Our beautiful Grace Isabella

[TiffanyJaynexo]

Grace Isabella Pottenger was born on Thursday 15th December 2011 - a day after her due date, at 13.18pm weighing 7lbs 3oz. It was a 27 hour labour and a quick 2 hours of established labour on just gas and air!

She was born with a full head of dark hair and is the spitting image of her daddy.

We're so in love with her. It's been a long journey getting to where we are now, so after having a TTC and a pregnancy journal, I feel like a parenting one is in order!

She's now a week old, it's flown by! It's been a hectic week, full of learning new things and having a great lack of sleep! Becoming parents has challenged both me and my other half Daniel, but we wouldn't change it for the world. I'm still learning things every day but I'm feeling more confident at being a mummy every day too. Grace has put weight on since her birth (half an ounce) and even though she sleeps more in the day time than at night time, she still sleeps for a good few hours at a time and is a greedy bum when it comes to milk! I was breastfeeding her but due to exhaustion and feeling generally sad about constantly feeding, I decided to bottle feed instead. Although I'm disappointed I'm not breastfeeding, I feel a lot better formula feeding her, especially because she's so greedy. We're just taking each day as it comes so feel free to have a nose at our journal ​

 

[DaisyPurple]

Well done Tiff, lovely pics too x

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

2 weeks old:

Being a mummy is becoming easier! Grace has been sleeping well recently, I go to bed with her at about 2am, I make up a bottle and put it in an insulated bag to keep it warm, she wakes up about 2/3 hours after for that bottle and then goes back to sleep until 9/10am. I still have my naps in the day time so I'm not tired and I have managed to get a bit of housework done every day, makes my mood much better when I have a clean house to look at. I'm still bleeding from over-doing it on Christmas Eve, so I'm just trying to rest as much as I can. Her umbilical cord fell off a few days ago so she finally had her first proper bath on Christmas day, she loved it and didn't cry once! Hopefully she sleeps well tonight, we got up at 12pm yesterday, which is the longest we've slept in since she's been born.

I love my girl

 

[DaisyPurple]

And it will just continue to get easier and easier... You a natural xx

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

15 Days Old:

Grace weighs 8lbs! My baby girl is putting on weight well, let's hope it continues. I've noticed she's started to be awake more in the day time, she's too nosey for her own liking! She slept well last night - I went to bed with her just before 11pm, gave her a bottle then settled her and then she woke up twice in the night and then a third time when I got up with her at 9am, I can't complain!

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

19 Days Old:

Grace slept well last night but took a while to settle, I think I made the mistake of taking her to bed when she wasn't 100% tired, I also think she just loves mummy's arms! I took her to bed at about 9pm, she settled about 10pm or just after, then she woke up at 4.40am for a bottle and a nappy change (she did a poop!) then I went back to bed with her and got up just after 8am when she woke up, but she was still snoozing in her moses basket when I brought her down! She's had a long nap this morning as well and OH has just given her a bottle so she's now sitting in her bouncer having a nose around the house, I have a feeling she's going to moan in a minute for some attention so off I pop!

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

3 Weeks 1 Day Old:

Grace got weighed again today, She has put on half a pound in a week! She now weighs 8 and a half pounds She's been a little sick lately but I suppose it's normal with formula fed babies, I also think she's been drinking too much - she's a greedy bum. I think sometimes she uses the bottle as a way of sending herself to sleep, a way of soothing herself even if she isn't hungry. Last night in bed I tried her with a dummy after feeding her as she was still moaning, and it worked wonders! She sent herself to sleep in her basket She woke up for a bottle at about 4am, which she drank and then we got up with her just after 9am. She had a small amount of bottle this morning and has just had a big 4oz and is now fast asleep in her bouncer

She's also had sticky eye the past day, I've been wiping it with boiled cooled water from the kettle and it seems to be getting better so that's good. Oh and we registered her yesterday so she's now an official Pottenger, it was lovely.

It's been a busy day already, the landlord came earlier, the health visitor was here at 9.30am, the gas men have been, a builder has been, my sister in law, brother in law and mother in law have all been at separate times too So now it's time for me to get dressed and do some things that need to be done before Grace wakes up again!

