It's been 2 months since I've blogged. I've often times come and started updating but then never finished. I'd be sitting next to Anna in her Boppy Lounger or bouncy chair and her cuddly little self would make me stop whatever I was doing and I'd pick her up and love on her. Blogging, laundry, dishes, dusting, vacumming, cooking, even showering couldn't keep me from loving on her. But, she's so comfy in her bed right now that I think I can now update the blog.
I am sort of disapointed in myself for not updating more often because it is like a little diary of daily goings-on and milestones that I can come back and look at but here I am and I will try and update myself, and you, on our precious little Anna. Since the last time I blogged, September 6th, she's come home and we couldn't be happier with her. She actually came home 3 weeks and 5 days from the day she was born. We brought her home on September 14th. Two days before her "real" due date of September 16th. It was the happiest and scariest day of my life. I had become dependent on the monitor that she was hooked up to. If she had any bradicardia episodes where her heart rate dropped below the normal (I can no longer remember what the "Normal" was) but I'd know to "shake" (NO, not like shaken baby shake) her out of it and get her breathing again. I knew her exact 4 hour feeding schedule. I was so happy to have her home but I was so nervous I'd "break" her or not do something right. We had doctors and nurses around all the time to ask questions and to tell us what to do about her not eating or anything we were curious about. It sucked having to be in such a sterile environment with her, and having her away from us but it was super safe. When i got her home I worried if she would eat normally or if she'd get sick. But, here we are almost 3 months since her birthdate and she's growing and healthy and happy.
This past Tuesday we went for her check up and she weighs 8 pounds 11 ounces. A little more than double her birth weight. She is smiling and is awake more. she's just now starting to coo. She's such a happy baby girl. We had about a two week stretch of colic. That wasn't fun. It would start int he evening and last a couple of hours. Poor thing was in pain. She would be fine for about 30 minutes but a little gas bubble would get a hold of her and she'd cry for a good 30 minutes. It was so sad seeing her in pain. But, she's grown out of it and she started sleeping at night for 5 to 6 hours straight about two weeks ago too. That's been really nice. We try to get her last feeding in between 10 and 11 and she'll stay asleep until 5 or 6 am.
She's still little for her age. She's just now on the growth charts. She is in the 5th percentile for her weight and 3rd for her height. She was 21 inches at her last doctor's appointment. This is normal since she was preemie. They said by her first birthday she'll be with those kids in her age group. She is fattening up and filling out. I look at pictures of her from the days in the hospital. she was so teeny and scrawny. No meat on her bones. I always knew I'd have a big baby. Blake was almost 10 pounds, I was 8 something. All my nieces and nephews were "perfect" size and I love, love, love, love chunky babies. Babies are supposed to be chunks. :) So, now that she is filling out she's getting those precious rolls on her thighs and arms. Her cheeks are getting fluffy and she's getting a little belly.
I got to stay home for 12 weeks but the first week I was out I was on bedrest and the next almost four weeks she was in the hospital so I really didn't get to spend tooooo much time with her. I went back this last Thursday on teh 4th. It was the worst day of my life. It is the most unmotherly thing to leave your baby in the care of someone else. This wasn't what I had planned either. We talked about starting a family but in a couple years so I could stay home. however, God has another plan and gave us a baby on His timing. I wish I could stay home but we are on the right track and hopefully in a year I'll be able to be a stay at home mom with Anna. Leaving and going back to work does make me love my time with her that I do get even more.
I loved staying home with her though. I know her sleepy time and play time and fussy time and we had music time and tummy time and she'd lay in her bouncy chair while I did all the projects I wanted to do for her. I made her pacifier holders, a pennant banner to hang from her cieling to give her something to look at, made her bows. We would talk and I'd laugh and smile at her silly faces. :)
So, since we've been home we've gotten into some sort of routine and just enjoyed our time together. She is precious and we are blessed with a really good baby. Maybe tomorrow I'll get some pictures uploaded of her first two months. :)
She was 21 and something inches at her 11/2 check up and her head was...I forgot. :) But, she's still really little for a 3 month old but she is catching up fast!She loves her baby lounger/bouncer but hates the swing. She loves her lounger because it has vibration button. She will sleep so soundly and once that thing goes off, every 30 minutes because I have set timers during her nap time, she wakes right up and starts to squirm. She loves to be bounced and jiggled.
She started to smile this month and it melts our hearts. When she sees us coming she grins from ear to ear. When you talk to her she is starting to talk back. Sometimes she will talk for a good 10 minutes. Just cooing and squealing. It's precious music to my ears.
