There are three things in particular that I’m thankful for in this moment.

1. “Dreamfeeds”. I’ve learned to feed Kennedy while laying down in the middle of the night. This is known by veteran moms as a “dream feed” and involves me sleeping while she eats and then dozes off to sleep on her own. I usually wake up 2 hours later when Kennedy wakes up ready to switch sides. The only downside is the 5 pillows it takes to properly support this position makes cuddling up to Chris a bit difficult . Sorry Chris, but it’s worth the extra hours of sleep right now!

2. Naps. Kennedy will occasionally sleep while not moving. If she falls asleep in the stroller, I can often eek out a mile run on the treadmill (she’s still not big enough for the jogging stroller) and a shower, while she sleeps in the stroller! Right now she is actually sleeping in her little cradle and I have the pleasure of typing with 2 hands!

3. Smiles. It’s been about a week and a half since Kennedy started smiling and it is awesome. The smiles are for real, not the “I have gas” or “I’m about to scream my head off” smiles. Her daddy is the most frequent recipient of the beautiful smiles, that almost seem to be accompanied by a giggle sometimes, but mom gets quite a few too! Usually morning time, right after eating is her favorite time to show off those beautiful gums! I’ve always heard that the smiles make the long nights worth it, and I’m going to have to agree! Hers is the prettiest toothless grin I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing!