This week at Anika’s one week check up we learned that our sleepy girl is indeed gaining weight, despite the fact she sleeps away the day and night. She had gained 18 oz. from Friday July 3 to Thursday July 9! I had been fretting before the appointment and my mother and husband were assuring me that Anika was bigger and not to worry that she was not eating often enough. She was having plenty of wet diapers. But I was a worrying mother and was waking her in the night to nurse because having a baby sleeping every day in four hour increments in their first week of life is a whole new thing for me and not something we have experienced before Miss Anika!
Our nurse and pediatrician listened to my motherly concerns, both smiled (with some laughter) and reassured me a baby born two weeks early who gained 18 oz. in less than a week after birth is most definitely thriving. Dr. K’s medical advice was “let her sleep” at night between five-six hours and do not worry. So we all sleep. She does wake up every three to four hours, squeaks or grunts and I feed her. And rarely, very rarely does she cry. 
The above and below photos were taken when Anika was one week old on July 8, 2009. In comparison, I took similar looking pictures of Elissa at five days old on December 14, 2007.
And so we let her sleep…
But not all girls in the house sleep like Anika. Elissa is always busy. This week she has been busy changing her Bitty Baby. She digs through Anika’s diaper bag and pulls out all the necessities.
Yesterday afternoon the pool closed due to rain which brought Hunter home earlier than his usual afternoon routine. He tagged along to the grocery store with my mom (who thankfully is still here with us and today my dad came to visit too) and came home with just a few treats that I normally do not buy…but grandmas do buy. After dinner last night, Hunter pulled out from the freezer a special treat he had bought Miss E. She was overjoyed to have her own personal tub of ice cream with chocolate topping. As you can see, she mowed it down and was not interested in sharing.
Whoo Hoo for sleepy babies! She is just precious! I’ve wanted to call you, but also wanted to give you some time to recoop…hope you are doing well!
What a DOLL!! Love the pics!