22 | December | 2011 | The Mielke Way

My Dearest Grae-

you are FIVE weeks old now! How did that happen so fast?!

You continue to melt our hearts with every grunt you make. We are still waiting patiently for you to smile for the first time… okay, that’s a fib- “patiently” may not be the right word. We both try to make you smile in any way we know how- tickles, noises, making ourselves look like fools… you are interested, but usually just give us a critical look- one eyebrow cocked, scowling- as if to say… “Is that all you got, Clown?!”

Your hair is growing a lot- and it’s definitely still more red than blonde. Your eyelashes are so long! You have very sensitive, fair skin- just like me (sorry, Bud). You haven’t ever had a diaper rash (probably because I change you every 30 minutes), but you’ve had a rash on your face the last couple of days. I think you got it from Mommy and Daddy’s clothes- I didn’t think about washing our clothes with baby detergent- I only washed yours. That wasn’t very smart of me, was it? We have everything washed with the right stuff now though, so hopefully it will get better and never come back.

Your bruise and scrape on your head from the capput (your birthday hat) you got when you were born have finally gone away! So did your jaundice. You are not even a little yellow anymore! I guess all that tummy time in the sunshine has paid off.

We have to cut your little fingernails almost every other day- those things grow so fast! You don’t seem to mind it- especially when Daddy cuts them.

I’ve started giving you Tri-vi-sol, which is a vitamin drop for infants so you can get vitamins A, C, and D- the doc said your milk doesn’t have enough of those goodies. It tastes like grape cough syrup and you love it! I thought you would gag- and you do make a really funny face, but you get so excited when its time for vitamins, kicking your feet and opening your mouth wide for the dropper.

Other updates:

-Sleeps in 4-8 hour stretches at night

-Refuses to sleep on back

-Refuses to be swaddled

-Hates sleep sacks- as long as the legs aren’t touching, everything is all good

-Eats 4-8 ounces every 1-2 hours during the day (Momma calls you Porkchop for a good reason!)

-Has awesome head control and loves to look around the room

-Likes to try to head butt Mommy and Daddy when hungry

-LOVES ceiling fans