6 weeks!

I am so late on this post!! Last week was really insane... David cut his hand while washing dishes Sunday night which meant he spent 7 hours on Monday and 3 hours on Friday in the ER. He is fine, but he needed 4 stitches and since we didn't go in right after the accident happened it complicated things and only made them harder. I know I always talk about how hard it is not having 2 available hands, and last week my husband didn't have two hands either! So on top of nursing, playing, pumping, doing school and doing laundry last week I had to add all of the diaper duty and all of the dishes to my to-do list.  Whew... and this week will be similar since his stitches stay in until Friday.

But, I have a few free minutes now before I need to go to bed to do Lydia Grace's 6 week update!

Her stats: We took her into the pediatrician on Friday to get her Thyroid tested one more time (her levels were a little bit abnormal in her newborn screen, but have looked good since). She weighed in at 8 lbs. 10 oz. and the doctor said that everything looked great! She is definitely continuing to grow and is very much in 0-3 month clothes at this point. David and I find ourselves saying, "She is so big!!" when obviously she is still very tiny :)

Eating: She continues to eat great and to take bottles when I am not home like a pro. She has dropped a feeding, so on average she eats 4 times during the day and then once at night. Nursing is becoming so much more pleasant for both of us and it is definitely a time that I look forward to. In the past week she has become so much more awake and it is obvious when she is ready to eat. She smacks her lips and holds really still while I get ready and it is just so amazing that she already is able to anticipate things!

She is still eating for long periods of time, which is normal since she doesn't eat all that often. I am trying to get her to be a little bit more efficient, but at the same time I don't want to stop her from eating. I have to say that when I see her chubby cheeks and little arm rolls I am pretty proud of what my body continues to support.

Sleeping: Her sleeping habits are a little bit random at this point. She has good days when she will take at least one of her naps in her pack and play or on the couch without being held, and then she has others when she wakes up as soon as you lay her down. Similarly, she has nights when she fights sleep hard... like for 2 hours. And then other nights it isn't so bad.

I have been starting to read a book about sleep habits and so far I don't really know what to think. Ideally I would like Lydia to be able to put herself to sleep but I just don't know if I will ever be able to do the "cry it out" method. I know it would be awesome for her to have that habit, but I just don't think I am strong enough. Also, books usually aren't clear on when to start any kind of sleep training. I still think that she is really young, and that we probably won't try to implement anything consistently until she is 12-ish weeks. For now we try to have some kind of bedtime routine and we have accepted that her "long period of sleep" which usually lasts about 6-7 hours is going to start at around 7 or 8. We don't get as much sleep this way, but if she stays up too late she definitely gets grumpy!

Any advice on sleeping for a 6 week old? Is it just too early to try some of these sleep methods?

For now, we will just treat her like a newborn still (because she still is one!) and we will let her sleep when and how she wants to sleep. On the days when she just cries to be held I remind myself that in a few months she won't be as cuddly or as needy, instead she will be crawling all over the place! There are obviously pros and cons to both, but I just need to cherish the great things about this time which will go by so quickly.

What she loves: She is still loving her momma! I usually have the best luck with calming her down when she is upset. Again, this is a ton of responsibility but is pretty awesome.

She also loves her Nana (my mom). My mom comes down every Thursday to watch Lydia and our little one responds so well to her. She is always alert and happy and on her best behavior for her Nana.

Lydia Grace loves human faces and her fish rattle also. She is really starting to be able to see and focus, and she follows the rattle all around. It is so, so incredible to watch her develop and grow! We have gotten some really good smiles out of her lately and I can't even describe what my heart feels when she coos and smiles at me. It is the best thing ever.

One last random love of Lydia's are the sconces on the wall in our living room. If she starts to get fussy, we take her over to where she can see them and she immediately calms down and stares at them in wonder. Hilarious.

What she hates: Her carseat, at least for the first 10 minutes, and sometimes the entire car ride. This is very stressful.

