Iris is 1 month old!

I can't believe it but Iris is already 5 weeks!! We have definitely been in a baby bubble (as Alisa likes to call it!)And it looks like I last posted on Oct. 9. Time really is flying.

I am back to work full time and things are a little crazy. We are lighting San Francisco "Giants Orange" for the World Series and parties keep popping up for that. With my schedule it is hard to find consistency. Although it is challenging and I hate leaving Iris there are some good moments. This weekend I worked at Bridge School Benefit and got to see some cool acts that I normally wouldn't see. And extra bonus one of my long time friends is the Lighting Designer for Pearl Jam and we got to hang out.She is a working mama and had lots of great stories to share as did I , as a working Papa!

Fortunately Alisa is off through the end of the year and is able to flow with Iris's schedule.
Iris has had a busy few weeks. We took her to the Pumpkin Patch for the 1st time. She slept the whole time but we got some good pictures and a pumpkin that SHE picked out:) Since I married a "fall baby" this was a BIG deal and long awaited experience! We went out to lunch and took her with us. It was blessedly uneventful.
Another outing has been to church. We braved it there when she was just about 4 weeks and what a beautiful welcome she received from so many! We FINALLY got to go and join the many other families of our amazing village! A GREAT blessing! Alisa has been going with her there more now as she & Iris are choreographing a dance to be performed by our dear friend Vanessa for the Nov. 7th baptism.

Iris still has no consistent schedule and that is challenging at night. Some nights she will nurse, burp, and go down easy. Other nights it is a long process of trying different things to soothe her usually ending in another nursing session. We are constantly being assured that it is normal but it is still hard.  A lot harder than anyone tells you :) Alisa is however finding some rhythm to how Iris moves through her days  nights. A highlight was in this 5th week of her life, I got to feed her her first bottle of breastmilk! We were a little nervous about this and sort of just improvised ! She was into it and wanted more but we are starting out slow since it is not necessary yet since Alisa is with here all the time. It was refreshing for Alisa to be able to go elsewhere in the house (at least 20 feet away... so we read!) and do something else while I feed her.  She is growing!! She had her 1 month visit to the pediatrician and weighed in at 7 lbs 6 ou 21 1/4 inches in length! Woo hoo! Premmie clothes are getting snuggie and some newborn sizes FINALLY fitting! Alisa is loving dressing her in her cute hipster baby swag everyday!

We are looking forward to Iris's 1st Halloween where she will debut as what else other than an iris!!! Gramma/pa Holden arrive tomorrow eve on the train from Texas!! Looking forward to their stay with us for the week and then the arrival of lots of family & friends to celebrate her Baptism on Nov 7th, All Saints Sunday!