New Playlist

I realized today that the songs I had on this blog's playlist didn't really apply anymore. For instance, the song Capri starts out with the phrase, "She's got a baby inside." After searching for some more appropriate songs (half of which I added and then subsequently deleted), I decided on an obvious theme.

Hopefully those of you with sound will enjoy my choices. The first one was sort of a default, as it was the only song I found that was in English...other than a rap song that I thought was rather inappropriate...but luckily, it's a song I would have liked anyway. I have a feeling Bianca will like it one day, too. It's really awesome hearing a song with your name in it. I was named after the song "Carrie Anne" by the Hollies, so I was always tickled when I heard it. It was the same with "Carrie" by Europe. At least Bianca has one song she can claim.

The second song was actually chosen by Bianca. When I listened to it, she got a big smile on her face and started kicking her feet in excitement. I couldn't just ignore that reaction, so I picked her up and started dancing with her in circles around our living room. I think we both enjoyed it! Honestly, when I hear the song, I imagine BiBi when she is five or six years old, dressed up in a pink tutu and holding a sparkly magic wand, dancing around in circles. It's just a happy song!

The last song is my favorite. Just because I love hearing the name Bianca being pronounced in Italian. It sounds so beautiful and exotic. When I hear this song, I picture my daughter as a young woman, being courted by her first love.

Wow...I've heard of people having moments where their lives flash before their eyes. I think the same just happened to me...only it happened with BiBi. She is going to be a beautiful, happy woman. And however small it is, I'm going to have a part in it. That makes my heart soar!

She's Getting There!

Bianca is doing really well when it comes to sleeping. Last night, she slept six hours straight without waking up! The night before, she slept five and a half! I think if we try to get her on a regular routine, she will be sleeping through the night very soon. This is awesome news considering I go back to work November 9th. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to function properly without getting regular sleep at night, but maybe it won't be an issue after all. We have the best baby!

BiBi's Baptism

Yesterday we had Bianca's Baptism. In general, it went well. Right before the ceremony began (and when things started to get quiet), Bianca very loudly soiled her diaper. It was too late to change her at that point, so my sister got stuck holding her with her "pleasant" aroma. Harry - always joking around - said "Eww...what's that smell?" when we walked up to the Baptism font. Of course he knew the culprit was his precious little lady!

BiBi was very good throughout the ceremony. She only let out a brief cry when our priest poured the holy water right into her eyes and ear. Personally, I don't blame her! She calmed down pretty quickly, though. I was very proud of her.

We had a small get-together at our house afterwards. It was wonderful spending our Sunday with our family. We also got a chance to get to know our next-door neighbor better, which was nice.

All in all, it was a great day.

So Big!! (err...Average!!)

Bianca's appointment with her pediatrician went well last week. She is now 21 inches long and weighs 9 pounds 6 ounces. She is in the 50th percentile in both height and weight, making her completely average. She also has an average head size, measuring at 14 inches. I told Harry he couldn't call her Big Head anymore; he had to call her Average Head! The rest of the appointment was relatively uneventful - I just had some new-parent questions answered - but Dr. Fireman said that she was not only gorgeous, she was one healthy baby. Always nice to hear!

Monday was a wonderful day for us. This is the first week where I didn't have to focus on unpacking the house, so it gave me more time to bond with my precious little angel. I spent the majority of the day singing, dancing, talking, and cuddling with her. It was the first day that I felt like a good mom, giving my sole attention to her. I'm hoping to steal a few more moments like those during the last two weeks of my maternity leave.

A huge part of me is incredibly sad about going to back to work. I am going to miss her so much. It breaks my heart to think that I won't be there every minute to watch her grow. There's a great possibility I will miss her holding her head up for the first time, her first laugh, her first attempt at crawling, her first steps, her first word. Someone else will get to experience those magical moments. I know she is going to be with family and I should be grateful, but it doesn't make it much easier. I did take her to work with me on Wednesday to meet some of my coworkers. It felt surprisingly good being there with my friends, but again - I had her with me. I'm not sure how it's going to feel without her. But like Harry reminds me over and over, I have to work in order to give her a better life. And I wouldn't want to deny her that.

As I type, I am watching her sleep. It seems hard to believe that I helped to create this piece of perfection, especially considering that I am so flawed. She is a true Miracle.

This Sunday, she will be getting baptized. She is going to be wearing the same gown I wore for my own baptism. My mom went and had it restored at the cleaners, and it looks great. I am so excited to have her wear it. I can't wait until the day I will pass it along to her. Perhaps my grandchild will wear it, too.

My family will be coming over after the ceremony, so I better go and get the house ready. I'll be sure to post some pictures next week.

One Month Old!

I can hardly believe it, but our Little Miracle turns one month old today! It really is amazing how fast time has flown by. I've been horrible at updating this blog, but I do have a good excuse: not only was I adjusting to motherhood, I was also trying to get our house unpacked and organized. Now that we're pretty much settled, hopefully I'll be able to write more.

Bianca is such a joy. Yes, I am a bit biased, but she truly is a good baby. She is generally calm and only cries when she is hungry or needs a diaper change. She is also sleeping well at night, getting up every 3 - 4 hours to eat.

The past four weeks have been pretty eventful for our Little One. She has been to church, soccer games, a surprise party, and a crab feast. She has been held by several different people, and she never gets upset. So far, she is a pretty laid back baby.

I can't believe how fast she is growing. I take her to the doctor's tomorrow, and I will find out her measurements then; however, I can already tell that she has gotten longer and heavier. She is more alert during the day, and she is "talking" more. She is also starting to smile, which is a sight that just melts my heart. She discovered the TV last week and often watches whatever is on the screen. This weekend, she watched her first movie on her Daddy's projection screen. (At least a little bit before she fell asleep!) It really is amazing watching her grow.

Here are some new pictures of our precious daughter for you to enjoy: