4 weeks of age. I LOVE to see her smile and react to me. She even does this little trying to laugh sound that just melts my heart! I totally, totally LOVE this kid! She is such a blessing to our home and to our family and I already can not even imagine our lives without her!
Our first month has been pretty positive, not much at all to complain about. The only struggles we have had is suddenly with breast feeding! In the hospital Brooke was the model breast feeder. The lactation consultant even jokingly asked if she could take Brooke around to teach the other kids how to latch on so well. WELL.... suddenly at about the end of the first week of age she started deciding to have issues latching on. It is not that she does not know how to latch on, she just won't even try or even allow herself to get close to trying. She just screams, and screams and will not even get close to my boob to try to latch on. It is not every single time and I can not even find a pattern to her madness so it is hard and has been a struggle for us. I am refusing to give in and am determined to breast feed her! I usually hold out till she will finally latch on, but there have been a few times I have given her bottles of breast milk which she takes like a champ! It is hard for me to not get my feelings hurt at moments like that when she will not even get close to my boob but sucks down a bottle like a champ. I am determined to work it out!
I have also had a really hard time adjusting to being a mom and doing all of the other every day life stuff like blogging for instance, or making her birth announcement (which I have given up on), cleaning, grocery shopping, all of that stuff! I feel like I am being a good mom but sucking at every other aspect of life and that makes me sad! I am working on it but it is taking more time than I would like it to. Am I the only one that struggles with this with their first?? I feel like I am the only one that struggles with this because all of you other women make it look like it was never ever a struggle. Anyway, I am working on it, it is taking time, but I am learning slowly but surely!
O and I still have a nasty gut and it is making me sick and sad because I can't even work out till after my knee surgery. I just can't wait to be thin again!
Well all of this jazz is SO SO SO worth having this beautiful little baby girl in our family!!!
I promise to keep you better posted from now on and I will actually post her monthly stats at the month instead of a month late :)

14 comments:

AmandaFienPhotography said...

She is so cute! And yes it definitely takes time to adjust to a newborn in your life. It took me and Braden about 2 months to get into a routine with Griffin. Have you tried a nipple shield? Griffin gnawed on mine so much that they bled...I know, gross. But I also didn't want to give up so I tried the nipple shield. She might like that if she likes the bottle nipple for a while. I can't remember when I stopped using it, but it was probably around three months. Now I am dealing with teeth! Get ready! hahahaha

Ryan and Brindi said...

those pictures are sooo beautiful! who needs to go to a studio when you can take pictures like that??! she seems to be doing so great. sorry about the nursing problem. i experienced that with aiden at about 3 weeks old and it ended up being that he had acid reflux. as soon as he got on zantac he went right back to nursing like a champ. And you are SO SO normal to be totally lacking in other areas of your life as you focus on baby brooke!! i STILL am and my baby is 9 months old! :) who wants to clean a house when there is such a fun cute baby to play with!??

Tammy and Chris said...

Dont feel bad about not being able to accomplish other things in your life right now. I too really struggled with that. Rylee cried for the first 4 months, so I held her a lot and did not accomplish hardly anything at all. I struggled with napping during her naps, but that was the only time I could accomplish anything. Just remember that everything has its season, and a messy house or not getting a shower will pass by. You will be able to do things again soon.

everyday katie said...

I was talking about this with friends the other day...the first really can be a major adjustment. IT's surprising because you cant even WAIT to be a mom and you only have one. But it's a MAJOR lifestyle change. There is nothing you can do to really prepare yourself for what it will be like and your life instantly is drastically different. One day you'll be doing all the things you want to in your day and look back and be surprised that it was ever so hard. You'll fall into your own rythm.

Brooke is a doll.

The Ward Family said...

It took me really until Jocelynn was a toddler to get things done around the house (the way I like it done). She was so demanding, wanting to be held, etc. as a baby. You'll get back eventually and it might take awhile to get a schedule and everything going. Jocelynn really didn't get a schedule down until about 7 months. She's a cutie, sounds like you're doing well!

Kelly said...

She is a cutie pie and growing so fast. 2 months already... that just seems weird!

Erin said...

what a darling little one. Im lovin her outfit, its a happy color. I just smiled when the pictre popped up.
What the breastfeeding? What happened? Silly girl. BUt really what baby doesnt bring a little maddness?

Heather said...

She is just so gosh darn cute!!!! Love it! So nice to have an at home studio! ;) And Sarah you are completely NORMAL!! I might make it look easy, but it so not! You just can't see my dirty house! :) It's ok to let other things go while you learn to manage, it is a MAJOR life adjustment!!! I am just now starting to clean my house regularly again! But I'm glad I let it go for awhile to focus on my little guy, they are so worth it! AND I always remember being a good mom to him and all the memories of him as a baby, not how dirty my house was! You are doing GREAT!

The Gray Family said...

it definitely takes awhile to adjust to life with a baby...right about the time you think you have everything figured out, you have #2 and have to start all over :>) She is adorable though! Good luck with your surgery on Thursday.

Trent and Kristi said...

love the pics - so cute! And NO you are NOT alone - it is very hard adjusting to a newborn - whether it's your first or fifth - because they are so demanding for a while, but hang in there. In a few months you will be adjusted and have time for all the other things (that don't really matter anyway - like cleaning, etc.) so just enjoy your time cause they grow so fast!

And don't worry about the belly thing - just get your knee better! Once that heals then you will be back in shape in no time! But really the belly is the last thing to get in shape - I felt like by the time my belly was back in shape I was pregnant again - so it's not just you! Don't beat yourself up - you look great. And rock climbing? There's no way I'd try that right after having a baby! Good luck with the surgery!

Anonymous said...

I don't have time to read all the addvice! So I might repeat, but don't worry so much yes it is hard at first, but it gets better...The cleaning and other things are just not that important they will allways be there even five years from now so just injoy your baby they grow up so fast!

The Hansons said...

what a doll! she is so darn cute and I cant wait to see her when we come dowm(whenever that is. You are such a cute little mom and i hope im just as good are you are when I have kids! and just remember that it took you 9months to gain all that weight, so dont be discouraged if it takes you awhile!

The Hansons said...
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The Hansons said...

oh and by the way... im totally loving the new photo of the week! the gang signs crack me up! and it looks like shes doin some kind of bhudda meditation thing! too funny! im sure she will grow up to be just as silly are you and kip are!