Happy 1 Month Camilla!

Can you believe that sweet baby Camilla is already 1 month old? I'm freaking out at how quickly the second baby seems to grow up - this is not okay with the mommy. Sigh, if I could freeze time, I would. Probably a long time ago, somewhere in college, because that was a pretty rockin' good time, but watching my two girls grow like weeds no doubt scares the hell out of me - I want them to stay the sweet babies they are! However, even I have to remember in the words of Robert Browning (& probably my favorite quote ever):

"The best is yet to be..."

waking up !

look at those blue-gray eyes!

love her little smile...

So, with that said it's time to update on Camilla! Here's how she stacked up from the get-go:

• Birth: 5lbs 7oz / 19.5" long
• Leaving Hospital: 5lbs 1/2oz
• 1 week weight check: 5lbs 90z
• 2 week check up: 5lbs 14oz
• 1 month check up: 6lbs 10z! / 20 3/4" long

I am so proud of Camilla's progress....now, she is still very tiny (like a doll), but she is growing great according to the pediatrician. She is our tall & skinny girl for sure! What's humorous is that at 1 month old, Camilla weighs pretty much as Sophia did at birth (6lbs 90z)! Both were born 19.5" long, but Sophia was 1lb 20z heavier...and even at 6lbs 9oz, she was considered tiny! Sophia no doubt grew up healthy and strong, so we know Camilla will too.

Camilla is such a good little eater...I nursed her for about 3wks (whew!) and now she is strictly on formula. Just like Sophia, she was able to go from breast to bottle with no trouble...and takes pacifiers just fine. I always think of those poor mothers who cannot get their babies to switch to a bottle or formula after nursing them. Thank GOD my girls gave me no trouble. Camilla is happy to eat every 3-4hrs and drinks in a hefty (haha) 2.5oz per feeding. She's hilarious as sometimes she'll go into what I call a "milk coma" afterwards! Her eyes just slam shut and she is out cold...sometimes complete with baby snoring. Priceless!

Proud big sister feeding Camilla

She's busy moving her body around and discovering her hands, fingers, and legs. My favorite is that she is becoming more alert and knows my voice no matter where I am in the room. Just yesterday, my mom had just returned from out of town and was holding Camilla to get in some missed snuggles. She started to fuss and we thought it was because she was tired. Mom (Nana) handed her off to me and I started to just talk to her and immediately, Camilla calmed and was content. Gotta love that as a mommy! My very favorite is that she is learning to find her voice - she has the sweetest coo's and squeaks. We spend time everyday "talking" to each other and it's fun to watch her expressions as we go. She continues to be such a calm and easy baby. For the most part, she's sleeping some great stretches at night (11pm to 5am or 6am). Sometimes she will wake up for a little mid-night snack...can't blame her. So does her Daddy. Except he's messier. And I still have to clean up after the both of them. Ha.

Sophia continues to love & dote on Camilla...always wanting to kiss/hug her first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. She adores reading stories to her before naptime and bedtime, or just sitting with her to keep her company. It has been so fun for me to watch this sweet and pure relationship blossom between the two. What's wonderful as a mom is that you are blessed with a child to love and nurture....and now I have two. I questioned whether or not I was going to be capable of loving Camilla, a second child, as much as I did Sophia, my firstborn. It really is amazing at how much love our hearts are truly capable of holding or projecting. What's even better, is watching your first child overflow with love towards your second. Well, I'll enjoy it until the day they fight over toys, clothes or boys. Until then, it's pure love!

And furthermore, "the best is yet to be"!

Sweet sisters snuggling!

Sophia loves reading to Camilla in the morning

Telling secrets already?

Camilla is growing so fast, she won't fit much longer!

Sigma Kappa Legacies!

