Advice

Okay Blogreaders...it is time to give solicited advice.  

EG has to be rocked to sleep.  Sometimes it is sweet and loving and amazing and other times it is like she is trying to kill you with her discomfort.  Once she is asleep she can't be laid down unless it is night-time and she is in her co-sleeper.  She will stay in the co-sleeper up to 3 hours at night and only wake up to eat, get rocked, and placed back in the co-sleeper.  

Is it time to move EG to her crib?  What will that look like?  How should we do that?  Should we stop rocking her to sleep?  Should we just lay her down when she falls asleep and deal with the consequences of that choice (her waking up and having a meltdown)?

Thoughts?  Advice?  Theories?  Remember she is only 6 weeks old....she is still brand new.

Baby Bliss

Life with a new baby certainly can be trying (why does she fight going to sleep so much???), but it is also incredibly sweet.  Right now I am sitting by the open front window.  It is early morning.  The birds are singing and the breeze is blowing in.  EG is napping in her carseat next to me after our walk with the dog.  E is upstairs sleeping.  (She had the first feeding shift, so she gets to sleep in.)  The house is absolutely silent except for EG's stirrings.  

For the most part we find a ton of sweetness in her snuggles, sleeping on us, and her first attempts at smiles.  She loves to take a bath and it calms her after a meltdown.  We are still figuring out how to get her to fall asleep without those meltdowns.  It seems as though she has a very small window of opportunity for going to sleep before she becomes overtired and inconsolable.  It is obvious to us that she is maturing as well as growing.  Three nights this week she fell asleep(which means tons of rocking and cajoling from us) by 7 p.m.  Every night this week, she slept for 12 hours only waking to eat.  That is some awesome progress.  We are now working on taking naps.  She is much happier when she takes a nap, but that means falling asleep.

E is very good at calming EG down when she gets wound up.  EG knows her momma.  As soon as E takes her, she settles a bit and her body relaxes.  It doesn't always last, but it is a welcome break for all three of us.  E is also very understanding when I feel like I have run out of options for dealing with EG.  She is very good at taking turns.  

Now that EG seems to be settling into a bit of a predictable routine, E and I are finding ways to spend time alone doing what we enjoy.  Today was the first day since last August that we got on our bikes.  We took turns each taking a half hour ride around our neighborhood while EG was napping.  While we both realized how incredibly out of shape we are, it also gave us a chance to feel energized and free and a chance to care for EG independently.  We are planning more small outings.

We are having a great time exploring life as a family.  

m

Random Thoughts of a New Mom

EG is sleeping in her car seat after a morning walk with the dog, so I thought I would take advantage of the moments of peace to documents some random thoughts over the past month.

*  A great hospital memory:  When we were still in the hospital M would climb into my luxury hospital bed and we would take EG out of her bassinet, and we would all three sleep together in that little bed.  Snuggled up.  We were all blissfully happy.  It was also the beginning of our "co-sleeping" which we had no intention of doing, but it happens.

*  EG is transitioning to her actual bassinet.  She is good in it for a couple of hours, but then she demands to get in the "big bed" with her mommas.  We have worked out a much better night routine for her where we both take turns feeding her, and we do it in the nursery as opposed to our room.  This allows a more peaceful place for EG and allows the other Mom to sleep peacefully.

*  We have had horrible flooding just north of us and we had to go to a wedding in a town that was almost an island due to the flooding.  We drove north to go back south into order to "cross the river" at a bridge that wasn't flooded out.  We were late to the wedding.  Our first big family affair and we were going to be late with little EG.  We get to the church 10 minutes late, dress EG in the car, M changes pants in the car, I am putting on my shirt and buttoning it as we rush through the church's courtyard and we finally get into the church.  They hadn't started because lots of people were late, but we still had to be seated in front of everyone.  EG was perfect during the service, but M did have to take her out to burp her.  While they were gone I looked down and realized I forgot to put on my heels.  I was sitting in a beautiful church in long black pants with a nice white top and my cheap black Target flip-flops.  In all the rush I forget to change my shoes.  Baby has the brain.

*  Tim Russert died.  I just can't believe it.  He taught me so much about politics.  I Tivo and watch Meet the Press every Sunday.  I don't believe any other commentator except Tim.  It is also hard because my father taught me to watch political shows and listen to both sides.  In some ways, it is a connection to my father who died this month three years ago.   Ironic that Tim also died in June. 

*  Baby Blues.  They still come and go, but for the most part they are much better.  I still have moments of panic and fear, but they pass quickly.  EG is so much better and we are so much smarter now.

*  M.  She is still my rock.  It is a challenge to raise a baby, but M has risen to the challenge and has done a great job.  She takes excellent care of EG and me.  We love her.

So there -- my random thoughts for the day...

E-

26 days old

Here is a brief recap of the last few weeks.

Week 1: Excitement. Joy. Severe case of the babyblues. Hormonal crash. Three days of my crying and feeling overwhelmed. M was the rock star with holding everything together. Seriously, I cried non stop.

Week 2: Breastfeeding. Lactation consultant. Constant feeding. Trapped in the house with no shirt on for days.

Week 3: Discovered that I wasn't making hindmilk, which is why EG was feeding all the time and not getting satisfied. Started using formula. EG became a whole new baby. She ate better, slept better, and is sooo much happier -- and moms are, too. She still nurses a little each day and gets a morning dose of pumped breastmilk.

Week 4: We are just starting week 4. Overall EG is perfect. She fusses for a while each evening when the sun starts to set, but apparently that is normal. It isn't colic because she can be comforted -- she is just fussy. Any ideas?

At this moment, M is holding EG and rubbing EG's back as EG drifts off to sleep. It is my favorite picture in the entire world. My girls.

E-

Random thoughts

- E was a rock star in giving birth to EG. She did everything the doctors told her and moved through the pain admirably.

- EG is so darn cute...and growing like a weed. She seems long to us...maybe she'll be tall.

- We sleep in three hour bursts at night, but EG is a great sleeper during that time.

- Breastfeeding is not for everyone.

- Going on at least one errand per day is essential to keeping one's sanity.

- If you have any spare cash, invest in Pampers.

- Baths with a baby are sweet and fun.

- We are taking pictures and videotaping a lot...she changes so fast.

- Post partum blues are real and common.

It is amazing to have a family. E and I spend hours sitting and staring at EG. We learn more about her every day. What her various cries mean. When she wants a nap. When she just wants to be left alone. She spends more time awake and she can see much more. She loves looking at the light and will sometimes turn in our direction if she hears our voices. She smiles and makes noises, but they are totally random. We wake up every day waiting to examine her and she how she has changed.

m

More Pics

Here are a few pics of sweet EG. We have TONS to write about and will find time soon. We are totally in love with her....