The second month was a time of overall improvement. It was during this time I made my post about how everyday is not like the next: some days went quite smoothly, others Cordelia was hard to console and I was very worn out by the end. But in general, my body was recovering from having given birth and I started to have more energy. It was surprising to feel it coming back, even with little sleep. It made me realize how draining being pregnant had been to my energy levels. Making a person was hard work! We started going on evening strolls around the neighborhood. Breastfeeding improved a lot, though sometimes her latch still felt very tight as she wouldn't open her mouth as wide as she could. But it got easier to be out of the house and do stuff, as she could wait a little longer between feedings.
Around the first week of July or so we had a whole 7 day long heatwave, everyday reaching tripple digits. And there was no wind even at night and with air conditioning only in the living room, our apartment could not cool down. I was nervous to swaddle Cordelia at night and that she would still overheat, but with two fans running and the window open, she did ok. By day, I took naps on the couch under the air conditioning, while holding Cordelia. It actually let me get quite a bit of rest and she loved being so close to me.
I brought Cordelia to school to see my group a few times. Everyone was glad to see me and meet Cordelia. Maylis told the kids they could only touch her toes, which helped me feel a little better about her being around all the preschooler germs. I wiped her feet when I got home though! But she didn't get sick from her visits and actually slept through a lot of the noise. She sleeps really well in busy, loud places, like restaurants too. The general humming just becomes white noise. A five year old boy told me her feet felt soft like an apricot. I was so impressed with his creative imagery.
This month we started cloth diapering. Judy had passed on her gdiapers to us. They have a cloth cover, a nylon snap-in liner, and have a fleece/hemp insert for catching the pee and poop. There is more hardware than with disposable diapers, so it takes a bit longer to change, but not much, when you consider how much time you normally spend at the changing table, kissing tummies and bicycling legs. (We always sing a song I made up: "I like to ride, I like to ride, I like to ride my bicycle. All over the town. All over the town.") We do rinse poopy diapers in the toilet with a sprayer we invested in, before adding them to the laundry wet bag. I wish our apartment had its own washing machine, but even having to pay for diaper loads is ultimately saving us money, maybe around 10 cents a diaper instead of 20-25, if we wait to wash diapers until we run out of our supply. We still use disposables often when going out, although we sometimes take a wet bag, and she wears huggies to bed as they seem the most absorbent. I'm glad Jason is committed, I am not sure if I would stick with it as much. Disposables do have the convenience factor and they can hold more. But we actually haven't had much beyond minor leaks with the gdiapers, not many huge blowouts. Once we stopped closing the disposable diapers too loosely, I actually discovered an appreciation of Pampers (though at first they were the leakiest!). I got a bunch of pampers as gift bags, and even a whole diaper cake from one of the classrooms at school. So I am still going through those, if she should need to wear a disposable during the day time.
So yes, cloth diapering, driving a hybrid car, and... making trips to the farmer's market. Jason said Cordelia was officially a hippy baby. It was really fun going to market on Tuesday mornings and getting fresh produce. I will miss going as a family when I return to work.
Cordelia was a very smiley baby. When she felt happy, she showed it by entirely lighting up. She started talking and cooing and making all kinds of noises to express herself. We called it singing her Baby Song. She laughed for the first time before she turned 8 weeks old, pretty early as I understand it. It was in the midst of a very fussy day... Jason had gone in to work on a Sunday and I was alone with her all day and evening. I grabbed my camera to record it for him. And once we had heard the sound of her adorable laugh, we performed like fools trying to get her to do it again. Farts, raspberries, and trills all eventually became sure fire ways to set her giggling.
For the first two months Cordelia had pretty bad flare ups of baby acne. She had red spots all over her face and was very blotchy. She also had funky gunk on her eye brows, more of a crust like cradle cap would be. A nurse said I could put olive oil on her eyebrows and scrub it with a tooth brush. It took me a while to try it, but it did help. We wondered if the acne was a reaction to soap at bath time, but we were told no, it was hormonal. All her pores were getting used to being in the air. By her 2 month well baby check up, her face was finally starting to show signs of clearing up. But the eye brow crust was coming back and full on cradle cap were setting in, so it was a trade off. We saw Dr. Huang for the first time and I really liked him, so unless she ever gets Kaiser insurance again, I think I will take her to him. He recommended a bit of cortizone cream to put on her eyebrows and that it could clear up in as fast as a day. It did work quickly! I tried olive oil on her head for the cradle cap, or crap as I should say, but it turns out baby oil worked much better. It is great to no longer have to deal with the temptation of picking at it while breastfeeding.
