Leighton turned one month old last weekend, and we also took our first out-of-state trip with her to celebrate my grandmother Nana’s 90th birthday. What a fun trip!
This past month has brought us little sleep and little contact with the outside world (other than wonderful visits from family and friends who came to deliver food). But I think it’s safe to say it’s also been the best, most joyful month of our lives. We’ve started to settle into a routine and are learning her many needs and how to care for our little girl. Being a new parent is not for the faint of heart, but it’s the most rewarding, fulfilling job and privilege.
Height + Weight: 21.75″ (73rd percentile on the growth chart!) | 9lbs 3oz (42nd percentile)
We had her one month checkup this morning, and she has grown a ton in just 3 weeks – almost 2 inches in height alone! The doctor was really happy with her stats, and we’re thankful for a healthy girl (with a very healthy appetite).
Milestones: She quickly blew past her birthweight within a week of being home from the hospital, thanks to a little growth spurt that caused her to want to eat almost non-stop for 3 days straight. She’s also been trying to hold her head up since week 1, and she’s definitely getting the hang of it more each day! She tends to eat every 2-3 hours and take a couple naps during the day, and she’s thankfully been sleeping 4-5 hours for the first stretch at night. We’re just starting to work on a sleep/feeding schedule and have transitioned her to her crib this week, which has proven to be exhausting. Please pray for us that we don’t go insane in the process! Hopefully we’ll regain some normalcy once she’s regularly sleeping longer amounts at night and gets used to taking naps in her crib instead of being held. (But really, is there much better than a sleeping baby cuddled in your arms?)
Likes: She LOVES being held, and we discovered (during one of her many screaming fits) that she will usually calm down when we bounce around with her while listening to (and singing) songs played on Pandora. So far, she’s a big fan of country and hip hop. Such a perfect combo of her mom and dad – ha! She loves to eat, and she is obsessed with having her tiny hands by her face. She’s also taken to napping in the Solly Baby Wrap, which is a lifesaver for me when I’m home alone and need to get things done around the house.
Dislikes: Not being held! 🙂 If she is not swaddled and being held during the day, she is likely wide awake and not happy about it. But I can’t say I mind too much… she’s just so teeny and cuddly, and I know that won’t last forever. She does not appreciate being made to wait even one minute to eat when she’s clearly starving to death. And when it’s time to be burped, she makes the funniest squeaking sounds and tries to stiffen her little body out so I can’t sit her up. Such a drama queen! 🙂
Fun stuff & firsts: We’ve had a fun month filled with the start of football season, her newborn portrait session with my childhood best friend, our trip to Jacksonville for her first party, and the beginning of fall.
Leighton got to meet all three of her great-grandmothers in her first month, which has got to be some sort of record, especially given that they all live out of state. I really wanted them to meet her soon after she was born, and I’m so thankful that it worked out for that to happen!
So far, she’s gotten several nicknames: LL Cool Hayes, Lay Lay, Tooty Booty (I’m sure she’ll appreciate that when she’s older), LL, and Baby Bear (her puppy sister Coco is nicknamed Coco Bear).
We have had the best time laughing at her array of funny faces and noises. When she was born, her little cries sounded like a baby goat, and she makes the most hilarious oinking sound when she’s really hungry and starts to eat. It never fails to make us laugh. She also makes the sweetest little coos and sighs while she’s sleeping, and she loves putting her balled-up fist right next to her head. My favorite face that she makes is one that I call “baby bird,” which she does when she’s hungry (before getting downright angry). She purses her lips together and looks all around with the biggest, sweetest eyes. It’s the absolute cutest thing!
The first month of Leighton’s life has absolutely flown by. I couldn’t be more thankful for our healthy, thriving, happy little girl, and I’m excited to see what changes the next month brings!
hayes everyday 
