Noell is already 1 Month!!!

I cannot believe it has already been 5 1/2 weeks since our little girl was born, the holiday season is over, and are now a few days into the new year!

As I attempt to write this, it might take a while (longer than I think or can hope).  I started typing this over two hours ago when I thought my little peanut was fast asleep for three to four hours (about how long she lasts for the first part of the night), but as you can see not even two sentences into this post, she was up, screaming away!  And so here I am 2 hours later with my babe who is still awake, but Mike is finally home from work and helping me out a little bit.  So, I am going to feed her again and hopefully she will be ready for some sleep...as now her mom and dad sure are.  I will finish this tomorrow....if I am lucky!!!

Noell Updates:

We had Noell's One Month Check up a couple days ago and she is healthy and growing just as she should be.  She is now up to 9lbs 1oz and is 21 1/2 inches long.  She is around the 50th percentile in both for her gender and age.

Noell LOVES many things.
* laying on her back and stretching out
* listening to dad read books
* listen to momma sing
* bounce (not rock)
* eating
* listening to music
* being swaddled when she sleep
* looking at the lights on the Christmas tree

Noell has disliked many things but is growing to like them.
* baths
* tummy time

We are working on this little girl's sleeping patterns...it is definitely a work in progress!  She is taking many mini naps during the day.  She will sleep longer if she is snuggled with mom or dad (or anyone else that will cuddle her) otherwise if we lay her down, she is up five minutes later.  Just this week I have started to lay her in the swing during naps and she seems to do better in there, and my guess is that the swing moves and she is more secured.

At night she usually sleeps for four to five hours at first, then she will get up and eat, get a diaper change, and will go back to sleep for another two to three hours.  Hopefully this will continue and maybe last even longer.  We are working on a bedtime routine, it just starts at a different time each night depending on when she is napping throughout the day!  Goal this month is to attempt better routines for sleeping and eating!  Another goal for this month is to lay her down more during the day instead of holding her so she gets used to not having mom around all the time when I go back to work in three weeks.

Noell had her very first Christmas this year!  It was definitely chaotic traveling to all the family Christmas gatherings with a newborn in addition with Noell being held by all the different family members.  We are so blessed to have such great family and we enjoyed being able to spend the holidays with everyone, but it was definitely nice to relax after the holidays were done!  Below are some memorable times over the holidays!

Our first family photo with Katie!

Noell got to meet Santa for the first time!  I'm sure this picture will look much different next year (maybe screaming?).

Just ONE of her first Christmas outfits.

Grandpa Roger and Grandma Carol with their granddaughters and great-granddaughters.  Just missing Brooke and the ONLY boy cousin, Chad.  The craziness of this photo definitely shows the real personalities of us together!!!

Noell is her beautiful Christmas dress...and supporting the badgers at the same time!

Cousins!  Our daughters are 13 days apart!

Grandmas with each others' granddaughter.  The grandmas are even matching!

Great-Grandma with her Granddaughters!

 Also over the holidays, Little Miss Noell was baptized!  A big thank you to all who made it and supported her beginning faith in God.  She has been to church 5 times since she was born and she does such a great job in church!  I think she loves the music and listening to God's word already :)  Below are some pictures from that special day!

Noell's Godparents:  Chad and Erica

Noell's Godparents:  Jason and Alissa

Thoughts that momma (me) has had over the past month:

• Being a mom is the greatest job I have EVER had!  It isn't always easy, but I love it :)
• How can something so small, so dependent, so perfect, take up so much room in my heart?
• How am I going to survive not seeing her all day/ every day when I go back to work?  
• And now that the time is getting closer, I am thinking that it will be good for me to go back to work and get out of the house!  I do miss my 4K and K kiddos and co-workers.  I am going to miss my peanut like crazy but I am going to enjoy being back to work :)  I'm sure I will be ready for my summer break and will be super excited to spend all day/ every day with her again!
• What else can I do to get her to stop crying :(
• Her smile is the CUTEST ever :)
• How did I get so lucky to get such a healthy, beautiful little girl?
• Middle of the night before feeding (Noell screaming):  should I change her now or wait till I feed her and she is calm?
• Middle of the night after a feeding:  should I change her and wake her?  or just put her back in her bassinet?
• Middle of the night after feeding then changing:  why did I change her...now she is awake but she definitely needed it!
• I really enjoy taking showers/bath.  I mean I really enjoy taking showers/ baths.  It is like the 10-15minutes that I get ALL TO MYSELF!
• My daughter is the most beautiful little girl...I might be bias because I am her mom...but she is beautiful!
• Does she love me?  Does she know just how much I love her?
• Am I doing a good job?
• God has blessed me so much!
• Poor girl...I hate having to put her back into this darn car-seat (during the holidays).

Ohh...there are so many thoughts that run through my head every minute of every day...these are just some that have come to mind as I sit down and type.


Not sure if I mentioned this in the first post but the meaning behind Noell's name.

Noell-- Means Christmas.  We were hoping she would make it to December, but she decided to come a little early.  We still loved the name and we love Christmas and wanted to name her that anyway.

Barbara--  Is my Great-Grandma's name (My grandma Mary's mom).  She has the same birthday as me; December 24.  We were going to have Noell baptized on that day, but it didn't work out for family to come so we changed it to the 23rd (day before) which is actually the day that Barbara passed away.

  
Anyway, that is it for now.  I am not sure when I will be able to post again....its not so easy to find the time anymore...can't imagine the time issue after two or three kids ;)

God Bless and Happy 2013!!!