Our First Weeks with Isla

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Our sweet Isla is 16 days old already- how is that even possible?! Time is racing by, and I cannot believe our little pumpkin has been with us for over 2 weeks! Our first days with Isla could not have been more precious or perfect. She is truly the sweetest baby! Like her daddy, Isla has a very easygoing personality, and she rarely gets fussy. When she does cry, she’s easily soothed by her swaddle, white noise app, pacifier, and occasionally, a little bouncing. We cannot believe how fortunate we are to have had such a smooth and enjoyable transition into parenthood! So, so, so thankful!

As if her lovely temperament wasn’t wonderful enough, Isla is an amazing little snuggle bug! Whether curled up in the crooks of our arms or tucked right in under our chins, she loves to be held close, and being snuggly people ourselves, we couldn’t be more thrilled! My favorite snuggles take place after Isla eats. Like a little tree frog, she nestles into my chest, her soft cheek pressed against my skin, her perfect little mouth curling into the cutest smiles as she sighs and coos, her delicate eyelids fluttering while she dreams…. these moments are pure bliss! I must kiss the top of her perfect, velvety head a hundred times.

Like her mommy, Isla is a terrific sleeper. Since birth she has slept in 4 hour stretches through the night- hooray! And also like Mommy, Isla finds waking up to be a slooow and difficult process. Scrunching hr tiny face, she stretches and arches her little back, all while producing the cutest chorus of squeaks, grunts, and even snorts! Her eyebrows arch comically as she sleepily opens her eyes the tiniest bit to survey the room around her. Her lips pucker tightly and then she begins to smack them noisily. Usually her eyelids droop back shut, and she continues to make the most hilarious faces in her attempt to pull herself from Dreamland.

Isla’s wonderful faces and sounds aren’t only reserved for her drowsy transitions from sleep. She spends several hours a day, wide awake and alert. Her ability to focus on a specific object has been impressive since birth, and as of yesterday she can really lock focus and begin to track specific targets. Isla loves to look out the family room windows into the backyard at the light that dapples through the swaying trees and bamboo. She furrows her brow and tightly puckers her mouth, as she tries to make meaning of the shifting light and shadows. During these hours of alertness, Isla listens intently to the sounds around her and has begun to respond to voices. She is smiling regularly, and grins whenever we kiss her chubby little cheeks- so cute!

The only times Isla does not appear to be totally content are during diaper changes and bath time. This girl does not like to be naked! During her first few baths at the hospital she squealed like a little piglet. Then after her second bath at home she pooped all over her towel moments after we pulled her from the tub- that’ll show us mean adults for torturing her like that! While she does not like the water just yet, bath times are becoming less stressful for Isla, and she relaxes as soon as she’s wrapped in her towel.

Isla has loved her pacifier since birth! Not even her strong and persistent daily bouts of hiccups can loosen that pacifier from her grip. She reminds us of a little Maggie Simpson the way she holds the pacifier still and then furiously sucks away for short spurts. When out of her swaddle, she immediately reaches her hands up to hold the pacifier while she’s sucking on it. She’s even used her hands, arms and shoulders to push the pacifier back into her mouth after it has fallen out. She’s clearly a genius! =)

On Halloween Isla had her 2 week check up. Our little pumpkin is strong, healthy, and growing quickly- she was 53 cm (2 cm longer than birth) and weighed just over 8 lbs (nearly a pound and a half larger than when we left the hospital). Everything checked out well, and Isla was so calm while being examined. After her appointment we took her up to meet the nurses in the OBGYN office, which was such a treat, as they had been so wonderful and supportive of us during our pregnancy.

Our first weeks with Isla have been filled with more love, joy, and happy tears than I ever could have prepared myself for. We are so thankful for our baby girl, and cannot believe this amazing little person is ours to love. Life is so, so good!

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