Baby's 1st Thanksgiving

Olivia celebrated her first Thanksgiving this week. It was pretty uneventful for her...since she could not partake in the turkey and all of the other delicious food, but we were happy to have her there. It was a very busy day for Livie and by the end of it I think she was a little overstimulated. After being passed around all day to different family members and being surrounded by all of the commotion she got herself a little worked up. But once we got home to the quiet comfort of our home she settled down and crashed!

But it was a nice being surrounded by so much family this year. This is our first Thanksgiving without Grandpa and he was missed but we still had a wonderful time. My Aunt Susan and her family came in from California. Her son Ryan drove up from Bloomington where he is a student at Indiana University. My Grandma, Uncle John and Uncle Mike drove down from Michigan. Add Todd, Olivia and I to that and we had a house full. Luckily enough Thanksgiving was at my Mom's house, as I could not imagine having to pull together a dinner like that right now! Everyone was so excited to see Olivia for the first time. Here she is with her Great Aunt Su-Su and Great Grandma Cleo...

It was a busy but fun weekend with the family. But now Olivia is trying to get back on some sort of schedule after being taken here, there and everywhere over the past few days. She is a little more fussy than usual, but she is a growing baby and that is to be expected. We still love her to pieces and cannot believe how she is just growing right in front of our eyes!

What a big girl...

It's Tummy Time!

Our little Olivia is almost three weeks old already! I cannot believe it. She has come so far in the short time she has been on this earth. Not only is she growing like a weed and gaining weight like a champion, she is working on some of her other skills as well...like her head control. But I will get to that in a second.

Earlier this week we attended a breastfeeding support group with a bunch of other moms and babies. It gave us the opportunity to talk about any problems or concerns we have had as well as meet some other new moms and their little ones. At the beginning of the group they allow you to get your baby weighed. Well I was pleasantly surprised to hear that our little Livie has gained over 1 lb. since we were at the doctor last week. She is now weighing in at 8lbs. 7 oz! I am so pleased with her progress and comforted by the fact that she is obviously getting enough to eat.

We have also been working on her strength by giving her tummy time each day. This helps to build her neck and tummy muscles. From birth Livie has been very good at holding up her head. She obviously cannot do it for very long, but she does it and we are very proud of her. Here are some pictures of her enjoying tummy time. Look at how strong our baby girl is...



Tummy time usually only lasts about five minutes before she gets frustrated with it. But we try to do it each day so that she can continue to get stronger!

Things are going very well. Overall she is a very calm baby, with the occasional crying spell. We are enjoying every moment with her and love watching how quickly she grows. We currently have lots of family in town for the Thanksgiving holiday and they have enjoyed spoiling her. It is nice that she is able to meet so many of her loving relatives so soon after birth.

Today is Olivia's three week birthday! Those three weeks have flown by. I hope the next 18 years don't go by as fast!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Mommy's Little Piggy

Olivia had her first appointment at the pediatrician this past Monday. The doctor wanted to see her one week after coming home to make sure she was getting enough to eat since she is being breastfed. Well no worries in that department! She already weighs 7 lbs. 4 oz!!! I was shocked. When she was born she weighed 6 lbs. 10oz. By the time we went home she was down to 6 lbs. 4 oz...which is totally normal for new babies. The doctor was hoping that at her first visit she would at least be back to her birth weight, so she was very impressed once we put her on the scale! She got a glowing review with the rest of her check-up also. She seems to be on the right track to being a healthy and happy baby!

I am breathing easier now that I know she is obviously getting enough to eat during her feedings. It is hard to tell when you are breastfeeding exactly how much they are getting. Olivia is definitely Mommy's little piggy and hopefully it will stay that way. I want to see some meat on them bones!

Now that Todd has gone back to work Olivia and I are on our own. Things have been going very well. We are getting used to each other and I am starting to learn what all of her little sounds mean. It is not too hard to know when she is hungry, needs to burp or has a dirty diaper. With trial and error I can usually figure out what is making her upset pretty quickly. We have also gone on a few outings this week. After being stuck at home most of the first week, I was itching to get out and do a few things. Well Olivia was a trooper. She slept the entire time in her car seat as I hauled her in and out of the car into different stores. She is a very good baby and seems to enjoy getting out with her mommy.

