Zoe Update: 8 weeks

Zoe is 8 weeks and 3 days old today. She has grown so much and her personality is starting to peak through.

Weight: She hasn't been weighed since her last doctor's appointment but if we could guess she's probably around 10lbs now. Her next appointment is on Nov. 19th so I'm excited to see her growth and measurements. Not looking forward to her first round of immunizations but it must be done.

Typical day: She wakes up around 7am, Marco takes her so I can sleep longer. He feeds her and she usually is up until about 10am. Around 10:30am I come down and make breakfast for Marco and I, feed the dogs and then feed Zoe or pump. She naps for 1-2 hours so I take care of laundry, dishes etc. The rest of the day is playing with her, another nap, more playing and attempts to clean more of the house, diaper changes, make lunch and dinner, take showers, give her a bath and then she begins her bedtime routine around 6:30pm. She feeds around 9:30/10pm and then I either pass her off to Marco to go to bed or if I'm not tired I'll stay up until her next feeding. From then until 8am she wakes me up to feed every 3-4 hours. Throw in some trips to the grocery store, going out to eat or visits from my mom as well :)

Likes: getting her diaper changed, the light/chandelier in the dining area, staring at the sun shining through the windows, rocking in her swing, being on her tummy when laying on mom and dad, standing on her feet while mom and dad hold her, bath time, having mom and dad kick her feet (we call it the bicycle).

Dislikes: being swaddled, she makes it known when she's hungry, dirty diapers, being put down when she's wide awake, fast flow nipples to bottles.

Sleeping: She sleeps 3-4 hours at a time at night from about 6:30pm to 8am. She only wakes up to feed and falls right back asleep. During the day she takes 1-2 hour naps followed by about 2 hours of being wide awake and ready to take in the world.

Feeding: When nursing she feeds for about 10 minutes on each side. She unlatches 1-2 times in between. When from a bottle of breast milk she drinks 4-5oz at a time. When from a bottle of formula she drinks 3-4oz at a time. Typically she feeds every 3-4 hours. Lately she has become fussy when nursing during the day. She will latch but then unlatch quickly and cry. I typically give her a break with her pacifier and then try again. If after a couple times she's still fussy I will give her a bottle. At night and early morning she has no issue nursing. I think she is either not hungry or the flow is too fast.

Playing: We do tummy time in a few different ways. The one she enjoys best is when laying on us. She lifts her head up well and tries to push with her feet and knees to crawl. She enjoys the lights and sounds of her play gym but only for a few minutes. She spends most of her play time giggling and smiling with us when we make funny faces and sounds with her. We communicate by repeating the same sounds she makes back to her, using baby talk in a higher octave and in our calm normal voices as well.

Clothing Size: she just grew out of her Newborn clothing. She's still a little small for 0-3 months but that's the next size up so she's wearing oversized clothing for now. haha

My favorite things: her feet, smile, and rolls. I love watching her sleep and when she's staring at everything with such intensity. We were walking around Boulder and while she was in the body carrier she was looking at everything. At one point we were walking under trees and she was just staring up through the leaves and into the sky. As a child I loved looking up into the trees and sky as well. I also love when she sticks her tongue out in response to us sticking our tongue out at her.

Concerns: I still worry about SIDS so much so that it's hard for me to get a good night's sleep. It's getting better but the thought still burdens me at night. Anytime she sleeps I'm constantly keeping an eye on her. Her left eye waters often and gets build up in the corner. Her doctor wasn't concerned stating that it just means the drain we have in the corner of our eye is closed where as the other one is open and can drain properly. I just worry because I have sensitive eyes and get infections easily. Doctor says to just watch the whites of her eyes. As long as they aren't red there's nothing to worry about. So far they stay white, even when crying. She hasn't been sick or any other health concerns, knock on wood. We praise God for this happy healthy little gift He's given us. She's everything I prayed for while pregnant and more.

Daddy makes her smile and laugh constantly!

Side by side comparison of me (on the left) and Zoe (on the right)

Zoe pushing her body up and holding her head by herself at 7 weeks old.

My spunky little princess sticking her tongue out at me while we play

A little update on my post pregnancy body: I've lost all my pregnancy weight +4lbs. I'm still taking my prenatal vitamins per doctor's request so my hair and nails continue to grow and stay strong. The line that goes down my belly while pregnant is still there, faint but there. Stretch marks are fading but I'm coming to terms with the fact that they will always be there. Small price to pay for my little girl. The bloating and swelling went away almost immediately so my face, feet and ankles are all back to normal.  Now I'm just focused on losing the weight I was working on before I got pregnant and getting some of my strength back. While I'm not stressing myself out with losing weight the goal is to be healthy and be a good example for my family. Little by little!

We can't wait for: her first flight to California on November 28th to meet the rest of her family and our close friends, the holidays and our trip to Costa Rica!