Letter from Mommy - Month 1

Dear Baby Avery,

What a month!  We were so anxious for you to arrive, and then we were so thankful when you did and you were healthy!  We are so happy to add you to our family.  You were patient and waited until your Mommy’s scheduled delivery date to join us.  All of your grandparents were at the hospital that morning and were so excited to meet you and to learn the name that we had picked out.  Everyone loves your name—I can’t believe the amount of positive feedback we’ve gotten on it.

Your big sister loves you so much and gives you TONS of kisses.  One morning this week, I set you down in your sister’s bed next two her, and she smiled and said, “We are two friends.”   Your first day home from the hospital you gave you sister a gift – foam blocks.  Clara was really excited to get a gift from you.  We also have you warm-up Clara’s bed in the evenings (we put you on her bed while we’re getting her ready for bed).  Clara really likes this and will ask us, “Can my baby sister warm my bed?”

You have a very sweet disposition, from what we can tell so far.  You are a good baby, and really only cry when you are hungry.  We are glad that we are able to easily soothe you when you are upset.  Usually rocking you or snuggling solves any fussiness other than hunger.  You eat every 2.5 – 3 hours day and night.  At the beginning of the month you ate 3 ounces when you took a bottle, and now you are consistently eating 4 ounce bottles.  You are a good eater and burper, and only occasionally spit up.  At night you’ve been giving us 3 hour stretches of sleep.  Feel free to go even longer if you like!  Our biggest challenge this month was that you didn’t like to sleep on your own at night.  We’d be sure you were sound asleep and then as soon as we put you in your crib, you were instantly awake.  So your Daddy and I took turns sleeping with you—you and Daddy logged lots of hours on the couch at night!  We’ve made progress on this front the last couple of weeks, and for the most part, you are now sleeping in your crib at night. 

I’m really enjoying my time off of work that I get to spend with you.  We spend lots of time cuddling, and you spend lots of time eating!  You like to look directly into our eyes and have since we brought you home.  Life has been really busy now that we’re a family of four, but we’re so happy to have you as part of our family and are excited to watch you grow (although not too fast!).  And it’s so neat seeing how much your big sister loves you!

Lots of love,

Your Mommy