She still isn't a fan of diaper changes, but if you catch her at a good time she doesn't yell too much. However, she HATES getting out of the bath and getting lotion put on her. She just screams. But she really likes the bath itself, so this makes it hard to decide whether a bath should be a part of her current bedtime routine.

Cute things: Her smiles and sneezes. We have gotten to hear her adorable little voice a few times which has just been awesome! Also, at night she sometimes falls asleep while eating and this is very cute and sweet for me.

Postpartum Me: I go to the doctor on Thursday for my official Postpartum check up and I am expecting that all will go well. My biggest question for the doctor will be about exercising. I have been walking a lot recently (since it has been like 60 degrees!) but I would really like to add back in strength training and abs. I feel great, but I want to check with the doc before I start.

I definitely feel almost back to normal these days. I have very little pain left over from delivery and my energy level has returned to normal. Also, my appetite has leveled out a little bit so that at this point I am eating about as much as I did before I was pregnant (I eat a little bit larger portions at dinner time, but the rest of the day is about normal). However, I only eat these "normal" portions because I stop myself when I am no longer hungry. I don't know if I would every really feel full... it is crazy to be able to eat so much again! I am back into some of my pre-pregnancy pants and most shirts fit fine, although the definitely fit differently.

My goal for myself is to be able to get back into good cardiovascular shape in the next month, and to get my strength back over the next two months. Then hopefully my summer I will feel comfortable in a bathing suit again! But if not, that is fine too. As long as I continue to feel great I will be happy.

Heaven-sent baby items:

1) I can't believe I didn't mention the Boppy pillow last time. It is a MUST HAVE for any mommy in my opinion. It is basically a perfectly designed pillow to use to help you hold (or nurse) a baby. Without it I think that my arms and neck would constantly be hurting! Also, it is a perfect place to set a newborn baby to look around while awake, or to take little naps in. (Note: You should get the "naked" pillow and then but machine washable covers for it because you will need to wash the outside a bunch).

2) In addition to the soft sling that I shared with you last week, I would highly recommend a more structured sling, like this one.

This one is the Infantino brand and wasn't very expensive at all. It is working great so far for Lydia to face inward when we go on walks outside, or she can face out and look around while I do chores around the house. I can do almost anything with her strapped to me like this and it provides great support. I like the Infantino one versus the Baby Bjorns because eventually it can also be used to carry her on my back which is cool.

3) So this is more of a mommy item than a baby item, but if you are a breast-feeding mom who needs to return to work or school a good, electric double breast pump is a MUST. They are expensive, but if you go online rather than just Babies R Us or Target there are more options. I have an Ameda Purely Yours pump and I really love it. I have to pump twice a day to have enough for one bottle, so I really can't imagine not having a nice pump since I use it so often. Ultimately pumping is annoying and boring, but if you have a good one you can waste as little time as possible!


Words from Daddy: It has been great already to see her grow and change. I didn't expect to see these so soon and it is neat that every day I learn more and more about her. It is cool that this is a process that will last the rest of our lives.

Well now I should really go to bed!! Lydia has been asleep for a bit, so here is to hoping she will stay that way for at least a few hours.

Buenas noches.

Seven Snapshots Sunday

It is Sunday again already!! I need to post a 6 week update but I currently only have one free hand, so posting pictures is much easier. Our week was really insane, but we got through it and we are geared up and somewhat ready to start another one...

We caught some smiles this week!

 Notice her adorable pink gDiaper! We started cloth diapers this past week and it went great.

 This one is a picture of our sweet girl napping. She always clasps her hands together :)

 Hello bright eyes!

 Haha... she looks silly in this one!

 Melt. my. heart.

 Silly smile!

Here is my pink bear after we took a walk together outside.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Seven Snapshots Sunday

Yay! I actually posted this on Sunday. I think I am getting the hang of my life as a mommy, grad student and teacher. At least today I feel like I have the hang of it :)

 #1: One month old! And officially wearing 0-3 month sleepers.

 #2: Meeting one of her many great-grandmothers. This is David's dad's mom, Mawmaw Mary.

