6 weeks old!

Dear Jorie,

I'm sorry I missed last weeks letter. It's been hard to find time to sit down and write everything out for you, we've been so busy! It seems like time flies by lately. Between going out for coffee with Jamie and Zetta, visiting your grandparents, and getting ready to fly out to Seattle this weekend, we've been constantly on the move.

Two big things have happened since my last letter to you. You outgrew your newborn clothing, I can still get you into a couple of the bigger outfits, but most of the newborn sized onsies are now way too small for you. I'm both happy and sad about this, I'm sad you've outgrown those impossibly cute tiny little outfits, but it's amazing to see you growing. You've filled out now, and while you are no where near a michillan baby, you do have some incredibly cute chubby cheeks.

In development news, you started smiling! Big open mouthed grins that crinkle up your eyes. It's impossible not to smile back at you. You also started obviously babbling at things. You like to "talk" to the monkey that hangs on your car seat and the Lion on your bouncy seat. You've also had conversations with a dark dot on the side of your bassinet. It's amazing to see you becoming more interactive.

I took you in to meet everyone where I work. You were definitely a hit, although you stubbornly slept the entire visit.

Speaking of sleeping, you've been very good at that! You usually sleep almost all night, waking up only a few times, although last night you had a rough night. Your father thinks it's because you were cold. You do not like to be cold! The reason you were most likely cold, however, is that you are a virtual Houdini when it comes to getting out of a swaddle. No matter how we wrap you, and even when we use the velcro strapped swaddle (that looks like a baby straight jacket) you manage to get out of it. I would be tempted to leave you unswaddled, except that you really do sleep better when you're wrapped up.

We have a big week coming up! This Saturday we're flying out to Seattle for the Ross Family trip. You'll get to meet all of your relatives on that side of the family, all at once! It's a really long flight, so I'm hoping you'll sleep for most of it. We'll be out on an island near Seattle for a week, it'll be nice to be able to relax with other people around to watch you if I need a nap, or a shower!

I love you Baby Girl.

One month old!

Dear Jorie,

Today you are officially one month old! Monday you turned Four weeks, but I wanted to wait until today (the 11th) to make it official. I cannot believe we've had you for an entire month. Every day is still a new adventure with you.

It's been a busy week for us! So busy I'm having a hard time remembering everything we did. I'm going to try to remember by working backwards.

Yesterday was a long day, we got up early and went to Equal.Grounds for coffee to meet one of my friends, Kelly, and to be introduced to her friend Jamiee who has a daughter Zetta who is just a little bit older than you. We had a great time talking, and you slept almost the whole time! After that we made a quick trip out to Grandma and Grandpa O's, so they could watch you while I took a short nap. Then later, we went over your Uncle Mike and Aunt Becky's for a cookout. Your Uncle Mike had a great time holding you and making faces at you.

Monday we had our customary lunch date with Aunt Becky. As usual you were very well behaved and slept while we ate. After that we went grocery shopping at Wegmans, and then relaxed around the house.

Sunday we went to the Corn Hill festival with Farley. We walked around for a couple hours, and you seemed perfectly happy being carried around. Halfway through the festival, I handed you off to your Dad who carried you for the rest of the time. It was a really nice day, although both me and your Dad got a little sun burnt, we managed to keep you from getting too much sun.

The picture is of your Dad and Farley, and you can see that your Dad has the carrier on, with you in it.

Saturday we went over to Grandma and Grandpa O's and hung out, like usual, although we went over early and left around 10pm. While we were there, we got out the baby scale and weighed you, you're 8 lbs now! We also tried to measure you, and we think you're about 21 inches again.

Friday we went out to get food with Andrew and Micha, who were both very amused by you. Also on Friday we went over to Alex and Lisa's to have cake for your Grandma R's birthday.  Your Dad's cousins, Rachel and Rebecca, were there, and they really enjoyed holding you. You really are the star of every party we go to!