At 2 months, Cordelia was a full two feet long and weighed 11 lbs 6 oz. She was in the 95th percentile for height and the 50-75th for weight. She had to have five shots and one drink for her first round of immunizations. I was pretty freaked out about it, no doubt spurring my panic when I discovered her car seat straps had become twisted when I was trying to leave for the appointment. I called Jason in a frenzy, with Cordelia screaming, trying to take the car seat apart to untwist it. Ay! Not a parenting moment I want to relive. The looming shots made me even more stressed. Poor baby, it was the first time I heard her cry in pain--- a sound I shall not forget. I nursed her as soon as they were done sticking her and she was smiling by the time we left. She ran a fever that evening and night, but it did not seem to bother her too much.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
New Problem
So three months in and breastfeeding problems can still occur. Cordelia is going longer between feedings, sometimes 4 hours by day and she has been sleeping in long stretches by night, sometimes 5-8 hours. And while I am grateful for this, my boobs (particularly the right boob), have yet to clue in to produce less milk. So she is eating the same, or sometimes maybe even smaller shorter amounts and not fully emptying my enormous boobs. Leading to ENGORGED BOOBS (particularly the right boob). It is so frustrating and uncomfortable, let me tell you. Your baby is done eating and your boob still feels so HEAVY and by the time she is going to eat on that side again, you feel like there is going to be a boob-slposion. Last night, I started feeling like I am getting Jason's cold, which made me feel like I had been hit with a truck... achy all over! I tried pumping my right boob, thinking to lighten it a bit, while Jason gave her a bottle. She was due to eat again on the left side for the next feeding... but she ended up going to bed. I got up at midnight and pumped, which was a good thing since she slept until 6 AM.
This morning my right boob was starting to get reddish patches...... t seems from not getting completely emptied I have developed mastitis. So maybe not Jason's cold, as I felt like I was having flu like symptoms. I talked to Kaiser and got some antibiotics over the phone!
So, tomorrow I return to work, having spent my last precious day of maternity leave dealing with this delightful problem. Currently sterilizing tons of pump parts and bottles to return to work. It will probably take me some time to figure all this out. Personally, I am thinking that pumping may be a good thing if it lightens my supply just enough. I would be so happy to drop a cups size. Or two or three. At this rate though, I will just settle for a fully empty boob.
This morning my right boob was starting to get reddish patches...... t seems from not getting completely emptied I have developed mastitis. So maybe not Jason's cold, as I felt like I was having flu like symptoms. I talked to Kaiser and got some antibiotics over the phone!
So, tomorrow I return to work, having spent my last precious day of maternity leave dealing with this delightful problem. Currently sterilizing tons of pump parts and bottles to return to work. It will probably take me some time to figure all this out. Personally, I am thinking that pumping may be a good thing if it lightens my supply just enough. I would be so happy to drop a cups size. Or two or three. At this rate though, I will just settle for a fully empty boob.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Happy 3 Month Birthday
I can't believe I have a three month old! Cordelia is so beautiful and getting so big already. I'm getting very skilled at typing one handed, so I will try and post more often. There are so many moments I wish I written down that are now, poof, gone into the ether. So even if they are short, I'll try and jot them down.
Last night we laughed so hard trying to swaddle Cordelia. She sleeps in these pocket style swaddles that velcro together. If she doesn't wear them, she wakes up much faster and more frequently. They help keep her from startling as much at every little sound, like sqeaky floor boards and mattress springs. Anyway, last night Jason was starting to swaddle her and each time he got one leg into the leg-pocket and went to put the other one in.... she would pull the first leg back out. It was like a comedy routine, of Cordelia happily kicking her leg free and Jason exclaiming "Hey! Put that leg back! Hey! Put that leg back!" She did it over and over and we doubled up laughing hysterically. She gave me a confused look, not used to us laughing so hard and so loud.
