Growing up so fast!

My baby is getting so big so quickly, I can hardly believe it!  She is 6 weeks old as of Tuesday 7/23 and she is still such a joy to my heart.  She is so strong and alert, I can't get over it.  She is able to sit in her Bumbo and it really allows her to be where we are and see what is going on.  She often will sit at the dinner table with us while we eat and really likes to sit and watch daddy work in his office.  She had her 1 month appointment last week and came in at 9lbs 10oz (60%), 21.5 inches (50%) and 14.5 inch head circumference (50%).  She is doing fantastic and the doctor really doesn't ever have much to say about her other than that she looks great.  I am one happy momma as anyone who has children knows, you can often begin to worry about little things that in reality are not a problem at all.

She had a big birthday present for her aunt Alice, she smiled for the first time on July 17th.  It was possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen!  She woke up in the morning, looked right at me, gave a little giggle and smiled, dimples and all.  She has dimples like her daddy which I know her great-grandma will be thrilled about!

She has also begun to actually play with her toys.  She started recognizing her hands a couple weeks ago and now has been able to interact with her playmat and laughs at herself for quite a while!  I know I'm thrilled by little details but it's just so fun to watch their mind work and develop and see how each new day brings some new discovery for her.  She continues to interact more and more and is so fun!

A happy and slightly sad milestone has been crossed as well, we are mostly wearing 0-3 month clothes now, only a few of her newborn outfits still fit, and she has also transitioned fully to size 1 diapers.  I know that shouldn't be such a sad thing but it's the first of many milestones in her life and I am saddened at how quickly time passes.

On Wednesday morning, I woke up at 4:58 am to the sound of Alythia stirring.  The significance of this might escape you at first, but let me fill you in.  Alythia goes down at night around 10 pm after a final feeding and usually wakes me up around 3 am to eat again.  This gives me between 4-5 hours of sleep between feedings.  This night she slept for 7 hours all on her own!  She didn't even stir in the middle of the night.  I can't believe how good she is doing.  I was thrilled when I woke and then had to laugh to myself.  My daughter has done everything I asked at the exact time I have asked her to do it.  If only this was going to be the way she is in her childhood and teen years.  Before she was born I said that I thought I wanted her to be able to sleep through the night at about 6 weeks so that she could transition to her own room and her crib.  As has been the case so far, she did exactly as I asked at exactly 6 weeks.  Now to see if she keeps it up for a few nights and then to help her adjust her timing a little so that we are waking up at a more typical hour.  I have to say, she is really taking it easy on us as parents so far.  She may be one of the easiest babies I have ever encountered.  Such a blessing and joy she is to our lives.

~Becky