 #3: This was taken on during Lydia's first (of many, I am sure) sleepovers at David's dad's house. We went up for a weekend and she was wonderful as usual! We stay in their finished basement which is pretty much like a 3 bedroom apartment when we go up, and since it was cold we had a space heater in the room. The heater made things nice and cozy so when we changed Lydia in the morning she actually liked being naked. I took the opportunity to get shots of her adorable belly and arm rolls!

 #4: She melts my heart with those cheeks and leopard print onesie.

 #5: Sleeping on mommy :)

 #6: She looks like her daddy in this one.

#7: Starting to find her hands!!

Hoped you enjoyed our beautiful baby girl. Have a good rest of your Sunday!

A Day in our Life

A lot of people have been asking me lately how all of this is working out for David and I. You know, with having a newborn, both being in school full time and me teaching. So, I thought that I would outline for you a normal day in our life.

Mondays and Wednesdays: We get up around 6:30 so that we can each get ready, get Lydia fed and head out the door at 8:30. I go to class at 9 while David hangs out in the lobby of the law building with Lydia. She usually sleeps the whole time and he can get some reading finished. My class ends at 9:50 and I walk quickly across campus to meet David at the law building so that he can hand off our little girl and make it to his class that starts at 10.

I lug the infant car seat across campus (in the cold!) to the car and Lydia and I come home to enjoy the afternoon together. I feed and change her, and usually she takes a nap in the front-carrier sling while I do dishes and laundry. I also have to find a time to pump which can be very difficult when baby girl doesn't want to be put down and if it is a good day I get to have a nice lunch at home and possibly take care of emails and phone calls.

At 2:30 a babysitter comes to the house (hopefully most of the time it will be my sister, but if she is too busy with homework we have other wonderful friends who help us out!). I head back to campus for my 3:00 class. David and I both finish class at 4 and then we meet up and head home together.. except on Wednesdays, when my independent study goes until 5:15. We come home, I feed Lydia while David gets dinner together and usually we all three eat together (I have become very good at eating with one hand while Lydia lays on the Boppy pillow and nurses). The evenings are usually rough in general for a newborn so we trade off holding Lydia as she fusses a bit, and then usually she will fall asleep for the night.

Mondays and Wednesdays are definitely the hardest.

Tuesdays and Thursdays: On these days David goes in pretty early and I spend the morning with Lydia. At 10:30 a babysitter is here (Tuesdays it is a friend, and on Thursdays it is my mom who drives down for the day!). I leave to go teach and hold my office hours and I am home by 1:45 at the latest. I grab lunch and try to pump, and then if my mom is here we go for a walk outside or she hangs out for a while holding Lydia so that I can get chores done. Thursdays are one of the best days because my mom is here and she is such a HUGE help! She also brings dinner down... so wonderful. Tuesdays are a little rough because David has a night class so he isn't home until 6:30 or 7.

Fridays: Thankfully on Fridays David can spend more time at home. He only has one class and it is at a different time than my 9:00 and 3:00 classes, so I go in to class while he stays here, I come home while he goes to his 11:00 class, and then he comes home for me to head out by 2:30. It is nice to have him around on this day because having a newborn all by yourself all day everyday is definitely overwhelming. I don't know how single moms do it. On Fridays we are both home by 4 and so we can spend time together as a family before Lydia enters her fussy time.

Saturdays and Sundays: I LOVE THE WEEKENDS! We work as a team to do homework and housework but it is great for all of us to hang out at home together. David and I have always had a bad habit of making too many plans for the weekend; with friends, family and with one another. Even though in a lot of ways this was a good thing it always left us with little to no down time. Things are definitely different now. For obvious reasons we can't pack our day full of plans and even though we are definitely working hard on Saturdays and Sundays to try to stay on top of everything, we get to do it together at home and there is something really relaxing about that.

I hope that this post gave you a better idea about how we are balancing all of this! Starting school has definitely been a hard transition, but it wasn't as horrible as I thought that it would be. I am thankful everyday that we only have to endure 4 months of this crazy lifestyle, but I am also thankful everyday that we have so many wonderful people in our lives who are willing to help and support us. I feel so blessed each day, and when I come home to a smiling, cooing (or crying, and spitting up) little baby girl it makes all the hard work worth it!