Last Wednesday was the 4th of July, and we went over to a friend of your Grandma R's for a cookout, and so she could meet you. It was really hot out and there were a lot of bugs, but none of that seemed to bother you. After the cookout we went to Grandma and Grandpa O's so me and your Dad could go swimming to cool off. We decided to skip the fireworks this year, but we'll see about trying to take you next year!

You're getting so big Jorie-bear. And every day it seems like you learn to do something new. I love you baby girl.

3 Weeks Old

Dear Jorie,

Today you are three weeks old. It sound like so much time, and yet I'm still trying to get the hang of living with you. You are wonderful, beautiful, and at times frustrating.

We've been taking walks up to Highland Park a lot, I walked up there with you Friday, and with you and your Dad on Saturday. It gives me some exercise, and you get to lay out under a tree and get some fresh air. You still aren't a big fan of wind though.

Saturday we were over at your Grandparents (my parents), and you got to meet some really close family friends, Steve and Grace. Their daughter Brooks has a baby girl, Rose, that's a little over a year older than you. She lives in England now, but hopefully she'll be back around Christmas and you'll get to meet her then.

Yesterday we took you to a family party with your Dad's family. As soon as we walked in the door there was a line (not kidding!) of people waiting to hold you. Everyone adored you. You were born into two of the most loving families in the whole world! Unfortunately by the time we got home all the attention had been too much for you. You were fussy and cranky all night last night!

Today I kept it low key, we went and sat by the Canal for a bit to enjoy the nice weather, and we did some grocery shopping at Wegmans. You like grocery shopping because I wear you on my chest in the Baby.Bjorn, and you get to sleep all snuggled up to me.

Everyone who meets you comments on how beautiful you are. And you really are. Not just because of your beautiful face, or your long graceful fingers, but also because of how relatively even tempered you are. You are not normally a fussy baby, which was what made last night so difficult! I worry when you are inconsolable like that, and miss my calm baby watching me with big blue eyes.

Hopefully we can avoid over stimulating you like that again!

Love you baby girl!

Two weeks

Dear Jorie,

Monday you turned two weeks old! Oh baby girl, I can't believe it's been two weeks already. It feels both like you just got here, and like you've always been a part of my life. Every day with you is amazing. You grow and change every day.

Now that I can drive again, we've been going on mini adventures, we went shopping at Wegmans by ourselves on Monday, and made a quick trip to get some baby stuff on Tuesday. Today I'm going to take you over to your grandparents (my parents) so we can wash all the new stuff.

Last weekend your father and I walked with you and Mojo up to Highland Park, and you got to hang out in the grass for a bit. You spent a lot of time taking in the outdoor world with your big blue (for now) eyes. (I can't wait to see what color your eyes settle on!)

We gave you your second bath last night, and it went pretty much the same as the first one. You like the bath, but hate being cold after the bath! Even wrapped up in a towel and snuggled up against us you were fussy and unhappy until you were completely dry (and fed!)

Last night we had our weekly dinner at your other Grandparents (your Dad's parents), and everyone got to hold you. Your Uncle Mike fell asleep holding you, it was really cute! Everyone is so in love with you, baby girl, they keep saying how beautiful you are. Your Aunt Becky (who will be having a baby of her own in six months) looked so happy holding you. It's great to having such a loving family around, you eat up all the attention, you even stayed awake for a while so everyone could ooh and ahh over your eyes.

This morning I put you in the Baby Carrier and walked down to get coffee with you. As soon as I started walking, you fell asleep. You really seem to enjoy being carried in the carrier.

So far right now you can lift your head, and roll from side to side. You even rolled from your front to your back once! You don't sleep through the night yet, but you do give me a few good four hour stretches of sleep every now and then, usually you give me a nice long stretch of sleep after your father leaves for work.

Don't get too big too fast baby girl, I don't want to miss anything! I love you.

One week

Dear Jorie,

Yesterday you turned one week old. I know I've been remiss about writing letters to you here, but it's been an amazing week. Both me and your Father are completely, overwhelmingly in love with you. Your Father complains every day he has to go to work that he misses you while he's gone.

