One Month

Baby girl turned 1 month last week.  I really can't believe it's been a month.  I've probably spent most of this month in my pajamas or some variation of black yoga pants ensemble.  But each day is better than the last, and we are starting to get into our new normal routine.

We are happy to report that Hannah's weight is gaining.  She was 7lbs 1oz at one month and 19" long!  She is getting stronger and more alert with each day.  Hannah can challenge us to some serious staring contests and many times win.

She has taken bottles with expressed milk without a problem and can switch back to nursing the next feeding.  This makes me so happy because it allows Weston and other folks to feed and bond with her, and it has given me a sense of freedom to be out of the house with her for more than a quick trip somewhere.

 

She loves to be held and cuddled.  We are still working on her sleeping routine.  At one month, she sleeps 2.5 hours at the longest, but usually it is 1.5-2 hour stretches.

 

She loves her baths now.  From day one, she's loved getting her hair washed.  We were anticipating a full lung wail the first time we stuck her hair under the stream of water, but she was so calm and seemed to enjoy it.

 

Happy 1 month baby girl!

First Father's Day

Hannah is very blessed to have such a wonderful daddy.

He is such a great provider.  Hard-working and driven with very few complaints on the extremely long hours he puts in a day.  And then he comes home and scoops her up because he's missed her during the day, and you would never guess the stressful days he puts in when you see him with her.

Yep, she's a pretty lucky girl.  I hope they have a relationship like I do with my Dad.  I loved being a daddy's girl, and his love for me and our family showed me what to look for in my husband and the father of my own children.  I was so happy to have him come for a visit this weekend and celebrate.

Yep it was a pretty good Father's Day.

 

Not to mention Hannah has her Pops (Weston's dad) who is quite smitten with her as well.  I am forever grateful to have a father-in-law who raised a man through his example who is an incredible husband and father.

 

 Happy Father's Day, indeed.

 

A Little Meet and Greet

Introducing Miss Hannah Hart Hobgood to the world.

She came into this world at 1:23 AM on May 14, 2013 weighing 6lb 8oz and 18 inches long. 

My water broke as I got out of bed the morning before I had her.  It took me a second to even realize what was happening with her coming 2.5 weeks early.  Weston happened to be home.  He saved up his two vacation weeks for around Hannah's due date.  One vacation week is this week.  And he took one early just in case she decided to arrive early.  My water broke Monday at 8am on his first vacation week.  What a punctual little girl I have.  She must get it from her father.  So we scrambled to get the last items packed in our hospital bag and hopped in the shower before we headed to the hospital.

My labor could be summed up as slow and steady.  I reacted very easily to low doses of the pitocin to get my contractions going.  Hannah's heart rate dropped a couple times during the whole process despite being on the lowest dosage of pitocin.  A c-section was mentioned if she couldn't tolerate the labor, but they added more fluid to her amniotic fluid which made her much more comfortable and cooperative to deliver vaginally.  I had to be on oxygen the entire day which made me thankful I packed my chapstick.

The delivery went so smooth, and after 45 minutes of pushing, she arrived.  She was absolutely beautiful the moment we laid eyes on her.  She has her daddy's heart and mine.

 

There was no sleep on the night she was born.  I got wheeled up to the postpartum room around 3am.  And Hannah had visitors that waited all evening and night long to meet her.  My parents are above getting their late night (or should I say early morning?) cuddles.

 We also had Weston's parents and brother who patiently waited for her arrival as well.

We are in the steadfast process of pumping and nursing around the clock to get her weight up.  She lost more than 10% of her birthweight at the hospital which left her only at 5lb and 14oz when we took her home.  She's had two pediatrician check ups to monitor the weight gain.  This morning at one day shy of 3 weeks, she's only 6lbs which was really discouraging considering how well I thought we were nursing and producing dirty diapers.

We'll go back later this week for another weigh in to see if the new feeding schedule and introduction of pumped breastmilk in bottles will kick start the growth we need.  Let's hope so!  Despite her full closet, only a few pieces of clothing actually fit her and not swallow her whole.  My stockpile of diapers don't fit her.  Mothers told me not to stockpile on newborn diapers as they are barely in them before they outgrow to the bigger size.  Well the newborns are still huge on her.  She wore preemie size diapers in the hospital!

 

Well I must go feed our baby girl.  We're just so thankful and happy to share our miracle with everyone.  We're so blessed to have her, and I feel as though I need to pinch myself to make sure this is all real.  What a wonderful life.