Monday, May 3, 2010

Little Things: Ada, One Week

Here are a few details about Ada at this age:
  • She only likes to turn her head to the right while nursing. This means that she lies across my lap to nurse on the left side, and in the football hold on the right side. Doris postulates that this was her position in the womb and it may take a few days or weeks for her to finish "unpacking".
  • The hair pattern on top of her head is interesting. She is almost bald (with only a few fuzzy hairs) on the crown of her head, and then the back and sides have long, slightly wavy hair.
  • Ada's umbilical cord stump fell off on Saturday night, at just under six days old.
  • Ada doesn't seem to like the dark. She gets agitated if we turn off all of the lights in our room at night while sleeping, so we've been sleeping with a light on for the past few days. We've been moving the light farther and farther from our bed, and hopefully we'll be able to use a dim night light at some point. The funny thing is that we had considered getting blackout shades for Ada's room, since Jude will ONLY sleep when it is dark, but decided to wait until after she was born. Looks like we'll be able to keep the ones we have, based on her current preferences!
  • Ada has a cute little dimple between her right cheek and chin. I've seen it a few times when she was pretending to smile after feedings.
  • Ada is nursing about 10 times a day, usually every 1-3 hours, including 3-4 times at night. She has had a few longer stretches, including one 5 hour interval last night. I really appreciated that block of sleep!
  • Ada prefers to sleep on her side with her arms around her face. We swaddle her for daytime sleep, but at night she is still unswaddled in bed with one of us (we take turns from one feeding to the next).
  • Newborn size clothes are still a little bit too big, and newborn diapers are just the right size.
  • Ada likes the swing, the car seat, and the bouncy seat. We have been able to put her down for some daytime sleep in each of these. So far, she has fallen into a deep sleep on every car ride she has taken.
  • She seems fairly impervious to noise and movement, sleeping through Jude's chatter, shrieks, and jumping all around her. Every morning when he wakes up, Jude wants to read his books, drink his milk, then hold the baby. Then later on (after breakfast) he comes back down (if we are still in bed) and wants to play some games in bed with us. These games usually involve hiding under the covers, jumping around, and trying to point out all of Ada's body parts (nose, eyes, mouth, hands, etc.). She barely blinks.
  • Ada seems to have a fairly calm temperament so far. She rarely cries unless she's hungry, cold, needs a diaper change, or wants to be held. I'm sure that will change as she gets older!
Here is a photo of Ada sleeping this morning at one week of age.


A close-up of the umbilical cord stump.


E Ben threw this one off the deck into the trees (I threw Jude's to the same place).


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2 comments:

Nicole said...

Hope you pitched it far because I still remember how badly that stump smelled!

E Ben said...

That picture of the umbilical cord might be an overshare. Even I was grossed out, and those are my fingers!