Auntie Brenda

You loooooove your auntie Brenda. She was one of the first people you smiled at besides me and your dad, and now you continue to smile at her pretty much the whole time she is over. It's pretty cute!!! It definitely makes her world a lot brighter.

Cat Napper Snacker

I guess it's my fault for not wanting to feed you too much at one time
so that you don't spit up (as much). I've turned you into a Cat Napper
Snacker. Quick nap, snack, play, change, quick nap, snack, play,
change, quick nap... On and on all day long. At least your only waking
up once at night usually and you have a pretty good balance of times
you need to be held and times you can coo and talk and smile in your
swing or laying on the couch.

You are adorable and wonderful and smile and coo so much!

Smiles!!!

Such a silly girl!!

Baby Shower

Some ladies from our ward threw us a baby shower! A group of them
pitched in together and got you a new swing! You love it :-) And you
got these cute headbands like the one in this picture. And you got
some adorable outfits and some toys!

You are loved :-)

Birthmark

Interesting note about you... there is a birthmark below your left elbow. I'm not sure if it had been there all along, but I'm pretty sure it just developed afterward, because one day a few weeks ago, I thought you just had something on your skin, but upon scrubbing, I realized it wasn't coming off!

Aunt Carla

We went to visit Grandma Cook and Aunt Carla the other day. The story with Aunt Carla (Papa Wade's sister), is she was one of the only people who could hold me when I was a baby without me crying, and when we were all at the office, Aunt Carla is the one who put me to sleep.

You fell right to sleep with her too, and it was a treat for us all to see!

Dark Hair

I think Launa might be holding on to her dark hair, which is not what my previous prediction was. I was comparing pics of Starlynn the first couple months of her life, and Starlynn lost her dark hair within a couple weeks and it was already growing back in blonde fuzz by this time.

Launa lost a little bit of hair on the top, but never on the sides or in the back, and it's already growing back in on the top and it's not blonde. It's not DARK, but it's like a darker dirty blonde.

So, time will tell and we will see! It'd be fun for them to be different hair colors like me and my little sister are different hair colors.

LAUNA:

You are two months old today. I don't know what you weigh or how long you are, because mommy is rebellious and doesn't go to the doctors. You are growing just great though. You feel heavier all the time, and you are growing out of many of your outfits and are in the 0-3 month clothes now, with possibly only one or two of your (what used to be more baggy) newborn outfits fitting you.

You are such a good baby. Mostly, you only get up once a night to eat. Then I rock you back to sleep, or sometimes you'll just go straight back to your crib which is next to my bed.

You are smiling more and more and make the CUTEST little cooing sounds. I love it SO much.

You are precious--taking in the world and trying to communicate with us how happy and content you are.

Mommy and Daddy

Launa-

You have the cutest face-splitting smile. The only people to see it so far is your daddy and me. Catching it on camera hasn't happened yet. You also like to smile at random objects. And you have given your Auntie Brenda and your Grandma Laura little smirks.

That big grin of yours though... it lights up my world. You open your mouth really wide and smile away. And you make little cooing sounds in your throat too that just melt my heart.

You are 8 weeks old now, and you are keeping your focus on things now, and responding to our voices by becoming very still and looking at us and then sometimes treating us with that amazing smile of yours. You are smiling more and more and I can't wait until that little coo turns into a giggle. But then I'll miss the little cooing.

I just love you SO much!

Love,
Mommy

Smiles

Launa Marie-

You are starting to stay awake a LITTLE bit more during the day now. You like to just be held sitting up in front of us and your eyes get so big and you make the cutest facial expressions as you are looking around.

One part of me is looking forward to watching you grow and getting to know your personality and the other part of me wants you to stay just the way you are forEVER. I love your soft head against the side of my face and I love the cute way you move your arms and legs.

You have such an intelligent look in your eye. It's funny to look down at you and realize you've been staring at me for a while.

The other day, mommy was kind of stressed out and I took some time to cuddle and hold you. I was talking with daddy, and then I looked down at you in my arms and you gave me a big, newborn baby smile. I started crying on the spot. It was incredible the way my whole day changed in that one second you smiled at me. It filled me up with joy instantaneously.

You are so special.

Today Starlynn and you hugged for several long minutes. Your mouth kept touching her cheek and she thought you were kissing her and just loved it. She tries to help me take care of you. I have you play pick-a-boo with her and I take your hand and wave hello to her too. She giggles with delight when you are looking at her. You are so special to your sister too, as you are to us all.

Thank you for making us all smile!

"Tight Gut"

Well, Launa gave my my first baby-up-all-hours-of-the-night-screaming experience. Starlynn always ate and went back to sleep, no fussing. And this is the first time Launa has had a tough time with her tummy/gas.

That's the last time I'll forget to take my probiotics and enzymes. I saw the change (for the worse) when I knew I forgot to take them for a couple days.

I am so grateful for Dr Kais, our chiropractor/wellness practitioner. And luckily, I caught him before he leaves tonight on his 2 week vacation to Costa Rica.

He said Launa had a tight-gut and he massaged her intestines where they needed to be loosened up, and she got the cold red/violet laser on her tummy for a couple minutes, and then she had her sacrum adjusted. Let me tell you... it's like night and day.

Like I said, that was my first experience with an inconsolable baby last night and man was she GASSY. Poor thing.

After Kais worked his magic, she is back to being my alert and content angel looking around at everything, holding her head up because she's trying to grow up so fast. And then she slept in her car seat all the way home. Got home and fed her and played with daddy for a bit, hung out with mom on her computer for a few and now she's been sleeping for almost 3 hours... sleeping it off because she's comfortable again!

