One Month of Eloise

Leigh Ann
Nov 22, 2021
5 min read

My caffeinated cutie,

As I’m writing this, it’s 3:15 AM, and I just woke up to come rock you upright in the chair. You caught your brother’s cold and have a cough that we are trying to help you with, and it’s my shift to hold you. In your whole first month, this is the most tired I’ve been but there’s nowhere else I would rather be than snuggling you. You are an amazing sleeper, getting up just once or twice a night, so this is rare. The downside to you sleeping is that I haven’t gotten as much quality time with you as I did Sully: he used to never sleep, so he and I would come downstairs to rock early almost every morning. My main concern is getting you well, but I’m finding the positive in that I get to feel your weight on my chest and your stuffy breath on my neck. I’m painfully aware of how short this season of life is, and I’m going to soak up every moment, sneezes and all.

*Thank goodness we weathered your first cold with no fever or RSV! Dad and I took shifts sleeping with you in the recliner so you could be upright, and you woke up the next morning all better!

Eating:

You are a champion, efficient eater! From day one, you were ready to eat. When you do, you fill up and are good to go for at least 3 hours. For the first week, we had to wake you up to feed so that you would get back up to your birth weight. You never even went through a cluster feeding phase which was a surprise.

As for me, I'm is basically a cow. As of today, I have pumped 1,300 ounces in addition to feeding you. For the first two weeks, you spit up a lot, and we figured out that Mom’s milk was too fast and too much for you, so I started pumping for 3 minutes before you ate and that helped. For the most part now, I exclusively pump in the day and feed you directly at night. This has helped make me more physically comfortable and helped you eat at an easier pace. To start with, the bottle wasn’t your favorite, but you’ve come around.

Sleeping:

Never did I imagine such a good night sleeper so early! You only wake up once or twice a night now which is a huge blessing considering that there are two of you cuties to take care of. Dad and I have a solid system where he changes you while I do a small pumping session, and then he hands you off to me for feeding and burping. We’re up for no more than 30 minutes at a time, and our days aren’t nearly as sleepy as we thought. We’re tired: don’t get me wrong, but it’s sustainable.

Daytime naps are great right now. I’ve been able to swaddle you and set you in your bed while Sully and I play for one or two naps a day. Witching hour is tricky, but wearing you in the carrier or holding you soothes you.

Favorite Moments:

-Watching your brother warm up to you. He's slowly taking ownership of being your brother, and I love hearing him introduce you to people or asking you if you need some milk. Just the other day, I was making a coffee and turned around to him showing you Sophie and talking to you. While we pray for a strong sibling bond, it is nice that he is not constantly in your face or trying to pick you up; it makes doing regular household chores easier because I don’t have to worry about him accidentally hurting you.

-Outside time: One afternoon, Dad needed to burn a pile of limbs. Sully stayed with him, helping him keep the fire going and contained while you and I sat on the porch and played. It was a sweet little glimpse into what life will look like once you’re a little bigger: you could be out there with the boys or stay back with Mom for an activity. Having a boy and girl is exciting because we can all participate in each others’ activities or divide and have fun, too.

-Halloween: Next to your arrival, Halloween was the highlight of October. Sully loves Halloween, so I made sure to have activities planned and prepped to celebrate regardless of when you decided to be born. We crafted and baked and made costumes. Our sweet friend Charlotte and her parents planned an in-house trick or treating for us, and it was the best! You slept the whole time. On actual Halloween Day, we did a mini version of in-house trick or treating with just us. You were the banana to go along with The Man With the Yellow Hat and Curious George.

-Library: You, Sully, and I all went to the library when you were two weeks old. It was our first outing together with just me, and it was a confidence booster. I packed snacks and bottles ahead of time and prepped everything so that we could have a high chance of success. With only one stop, we all made it back smiling and with good memories. Your brother sang and danced, and you slept on my shoulder after a bottle. We are excited to introduce you to our favorite activities.

-Margin: Your dad and I prepared for you in every way possible: we are a family who strongly believes in margin, so preparing things ahead of time gives us the opportunity to handle any challenges that could come our way and allows us to truly enjoy time together. Your room was decorated (Mom’s favorite room in the house); our bags were packed; Halloween activities were planned and prepped; Sully’s food was labeled in the fridge and pantry should someone have to quickly come get him; Covid safety measures were in place; the house was cleaned; easy meals were pre-made in the freezer. I am so thankful for the work that was done before you got here because we’ve spent our days playing, snuggling, and even squeezing in time for house and craft projects. I’ve stitched many hoops, and Dad and Sully have burned piles of stumps outside.

-Mom's birthday: My 32nd birthday was so special thanks to you three! Dad made a fun sign, and the boys picked up vegan brownies and balloons for me. We went to the zoo, and I'm pretty sure your brother thought it was his birthday because of how much fun it was. We rode the train, checked out every animal, and played on the playground. Birthdays aren't scary to me because they bring new adventures, challenges, and this year, you.

Growth:

When you were born, you weighed 7 pounds and 13 ounces, having the squishiest cheeks ever. By the time we left the hospital, you were down 9 ounces, but as of your last weight check today, you weigh 9 pounds exactly. You are busting out of newborn sized clothes but the 0-3 months are a little big in the arms and shoulders, and we put you in size 1 diapers.

You have the wildest hair that grows straight up on top and with a mullet in the back, and I am obsessed with it. I try to put you in a bow when we go somewhere, but to be honest, I don't super care if you wear one or not.