Grace: 6 Month Update

I can't believe our big girl is 6 months old! Time has flown by...

 

Although I miss the newborn days often, there is nothing better in life than watching my little girl learn and grow. Her little personality shines through more each day. Grace is the sweetest, most laid back baby who truly goes with the flow. She does get cranky when she's hungry or tired, and seems to have developed stranger anxiety where she only wants Mommy if she is around someone she hasn't seen in awhile or doesn't know. 

When I was pregnant, before we found out Grace was a girl I had a dream that I had a little girl with blonde curls, blue eyes, and Kyle's smile. Grace is exactly the baby from my dream! I'm not sure if she will have curly hair yet, but Grace has my blonde hair and blue eyes and Kyle's exact mouth!

Grace started sleeping through the night around 6 weeks (don't hate!) and we never experienced the 4 month sleep regression or loss of sleep when she started teething. Whoever invented the phrase, "sleeping like a baby" was describing our child! At 6.5 months, Grace sleeps 12 hours straight at night (with an occasional nighttime wake up a few times a week) and takes about 3 naps per day.

She started rolling front to back at 4.5 months, and back to front a few weeks later. She can sit up on her own for about 20 seconds at a time, so we're still working on that skill. She has excellent fine motor skills - I'm thinking her 3 full toy baskets are the contributing factor! Her bottom two teeth broke through at 6 months, and we only experienced a weekend of occasional fussiness and wanting to be held a lot (no complaints here!) She really is a trooper. 

Grace loves to play, read books, splash in her bathtub, listen to me sing to her, go for walks around our neighborhood, and she LOVES our dog Scooby. She is fascinated by our dog and 2 cats and could stare at them for an hour straight. Grace has learned to have "gentle hands" when she pets the animals!

I returned to work full-time in January and Grace started daycare part time. Following Grace's first week of daycare, we were both sick on and off for two straight months. Grace had a cold, a lingering cough that turned into bronchiolitis, and a double ear infection. I caught Grace's cold, then had a throat virus, a sinus infection that lasted two weeks, food poisoning/Norovirus, and a flu-like virus. To say January-March were challenging months would be a huge understatement. I'm very thankful for a husband who is the most hands-on Dad I've ever known, and family nearby! 

We're all healthy now and enjoying the beautiful Spring weather! I cannot wait to see Grace in a teeny baby bathing suit in a few months!

One Month of Grace

I can't believe our sweet girl is one month old already! It's true what they say - time FLIES by! Luckily, it's because we are having so much fun! When I think back on the past month, I can truly say I have never felt happier or more blessed. Grace has brought so much joy into our lives, and into the lives of our family and friends.

Grace is a wonderful baby, and has made the transition to parenthood pretty smooth for us. Her favorite things are eating, sleeping, cuddling, and tummy time - she's pretty easy to please. She dislikes baths (but is warming up to them!), diaper changes, and having her clothes changed - basically, she hates to be naked (her Dad is OK with this trend continuing into adulthood...) Grace has been a great sleeper since we brought her home from the hospital. I really think this girl would sleep through the night if I let her!

Probably my favorite picture of all time - wish it wasn't a fuzzy iPhone photo!

At her one month checkup, Grace weighed 6 pounds 13.5 ounces, and was 20 inches long. She's a tiny little thing, but her pediatrician said her growth is right on track and she's perfectly healthy! She got down to 5 pounds 13 ounces before we left the hospital, so we're excited she is almost up to 7 pounds! She is still wearing newborn clothes, and probably will be for another month or so (she is swimming in her 0-3 month outfits!)

 

Grace has had a busy month! She's met so many of our family members and friends - but there are still a lot of people who are excited to meet her! We have been overwhelmed by all of the love and support we have received. We are so appreciative of every visit, card, gift, text, phone call, and Facebook message! When Mima (Grace's great-grandma!) visited last, she said, "Grace will never want for love, that's for sure!" So true.

Grace is the most precious thing in the world, and Kyle and I are so in love with her!

