Okay, M turned 1 month old on Christmas Day, and I took the photos and started writing the post, but I was a slacker in finishing it up. I finally got my act together after getting a text message from a family member who was waiting for it

I can’t believe M is already over a month old. The days are long, the months are short. It’s been a completely life-changing experience (duh), and we are so happy to have this little girl in our lives.

Nicknames: Mad Dog, Fireball, Monkey, Mini Muffin (or Mini).

Likes: Staring at ceiling fans, nursing, daddy snuggle time, your soft bear mat, a tight swaddle, baths.

Dislikes: Being cold after a bath, getting dressed, tummy time, the pediatrician, having to wait more than 5 seconds for food when you’re hungry.

Milestones: I’d like to say gaining head control, but you’ve had that since day 1! We hold our hands a little behind your head so you can have full control, but we are there in case you launch backwards. You rolled from tummy to back twice while at the pediatricians office–we were all shocked! On Christmas Day, your 1 month birthday, you flashed me a huge smile for the first time.

Weight/Height: 7lbs 14oz and 20.5 inches (up from 6 lbs 15 oz and 19.5 inches at birth).

Clothing Size: Newborn clothes were HUGE at birth–we had 4-5 outfits that fit for 2 weeks. Now you fit just perfect into newborn clothes.

Sleep: We aren’t trying to put you on a schedule, but you’ve naturally fallen into a sort of schedule (most days). Wake up between 8-9am, nap for about an hour between 10-12, nap again for about an hour or two between 2-4, longer nap (usually 2-3 hours) between 5-9, go down for a 4-5 hour stretch anywhere between 1030 and midnight, wake to eat around 3-4am, go back to sleep and then start all over again between 8-9am. More often than not, you only wake up once in the middle of the night–mommy LOVES that. You’re a LOUD sleeper—you moan, groan, toot, and grunt all night long. The white noise machine isn’t just to help you sleep, it’s for your parents too!

Random Tidbits: Your hair is starting to turn a pretty gold shade. I can’t wait to see what color it turns out to be! You LOVE to cuddle with daddy–I see that you’re already going to be a daddy’s girl. We feed you on demand, but you wake up YELLING for food every time and then eat like mommy has never fed you before in your life—we think your dramatic reaction is kind of amusing.

How are Mommy and Daddy Doing?: Daddy took 2 weeks off when you were born and it was much needed. That’s the only reason mommy got any sleep the first few weeks. You’re not a self-soothing child, and you love to fight sleep, so we’ve had to work on how to calm you down. Daddy took the lead on that, and now we’re pretty good at getting you calm, happy, and eventually to sleep. Mommy got the flu 8 days after birth, but otherwise had an easy recovery and has felt pretty good since about 2 weeks post-partum. A lot of the baby weight came off with no work, but I’ve still got about 7-8 lbs to go that I’ll likely have to actually “work” to get it off.