A Letter to Delaney, one month old!

Inspired by one of my favorite blogs, I'm planning on writing a monthly letter to Delaney.

Dearest Delaney,
Wow! A whole month has gone by already? So much has happened in your life, and in ours this month- lots of learning in the Lavelle household! One thing is for sure, even though it's the most challenging job I've ever had, I love being your mom.

Your dad and I still can't believe that you're here and that we are (gasp!) parents. We love to stare at you, while you lay between us, and watch you sleep. We think you are the most beautiful thing we have ever seen. Even in the wee hours of the morning, when all I want to do is sleep, you look at me with your big, beautiful eyes and give me one your best gummy smiles (and sometimes a little coo) and my heart melts, because I am just so enamored with you. I think that your smiles are my favorite thing that you have learned to do this month. At first, you would only smile in your sleep, when your tummy was full of milk. Now, you respond to us with lots of smiles. You also frequently smile after you poo too, which we all think is hysterical! You often giggle in your sleep and I can't wait to see what you think is so funny (perhaps your dad and I bumbling around changing your diaper, while you tinkle/poo right when we take off your dirty diaper?). You love to take baths and get so relaxed in the tub. Last week, you "cheese-doodled," as your dad calls it, in your bathtub. You're really "talkative" and talk constantly when you're eating. In the middle of the night, you frequently will turn your head toward your dad and keep talking until he wakes up and walks around with you. I wonder if it's intentional (if not though, it works!). You love moving, in our arms, in your swing, in your stroller. We are amazed at how strong you are. You have really great head control and you've even "stood" in your sling (which scared your Mommy...).Your legs sometimes help you to fling yourself out of my arms on the couch (which scares your Mommy...). It always reminds me of your big kicks when you were in my tummy. I love your desire for independence, but sometimes I remind you that it's okay to be a little dependent when you're a newborn.

You do not like pacifiers and look at us like we're crazy when we've given them to you. You hate getting undressed, but you are enjoying being naked more now than when you were one week old. Sometimes you like to be swaddled, but usually you fight with the blanket until your hands are out and up by your face. You tolerate tummy time and getting your picture taken (um, yes, all 400 or so photos in the first month...).

We're still playing around with nicknames. I like to call you Ellie Belle or Laney Lou. Sometimes I call you Milkface too.

Delaney, on our first night in the hospital, I hugged you tightly and thought about how much I didn't want you to grow up. I wanted to keep you at your 8 lb. 6 oz. snuggle-bunny size forever. In that first week though (after boo-hooing through the The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a movie about the fleetingness of life...not recommended for post-partum/hormonal women), I realized that it doesn't matter if I'm hugging you as a newborn, as a toddler, or as a freshman heading off to college; as long as it's you that I'm hugging, that's all I need. So, I've decided to let you grow up and experience all that life has in store for you, but you should know that I'll be trying to get as many hugs from you as I can, all along the way.

I love you more than you could ever imagine.
Mom