As mentioned in the previous post, we recently transitioned Ethan to the crib for nighttime sleeping. Our timeline for this was pushed up considerably when young Ethan discovered how to roll from back to belly, and I woke up to find him in the swing with his butt up in the air, his face smashed into the headrest, and his legs precipitously close to the edge. So that night (a week prior to last Thursday) was his first night in the crib. And it was a rough one. He lasted an hour, which had been his previous record for naps in the crib, and once he woke up, he was adamant about not returning to the crib. Finally, I brought him to the swing, where he lasted for three hours before I woke up to find him again face-down, so I woke him up and brought him into bed, where he slept as I held him until around 3 AM when I fed him and passed him off to Daddy. Thankfully, he was taking the day off of work, so he played with Ethan and let me get some sleep. The next night, we decided to try him in the bassinet feature of the Pack-n-Play. Once again, he lasted an hour. I was too afraid to put him in the swing, so I brought him straight to bed. After two hours, he was completely out of it, so I decided to try sneaking him into the bassinet. No such luck, as he woke up immediately and began screaming. For another night, I held him until I could pass him off.
By this point, I was completely sleep deprived and willing to try anything. For starters, we began moving up his bedtime by an hour so that he's asleep now by 8-8:30. That night, he woke up after about 30 minutes. I tried to soothe him in the crib, but he kept fussing and trying to flip onto his tummy. Finally, I gave up, unswaddled him, and let him flip, despite my concerns. He went immediately to sleep! An hour later (which I spent researching SIDS risks), there wasn't a peep from the nursery so I went in to check on him. He was sleeping soundly and continued to do so for a total of 5 hours!!! At that point, I nursed him and attempted to put him back in the crib, but he wasn't having any of it. Thankfully, we'd discovered during naps that he'll tolerate being strapped into the swing, so he spent the rest of the night back in his swing but unable to scare us by flipping over. The next night, after his 30 minutes on his back, I just went in and flipped him onto his tummy, and he slept a 7-hour stretch! He still refused to go back in his crib after nursing, though, so our routine became: Put him in his crib on his back. Wait 30 minutes-an hour. Unswaddle and flip him onto his tummy. Sleep 4-7 hours. Nurse. Strap him into the swing. Sleep another 2-5 hours. I was content with this routine, knowing that eventually he'd sleep long enough that the transition to the swing wouldn't be necessary. However, the past two nights, I've been able to get him back down in the crib (on his tummy) after nursing, so we haven't had to use the swing at all!
Now, the admission: Most nights I'm flipping him onto his tummy rather than letting him flip himself. However, he's capable of flipping himself onto his tummy; he just can't do it every time he wants to. AND, he CAN flip himself belly to back any time he wants, and he's been doing that for about a month now. He holds his head up with ease (the problem with putting him back in the crib after nursing used to be that he thought it was playtime, so he'd hold his head straight up and babble, refusing to lie down and sleep), and after removing the bumpers and all extraneous items from the crib, I'm no longer worried about him smothering himself. Is there still an increased risk of SIDS? Perhaps. However, I know he can maneuver to get more air, he can get onto his back if he wants, and it's the only way anyone is going to get any sleep!
So, for now, he's not quite sleeping as long as he did in the swing, but he's waking up at about the same time as he used to start stirring before; I would just push the swing and he'd go back down, which I can't do now that he's in the crib. And while it's only been two days now, I feel pretty confident I'll be able to keep getting him back down in the crib, so our need for the swing at night may soon be nonexistent! Overall, it was definitely rough the first couple of days, but I'm so glad we made the crib transition. Now we just need him to learn to get himself to sleep! Maybe next month.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Above, you'll see the best impulse, Kroger-checkout purchase EVER! As cute as Ethan is, this hat increases his adorableness to an immeasurable amount. And as you can see, he loves it! Ethan is not a hat baby, at all, but for some reason, this little red stocking cap just works, don't you think?
Ethan has had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas thus far. He was quite a happy baby yesterday and was a little angel during the Christmas Eve service. While other kids were talking and crying throughout, Ethan smiled happily, yawned occasionally, and drew heaps of praise from fellow worshipers. He watched patiently while Mommy read the scripture and greeted me with a huge smile upon my return. Then, on the 5-minute drive home, he fell asleep without a peep and stayed asleep once we got him inside, allowing me to cook and us to eat without having to worry about him, a rare occurrence in this house. After a good night's sleep (which deserves a separate blog post in the days to come because we finally transitioned him to the crib, and he's spent the entire past two nights in his crib exclusively!), he was ready to greet Christmas morning... sort of. While he wasn't fussy, he refused to smile while we opened presents, so we didn't get many good pictures of him. However, after a nap and another feeding, he was in a better mood and showed a little more interest in his new toys, particularly the Jack-in-the-Box.
The Christmas festivities won't stop here, though! Tomorrow we'll head down to Atlanta for a week with family. Ethan will meet his uncles and one of his aunts for the first time (his other aunt is staying in Maine for the holidays), as well as most of his great-grandparents, some great-aunts and -uncles, and other members of his extended family. Unfortunately (well, fortunately, but not since we're trying to travel), it's going to be a White Christmas, and we're expecting 2-4" of snow today and another 3-5" tomorrow, so this is all dependent on our being able to get out of town tomorrow. We'll see what happens!
We hope you and your families are having a wonderful holiday season!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Baby Talk
Ethan loves to talk. OK, so it's more babble, but it's no less adorable. He talks when he's happy. He talks when I'm talking. He talks when he's trying to go to sleep (this is perhaps the cutest of all). His vocabulary mostly consists of "AH-goo!" "Goo!" "Ach!" and random noises punctuated by blowing raspberries. This morning, he (finally) added giggling to his repertoire.
