One Month

Hailey,

You turned one month old yesterday. To celebrate, you slept for six straight hours overnight. It was amazing! I don't know if you enjoyed it, but I sure did. You're such a good sleeper - even on nights you do wake up, you tend to eat and then fall right back asleep. I am a spoiled mommy.

You've already changed so much this month. Today is the last day you'll wear newborn size diapers. You've gained a pound since you were born - including 10 ounces in one week! Your eyelashes and hair are getting thicker (though you're still a ginger baby). You can track movement with your eyes, and you're obviously focusing more. I think you even recognize me and Daddy! You still like to be held as much as possible (you're snuggling with Daddy right now), but you continue to love your vibrating seat (which is home of the six-hour nights). We've started reading you stories - though I sometimes just read out loud from a magazine. You HATE taking baths, having your diaper changed or being naked in general.

I did have one incident of mommy paranoia. You have a lump on your head that appeared a few weeks ago. We took you to see Dr. Lee, who recommended an ultrasound to rule out something serious. You slept right through the ultrasound (they gave you a heated blanket). Fortunately, it turned out to be nothing - just a benign cyst. It may go down with time, and I think it will be completely covered when your hair gets thicker.

And, sadly, if someone ever asks if you've been dropped on your head, you can say yes. In my worst mom moment, I fell asleep while holding you against my chest, and you fell off the bed onto the wooden floor. I immediately freaked out, but fortunately you were and are fine. And now I am very careful about holding you when I am tired.

Basically, Hailey, you're still a perfect little girl. You have perfect people skills. You are amazingly easy to care for. And you're beautiful and smart. I love you.

Mommy

On the Street Where You Live

Baby,

You were due yesterday. But apparently you've decided to wait a few more days to arrive (please just a few more days). So in the meantime, I'm thinking about what will happen when you are born. And really, I don't know. And there are plenty of other things I don't know, as well as plenty of things your daddy doesn't know. So, here's a list of things you won't be learning from your parents, which you'll have to learn on the streets - or go through life not knowing, which is fine too (trust me). 

• Pretty much everything about sports - how to play them, things fans say, pretty much anything beyond the basic concept. 
• How to eat without making a mess (seriously, I don't know why we consistently fail at this). 
• Spontaneity (we have our moments, but basically we are planners). 
• Hipster music - we are largely stuck in the musical past (where it is awesome). 
• Advanced fashion sense (but, please, if you emulate one of us make it me instead of your father and his affection for Canadian tuxedos). 
• Exactly what night people do (it's fine if you are one, but beware we like to be up and eating cereal by about 7:00). 

And there's probably more, but this is what comes to mind most quickly. And if you never learn these things, I assure you, you'll be fine. There are plenty of other things you can learn at home, and we'll do our best to make sure you learn them all and enter the world fully equipped for whatever is thrown at you. 

April 2012 - Month -1

To my baby:

It's one month before your/my/our due date. Your room is stocked with baby toys, baby clothes and all manner of baby stuff. Earlier this week, your daddy painted a caterpillar on your wall. We feel prepared - we still need a car seat, but we've done the classes and gotten the stuff, and we're prepared. We may never be ready.

It's getting awkward for me to move around and do everyday things, and I have to pee an obscene number of times per day, but fortunately I've had a pretty easy pregnancy. Right now I'm not really letting myself think about delivery ... I more or less have a birth plan, but mostly I'm willing to go with the flow. Your flow.

We haven't decided your name yet. We've talked about it, and there are definite favorites, but we'll wait to see you before we make the final decision. In fact, we don't know a lot about you. And besides our voices and the fact that I have an incredible sweet tooth, you don't know about us. But we'll be a family in one month. Starting from day one, we'll be your parents. And some days we'll be great at it, and some days we'll probably suck at it. But we'll try. Every day. And we'll love you. Every day. And we'll probably never be able to give you everything you want, but we'll give you everything we can. Every day. And we'll remember that, and with any luck you'll remember that, and we'll be a close, loving family. Every day.

Love you,
Mommy