October 17 - Our little pumpkin

Brooke, Grammy and I went on a trip to a pumpkin patch. Brooke did so well. She was the cutest thing ever out there; outift compliments of her awesome Auntie Jen!

I think we are going to try to go again with Daddy. Hoping we get another day of gorgeous weather like yesterday. We'll see...

October 15 - Worried well

So this mama was worried about little one having thrush. I have an infection from feeding and was concerned I past it on to her. She had some white on her tongue and a diaper rash. We went to the pediatrician and come to find out Brooke does not have it. Whew!! So the doctor tells me that when you go to the doctor and "nothing" is wrong, they call it "worried well". The way I see it, with a 6 week old baby, better safe than sorry right?! Nonetheless, she does have a diaper rash and we are coating Boudreaux's Buttpaste on there with every diaper change. It seems to be helping already. As for mommy, I got an anti-fungal prescription to clear up my infection, and it's fine to still feed her in the mean time. 

While at the doctor, Brooke got weighed. She is now 12 pounds, 6 ounces. Doctor says she is a healthy growing baby. We are so proud of her!

She is making lots of noises these days too, especially grunting in her sleep. It makes it very hard for me to sleep, but I know it's just her little body developing. She loves her bouncer and play mat. We spend a couple hours every morning playing and reading. She is so much more alert now. Slowly but surely I think she is realizing the difference between day and night too. Michael and I both, on different occasions, have heard a laugh from our sweet girl. It's the cutest sound ever, and I can't wait to hear more of it. 

Yesterday she was waking up from a nap and when I went to pick her up out of her swing, she stopped fussing and just stared at me. Then she had the biggest grin on her face. We just looked at each other smiling! It's those moments that just melt my heart and make everything worthwhile. She is our gift from God, and we love her more than anything!

October 9 - 5 weeks

Brooke and I had our first venture to the mailbox together. I know it sounds lame, but it's not part of our usual routine. I used a sling to take her out, and she loved it, perhaps because she was snuggled up so close to mommy again (like her days in the womb). 

Our power was going to be out all day, then the water got cut off too. So we planned to spend the day with Grammy and Grumpy. I even got away for a mani/pedi - first one since I was pregnant! It was so nice to be pampered. Daddy even had a short day and got to go fishing with his buddy, Justin (caught a 2-foot shark too)! 

After dinner, my friend Tasha came by with her son, Riley. It was their first time to meet! He is 5 months old, compared to Brooke's 5 weeks...and there is quite the difference between these two! Riley is a whopping 20 pounds; makes our 11-pound Brooke seem light as a feather! I can't wait for them to grow up and play more. It's so exciting to have friends with children the same age as Brooke, so our kids can grow up as friends too!

Tomorrow my other friend Chelsea is having her second baby. She has a c-section scheduled for 12:30 pm and is having another boy. They have yet to decide on a name - Kingston, Parker or Triston; they are waiting to see what he looks like. I can't wait to meet the little guy, yet another boyfriend for Brooke!

October 7 - The little things

I have come to appreciate the little things...so much more!

Getting a shower is a good day. Getting a shower AND drying my hair is a REALLY GOOD day. Getting a shower, drying my hair AND putting makeup on is a FANTASTIC day!

The other day I got a shower, gave Brooke a bath, cleaned bottles, had breakfast AND lunch all before 1 pm. I thought I was dreaming. 

Sleeping for a spurt of 3 hours or more is super rare...and so very much appreciated! I never thought I would feel so refreshed after getting a total of 6 hours of interrupted sleep at night! 

Getting through a day in the same outfit that I started in is another good one. So far I have a record high of 4 shirt changes in one day...that's for me by the way, not Brooke. Usually she gets away pretty clean; it's when she decides to squirm right before letting out a wet burp that gets spit up all over my shirt.

Getting through a diaper change without screaming is a beautiful thing. She really does not like having her behind wiped. So I am one happy camper if she gets a clean diaper without any tears...and so is she.

Having daddy cook dinner AND clean the dishes is amazing! Mommy has a full tummy and the sink is clean for the next round of bottle cleaning.

Ice cream in the freezer. I guess some cravings have not gone away! Michael got me into Haagen Dazs. I definitely recommend Caramel Cone and White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle. Both of them are mind-blowing delicious! I have to keep my dairy intake up, while I am producing milk, ya know? hehe

Taking a short trip to the grocery store. I have only been a couple times since Brooke was born, but it's the little things like running everyday errands that make me feel "normal" again. Being cooped up at home all day everyday can make anyone a little stir-crazy. So getting out for a little bit every once in a while helps break up my day and week. It's common for me not to know what day it is...

I am drinking just as much water as I was during my pregnancy. Breastfeeding is draining! I am thirsty (and pretty hungry) all of the time, plus staying hydrated helps with the supply. I have yet to get enough to save any more than she is eating. I am not sure what we will do when I return to work. Our little one has made it clear that she prefers my milk over formula; the last two times we supplemented, she spit up a LOT! Breastfeeding is not easy, and is very painful...not to mention how convenient it would be to mix formula and have more time between feedings. Formula would mean no pumping, no leaking, less bottle cleaning and no soreness to name a few. Breastfeeding is one of the most selfless acts you can do and the benefits are so rewarding! I give so much credit to the moms that nurse their children for more than 6 months, or at all - every little bit is so helpful to their little ones! So I am going to stick it out for now...and as long as I can! Prayers appreciated.

