Sweet Augusta Joy is one month old. It feels like she has been here forever. She does this superman stretch quite often. She is really starting to fill out and is bright-eyed when she's awake now. At her one month appointment she weighed 9 lbs 7.4 oz (45th percentile) and measured 22" (78th percentile) with a head circumference of 37.8 cm (78th percentile). She got a shot and cried hard for just a moment but was easily and quickly calmed down.
I was worried. I was so scared. Scared that my heart wouldn't be able to love another baby, that adding another baby would disrupt our lifestyle, and that Farrah would have hard feelings. I spend a lot of time thanking God that none of that has been the case.
I loved Augusta instantly. In the surgical room, when I first laid eyes on her and when I heard her crying so beautifully, I knew my heart grew to make room for her. Just like that. Just like I had always been told. And I'm happy to say this transition of adding another baby to our world has been a much easier transition than adding the first was. I hardly felt a ripple at all. I don't feel sleep deprived. I don't worry about her sleep schedule so much, or every little fuss or cry. To make this all so much easier also, Augusta has been a wonderful baby. She is so lax and patient.
Her first week, she slept so good that I had to work really hard to wake her for her regular feedings. My milk supply was in with a good oversupply, and I depended on her to help me regulate it and empty my breasts when they hurt so badly.
I have been feeding her every 3 hours, sometimes a little more and sometimes a little less, and she nurses 5-10 minutes on each side. She is wearing newborn diapers and size newborn clothes. Her hair seemed to lighten from nearly black to a brown after her first bath at home during her second week. I feel like her face still has a slight jaundice coloring but at her one month appointment, her doctor didn't think so and said that's mostly her coloring.
She had to go in for a weight check-up at four days old, one week (10 days), and two weeks (17 days). Her measurements were:
5/18/18 - 7 lbs, 20"
5/24/18 - 7 lbs 8 oz, 21"
5/31/18 - 8 lbs 2.6 oz, 21"
She's such a great baby so far. She sleeps well (a lot) and nurses well. By her second week, I was able to wait for her to tell me when she's hungry, even if it was 3-4 hours. She never cries out when she's hungry at night. I wake up to the sound of her grunting and sucking on her hand. I usually move to the recliner in the living room to nurse her, change her diaper between breasts, and then feed her the second side. She falls right back to sleep.
At exactly two weeks, her umbilical cord fell off so I was finally able to give her an actual bath and it made for much easier diaper changes.
She burps really well when she's awake, but usually not at all when she's sleepy. Around 7:00am each morning she gets really loud and makes all sorts of grunting noises. She will settle down with a pacifier, but only temporarily. She will also settle down if I snuggle her next to me in bed. She never really cries out though.
She still sleeps in the bassinet next to our bed, and during the day she naps around the house in various places...the bouncy seat, the Mumbelli, her crib, or in someone's arms.
I keep her swaddled at night. I tried two nights without it and she didn't seem to sleep as well. She gets a little upset as I am wrapping her, but I continue to swaddle her for now. Around 4 weeks, she started to get her arms out of the swaddle. I switched from the muslin blankets to a swaddle blanket that has a foot pocket and velcro straps that we had bought for Farrah who didn't like them. I usually keep her arms, or at least her right arm, out of the swaddle and that seems to make her the happiest.
I won a Mumbelli on Instagram. It has seriously been amazing. Just before Augusta was born, I entered a giveaway by @lenae_hamman and I was chosen for a free Mumbelli. I chose the color and they shipped it to me right away. It was created to help ease babies from their womb to this world. Mumbelli even reposted my photo! It has been so amazing since it's portable, lightweight, soft with a machine-washable cover. It is adjustable with easy velcro to make the bed the right size for your baby to snuggle. I highly recommend this product for your newborn and I am very grateful for the opportunity to have one for our sweet peach.
Farrah asks almost hourly, "Can I give Augusta a hug and kiss?" It's very sweet. She is always talking to her and checking on her and loving on her. She asks to hold her daily, but often tells her she can't have her toys or clothes.
Kaden and Kylie are sweet and great help with Augusta. Kylie has been especially wonderful. She plays a lot with Farrah throughout the day, and she is quick to help me with Augusta. After being around me and my way of parenting, Kylie knows and picks right up on what Augusta needs. She is always willing to carry her to the car or buckle her in, change her diaper, or just hold her and calm her down a bit. Kaden mainly loves to hold Augusta when she's asleep!
Keane likes to talk to her in the evenings when he gets home and gets a lot of snuggles when I'm busy getting Farrah to bed usually. Augusta doesn't hardly cry in the car. She has a few times on long rides and usually she's been hungry, but you are able to calm her down with a lot of shushing and with her pacifier. Most of the time she sleeps in car rides and on the go. My prayers of a calm and easy-going baby, and a smooth transition, have been answered.
We are in love with our littlest family member and I'm excited to watch her as she grows. Keane asked her the other day, "What are you going to grow up to be?" He has claimed that Farrah will be the family member who keeps everyone together, who hosts family get-togethers, and is always talkative and bubbly.
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