I read somewhere that you should repeat baby babbles back so that they understand how conversation works so I usually match him "Goo" for "Goo." Normally no one but Calvin is around to hear my baby talk, but this habit led to a fun scene on Tuesday morning. I was in the middle of a conversation with our pastor about membership, baptism, preaching, and the Christmas Eve services. Ethan was bundled up in my arms, grinning at me and babbling constantly. A few minutes into our conversation, I realized the pastor was trying to keep his amusement from showing on his face because my half of the conversation went something like this: "I'll have to look AH-goo at the lectionary and get back to you." "Were you GOO! thinking more along the lines of a scripture reading or a reinterpretation? Goo-AH!"
It's good to be a mom.
I read somewhere that you should repeat baby babbles back so that they understand how conversation works so I usually match him "Goo" for "Goo." Normally no one but Calvin is around to hear my baby talk, but this habit led to a fun scene on Tuesday morning. I was in the middle of a conversation with our pastor about membership, baptism, preaching, and the Christmas Eve services. Ethan was bundled up in my arms, grinning at me and babbling constantly. A few minutes into our conversation, I realized the pastor was trying to keep his amusement from showing on his face because my half of the conversation went something like this: "I'll have to look AH-goo at the lectionary and get back to you." "Were you GOO! thinking more along the lines of a scripture reading or a reinterpretation? Goo-AH!"
It's good to be a mom.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Three Months
Dear Ethan,
The fourth trimester is complete. You are three months old, and I can't imagine life without you! You are such an amazingly good baby, so much so that I fear you've spoiled us for your future siblings. Last night, you slept a full 10-hour stretch without crying once and only stirring a couple of times. It's hard to believe you've already come this far after that first night in the hospital when you refused to sleep a wink! Speaking of growing, you're beginning to pack on the ounces, leading to an adorably plump figure, complete with squishy thighs and arms. While I still worry about your weight, you're proving that you are thriving! And boy are you smart! You seem to learn new things every day, from new "words" to rolling yourself over. What will you learn next?
Your mommy and daddy are learning, too. We've learned how to get you to sleep, even in the crib for naps! We've learned when to worry about your cries and when to just cuddle you closer. We've learned how to love someone so intensely that it hurts to be apart from him. Your baby babbles cause us to beam at one another and at you, in awe of this precious life we've somehow created. Even your cries can make us smile, as you pucker your bottom lip out to comical proportions.
This next month holds new adventures for all of us. It will be your first Christmas, and in the days that follow, you'll meet your aunts, uncles, and great-grandparents. It'll also be your first time staying away from home, but don't worry! Your grandparents are more than prepared for your arrival! It will be our first long trip so we'll see how well you (and we) do spending hours in the car. It should be an exciting time!
This is also my last month to spend exclusively at home with you because the day you turn four-months-old, I'll be going back to school. So I need to be sure to soak in this time where my only worries and obligations concern you. I get the feeling that may still be mostly the case after I start my classes, but for now I don't have to feel guilty about it!
So keep growing, keep learning, and keep thriving! We are so very proud of all that you are and all you will be!
Love,
Mommy
The fourth trimester is complete. You are three months old, and I can't imagine life without you! You are such an amazingly good baby, so much so that I fear you've spoiled us for your future siblings. Last night, you slept a full 10-hour stretch without crying once and only stirring a couple of times. It's hard to believe you've already come this far after that first night in the hospital when you refused to sleep a wink! Speaking of growing, you're beginning to pack on the ounces, leading to an adorably plump figure, complete with squishy thighs and arms. While I still worry about your weight, you're proving that you are thriving! And boy are you smart! You seem to learn new things every day, from new "words" to rolling yourself over. What will you learn next?
Your mommy and daddy are learning, too. We've learned how to get you to sleep, even in the crib for naps! We've learned when to worry about your cries and when to just cuddle you closer. We've learned how to love someone so intensely that it hurts to be apart from him. Your baby babbles cause us to beam at one another and at you, in awe of this precious life we've somehow created. Even your cries can make us smile, as you pucker your bottom lip out to comical proportions.
This next month holds new adventures for all of us. It will be your first Christmas, and in the days that follow, you'll meet your aunts, uncles, and great-grandparents. It'll also be your first time staying away from home, but don't worry! Your grandparents are more than prepared for your arrival! It will be our first long trip so we'll see how well you (and we) do spending hours in the car. It should be an exciting time!
This is also my last month to spend exclusively at home with you because the day you turn four-months-old, I'll be going back to school. So I need to be sure to soak in this time where my only worries and obligations concern you. I get the feeling that may still be mostly the case after I start my classes, but for now I don't have to feel guilty about it!
So keep growing, keep learning, and keep thriving! We are so very proud of all that you are and all you will be!
Love,
Mommy
Monday, December 6, 2010
Reunited and it feels so good!
Well, we survived! This past weekend was our weekend away for the office Christmas party. It's always a lot of fun, but this year it meant leaving my baby for the first real time, which made it slightly less relaxing. However, it was also the first year I haven't come back to exams, so I guess that was nice! Anyway, as mentioned before, my parents came up to watch him while we were gone, and everything went wonderfully. They kept him on schedule (thanks Mom & Dad!), he was his adorable baby self, and I made it through with minimal tears and only two calls to check in.
Since I've had such issues with supply, I was unable to pump anything of substance for my absence, so Ethan was an all-formula baby for a day, which he seemed to tolerate fine. Unfortunately, he's been fighting me at the breast most feedings since we got home, so I'm worried he's become too used to bottles. Speaking of supply, I of course was pumping during every feeding in order to maintain it, and I ended up with 8 ounces to take home. I was thrilled to get 2 oz. the first pumping session since previously I'd only ever gotten about 1/3 oz. However, with the exception of the following morning, I held steady at about 1 oz. a session every other time, which was disappointing. I know Ethan is able to extract more than the pump, but I think that definitely shows my issue is a low supply, which refuses to be corrected no matter what steps I take. It makes sense, after all, though. My body didn't want to conceive Ethan without medical assistance, my body may not have carried Ethan without medical assistance, so it follows that my body won't feed Ethan without medical/technological assistance, and I just need to be grateful for all we have. I feel my dedication to breastfeeding was pretty evident, though, considering I had the joy of leaving the party for 25 minutes while I sat out in the car in sub-freezing temperatures to pump, all the while paranoid someone would come out to investigate. Needless to say, I got less than an ounce that session!
