Week 18 - Finding Her Voice

Before I get into the nitty gritty of the past week, I thought I would share with you a little slideshow of all the pictures you WOULD have seen HAD I been diligent in keeping the blog up to date.  Perhaps you could consider it the "cliff notes" to Milans first 3 months.

Over the last two months, Milan has gradually become more vocal, but it wasn't until this week that I would say she finally found her voice. My little chatterbox spends a lot of time during her day having conversations like this:

Also this week Mommy brought out the size 3-6 months clothing and packed away her 0-3 months. :(  Milan's busy week ended with the return of a trick we thought she had mastered at 2 months....rolling over.  Back in January, Milan rolled from her stomach to her back several times (yes I know two months seems young...it's been documented on video), but nothing since then.  Finally this week Milan once again rolled from her stomach to her back. Some people might wonder when will she roll from her back to her tummy?  Rolling to her tummy is probably never going to happen.  Milan is not really interested in her tummy time and will probably avoid mastering that trick at all cost.

I don't want to be on my tummy.

Trying to touch her feet

Smiling for her Mommy

I LOVE sleeping baby pictures!

I REALLY want this toy in my mouth!

Such a pretty girl.

I would like to introduce the newest feature to the blog - Photo of the Week.  The photo will be chosen not because I think it could win a top photography award, but because I just like it! Who can't help but fall in love with baby feet.....

Pic of the week

Week 17 - Happy 4 Month Birthday!

This week Milan turned 4 months.  She had her 4 month appointment with her pediatrician on Tuesday and all is well.  Her weight is 11 lbs 9 ounces (10th percentile), her height is 23.75 inches (30th percentile) and her head circumference is 16 inches (40th percentile).  I was a little worried about her weight but as the doctor pointed out, she has always been in the lower percentiles, so there is really nothing to worry about.  Milan is just going to be a little peanut!

For her 4 month birthday present, Milan received a bumbo seat, and like everything else we have purchased for her, she hated it!

Now that she's had it for nearly a week, she's slowly grown used to the idea of it...at least she will sit in it for a few minutes at a time.

This week was also the first week Milan began to sleep in her nursery at night. The first night did not go so well, she was up every hour until I finally moved her back into our room around 4:30 am. I waited a couple of days before trying again and did a few things differently including making a little "nest" in her crib. It worked like magic! Milan slept in her room 9 hrs straight! The next night was a repeat of the night before. She usually wakes up between 4-5 am and after feeding her, I put her into her bassinet next to our bed. I admit, it's a little hard for Mommy to let go.....

Getting ready to take a nap in her crib - she's watching her crib toy.

The nest Mommy created for Milan to sleep in.  She loves it!

Milan enjoying her crib toy

Week 16 - Thumb Discovery

This week (week 16) Milan found her thumb.....and I mean REALLY found her thumb. She likes it so much she has nearly forgotten about the pacifier. Her thumb is in her mouth constantly. Unfortunately because of the angle in which she sucks, the rest of her fingers rest near her right eye and she has managed to scratch herself on a few occasions. I can't trim her nails much more than I already have, so either I figure out a way to file them down , or I need to start looking for a pair of mittens!

Our First Week Home

This new family of three could not wait to be discharged from the hospital. When we finally received the go ahead, it was a SLOW drive home...the new Dad was very nervous driving his baby girl to her new home. In the end we finally made it, brought in all of our belongings (including the baby), and just stared at each other...wondering what to do next.



What do we do with this new creature, our daughter?




The first week home was joyous, fun, and nerve wracking! A few times Milan gaged on mucous that she was still bringing up from the delivery. The first evening home she started to choke on it and turned a deep shade of purple. After I managed to suction it out, I totally broke down in tears...it scared me to death!

We spent a lot of time taking her picture (of course)!



Probably the biggest obstacle of the first week, was trying to breast feed. Between the extremely sore nipples, and my fear of starving my child (my milk was late coming in), it was all I could do to walk by the little formula bottles from the hospital without breaking down and giving her one. I think I thought about quitting breastfeeding 50 times a day, EVERY day!



Thanksgiving Day was spent with Uncle Kenny, Aunt Sherie, and Cousin Vincent. Milan slept through the entire day, missing her very first Thanksgiving. Gotta love her First Thanksgiving outfit, though!

Introducing...Milan Shiloh DiLella

Saturday, November 17th, 2007 beginning around noon, I began to experience fairly regular braxton hicks contractions. I chose to ignore them as 3 days prior I thought I was in labor, only to be disappointed when it did not actually happen. A day earlier, I had gone for my weekly doctor's appointment and discovered I had not yet started to dilate, was not effaced, and my cervix was still high. Not something a girl wants to hear on her due date!



Around 4:30 pm, James and I decided to go to the Olive Garden for what might be our last meal together. After ordering dinner, I noticed the contractions were becoming slightly uncomfortable, so James decided to time them. We discovered they were coming 1 minute apart and lasting about a minute in length. They were still not what I would consider painful but were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. James tracked down our waitress and asked for our meals to go. On the way home, I called the Doctor and was told to come to the hospital to be checked to see if there was any progress. We stopped home first and that was when I experienced a contraction that stopped me in my tracks. We reached the hospital around 6:30 and I must say, there was no longer any question (in my mind) as to whether or not I was in labor. A nurse checked me and I was only 1 centimeter dilated. She spoke to the doctor via phone and was told to have me walk for two hours and then check me again. At that point a decision would be made whether to send me home or admit me into the hospital.

All I can say is those were the longest two hours of my life! I was in so much pain...I asked for drugs but was not given any because I had not officially been admitted. At 8:30 I was checked again - the nurse who checked me called another nurse in to check...they couldn't believe in two hours I had dilated to 8 centimeters. The doctor was called and all the while I was begging for my epidural. I was told I could not receive one until my doctor signed off on it. He arrived approximately 30 minutes later...I was checked again and was told I was 10 centimeters dilated. I pleaded for the doctor to give me an epidural, but discovered one would not be coming...I was ready to push! I pushed for two hours, when finally I gave birth to my baby girl!









Milah Shiloh DiLella was born November 17, 2007 at 10:39 pm. She weighed in at 7lbs 9 ounces and measured 19 inches long.








It truly was the most amazing experience of my life. I'll never forget looking into the eyes of my daughter for the first time.









And of course we can't forget the proud father, who is thrilled to have witnessed the birth of his daughter!


It truly was the most magical day of our lives. We fell instantly in love with her...just couldn't believe she was ours!

In The Beginning.....

12 days and counting until the arrival of Baby M (as some of you have come to know her by)!

James has been busy spending the past week putting together a baby swing, bouncy seat and her bassinet!












I have spent the week putting the finishing touches on her nursery, washing baby clothes, and trying to put the house in order. It's a little daunting to know that at any moment labor could begin. I have almost everything ready to go, including the hospital bags, so now the waiting game begins...







This week we finished our 5-part labor and delivery class. Everything we learned may fly out the window the moment the first contraction hits, but we had a lot of fun. James was the one and only Dad willing to get up in front of the class and try on a "sympathy belt".






I feel as though I'm the size of an elephant. I'm finally to the point where I'm ready to face labor and delivery. Never thought I'd hear myself say that!