This morning she was crying with hunger as I changed her diaper. She was wailing impatiently, nostrils flared, so I took the opportunity to pick a huge booger out of her nose with my finger. YES, I picked my child's own nose! And not for the first time, I might add, but I did it quite skillfully.
Aaaand she just spit up all over herself and our couch. Now I know why my parents never bought a new couch until we were in high school. Our couch was one of our big household purchases and I was very proud of it. Hopefully it will last well, though it is currently becoming covered in attractive spit up stains on a regular basis.
....
Another 3 month milestone to report! Cordelia just fell asleep in her bassinet unassisted! We had a great Awake Time together post spit up, in which I was lifting her, bouncing her, and helping her "stand" and sit down in my lap. She was having a grand time and we were both smiling and laughing joyfully. I gave her smoochies on her cute cheeks and worked on getting her to turn her neck the other way (she always turns to one side). She is a wonderful, wonderful baby! Anyway, in my mommy mind, while we were playing, I was thinking, this is quite a workout for her. After all this exercise, she is going to be very tired. So after we wound down, I did a quick diaper check (dry) and put her in her bed. I gave her the Winkle, which she held and sucked on. I made a quick bathroom trip and then peeped in at her. She was still holding the Winkle. She dropped a few times and I (standing out of view) just replaced it in her hands. She barely noticed me and definitely no eye contact. Eventually she dropped the Winkle again and started sucking on her hands. (She has yet to find her thumb, preferring the whole fist. For the record, she hates pacifiers.) And then my little baby fell asleep! I plucked the Winkle out of the bed without disturbing her. I have her on the baby monitor now and she hasn't woken up yet. On facebook I have bemoaned the fact that sleep experts recommend putting your baby to bed when drowsy, but not yet asleep, when Cordelia certainly never does this. But I can see the logic and it has been my hope to accomplish it. Her unswaddled bassinet naps never seem to last much beyond 30 minutes max (usually like 10 mins, leading to very tired baby later in the day). But I am so proud of her no matter what. It is a big accomplishment to self-soothe!! Good job Cordelia!!
Last night we laughed so hard trying to swaddle Cordelia. She sleeps in these pocket style swaddles that velcro together. If she doesn't wear them, she wakes up much faster and more frequently. They help keep her from startling as much at every little sound, like sqeaky floor boards and mattress springs. Anyway, last night Jason was starting to swaddle her and each time he got one leg into the leg-pocket and went to put the other one in.... she would pull the first leg back out. It was like a comedy routine, of Cordelia happily kicking her leg free and Jason exclaiming "Hey! Put that leg back! Hey! Put that leg back!" She did it over and over and we doubled up laughing hysterically. She gave me a confused look, not used to us laughing so hard and so loud.
This morning she was crying with hunger as I changed her diaper. She was wailing impatiently, nostrils flared, so I took the opportunity to pick a huge booger out of her nose with my finger. YES, I picked my child's own nose! And not for the first time, I might add, but I did it quite skillfully.
Aaaand she just spit up all over herself and our couch. Now I know why my parents never bought a new couch until we were in high school. Our couch was one of our big household purchases and I was very proud of it. Hopefully it will last well, though it is currently becoming covered in attractive spit up stains on a regular basis.
....
Another 3 month milestone to report! Cordelia just fell asleep in her bassinet unassisted! We had a great Awake Time together post spit up, in which I was lifting her, bouncing her, and helping her "stand" and sit down in my lap. She was having a grand time and we were both smiling and laughing joyfully. I gave her smoochies on her cute cheeks and worked on getting her to turn her neck the other way (she always turns to one side). She is a wonderful, wonderful baby! Anyway, in my mommy mind, while we were playing, I was thinking, this is quite a workout for her. After all this exercise, she is going to be very tired. So after we wound down, I did a quick diaper check (dry) and put her in her bed. I gave her the Winkle, which she held and sucked on. I made a quick bathroom trip and then peeped in at her. She was still holding the Winkle. She dropped a few times and I (standing out of view) just replaced it in her hands. She barely noticed me and definitely no eye contact. Eventually she dropped the Winkle again and started sucking on her hands. (She has yet to find her thumb, preferring the whole fist. For the record, she hates pacifiers.) And then my little baby fell asleep! I plucked the Winkle out of the bed without disturbing her. I have her on the baby monitor now and she hasn't woken up yet. On facebook I have bemoaned the fact that sleep experts recommend putting your baby to bed when drowsy, but not yet asleep, when Cordelia certainly never does this. But I can see the logic and it has been my hope to accomplish it. Her unswaddled bassinet naps never seem to last much beyond 30 minutes max (usually like 10 mins, leading to very tired baby later in the day). But I am so proud of her no matter what. It is a big accomplishment to self-soothe!! Good job Cordelia!!