Newborn Photos!

Well, I missed the seven snapshots Sunday again this week. Mostly because Monday was MLK day, thus we did not have school, so on Sunday I kept thinking it was Saturday and then before I knew it, it was Monday night and I had to get ready for the week!

Anyway, in order to not crowd the blog with tons of pictures of our girl (but would you mind, really?), I thought I would replace the forgotten Seven Snapshots Sunday with the newborn pictures that we recently got back. Thanks to Cara Dee, an amazing photographer and a dear friend, we got these pictures taken when our girl was 2 weeks old. I LOVE them! I hope you do too.

4 weeks

And another 2 weeks has flown by already! The first two weeks of Lydia's life were so restful and slow moving, but during week 3 and 4 we definitely had to kick things back into gear since school started back up. During her 3rd week of life we just got used to doing our normal-life things with her; like shopping trips, laundry, house cleaning and some reading. During her 4th week of life we started school again, which meant leaving her with babysitters, introducing her to bottles and lots of other new things.

She did absolutely fantastic with everything! We have decided she is a good, easy baby... with a little bit of a temper :) Obviously she gets that from me and not her daddy.

Her stats: I don't know how much she weighs these days or how long she is, but I do know that she is growing! On Thursday night we put a newborn sleeper on her that didn't quite fit and I got a bit teary eyed. So on Friday I boxed up most of her newborn clothes and brought out the 0-3 month stuff. I know I should be happy that she fit into newborn things for 4 weeks ( a lot of babies only fit into it for 2ish weeks!), but it does make me sad to think that she is already growing! I mean, I know that is kind of the point and I am excited for her to grow and develop but already things are going by quickly. She is still in newborn diapers, which I think she will stay in for a while. Here is a picture of a newborn sleeper vs. a 0-3 month sleeper. Crazy!

 

Eating: She was once a sleepy 2-day old baby who couldn't keep her eyes open when she nursed, and now she loves it and stays wide awake most of the time! Breastfeeding is going a lot better for me in general. We are both enjoying it more, things are getting less painful (although still not pain free) for me, and I really do enjoy it. This past Monday when I had to leave her for the first time she took bottles during two of her feedings. I am pumping so she still get to have breast milk which I feel good about, but that day when I got home I realized how much I missed feeding her myself! Like I said, she is a very easy baby because she adjusts so well to things like bottles and pacifiers, but I can't say that it broke my heart just a little bit to know that a bottle was stealing my job twice that day.

During week 3, when colic normally appears in babies, our little one had some clear stomach issues. We got really, really nervous that this would continue because the babies on David's side of our family tend to have lots of gas, spit up a bunch, and be colic due to stomach pains. There were definitely some rough evenings when she would cry anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and you could just tell by the way she pulled her legs up toward her that her belly hurt. Since them I have been trying to see if there are patterns in what I eat and how she acts, but I haven't found any yet. Thankfully, her fussiness subsided after 4ish days and now, even though she spits up a good amount, as long as we burp her well her belly doesn't seem to bother her too much.

Sleeping: This little newborn is still sleeping really well! Again, an easy baby. She still eats every 3-4 hours during the day and then every 4-7 hours at night... that is right 7 hours! One night this past week I got 6 straight hours of sleep. It was fantastic. She still isn't on a strict schedule, but in general after her night time feeding (which happen anywhere between 7:30 and 10) she has her long sleep. Then she wakes up between 1:30 and 3:30 in the morning to eat again, then sleeps until between 5 or 7.

