Letters to Layla

Dear Layla,

Happy Birthday!  You are one month old today and I'm finding it so hard to believe.  Part of me can't believe a month has come and gone so quickly, while the other part can't believe it's only been a month since we met you; it feels like we have know you forever.  In just one month you have brought so much love and happiness into our lifes.  You are such a blessing!

Developmentally you are thriving!  You are always hungry, wanting to eat about every 3-4 hours.  And all of Momma's hard work feeding you is paying off as you weigh a little more than 11 pounds and are 23 inches long.  You are in the 75th percentile for both height and weight.  You can grasp things with your fingers and your legs are so strong.  They are constantly kicking and you always want to stand up on my lap.  You are a very alert baby and make great eye contact now.  When you hear your Daddy's voice you will turn your head and look right at him.  You almost have head control and can lift your head about 45 degrees when laying on your tummy (which makes you advanced!)  You are starting to smile all the time and even let out a few giggles when I kiss your neck.

You are quite the little cuddle bug and I love it.  Your favorite position to be in is curled up on Mommy or Daddy's chest.  I let you lay there as long as you want, memorizing the weight of your body on my chest and the rhythm of your breath on my neck.  I stare at your beautiful face all day in amazment at how you have Momma's lips, but Daddy's smile; at how long your eye lashes are and how your left cheek has the tiniest little dimple.

Everyone who meets you loves you and you are so good for the parade of visitors we've had in the last month that just want to come over and hold you.  Your Grammy comes over a couple times a week to help out Mommy, but I think it's because she misses you too much if she stays away more than a few days.  But no one is more smitten than your big brother Cash.  He follows you wherever you go and when you make even the slightest noise he runs over to make sure you are ok.  The other day he knocked over your laundry basket, got a onsie and brought it into bed with him to sleep with all night.  I know you two will be best friends as you grow up.

Thank you for the best month of my life.  I can't wait to see what month number 2 has in store for us!

Love, Mommy

p.s. If you wouldn't mind sleeping though the night, that would be great.