Thank you Dr Kais! And I promise to take my probiotics and enzymes religiously! It really does work wonders.

I read a parenting article recently about how to help colicky or generally fussy babies and two of the five things were probiotics and chiropractic care. Yay me. I can do some things right at least.

I love you Launa! I am sorry you had a tummy ache and I will keep you happier now!

(Oh, and I bought Hyland's colic tablets for if it happens again, and I bought baby homeopathic chamomile tablets to help her sleep if she's having a hard time.)

A Rough Day

Poor little girl had a rough day today. Little one--you're not even a 4 weeks old and you rolled over on the couch today. And since you are not SUPPOSED to be able to do that yet, mama was caught unawares and you actually rolled off the couch. Lot's of crying, but you're okay. Luckily we had a chiropractor appointment today, and he put you back to rights.

But then when we got home, your sister was sitting next to you with a hair brush and whacked you in the head. It was sad the way you cried.

I'm so glad you don't seem to remember things after the initial crisis has passed.

Poor baby girl. But I did get lots of time to cuddle you today and that made us both happy.

I love you and I'm sorry you have clumsy family members!

I put this "Little Sister" shirt on you today... and it was probably a day you didn't really like being a little sister. :)


And then I wanted to take a pic of your cute jacket and shoes!

Growth

Launa-

It's hard not to notice how fast you grow. When we brought you home from the hospital, the straps in your car seat were tightened all the way down and I could still fit a fist inside of them. Now, your shoulders stretch past the holes where the straps come out like they are supposed to. The newborn outfits aren't baggy on you anymore.

Today, I gave you another bath, this time in MUCH warmer water and you didn't cry at all but looked like you were rather enjoying yourself!

You and I struggle with nursing a little bit for the first couple minutes because milk doesn't flow fast enough for you at first, and then when it does, it's too much. But today, hopefully we had a break through because we had a no fuss, easy feeding.

People just stare at you and your precious beauty. Your lips are so full and cute the way you hold them.

I've been smiling at your hair today because after your bath, it is sticking up and looks soft and feathery, like a baby bird's.

I love you baby girl and I look forward to getting to know more about you every day.

Love,
Mommy

2 Weeks Old

I took even cuter pics than this one but my fancy camera needs a new camera card cuz when I plugged it into the computer I had this ONE photo. Sigh.

Launa continues to be my little angel. My grunty, squeaky angel. She doesn't cry. Except when she took her first bath.

It is truly incredible how fast they grow. All that eating, sleeping and pooping works some fast magic! The Newborn Swaddler diapers are tighter, she actually fits in the straps in her car seat now and mama's milk is putting a double chin right on that baby :)

She does twitchy smiles in her sleep which I love.

She's a great cuddler, but also will sleep on her own most of the night in the crib. Sometimes she'll go three or four hour stretches, but has mostly been doing the every two hour routine the last couple nights.

She'll take a bottle of pumped milk when mama is not around, and will sometimes suck her pacifier... but not very often.

I think that's all the 2 week old has to report!

She celebrated her 2 week mark by getting her first bath. I couldn't get good pics during it, but here is one after. All squeaky clean!

Essences of Launa

Genes are a funny thing.

Launa's big sister Starlynn unfortunately for her got her mommy's cowlicks in the front of her head. Makes for much difficulty with the bangs department.

Starlynn's Cowlicks:

Little Miss Launa got the shape of her daddy's head and his forehead and lucky for her, no cowlicks!!

Now, as far as hair color, this is my theory. Yes, it is dark just like Starlynn's was. BUT, I've been looking at photos of other newborn babies whose hair was dark and STAYED dark and the ones I have seen have dark eyebrows and lashes as well. As you can see above, Launa's are very light like Starlynn's were. I think we'll have a repeat falling out of hair and growing back in blonde, but that's just my theory. Daddy most likely trumps again with the blonde hair and blue eyes. Her eyes are blue now and we'll see around 6 months or so if they stay blue or change green.

Number 1 comment within just a minute of people looking at Launa, "Her fingers are SO long!" Yes they are. It was one of our first comments when we saw her for the first time too. She is very long limbed like her Auntie Rachel. My mom says Launa reminds her a lot of Rachel with her long, skinny limbs.



I love her skinny legs in her humongous newborn size socks. She is so teensy! Speaking of long limbs... when I took her to her checkup yesterday, they measured her at 18.5 inches. I watched them do it twice and it looked really accurate to me! I doubt she grew 3/4 of an inch in 5 days, so I am thinking the hospital might have got it wrong. Oh well! 17 3/4" is what's on her birth announcements!


Ok, then this is the one that flabbergasts me and is why I say "genes are a funny thing". The only place I have seen these ears is on my sister Carrie and her son Braydon. The "vulcan ears". I asked my mom where they came from and she has no idea! Just like we have NO idea where Starlynn's curly hair comes from. At first I thought her ears were just squished, but with the little ridge she has at the top of them I think they are here to stay. :D So cute.

Want to Remember

Dear Launa-

I cannot put into words how much I am enjoying your newborn days with you. You are so tiny and sweet and precious. I love your open little "birdy mouth" when you are hungry and looking for something to eat. I love how alert you are to movement and sounds. I love how you fall asleep so easily with me or your daddy. I love each tiny thing about you and just can't get enough. I feel empty without you nearby. Your sister loves you so much. Today she thought it was so funny to tickle your feet and kiss and nuzzle them. Daddy and I feel so blessed to have you. We think your name fits you perfectly. It is sweet, quiet, and beautiful just like you.

Love Eternally,

Mom