How is your newborn baby doing?

She was a little sick and fussy the past three weeks due to colic, but her doctor put her on a special hypoallergenic formula that worked wonders for her. Right now she is doing great and growing really fast. She is starting to smile and interact with people, which is really cute.

How did you come up with baby Nina’s name?

Being originally from Brazel and living in the U.S. for the past five years, we wanted a name that sounds and spells the same in both counties. Plus, we liked short, simple, and easy-to-pronounce names. “Nina” came across as a perfect name for her. It fits her pretty well, and we find it sweet. We also chose the middle name “Beatrice” for her mainly because of its meaning. The year 2020 was a pretty rough one for us — and for the world, with the pandemic. The meaning of the name is “She who brings happiness,” and that is exactly true; she has brought us so much joy in our lives.

Anything about parenting a newborn baby that surprises you?

The amount of noise newborn babies make while they are asleep.

Favorite thing about being a new mom?

My daughter’s smell, smile, and coos. The unconditional love that grows in you.

What’s the hardest part about being a mom to a newborn?

Having to deal with other people telling you what to do, giving unsolicited advice, and judging the way you do things with your baby.

Has baby met the relatives yet or gone on any trips?

She’s only met her two grandmas, who traveled from Brazil to meet her. She has not gone on any trips yet.

What’s the most useful newborn baby product you have?

I bought a lot of useful stuff, so choosing just one is really hard, but I think the two most useful products I bought were the Halo bassinet and the Fisher-Price swing.

What baby product did you buy but you don’t really use?

I bought the Nose Frida, but haven’t used it yet. I anticipate I may use it if the baby catches a cold.

What pregnancy and parenting books did you read?

The Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy from the Mayo Clinic. Also, as a first-time mom, I watched a ton of videos on YouTube about baby care.

If you could tell an “about to be a first-time mom” anything, what would it be?

I would tell them to enjoy every minute with their little baby and have lots of patience. Also, remember that the difficult days and sleepless nights shall pass, the love for our children will last forever.

Help baby Nina win a wall portrait from her newborn portrait session.

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