First month... month of firsts

A month ago, she was scrunched up in a ball, floating upside down in a dark water world full of only muffled sounds and the rhythmic beating of her mother's heart.

In a matter of minutes, she was pulled into the bright lights, and her skin felt its first sensation of stinging cold. Her ears were bombarded with loud noise.



And in that first moment of life outside the womb, she already knew exactly what she needed to do to survive. She cried a lung-emptying scream until the nurses wrapped her tightly in warm blankets. At the smell of her mother's skin, she opened her little mouth, searching for nutrition.

In those first few days, instinct gave her the tools to thrive. She knew how to suck. She knew to cry if she was cold. She recognized the sound of her mother's heartbeat and was comforted by resting her head on its steady pulse.

It's amazing to see how much she has grown in just one month.

She met her dad and learned to recognize his smell, his sound and his secure hold. She feels safe resting her 7-pound body on his shoulder, especially during her fussy evenings when he takes baby duty.




She met her brothers and sister, and slowly has grown accustomed to their loud voices and little hands that want to touch her every waking moment.

She has started focusing her limited vision on lights. She turns her head when she hears mama's voice. She still hates to be cold, but she has endured bathtime and countless diaper changes, sometimes without crying.

She can smile, quick little baby smiles. She can communicate happiness, as well as her needs, with contented cat-like sounds.

She has gained more than the half ounce a day of weight that's normal for babies her age. She has grown an inch in length.

And when she snuggles herself up in a little ball and falls asleep in someone's arms, she immediately steals their heart.

Happy First Month, sweet little one!

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