One Month

At One Month,
9 lbs 2 oz
21 1/4 inches

Aria gives big smiles
Starting to coo and agggg
Holds her head up while in sitting position
Likes to be in the swing
Likes to be warm
Does not often take a pacifier
Sleeps in her crib at night in her room

She eats between 2.5 and 4 oz of formula at each feeding (which is anywhere from every 3-4 hours). At night she can sleep up to 5 1/2 hours straight, though usually it's 4 hours. 

She likes to have her cheeks stroked but hates it when you touch or play with her ears.
She enjoys the bath and never cries during it or after, even if she's getting cold.

Smiles!

More Smiles

Heads up

Siblings

Aria and Luc are in love with each other.
Aria often looks around for Luc. When he's next to her and then walks away, she looks for him. When he sings to her when she's crying, she settles down.
Luc loves to hold Aria (though after a few minutes he says she's too heavy). He gives her tons of kisses and bear hugs. Whenever he's getting changed, Aria has to lay next to him so he can hold her hand. At bedtime, he'll hold her hand as he gets his pjs on and when he's done he gives her a hug and kiss and tells her, "Sorry, Aria. I have to go to bed now."
His new favorite thing to do is tummy time with Aria. He'll lay on the mat with her, show her toys and how they work, play her music, and lay on his tummy when she goes on hers.
He's constantly telling her, "You're so Cute!" And keeps calling her "my girl". He'll often say, I love having a baby sister.
In the first few weeks, every time she cried, he wanted to know what was wrong and if she was okay. He's become protective of her already, telling Grandma that she can put herself to sleep when she fusses after being put down. He will run over toward the bassinet and cut Grandma off so she doesn't disturb Aria.

Watching tv during tummy time and holding hands

Valentine's Day

Capricorn

Aria was born December 29th which makes her a Capricorn.

Capricorns are known for: Determination, Dominance, Perservering, Practical, Disciplined, Willful

Strengths:
responsible
patient
ambitious
resourceful
loyal

Weakness:

stubborn
possessive
inhibited
conceited
demanding
suspicious
pessimistic


Capricorns are very independent because they know their capabilities and therefore they rarely trust others to finish details, they like to do it all themselves.
The Capricorn is the strong friend, they will always be there to help, they are very sympathetic, caring and helpful to a friend in need.

Capricorns might seem melancholy and stern because they live by self-discipline and responsibility. They evaluate everything and they don't take daring chances without weighing the advantages and disadvantages first. To the onlooker, they might seem boring but it is the serious drive and structured way of life that the Capricorn feels safe with.
Capricorns are very ambitious people, they always have something they are pursuing and they want their lives to be fulfilled and important. Capricorns most important need is security, financial and material security.
Deep inside the Goat is a humble heart. They are soft, and their hard outer shells are meant to guard themselves against the hurt caused by rejection.

Aria's Name

Aria Marine Jacqueline Hairson

Aria as a female given name, Aria (לביאה) means 'lioness' in Hebrew (it's derived from Ariel, meaning "lion of God,"), or 'air' in Italian. It also refers to "aria", a self-contained piece for one voice usually, most commonly found in the context of opera.
  
Aria's middle names are namesakes:
 
Marine, Frederic's cousin who lives in Belgium. She is Aria's Godmother. 

Jacqueline, named after Marie's beloved grandmother who passed away in June when Marie was 13 weeks pregnant with Aria. Marie's cousin, Matthew, is the Godfather. Since there is no feminine version of the name Matthew, we decided to use our grandmother's name.

Aria Marine Jacqueline Hairson

Aria Marine Jacqueline Hairson

December 29, 2014
10:28 pm

7 lbs 9oz
20 inches

Howard County General Hospital
Columbia, Maryland

Preface

Dear Aria,

I created this blog for Us to remember the details of your first year. Time passes so quickly, we didn't want to forget all the little events. We also created this blog for You. -For you to learn about yourself and the things you will not remember.

Not having more than a few pages of my baby book filled out, I often wonder what I did and what my personality was like as a baby. I thought it might reflect who I am today, how I turned out, but also give me some advice on how to raise my own kids- since I think I came out pretty darned good! But I did not have that resource, and those memories are now gone from everyone's mind.

I also created this blog as an outlet for me. It was a way to vent, to put something into writing hoping it would give me some insight. It was a way to work out problems on my own. It was a way for me to remember the first years of being a Mom, how I tread the waters during that journey, and what I discovered and learned from you along the way.

Though there might be some frustration carried over in my writing, never think that you were a bad or difficult baby. You were pretty good and content overall. We all have our moments and bad days. You did too. You're just as human as we are, even as a babe.

Most of all you've brought lots of smiles and laughter into your lives. You've filled our lives with a lot of joy and spirit. We got to see life through the eyes of a baby again and rediscover all the exciting things of childhood that we've left to dust in the back of our adult minds.


You are a wonderful gift from God to us.


Love,
Mommy

Christmas Prep

Once again, Luc loves decorating for Christmas. He helped Frederic and I put up the lights outside the house. He was really excited to decorate the Christmas tree and insisted on putting ornaments on himself- they all ended up on the same 2 branches. When we were finished, he sat on the couch and pouted. When we asked what was wrong, he said he didn't want the tree to be finished decorated. We told him he can help decorate Grandma and Papa's tree in 2 weeks. That seemed to appease him.

 It is officially Luc's "job" to turn the Christmas tree on every night. And keeping with tradition this year, Luc got to put the star on top of the tree.

Grandma has taken out little things for decorating around the house, and these have occupied much of Luc's time- creating games, playing music, etc. Grandma even taught Luc Jingle Bells.

Luc's Christmas list this year: a Scooter.

I finally got Aria's Christmas Stocking completed the other night. Just took me about 3 months, but it was a lot of beading and stitching. Now mine looks old and out of place with everyone else's socks done in the last few years. Ah well. Mine's "vintage".