The First Month
During the first month, we had a steady stream of visitors. Various friends and co-workers all came to see Cordelia, like Gillian and Jim, Nick, Stephanie, and Rose. Simone came, the first time we'd seen each other since 2009. She was awesome and cleaned our house for us and was just generally so helpful. We watched tons of episodes of Say Yes To the Dress, because my mental abilities were nil. Auntie Alison, or should I say Dr. Turtledove, having graduated, made it to meet Cordelia when she turned one month old.
At her two week well baby check, she had regained her birth weight. The doctor commented on how alert she was! She was always looking around. They measured her again at 22 and a 1/4 inches. My mom said she could not have grown two inches already, that maybe her birth measurement of 20.5 inches was off (she was quite curled up). Anyway, they said 100th percentile for height. My long baby.
At 9 days old, we went to see our photographer friend Shoey for Cordelia's new born portraits. It was an exciting experience, and the results turned out amazing. Cordelia wanted to do everything during the photoshoot. Sometimes she was awake, others asleep, eaing, or crying. It gave us a fun range of pictures, not just of a sleepy newborn. But she is very sweet as she sleeps:
Jason went back to work after two weeks, which left me alone with Cordelia 6-8 hours or so a day. I was not very happy about this, as it happened when baby blues were hitting me. I was overwhelmed.
That first month I had horrible horrible times trying to deal with important things because I just felt so overwhelmed, I couldn't bear confusing forms. But I got my disability leave settled and money started getting transferred after the stupid waiting period. Health insurance gave me all kinds of problems and I have applied for medical for some sort of affordable option, since my work insurance option was astronomical ($700/month). It has been slow goings. Medical sent her a card, but two months later I am still waiting to hear if she can stay in the program. Scanning pay stubs and such was so stressful, especially with websites not working as they should and having to call tech support. I just couldn't handle it at the time, on top of having just given birth and struggling with breastfeeding discomfort and lack of sleep. I was plagued with guilt that I wasn't taking care of my child properly. My mom insisted the only thing I was guilt of was ignorance of the process and that just to take care of one thing at a time. Cordelia's Kaiser coverage ran out at 1 month after birth and there was a brief lapse between that and the start of when her crappy Blue Shield plan that I signed her up for began. I was terrified something would happen to her in that time. On the last day of her Kaiser insurance, I took her in because of pinkness in her eye. I was worried she had pink eye from her cousin. The nurse agreed her eye wasn't as clear as it could be, so we got some drops that I used for a week until it finally, finally cleared up.
I was also super worried about her bellybutton, as she knocked her cord stump off at 10 days old and it was still gooey and oozed a light amount of pus for over a month. But the doctor assured me it was normal. UG! That was definitely a surprise. I had no idea how and stinky huge the cord stump would be and did not expect the icky flat part from where it was clamped. Cordelia became aware of it and kept knocking it, so even with our best efforts to keep it dry and protected, she just knocked it off before it was fully dried up. If she ever is dissatisfied with how her belly button turns out as an adult, I will tell her it is all her own fault. It took forever to heal and I'm still not sure if it is an innie or an outie.
Talking with Donica helped ease the last of my baby blues, it was good to hear from another mom who had been through it. And eventually, I started feeling less stressed and more competent by day (although nights were still sometimes trying).
