2 Weeks Old Today

I can't believe my little munchkin is 2 weeks old today. It seems like the time has flown by, and she has grown so much. She's so much more alert now, always looking at the world around her, absorbing everything she possibly can. She recognises voices and looks in the direction of whoever is speaking, and she loves looking at faces. I can't wait until I see recognition in her eyes when she looks at me.

I got my first real lot of smiles/grins from her on the 18th when we were in the parents' suite at the local Mall. We were sitting down, and Mum and I were chatting with another lady who was feeding her son, and I was lightly running my fingernails alongside Kira's jaw, and under her chin and along her cheek, and she gave me the biggest, widest, gummiest grins ever. They were the most beautiful smiles in the world and I could not stop giggling with the overwhelming happiness it brought me. Also got her to smile again yesterday for me; I leaned in close to her face so she could see me without going cross-eyed, said something to her (though I have no idea what it was) and that elicited another big smile. I swear it makes my heart melt.

She loves her baths, doesn't mind having her hair washed, loves getting powdered down and absolutely adores sleeping with Mommy and Daddy. She sleeps mostly through the night, between 4-5 hours at a clip, and settles down quite nicely and fairly quickly after her feeds.

She lays awake in her bassinette just watching the shadows on the wall and ceiling, cooing softly to herself and making little "aaah" noises. She'll lay like that for a good half an hour before squawking like an eagle, smacking her lips and/or sucking on her hands and fingers to let us know she's hungry.

Not that it's been a completely easy road to travel down. She got her first bout (and hopefully only) of mouth thrush the other day and I've had to give her Nilstat to get rid of it. Unfortunately it seems a side effect of the medication is an upset stomache, which makes her squirm uncontrollably and cry alot, and not sleep as well. She's been fussier today and not sleeping hardly at all since 7am, which has made her overtired.

My whole world revolves around this little person, making sure she's warm and comfortable, happy and completely sated. We cannot imagine our lives without her now, and I often wonder what it was that made me smile, that made me happy, that made my heart swell and melt with so much love. I feel strangely empty when she's not in my arms, and my stomache lurches whenever I hear another baby cry and she's not with me. I'm constantly aware of her sounds, her movements, her breathing patterns; teaching her, learning from her, loving her.

Mamala has been with me since the 14th, and will be here for another week or so yet, and she has been of enormous help. I have no idea what I would have done without her help and guidance - she has certainly been more help than the midwives who, rather than offer advice or support or anything "outside the norm", tell me that everything's normal and that I should just "go with the flow".

Happy 2 week birthday, Kira my love. I'm so sorry you're going through this nasty thrush thing and have to suffer through the even nastier medicine. I promise you it will be over soon and you'll be all better.