Meanwhile, my parents dressed Ethan up in a Christmas outfit from my grandmother and proceeded to take dozens of pictures of him under the tree for their Christmas card photo. He was obviously happy to play with his grandparents:
I'm still sad about one thing from the absence. It just so happened that the weather chose this weekend for Ethan's first snow, something I had (admittedly inexplicably) looked forward to since before he was born. Yes, I know he has no clue what's going on, but it's something I'd been waiting for, and we missed it. Thankfully, there was still plenty of snow on the ground when we returned, but I missed him seeing it fall. My parents said he was enraptured with it and kept staring at the snow-covered trees. ::sigh:: After we got home on Sunday morning, I bundled him up for some exploration, and my dad got a few pictures:
So now things are basically back to normal. After having slept 9 hour stretches the three nights before we left, he only went 5 hours while we were away but was back up to 7 hours last night so maybe that won't last. Hopefully the fighting at the breast is just temporary, and I won't have to keep forcing him to nurse during those feedings when he's being difficult. I had about a foot of hair chopped off at the Pinehurst spa, which is making it more difficult for him to grab ahold of, so that's a welcome change for me. While the weekend was enjoyable, I'm very happy to be back with my baby boy!
Since I've had such issues with supply, I was unable to pump anything of substance for my absence, so Ethan was an all-formula baby for a day, which he seemed to tolerate fine. Unfortunately, he's been fighting me at the breast most feedings since we got home, so I'm worried he's become too used to bottles. Speaking of supply, I of course was pumping during every feeding in order to maintain it, and I ended up with 8 ounces to take home. I was thrilled to get 2 oz. the first pumping session since previously I'd only ever gotten about 1/3 oz. However, with the exception of the following morning, I held steady at about 1 oz. a session every other time, which was disappointing. I know Ethan is able to extract more than the pump, but I think that definitely shows my issue is a low supply, which refuses to be corrected no matter what steps I take. It makes sense, after all, though. My body didn't want to conceive Ethan without medical assistance, my body may not have carried Ethan without medical assistance, so it follows that my body won't feed Ethan without medical/technological assistance, and I just need to be grateful for all we have. I feel my dedication to breastfeeding was pretty evident, though, considering I had the joy of leaving the party for 25 minutes while I sat out in the car in sub-freezing temperatures to pump, all the while paranoid someone would come out to investigate. Needless to say, I got less than an ounce that session!
Meanwhile, my parents dressed Ethan up in a Christmas outfit from my grandmother and proceeded to take dozens of pictures of him under the tree for their Christmas card photo. He was obviously happy to play with his grandparents:
I'm still sad about one thing from the absence. It just so happened that the weather chose this weekend for Ethan's first snow, something I had (admittedly inexplicably) looked forward to since before he was born. Yes, I know he has no clue what's going on, but it's something I'd been waiting for, and we missed it. Thankfully, there was still plenty of snow on the ground when we returned, but I missed him seeing it fall. My parents said he was enraptured with it and kept staring at the snow-covered trees. ::sigh:: After we got home on Sunday morning, I bundled him up for some exploration, and my dad got a few pictures:
So now things are basically back to normal. After having slept 9 hour stretches the three nights before we left, he only went 5 hours while we were away but was back up to 7 hours last night so maybe that won't last. Hopefully the fighting at the breast is just temporary, and I won't have to keep forcing him to nurse during those feedings when he's being difficult. I had about a foot of hair chopped off at the Pinehurst spa, which is making it more difficult for him to grab ahold of, so that's a welcome change for me. While the weekend was enjoyable, I'm very happy to be back with my baby boy!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Crib napper?
OK, I have to confess. Ethan is coming up on 3 months old, and he still sleeps in his swing at night. Plus, he usually will only nap in the Moby, except for we're out and he falls asleep in the car or the handful of times I've gotten him to nap in the swing (but that only works when it's on). He seems to need movement and any attempt to get him to sleep in the bassinet or crib had failed so we just gave up. However, this week I became determined to at least try him during the day in the crib. It hasn't been easy. There have been tears (I only let him cry up to 5 minutes though, and earlier if he gets really upset, so it's not CIO), but as I type this, Ethan is peacefully slumbering in his crib.
Yesterday was the first attempt, and he made it through the 2 naps we attempted in the crib. He tends to wake up after 40-45 minutes, but I can sometimes get him back to sleep for another 45. Hopefully he'll keep going down in his crib and get better about sleeping longer stretches so we cansoon eventually get him in his crib at night!
Yesterday was the first attempt, and he made it through the 2 naps we attempted in the crib. He tends to wake up after 40-45 minutes, but I can sometimes get him back to sleep for another 45. Hopefully he'll keep going down in his crib and get better about sleeping longer stretches so we can
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Tummy Time Developments!
On Thanksgiving, I glanced out of the kitchen while Ethan was having tummy time and saw him doing a mini push-up (propping his whole chest up with his arms) for the first time! When he gave us a repeat performance later that day, we were able to get some cute pictures, including the following:
The next day, we were able to Skype with my family, including all my brothers and my maternal grandmother. We decided to show off his new skill, and he decided to show off one of his own by rolling over for the first time! I was absolutely shocked, even though I knew he was getting close. Later that night, he did it again on the bed as soon as we put him on his tummy, so we knew it wasn't a fluke. This morning, he was in the mood to play after his first feeding since he'd slept an 8-hour stretch without stirring once. I got out a quilt and grabbed the Flip and was able to capture this:
He's growing up so fast!!!