The first month was a time of figuring things out and trying not to freak out about being responsible for a new life. You're in wonder, in awe, and also sometimes scared because you don't know what's normal and what isn't. Your boobs hurt and you are sleep deprived and you watch a LOT of TV because your brain can't handle sitting up, alone, feeding your baby at all hours for hours and hours. You try and sleep when your baby is sleeping, but that also comes at the cost of time needed to go to the bathroom, eat something because you are constantly hungry from burning calories producing milk, or take a shower. And by then your baby is awake again. Jason did great keeping me supplied with two water bottles at all times. It took me about 8 weeks to fully recover from giving birth too.
Fortunately, in all of this, Cordelia was a great baby right from the start. She has her fussy times, but in general she has a sweet, happy disposition. We were in love with her from the start and just couldn't get over her cuteness. Jason loves getting pictures of her smiling, which she seemed to do so often, even before social smiles emerge. She was fascinated by "her" mirror at the changing table and would stare at all the moving shapes in it. Jason and I failed at diapering though. Even though I've chaned many kid diapers, I'd never done a baby's. We were making them too loose, because we were afraid that too tight would bother her. Turns out, tight is a must, pull those tabs until they meet in the middle or are even overlapped a bit... Her diapers were leaking regularly, adding sheet changes to our late night activities. The pee would just flow up her back and out, not even touching the diaper! Noob mistake, fortunately brother in law Jonathan set us straight. Oh yes, and for the first three weeks or so we didn't use wipes. As recommended by doctors, we used these thick paper towel like things Kaiser sent us home with and warm water. We got smart and kept a thermos by the changing table. Cordelia did fine when we at last ran out of the towels and switched to wipes. We started cloth diapering (not exclusively) the following month....
I used to say, "I'm nursing my young!" Her sweet nursey-face was like a little puppy or some sort of animal... it really reminded me, yes, you are a MAMMAL! Sometimes she will throw an arm over her head as she nurses; I call it her woe-is-me pose. I constantly tell her, "You can have all the milkies you want, little girl," so she knows the good stuff is just for her and she can nurse as much as she likes.
My first solo outing with her was to the WC OFS, where the teachers were having a staff day. I arrived around lunch time. Heidi saw me walking in the parking lot and her mouth fell open in excitement and maybe she gasped. Seeing her face, Alex said she imagined that Susan was being chased by the wild turkeys that roam around. No idea why that popped into her head, but pretty hilarious. Everyone was so excited to see her (and me). And it made me feel pretty good. Still, for the most part, I prefer going out with Jason there as support.
The last crazy thing we did that first month, which I do not recommend for exhausted new moms, is buy a car. We'd been looking for some time, and had some money designated for the downpaymet, as Jason's old car would stall, especially in hot weather. With summer arriving and with a new baby, it just wasn't a safe option and I was dreading the day it would die for good, most likely in the middle of the free way or busy street. Jason saw a car he didn't want to pass up, a 2010 Honda Insight, with good mileage and even the color we liked (silver). So we got things rolling, and bought a car. It took a couple of days after initially checking it out to go to filling out all the paperwork and getting the best deal that we could. Jason is a proud hybrid driver, to keep Cordelia safe and eco friendly. Now I was officially, officially a grown up. I'd birthed a baby, and I'd bought my first car without familial assistance. The car was ours on Cordelia's one month birthday!
At her two week well baby check, she had regained her birth weight. The doctor commented on how alert she was! She was always looking around. They measured her again at 22 and a 1/4 inches. My mom said she could not have grown two inches already, that maybe her birth measurement of 20.5 inches was off (she was quite curled up). Anyway, they said 100th percentile for height. My long baby.
At 9 days old, we went to see our photographer friend Shoey for Cordelia's new born portraits. It was an exciting experience, and the results turned out amazing. Cordelia wanted to do everything during the photoshoot. Sometimes she was awake, others asleep, eaing, or crying. It gave us a fun range of pictures, not just of a sleepy newborn. But she is very sweet as she sleeps:
Jason went back to work after two weeks, which left me alone with Cordelia 6-8 hours or so a day. I was not very happy about this, as it happened when baby blues were hitting me. I was overwhelmed.
