And Baby Makes Three

Post

Baby-related post with a picture on the other blog:
http://bookworm.typepad.com/blog/2004/07/what_ive_been_d.html

The First Cut

Well, it's official -- I'm a terrible mother. No, I don't really think that, but that's how I felt when I nicked her tiny, beautiful little fingertip when I was trying to cut her nails this afternoon. I noticed some little scratches on her face this morning and realized it had been awhile since I'd cut her nails. I took care of one hand and changed her position to do the other. She began to fidget, but I thought I could finish anyway. When it happened she immediately began to cry, so I scooped her lovingly to my chest and cradled her head until she calmed. I thought her finger had stopped bleeding, but later I noticed traces of blood on the front of her outfit. Sniff. Some people recommend biting the nails off rather than using the little nail clippers, but I'd had good luck with them until today. Sigh. So, what have I learned? Wait until she's limp and relaxed, preferably asleep, in my arms; make sure the light is really good and be very, very careful!

An Amazing Thing

I just woke up a little while ago, on my own, because I was no longer tired. It is late morning, almost noon. How did this miracle occur? My husband put the baby to bed, after a hungry, fussy period that followed a dinner out with friends. I climbed in bed about midnight. We'd "negotiated" that I'd take the next bottle and he'd take the one after that. The baby woke me around 5:40 a.m., if I'm remembering correctly, and by the time we finished the whole routine (changing diaper, warming the bottle, eating, burping, laying down in bed again) about an hour had gone by. I was probably asleep again around 7:00. I woke briefly when the baby cried the next time; I usually have to nudge my husband awake when it is his turn. Biology is what it is -- Mom always wakes up. But I fell back to sleep. I wish we could do this every night, but most nights during the week I take the whole night shift because my husband has to get up early to work. Once I go back to work, I think I will ask him to put her to bed at night and I'll take the crack of dawn bottle, so I can spend a little time with her before I leave for the day.

Three Weeks Pass in the Blink of an Eye

We brought Gabrielle home on May 10th and now she is three weeks and three days old. In between she's met lots of family members and friends, gone for a stroller ride, had that scary first bath, and had two doctor's appointments. She's now up to 8 lb. 13 oz. and 22 inches long. We're trying to get her to sleep longer at night than during the day. . . She's very beautiful and lovable.

Beautiful Baby Girl

I'll write a post about our birth experience sometime soon, before my memory loses more details to the mists of time. Right now I'm going to go lay down on the bed while she sleeps. "Sleep while the baby sleeps" is a much-needed survival technique -- blogging while she sleeps doesn't sustain you in the middle of the night!

She was a week old on Friday -- I can't believe it.

Gabrielle

Gabrielle Karen
2:52 p.m. 5/7/2004
7 pounds, 12 ounces
20 1/4 inches

Mother, father and baby are doing well.