A growin' girl! 11 weeks!

So, I've been meaning to update for several days now....but I keep having to decide: 1) Blog update or 2) Sleep for a little while. Sleep is TOTALLY winning these days. I really am very tired...much more so than with Ava. It's just been a really long time since I've had good, uninterrupted sleep. We're going on week 12 of waking every 3-4 hours to eat (or pump, for those early days)...and it's totally catching up to me. Ava slept through the night by week 7.....so, this is killer!

Sometimes I really see a bit of Ava in Bella (though, usually I just see Patrick). But, here's a pic of Ava when she was about 3 weeks or so that the above pic reminded me of!

But, overall, Bella is doing really well. I have to remember that her adjusted age is really only 3 weeks. So, with that in mind, she's right on target for everything. She's begun to smile...although, it's not super consistent yet. She'll usually smile once or twice a day, and I LOVE it when she does. She just looks like such a pretty baby when she smiles! Here's a pic of a litter teaser grin. :) And, by the way...that shirt says "Sassy," and ain't that the truth!!! Bella is not gonna be one of those quiet little babies! She knows what she wants...and it's being held. 24 hours a day. Awake or sleeping. Otherwise, she lets you know all about it! I call her my cry-baby. :) She's just so content being held and is a super great sleeper in your arms...but, let me tell you, there's nothing wrong with this babies lungs! They work just fine!! But, really, she's a sweet baby- as they all are- and I just totally adore her.

Her health is great. She's 11 weeks old now (how did that happen?!?!) and has more than doubled her lowest weight (3lbs, 15oz) and almost doubled her birth weight (4lbs, 1oz)! She's right at 8lbs now!!! She's growing so well! She's been exclusively breastfeeding for 3 weeks now...no pumping and no bottles!!! (A special thanks to Patrick's cousin, Megan, for really supporting me through the transition to breast feeding, as she had personal experience with a preemie of her own)! She's obviously getting what she needs, and her docs are very happy with her weight gain....and chubby cheeks!!! Check them out!!

I think this picture is hilarious, and she actually makes this deer-in-a-headlight-look all the time, so I had to include it! She's always so wide-eyed...taking it all in!

This picture reminds me of a picture of Ava (at 3 weeks of age, which is just about Bella's adjusted age).

Ava's a great big sister to Bella...but sometimes Bella has had enough!

Ave looking through her "spotting scope" for birds! (Just like Diego)!
Sweet sisters. :)

The little nugget sleeping. (Probably for only like 5 seconds since she's not being held)!!
All decked out for the UGA game!
Pretty sure she's watching Dora here...she's in her trance!
Thank goodness Ava is really good at entertaining herself since I have to spend quite a bit of time tending to Bella's needs. We got the play-doh out the other day!
It's a family affair on the play mat!
Hanging with Daddy watching the game! This is the outfit that Ava came home from the hospital in (remember, she was born at the University of Florida)!
It got pretty chilly here a for a few days and I had to quickly go out and get the girls some warmer clothes. Of course, not it's back up to the mid-80's. Good ole' Georgia weather!
My little bear. :)
I think her face is so sweet here...just had to share!

So, that's about it for the Bella update. I PROMISE I will do an Ava update soon...hopefully in the next few days...we've done some fun stuff the past few days....and she is really giving me a run for my money these days....the threes are NOT for wussies!! So, I'll have updates and more pictures!

I hear Bella-boo now....off to feed her...then to bed! Wooohooo! :)


.