Just an update...

We wanted to give everyone just a little update as to what we have been up to.

Nick and I never knew just how time consuming being a parent is. Our days and nights revolve around feeding, diapers and burping. We LOVE IT!!!

Our little Sofie is growing up and filling in wonderfully. She has started to laugh and make giggle noises (coos and ahhs). She smiles when we make funny baby noises and when she sees her mommy and daddy. Another funny thing, she's found her hands. It's so cute, she stares and just looks at her hand with amazement.

Next week, Mothers Day we will be driving out to California to baptize Sofia. The same Priest who gave both Nick and I our first communion, confirmation and married us will be baptizing our little Sofie. Having Father Tom Glynn do this really means a lot to me because he also gave Mama Chana her last rites. For me it's some sort of connection....I miss her so very much!

Over the many years Nick and I have been together we have truly felt God present in our lives. We have been blessed in so many ways with our friends, family and now with Sofia. We picked Alicia and Vincent Castro to be her God Parents. We know that they will be wonderful. They have both played such a major part in her life thus far.

The Baptism will the held at

Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church
Long Beach Ca.
May 11, 2008 @ 2:00

We will post tons of pictures in our next update. Stay posted.


Much love,

The Allens

Almost a month old!

For those of you who read this we just wanted to give an update as to how we're doing and how our baby girl is doing.

Since coming home from the hospital Sofie has been a PERFECT baby. All through my pregnancy I prayed for a baby with her demeanor. She is calm, relaxed and not "fussy" at all.

The first three weeks all she did was sleep & eat! The only problem we have experienced so far is constipation. Since I was not able to breastfeed we put Sofia on formula a few days after she was born. I learned that formula is a bit harsher to digest than breast milk and so a majority of formula fed infants do experience constipation for the first few weeks.

Feeding her is no problem...burping her is a breeze but trying to get her to "go" thats another story! We feel so helpless when we see her strain and try to "go". We have tried all the remedies...Karo syrup, rubbing her stomach, stretching her legs and even Mama Chana's home remedy of chamomile tea. We've had some success but Sofie still does not go as many times as we would like. I never thought I would say this but, all I want to do is change poopy diapers! Although, when she does go, SHE REALLY GOES! It's such a relief when Nick and I can tell each other at changing time- "we have poop"!

This has been one of my obstacles as a new mommy. We've Googled remedies, causes, and everything we could ever want to know about baby constipation! It's just one of those things that Sofia has.

So far I've learned to be patient. And to do what I think is right and listen to the advice of others but ultimately do what I think is right for our baby girl.

Other than that, Sofia is really starting to fill out. She has put on more and more weight. At our last doctors appointment she was 9 pounds 6 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long. Her hair is growing in nicely and all the newborn clothes in her closet are becoming more and more snug. We started to but her into the 0-3 month category. Carrying her around in her car seat is no longer a "light as a feather".

Her features are starting to resemble Nick and I more and more. She is slowly growing out of that "newborn look". She is really starting to move her head a lot more and is awake longer periods of time.

Although she still finds time to get in her beauty rest!

So far being a mommy has been such an amazing experience.