Miss Grace - 7 Weeks 5 Days

You're growing quickly little lady!

I feel like your face has changed so much even just since last week.  You're cheeks are chubbier, your head is a little more bald.  You're lucky you're a baby and you can get away with these things :o)

You're personality is really shining through now.

I don't have a date for when you reached the milestone of your first smile because it seemed to us that you've always done it.  It totally sounds like one of those crazy things parents say because I know tiny babies are not supposed to smile in reaction to people, but it's true. Maybe you're making up for your brother who took his sweet time and kept us waiting forever.

Now you are smiling all the time and just this past week you have started to coo and shriek with happiness. You are content almost all of the time and are making it easy for your Mommy to stay home with two babies.  You, of course, love to be held and talked to but you're also often content to just lay and entertain yourself by looking around and waving your arms and legs.  You are also starting to smile at some of your toys. 

You are still not on any kind of schedule, but it's working for us and feels natural now.

You eat maybe every two hours on average during the day.  That sounds like a lot to me but eating smaller amounts more often has helped you keep your belly settled. You had your first bottle at 6 weeks and it was slow and shaky at first but you're doing much better now.  You've had three so far.  I was about to write that your spitting up has nearly stopped but you just gave me, yourself, and a large portion of the couch a milk bath soo....

Your sleeping is wonderful. You can and do put yourself to sleep.  You sleep swaddled almost all the time but are not dependent on it.  At night you fall asleep around 9, sometimes earlier and sometimes later.  I'll try to dream feed you around 11 if you'll wake enough to let me.  Last night you woke at 4 to eat.  You had been waking at 1 and then we would try to get you up at 5 but I think you may be starting to drop that middle of the night feeding. Maybe?!? You wake for the day between 8 and 8:30.

You're solidly in your 0-3 month clothes now and a size 1 diaper. At your 4 week appointment (which happened at 5 weeks) you were 20.5 inches (27th percentile) and 9lbs 11oz (90th percentile).  I can't wait to see where you are for your next appointment.

You're the best little snuggler ever. You still fit perfectly in your little perch on my shoulder and it's your favorite place to be.  Your Daddy and I compete for who gets to snuggle with you when we're relaxing or watching a movie and you want to sleep.  I normally give in but it's painful for me :o).  It's one of my favorite things about you! :o) Everyone is just in love with you (especially me!!) and we are so blessed to watch you grow.  We love you Gracie-kins :o)