It Takes a Village

I feel like I'm always using cliches and common phrases, but this is a new one for me.  It's so true.  It really does "take a village" to raise a child, at least in my world.

Anyway, plain and simple, being a mom is HARD work.  I knew that it would be hard, but there's no way to be completely prepared for parenthood.  Like I said, it's hard work.  We've been lucky enough to have a really good baby too.  That being said, it's hard to express how appreciative we are for all of the help that we've gotten from so many people.  I say all the time that I don't know how people do it alone, with multiples or other children, while working full time, or with other special scenarios.  I guess you just do what you have to do.

So many people have done so many things- made food, made phone calls, babysat, shopped, visited, lent supplies, given advice, ordered dinner, sent gifts, left us alone (that sounds bad), run errands......  The list goes on and on.  For one little girl, all of these things continue to be done.  I can't imagine how exhausted, frustrated, lonely, or insane we would be (probably me more than Tony) if our "village" of support hadn't been there.  Alivia has a lot of people who love and care about her, and for that we are grateful.  So, thank you so much to the many, many family members and friends who have been there in all of the ways that you have.

To any person whose looking for ways to help out new parents, here are some less common things that we really appreciated or realized would be great gifts for other new parents.  (We appreciated them all, but these are things that I would've never though of.)

- Thank you cards and stamps
- Paper products: paper plates, plastic ware, napkins, and paper towels.  This means less dishes!
- If you're sending a gift, no matter what it is, attach a receipt.  This sounds unappreciative, but I'm being honest.  We got a few doubles, and you never know how clothes will fit as a baby grows.
- Chocolate and ice cream
- Homemade meals that can be easily be prepared of restaurant gift cards.
- Really good hand lotion- We do so many dishes by hand now that our hands are really dry.
- Chocolate and ice cream
- Copies (in any form) of pictures that you take
- Patience- not everyone can see the baby all at once, and new parents will never be on time
- Burp cloths- no need for an explanation
- A basket of cleaning supplies- we ended up buying a basket for each bathroom and put cleaning rags, spray, and a sponge under each bathroom sink.  It's way easier to clean now, and you can do just the bathroom of you need to in a couple of minutes.
- Chocolate and ice cream

A New Favorite Moment

Yep, that's right.  I have a new favorite moment.  I'm not really sure what my old favorite moment was, but I for sure know that I have a favorite now.  I was holding Alivia today, and I looked down at her.  Those big blue eyes were looking right back at me.  That's when it happened... the biggest, happiest, cutest, melt-your-heart smile I've seen out of that little peanut!  I was so stinkin' sincere.  I felt like we had actually made an emotional connection with each other that we each knew was happening.  It's amazing how Alivia is developmentally changing so much already.  So, that's it.  That's my new favorite moment.  It's going to take something pretty incredible to bump it from it's elite rank.

Here's a smile, but it's not THE smile from today. 

 

 

One Month Wrap Up

It's hard to believe that Alivia is already a month old.  For all of you who said, "It will fly by"........... you're right.  It has.  She has changed and grown so much.  Really, the only constant thing has been the frequency of diaper changes.  Good thing Tony is up for anything.  Here's a quick summary of some of the most memorable one month events and learning experiences we've had (followed by some pictures).

- Alivia has grown 1 inch in length and 1 lb, 8oz in weight.
- She has lost a little hair up top, but it's getting longer in the back (not quite a mullet).  It's still red though.
- She's an amazing sleeper, often allowing us to sleep 5-6 hours at once at night.  Thanks, kid!
- She has more clothes than we know what to do with.  Seriously, there are so, so, so many 3 month clothes, we have to take some back!
- She has made brief outings to the following places:
                   Target
                   Nevin's
                   Cherry Berry
                   Greenman Elementary School
                   The Children's Place
                   Michael's
                   Dr. Binor's office
                   Her Pediatrician's office
- There have been so many great friends and family who have visited her.  We appreciate that so much!  Thank you.
- She's been on a few walks, thanks to the weather FINALLY getting nicer.
- She's growing out of a few pieces of clothing- hard to believe.
- She smiles a lot, and is often sporting one or two dimples.
- She loves to be snuggled.
- Bath time makes her happy.
- She likes her hands and legs to be free...makes swaddling tricky!
- We went to the park.
- She had shots at the pediatrician's office...and CRIED!!!
- She likes tummy time and listening to stories being read.
- She's already awake more in during the day than she was in her first few weeks of life.

We can't wait to see what new things happen in her second month of life!