The next day, we were able to Skype with my family, including all my brothers and my maternal grandmother. We decided to show off his new skill, and he decided to show off one of his own by rolling over for the first time! I was absolutely shocked, even though I knew he was getting close. Later that night, he did it again on the bed as soon as we put him on his tummy, so we knew it wasn't a fluke. This morning, he was in the mood to play after his first feeding since he'd slept an 8-hour stretch without stirring once. I got out a quilt and grabbed the Flip and was able to capture this:
He's growing up so fast!!!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
I think I'm doing pretty well for a new mom. This is our first Thanksgiving by ourselves so it was my first Thanksgiving to cook a full Thanksgiving dinner by myself. And I did it! And I did it all from scratch, too, which my mom has never done. We had turkey, cornbread dressing, sweet potato souffle, green beans, yeast rolls, and apple pie. The souffle didn't firm up on the bottom and the pie crust didn't brown, but everything tasted delicious, and we have plenty of leftovers! I started cooking on Tuesday (just prepping the beans and making the roll dough), cooked most of yesterday, and cooked all of this morning. I would feed Ethan, hand him over to Daddy, start working and do anything necessitating the stove/oven, and then put Ethan in the Moby once he got fussy and wanted to nap. It worked surprisingly well, and I even had time yesterday to work on his baby book, store his newborn clothes (which he's finally outgrown), put photos into his album, and wash a load of his clothes and diapers. I felt quite productive!
Plus, Ethan went down for a nap in the swing just in time for us to eat our Thanksgiving (lunch) dinner so we were able to relax and enjoy it without one of us holding him. I am so incredibly thankful for that little guy. When I think back to Thanksgiving last year and the depression of the day after, I can't believe how much things have changed.
So tomorrow, we'll relax. Maybe we'll have a fire in the fireplace, I'll definitely make myself some hot chocolate, and we'll begin decorating for Christmas, our first one as a family of three. Life is so very good!
Plus, Ethan went down for a nap in the swing just in time for us to eat our Thanksgiving (lunch) dinner so we were able to relax and enjoy it without one of us holding him. I am so incredibly thankful for that little guy. When I think back to Thanksgiving last year and the depression of the day after, I can't believe how much things have changed.
So tomorrow, we'll relax. Maybe we'll have a fire in the fireplace, I'll definitely make myself some hot chocolate, and we'll begin decorating for Christmas, our first one as a family of three. Life is so very good!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Grandparents' Visit
This was a busy and fun weekend because my parents came to visit Ethan us (I didn't get a hug until the day they were leaving because they were so absorbed with him). It began on Friday evening with Ethan's first trip to the airport:
I don't think he's ever been this happy to be in his carseat. He was all smiles and was patient while we stopped at SmartMomma to get him more BG 4.0s (I'm so excited that he's fitting those now!). Once we got him back in the car and headed on to the airport, he cried for a few moments before falling fast asleep. He didn't stir when I put him into the Moby, and he stayed asleep while we waited for them to arrive. They got in a bit earlier than we were expecting, so they had already made their way down to baggage claim. We hadn't told them that Ethan and I would be joining in on the welcoming fun, so they were delightfully surprised to seehim us. He stayed asleep, despite Grandmama's attempts to rouse him to get a better look, but once I got him into the carseat, he was up for good, and boy was he mad! Due to an accident on the interstate, we got stuck in bad traffic on the back roads, and he cried the whole way home. Poor baby! Thankfully, the unhappy baby didn't last long.
On Saturday morning, we ventured out to Ethan's first sit-down restaurant, going to Brigs with Grandpapa for breakfast. He did surprisingly well, though Calvin did have to take him outside a couple of times to swing him in his carseat and get him to sleep. Once he was asleep, he napped peacefully while we ate and visited. That afternoon, we headed to the church fall festival, where everyone oohed and ahhed over him and the grandparents beamed with pride. He slept through most of it, but after a snack upon our arrival home, he was happy to make faces with Grandmama while the cameras flashed:
On Sunday, we headed back to church for worship. Ethan had a harder time than usual so I had to sway with him in the narthex for a few minutes at the beginning of the service, but he eventually got to sleep and was asleep or happy the rest of the time. Afterwards, we got some pictures with him all dressed up and actually happy about it for once:
After his post-church meal, Grandmama and Grandpapa watched him while we ran out for some errands. It was only my second time being away from him, and our first time being out together without him, and it still feels so weird! He was well-behaved for them, and they loved practicing for when they'll be on their own with him for about 24-hours (!!!). Once we got back, it was time for another meal, a bath, and a nap in the Moby:
That night, we ventured out for a meal again, and, once again, he surprised me by not being too fussy. After a few minutes, I had to take him to the front to swing him to sleep, but then he was out for the rest of the meal. It must have been a tiring day because he slept a record 8-hour stretch on Sunday night!
On Monday morning, we headed out with Grandpapa again for breakfast. Since it was a weekday morning after 9, the restaurant was practically empty, and I was able to swing him to sleep right by the table since he wasn't actually fussing (though he did have the hiccups), and he was quite well-behaved the rest of the meal and even stayed asleep after we got home. The rest of the day consisted of cuddles, naps, meals, and pictures until we had to bid the grandparents farewell, armed with prints to show off and stare at until they return in less than 2 weeks.
