one month

To my darling Plum...at one month.

You have gained two pounds and three ounces! You are in the 80-90th percentile for both height and weight.

Your eyes are still blue. Everyone is wondering if they will remain blue or if they will turn brown.

You love to cuddle right into my neck and you wrap your arm around my neck when I hold you upright. I love this. You also will try to suck on my chin in this position.

You also pinch my arm when I hold you on your tummy.

You try so very hard to speak when I talk to you. You have only said, "oh" a couple of times. I know you have so much more to say.

When you drift off to sleep, you smile so big...and sometimes you even giggle. I wonder what you are dreaming.

The first place you ate at when you were just one week old was M. Henry in Andersonville. The hostess saw I was carrying a baby in my sling and luckily, we got to be seated fairly quickly. The perks of motherhood! Nobody likes a crying baby...

We went to the beach when you were just two weeks old. I can't tell you how peaceful it was listening to music and holding you while I watched your dad and sister play by the water. Your sister had been asking to go to the beach for weeks...I'm so happy we went that day. It was a perfect day.

You are really very gassy. I feel like you're not an unusually fussy baby, but boy, do you toot like a sailor...or someone who has eaten a lot of beans.

You sleep fairly well...only waking once or twice in the night. You will typically nap when your sister naps, so if I time it right, I can get about an hour of ME time. Haha! ME time...that doesn't exist when you're a parent. I can't even take a poop in peace.

Mama gave you your first bath! You kind of hated it the first time...maybe because I forgot how to bathe an infant? But you seemed like you were going to fall asleep the second time around. (Note: the photos above are from the second bath.)

2.1

To my spirited two-year-old,

We weren't sure when your little sister would grace us with her presence, so we celebrated your birthday with family a little late. I don't think you knew the difference. You were simply happy to see everyone.

You love to draw and paint!

You keep saying, "It's not funny!" with your arms crossed and the biggest frown on your face.

You call your blanket your "super duper".

You always ask, "I hold baby?" referring to your little baby sister.

You say, "What's that noise?" every time you hear something, even if you know exactly what it is...like Estella crying.

You've been talking a lot in Spanish. You officially know more than I do. Sigh...with the new baby, you have been watching far too much "Dora the Explorer".

When you call for "Mommy" or "Mama", you make big bubbles in your mouth with your spit.

I love the way you march. You kick your knees high and swing your hips and arms in perfect unison.

You keep saying, "Happy Birthday, mama!" and then you ask, "I open presents?"

You call your Gram "Dip". I have no idea where this came from, but I think it's endearing and your dada thinks it's hilarious.

Your most frequently used saying is, "Hmmmm....let's see."

You love hats and sunglasses. People always ask me how I get you to wear them..."she wants to." is typically my response.

You love to find a little record or disc or book and use them as "skates" around the house.

When your dada or I leave (sometimes just a room) and come back, you have been saying, "Hello mama! I SO miss you." It melts my heart, Greta. I want to bottle you up and keep you just like this for a little while longer.

welcome, my little plum.

To my darling little girl,

You came into this world early on a Sunday morning in August, two nights after a blue moon. Your big sister also decided to come on a Sunday. As did your mama. We named you Estella Plum.

Your dad and I had it narrowed down to three girl's names and every time we said, "Estella", you smiled. You even frowned when we mentioned one. So, in a way, you chose your name. Your dad felt it was right. He thought it was a "magical" one.

Four pushes and you were out. I held you right away. I thought you looked just like your big sister when she was born. You latched onto my right breast and peed on me while you were nursing. I didn't mind.

Daddy cut your umbilical cord. Our midwife, Nancy, said it was the longest she had ever seen. They even measured it...40 in...it was loosely wrapped around your neck a couple times when you came out, "like a necklace", Daddy said.

My sister got to witness your birth, which made it all the more special. I'm grateful she could be there to hold my hand. A sister watching a sister being born.

You met your big sister later that day. She was so excited to see you. She wanted to hold you and she kept pushing on your nose, saying, "Awuuuuuuga!" She was so gentle with you.

You are so beautiful. You are so little. You are so loved, my little Plum.

Love always,

Mama

To my curious 11 month old baby boy

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What a week!  It's no wonder you had trouble sleeping last week:  you got two more teeth (for a total of 4!), you learned how to crawl the stairs and you are starting to wave, "bye-bye".

You, sweet boy, have started getting into everything within your reach.  And, you are pulling yourself up to stand all over the house!

Regarding the stairs, you paid no attention to them and then, one day last week, you were curious and climbed all the way up your first time all alone (with us right behind you of course).  You are a pro going up...now, we just have to teach you to go down!

You love to plant your foot on my chest when you nurse as if to say, "don't go anywhere mommy".  :)

You want your daddy!  Even over milk!  LOL.  I love that you have bonded with daddy.  Daddy loves it, too.  Your brothers did not prefer daddy until they were about 1 1/2.

 

You are still eating everything mommy gives you (primarily fats, meats in tiny pieces, vegetables and fruits, all in tiny pieces).  You feed yourself.  Mommy did not let your brothers do this.  I think we are onto something.  I hope that you keep enjoying foods as much as you do.  You really like greek meatballs (made with lamb and beef, grated lemon, garlic and oregano).  You eat all your veggies.  You like grapes and unsweetened applesauce the best.  We seem to finally have your tummy issues under control.  The autoimmune paleo diet (that the rest of us started to heal from leaky gut syndrome, read more here) seems to be what you needed also.

 

Your brothers adore you and are enjoying getting to know you as much as we are!  I love to see you bond with them.

 

Oh!  How we love you so, sweet boy.