Zoe: One Month

Zoe's one month update was a bit delayed due to illness - but I'm happy to report that we are doing much better aside from a lingering cough and Leo's adorable raspy "sick voice."

We are currently in Pittsburgh visiting family.  Things are good.  Zoe has now officially met everyone in our immediate families.  Leo is back to himself - and not just back to non-sick, but newly intense and chaotic Leo - back to sweet, kind, mostly gentle Leo.  This is awesome for everyone - and makes me want to cry with happiness because while I was sure we could adjust to whatever changes our new family dynamic brought, I was feeling far away from him and it was breaking my heart.  Of course he's still a two-year-old, but he's HIM.  And I'm so glad because I missed him (and I'm sure he missed me two during those first few weeks of this transition).


Anyway - I do believe this update is supposed to be about Zoe.

• She is smiling deliberately (not at me, but at jb and Leo) and cooing.  She likes to do a call and response coo and also likes to mimic you if you stick your tongue out at her.  
• She is still a champion sleeper - but having a bit more awake time.  She mostly slept through the night from day one.  We co-sleep, so even though she may wake up mid night for a quick nurse, I barely have to wake up for it.  There has certainly not been any crying or pacing up and down the hall with her.  So she sleeps mostly through the night.  Cluster nurses in the morning.  Naps on and off well through the day with short nursing sessions interspersed.  Then cluster feeds again at night (even more than in the morning) and will sleep mostly through the night.  No I do not take this for granted.
• She can track objects and will hold your gaze.  She turns towards voices and widens her eyes at familiar voices.  
• She likes to sit up - especially in that burping position where you hold her head and it looks like you are choking her.  She likes baths.  She likes the car (UNLIKE Leo at this age).  And she LOVES Leo - which is surprising considering that he is somewhat rough with her, likes to wake her when she is sleeping and generally irritate her.
• She is exclusively nursing and using cloth diapers - this seemed like such a big accomplishment with Leo at this stage, but seems like a given with Zoe.  I'm grateful that things that seemed so hard the first time around are not as difficult this time.  
• She's getting stronger.  Pushing with and bearing more weight on her legs, arching her back and holding her head up more and more.

I'm happy.  Really happy.  I'm glad we are healthy again and finding a rhythm.  I'm happy we are visiting family (the first road trip across the state with both kids went swimmingly!).  I'm happy Zoe is meeting those that were still missing and that Leo is so, so, so happy to see the family.  But most of all I'm happy that we have so many people that love our babies.  We are so lucky.  Our babies are so lucky.  I'm so grateful.