I don't think he's ever been this happy to be in his carseat. He was all smiles and was patient while we stopped at SmartMomma to get him more BG 4.0s (I'm so excited that he's fitting those now!). Once we got him back in the car and headed on to the airport, he cried for a few moments before falling fast asleep. He didn't stir when I put him into the Moby, and he stayed asleep while we waited for them to arrive. They got in a bit earlier than we were expecting, so they had already made their way down to baggage claim. We hadn't told them that Ethan and I would be joining in on the welcoming fun, so they were delightfully surprised to see
On Saturday morning, we ventured out to Ethan's first sit-down restaurant, going to Brigs with Grandpapa for breakfast. He did surprisingly well, though Calvin did have to take him outside a couple of times to swing him in his carseat and get him to sleep. Once he was asleep, he napped peacefully while we ate and visited. That afternoon, we headed to the church fall festival, where everyone oohed and ahhed over him and the grandparents beamed with pride. He slept through most of it, but after a snack upon our arrival home, he was happy to make faces with Grandmama while the cameras flashed:
On Sunday, we headed back to church for worship. Ethan had a harder time than usual so I had to sway with him in the narthex for a few minutes at the beginning of the service, but he eventually got to sleep and was asleep or happy the rest of the time. Afterwards, we got some pictures with him all dressed up and actually happy about it for once:
After his post-church meal, Grandmama and Grandpapa watched him while we ran out for some errands. It was only my second time being away from him, and our first time being out together without him, and it still feels so weird! He was well-behaved for them, and they loved practicing for when they'll be on their own with him for about 24-hours (!!!). Once we got back, it was time for another meal, a bath, and a nap in the Moby:
That night, we ventured out for a meal again, and, once again, he surprised me by not being too fussy. After a few minutes, I had to take him to the front to swing him to sleep, but then he was out for the rest of the meal. It must have been a tiring day because he slept a record 8-hour stretch on Sunday night!
On Monday morning, we headed out with Grandpapa again for breakfast. Since it was a weekday morning after 9, the restaurant was practically empty, and I was able to swing him to sleep right by the table since he wasn't actually fussing (though he did have the hiccups), and he was quite well-behaved the rest of the meal and even stayed asleep after we got home. The rest of the day consisted of cuddles, naps, meals, and pictures until we had to bid the grandparents farewell, armed with prints to show off and stare at until they return in less than 2 weeks.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Two month appointment
I'm a few days late with this, but oh well! Ethan had his two-month-old well child appointment on Monday, and it went really well. He was grumpy with me because he missed his nap due to sleeping later than usual and having to get to the doctor, but he fell asleep while we were waiting for the doctor so he got a bit of a nap in. He was in good spirits for the doctor, smiling at him and being absolutely adorable. I really like this doctor, too, by the way, so I'm quite happy with our choice of pedi offices. The doctor said he looked great, and he was happy with Ethan's growth, which of course is a huge relief. He was up to 9 lbs. as of the appointment and measured around 22" (the nurse couldn't get a good measurement because he was grumpy about being woken up and refused to have his legs stretched out). So he got a good report on growth, developmental milestones, and the physical exam. Then it was time for the shots.
Now, everyone talks about how horrible seeing their baby get shots is. Many mothers cry. I am not one of those mothers. I know that the shots are a momentary discomfort that are entirely worth it, no matter what those anti-vaccination nuts say. So when the nurse stuck him and Ethan's bottom lip puckered out and he did his wide-eyed cry/scream? Not only did I not cry, I had to fight back a smile because he looked so freaking adorable. I hate that he was in pain, of course, but my being upset about it would only get him more upset, so instead I spoke comforting words and promised to nurse him as soon as the shots were over. The nursing seemed to calm him some, and he happily accepted his pacifier as we left, but he began crying again when it fell out of his mouth and ended up crying himself to sleep on the short drive home. So, all in all, the actual getting of the shots wasn't bad at all.
However, seeing how pitiful and miserable he was with the ensuing slight fever was horrible! I just wanted to cuddle him all day and night. He cried unless he was eating or sleeping, and he would startle constantly during clothing and diaper changes because he felt so cold with his elevated temperature. He slept a lot, though, including a 7.5 hour stretch on Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning, he was back to normal. Thankfully, we have 2 months before we have to do that again.
Overall, it was a great appointment. Hopefully he won't have to go back to the doctor again until his four-month-old well child check, which will most likely be the day after I start back at school (yikes!). I'm so thankful that he's finally thriving and can't wait until weight worries are a thing of the past!
Now, everyone talks about how horrible seeing their baby get shots is. Many mothers cry. I am not one of those mothers. I know that the shots are a momentary discomfort that are entirely worth it, no matter what those anti-vaccination nuts say. So when the nurse stuck him and Ethan's bottom lip puckered out and he did his wide-eyed cry/scream? Not only did I not cry, I had to fight back a smile because he looked so freaking adorable. I hate that he was in pain, of course, but my being upset about it would only get him more upset, so instead I spoke comforting words and promised to nurse him as soon as the shots were over. The nursing seemed to calm him some, and he happily accepted his pacifier as we left, but he began crying again when it fell out of his mouth and ended up crying himself to sleep on the short drive home. So, all in all, the actual getting of the shots wasn't bad at all.
However, seeing how pitiful and miserable he was with the ensuing slight fever was horrible! I just wanted to cuddle him all day and night. He cried unless he was eating or sleeping, and he would startle constantly during clothing and diaper changes because he felt so cold with his elevated temperature. He slept a lot, though, including a 7.5 hour stretch on Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning, he was back to normal. Thankfully, we have 2 months before we have to do that again.
Overall, it was a great appointment. Hopefully he won't have to go back to the doctor again until his four-month-old well child check, which will most likely be the day after I start back at school (yikes!). I'm so thankful that he's finally thriving and can't wait until weight worries are a thing of the past!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Two Months
Dear Ethan,
Time is finally slowing down enough for me to enjoy it! While I still can't believe you're already two months old, this past month was full of smiles, "talking," playing, and moments that make me so thankful I get to spend all my time with you. You have such a personality and love showing off for visitors. You cuddle with your momma, smile for your grandparents over Skype, and make the cutest noises as you yawn yourself to sleep. You're also getting big. I swear you were trying to roll over during tummy time on your activity mat yesterday. Everyone says you look like you're already trying to talk. You slept 7 hours straight last night after getting yourself to sleep. And you fight me so hard to stand up when I'm trying to sit you to burp you that I'm worried you're going to take after your father and be walking by 6 months!
