One Month Old!

Today Brooke is officially one month old, well, one "lunar month". She is four weeks old and will actually be one "calendar month" old on Saturday. Since development for children is generally in weeks, thats how I'm looking at it. So yes, she is one month in my book! Its funny how it seems she is so much bigger and "older", no longer a newborn ... yet obviously she is still so young and has so much more to grow.

In order to chronicle this special day we decided to take a picture with her stuffed dog. Our friend Patrick gave Brooke this dog when she was born, and Jeff and I remarked about how much bigger than her it was. She was a lot smaller when she was born, but at one month old the dog is still bigger than her. I thought a picture of them together would be something she would appreciate seeing when she gets older, and we can tell her that her favorite stuffed animal used to be bigger than her ;)
Brooke @ 4 Weeks
Some amazing things happen with a baby during the first four weeks of life. For example, now at 1 month Brooke:

• Has different cries to communicate different needs: short and low-pitched when hungry; intermittent fussiness and whimpering when bored; and continuous and whiny when uncomfortable or overtired. (Jeff and I still havent figured these out, but they supposedly exist!)
• Has improved concentration and focusing skills, using her eyes to take in her surroundings in a much more sophisticated way. Complex shapes are more engaging than simple ones (zigzags vs circles). She also should be able to track things as they move. What to Expect suggests waving a scarf, soft toy, or a spinning mobile slowly around her head to watch as her eyes follow every movement.
• Is now capable of deep sleep (or non-REM sleep) during which the growth hormone somatotropin is released, so she actually does grow while sleeping!
• Spends more time in lighter REM sleep, when dreams occur. It may be possible to notice body twitching, eyelids fluttering, and increases in breathing increases when she is dreaming.

As parents we learn something new each day too - for example we have recently learned the benefits of the vibrate option on her swing and pack-and-play. Seems so simple, but by flipping a button and having her jiggled around we can now find a few minutes (and I do mean only minutes, but they are precious minutes) of quiet!

To celebrate the big day I think Brooke and I are going to go to Crate & Barrel. She has never been there before and I'm quite sure she will love it.