Elizabeth's Favorite Things (newborn edition)

1. Aden and Anais muslin blankets. My sisters got us a two-pack of these in San Francisco, and I liked them so much that I searched around for a store in Atlanta that sells them and bought four more. They're soft and light and perfect for summers in Georgia, where it's hot outside but air-conditioned to Arctic temperatures inside. Plus, they function as big burp cloths when needed.

2. Trumpettes baby socks. Cutest socks ever! Elizabeth has the Mary Janes, the Rosies, and the Baby Ballerina socks, and she'll probably have a box of Pixies in the next few weeks. They came recommended from a friend who told me that they're the only socks that really stayed on her daughter, and so far I'd have to agree. Besides...did I mention how cute they are?

3. Carter's wiggle-in bodysuits. Because you don't want to pull things over a baby's head.

4. Graco sweetpeace "infant soothing center". Unlike 99% of baby swings on the market, this one plugs in instead of eating batteries. Its color scheme is neutral and not obnoxious. Although Elizabeth doesn't consider it a great substitute for Mama and Daddy, she'll deign to relax in it while we're eating, and that's worth the money right there!

5. Balboa Baby adjustable sling. This makes getting out of the house with a newborn so much easier! As anybody who's schlepped an infant carseat through a grocery store can attest, those carriers are bulky, heavy, and impossible to get into a shopping cart and have room left over for anything other than a zucchini. Elizabeth rides in her sling around stores and around the house and sleeps through everything...even when Daddy wears it while he's vacuuming!

Slept through the night...

TWICE!

Midnight to five a.m. two nights ago and 11:30 to five a.m. last night. As an added bonus for me, she went straight back to sleep after the five a.m. feeding both times and didn't wake up again till 8:30-9 a.m.

Getting five hours of uninterrupted sleep = bliss!

Growing pains

Elizabeth went through a growth spurt this week, and she found it a less than pleasant experience. I gather, from reading baby books and hearing anecdotes from other parents, that babies fuss a lot during growth spurts, and Elizabeth certainly proved that true! We had a couple of days when we just couldn't put her down; she cried inconsolably if we did. Both of us felt so badly for her -- it's rough to see your child sobbing and not be able to comfort her, no matter how hard you try.

It's probably a good lesson about parenting, though. You'll never be able to give your child a perfect world or provide insulation against all painful experiences, but you can always give loving arms and suffer through it with him or her.

We'll update with more pictures soon!

Last Saturday, Lori from Shooting Star Photography came out and took newborn pictures of Elizabeth. I can't say enough great things about Lori and her work -- she was so nice and easy to work with, and the pictures she took are gorgeous!

Here are some of the shots she posted to her blog, and here is a slideshow of the proofs (available online through the end of this week).

(By the way, she's moving to Birmingham in January or February, so if you have kids and want some great pictures, her website is www.shootstarphoto.com.)