Settling in with Esther

A few decades ago, Esther's mommy came home from the hospital wearing this. It's a little big for Esther but she looks sweet wearing it.

Austin loves to give Esther kisses. He leans over and says "mmm."

Girly clothes! Love it!

She's not a fan of baths so far.

As a parent, you hear the phrase "Every kid is different" a lot. And now I can personally attest to the truth of that statement! Esther is NOTHING like her big brother was as a newborn, and for the most part that is a wonderful thing.

Example 1: For his first few weeks Austin was really only content to sleep if he was being held. This was particularly the case at night. So nighttime feedings were inevitably followed by an hour or more of walking around the room with him, putting him in his bed, hearing him cry, picking him up again, etc. (Sitting and rocking, not good enough.) Esther, on the other hand, eats, gets changed, and falls asleep. Quietly. Quickly. And so I fall asleep, too. Um, I didn't know that was even possible. Bliss!

Example 2: Austin wanted to eat really often. Like every two and a half hours, or possibly more often. Day or night. Esther nearly always goes three hours between daytime feedings, and at night it's rarely less than three and a half. Occasionally I have to wake her up (I set an alarm for myself) after four hours because at her size and age, the pediatrician says she shouldn't go longer than that. I find myself thinking "Is this real? Am I going to wake up from a dream in a few days?" Because it really doesn't seem like a baby should be this easy.

Esther has been home for a week now and I am just so in love with my little girl! I had forgotten how sweet cuddling a newborn is. How many cute faces a new baby makes. How you marvel at how this tiny person was inside you such a short time ago. A baby is such a miracle!