You're also (thankfully) getting big in the weight department. As much as I hate giving you formula, I love seeing those numbers on the scale go up. You've gained over two pounds since we started supplementing again, and you're beginning to plump out with chubby arms, thighs, and cheeks. You still have a ways to go, but it's so comforting to see you going in the right direction. And at least you're still getting all the good breast milk you want, and I still get that bonding time with you.
This next month holds more firsts. Your first Thanksgiving. The first time your maternal grandpapa will see you in person since you were 2 days old. And the first time we'll spend a night apart. I'm already dreading being away from you that long, but I know you'll be in good hands.
Keep growing, sweet baby! Your mommy loves you more than she can ever express.
Love,
Mommy
Time is finally slowing down enough for me to enjoy it! While I still can't believe you're already two months old, this past month was full of smiles, "talking," playing, and moments that make me so thankful I get to spend all my time with you. You have such a personality and love showing off for visitors. You cuddle with your momma, smile for your grandparents over Skype, and make the cutest noises as you yawn yourself to sleep. You're also getting big. I swear you were trying to roll over during tummy time on your activity mat yesterday. Everyone says you look like you're already trying to talk. You slept 7 hours straight last night after getting yourself to sleep. And you fight me so hard to stand up when I'm trying to sit you to burp you that I'm worried you're going to take after your father and be walking by 6 months!
You're also (thankfully) getting big in the weight department. As much as I hate giving you formula, I love seeing those numbers on the scale go up. You've gained over two pounds since we started supplementing again, and you're beginning to plump out with chubby arms, thighs, and cheeks. You still have a ways to go, but it's so comforting to see you going in the right direction. And at least you're still getting all the good breast milk you want, and I still get that bonding time with you.
This next month holds more firsts. Your first Thanksgiving. The first time your maternal grandpapa will see you in person since you were 2 days old. And the first time we'll spend a night apart. I'm already dreading being away from you that long, but I know you'll be in good hands.
Keep growing, sweet baby! Your mommy loves you more than she can ever express.
Love,
Mommy
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Eat, Sleep, Poop
Since Ethan is almost 8 weeks old (!!!), it's about time I had a real update. Since all newborns are supposed to do is eat, sleep, and poop, I thought I'd cover the past 8 weeks under those topic headlines.
EAT:
Ethan has been a great nurser from the start. Despite the lactation consultant in the hospital convincing me that we had a latch problem, my MIL and the LC at the pediatrician felt his latch was perfect and, sure enough, after a few days of nursing, the pain was gone, and he's been nursing like a pro ever since. Unfortunately, being a good nurser hasn't been enough to make breastfeeding a success. To begin with, my milk didn't come in for almost a week so Ethan not only lost weight, he also became borderline dehydrated. He was having about 2 wet diapers a day, including diapers with just "brick dust" so we had to supplement for the first time to get him hydrated and clear out the small amount of jaundice he had, just 1.5 oz/day via an at-breast tube supplement system. Over that weekend, my milk came in, and he gained 3 oz. in 3 days and never had an issue with too-few wet diapers again so we were able to stop supplementing. We thought that would be the end of it, but a week later, we returned for another weight check only to find that his weight had plateaued. The LC suggested several methods to ensure he received more of the fatty hindmilk, but unfortunately, a week later, he had lost an ounce. So back to formula supplements we went, this time giving 3 oz./day. We returned a few days later, and thankfully he'd gained .75 oz./day so the LC instructed us to keep up with the supplements and return for his 2 month well-child check. We decided to buy a baby scale to keep tabs on him in the meantime, and I'm sure glad we did! Daily weigh-ins revealed that Ethan's weight had stalled again, so, after much prodding, another call to the doctor was in order. His supplements were upped to 2 oz. after almost every feeding, and finally we began seeing results. He went from 6 lbs. 14 oz. to 8 lbs. 8.5 oz. as of today (granted, after a full feeding and right before a poopy diaper, but still, that's progress). He still has a ways to go, and I still hate that we have to supplement, but whatever it takes to make sure he's healthy. The pediatrician says we may be able to stop supplementing once he starts solids, so we'll see what happens.
SLEEP:
Because of his slow weight gain, we had to wake him every 4 hrs. at night for the first 4 weeks since he wasn't up to birth weight yet. The LC finally gave us the clear to let him sleep, even though he wasn't back up to birth weight, and that night he slept over 6 hours straight, thus "sleeping through the night." He continued to do so for over a week before cutting back to 5-hour stretches for another couple of weeks, and for the past two nights, he's back up to 6-hour stretches. He's always been a good sleeper. As a newborn, we would have to wake him to eat, and he'd usually fall asleep right after nursing. Now, he's up a good deal more, but he still takes a nap after most feedings, sometimes for only 30 minutes and sometimes for a couple of hours. Getting him to sleep can be a chore, though. Since we brought him home, he's been sleeping in the swing at night because it makes it easy to rock him when he stirs or if he needs help getting to sleep. (There were two nights right after he got his Hep. B shot where he actually spent the night in the Moby with me sitting up on the couch, attempting to sleep. Not good nights!) I know this is a habit we need to break soon, but I'm concerned he won't sleep as well once we transition him to the crib. We had planned on using the Pack 'n' Play in the bedroom instead of the swing, but I think the slight incline also helps him sleep better, so the PnP has remained unused in the corner. Most nights, Ethan either cries to sleep while being rocked or nurses to sleep. However, the past two nights, we've put him in the swing extremely drowsy (usually after he's been crying off-and-on since his last nursing session), and he's been able to go to sleep on his own with just brief rocking to start. Hopefully, this is the beginning of his being able to get to sleep by himself. After his middle-of-the-night feeding, I almost always nurse him to sleep, and I don't see this as being a problem, though it can take forever when he's being stubborn. For naps, Ethan usually sleeps in the Moby (that's what he's doing as I type this). A few times, I've gotten him to sleep in the swing for naps, but I have to turn the swing on and leave it on or else he wakes up. They say to do whatever you have to do to get a baby to sleep the first two months, but those first two months are rapidly coming to an end, so we're going to have to make some changes soon.
