My baby is a month old already! It still seems like yesterday we were spending a weekend in the hospital bonding as a family. Over the past few weeks I have thought of that weekend a number of times. It still seems unreal to me - the timeline of events from beginning of labor to birth, the emotions we felt and how they constantly changed, the "feeling" of Vienna's birth day and the weekend ... all of that. I think about the day we came home from the hospital and everything was as we left it just two days before: dirty dishes in the sink, our pajamas and a notebook I was using to track contractions opened up on the bed, windows open, the area of the living room floor where I was doing labor positions early Friday morning. It's like we had a moment of time captured to relive; or rather, remember. I suppose the same could be said when you go on vacation for awhile and then come back home to see everything as it was before you left. Time stands still.

The first month of motherhood has been great. Getting used to having a baby around has been an adjustment, but we love it. Although I am more tired than usual, I love caring for my daughter. She is such a sweetheart, and a rather good baby, and I am blessed to have her as a part of my family. And this month, she was added to another family - our church family! We were fortunate enough to have her baptized into the Catholic community a few weeks ago. It's refreshing to know that she has so much love and support around her. We are grateful to be witnesses to this Sacrament and now have even more responsibility as parents to guide her as she grows.

Speaking of growing, Vienna has done a lot of that this month! Just a week and a half after her birth, she had already gained 13oz - she weighed in at over 9lbs! And Asa and I can tell that she has put on more weight since then for she feels heavier these days :) She has also grown in length. She is already getting to be too big for her bassinet (unless she is swaddled)! We might have to transition to a crib sooner than we thought. It has been fun to witness her growth physically and mentally over the past month.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to witness her growth in such close quarters too much anymore. Next week I must return to work so our bonding moments will be saved for evenings and during lunch hour when I plan to come home and feed her. This situation is one that has weighed heavily on my heart since a few months before giving birth, but I must trust that in time God will provide us with the means for me to become a stay-at-home mama. And although I do have to return to work, I shouldn't dwell on it too much because the past month of bonding with my daughter has been wonderful and will be able to continue even once I start working again.

But enough "woe is me" ... life is great! My husband and I are very blessed and fortunate for everything that we have and are. I am looking forward to the changing of the seasons from summer to fall, watching Vienna grow each day, our one year wedding anniversary, our future as a family and the prospect of owning a home to call our own, the everyday goods and bads, growing in my roles as wife, mother, & homemaker, and whatever else comes our way!