At night we try to put her straight back to sleep after she eats, gets a diaper change and is burped. We also try to have her sleep in her pack-n-play in our room during these times (although sometimes her daddy spoils and sleeps with her in his arms on the couch). During the day I try to keep her awake after she eats. She lays on her back and looks around, we chat (she has given me a couple coos!),  and I have her do some tummy time. She is so strong- especially her neck and legs, and a couple times this past week she rolled from her tummy to her back. She starts to fuss a little bit during tummy time so then I pick her up and hold her facing out for a while to keep her awake. All of this lasts for 20-45 minutes usually and then her eyes get a bit heavy and she starts yawning. I put her back to sleep usually using my sling (which you will see below) and/or a swaddle blanket, and her pacifier most of the time. Then I try to lay her down in her swing or on the couch; places where there is light and noise. My hope is that she will start to distinguish daytime naps from night time sleeping.

If we let her get too sleepy, or usually in the evenings, her temper shows. This girl fights sleep! Normally though she will fight hard for 15-20 minutes and then will calm down. During those 15 minutes though things can be frustrating, especially if it occurs at 3 or 4 in the morning.

What she loves: If Lydia Grace is fussy, take her to the kitchen and turn on the water. She will fall silent. My sister discovered this trick on Monday and so far it has never failed... hilarious. Also, I like to think she is starting to love her mommy. Various times over these past two weeks she would be fussy and then as soon as I take her she would calm down. She is definitely starting to know me and can distinguish me from other people. I know that this happens right away, but I am noticing it more and more now and it is so amazing.

What she hates: She is still hating diaper changes and getting her clothes changed, but ever since her umbilical cord fell off and we could give her real baths she doesn't mind them so much. However, she yells at us big time after the bath while we are putting lotion on her... again that little temper!

Cute things: She is flashing some really adorable smiles these days, and even though sometimes they coincide with some one talking to her or smiling at her, I think they are mostly still random. She has also cooed a little bit this past week and I love to hear her tiny, sweet voice. The sneezes and hiccups are still a daily, adorable occurrence and they are so cute because they come from such a tiny person.

Postpartum Me: I am feeling great! I think I am almost fully recovered from delivery, although I still am taking Ibuprofen daily, especially with school starting back up since that means I walk and stand a lot. But as long as I take a little bit of medicine my pain isn't really noticeable. Breastfeeding is still giving me some pain, as well as annoying things to adjust to, but it is worth it! 

I haven't started officially working out again because I want to clear things with my doctor at my 6 week postpartum appt. first, but last week I took a few good walks with Rooney and Lydia and it was great! This week it is FRIGID here, so I won't be doing that, but I try to do chores with Lydia in a front sling and that is definitely a work out of sorts. I was weighed 3 weeks after I had her and had lost 20 pounds! Craziness. I still have some weight to lose to get down to where I was, but already a couple of my old pairs of jeans button which is exciting. The most important thing is that I feel great about my body. Even though I weight more now and my stomach isn't as pretty I never feel self conscious. I am so proud of what my body made and what it did to get my baby girl into this world. That is clearly its greatest purpose-not to look good in a bikini- and that fact is so real to me now and it is really cool to have that change in perspective.

I am still eating like a pig because nursing makes me SO hungry! However, I was just telling David that I want to start being a little bit more careful about what I eat. Over Christmas break we got used to things like cookies, soda, and other terrible foods that we usually don't have around the house. Also, we have been super blessed to have tons of people bring us dinners which are always delicious, but a lot of times they aren't too healthy. I want to keep eating a lot of food since I am not worried about the calories and I know I need to eat more now, but I want to start making sure I am eating food that is good for me... like my yogurt and fruit that I love so much! I have to remember that I am fueling my body and Lydia's little body (still), and even though I love that I LOVE food again, I should make sure what I eat is balanced and good for both of us.

To change the subject...remember when I was that weird, pregnant weepy woman crying in the middle of Walmart? Well now I am weepy mommy. I know that there are real "baby blues" that can happen and I don't think my emotional changes would be classified there really because in general I am so happy and joyful and have my old energy back! However, as the sun starts to set and the lack of sleep has more of an effect on me I get emotional. If I hear Lydia really cry anytime after 8 pm then I will start crying with her. It is so funny how during the day I can handle when she is upset, but as soon as I am exhausted I really can't do it anymore. We noticed the pattern and have adjusted well (i.e. no baths late at night, if she gets upset David takes her and I go to bed, etc.). Oh hormones... they make us women crazy sometimes.

