Dear Kiley,
I can't believe that it's already been an entire month since you were born.
Your birth went exactly according to plan — the surgery played out just like we expected, my recovery has gone even better than we could have hoped, and you have been a perfect little angel from the moment we first set eyes on you.
I have always dreamed about my life as a family of four, and now that you're here it's finally a reality.
We brought you home after spending just two nights in the hospital, but we were ready to start adjusting to life on our own. We are very lucky, because Daddy gets to take eight whole weeks off of work to be home with us!
First car ride, headed home from the hospital...
For the first 24 hours or so, Nana was also here with us to help us get settled, which was great because it was quite a shock to your big brother Ryder to have to share Mommy with you.
Ryder sure does love his baby sister, though.
Normally Ryder spends a couple days a week with our nanny, but since she had a pre-planned vacation this month, that meant we spent the first few weeks at home with just the four of us. It was a little bit like getting thrown into the deep end of the pool, but we are all getting the hang of things quickly.
You have been such an easy baby so far!
By the time we went to the doctor for your two-week checkup you had already exceeded your birth weight by ten percent. Not surprising, because you have been a breast feeding champion and we've had virtually no problems in that area. For the first couple weeks of your life you were pretty content to just eat, sleep, poop, and repeat, with just short periods of alertness in between. And even though it seemed like you slept most of the day, you still didn't have any problems at night. I usually feed you when we go to bed around ten or eleven, and then you typically only wake up once or twice between then and 6 a.m. for a quick feed and diaper change before going right back to sleep.
I knew all babies weren't such difficult sleepers like your brother!
Due to unfortunate circumstances, we took you on your first overnight visit to Nana and Papa's house when you were only two weeks old to attend your
Great Grandma's funeral. I am still so incredibly heartbroken that you two will never get to meet each other. She was such a wonderful person and would have loved and spoiled you so very much. The visit did allow you to meet quite a few of your relatives though, which was nice, and your beautiful, sweet little face was a welcome distraction during such a sad occasion.
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| Kiley and Great Grandma Sally. |
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| Kiley and Ryder with cousins Sophia and Aubrey. |
Back at home, we've also had lots of visitors, who have all come with their arms full of yummy food for us and generous gifts for you.
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| Kiley and Papa. |
Brett and Haley came to visit with sweet baby Jane.
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| We know that the two of you are destined to be the best of friends. |
Grandpa and Patty also came to spend a few days with you and Ryder.
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| Kiley and Aunt Cailin. |
Surprisingly, I've felt incredibly calm and confident in my abilities to care for two children at once. So much so that I've encouraged Daddy to go snowboarding a couple times, and I even took you both on a second overnight visit to Nana and Papa's house (over an hour's drive away) all by myself.
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| Couch cuddles with Papa. |
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| First few days home from the hospital, marveling at the fact that we have TWO children. |
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| Nap time for the WIN! I got both you and Ryder down to sleep all by myself while Daddy was gone snowboarding. |
Daddy and I both try to give you and Ryder each some special time every single day. We both love to cuddle with you and love it when you fall asleep and take naps on our chest. I call you "Little Squishy" and Ryder still calls you Baby Sister or "Ki-wee" because he struggles a little bit with pronouncing the letter L.
A few nights after we brought you home, Ryder decided that he was done sleeping in our bed, and began sleeping in his
Big Boy Room. We were simultaneously ecstatic and a little sad that our baby boy had decided to take such a grown up step. We are also wondering if potty training will follow...
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| All cuddled up with Big Brother for nap time in his Big Boy Room. |
And yes, other things besides sleep have been going on at our house...
You are still in newborn sized diapers but will transition into size one soon. At about three weeks old you outgrew newborn sized clothes and are currently in 0-3 month sizes. Also at about three weeks you began to get quite a bit fussier, especially in the mornings — we think it's probably a growth spurt. So far you hate pacifiers and seriously dislike bottles, despite our best attempts at both. Of course you prefer being held and cuddled to anything else, but you also like a couple small, vibrating chairs we have for you, and sleep swaddled, flat on your back in your bassinet each night. So far you don't seem to love your swing or rock 'n' play, but we think that might change in time.
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| One of the few times that you tolerated a pacifier for more than a few seconds. |
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| Daddy trying a bottle for the first time. You weren't a fan... |
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| Your favorite cozy vibrating chair. |
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| The bassinet where you sleep next to our bed. |
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| Daddy's magic hold that always manages to calm you down and soothe you. |
You still have all of the soft, dark hair that you were born with. Your eyes are deep, dark blue and they become more and more alert every day. Just a couple days ago, in the middle of the night, you looked up at Daddy after a diaper change and have him a huge, beautiful grin — your first smile.
We've already celebrated one holiday since you were born — Valentine's Day!
Big Brother Ryder made valentines for the whole family, it was so sweet!
You had your first bath, and we've learned that bath night with two children is a new adventure in time management and multitasking.
We love you so incredibly much that sometimes it feels like my heart will burst. We are trying to soak up every special moment with you...
Don't grow up too fast, my darling!