POOP:
Not too much to say here (I'm sure you're grateful). Ethan wets 10-15 times a day, which shows he's definitely getting enough fluid, even before supplementing. He's down to pooping about every other day, though he's gone 3 days before, which resulted in a massive blow-out and a thrown-away gown. I learned today that he's discovered the silent poop with the grunt and look of intense concentration, whereas previously his poops could be heard in another room and he seemed oblivious. This makes it harder to tell when it's happening, but, thanks to the formula supplements, it's generally discovered fairly quickly. Oh, here's a big one: We're cloth diapering. My family was extremely skeptical of this at first, with my brothers betting I'd give it up in a matter of weeks. Yet here we are, almost 8 weeks later (we started as soon as we got him home from the hospital, so 1 day old), and I love it! It's no problem to throw them in the wash every other day, and they're so cute and easy. Plus, once we have our initial stash, we don't need to worry about buying diapers again, AND they can be used for subsequent kids. I'm definitely a fan, and I can't wait for him to fit into his BG 4.0s.
So there you have it. The past almost 8 weeks summarized in the life of a newborn. Ethan is much more alert now. As seen in the previous video, he began smiling at exactly 1 month and does it more and more every day. He stares up at my face, grinning, while I read to him. He coos while he plays on his activity mat. He even smiles and talks to me when I'm changing him, something that used to bring nothing but screams! He's an absolute joy, rarely crying unless something's wrong or he's struggling to get to sleep. I'm completely in love.
EAT:
Ethan has been a great nurser from the start. Despite the lactation consultant in the hospital convincing me that we had a latch problem, my MIL and the LC at the pediatrician felt his latch was perfect and, sure enough, after a few days of nursing, the pain was gone, and he's been nursing like a pro ever since. Unfortunately, being a good nurser hasn't been enough to make breastfeeding a success. To begin with, my milk didn't come in for almost a week so Ethan not only lost weight, he also became borderline dehydrated. He was having about 2 wet diapers a day, including diapers with just "brick dust" so we had to supplement for the first time to get him hydrated and clear out the small amount of jaundice he had, just 1.5 oz/day via an at-breast tube supplement system. Over that weekend, my milk came in, and he gained 3 oz. in 3 days and never had an issue with too-few wet diapers again so we were able to stop supplementing. We thought that would be the end of it, but a week later, we returned for another weight check only to find that his weight had plateaued. The LC suggested several methods to ensure he received more of the fatty hindmilk, but unfortunately, a week later, he had lost an ounce. So back to formula supplements we went, this time giving 3 oz./day. We returned a few days later, and thankfully he'd gained .75 oz./day so the LC instructed us to keep up with the supplements and return for his 2 month well-child check. We decided to buy a baby scale to keep tabs on him in the meantime, and I'm sure glad we did! Daily weigh-ins revealed that Ethan's weight had stalled again, so, after much prodding, another call to the doctor was in order. His supplements were upped to 2 oz. after almost every feeding, and finally we began seeing results. He went from 6 lbs. 14 oz. to 8 lbs. 8.5 oz. as of today (granted, after a full feeding and right before a poopy diaper, but still, that's progress). He still has a ways to go, and I still hate that we have to supplement, but whatever it takes to make sure he's healthy. The pediatrician says we may be able to stop supplementing once he starts solids, so we'll see what happens.
SLEEP:
Because of his slow weight gain, we had to wake him every 4 hrs. at night for the first 4 weeks since he wasn't up to birth weight yet. The LC finally gave us the clear to let him sleep, even though he wasn't back up to birth weight, and that night he slept over 6 hours straight, thus "sleeping through the night." He continued to do so for over a week before cutting back to 5-hour stretches for another couple of weeks, and for the past two nights, he's back up to 6-hour stretches. He's always been a good sleeper. As a newborn, we would have to wake him to eat, and he'd usually fall asleep right after nursing. Now, he's up a good deal more, but he still takes a nap after most feedings, sometimes for only 30 minutes and sometimes for a couple of hours. Getting him to sleep can be a chore, though. Since we brought him home, he's been sleeping in the swing at night because it makes it easy to rock him when he stirs or if he needs help getting to sleep. (There were two nights right after he got his Hep. B shot where he actually spent the night in the Moby with me sitting up on the couch, attempting to sleep. Not good nights!) I know this is a habit we need to break soon, but I'm concerned he won't sleep as well once we transition him to the crib. We had planned on using the Pack 'n' Play in the bedroom instead of the swing, but I think the slight incline also helps him sleep better, so the PnP has remained unused in the corner. Most nights, Ethan either cries to sleep while being rocked or nurses to sleep. However, the past two nights, we've put him in the swing extremely drowsy (usually after he's been crying off-and-on since his last nursing session), and he's been able to go to sleep on his own with just brief rocking to start. Hopefully, this is the beginning of his being able to get to sleep by himself. After his middle-of-the-night feeding, I almost always nurse him to sleep, and I don't see this as being a problem, though it can take forever when he's being stubborn. For naps, Ethan usually sleeps in the Moby (that's what he's doing as I type this). A few times, I've gotten him to sleep in the swing for naps, but I have to turn the swing on and leave it on or else he wakes up. They say to do whatever you have to do to get a baby to sleep the first two months, but those first two months are rapidly coming to an end, so we're going to have to make some changes soon.
