Natalie is 1 month old!

Time is flying by and Natalie is closer to 5 weeks than 4 as I type this. Pregnancy seems like forever ago, and thank heavens. That is about the worst possible situation for me, and apparently my husband feels the same. He said just last week that he didn't think we would survive another pregnancy because he doesn't like me much when I'm pregnant. I assured him the feeling was mutual! It isn't that I am moody; it is that I am stuck in grouchy from the beginning to the end. I assume he would be grouchy, too, if he threw up on a regular basis for 20+ weeks and had to take a weekly urine test when he long ago lost the ability to see the cup. I better stop there before I tell you what I really think.

Natalie has changed more than I remember the other kids changing, even though I know they did. She has started staying very alert for a few hours at a time. She eats what feels like gallons of formula a day and empties those into never-ending diapers. She can roll most of her body up onto her side, and I swear there have been a couple of almost intentional smiles...for me, of course. The other two are still madly in love with her. She is pretty spectacular. I do wish her nights were spent in her crib a little more, but I also know I am to blame. Last night she was very restless and making a lot of noise. I didn't want the rest of the house to be woken up, so of course I had to sleep with her in the recliner. What choice did I have?!

Here is what you all care about....pictures!

 2 days old

Taking turns loving on the baby

 4 days old

6 days old

 

Looking adorable in the outfit Lucy picked out for her

 This is horrible! Don't tell me that it happens to all babies. I know it does. It still looks ridiculous!

 

 

 

 

1 month old!

 

I like to think she kind of looks like me as a baby in the last two pictures, but I also know that my male family doctor immediately commented on how much Natalie looked like her dad....as do all of my kids, apparently. I'm very happy that they all have eyelashes an inch long like him, but my fingers are still crossed that one of them gets dark hair.

Here is our buster and his first black eye. I took him to the doctor today and the prognosis was fantastic. The fracture was small and will heal in 3 weeks (including the week we have already been through). The splint needs to stay on for that time if we can keep it on, but no further appointments are needed. Charlie has not learned his lesson, as he proved this morning by trying to climb the tricycle to get onto the counter...yes, the counter he fell off of to end up like this in the first place!