2 weeks old and loving it!

Mary Ellen had her second doctor's appointment yesterday. She did very well and was very cooperative with everything they asked her to do (i.e., lay still, stretch out, and not poop on them while taking her temperature). Her weight was back up where they wanted it at a sturdy 7 lbs, 3.5 oz, so we got the OK to let her sleep a little longer at night. Hooray! She went for 4 hours between feedings last night, and we are one happy family this morning.

We're starting to see a lot more "sleep smiles" and it's such a glimpse into what's to come. Yesterday was also the first day when I feel like I really made eye contact with her, and my heart just melted. Then it melted again when she reached up and grabbed onto my finger while she was nursing. I really don't think I could be any more in love.

One more milestone - she's napping in her crib as we speak. Until this morning, she'd been in the Pack-n-Play 100% of the time for naps and for overnight, but we wanted to try out the crib so that she could be in a totally cat-free area. So far, she's sleeping like a champ. And God bless video monitors or none of this would be possible!

Here are some of the people that Mary Ellen has spent her first week with. She's been surrounded by family and friends the entire time, and she's loving every minute of it!

Me and My Momma
(Go Tigers!)

Snuggling with Daddy

Grandma Janet and Grandpa Dave

Grandma Mary Anne

Uncle Michael (1 of 2 Uncle Mikes) and Aunt Lindsay

She's even cute when she's angry

See for yourself:

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

I just had to share this one. I put a mirror next to Mary Ellen's changing table yesterday, and she was in heaven. Mom and I read that newborns begin to first focus in on objects that are 8-14 inches from them. And judging by her face, she's starting to be able to do just that. I can't believe how much she's changed in just 12 days, and it makes me even more excited to be here with her to watch her grow.

More pictures

Today is a big day for Miss Mary Ellen! She gets to meet her Grandpa Dave (still not sure what names we're going with for the grandparents) and her Uncle Michael (Fleming) and Aunt Lindsay. We can't wait to share here with them!

Here are a few more pics to keep you all satisfied. Enjoy!

Okay - I think she looks like me in this one. Just a little?

Oh, the hands. She loves those hands, whether they're covered in mittens or not. And I've been battling the hands since Day 1. Of course it's fun to see her explore with her hands, but when it comes time to feeding, she's usually more interested in her little fingers than she is getting down to the business of eating. She gets frustrated sometimes because the doggone things seem to fly by so fast (with her flailing arms) that she can't seem to get them into her mouth. But she has lovely hands. Piano playing hands - long fingers and the most beautiful tiny nails. How these tiny little things can be so perfect is beyond me.

Mike had requested a photo with the cats. Here you go, Mike. If you've spent any amount of time in our house, you know that our cats are pretty spoiled. They've handled the transition pretty well. Daisy just pretends that nothing's changed and spends most of her time sleeping on the porch. Mimi, the more personable of the two, is starting to warm up to our new addition. She is still pretty wary of Mary Ellen, but she's getting a little more curious each day. She was doing well at this distance until Mary Ellen started kicking up a storm. Mimi's eyes got huge and she didn't last much longer after that. All in all, we're getting along just fine.

Our first week with Mary Ellen

It's kind of hard for me to write about Mary Ellen without tearing up. I still can't believe that she's here and that she's so perfect. The first week has gone so fast, and we've learned so much about her already. She's pretty easy to please. She is content to be in her crib by herself, but she also loves a good snuggle. She's a ferocious eater (most of the time). And she knows how to fill a diaper.

My day today started with a little darling who woke at 1:00 a.m., then 4:00 a.m., and finally at 7:00. Seriously, she's spoiling us. The feeding is going really well, but there is no way I could be doing this without the support of Brian and my mom. They've been great about staying up with me for those overnight feedings, where my biggest fear is dozing off with Mary Ellen in my arms. But we're getting better at this and if she continues to develop such a reasonable schedule, I will be able to adjust in no time.

My goal is to leave the house today. I've been in a car once since we came home from the hospital, and that was to take Mary Ellen to her first doctor's appointment. I'm fine with being at home, because really, what else would I rather be doing than hanging out with our little family? But then I want to feel like a normal human, too, so Mom and I are going to venture out into the world at some point today. My destination (here comes a shocker): Kohls. I've been Mom to a beautiful little GIRL for a week now and have been unable to buy anything girly for her. I think she really needs a sundress. :)

And now for what you really want from me: pics. Enjoy!

Relaxing with Daddy. Brian was able to stay home with us for this first week. I have loved watching the two of them get to know each other. As expected, he's a great dad.

First doctor's visit. Mary Ellen weighed in at 6 lbs 7.5 oz, so she's back up from 6 lbs 6 oz when we left the hospital. She was really calm throughout the whole exam, and she got a clean bill of health. She also announced her arrival at the doctor's office by taking a giant poo as soon as she got into the waiting room. Thankfully, her diaper managed to contain the mess.

Happiest Grandma in the world. I don't know how we would have made it through this first week without her (and I don't think she would have lasted the week without being here). I hope I can be as good a mom as she is.

A few pics from one of our daily fashion shows. There really aren't too many fashions involved because she's too little for most of her clothes. But look out world - she's been blessed with lots of beautiful girl clothes already, so look for many more photos to come.

Welcome Baby Mary Ellen

She's here. Mary Ellen Fleming arrived at 11:43 p.m. on Thursday, July 15. She weighed 7 pounds exactly and she was 20 inches long. She has 10 fingers, 10 toes, dark blond hair, and some of the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen.

We couldn't be more thankful or feel more blessed. She is absolutely beautiful, and we're loving every minute that we get to spend with her. Here are just a few pics from her first days.

Welcome to the world, baby girl!

Healthy and happy!

What a proud papa! Brian took very good care of our little one while I was in recovery. He got to feed her for the first time.

We're heading home! It's funny how she was swimming in the littlest of the outfits that we brought. Just like her Mom, she has a somewhat smallish head. Could I be any happier?

This was after Mary Ellen's first "bath" last night. We're thrilled to have my mom here. She's been a great big help, and she's as happy as can be to be spending time with her new grandbaby.

So...who does she look like? It's funny how much that changes from minute to minute. In this one, I think she's all Daddy's girl.

Top Ten Reasons Why I Can’t Wait to Meet Baby FlemingReason #1: I can’t wait to hold the baby in my arms and share him or her with the world.

What else can I say? I can't wait to be Mom to our little baby. I can't wait to count fingers and toes. I can't wait for my mom and dad to be grandparents. I can't wait for my sis and brothers to be the coolest aunt and uncles ever (not to mention the awesome (and experienced) aunts, uncles, and grandparents on the Fleming side). Our family has been waiting pretty patiently for this moment, and now that it's just days away, I'm positively brimming with excitement. My next post will hopefully have photos of the soon-to-be-named Baby Fleming.