Sweet Giselle is 8 Weeks Old!

At her check-up Tuesday, she weighed 9 lbs 8.5 oz and measured 21.75 inches, so she's in the 20th and 25th percentile. Small, perhaps, but she's gained two and a half pounds and nearly two inches in six weeks, and that is pretty impressive. She's a good eater, for sure. Her check-up went great,  and even though she got three shots, she barely cried at all.

I just had to switch out her clothes from newborn to the 0-3 month range, which makes me a little sad to retire some of the darling outfits, but there are surely lots more darling outfit to come. :-) Dressing a baby girl is surely a lot more fun than boy's clothes. Indiana does have some pretty funny jammies, like a superman costume with a cape included, and he loves that.

Also, we officially moved her to her bedroom for the night. I asked the doctor if he thought that was a good idea, and he said it was fine. I remember that Indiana slept longer once he was in his room, so I thought it was time to try it. I fed her at 6 pm and had to rock her for a little while and put her down to sleep at 7. She slept for a good three hours, then I nursed her again at 10, 2 am and 5, which is pretty decent for her. But after 5, she started fussing, I eventually brought her back into our room, nursed her again, and eventually Casey got up with her and put her in the swing. I think Casey was able to get more rest, and I know in the long run, Gigi and I will too.

As I was putting her to sleep, I read some of my old blog posts of when Indiana was this age, and realized that I am WAY behind in blogging about my sweet little girl. I want to preserve these moments and memories, best I can.  I don't want to spend a lot of time comparing them, but the experience of caring for a newborn is certainly easier this time. It's probably a combination of more experienced parents and an easier-tempered baby. Not that she doesn't have fussy times, generally, she cries very little. Either she's hungry, cold or tired, and it's getting easier to anticipate those needs. Her hardest time to settle down is the afternoon/evening, but swaddled, in the swing, with a paci, she almost always will settle down and sleep. But Casey and I have definitely started to make a dent in the carpet next to the swing. Lots of e-book reading there and during nursing sessions.

She's also hit the rolling milestone a few month early.

Wee!

To you, baby: Giselle, you are a stunner! I love you, so much. When you nurse or sleep in my arms, I love stroking your perfect, sweet little head and ticking your little neck. I love kissing the soft skin of your cheeks, your temples, your neck, your little round tummy. I LOVE the pouty little face you make when you're done nursing: you stretch with your arms up by your face, arch your back and puff out your cheeks and lips. Oh, it melts my heart! You are so cute! I love your big, blue eyes, so bright and aware, looking around already, taking in the world. I so look forward to watching you grown.

 Oh, the pouty lips!!

And, as a special gift to Mommy on this day that you reach 8 weeks, you did your first 5 hour stretch between feedings, from 7:30 pm to 12:30 am, with one paci trip and one other feeding before 6:30 am. Thank you, my sweet. But even in the middle of the night, longing for sleep, I treasure being with you. I love looking down at your sweet little face cuddled in my arms. Never again will you be this little. This vulnerable.  This is need of me. But I will always love you. Always treasure you. Always take care of you. Always be your mama.