At this time Olivia does not cry that much. It is very possible that could change but she is not an overly fussy baby. When she does fuss it seems to be for good reason. And after I figure out exactly what she wants she immediately calms down. I know things won't always be this easy but I do get the impression that she is not going to be colicky. Knock on wood!!!

Here are some pictures of our almost 2 week old Olivia...

Our First Week

At 12:58pm today our little Baby Olivia turned one week old! It is amazing how quickly the first week has gone. It has been an adjustment but the three of us are doing great! We have had some late nights but overall she is eating and sleeping quite well. It has been so much fun getting to know this little person. We just love watching her little personality bloom and seeing all of her little quirks! Here is what we have learned about our little Livie in the few short days we have known her...

1.) She is fascinated with her hands. When I was pregnant I had three ultrasounds. In each one we would always see that she had at least one of her hands covering her face. And when she was born she came out with one hand covering her face. Well she must be very used to that because by now because most of the time she has her hands in front of her face, or her fingers in her mouth.


2.) She is Daddy's Little Girl through and through. Not only does she look just like Todd as a baby...she enjoys some of the same activities as her daddy...such as a nice long afternoon nap. Here they are taking a nap together...completely dead to the world!


3.) She loves to be wrapped up tight. One thing Livie does not like right now is being exposed. The toughest times are the diaper changes and the sponge baths. She is not a happy camper when she is being messed with. But once she is wrapped up like a sausage, she is a happy little girl!


Each day we are discovering more and more little things about our baby girl. And we are finding that we are falling more and more in love with her each and every day.

Todd must return to work next week so I will be on my own. It sure has been nice having him here. Things are much easier with a pair of extra hands. But I am sure we will be fine. We are going to the pediatrician for the first time on Monday. Hopefully we will find that she is gaining weight and getting enough to eat. Check back for updates on Olivia as it is going to be hard for me to resist bragging about my Little Livie!

Happy One Week Birthday Olivia!

Welcome Baby O!

Baby Menor is finally here!!!

Olivia Liana Menor entered the world on Saturday, November 4th at 12:58pm. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 10 oz. and was 20 in. long. She has a head full of black hair and looks just like her daddy!
Labor wasn't too bad...well now that I look back on it. At the time I did not think I would make it through. But once we got to the hospital and I got my epidural, the world became a happy place. I was in active labor from about 3am to the time I delivered at 1pm. So that is not too bad. And after about 50 minutes of active pushing Olivia decided to make an appearance.

The biggest surprise of all is that we had a baby girl! From day one everyone told me I was having a boy. And the odds were not in our favor for a girl either. With only grandboys on the Menor side we figured it was just not in the DNA for a Menor to produce a baby girl. Everyone thought that I was having a boy by the way I was carrying the baby. But the only person who thought from the beginning that we were having a girl was my Grandpa George who passed away a few weeks ago. Every time I would talk to him he would say, "I just know you are going to have a girl." I would ask him why and he would say that he just knew. So the moment the doctor told us that we had a baby girl was probably one of the most happiest moments of our lives!

So Grandpa George was right...and I think he knew it all along. It was a very fitting end to a very sad week. I was able to attend my Grandpa's funeral in Michigan only a few days before going into labor. The funeral was on Thursday and I went into labor very early Saturday morning. I think Grandpa knew the plan all along and he made sure I got home safe and sound before the baby decided to arrive. So as one life ends...another begins. And it has allowed my family to focus on something good during this difficult time.

So for now the three of us are adjusting to our new life at home. It is a difficult time but also a very happy and exciting time. I never thought I could feel such love for another human being. Olivia is so precious and there are not words to express how much Todd and I love her.

Here are some other pictures of Olivia and our stay in the hospital. More to come...

And Baby Makes Three!

The Proud Papa

Livie & Her Nana