So at this point, with a 5 week old baby, it's the little things that I have come to appreciate. One of the things I love most right now, as it is happening more, is my baby girl smiling. Of course, any mom would say that right! But when I see her smile, time stops and everything is just perfect. Nothing in the world matters but her. She is a beautiful little miracle that I am so proud to call my daughter!

October 4 - 1 month old

I just can't believe a month has already gone by. I am sure it is getting repetitive to hear, but time really does fly by. The days go by so fast. I try and take in every moment with her, because before I know it one month is going to be one year and then two years...and so on! She has already changed so much in the past month. I can't wait to see what the future holds for her.

She is awake more often and eating more too. She is not on a set schedule but she eats about every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-4 hours at night. I get up about 3 times to feed her and she usually goes right back to sleep. She is doing great in her sleeper. If she starts to fuss a little, I can usually get her back to sleep by reaching over and rocking her for a couple minutes. It also vibrates, and she loves that!

Her one month appointment was on October 7 and she weighed in at 11 pounds, 2.3 ounces and 22 inches. Doctor said she was doing great! She got her Hep B shot (the first part was after her birth at the hospital). She cried, just as she should, but stopped shortly after mommy picked her up and hugged her. Grammy, on the other hand, did not do as well. She did not like seeing her grandbaby cry!

One month until I return to work. Brooke has her two month check up on November 4, and I will go back on November 5. She will be getting multiple shots, and I will spend the rest of the afternoon consoling her! Halfway thru my maternity leave, not sure how I feel about that! I am loving every minute our precious baby.

October 2 - 4 weeks old

Can you believe our precious baby is already 4 weeks old today? Our baby girl is growing up so fast. She has a tight grip (especially on mommy's hair), makes lots of noises: grunts, squeals and of course cries, is trying to learn the difference between day and night (usually sleeps 3-4 hours between feedings at night), eats between 2 and 6 ounces of milk (it always varies), is still trying to decide on the best bottle (in between the Tommee Tippee and Dr. Brown now) and is enjoying her new bed (Fisher Price My Little Lamb Rock n Play Sleeper). Some of our other favorite items so far include: Blooming Bath Infant Bath, Carter's gowns (for bedtime), Avent Soothie 0-3 month pacifiers, minky blankets (they're the softest), Graco Duet Soothee Swing & Rocker, Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, Tommee Tippee bottle warmer, Pampers Swaddlers and Baby Bjorn Balance Seat (like a bouncer).

As I am getting more adapted to my role as a mommy, Brooke seems nowhere close to adapting to a schedule. However, she is getting more adapted to her surroundings. Her vision is getting more and more clear. She now locks eyes with us and will follow objects that are in close range. The other day, daddy was holding her while mommy ate dinner (we have to take shifts a lot of the time) and she didn't take her eyes off of me! It was so cute, she could hear and see me. She has also been introduced to her Activity Gym. She laid on her back for a short while to see all the hanging toys and also did some tummy time. She holds her head up for a long time; she's been doing that since we were in the hospital. She is so strong!

She is smiling randomly during the day, but mostly she grins right before falling asleep. It's moments like that which make my heart melt. I try to remember those, when I am restless and frustrated trying to put a fussy baby to sleep!

I craved breakfast during my pregnancy, mostly because I woke up hungry. Nowadays, I still wake up hungry (just like Brooke) but she takes most of my attention for the first few hours of the day, before she gets tired enough to take a nap. So I am lucky to get a bowl of cereal in before 11 am. Today made me realize that even though I am getting more adapted to my new role, I still need to take it easy and rest often. Doing 4 loads of laundry, cleaning the apartment, changing the bed sheets, taking a shower, giving Brooke a bath, washing bottles (twice), cooking dinner and cleaning the dishes might be more than a new mommy can handle. It is nice to have a clean home, but I think the household chores need to be minimized and Brooke gets first priority. After her needs, come mine. Her diaper gets changed before I get a chance to go to the bathroom. She gets a bottle before I get to eat. She gets a nap before I do. If it works out that I get a shower and a nap, that twill be an extra big bonus! Hopefully I can put my obsessive compulsive cleaning aside and live by this...

It is no secret that baby girl loves to eat and sleep, sometimes both at the same time!

Monday Brooke, Grammy and I had our first outing, other than a doctor's visit or family's house. We went to Sam Moon and Babies R us. She was in her stroller and just loved it! Of course the car ride put her to sleep (someone loves my driving)! It was a busy day, and we were pooped after our adventure, but she did great!

While it is a very hard and exhausting journey, every moment with her is a blessing. I just love my little peanut! I have learned to be more selfless, patient, devoted and loving more than ever before! My life is filled with joy because of this little person and I just can't imagine it any different!