The First Month

During the first two weeks of Claire's life, we spent every minute together. She made sure of that, snacking for one minute, resting for five, and then snacking again for one minute, and on and on. I soon realized I needed a "pump in style" so that I would be able to live a semi-normal life (and be able to wear clothing like other people). Claire nurses well, but also drinks well from the bottle.

During the first three weeks, I was in a lot of pain from the C-section and was very moody. On the 10th day, Mom asked me "Why are you crying?" I sobbed, "Ten days of her life are over, and I'll never get them back!" She said, "But Annah, you were there for them!" I have to admit that I still feel that way (although less intensely) about the passage of time. I want her to stay exactly as she is, to get no bigger. I mourn every time she grows out of an outfit. I was quite upset when she grew out of her Pampers Swaddlers diapers last week.

Now she most likely weighs over ten pounds, but she is still so portable. I take her everywhere in her little car seat carrier, which attaches to her stroller (a great gift from her Auntie K.C.!). She also likes to ride in her Snuggli. Strangely, she is not so crazy about her sling, although once she rides around in it for a little while, she falls asleep nicely.

Her eye contact has become better and better, and she has begun to turn her head in the direction of a sound, whether my voice or music. She complains and fusses when she has gas or is "working on a poop" as her father calls it. But most of the time, she is quiet and peaceful and content. She makes the cutest faces, purses her lips, furrows her eyebrows, cuts her eyes at you ... not with any particular mood - just experimenting with new expressions.

She still looks like John - it is nearly unanimous. But she has blue eyes like me and has my toes exactly. She likes to lay down on the mat of her little "play gym", kick her legs, grab onto the legs of the green frog hanging over her head, and stare at any light source in the room. Today, she sat contentedly in her barnyard bouncy chair, which vibrates and practiced cooing at the pig and whacking the cow.