One month of knowing heaven on earth with Mallie Lynn

My darling girl you have captured our hearts.  You are such a sweet and precious little soul and this first month has left me with a deep desire to know you more.  It's been a wild ride so far as we have learned how to juggle this new and wonderful life with a toddler and a baby.  It scares me to think that time with you may always go this fast, but I'm learning to treasure the moments as they come.  There have been times of exhaustion in the middle of the night when I just haven't been able to close my eyes, or lay you back down to sleep.  Not because you were unhappy but because I couldn't stop staring at you. 
From the moment you were born you have wanted to eat, and from 1 week to 2 weeks you went from weighing 5.14lbs to a whopping 7.4lbs!!! In other words, you're chunking up!  Your average feed time is every 2 hours, sometimes more and sometimes less and you've got the arm rolls to prove it.  :)
Your cry is so different from your brothers and definitely a sound that could only belong to a little girl.   Already you are so strong and can hold your head up for extended periods of time.  My favorite is when you rare your head back to get a look at me when I'm holding you, I could have a staring contest with you forever.
I look forward to our days ahead sweet girl and still can't believe your mine.

Weight: @ two weeks 7.4lbs 17%
Height: 20.5in long 56%
Feeding: average every 2 hours
Sleep: Well at night, feeding every 3-4 hours
Awake:  Large chunks of awake time during the day, usually mid morning and afternoon, sometimes early evening.  Other times falls asleep right after a feeding.
Loves: Nursing, being swaddled, Falling asleep on mommy and daddy's chest, the sound of running water, bath time (while in the water), gas drops, sleeping, Henry's voice, squeaky floors.
Dislikes: pacis, gassy belly, diaper changes, being cold.
Temperament: Colic/Fussy due to an upset belly.  We are cutting out dairy and hoping it helps.  When your belly isn't bothering her she is as cool as a cucumber, laid back and easy.  I hope to see more of this in the future and watch her little personality shine. 
Diaper Size: NB
Clothing Size: NB and starting to fill things out.  :)

One month Foto Reel - Mallie Lynn

You're one month old darling girl.  How did this happen!?  It's been the busiest, craziest, most wonderful time of our lives but has gone by in a complete blur.  I think we are coming out of the fog though, we're all figuring out how to be this blessed family of four. 

 I've been lucky to get my teeth brushed these days so getting pictures posted for our keepsakes has definitely not been happening.  I promise to try and be better.  I want to remember all these sweet moments and recall the loving way you changed our family for the better.

Here's our hogpog foto reel for the month. 

 Hi little peanut. 

Your brother and daddy having fun at your first doctors visit.  Where you had dropped down to 5.14lbs.  Don't worry you caught up quickly, and at 2 weeks you weighed a whopping 7.4 lbs!!!!  Not the norm according to our doctor.  I guess that's what happens when you act like your starving every 1.5 - 2 hrs.  :) 

 The first week I couldn't stop staring at you all squished up with your little crossed legs, knowing that you had just been in my belly.  A miracle I can not wrap my mind around but am so happy it's true. 

  You started opening your eyes and staying awake pretty early and pretty frequently, which we thoroughly enjoy. 

 You're brother is already dying to play with you. 

 I know from experience I will quickly look back at these photos in astonishment that you were ever this small.  Oh I hope I can soak it all in the best that I can.  These are the days we'll want to remember forever. 

We had our first family of four Friday night together.   Henry enjoyed it too as he had a special treat of his first movie, Horton Hears a Who. 

 At week 3 we introduced you to the great outdoors as we took you out for your first walk.

 

Did I mentioned you're cuddly?

 Look at that belly grow!!!! 

 Daddy is really getting the hang of this father of two thing, and boy does he love holding his little girl. 

You're a lover of water already....if only we didn't have to get you out and make you cold.  

 You already know how to get what you want, which means you spend a lot of your time being held.  So instead of getting a list of to dos checked off during Henry's nap time, this is what we do...or try to do. 

 You already know how to pose with the best of them.

 You're gorgeous by the way.  I'm really not sure how I push your stroller down the sidewalk without running into a tree.  Can't take my eyes off of you. 

 You're brother loves to love you.  Kisses and hugs are often found passing from him to you. 

I'm so excited that we can forever incorporate pumpkins into your birthday celebrations!!!  Yay for a fall baby!

 We've experimented with a bow or two....and these little felt lovelies are my fave. 

  Here's to many more photos ahead little girl.  We love you so much!

