Elizabeth has, from the beginning, been an unbelievably great baby. She transfers from breastmilk to bottlefeeding very well. She gained 10 ounces between the 7th and her first checkup on the 15th. Everything has developed on schedule, so far, and we just can't help but congratulate ourselves on our monumental luck in having such a healthy and contented infant. After an unpleasant pregnancy and a very frightening delivery, we braced ourselves for a "high-maintenance" baby. Ashley and I discussed and worried over having a colicky child, but Lizzie hardly ever cries at all. She tends to be fussy at night and doesn't go to sleep well - basically, she whines and whimpers and threatens to cry if you put her down in the bassinet. This past week, however, we discovered a secret weapon: the carseat. For whatever reason (we suspect gassiness), she sleeps much more happily and soundly in that than she does in either her crib or the bassinet. Once we finally get her to sleep, Lizzie will commonly stay down for 5 to 6 hours at a time. This means that mom and dad have an opportunity to sleep, go out, or clean up at least once per day. *grin* So, we don't have the greatest sleeper in the world, and she likes to stay up all night. But...she doesn't scream or cry, and she sleeps for very long stretches. We consider ourselves very lucky, indeed.

As you can see from all of the earliest pictures, Elizabeth and I both got pretty torn up by the forceps. The entire left side of Lizzie's head was bruised, and there were red lumps and splotches all over her skin above the hairline. Her lip and left cheek were lacerated and swollen so badly that we really worried she would scar. Fortunately, however, babies heal remarkably well, and all but the two largest marks are completely gone. My own healing time will be a bit longer than Lizzie's given the nature and location of the damage, but I'm on the mend already and we've managed to escape any further complications during the healing process.

Amy Nix
August 2003

Our New Family August 7th, 2003		Elizabeth with Daddy August 7th, 2003
Elizabeth with Mommy August 7th, 2003		Peggy Hu - Our Wonderful Doctor August 8th, 2003
Sleeping Soundly August 8th, 2003		All of Us Again August 7th, 2003
Elizabeth & Ashley August 8th, 2003
Sleeping at Home August 12th, 2003		Going for a Ride August 13th, 2003
Hanging Out with Mom August 15th, 2003		Caught Her With Her Eyes Open August 22nd, 2003
Eating On Daddy's Lap August 15th, 2003
Hungry Lizzie August 23rd, 2003		Almost A Smile August 23rd, 2003
She's Been Pacified August 28th, 2003		Scotty Moving In For a Schnuffle August 30th, 2003
Daddy & the Dirty Diapers September 2003		Cutie Pie August 30, 2003
Hanging Out with her Great Grandmother September 2003		Everyone Loves Lizzie September 2nd, 2003

Health:

Blocked tear duct in the right eye
All of her delivery injuries are healed except the line around her mouth and a tiny scar on her head above the hairline
Chronic painful gassiness
Nighttime fussiness, but no colic
Gained 10 ounces from birth to first doctor’s appointment on August 15th.
Had a cold during the fourth week - coughing, sneezing, and extra goopy right eye.

Visitors:

Kristi Thompson - August 16th-19th
Great Grandmother & Grandfather Bogna - August 31st- September 7th

Eating Habits:

Nursing 1-2 times per day.
We supplemented with formula when breastfeeding complications arose, and Lizzie didn’t have the patience to nurse exclusively after that.
Soy Formula (Enfamil & Nestle Good Start) 3-4 ounces per feeding

Sleeping Habits:

2 Long stretches every day - at least 4 hours. Usually one at night and one in the afternoon
Several shorter naps throughout the day.
Slept through the night several times

Development:

Can lift up and hold head steady very well.
Can turn head to follow something or someone that she’s watching.
Focuses and concentrates very well.
Lizzie does not laugh or smile, yet.


Elizabeth's first visitor was Kristi Thompson - a very dear friend of mine. She flew in to stay for three days. Elizabeth's first doctor’s appointment was on August 15th for a wellness checkup. She weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces (a gain of 10 ounces) after only 8 days. On August 28th, Elizabeth slept through the night for the first time, and then she did it again on the 29th. We hoped that she would start doing that every night (ha ha), but she just wasn't quite ready, yet. I gave Lizzie little sponge baths from the start, but I had no idea how to give her a proper bath in the tub. Elizabeth's great-grandmother Bogna taught me how. She gave Lizzie her first real bath on September 2nd while I watched and learned.







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