The Sleepless Month - January 23, 2012

Our darling daughter is 1 month old!  If I've slept in a month, I simply can't recall.  I do recall the changes that have occurred in our lives and the level of acceptance that so easily came with those changes.  I was not expecting that.  I anticipating a much harder transition but some things just come naturally.  The day we brought her home, Christmas Eve, I was exhausted and so was Eleanor.  Aaron must have been, as he had been all over Tarrant County, attending to me and the baby at the hospital, finishing our Christmas shopping, making sure our exchange students were ok and tending to our animals' needs.  He did not show any pains of fatigue, though, and instead, carried on happier than ever.  The Monday after we brought Eleanor home, we had to return to the hospital for a simple follow up.  She is doing well and we were told she seemed incredibly strong and healthy.  On the way home, Aaron got us Popeye's Chicken.  I was nursing the baby and she was a little fussy but I was starving so Aaron spoonfed the rice to me.  I could hardly eat, I was crying so hard.  Hormones, fatigue, hunger, overwhelming feelings of love and gratitude...all of those things together equate to tears.

As for our little girl, she has grown and changed and accomplished so much in these 31 days. 

Small Ferrell's 1 Month Stats:

Height:  21"    
Weight:   9 lbs  2 ozs
Sleeping:   Eleanor sleeps more regularly than when she first came home.  She sleeps about 2 1/2 to 3 hours at a time. 
Eating:   She nurses very well and is growing fast. 
My friends call me:  Small Ferrell, Eleanor, Ella, Purple Monkey, Squeeky, Ella Bells

While my mother was holding and playing with her, Eleanor actually laughed a little for the first time.  She smiles a lot but not because of us.  She smiles in her sleep a lot.  She does sometimes smile at us when she first sees us. 

We had a lot of visitors this month.  Most notably was our nephew, Jason and his family, because of the distance and the fact that they drove here with three kids; one being an eight month old baby.  Eleanor attended her first Stock Show Parade and Stock Show, which she slept through, but we got great pictures.