That first month I had horrible horrible times trying to deal with important things because I just felt so overwhelmed, I couldn't bear confusing forms. But I got my disability leave settled and money started getting transferred after the stupid waiting period. Health insurance gave me all kinds of problems and I have applied for medical for some sort of affordable option, since my work insurance option was astronomical ($700/month). It has been slow goings. Medical sent her a card, but two months later I am still waiting to hear if she can stay in the program. Scanning pay stubs and such was so stressful, especially with websites not working as they should and having to call tech support. I just couldn't handle it at the time, on top of having just given birth and struggling with breastfeeding discomfort and lack of sleep. I was plagued with guilt that I wasn't taking care of my child properly. My mom insisted the only thing I was guilt of was ignorance of the process and that just to take care of one thing at a time. Cordelia's Kaiser coverage ran out at 1 month after birth and there was a brief lapse between that and the start of when her crappy Blue Shield plan that I signed her up for began. I was terrified something would happen to her in that time. On the last day of her Kaiser insurance, I took her in because of pinkness in her eye. I was worried she had pink eye from her cousin. The nurse agreed her eye wasn't as clear as it could be, so we got some drops that I used for a week until it finally, finally cleared up.
I was also super worried about her bellybutton, as she knocked her cord stump off at 10 days old and it was still gooey and oozed a light amount of pus for over a month. But the doctor assured me it was normal. UG! That was definitely a surprise. I had no idea how and stinky huge the cord stump would be and did not expect the icky flat part from where it was clamped. Cordelia became aware of it and kept knocking it, so even with our best efforts to keep it dry and protected, she just knocked it off before it was fully dried up. If she ever is dissatisfied with how her belly button turns out as an adult, I will tell her it is all her own fault. It took forever to heal and I'm still not sure if it is an innie or an outie.
Talking with Donica helped ease the last of my baby blues, it was good to hear from another mom who had been through it. And eventually, I started feeling less stressed and more competent by day (although nights were still sometimes trying).
The first month was a time of figuring things out and trying not to freak out about being responsible for a new life. You're in wonder, in awe, and also sometimes scared because you don't know what's normal and what isn't. Your boobs hurt and you are sleep deprived and you watch a LOT of TV because your brain can't handle sitting up, alone, feeding your baby at all hours for hours and hours. You try and sleep when your baby is sleeping, but that also comes at the cost of time needed to go to the bathroom, eat something because you are constantly hungry from burning calories producing milk, or take a shower. And by then your baby is awake again. Jason did great keeping me supplied with two water bottles at all times. It took me about 8 weeks to fully recover from giving birth too.
Fortunately, in all of this, Cordelia was a great baby right from the start. She has her fussy times, but in general she has a sweet, happy disposition. We were in love with her from the start and just couldn't get over her cuteness. Jason loves getting pictures of her smiling, which she seemed to do so often, even before social smiles emerge. She was fascinated by "her" mirror at the changing table and would stare at all the moving shapes in it. Jason and I failed at diapering though. Even though I've chaned many kid diapers, I'd never done a baby's. We were making them too loose, because we were afraid that too tight would bother her. Turns out, tight is a must, pull those tabs until they meet in the middle or are even overlapped a bit... Her diapers were leaking regularly, adding sheet changes to our late night activities. The pee would just flow up her back and out, not even touching the diaper! Noob mistake, fortunately brother in law Jonathan set us straight. Oh yes, and for the first three weeks or so we didn't use wipes. As recommended by doctors, we used these thick paper towel like things Kaiser sent us home with and warm water. We got smart and kept a thermos by the changing table. Cordelia did fine when we at last ran out of the towels and switched to wipes. We started cloth diapering (not exclusively) the following month....
I used to say, "I'm nursing my young!" Her sweet nursey-face was like a little puppy or some sort of animal... it really reminded me, yes, you are a MAMMAL! Sometimes she will throw an arm over her head as she nurses; I call it her woe-is-me pose. I constantly tell her, "You can have all the milkies you want, little girl," so she knows the good stuff is just for her and she can nurse as much as she likes.
My first solo outing with her was to the WC OFS, where the teachers were having a staff day. I arrived around lunch time. Heidi saw me walking in the parking lot and her mouth fell open in excitement and maybe she gasped. Seeing her face, Alex said she imagined that Susan was being chased by the wild turkeys that roam around. No idea why that popped into her head, but pretty hilarious. Everyone was so excited to see her (and me). And it made me feel pretty good. Still, for the most part, I prefer going out with Jason there as support.
