One month ago

Okay, so its been four weeks and two days since the biggest day of our lives.  Here's all the details just in case there's someone out there who hasn't heard.  Our beautiful daughter, Zoe Ryan was born at Scripps Memorial La Jolla on Thursday, March 3rd by C-section at 8:01am.  She weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 18 3/4 inches long.  Here she is.

Zoe, mom and dad all spent four days and nights in the hospital bonding and learning as much as we could about feeding and swaddling and changing diapers.  Oh - and mom did a bit of recovering as well.  All and all, not such a bad surgery or recovery.  Our hospital room (a great corner room thanks to a hook up from our dear friend Beth) was beautiful, filled with flowers and goodies that many friends had sent or brought during much appreciated visits.  We were very fortunate to have family in town to visit us in the hospital, and to cook meals and relieve us from cuddling duty so we could get a couple of hours of sleep.  Thanks to uncle Greg as well for making Benny and Bear feel special during our time away from the abode.  Since we've been home, friends and family members have continued to show so much love and support in so many ways.  We feel lucky and abundantly loved and cannot thank everyone enough. 

Over the past month, we have been figuring out all of the ins and outs of being mom and dad.  Since Zoe was born three weeks early she still loves to be swaddled, especially in her fleece swaddle sack.  Every day it seems she likes something new - one day its the swing, the next - the moby wrap.  Daddy likes to make sure she is doing her share of tummy time which she is getting used to.  Oh - and she loves to get bathed.  She especially loves having warm water run over her head and her flowing hair (mullet).  She doesn't mind the harsh barks of the dogs, or their kisses for that matter.  Benny and Bear are already super protective of our new family member.  They run to her side whenever she makes a peep.
Here are some more of our favorite pictures from Zoe's first month.