Bonus Days

Yesterday was Lulu's official due date. Yet she was already 10 days old! I have been savoring every one of those 10 days, despite the disrupted sleep. This baby is so sweet. She even has a pleasant look on her face when she is relaxed.

Actually, she outright smiles as she is falling asleep. But I know you don't believe me since we all know babies don't begin to smile until 4 weeks. I will get a photo of it and show you, it's just too amazing.

I get bonus days because Lulu is smaller than either of her siblings were at birth. I feel blessed to finally get a newborn sized baby. She even wears newborn size diapers, something new for me. How big were my other babies? Miss Boo weighed in at 9 pounds even, measuring 22 inches. She came home from the hospital wearing size 1 diapers and size 0-3 mos clothing. Within three weeks she had graduated to size 3-6 mos.

Rooster, well, he was practically a toddler when he burst onto the scene. At 11 pounds and 23 inches, he came home from the hospital in size 3-6 months clothing. I got through a single Sam's Club size box of Pampers Swaddlers Size 1-2 (my favorite infant diaper) before growing out of not just the size 1, but size 2 as well. As I first held him in my arms, I just knew he was going to grow way faster than I was ready for him to.

But this baby? We are on our second package of newborn diapers. She gets to wear the newborn size wardrobe lovingly lavished on her by my friends. And perhaps best of all, I can actually carry the carseat with her in it. She's so light!

And so I celebrate these early days as bonus days. I will mark the days she passes 9 pounds, then 11 pounds, and note exactly how many bonus days I have been blessed with. Babies grow so fast, especially my large breed ones.

For now, I am savoring every minute of this little baby doll.