The last crazy thing we did that first month, which I do not recommend for exhausted new moms, is buy a car. We'd been looking for some time, and had some money designated for the downpaymet, as Jason's old car would stall, especially in hot weather. With summer arriving and with a new baby, it just wasn't a safe option and I was dreading the day it would die for good, most likely in the middle of the free way or busy street. Jason saw a car he didn't want to pass up, a 2010 Honda Insight, with good mileage and even the color we liked (silver). So we got things rolling, and bought a car. It took a couple of days after initially checking it out to go to filling out all the paperwork and getting the best deal that we could. Jason is a proud hybrid driver, to keep Cordelia safe and eco friendly. Now I was officially, officially a grown up. I'd birthed a baby, and I'd bought my first car without familial assistance. The car was ours on Cordelia's one month birthday!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Discoveries
At 11 weeks old, Cordelia began to notice toys and try and touch and play with them. That week she also started sticking her tongue out a lot, so I would say to her, "I learned to stick my tongue out and now I do it all the time." in a cute voice. But she has already moved on from this new trick.
At 12 weeks, she really likes toys now. She likes looking in mirrors and holding stuff, especially a crinkly baby paper toy and trying to touch stuff on her swing bar and her playmat. She is no longer scared of her 1980s crib toy... a big plastic thing with parts to bat at and a huge ball in the middle with beads in it to roll and make a huge sound. Still startles her a little if somone else does it unexpectedly. She also likes to touch more and has started holding her own hands and also raising her hands to study them a bit. She still hasnt found her toes on her own, but I am trying to show her.... there are piggies down there!!
She also slept through the night, like 7-8 hours, twice. Unfortunately, I was awake for long periods in anticipation of her,which meant not getting as much rest as I could have. Jason is a much better sleeper than me. He falls asleep instantly and he can sleep through her stirring and sometimes even a few cries. He can even fall asleep sitting up, which I definitely can't do! I take a long time to drift off and snap instantly awake and on high alert at the slightest noise from her.
But it turned out it was even cuter as a hat.
At 12 weeks, she really likes toys now. She likes looking in mirrors and holding stuff, especially a crinkly baby paper toy and trying to touch stuff on her swing bar and her playmat. She is no longer scared of her 1980s crib toy... a big plastic thing with parts to bat at and a huge ball in the middle with beads in it to roll and make a huge sound. Still startles her a little if somone else does it unexpectedly. She also likes to touch more and has started holding her own hands and also raising her hands to study them a bit. She still hasnt found her toes on her own, but I am trying to show her.... there are piggies down there!!
At the Five Little Monkeys Toy Store in downtown Walnut Creek, I saw this toy called a Winkle. I thought it would appeal to Cordelia, with its slender loops, easy to grasp, and great for two handed play. It was a good call, because she loves it. She puts it in her mouth and has even held it with her feet. It can also be refrigerated for teething down the road.
She also slept through the night, like 7-8 hours, twice. Unfortunately, I was awake for long periods in anticipation of her,which meant not getting as much rest as I could have. Jason is a much better sleeper than me. He falls asleep instantly and he can sleep through her stirring and sometimes even a few cries. He can even fall asleep sitting up, which I definitely can't do! I take a long time to drift off and snap instantly awake and on high alert at the slightest noise from her.
I thought she looked so cute in this onesie.
Rocking my onesie hat, new look sweeping the world of baby fashion.
The back view.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
The First Days At Home
I'm writing this for a page in Cordelia's baby book, but thought I'd share here too.
The first days at home were definitely a learning curve for the new parents. Jason was eager to get out of the hospital since the chair-bed was so uncomfortable. I did not enjoy being rushed, but we made it. We finally were ready to leave in the evening; Cordelia did not fuss at all for her first car ride! When we got home, our cats Willow and LBC were so happy to see us! They did not mind the baby at all! In fact, shy LBC wanted to climb right in my lap.
