January 2013 – Peanut Smiles

Dear Lexi,

Last night you slept for over 12 hours straight! I.can.NOT.believe.it.!!! You are only 6 1/2 weeks old. I didn’t even know it was possible for babies this young to do this! Yesterday afternoon/evening you were being a little stinker and just wouldn’t sleep no matter what we did. Eventually, you feel asleep around 8:30. Typically, you’ll wake up around 11 to nurse one more time before you sleep until 7ish in the morning. Around midnight, we tried to wake you up to nurse and you just wanted to sleep. Reluctantly I let you sleep, knowing that meant I would have to get up in the middle of the night to feed you. I couldn’t believe when I woke up around 6 and my boobs were about to explode. I’m sure this long sleeping stretch was a fluke, but we can always hope this is the start of sleeping through the night.

Love, Mom

**Update: Not a fluke, you have consistently slept through the night since you were 6 1/2 weeks old. There have even been a couple of instances where you have slept until 11am or noon!

Dear Lexi,

I can’t believe you are already one month old! This past month went by too quickly, and I’m shocked at how much you have already changed.

At about the week and a half mark, we transitioned from sleeping in the family room to you sleeping in your crib and me in my bedroom. The first night was a little touch and go. I leapt out of bed every time I heard you make a sound, but as the nights went on, I learned more about your sleep patterns. You’re a loud little sleeper. You grunt and make all sorts of noises, even let out a couple loud cries only to fall back asleep. By the end of the month, I would only get up when you were waking to eat. This has made a big difference in our ability to sleep and not wake ever 10 to 20 minutes from your noises.

We’ve now developed a somewhat predictable schedule. As soon as I’m done feeding you between 12 and 1 am, I go to bed and then Daddy puts you to sleep. About 6 hours later, you wake up to be changed and fed and then go back to sleep for another four or five hours. This time, Daddy gets up changes your diaper and plays with you for as long as he can before you need to be fed so I can get a couple extra minutes of sleep. So, I really only have to get up once throughout the night, which isn’t too bad. I’ve tried to be really good about keeping the lights off and not talking to reinforce night time is for sleeping. We’ve also developed the pattern to only swaddle you at night, which seems to help cue that it is night time. Overall, you’re a very good sleeper. You love to sleep in people’s arms but will sleep in your Pack ‘N Play, crib, bouncer or car seat.

This past week, you’ve started to get a little fussy, especially at night, so we’re hoping this isn’t the beginning of colic. When you’re awake, all you seem to want to do is eat, even right after you’ve finished eating, you continue making the eating signs. Right now we’re giving you the pacifier to help sooth you. Sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t.

You’re also very gassy. You’re constantly grunting, holding your breath, red-faced and overall uncomfortable when you’re gassy. Daddy works with you to help ease your pain. He moves your legs around and brings them up and presses them against your tummy. You will pretty much fart on demand for him when he does this. He thinks its hilarious and it helps you feel better so its a win for both sides.

Throughout the month, you’ve also developed a re-occuring blister on your top lip. It doesn’t seem to be painful for you, but eventually it ‘pops’ even though nothing comes out. The skin fall off and another one develops. The nurses say it is common for babies that have a strong suction and its nothing to worry about.

During the month, we also celebrated Christmas and New Years. You are one lucky little girl. You received many gifts from your aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and mommy’s aunts and uncles. You have lots of clothes to wear, books to read and a couple of new toys to play with. During all of the celebrations, you were just a jewel. You looked adorable in your little Christmas dress and just snoozed away as you were passed around to everyone. There were lots of compliments on what a beautiful baby you are.