One Month: A Letter

Dear Camden,

Today you are one month old.



It's funny how I went from willing time to speed up so you would get here, to now wishing time would slow down because you are growing and changing so fast!



This month has been full of lots of excitement and learning how to add you to our lives. From the day you arrived you have always been an alert little one, and this still holds true today. You aren't much of one for sleeping, be it at night or for naps during the day. Mom has tried valiantly to put you on a sleep schedule, but you are determined to march at the beat of your own drum.

You were born with some adorable birth marks, one on the right side of your forehead near your hairline (you can see in the above picture), and two stork bites - one on your right eyelid and one at the nape of your neck. Some days your eyelid looks rather red, other days your eyes are so wide that you can't even see it. Your hair is lightening up a bit, and your eyebrows are still invisible for the most part. :)





You are eating every three hours or so, and anywhere from 3-5 ounces, with four being a safe and common average. We do a combination of nursing and pumping to be bottle fed. We try to stick with the eat, awake, sleep time but as I mentioned earlier, you tend to skip lots of the "sleep" times. Speaking of sleeping, you are not much of one for sleeping on your back. Here this past week, we have managed to 'trick' you into falling asleep on your back on a large fluffy pillow, but if we move you or attempt to get you to fall asleep in your crib on your back you wake up in angry protest as soon as you are placed there, usually waking you out of a deep slumber. You even went through a period of hating your swing because it meant you would be on your back! You have definitely been a tummy sleeper, and we don't have to worry about making sure you get enough "tummy time" because that is almost all you get. In fact, this made your Mommy so paranoid she had to buy the AngelCare Monitor that senses movement and lets her know if you were to stop breathing by setting off an alarm. You can't be too safe! By two weeks old, you have been able to lift your head and turn it to the other side while laying on your tummy. Your little neck muscles are getting stronger by the day!



You are beginning to see more daily, you stare in amazement at the fan and lights, and because you are getting better at seeing you let us lay you on your back for play time. Too bad you don't sleep there yet! You recognize Mom and Dad's voice, always turning towards us when we talk.



You are still wearing newborn diapers, and it never ceases to amaze us how your peenie can outsmart us on diaper changes. Clever little thing. Your dad has had to worst luck of it all, projectile poops and old faithful geyser all at the same time. He was so nervous about diaper changes for a while that he called for back up for a good week or two.


You can still fit into most of your newborn clothes. Some 0-3 month clothes fit you like a charm, others are still rather large on you. At your first pediatrician appointment days after you were born, you weighed in at 6 pounds 13.5 ounces. A mere week later you weighed in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces. That's 10 ounces in a week! Mommy was so proud. :) Our next appointment is tomorrow, can't wait to see how much of a chunk you are then!



This is one of your favorite faces to make.



One of your favorite things to do is to be cuddled and held. Your favorite spot to sleep is on someones chest, be it Mom's or Dad's, or one of the many family members that come to visit you. While sleeping you make the cutest noises. You are a very vocal sleeper. You will smile and giggle while sleeping, sometimes it even wakes you up! You can go from giggling and smiling to crying in your sleep, but the cry will last a mere few seconds before it fades away. It sure makes us wonder what such a little lovie like you is dreaming about!


This is you smiling while you sleep. Precious!


This picture is one of the lucky times you fell asleep on your back in the fluffy pillow, next to Big sis!





You sleep just like your Mama, contorted and content!










We have been taking you on lots of outings, going to the grocery store, going to shop, you have been to two birthday parties for your cousins, and going and visiting all of the grandparents and great-grandparents. You are well behaved on these trips, sometimes alert and refusing to sleep, other times you sleep most of the time we are out. You love your infant sling, we take lots of walks around the neighborhood with Big Sister.



You have been such a joy to our lives, despite the immense lack of sleep. :) We are so blessed to have added you to our lives and we can't wait to see what God has in store for your future!

Love,
Mommy




My gangsta baby :)