Grandma comes to visit!

Grandma Susan came for a visit.  It was a while since she saw little Maddy but we had fun - doing a little shopping, going for some walks, and enjoying the company!

Aunties visit...

Aunties Sandra and Joy came for a visit -- Sandy even changed some diapers (she's come a long way...)!!! Both aunties spoiled Maddy with attention and some very cute outfits :)

We noticed that Maddy is tracking objects with her eyes and head more often, will follow as people leave the room, is grasping at toys (and showing more interest in them!), and even rolling over from her tummy to her back (it may have only happened once and it may or may not have been assisted...)!! Our little girl is growing up!

First laugh!

Maddy is 7 weeks old today and is growing up fast.... laughing for the first time (although in her sleep - but still!!)!! It was after her 3am feeding when was falling asleep in Mommy's arms, dreaming away as usual.  She went through her usual repertoire of expressions and started smiling... it must have been an especially happy or funny dream, because all of a sudden she started giggling and laughing.  It was one of the most beautiful sounds -- even daddy, sleeping close by, got up and quickly came over asking: "Was that a laugh?!" It truly was an incredible experience and we can't wait to hear it again!!

Hiking the Reservoir

The weather's slowly changing and it's finally getting a bit chilly -- perfect for long hikes with our little radiator strapped to our chests!! We went to the Reservoir for a 4 mile walk along the bike path and  winding trails through the forest.  At one point, we thought we'd never make it out of the woods!!!  Maddy slept soundly during the entire trip, but gave us a few surprises when we changed her on mommy's car trunk before the drive home -- 3 diapers and a change of clothes later, we gave up and decided to finish up at home.

5 week check-up

Maddy is 9 pounds 8 ounces (50th percentile) and 22 inches long (75th percentile)!

She also got her 2nd shot in her Hepatitis B vaccine series... she did not like that one bit.  BUT, she did get a pretty little bandage and plenty of cuddle time with mommy as a reward :)

Uncle Nick and Auntie Amber visit!

Nick and Amber came to visit us for the weekend and it was the first time they met little Maddy!  Amber was a true natural and both mom and dad were able to relax with Maddy being left in trusted hands!  Nick, on the other hand, started off a bit nervous but quickly got comfortable holding our little girl.  We watched some movies, played on the activity mat, took some great pictures (thanks Uncle Nick!!), and walked around Elizabeth Park and downtown West Hartford.

One month old... recap

Just wanted to post some random pictures to close out Maddy's first month!!

Happy Birth-month!

 Maddy is one month old today!
She's reached some milestones up to this point:

• She has tremendous head control and when we rest her on our chests, she's able to hold her head up for a while and move it around (without flopping it too much) -- her head stil falls forward sometimes (her forehead smacks us!).  On her tummy, she's able to lift her head, but she doesn't like that position much.
• She's a lot more curious of her surroundings.  When we walk around with her in the BabyBjorn, she's started to look around a lot more actively and really struggles to stay awake and alert (she still falls asleep due to the warmth of our chests and the rhythmic movements).  Also, on her play mat, she's noticed her reflection (although she has no idea who it is) and will stare at it for a while as well as pawing on the dangling toys -- we think it's still all accidental.
• She is able to give us better eye contact!  When she sees our faces, she pauses for a longer time and looks at us.  Depending on what she's transfixed on, she will turn her head towards us when we start talking -- unless the other object is more fascinating (she seems to love looking at our iron bed frame and dark ceiling fan blades).  She's also looking more at black and white patterns as opposed to only lights, which had her enthralled from the beginning! Not to mention, she's starting to smile!!!
• She's starting to accept a pacifier when she's fussy.  Although it's probably not a developmental milestone -- it's more of a milestone for us and our ability to soothe her!!

Maddy's first road trip!

Our first road trip with the baby was quite a production -- all our gear filled the trunk and backseat! To think that we only packed for one night..... we had a stroller, bassinet, clothes, diapers, wipes, etc (and people say babies are most portable during this age?!).  She fell asleep almost immediately and was good the whole ride (a little over an hour).