Brooke is ONE month!

Now she's actually older than one month, but I finally sat down at the computer!  What lucky parents we are.  She has settled right into this family!  Before she was born I worried about the following things (and more!):

1.  Connor adusting
2.  Having a newborn and an almost two year old and spending time with each
3.  Would she eat well?  sleep well?  cry a lot? 
4.  Managing to get out into public with two kids


The list goes on and on...but these were on my mind daily.  And here's what I've discovered in a month:

1.  Connor's amazing.  He's a natural big brother.  He cares for her deeply, shares with her, loves to help with the bottle and binky, and looks for her when she is out of sight.  He gives her tons of love, pats her on the head and checks to make sure she has her eyes, ears, nose and feet on a very regular basis.  If it's possible, I love him more now that he has settled into his protective role as Big Bro.

2.  This one is still a bit tough sometimes, but 1. seems to help with that.  He usually understands that when I am feeding sister that I can't get up.  Luckily I also have an amazing sitter who has been watching Connor in the mornings to keep his routine and Connor still gets to go play with his friends.  He gets one on one time there with Rachel, and I have gotten to bond with Brooke in her first month of life in a way that I'm not sure would have happened without Rachel's help.  I also happen to be married to an incredible man who works all day, yet still comes home with the energy to play with Connor or snuggle with Brooke, whichever is the most in need at the time.  My friend from Stroller Strides, Sara, gave me great advice when I was still pregnant to try to spend time with just Connor whenever I can.  Luckily, since Brooke is a great sleeper, I have been able to still do so.  I feel like Connor and I are as close as ever, but that he is also becoming more social and feels comfortable asking others for help or love.  This one will always be on my mind!

3.  Yes, Yes, and No!!  Whew!  I don't know how I lucked out with two such mellow, laid back babies, but I did!  Brooke immediately nursed within 10 minutes of birth and hasn't stopped since!  She latches well, which has made my milk supply plentiful.  I've been able to store a nice stash of pumped milk in the freezer too!  I'm hoping to nurse/pump as long as possible!  I enjoy our time while she eats...listening to her little sounds and watching her beautiful eyes as she falls asleep.  She's my last baby, so I guess I'm taking every moment in.  She sleeps so amazingly well too.  She has gotten into a routine of going to sleep at 8:00 after about 2 hours of fussiness.  Even her fussiness isn't bad.  She just fights going to sleep.  We use a humidifer that also provides white noise, and a Miracle Blanket (how did we every do without that when I had Connor.  Throw away your SwaddleMe's and get the Miracle Blanket!!!) to swaddle her when I lay her in her crib.  She goes to sleep without a pacifier.  The combo of the white noise and swaddle is working!  Then she sleeps until around 2:00 am when she wakes up for her feeding.  Connor is still using the glider, so I come out into the living room to change and feed her.  Then, it's back in the swaddle!  At this point, she's up a couple hours later, and I feed her and then sleep with her on the couch.  Otherwise she grunts and groans for the next couple hours.

4.  I have this down now!  Woohoo!  Connor always opens the garage door, I set Brooke down in the carseat, get him in (he likes to buckle) and then take Brooke around to my side and get her snapped in.  Connor used to like to be carried out, but he's gotten used to this now.  As for outings, I finally got my BOB Duallie.  I LOVE IT!!!  It took a little convincing on Ryan's part.  He wasn't sure it would handle as well and be too big.  But we quickly figured out that having Brooke in my Ergo wouldn't be the easiest to always do, so we sold the single on craigslist and put that toward my double.  It's fantastic!  I have the carseat adapter for Brooke, and Connor loved being right next to his sis.  So now, a month later, I've mastered the exit strategy with both kids.  I can't wait to use it for running soon!  I'm getting used to my diaper bag being filled with necessities for both kids too.  So far it's easy since I don't need formula and many bottles.

Ok, those were my main concerns, and I feel much better now a month later!  Now, onto just Brooke.  Here are her one month stats:

8 lbs 13 oz
21.5 inches long

Solely nursing, but also drinking from a bottle
Still fits into newborn clothes-0-3 month is still too big!
Just switched to size 1 diapers at night, still using newborn during day
Her "firsts" this month:
*trip in the car
*Dr's appointments (including newborn screening)
*Restaurant visit: Mimi's Cafe
*Pictures-by Rachel Janssen Photography
*Trip to the park (walked with me in the carrier)
*Birthday Parties! Daddy's 30th and Brother's 2nd, and Unbirthday present. :)
*Umbilical Cord fell off at 2 weeks old
*Night in the crib at almost 3 weeks
*Real bath at 2 weeks and 2 days
*Shopping trip with her friend, Kamryne and my friend Erin (they are 5 weeks apart!)
*Halloween!  Wore a onesie that said "Daddy's Little Pumpkin" and went to Pumpkin Patch
*ride in the double stroller the day before she turned 1 month at the outlet malls!

She's finding her hands and getting them to her mouth on a more regular basis, but those hands are also waking her up and making her quite fussy during the day.  She grunts and kicks her feet when she's upset, and lets out some very cute warning sounds before she gets to screaming.  Even her angry, hungry scream is cute.  I'm letting her sleep on me during the day, especially in the morning when it's just her and I.  I love smelling that wonderful baby smell and listening to all of her little sleepy sounds.  How quickly we forget what those are like, and how quickly they disappear!

It's bittersweet-I can't wait to see what the next month will bring, but I don't want her to grow!  I do look forward to smiles, giggles and more!