Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Lilly Belle: 1 Week Old

Our Lilly Belle was 1 Week Old on Sunday, August 11th 2013.

Miss Belle didn't feel like having her pictures taken. "Mooommmm, seriously?!"

A week already?!
Where does the time go.
I cannot believe our sweet baby girl is already a week old. Matt kept saying today that she looks bigger. No...! (I agree) People aren't kidding when they say they grow so fast. 

We have made it through so much already this week and have grown together as a family so much in just our first week together. Today (Saturday night) Matt and I finally felt like, "we got this!" And we did. Today was flawless. Our sweet girl is finally taking to breastfeeding and this mama could not be more happy and relieved. I was feeling so down about it. "Why doesn't she want to latch to me?" "Why does she push away from me?" "What's wrong with me?" Little Bean just needed some time. She needed time to figure it all out and so did I. We have it down now. Not once did she pull away from me today. I actually cried tonight after her bath as I held her and through my shirt she tried to suck. She knew. I was so excited and felt so much love from her. She does know I'm her mama. 

Here are some highlights from our week (not that I can really write them all out...every moment is a highlight to us right now).

*Tonight after her bath, I had her wrapped up in her towel all cozy rocking her in her glider. Matt was out at the store and it was just the two of us. She made eye contact with me for a good 5 minutes while I sang "Lilly Belle" and "Part of Your World" to her. She just stared and stared and I sang and told her how perfect she was and how much I love her. It was a moment I wish I could have held onto forever.

*Like I mentioned above, we have breastfeeding down now. We had lots of hard times this week. From cracked/bleeding nipples to her screaming when it was time to feed. Now for two days in a row...perfect. Every feeding we've just got it down. It's starting to just come natural and I'm so thankful. I was so close to giving up and just start pumping and giving her bottles instead.

*She is super strong. She can roll from side to side and holds her head up so well. We have to be super careful holding her because Little Miss can really throw herself around.

*Lilly is a really easy going baby. Today she has a good 3 hours of awake time while Matt and I worked at the studio (maternity leave? what's that?). We cleaned and prepped for a weekend of birthday parties and she just chilled on the rug and made the cutest noises. 

*Lilly Belle gave us a few scares this week. Our first night home she gagged on her spit up and stopped breathing. Enough that she blocked her own airway, was stiff as a board and her eyes rolled back in her head. I don't know what made me awake at that moment, but I am so thankful. And I am so thankful for my Mom Lanese because I ran out to the living room franticly sobbing that Lilly wasn't breathing and she calmly took Lilly and held her and Lilly came to and it was okay. I just lay there holding Lilly with Matt for a good half hour just terrified and crying. It took me a day or two to get over what I saw. My baby girl not breathing and looking terrified. It was the most awful moment of my life. Now, thankfully, Lilly Belle has the spit up thing figured out...it definitely goes out instead of staying in. Thank God! 

*At her first appointment, prior to my milk coming in, Lilly weighed 6 lbs .5 oz which means she lost 8.5 oz. So, we had to go back two days later to check that she was gaining weight and that my milk came in. It definitely came in and Lilly Belle gained 4 oz. in just a day and a half! Our pediatrician was pretty happy about that. 

*At her second appointment, the doctor thought that she may have Jaundice. So we had to go to the hospital and have lab work taken. I know there will sadly be many times when my baby is in pain and I can't always fix it. This was just too soon. They had to prick her foot and then squeeze an entire vial out while shaking her leg and squeezing. I held her in my arms the whole time and just felt like she wanted me to help her. Her cry was the saddest most helpless cry. I cried the whole time just looking at Matt like I wanted him to make them stop. We couldn't do anything obviously and it was awful. Turns out...she is not Jaundice, but we did take her out into the sun a bunch yesterday and today just in case. 

*Lilly had her first bath, met tons of friends and family, went on her first walk and learned so many new things. We are so proud of her already. 

Hands down, this has been the best week of my whole life. The best week of our lives. We are beyond in love with our little girl. I just want to spend every second I can with her. I wonder what we'll all discover together next week :)

Here are some highlight pictures... (I already have 100's so this was hard to choose)


She loved her first bath so much!

Cuddle time with Nana

Meeting Katie & Avery, our best friends :)

So many cuddles with Daddy

Ready to go home!

First time in her room.

Papa's first time holding Lilly Belle

Lilly Belle met lots of my dance kids her first week! Samm will also be one of Lilly's babysitters :)

Cogsy is so amazing with her! Other than a few sniffs and kisses on her feet, this is as close as he gets.

Our sweet girl had lots of sleepy time her first week, of course :)

Lilly Belle's first bath at home in her whale tub

She's still a bit too small, but she loves her 4moms boucer, Mamaroo. Not sure if Daddy or Lilly Belle love it more??...

First walk (we only made it around our apartment to get the mail, but still counts)

A few days later we ventured a little further until Mommy had too much pain.

More sweet sleepy time

Lilly Belle's first time at the studio with Mommy & Daddy

The week flew by so fast. I'm excited about what adventures we will have this week together! 

5 comments:

  1. Ah, love this! You guys are naturals. Enjoying every minute is really the best gift to her and yourselves :)

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  2. im SO SO happy for you chels! she is so beautiful, and im glad things have been going great in her first week home! so fun and exciting!

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  3. She's absolutely beautiful!!!!! Congrats to you guys! I love her room btw :)

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