1 month

On Sunday, Ella turned one month old.  The last month has gone by so quickly- a bad sign, I am sure, since I am told that the time just keeps going by faster and faster.  Already, she is growing and changing so fast- it amazes me.  Her newborn clothes are put away and the newborn napper is out of the pack and play (I cried when all that happened).  Seth and I laugh when people comment about how little she is because, to us, she is already SO much bigger (and getting to be such a little chunk).  Instead of just gushing on about my child, I figured I would present 10 things I have learned this month...

1. Babies are noisy... or at least mine is.  I thought I would be up all night, unable to sleep because I would be so anxious about whether she was breathing or not (which really isn't an issue since we have this handy little monitor), but instead I am up all night because she makes so much racket.  She grunts, groans, coos, knocks around, and even makes something that can only be described as a satanic goat noise.  Charming.
2. Laundry is no joke.  I used to run 3 loads a week- one for me, one for Seth, and one with sheets and towels.  Now, I run at least 1 load a day.  And things get ugly real fast if that laundry doesn't get folded and put away the same day.  It is beyond me how someone so little can make so much laundry.
3. Free time is hard to come by.  Before Ella arrived, I had this naive little notion that I would have plenty of time to do projects, make tasty things, do school work, and generally get my act together.  I know all you experienced parents are laughing at me, and I am laughing at me too.  Between feedings, diaper changes, the endless piles of laundry, trying to keep the house from descending into complete chaos, and trying to get an occasional nap, I don't have time to get much else done.  My to do list is laughably long and not getting much shorter.
4. Breastfeeding is much easier than I thought it would be.  I know that isn't the case for every woman and, honestly, I was pretty anxious about the whole thing.  But I seem to have lucked out. She has been a champ since day one- great latch and a very fast feeder (yay for getting back to bed faster).  Plus I haven't had any pain, bleeding, or cracked nipples (always a plus).
5. Baby carriers are a god send.  Ella is a really easy baby for the most part, as long as she is being held and that is a problem sometimes.  But, the remedy is pretty easy since we have two fantastic carriers (a britax and a k'tan, I recommend both!).  Honestly, wearing the baby bit is the only way I can get anything done.
6. Family is wonderful, and by family I mean those related to you and those that become family.  We have been so blessed to have so much support from everyone around us, but my mom deserves a special shout out.  She has been beyond helpful, from making meals, to folding laundry, to taking Ella on walks so I can nap, to babysitting so Seth could take me out for  my birthday.  Moms are the best, especially mine.
7. There is nothing as sweet as having a baby fall asleep on you, especially when you get to watch the process.  Sleep grins are my favorite.
8. My other children (the canine and feline ones) are pretty freaking awesome.  They have done beautifully with accepting Ella into our home.  The dogs are so protective of her- its really sweet.  And they have been so patient with us- they let us sleep in the morning instead of whining to go out and they are a little more relaxed about dinner time.  And the cats have taken all the change in stride with no acting out.  I was a bit worried how all this change would impact the pets, but they have done wonderfully.
9. I am far more capable  that I knew.  Ella came two weeks early.  I was really counting on those two weeks to get ahead on school work, make some more meals to freeze, and wrap things up at work.  That didn't happen. So this first month has been full of trying to write papers and explain things to my coworkers as much as possible, all while handling a newborn and being seriously sleep deprived.  Doing anything beyond just taking care of the baby makes me feel like superwoman. 
10. Love at first sight is real.  I knew I loved Ella before she was born, but it was a very abstract sort of emotion.  But as soon as I saw her under the water, I fell madly, deeply, in love with her.  I remember that first night in the hospital.  Seth was asleep with Ella on his chest and I just cried out of sheer happiness.  At that moment, and during so many other moments this month, everything was perfect with the world.