Heaven-sent baby items: I wanted to add this section because as we were registering for baby things there were so many choices for things to buy for this tiny baby. I am very practical and frugal and so my inclination was to not get too much stuff for our newborn because all they need is milk and diapers... right? Well yes, babies don't really need much, however as a new parent there are things you will very much want to have; in fact you might need them to not go crazy. So I wanted to tell you the things that are life-savers for David and I each day. Don't take it as a guarantee that it will also save your life with a newborn, but I figured I would give you my opinion.

So far, the picture below sums it up for me.

 

1. Pacifier - I know it is a bit controversial, but after having a baby of my own  my advice is, if she will take a pacifier let her take a pacifier. The truth is babies want to suck.. like all of the time. It is comforting to them and it is something that they need to do. I much prefer having this green thing be her way to fall asleep than mommy's... well, you know.

2. Swaddle Blanket - I was suspicious at first. I mean, this velcro, tiny, expensive blanket looks just like a straight jacket. But, it is awesome. We spent so much time trying to swaddle and re-swaddle her with receiving blankets during the first two weeks. It was silly- her arms always escaped! As soon as we whipped out the swaddle blanket she went to sleep faster and stayed asleep longer. Again, babies just want to be swaddled, like really, really tight. So just give them what they want :)

3. A sling - I really wanted a Moby wrap; let's be honest, I still do. But they are 40 bucks and are just a big piece of fabric! I have heard great things about them and one day when we have a salary I will probably get one, but for now this hand-me-down sling (from my sister in law) works great. Lydia falls asleep so quickly when she is right up against me, and with her like this I have two available hands, which you will learn is truly a gift when you have a baby, and I can do dishes, laundry, type, even eat dinner! I wore it for a while yesterday and my back was a little tired toward the end and I bet a nicer sling wouldn't have this down side. But again, this kind works too.

 

Words from Daddy: This section was suggested by a reader - Thanks Holly!! - and it is a fantastic idea. You probably are sick of hearing things only from me, so I should let David say some things every now and then. So, here are this week's works from him:

Keys to a happy baby:

1. Listen to Disney musical songs on YouTube (Be Our Guest - Beauty and the Beast, Never Had a Friend Like Me - Aladdin, etc.)

2. Lots of singing and dancing with Daddy.

3. Mommy may want her to sleep in her crib, but just hold her all night long on the couch and spoil her.

4. Lots of kisses - if you place your nose on her cheek when she is hungry she will kiss you back! And get really mad.

5. Just remember, sleeping is overrated anyway.

Sorry that this post was days long... there was so much to catch you up on! Now, as usual, I am off to feed my baby.

Have a great Saturday. And Go Broncos (or mostly, Go, Tim Tebow)!

Seven Snapshots "Sunday"

So... clearly it isn't Sunday. However, this is something I would like to start; a weekly photo post! I think this will help me make sure to keep taking photos of my beautiful baby girl. Ideally I would like to take one a day, but even this past week it didn't happen. Hopefully I will get better about taking pictures of her because she is growing so fast already!

Last Friday we got her newborn photos taken and you will be seeing them as soon as I get them! I already got a little sneak peak on facebook and what I have seen looks great so I am really excited to see the rest.

On Saturday we just hung around the house and watched some UK basketball with some friends.

Then we just hung around. Look at Lydia's cute outfit!!

Sunday was our first real day out! We went to church in the morning and she did so great. Then we headed to NKY to watch a big Steelers game. The shirt below says "I may be small but I'm a huge Steelers Fan!". We bought it for her in Pittsburgh when she was still in my belly :)

Another cute outfit! And pretty eyes.

Haha... on this day she was so stretchy and sleepy. 

Look at those chubby cheeks. So kissable.

And there are just a few glimpses of my beautiful girl. Hopefully Seven Snapshots Sunday will continue and you can watch her grow with us!