Clara is 1 Month Old

I cannot believe our baby bee is already a month old. Time is truly going by way too fast for me. I really wish it would just slow down a little. {CLARA'S STATS}

• 9 pounds 9 ounces (64%)
• 21.25 inches long (60%)
• Head circumfrance 14.37 inches (38%)

{FEEDING}

I was all about exclusively breastfeeding from the get go. Unfortunately, Clara was unable to latch on. We tried IT ALL for three weeks! She would literally nurse (with a shield) for an hour, THEN we would give her 2 ounces of breastmilk from the bottle. Feedings would take over an hour. We had a lactation consultant come out to the house and I took some natural herbs. I was truly devistated that she was unable to nurse. The good news...I've been able to pump, so she is getting the good stuff AND Daddy is getting to take part in the feedings. As of right now, Clara eats every 2 - 3 hours and is eating 3 ounces of breastmilk. Derek does the feedings in the middle of the night while I pump. So we are both getting up each time, and are both equally exhausted! It is all worth it though. I would love to exclusively pump for a year, which means pumping at work when I go back. Should be interesting!

{SLEEPING}

We had Clara sleeping in her Pack n Play in our room, but just moved her into the Rock n Play two nights ago. She is still in our room and I will keep her in there for a few more months. Since we moved her into the Rock n Play, she seems to be sleeping more soundly. (Not as many grunts coming from that tiny girl!) She still wakes about every three hours. But she really only gets fussy if she needs to be fed, changed, or just needs some loves! Hopefully she will begin to sleep for longer periods of time. That would make her Daddy very happy! (Mom still has to wake up to pump.)

{CLOTHING}

• We JUST moved Clara up from the Newborn Pampers to the size 1. She COULD still wear the newborns, but they were a getting a little snug. The 1s are HUGE on her though. She looks so teeny tiny in them!
• She is still in newborn clothes and 0 - 3 months. A lot of the 0 - 3 months are too big (especially those from Gymboree).

{PERSONALITY}

• Knock on wood...but Clara has never been much of a crier. Like I said...she only fusses when she is hungry, needs to be changed, or just needs some love. She seems to be pretty content for the most part.
• She LOVES to be sung too. I am beginning to see tiny grins here and there. I like to think she is smiling at me...and not doing it by accident. The grins come out when we sing to her or are talking to her. She plays with her tongue and sticks it out at us. (I think she wants to sing along!) She also has begun to kick her legs and wave her arms when I sing to her. It is the most precious thing in the world!
• Bath time makes her happy! She is so alert and loves when we scrub her little head with the brush. We have lots of video of bath time!
• She does NOT like to be messed with when she is sleeping (unless we pick her up to cuddle of course). If we change her while she is sleeping, she will let us have it! She wiggles and squirms all over the place.
• She loves her car seat. Okay, she does NOT love when we put her in there. I am still so nervous I'm going to hurt her when I put her in. But once she's settled, she falls right asleep. Although we haven't taken many short roadtrips, each time she rides in the car, she's out like a light.
• She enjoys tummy time. We only do it for a few minutes each day, but she seems to like it.
• She loves lying on her tummy on Daddy. She looks so teeny curled up on him. It makes me so happy seeing him love on her.

It is going to be such fun watching her learn and grow each month. I cannot get over the joy I feel from our precious angel. God has blessed us beyond belief!

Clara Elizabeth Beeman is here!

Five weeks later and I am just now getting to this! Clara's story will begin with a 35 week pregnant mommy. I had found out at our 3D ultrasound (at 30 weeks) that Clara was breech. The ultrasound technician did not make a big deal about it and said there was still plenty of time for her to flip. I went in at 35 weeks for an ultrasound, where we found out that Clara was still breech. Dr. Levin told us that if she was still breech at 37 weeks, a c-section would be scheduled. I'm not going to lie...I was a little dissappointed. However, the most important thing was getting our baby girl here safe and sound. So 37 weeks rolls around, and guess what? Our stubborn girl was STILL breech...and looking pretty comfy in there. So the c-section was scheduled for July 13th at 12:30PM (38 weeks and 4 days pregnant.) We were BEYOND excited by that point! It finally felt very, VERY real. Derek and I left for the hospital around 9:30 that Wednesday morning. I was extremely emotional...having feelings of excitement, joy, fear. I knew this was the most important thing I was ever going to do...become a mommy. My mom, dad and sister followed us to the hospital. Everyone arrived in their pink!

Aunt Linda, Uncle Jarvis, Grandmother, Gramps, Papa and Sarah came to the hospital too! My mom and Derek all ready to go in their scrubs. HERE WE GO!!!! I don't think we've ever been so excited (or nervous) in our lives! We were truly beside ourselves! 1:37PM, Clara Elizabeth Beeman arrives into the world! She was 7 pounds 8 ounces and 20 inches long. When Dr. Levin pulled her out, Clara let out the biggest squeal! She was so bright eyed right away...truly the most perfect little thing I'd ever seen. No one can prepare you for the feelings you will get the moment you see your child for the first time. There were lots of tears...the happiest tears I've ever shed. It killed me I wasn't able to get my hands on her right away. (I had to wait 3 hours...which felt like a lifetime!)

Derek got to walk Clara out from the OR where her fan club was anxiously waiting. I loved that he got to do that.

Our first picture as a family of three!