You are a wonder. You can already hold your head up for a bit, and are amazingly strong. Your Father calls you his wiggle worm. When you open your eyes, which you don't do very often yet, they are huge and blue. We'll see if you keep the blue. You have a head full of dark brown hair, and long lashes. You are so amazingly beautiful.

Right now you are lying in your bassinet, making soft noises and kicking your feet around. You seem perfectly content to just stare at the world around you.

I suppose I should write about your birth, before the details become even more fuzzy in my head. On Sunday the 10th, we went in to start the induction. They gave me the first pill to soften my cervix and hooked me up to the monitor. After four hours they found that I had progressed too far to give me another pill, and everyone started thinking that you would be born sometime early in the morning. I wasn't really feeling the contractions very strongly, and I think I started to get a little cocky about it. Around 3 or 4 am I was really tired, so I asked for some pain medication to help me sleep. It worked and I was out cold soon after they gave it to me.

Unfortunately, that stopped my labor in it's tracks, so when they woke me up around 7:30 Monday Morning, things weren't moving very fast. Even with a pitocin drip, my labor was moving very slowly, until around 3 in the afternoon, when they decided to break my water to get things moving.

Almost as soon as they broke my water, I started having strong contractions. Not too long afterwards, the contractions were so strong, so painful, that I asked for the epidural. Your Father was wonderful through all of this. Holding me, calming me down, letting me lean on him. The epidural was able to take my pain away, and allowed me to focus on the rest of the birth.

You got stuck turning the corner under my pelvis, and they were worried about your heart rate, after each contraction it would plummet and then sky rocket. So we opted to use a little bit of suction to help you round that corner. As soon as you got past that corner, you came very fast, maybe four or five pushes and you were out. I heard you cry once or twice, and then they put you on my chest. You looked up at me with those big wide eyes and kinda stole my heart. Your father cut your cord, and then they had to take you for measurements and tests. You were 6 lbs. 5 oz. and 21 inches long.

You were a little Jaundiced, so we had to make an appointment to see your Pediatrician the day after we got out of the Hospital. You gave us a good scare at that first appointment, as they told us you had lost 10% of your body weight. I have never been more afraid than I was then. Fortunately, you gained the weight back like a champ, and by your one week birthday, you were back up to birth weight.

I wish I hadn't gotten sick a few days ago. I feel as if I'm not fully appreciating this wonderful time with you, because I'm too busy blowing my nose.

I love you baby girl.

38 Weeks

Dear Jorie,

This will be the last letter I write to you before I meet you face to face. Today, at my weekly OB appointment, I was scheduled for early induction. They are concerned that, because of the Gestational Diabetes, the placenta is starting to tire out and not do it's job very well. That would mean that you aren't getting all the nutrients you need, and waste is not getting cleared well enough. So this Sunday, June 10th, I will go into the hospital to start the induction procedure. Most likely you will be born on Monday June 11th.

I am terrified and excited. I can't wait to hold you in my arms. Your father and I have been frantically getting everything ready for when we bring you home. We even decided to board Mojo for a few days to give us some time to adjust to having you home.

Right now I can feel you kicking and adjusting. Last night we were at a small concert and again you were dancing to the music in there.

I'm sorry this letter is so short, I'm still in shock that you'll be here so soon.

I can't wait to meet you baby girl.

37 Weeks

Dear Jorie,

We had another ultrasound this week, just to check your growth and fluids and to make sure you were still happy in there. You are now 6 pounds 3 ounces. You are still a tad on the small size, but I'm ok with that.

Our apartment is full of stuff for you. Clothes and toys and furniture. So full, your Father and I decided we needed more room, so we bought a house. We won't be moving into the house until August most likely, so I've had to prioritize what we absolutely need, and keep everything else packed up. You will be living in our room for the first three months of your life anyways, sleeping in a bassinet where I can reach you easily for all those middle of the night feedings I know you'll need.

I finally put our "go bag" together, filled with all the essentials for when you decide to make your entrance. There are only a few small things I need to gather up from our apartment (like paperwork) and we'll be all ready.

I can't believe we're so close to having you in our arms. It still doesn't feel entirely real. I can't wait to meet you baby girl.

Three weeks, or less!