Brotherly Love

These two pics are from our last day together with you as an only child.  Just a simple day of running errands after picking you up from school but you make anything feel special.  You're such a sweet and wonderful child, playful and inquisitive.  It is truly an honor to be in your presence.

You have been the best big brother to our new baby girl.  You ask to hold her at least once a day and are often seen giving her a pat, hug or kiss.  You know how to rock her "gently" and can often be seen giving run by kisses to her forehead or cheeks.  You've lovingly created a nickname for her as your little "Malla". 

 In my wildest dreams I couldn't have expected you to except her and love her the way you have.  God has made room in all our hearts, a special place just for her and it's so apparent in your thoughts and actions.   Nothing melts my heart like hearing you say out of the blue that you love your sister.  You genuinely care for her and ask where she is when she's not around, you want to check on her in her crib, and get excited to see her when you wake up. 

Of course we have had some growing pains, as visitors have passed through the house and you realize their not just here to see you anymore.  You love to show off and do your best to charm their eyes away from your attention stealing sibling.  :)  But it's precious, harmless, and normal and I'm so glad that you are adjusting the way that you are. 

Time alone with you is rare for me right now.  Trying to entertain and play with you while feeding your ever hungry sister is proving to be a challenge.  I hope you know I miss you.  Just us.  I hope you see that I love you more now than ever before, and that you will always be my baby boy.  There isn't a thing I wouldn't do for you.

Love,

Your Proud Mommy

Her arrival.

On the morning of September 25th, 2014 we became parents to our darling daughter.  

For weeks I had been walking around laboring and living life as my body crept it's way from 2cm and 85% to 4cm and 90%.  So when I began feeling contractions and cramps as I tried to sleep that night I didn't think to myself, "today's the day."  A little before 5am I awoke to one that was stronger and longer than the others had been, enough to make me do a breathing exercise to get through it; this woke up B and had him quickly excited and timing for the next one.  It came 4 minutes later and boom, we both got our game faces on.  As we got ready for the hospital I began to get nervous not really sure if this was it or not, but the quicker they came the reality set in as I said to him "I think we are going to have a baby today."  

I tiptoed in to kiss my sleeping baby boy goodbye.  It was an unforgettable moment knowing it may be the last time I see him as my only child.  B's parents arrived and off we went.  

6am we checked in.  Or rather he checked us in while I tried to hold myself together bent over a chair in labor.  By the time we got to a room and got checked I was 6cm and she was in go position, and so we labored.  

She's a go getter I can tell already, she was determined to get here and put her mind to it.  I moved through the waves of praying on the crests before they quickly slammed ashore.  God, my loving husband, a great nurse and Dr. and music therapy got us there.  We were completely effaced and at 9cm but my water just wouldn't break.  I kept refusing to let them break it (mainly because I remembered the pain it brought with Henry), until they convinced me that was the only thing holding us back.  The flood gates opened and she was coming, game face again.  it was time to push.  My midwife was unable to be there for her arrival, but I had the blessing of a wonderful God fearing doctor whom I trusted completely.  With my angel of a nurse and doctor coaching, she came into this world at 8:54am.  

Happy Birthday

Mallie Lynn Estelle Cooper

We couldn't believe you were finally here.  The whole experience surreal, and completely unforgettable.  This little girl they watched so carefully fearing you may be too small, showed the world God's precious gift of a healthy 6.2lbs and answered prayers.

Holding her for the next hour or so in complete bliss; I was nothing short of thankful, and we were nothing but in love.  What a miracle this life is.  Watching Barry hold her for the first time melted my heart; there is something different about a daddy holding not just your baby, but his daughter that makes you swoon.  

 The world was eager to meet her, and we were happy to share her, but one special little boy had been waiting a long time to meet his sister and he got first dibs.  

 He was beside himself excited.  Saying sweet lines like "this is my baby sister",  "ohhhhhh, look at her tiny nose!"  "She has a little tongue."  He couldn't keep his eyes off of her and was enthralled with her cute pink hat. 

 This was us trying to talk to him for a good 5 minutes explaining that other people wanted to hold her too.  He didn't want to let go because she is "his little sister."  

These pictures make my heart swell and my hormonal momma eyes tear up a bit a lot. 

Grandparents in heaven.

 Proud aunts and uncles gathered near. 

and 26 hrs later we went home. 

because the next day was Barry's brother's wedding, where he would play the part of best man, and Henry the ring bearer.  We Cooper's like to keep the celebrations rolling.  :)

 

  

"Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations."-Jeremiah 1:5