One month already!

Dear Brooke,

It's your one month birthday! Mommy and Daddy are just so smitten with our big girl. You amaze us daily with how "grown up" you are already. That little face of yours causes our hearts to melt on a regular basis. And now that you've started to give us smiles when we talk to you, our hearts are bursting! You've changed so much since we brought you home one month ago. These are a few of your favorite and not-so-favorite things this month:

Favorites

Bathtime - You love to take baths in the sink. You gleefully splash around (and by splash I mean you involuntarily jerk your arms around.) It's very calming for you.

The Daddy Hold - Daddy has perfected a little hold that has about a 90% success rate, especially when you're gassy. He props you up in his arm, squishes your legs Indian Style, and then holds both of your hands in one of his. You seem to love it.

Lullabies - We listen to lullabies in the car when we're on the road. They keep you happy and quiet, double-bonus for Mommy.

Your Nasal Aspirator - A weird thing to love, I know, but your poor little nose is so stuffy. It's as if you've already figured out that that giant suction ball relieves your discomfort, so you don't squirm when we use it.

Cuddling - You are the cuddliest little girl. You just snuggle up onto our chest and fall fast asleep. You sleep best when you're listening to Mommy or Daddy's heartbeat.

Mommy - I don't like to toot my own horn, but you do love your Mommy. You know Mommy's smell and follow my voice when I'm across the room. Plus, Mommy's the only person that can feed you, another one of your favorite things :) I'm sure in future months this list will include your Daddy and then your grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., but for now Mommy's the only sure-fire baby whisperer.

Not-So-Favorites

Being Swaddled - You've never been a fan of being swaddled. You love your hands too much to be restricted like a tight burrito.

Lotion - You really don't like the lotion massages we force on you. It's winter, so your skin is super dry and cracky. We're just trying to keep you smooth and soft and blood-free; we aren't trying to torture you, I promise.

The End of Bathtime - You hate to get out of the bath. Despite our efforts to bundle you immediately, you get cold. And then we try to quickly lotion you up = torture.

Getting into your Carseat - You like to stretch and spread out those long legs and arms. You can't do this in your carseat, so you really dislike spending time in it. That being said, riding in the car usually puts you to sleep, so short-term memory loss must kick in or something.

Mommy and Daddy feel so blessed to have you in our lives. You make us so proud! We've kept you happy and healthy for 31 days, so we're pretty proud of ourselves, too. We love you, little one.

Love,

Mommy & Daddy