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

3 Weeks 4 Days Old:

Grace took a while to settle last night. I gave her a bath and fed her at around 12am, she had a little nap but was fighting sleep I think! It was almost 2am when we went to bed and she had the rest of her bottle as well as a 3oz bottle that I had to go and make for her. She managed to fall asleep in her moses basket at about 2.30am and didn't wake up until 9.30am so she slept for a whole 7hours straight! Clearly she was tired from fighting sleep earlier.

She had her bottle when she woke up, about 5oz and then went back to sleep for just over another 2 hours. I left her in bed with my OH to come downstairs to clean, then OH brought her down to change her nappy and dress her, she was still snoozing, and then after being changed (and having a bit of a moan about it), she fell asleep again so we put her in her bouncer and she's still there now! She's waking up a little bit so I think she'll want her bottle soon, it's been almost 4 hours since her last feed. I'm glad she slept so long last night, she's a good girl most of the time when it comes to sleeping at night, I just wish she'd settle easier! Sometimes she'll go down straight away but she has her fussy moments too. I guess I can't complain, I had a good sleep and feel quite fresh today

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

4 Weeks 1 Day Old:

I went out with the pram for the first time today - I had an appointment with the health visitor. It was hard to get used to at first and I stupidly went out with the breaks on the front wheels so they didn't swivel, I must have looked a right plonker. Grace weighs 9lb now! So proud. The health visitor said she's putting on weight brilliantly, she also gave me some leaflets for baby groups in the area, which I'm going to look into as I think it will be interesting. Grace slept well last night considering she's been awful to settle the past 3 nights. I put her down at 12am after a bottle and a nappy change, I wrapped her up warm in a cardigan and mittens (which I think helped). She was tired so she was definitely easier to settle. She woke up at around 4/5am for a bottle, where she drank a whole 5oz! I put her back down but she got a bit upset, which frustrated me at first as I thought she would make a repeat of the past three nights, so I tried something she normally doesn't like and I swaddled her in a thin blanket. I put her down in her basket with a blanket over her and I kept my hand on her chest for a few minutes. It worked a treat because she didn't wake up again until just after 10am when I got up with her. Going to do this again tonight if she gets upset when I put her down again but hopefully she'll sleep well!

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

5 Weeks Old:

Grace has been doing little smiles the past few days but today she did a big open mouth smile for me when I was poking her nose and making silly noises, it was adorable. She's definitely becoming more lively now, she's developing a little personality I love her so much!

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

1 Month and 2 Weeks Old:

Grace now weighs 9lb 14oz!
She is making lovely little noises lately, mainly 'Ah'. She's also smiling a lot too, we used to have to make her smile by doing funny things but the other night she smiled up at me just because she saw me and she's started to smile at her own reflection in her play mat mirror, as well as currently smiling at the television! She's just lying there looking up at it, waving her arms and legs, making 'Ah' noises and smiling I love my baby! She's still sleeping through the night, only waking once for a feed. Her feeds are irregular at the moment though, like she had three bottles the other morning but she's only had two today. She's more awake in the day time now, and has started to become a light sleeper in the day too, which is awkward! But she likes to sleep in peace and quiet so I figure that's why she wakes easily in the day, I try to keep the room noisy and light.

She's starting to groan now which means: "I want food", so I shall go feed her. I love being a mum.

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

7 Weeks Old:

Grace has slept through the night for the past two nights! Not sure if she'll keep doing it but it's been nice not having to wake in the night to feed her. She's still doing lots of 'Ah' noises and mum also noticed she looks like she's trying to giggle sometimes when she smiles Don't think she's learnt how to do that yet though xxx

 

[Esperanza84]

Sounds like you're really enjoying being a mum - can't wait myself!!!

xx

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

2 Months, 5 Days Old:

Tonight is Grace's first night going to bed without me. I took her to bed just before midnight, gave her a bottle and then put her down when she fell asleep. Normally when I do this she'll stay asleep but unfortunately when I went to the toilet about 10 minutes ago, she heard me and started to stir, and then she woke up and started to cry I picked her up and gave her the last of her bottle but she's still awake now so I've had to make her a new bottle which is cooling as I write this, so unfortunately I'm having to hear my baby girl cry It was an awful feeling leaving her up there on her own, my heart was in my throat and I couldn't stop worrying. I'm disappointed she's woken up because it's something she very rarely does, but it's all trial and error, so hopefully we'll get a good routine soon! I'm off to give her a bottle now so hopefully she'll go back to sleep, fingers crossed.

