The first week home was a whirlwind. Her first doctors appointment was Monday (She was born the previous Thursday and we got home on Saturday). She had already gained weight and was at her exact birth weight! Good report! She did so well in the office, and I had enough time to sneak in a feeding while in the room waiting for the pediatrician to come in for the visit. I had an appointment on Wednesday of that week for an incision check (all was well). Mom and I had our first outing to Target: we had run out of newborn diapers! I didn't buy many newborn sized items because I wasn't sure what size she would be when born (some babies are >8lbs when born and don't fit well in Newborn outfits or diapers). She did so good in target, but her chubby little cheeks were bouncing in the cart. We also picked up some nursing tank-tops and nursing friendly shirts for mommy. On Friday, we went to the orthopedic and that's when we found out about her hip.
Cadence has left hip dysplasia - which is a fancy word to say that her (left) hip doesn't sit in the socket very well. It's loosy-goosy. But the good thing about babies is that they are moldable. Their bones haven't formed yet, they are made up of a lot of soft bone and cartilage. As babies grow, their bones begin to form more solidly. If their bones were fully formed at birth, they would never make it out of the birth canal. Anatomy is so amazing! So she will wear the brace for 6-12 weeks until her little acetabulum (hip socket) forms a little bit deeper so that her femur (thigh bone) doesn't pop out of place anymore.
Lots of crying during the first week. I cried when I woke up from a nap and family was holding her in the living room. I cried in the car after her orthopedic appointment and she was fit for the brace. I cried when my mom left (okay, I sobbed). I cried at the carters commercial that says "every time a baby is born, so is a mom". I cried for no reason. Poor JR, I'm sure he thinks I'm crazy!
So during her first month, she has obviously gained weight. Because of the brace, it gives her trunk stability: but she has really developed good head control. She does NOT like tummy time, and doesn't really like laying flat for that matter. She has gone from sleeping all time to being alert for a few hours or so. She has a witching hour every evening around 7pm. If we skip witching hour, she has another one- at 3 or 4 am. She will smile every once and a while, but it usually preceeds a nice toot or diaper filling. She has begun to focus on things close up, such as faces. She really likes to look up at ceiling fans or lights, or anything on the ceilings. She has BIG yawns. Sneezes in multiples usually. Sometimes when she is sleeping really good she will startle herself, and her arms will end up hanging out in a strange place (like straight up in the air). She sleeps through just about everything (JR was cheering at football and she slept through that). She eats REALLY well- I have been very blessed with a great breastfeeding baby. I love her little chubby cheeks. At a month old, she is wearing size-one diapers, but can still wear newborn onesies. She has a long and narrow torso (don't know where she got that from, chuckle!!) :)
Me: I miss taking baths. I'm not approved to take baths until my 6wk follow-up visit. I miss sleeping in the same bed as my husband: because Cadence wakes up during the evening, I sleep with her downstairs. JR is upstairs in the guest bedroom. He will come downstairs if she is fussy for a long time, but otherwise he sleeps through the night upstairs. He had to return to work after not-quite a week out of work. JR is a very light sleeper, and isn't able to fall back asleep if he's woken up. I can sleep sitting up, and don't have any trouble falling asleep after late-night feedings (multiple late night feeds), so I don't mind the alone time in the evening, I just miss HIM.
My favorite things: how cadence will "coo" and make sweet noises to herself. Watching JR interact with her, gosh he is such a good daddy! He is also a professional burper, and is working on his diaper-changing skills. He lets me deal with the brace and changing clothes, but otherwise he is very hands-on and very involved with her care.
Picture time:
I love this picture below. It's the first time she really smiled. She looked up at me and just grinned, luckily I had the camera ready! :)
The picture below is right after we got home from the orthopedic- in her "Pavlik Harness". Doesn't seem to bother her (but it sure did make mommy cry!). Side note: Look at how short those sleeves are. I sense a battle in the future, just like mommy!
Her first halloween! She was a little pumpkin. Adorable!
Her first bath! She did so good! Didn't cry until we had to dry her off!
Holding up her head and checking out her nursery. What a big girl!
"Laughing" at nana. Oh goodness, look at those cheeks and that double chin! What a pretty smile!
Snuggles! This was at 3am one morning. Do you see those eyes? Not sleepy! She takes the paci (or soothie, whatever you want to call it) occasionally.
What a sweet first month. Lots of changes have taken place, but I certainly wouldn't change anything! I hope to keep better track during month two. I will also (hopefully) be taking sequential pictures (monthly) so we can track her growth for the first year. Sweet baby! :)
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