One month old

Where did the time go? I can’t believe it’s October already. Flora is one month old today. We went to her one month doctor’s appointment yesterday and she is doing very well. She is now just over nine pounds, so she gained nearly three pounds in a month. The sleepers that were too big when we came home from the hospital are fitting much better now. As Grandma Faye (my mum) says “she’s perfect!”

Sean went back to work almost two weeks ago. His first day back at work was the first day I had spent alone with Flora since she was born. I was anxious about being able to handle it, but we’re doing okay and sort of settled into a routine. I’ve managed to get dressed and fit in a few chores every day before Sean comes home so I figure we’re doing okay.

Flora is starting to have wakeful times during the day now, so it is nice to see her eyes. She is constantly looking all around the room, taking everything in. I wish I knew what was so interesting about what she sees. Despite all the time she spends awake, I still seem to take most of my pictures when she is sleeping. I guess that’s because it’s hard to take a picture of a baby while you are holding her. I need to get after Sean to take some pictures of her with me, or at least when she’s not crying. (Sean seems to catch a lot of pictures of her when she’s crying for some reason.)

Speaking of crying, she’s not a major crier yet. She lets us know if something is on her mind, but usually calms down once we figure it out. She has trouble getting burps out sometimes so that’s something we’re working on. Between the farting, the grunting and the noise of a diaper being filled, I had no idea that newborn babies were so noisy. I expected crying, but not bum noises I can hear from another room! (She is going to kill me when she is a teenager and she finds these archives on the web.)

My mom came to visit earlier this week and the three of us went on Flora’s first outing that wasn’t a doctor’s appointment or a walk around the block. We just went to the mall to pick up a parcel for Sean and get some groceries, but it felt good to finally leave the house for more than a few minutes. The stroller steers well, and fits in the trunk (barely – we have a small car). Flora had many admirers and was very well behaved – there was some crying occasionally but she calmed herself down and went back to sleep. Breastfeeding in public was not attempted – more because she didn’t need it rather than due to any embarrassment on my part.

Sean and I took Flora on her second outing after her doctor’s appointment. We went to Costco, and she slept through most of that expedition. She had a few admirers there as well. One set of ladies fawned over her a couple of times throughout the store. It made me giggle and feel more than a little proud. Fortunately no one tried to touch her, considering that cold and flu season is starting. We don’t start our immunizations until next month, and I don’t feel ready to deal with a sick baby yet.

Here are some more pictures from the last couple of weeks.

Getting ready to go out with Mummy and Grandma.