POOP:
Not too much to say here (I'm sure you're grateful). Ethan wets 10-15 times a day, which shows he's definitely getting enough fluid, even before supplementing. He's down to pooping about every other day, though he's gone 3 days before, which resulted in a massive blow-out and a thrown-away gown. I learned today that he's discovered the silent poop with the grunt and look of intense concentration, whereas previously his poops could be heard in another room and he seemed oblivious. This makes it harder to tell when it's happening, but, thanks to the formula supplements, it's generally discovered fairly quickly. Oh, here's a big one: We're cloth diapering. My family was extremely skeptical of this at first, with my brothers betting I'd give it up in a matter of weeks. Yet here we are, almost 8 weeks later (we started as soon as we got him home from the hospital, so 1 day old), and I love it! It's no problem to throw them in the wash every other day, and they're so cute and easy. Plus, once we have our initial stash, we don't need to worry about buying diapers again, AND they can be used for subsequent kids. I'm definitely a fan, and I can't wait for him to fit into his BG 4.0s.
So there you have it. The past almost 8 weeks summarized in the life of a newborn. Ethan is much more alert now. As seen in the previous video, he began smiling at exactly 1 month and does it more and more every day. He stares up at my face, grinning, while I read to him. He coos while he plays on his activity mat. He even smiles and talks to me when I'm changing him, something that used to bring nothing but screams! He's an absolute joy, rarely crying unless something's wrong or he's struggling to get to sleep. I'm completely in love.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
More Pictures
Since I took a fair number of pictures for Ethan's one-month milestone, I'll post some more here that show off my little munchkin better:
Said pacifier was also useful for the outfit change that followed the photo session
And this is the face he makes when you take his pacifier away
He looks just like some pictures of me around that age in the last two pictures. I think it's mostly the hair.
Anyway, I promise to have a real update soon. I can't imagine what could possibly be keeping me too busy to blog...
Relaxing in the Boppy in the morning
He was NOT happy about being put down for one-month pictures. Most of the pictures necessitated a pacifier or else he was screaming. However, as soon as I picked him up, he was happy. This little boy loves his mommy!
Said pacifier was also useful for the outfit change that followed the photo session
And this is the face he makes when you take his pacifier away
He looks just like some pictures of me around that age in the last two pictures. I think it's mostly the hair.
Anyway, I promise to have a real update soon. I can't imagine what could possibly be keeping me too busy to blog...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
One Month
Dear Ethan,
I cannot believe it's been a month. One month since I held you, screaming, on my chest for the first time. One month since you stared up at me with those big, wide eyes for the first time. One month since I first attempted breastfeeding, only to realize after a minute that you'd latched on beside my nipple instead of on it (oops). One month since I began to realize that our lives would never be the same again.
As I sit here with you asleep in the Moby on my chest, I am filled with such awe and wonder at the person you're becoming. How tiny you look (and are) still and yet how much you look like a little boy when you're decked out in your footie pajamas. How alert you are when you stare at the world around you. And how I'm learning every day to follow your cues to provide you with what you need. The sense of pride I feel when I calm your crying or get you to sleep. My relief at your sleeping through the night (for now), but also my sadness that for those 6+ straight hours, I cannot cuddle you and kiss your forehead. I am happiest when you're in my arms, even when you're screaming.
And as a mother, I'm not without worries. I worry that you're still not back to your birth weight. I worry that you're not getting enough to eat. I worry that you're hungry or in pain. I worry that I'll never be able to give you what you need to thrive or to help you eat better. These anxieties plague me, but I hope that things will soon turn around. I want the best for you, Ethan, and I just hope that I can provide it.
Already, I cannot imagine life without you. You've made me a mother, and my identity will never be the same as a result. So grow, young Ethan, and thrive. Just don't grow too fast.
Love,
Mommy
I cannot believe it's been a month. One month since I held you, screaming, on my chest for the first time. One month since you stared up at me with those big, wide eyes for the first time. One month since I first attempted breastfeeding, only to realize after a minute that you'd latched on beside my nipple instead of on it (oops). One month since I began to realize that our lives would never be the same again.
As I sit here with you asleep in the Moby on my chest, I am filled with such awe and wonder at the person you're becoming. How tiny you look (and are) still and yet how much you look like a little boy when you're decked out in your footie pajamas. How alert you are when you stare at the world around you. And how I'm learning every day to follow your cues to provide you with what you need. The sense of pride I feel when I calm your crying or get you to sleep. My relief at your sleeping through the night (for now), but also my sadness that for those 6+ straight hours, I cannot cuddle you and kiss your forehead. I am happiest when you're in my arms, even when you're screaming.
And as a mother, I'm not without worries. I worry that you're still not back to your birth weight. I worry that you're not getting enough to eat. I worry that you're hungry or in pain. I worry that I'll never be able to give you what you need to thrive or to help you eat better. These anxieties plague me, but I hope that things will soon turn around. I want the best for you, Ethan, and I just hope that I can provide it.
Already, I cannot imagine life without you. You've made me a mother, and my identity will never be the same as a result. So grow, young Ethan, and thrive. Just don't grow too fast.
Love,
Mommy
Monday, September 13, 2010
Introducing Ethan Oliver
Ethan Oliver arrived in this world on September 13, 2010 at 9:30 AM. He weighed 7 lbs. 6 oz. and measured 21". This blog will be a place to keep track of all his adventures, both for posterity and for any friends and family that choose to read it. Enjoy!
Confession: This entry was actually written on October 15th because I was too much of a slacker before then, but I predated it in order to make it the first post.
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