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

2 Months, 2 Weeks Old:

Grace's sleeping pattern has been bad the past week or so but we're both up at a reasonable time today after getting lots of sleep so hopefully we're all sorted now!

She also did her first proper big girl laugh yesterday It was adorable. She's been giggling a lot but not as good as that one!

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

2 Months, 2 Weeks, 3 Days Old:

Grace has started babbling lots now, she copies what me and Dan say (in baby talk) and just babbles in general to us, It is so cute. She's still laughing and smiling too which puts a huge smile on our faces, she's a joy to have.

She's also slept really well the past few nights, going to bed on her own at around 11pm and waking up 7-8am. She stirs a little when we go to bed so we have to be quiet but it's not a problem, just a challenge! She stirred last night when I went to bed and then started crying a little, so I went back downstairs and made her a bottle only to find her fast asleep when I came back, then she got up at 8.30am. She's had a few upset moments recently so we think she may be starting to teeth, poor baby. She's also having bad dreams as she wakes up from her sleep screaming, bless her. She's very good at holding her head up and also sits in her bumbo seat, she is a little wobbly but very strong at holding herself up I love her so much, we're bonding more every day.

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

2 Months, 3 Weeks Old:

Grace had her first immunisations today (better late than never). It was awful as she screamed But she was okay afterwards and she's been fine ever since, my poor baby! I have to have her weighed tomorrow too, the last time she got weighed was 6 weeks!

She's feeding every hour at the moment except at night when she sleeps through til the morning, it's very frustrating so I'm going to ask the health visitor if I can put her on hungry milk instead

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

3 Months, 2 Weeks and 4 Days Old:

Grace is huge now! She's such a different baby compared to weeks ago, she's in her 3-6 month clothes now, and I desperately need to buy her some new vests tomorrow as most of hers are so small! She's on hungry milk now which is great as she seems more full up. She's getting to find her hands slowly, she's very playful and will hold toys if you give them to her, and is trying to put everything in her mouth! She can sit well when slightly propped up, and has learnt how to pull herself up from lying down! She's still very hard to settle at night time. Recently she's been going to bed earlier than she was when she got into that awful routine, and she's been getting up fairly early in the morning but she still struggles to fall asleep and has sadly gone from 'not waking up once in bed' to 'waking up a few times before staying asleep for good'! Speaking of bedtime, she's growing out of her moses basket and we really need a cot asap, Dan's father is meant to be buying one but if he and his wife don't get her one soon, i'm afraid we're going to have to buy one, she's getting really big for it.

She's losing her hair at the back, and has awful cradle cap which i'm currently treating with shampoo/baby oil, but one good thing is that her sticky eye has gone! She had it from practically when she was born, I was cleaning it every day with cooled down boiled water and it finally went a few weeks ago, it hasn't returned since so hopefully it's gone for good!

Her naps are very short in the day time, in fact they're so short/disturbed that she's been very cranky lately, except for last Friday when we took her shopping with us (for the first time)! We went to two supermarkets, where she was absolutely fine, so calm and content, and she was falling asleep in the car so we had to wake her up but she still didn't moan she was a little cranky in town but I think it was because she wanted her bottle, so I fed her in the car. When we got home I think she had 1 nap and then went to bed early and only woke up once! That night was brilliant for me as it meant I got some peace and quiet to myself, which is something very rare for me lately as it takes me hours to get her to stay asleep and not wake til the morning!

So yeah, a big update. I haven't posted in a while as my laptop broke, and I just got a new one. It's also quiet hard for me to have the time to write on here but Grace is having a nap so I thought why not!

Here's a recent photo of my girl..

 

[katie_lou]

She is gorgeous Hun x

 

[TiffanyJaynexo]

4 Months, 3 Days Old:

Grace had her second lot of needles today! She cried her heart out when she had them but was okay afterwards, my poor pumpkin. We didn't get her weighed like I expected as the HV was in a rush, so she's given me another appointment for a few weeks time, where she said we can talk about baby led weaning and other things.

Grace also has a tooth on the way, it's in the front and is quite bumpy at the moment. You can see the tooth under the gum, hopefully it doesn't cause her too much pain when it finally comes through. She also went to bed last night and didn't wake up til this morning, which was a first in a long time!

Her grabbing has gotten better, she puts toys to her mouth now. Love my girl so much.