The one thing I've ever wanted more than anything else in the world was my own sister. Someone who I could dress up with, giggle & share secrets with and fall asleep talking about boys with. Lo & behold I only ever got an older brother...who never seemed up for those types of things. Especially with his baby sister. Can't quite blame him...I quickly decided that I'd do just about anything to be able to be accepted by him, so I'd try to play cars and boy stuff with him if he let me. Apparently my 'gun' sounds were never quite right. Nor could I drive correctly on the imaginary town roads that were in his mind....to me, it was a wide open floor, so I could drive wherever I wanted! Don't get me wrong, brothers are great and I'm SO glad I've got one. He really is the best. However, I would've been completely fine with being the middle child if my parents had had another baby and it have been a girl. Well, I would've been pretty screwed if it had been another boy. HA!

Once I got to college, I decided to do the sorority rush thing....I was completely uneducated about the whole system and experience. I was a true 'yankee' outsider....all of my fellow southern belle classmates had been groomed by generations of sorority women in their lives and would no doubt go to the most coveted sororities. Me? I didn't even know the greek alphabet, let alone serve as a legacy to any sorority. At one point before rush, after scouring for letters of rec, I almost decided not to go through with it. What if I was rejected by all of them? What if no one liked me? I was extremely used to being the 'new girl' all the time from moving around in the military, so that portion didn't scare me. All I had to do was make a few friends and hope to blend in a bit. Sorority rush was much different....huge groups of girls would be there critiquing my every word and move. I was terrified. However, I went forward with it and I'm so glad I did!

During the week I realized how much fun I was having...and how much in common I had with so many of the other girls! Some were like me in that they moved alot growing up, or came to Auburn from waaayyy out of state (I was hailing from Washington DC at the time since my Dad was stationed at the Pentagon). Some were just searching for a group to belong to. Some were even searching for what I was - sisterhood.

I eventually narrowed it down to my top two choices: Alpha Gam and Sigma Kappa. Luckily, I found out later that both were fighting to get (gasp!) ME! I prayed and prayed over which one did I most feel at home with...and in hindsight, had I chosen the other, I no doubt would've been just as happy as I am now. They were both that great. I ended up pledging Sigma Kappa for many reasons...one big reason was one girl who was truly like a big sister to me that week...Patti McClanahan. Patti is now married and lives elsewhere, but she made me feel so welcome. I adored her from day one. On pledge day, she hugged me tighter than even my mom hugged me...she was so excited I was there. I was elated. I had finally gotten my wish of a sister...and morever, I had gotten a whole lot more than one...I had a whole chapter full of them!

Over my four years at school at Auburn, I have the most wonderful memories of date nights, swaps and formals with Sigma Kappa. Giggling during formal chapter meetings, going to pep rallies and more...it was a dream come true. Since graduation, I've stayed in touch with many of them...sharing in celebrations large and small. Luckily for me, now I have two daughters of my own that not only have each other as blood sisters, but are also Sigma Kappa legacies...something I'm so proud of.

Recently, after having had Camilla, one of my SK sisters, Jessica, stopped by to shower Camilla with gifts (and lots of them!)...and it even included "Future Sigma Kappa" shirts for both Camilla and Sophia! Even if neither of my girls pledges Sigma Kappa, I'll still be proud of their legacies. It was a brief visit, but I loved that Jessica took the time out of her very busy schedule to visit!

Jessica, Camilla & Julie (rocking the au naturel look)

Sophia & Camilla's Sigma Kappa gear!

Next up, one of my best friends (& old roommate) from Sigma Kappa, Nancy, came down to visit and meet Camilla. Nancy and I were nearly inseparable in college and found ourselves in all sorts of pickles: from classwork, to dates, to everything in between. Nancy and her mom brought lunch to my house and we had fun catching up. Sophia loved Nancy and called her "Fancy" instead (which if you know her, that's pretty fitting - ha!)...then Nancy got to meet Camilla too! It was a huge treat to see Nancy & her mom...better yet, it was a huge treat to get to introduce my girls to my own sisters. I can't wait to introduce them to many more in the days, months & years to come!

Julie, Camilla, Nancy & Sophia