1 Month Old!

I can't believe it, but Baby Riley is ONE MONTH OLD now! (OK, technically, she has been since Monday, and today she's actually 5 weeks old....but I'm behind schedule on posting...what else is new??)

Anyhoo....I've decided that I'm going to try my best to do an update every month on the 15th (or, you know, soon after) and make it her "monthly post." I'm also going to totally steal a great idea from a blogger friend of mine, over at Hope Springs Eternal, and take videos of her at each month mark and post them for you to see! (That friend actually does weekly videos, but I know I'd never be able to keep up with that!)

All in all, Riley is doing very well. She's growing like CRAZY and getting more active and engaged every day! Here are some highlights from the last few weeks, in bullet point style, b/c that somehow seems easier today:

• Breastfeeding is still going well and I'm proud to say that Riley seems to be really thriving on it and growing very well. We are now in the process of transitioning over to formula (since I go back to work soon), so I'm hoping she continues to do great.
• We have both been sleeping better at night -- thanks to the help of one great bouncy seat! Yes, indeed, I have been letting my child sleep in a bouncy seat. Whatever works, right? Laying in the pack n play or in the bassinette, she would wake up fussy halfway through the night. I think she sleeps better in bouncy seat b/c she sits more upright. I may get one of those incline wedges to go on top of the crib mattress and see how that works, too.
• We've also figured out that she has been battling some gas-related issues. She would get all grunty and strain-y and red-faced, trying to pass gas. It started to seem excessive to me and it was waking her up in the wee morning hours, so I called the doctor's office yesterday. We started a "before every feeding" regimine of gas drops yesterday and that seems to help, so we'll see.
• Speaking of the doctor, we went in unexpectedly last week for what turned out to be a pretty bad case of diaper rash. It cleared up quickly and things are all good now -- we are just making sure she gets ointment with every diaper change. They weighed her while we there, and at just shy of 4 weeks old, she weighed NINE POUNDS! Wow!
• And speaking of her growth.... she is already starting to grow out of some of her clothes. I've had to pull some of the newborn sizes out of her "wardrobe." We are still working on growing into the 0-3 month sizes, though.

Some things about her adorable little personality and such:

• Just within the last week, Baby Riley has started to smile and "talk" when someone talks to her. It is the cutest thing I've ever seen! She also loves to talk to the toys hanging from her bouncy seat and she's even tried to reach for them a few times.
• She still LOVES to stare at the ceiling fan in the living room. It's gotten to be a comfort thing for her -- it helps calm her down when she's upset.
• She also loves the "white noise" around the house. She sits in a little travel size swing while I'm in the shower each day and the sound of the water puts her to sleep every time. She also calms down and falls asleep while I'm blow drying my hair every day and whenever I run the vacuum cleaner. I think we're going to be purchasing a white noise machine very soon, to help in the transition to her crib.
• She's enjoyed some "tummy time" this week. I lay her blanket out on the couch and put her on top of it. However, she's not really using this time to practice lifting her head...she usually just falls asleep instead.
• Lately, Riley looks a LOT like her Daddy! It's pretty cute!

OK, that's all I can think of for now! (Oh, and btw, I am doing MUCH better, thank goodness! That's all.) I think I'll leave you with another picture and that "one month old video."