Alayna is 1 month old!

I can hardly believe a month has gone by already since Alayna was born. It seems like just yesterday we were arriving home from the hospital. It has been a whirlwind of a month, mostly of good things, some not exactly bad...but overwhelming. Here is a bit of what has happened in Alayna's first month of life.

Video of Alayna getting checked out right after birth

Alayna had her first check up with the doctor 4 days after she was born. She had to go in for a weight check to make sure she was gaining back the weight she lost after birth. Unfortunately, she had not. I was, at the time, exclusively breastfeeding, so the doctor informed us we needed to supplement with formula to get her weight up. We started formula that weekend and went back in on Monday for another weight check. Thankfully, her weight had gone up. Unfortunately, she was no longer latching on and I wasn't producing enough milk. So, I started pumping to feed her along with the formula.

The introduction of formula brought to light that Alayna has a milk allergy. We tried mulitple different formulas over the course of a few days before we found Similac Alimentum to be the best for her. Also, do to all the issues with the allergy and the pumping not going great either, we decided that I would stop pumping all together and Alayna would be exclusively formula fed. This was a tough decision but in the end we decided it was best for all of us since the stress and anxiety over breastfeeding, pumping and the allergy proved to be too much.

Alayna went in for her next check up and we found that she had grown yet again. She was now 21 inches and 8lbs. She is in the 25% for both height and weight for girls her age. She also got her Hepititas B follow up vaccination. That was very tough to watch. Poor little Alayna just laid there not knowing that she was about to be stuck in the thigh with a needle. I am sure I wasn't much help to console her since I also hate needles. But, she survived and received a clean bill of health and doctor confirmed what we already know...that she is perfect.

Alayna has been a popular girl in the first month of her life. She has gotten many cards and gifts from across the country. I will say she will be one best dressed little girl!

Cute outfit from the Chuckels' and socks from the Wicks'!

She has also had visitors come to see her. Nana and Grandpa Kusnierek came to visit a week after she was born. They sure did spoil her. She was barely ever put down, napping in their arms, being taken on walks every day and loved up. I think they took about a million pictures of her. They also took her on a tour of the new Cowboy Stadium.

Grandma and Papa Eoff also came for a visit the very next week. Alayna is very lucky she has such loving grandparents. They couldn't get enough of her either. Grandma Eoff accompanied mommy, daddy and Alayna to her friend's first birthday party. Geno Kanak turned one on April 5th and we went to his birthday party the Saturday before Easter.

Alayna was also visited by many of mommy and daddy's friends from work. The Milligans came by and Alayna met her first friend, their little girl, Abigail. Mommy's friend Brenda stopped by also to say hi, along with Cindy, Liz, April and Shannon.

In her first month of life Alayna also celebrated her first Easter. The Easter bunny was very good to her. She got TWO baskets (one from Nana and Grandpa and one from Mommy and Daddy). In her baskets she received toys, an outfit and money! She is one lucky girl.

Alayna has also started sleeping better as she gets older. She has been sleeping for about 4 hours straight when we first put her down. After that, it is still a struggle 2-3 hours, mostly we have to hold her for that, but sometimes she will go back into her swing. We have also started trying to get her to nap in her crib. She has done about 45 min once a day napping in her crib. The other naps are still in her swing.

Alayna also likes to eat, but she is a slow eater. She takes a long time to drink her formula, she also likes to use her bottle as a pacifier. She won't take a regular pacifier yet but she likes to have her bottle in her mouth, even if she won't eat. Hopefully we will break her of that habit.

Derek and I are loving being parents. At times it is quite overwhelming, especially when Alayna won't stop crying and we don't know why. But, I wouldn't change anything. I am dreading the day I have to return to work and she goes into daycare. I love spending my days with her, taking care of her and watching her change right before my eyes. She is my little angel.