Hayley: One Month

It's hard to believe our little Hayley girl is one month old! I am going to miss my little newborn babe but it's fun to see her grow and change.

I have certainly been very blessed with such an amazing baby girl. She is already sleeping for 6 hours most nights (7 twice!) and was sleeping for 4-5 within her second week. She eats well when she's not falling asleep, although we did have some what of a rough start nursing, and she does get the hunger grumpies - I've been told that she gets that from me. Guilty. She spits up quite often, and so I have learned to always have extra clothes for both of us if we are going somewhere, and I am grateful for burp cloths when she actually spits up on them instead of me or her. The extra clothes come in handy when she has blowouts too, which has only happened maybe 3 times but I'm sure there are more of those to come. She is very entertaining and certainly came with her own personality. I could just sit and watch her all day because of the adorable faces she makes and funny things she does! She makes some interesting noises sometimes; noises I don't think other babies make but they make us giggle. She enjoyed being swaddled for about a week and now hates it because she loves to stretch and sleep with her hands by her face or even over her head. She absolutely loves her binky, we love it too, and Dan has nicknamed it "the precious" (from Lord of the Rings) - that's how important it is. She has almost outgrown all her newborn clothes, and has been wearing 0-3 months from day 1. She hated baths before her umbilical cord fell off cause she wasn't submerged in the water but seems to like them now that she can sit in it. She is a champ at holding her head up and loves to sit up and look around. She really loves to bounce, it will sooth her when nothing else will. She is going to grow up way too fast! We (Dan and I) still can't decide who she looks like, but I think most people have said she looks like me more than Dan.
At her one week check-up she weighed 7 lbs. 14 ounces, only lost 3 ounces. And at her two week check-up she was back up to 8 lbs. 4 ounces. She is in the 50th percentile for height, 60th for weight, and a whopping 90th for head circumference. She has a Hayward head.

Her first week, she looks so different now.

She did not enjoy her bath.

I love those sleepy smiles.

This is how she fell asleep.

Classic bath in the sink.

I love how she looks in her socks!

Her Hayward Build-A-Bear.

Hayley in jeans is the cutest thing ever.

She loves her swing. Thanks Grandma Becky!

Adjusting to Motherhood has been hard, anyone who is a Mother can attest to that, but it is getting easier. The hardest thing for me has been the feelings of losing my own identity and how demanding Hayley is, not blaming her or anything that's just how babies are. I feel as though that's all I am anymore, Hayley's Mom, and there's nothing wrong with that but I miss being an athlete and YW leader and just plain old Ally. I know I'll get all those things back but it has been rough to basically live to take care of this little person, as if I'm only here to feed her and change her diapers. On the other hand, being a Mother is extremely rewarding! I look at her when she's sleeping or when I'm holding her and think about how I wish and hope we will be the best of friends as she grows. And I feel it an honor at times that Hayley wouldn't be able to grow and thrive if it weren't for Dan and I, that she relies on us for everything. It's a very up and down/back and forth type of feeling being a Mom. I get slightly overwhelmed when I think about how I'm going to have to do this all over again AND have a toddler, but this is now my life and I'm happy and grateful to have a family and when the time is right to add to it. I'm grateful that Motherhood is a partnership with Heavenly Father. I could not do this without that eternal perspective.
I have been lucky to have Dan home so often, too. He works every other weekend doing graveyard shifts and all of his classes but one are online so he's around most of the time. I am grateful we had Hayley over the summer cause if school was in I would be in trouble cause Dan is never home, or so it feels that way ha. We would rarely see each other when school is in. My family has been a huge help too. Grandma Susan has taken night shifts and let me get some much needed sleep. I've seen a whole new side to my Dad, he will go to her whenever she makes any type of noise and check on her constantly. It has been fun to see my family with Hayley, they just adore her and she definitely has them wrapped around her finger. Andrea, my Sister-in-Law, threw me a wonderful baby shower for my side of the family and it was nice to finally get girlie things for Hayley bug. I love having a girl to dress up!
I love you Hayley Hayward! Thanks for making me a Mom and showing me how close Heaven really is.