Mirabella's 3rd Week Birthday

Time is flying by!  Mirabella is growing so fast.  I'm having a hard time keeping up with everything, including updating our blog!  This week's notables:

• Mirabella did find her thumb, but she only sucked on it for a few seconds.
• Baby Bella had her first real bath.  She LOVES her bath time!  Often she is very fussy at night and taking a bath is usually very soothing to her.  I think Mirabella really likes the sound and warmth of the water.
• Our baby is not a big fan of putting on new outfits.  She really hates it when we have to pull something over her head and she lets us know by crying.

Mirabella's 2nd Week Birthday

Wow, another week has flown by and our little Mirabella is now 2 weeks old!  Not too much has changed from last week, but we do have a few more highlights:

• Mirabella is now eating between 3 and 4 ounces at a time.  There are times that she will only eat 1.5 to 2 ounces, but she will now eat a few bigger meals throughout the day.
• Our little baby notices her hands much more now.  This is mainly because she is quite the sucker and wants to suck her thumb (she was sucking on her bottom lip).  However, she usually has her thumb tucked into her fist, so she tries to shove her whole fist in her mouth.  We now have pacifiers in every room!
• Baby Bella has another nickname, "Angry Baby".  She now has her moments where we can't pacify her and she gets bright red and screams.  We feel really bad that we don't know how to make her feel better, but know that all babies do this.
• Mirabella had her 2 week check-up.  She is now up to 9 pounds 9 ounces and is a very healthy baby.  Also, her umbilical cord stump fell off.

1 Day and 1 Week With Lamb

Apparently my mom was in a big hurry to get to Southpark Mall on Mirabella's birthday and Brian didn't understand the rush (I was completely unaware).  But on Tuesday, June 9th, my mom brought to the hospital a gift for Mirabella - a super cute Build-A-Bear lamb that has the same birthday as Mirabella!  I love it and it reminded me of a cute idea. . .  We are going to take a picture of Mirabella and the lamb at 1 day, 1 week, and at each month to gauge her growth.

1 Day

1 Week

 

Mirabella's 1st Week Birthday

Today is June 15th, Mirabella's 1st week birthday!  This week was both very trying, but awesome all rolled into one.  For not being around too many babies growing up, both Brian and I are doing pretty well at taking care of our little Mirabella!  (If I might say so myself!)  This week's notables:

• We had a hard time nursing, but with some help and advice from some nurses, we have a good routine going.  Mirabella lost a whole pound after coming home, but we are already back to 8 pounds 10 ounces.  This is great progress considering her doctor likes to see the weight gained back within 2 weeks.  It looks like Mirabella will have a love for food just like her mom and dad!
• I feel that we have been fortunate because our baby girl is sleeping between 4 to 5 hours per night.  Once she wakes up, we feed her and she sleeps for another 2 to 3 hours.  
• Mirabella took her first sponge bath.  It went much better than I anticipated.  There was no screaming or crying involved.
• Our little Bella had a great time on her play mat looking at the bugs hanging overhead, swinging in her swing, reading her black and white books with dad, and singing with mom.
• We have gone on 2 family walks so far.  The walks are extremely short because I still can't move too well, but they were great and Mirabella really seemed to enjoy it.
• Mirabella also had her first visit to Cleveland Blooms on Sunday.  She wasn't really into it and decided to nap most of the time.
• We had our first doctor visit today.  In addition to finding out her weight, we also found out that she is 20 inches long.  She is just a little more than average in length, but in the 75th percentile for her weight.  She had the cutest outfit on today for her outing, but I was not able to get a picture of it because she had her first explosion all over herself and Brian.  It was halirous! 
• And speaking of accidents, Mirabella likes to make her dad really work when it's time for a diaper change.  So far she has had 3 accidents and all have been with dad!  I'm sure my time will be up soon! 

MIRABELLA FAITH Has Arrived June 8th, 2009!

Brian and I reported to Fairview Hospital at 6 a.m promptly Monday, June 8th, 2009.  As soon as we arrived, I was handed my gown and hooked up to the pitocin.  Brian and I played a round of Sequence and listened to our iPod, then my mom arrived.  Soon after, my OB came in to see how we were we doing and then she had to break my water.  It sounds painful, but it was not bad at all.  But once my water was broken, then the contractions came!  I went from 4 cm to 10 cm dilated very quickly.  I made it to 9 cm without my epidural and as soon as I asked for it, the anesthetiologist was on her way to made me feel like a hundred bucks!  By the time my epidural was complete, I was at 10 cm and ready to bring our little girl into the world!  It was exciting and scary all at once.  It was great to have Brian and my mom there to hold my hands during the biggest moment of my life.  At 4:11 p.m.  Mirabella Faith Ashton arrived, weighing in at a whopping 8 pounds 15 ounces and measuring 19 inches long.  I got to hold my little girl for the first 2 hours of her life uninterrupted - hold her, cherish her, love her.  It was the best moment of my life!

Our Hopes and Dreams For You

Dear "Baby M",

Today, June 1, 2009, is your due date and you have yet to arrive.  We have both imagined about what you may be like and I want to share with you our hopes and dreams for you, our precious daughter.

We hope that you always feel free to be your true self.

We want you to understand that inner beauty never fades and always shines through.

We want you to be our little princess and fun tomboy.

We want you to have an opinion, but always listen and be willing to learn from people who think differently than you.

We hope that you will love with all of your heart and never feel the need to build any walls.

We hope that you know that we will always be in your corner, cheering you on.

We hope that you will follow your dreams no matter how difficult they may seem to conquer.

We dream that you will never stop dreaming.

We can't wait to meet you, watch you grow, and be a family!

With Love Always and Forever,

Mom and Dad