Grace Renée Walden

Our sweet baby girl Grace was born on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 3:32 AM! She weighed 6 pounds 6 ounces and was 19 inches long. She is perfect in every way and we are completely in love. Grace is a wonderful, happy, healthy baby. She is eating and sleeping well, and is hardly ever fussy. She LOVES cuddling with Mommy and Daddy, sleeping, and eating and the only thing she really dislikes is having her diaper changed.

I'm planning to share her birth story soon, but thought I would share some pictures from Grace's first week!



 

Our pets are doing so well with Grace - they are curious and sniff her occasionally, but ignore her for the most part.

First checkup after we brought her home - the pediatrician said she is perfect!

First sponge bath at home - not a happy camper!

First walk as a family!

Big smile!

 

37 Weeks: Full Term!

Although the last couple of weeks have been crazy, I feel that Kyle and I are prepared physically, mentally, and emotionally to be parents, and are fortunate to have a wonderful support system. I'm a planner, and naturally, wanted to be as prepared as possible before becoming a Mom! Reading books and blogs on pregnancy, child care, and breastfeeding, talking with women I know who are expecting/have kids, and taking a Childbirth/Child Care Basics class have all been so helpful. My older brother Matt's birthday would have been at the end of August. He passed away at 8 weeks old from SIDS, and I can't imagine how hard it was - and still is - for my parents. Although the cause of SIDS is still not known, there are many things that can be done as preventative measures. This resource provides wonderful suggestions. Some of the things highlighted in our child care basics class:

• Make sure the crib mattress is firm and there is nothing else in the crib with the baby - NO bumper pads, blankets, pillows, or toys! Bumper pads may be cute, but they increase the risk of suffocation and limit air flow to the baby. Make sure baby is not over-clothed while sleeping, and if swaddled in a blanket, make sure it's tight!
• It's recommended that the baby sleep in the same room as his/her parents for the first 6 months. We're planning on having Grace sleep in our room (in a bassinet) for the first few months, and then go from there. I'll most likely put Grace down for naps in her crib so she can get used to it.
• Make sure your baby is not exposed to secondhand smoke. If someone near you is smoking, remove your baby from the situation. Both the labor & delivery nurse and pediatrician teaching the class shared that even if someone leaves the house/moves away from you and the baby to smoke, it's not safe for them to hold the baby right after as smoke stays in clothes, which the baby then breathes in.
• The temperature of the room where the baby is sleeping should be between 69-72 degrees. Having a fan on in the room is also recommended to increase air flow.
• Breast-fed babies have a lower SIDS rate than formula-fed babies.
• Do not let sick people near your baby! Even people who are healthy should wash their hands well before holding baby - hand sanitizer is not enough to kill bacteria that could make baby ill.
• Keep an eye on baby at all times, especially in the first few months. It only takes minutes for something to happen.

How far along? 37 weeks as of Sunday - Grace is considered full term now!
This week, baby probably weighs around 6-6.5 pounds!
Best moment this week: Knowing that Grace won't be considered a pre-term baby if she comes early - she can safely arrive any time now.
Looking forward to: Meeting Grace! (and no longer being pregnant!)
Movement: Feeling body parts sticking out all day long - lots of feet, knees, and elbows!
On our to do list: Nothing! We're totally ready for Grace to arrive - house is clean, nursery is complete, and we're stocked up on everything we imagine we'll need in the first month.
Symptoms: Lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, some lower back pain, tired feet, and too many bathroom breaks to count! I've been feeling more energetic the past week and a half, even though I'm not sleeping very well. I wake up 5-6 times per night, but somehow am able to wake up right when my alarm goes off in the morning!

*Disclaimer: If you're uncomfortable reading about some of the things that happen leading up to labor, stop reading. (I promise - nothing too personal or gross!)

I'm posting a few days late this week, so I've had two doctor appointments since I last posted - last Wednesday, I was at 5 cm - today, I'm at 6 cm and 100% effaced. My doctor said this is the longest labor she's ever seen (without being in active labor)! I'm actually not feeling well today and came home from work early - I have a feeling something might happen in the next couple of days...

After I write every post now, I can't help but think if it will be my last weekly update before Grace arrives!