"1 Month Old"!

It seems impossible that Ellison could be 1 month old already.  My pregnancy this time went so much quicker, and now her growth is happening so much quicker too. I guess it's because I don't have time anymore to just sit and stare at her every move like I did with Elijah Brooks!  We are slowly but surely getting into a routine, or at least attempting one. People told me it was going to be so much harder with a 2nd child, but honestly, I didn't realize it would be this hard - just the constant juggling act of 2 little lives to take care of every second.  But, blessings upon blessings continue to come upon our family and that helps keep the difficult moments in perspective.

Her personality really hasn't changed that much in the past few weeks, except she has definitely "woken up" from the "newborn fog" and girlfriend has some lungs on her!!  Her cries are very distinct and I am beginning to be able to distinguish them from one another now. Her "feed me" cry is unmistakable, loud, and very rhythmic (and pretty pitiful if I don't feed her immediately)!  Her "tired" cry is more of a wimper that comes and goes.  She was beginning to show some of the same signs of reflux that Elijah Brooks did, but we caught it in time and got her some help quickly.  3 years ago, we didn't know what we were dealing with so we let it get out of control with Elijah Brooks. We said next time we had a child starting to show the same signs, we would get help immediately and not wait like last time. Amazing what you learn the first time around!  She seems much more content during and after feedings now, and I am so grateful.  In fact, she weighs 11 pounds now!!  She, just like her brother, is in the 95th-99% percentile for both height and weight!  She is remarkably healthy and we are so thankful.  She loves her brother and he loves her too, and is always wanting to be around her. Sometimes he will cover his ears when she cries, but only if it's interrupting his cartoon!  Her favorite position to be in is up on our shoulders looking around with her big blue eyes. She is incredibly strong and is beginning to hold her head steady. She loves to be on her tummy too, unlike Elijah Brooks who did not like to be on his tummy!  She has not developed a love for a pacifier either, unlike her brother who was attached to it at all times. I am already seeing differences in them little by little.  She is beginning to get the hang of daytime naps, though each day is still somewhat unpredictable, it's at least beginning to make more sense to both of us. She is ready for a nap around 9:00 or 9:30 each morning, around 2:00 or 2:30 each afternoon, and then again around 5:30 or 6pm....., all of these give or take time to put to sleep, feed, change diaper etc......    She has been doing approximately 3 hour stretches at night, sometimes less, sometimes up to 4 hours.  Again, "ballpark" time frames just so that I can remember!

All in all, we are doing quite well adjusting. I am learning to let go of the unimportant and just take care of those things which are priority. I am not trying to be a hero and do it all - just doing what I can in a given day and letting the rest go. I am also not trying to be a hero and act as if I have it all together or that this is a piece of cake. It's hard, but God's grace is more than sufficient for my every need and I am learning to lean on Him hourly.

We are a blessed family indeed.  Enough talking, and on to pictures! 

This is my mom's dress from when she was an infant!