Meet Baby Italicana

Let me introduce you to Baby Italicana: ❤ Pepper Gail Lorenzini ❤ .

Forgive me for the delayed announcement…but since she was born it’s hard to do anything but stare at her…regardless if I’m sleep deprived and it’s 3a.m. in the morning. ❤  I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m mesmerized by her rosy cheeks, long eyelashes, tiny ears, slender fingers and heart shaped mouth.

Mr. Italicano and I are so in love. ❤

Baby Details

Due Date: December 14, 2017

Born: December 18, 2017 {full birth story to come}

Born In: Carpi, Italy

Height: 20.5 inches (52 cm)

Weight: 6 lbs 11 oz (3040 g)

First Encounter

It’s hard to believe that almost 2 weeks have passed since I held our baby girl for the first time. We were in a room called Orchid. Outside it was dark and the room was lit by a large floor light with a sheet covering it to create a candlelight ambience. It was almost 6 p.m.  when Pepper arrived. I heard her cries before the OB put her on my chest – skin to skin. I joined her cries as I held her in my arms. After 66 hours since my first contraction, we finally had done it. It was a long, tough, labor but it was worth every second of pain after holding her close to me.  

I think my heart melted in that moment.

I had never imagined a rush of love so quick and fierce as what overcame me with her tiny body pressed against mine.

That love. ❤

I think the amount of love that was flowing through me could rival the strongest ocean wave. Insurmountable and forever to be flowing through my veins.

Dissipating Fears

You know that post I wrote about Fears of Being a Mother?   Well, surprisingly many of my insecurities faded away the instant Pepper was in my arms. It’s not a lie when people say that your maternal instincts will kick in.  It’s true. You go from being insecure to feeling like a pro. You know how to hold your baby to soothe her to sleep and to read her signs to feed her before she starts to cry. You trust your instincts, and they lead you on the right path.

Mr. Italicano and I also have been employing some great tactics of communication to help us work together as a team of three. I read in Janet Lansbury’s book, “Elevating Child Care: A Guide to Respectful Parenting” to treat babies like someone who is physically paralyzed.  Just because that person may not be able to respond to you, they can understand you. Respect them and treat them as a person.  Lansbury recommends to talk to your baby and to explain to him/her what you are going to do before you do it. So, from the moment she was born (and even all during the time she was in my womb), we talked to her.

At the hospital, the nurses nicknamed me as, “the mom who talked to her baby.”  While they would whip through her exams, often in rushed, brisk movements Pepper would start to fuss, and at times even wail (which she never did in the room with me). The first time I watched and didn’t say anything while my heart broke seeing her in distress. The second time and there onward, I stepped in, quietly explaining to Pepper what the nurse was doing. It calmed her, soothed her and kept her from crying. ❤ Although she is little, she can already do big things like listen attentively.

Coming Home

December 21st, 2017

It was a blue bird warm sunny winter day when we brought Pepper home. When we arrived, we put her in her blue stroller all bundled up in a white snowsuit type of coat and Mr. Italicano and I took her for a stroll in the backyard.  

We wanted her to feel the sunshine on her face and the wind on her cheeks, and hear the sounds of the wheels crunching over the grass and leaves.  

Nature.

Life.   

Endless possibilities.

The Best Present Ever

The best Christmas present, and arguably the best present ever, is Pepper. ❤ Christmas this year was more magical with her here: the Christmas tree lights shown more brightly, the songs on the radio were sung more merrily and the food on the table was more delicious. She made everything more vibrant. It was also a special Christmas to have my parents with us (they came over for a month) and Michele’s family close by.

Our families have gotten bigger.

And, we now have a family of our own.   ❤

Hoping you all had a magical Christmas as well, and that your New Years is filled with love, happiness and always some adventure.

Much love,

❤  Italicana, Mr. Italicano & Baby Italicana ❤

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