My parents and Auntie Rebecca came over and brought us Subway sandwiches. Jason went to bed, but I stayed up because I was supposed to feed Cordelia every 2 or 3 hours or something like that. But she would not wake up for boob at all--she just kept sleeping! My parents tried to tell me it was pointless, and that sleeping babies should be left to do just that--sleep! But I was frustrated because she wasn't doing what she was "supposed to" and I was worried that she wouldn't be getting enough to eat. She had also slept through the night her first night in the hospital, so I also "missed" the 2-3 hour feedings and Cordelia had gone down 7% of her birth weight or something---basically close to bottom of the normal birth weight loss that Kaiser allows. I was worried she would lose more! But eventually she woke up (around the time I decided to try and sleep, naturally) and I don't think we got much sleep that night.
Breastfeeding took a while to learn, as neither Cordelia nor myself had done it before! Fortunately, I had no problems with my milk supply. It was pretty neat to wake up one morning and see the colostrum has turned white: Hey! I made milk! The main thing was trying to master a "correct" latch so that there wouldn't be any discomfort. She was able to latch, but my nipples are on the flat side and took a long time to come out more. Cordelia often wanted to "cluster feed" not just within the first two days, but within the first two weeks! She would often want to eat every hour and I would just have to feed her on demand! Also, I got "mommy wrist" for the first weeks from holding my boob all the time, but with time, it went away. Another thing about breastfeeding that nothing can really prepare you for: it completely immobilizes you. If you thought it was getting difficult to get around when pregnant, managing that cumbersome belly, that is nothing until you have an infant suctioned to your boob. Things that you want/need, that are mere feet away from you, sometimes just beyond your very fingertips... are suddenly unreachable. Things like water bottles, tv remote controls, kleenex boxes, blankets, cell phones... you can't get to it. Or you'll be trying to pick up stuff you dropped off the couch with your feet.
During the first week, my parents and Rebecca stayed in town; it was nice having them visit every day. One of the best parts was that my mom and Rebecca cooked amazing dishes for us. It was so good to have elaborate home-cooked food, especially after hospital fare. They made a pasta salad, soups, a vegetable stew, and Rebecca's Moroccan mushroom and rice recipe.... They also made us banana chocolate chip and blue berry muffins, which made not only great breakfasts, but also excellent midnight snacks. The first few weeks of breastfeeding made me ravenous. It was funny, after being pregnant when your stomach is so squished it gets full really fast!
It was also nice having someone to hold Cordelia while we could try and catch a few naps. I had to convince Jason to nap because he would want to hold out at as long as possible without one. But it was a relief to have a few moments for just the two of us to relax and actually sleep. I remember snuggling down in bed and looking at him and saying, "I didn't think it was possible, but these last few days I love you even more than ever before." It was a great feeling.
Another favorite memory I have of those days is when the cooks in the kitchen had something they were preparing get a little smokey. Nothing serious, our range and oven have been known to do that if they get anything on them. But it was enough to make the smoke detector go off. Rebecca was quite offended, but my dad started singing "Burning Down the House" to Cordelia. Jason and I were in the bedroom, but we could hear him. Jason said to me, "Your dad is so cute."
When Cordelia was a week old, my family returned to Socal. I was very sad indeed to see them go; it was so special to see my parents holding with my baby. With them so far away, they will miss seeing how she grows and changes and all of her cuteness in person. Fortunately, we have phones and photos and the internet... maybe we will even video chat sometime. Jason takes 1 photo a day which he posts on Facebook. He dubbed it the #dailybaby and takes it very seriously. I thought I would be able to blog on at least a pretty regular basis during my maternity leave--- ha ha, she laughs as she types this over several days, currently one handed due to nursing baby. So the #dailybaby photos will be an incredible record of Cordelia's activities and a way to track her growth and development! This blog will be here......when I have time!
Home from the hospital, in my purrfect onesie.
The first days at home were definitely a learning curve for the new parents. Jason was eager to get out of the hospital since the chair-bed was so uncomfortable. I did not enjoy being rushed, but we made it. We finally were ready to leave in the evening; Cordelia did not fuss at all for her first car ride! When we got home, our cats Willow and LBC were so happy to see us! They did not mind the baby at all! In fact, shy LBC wanted to climb right in my lap.
My parents and Auntie Rebecca came over and brought us Subway sandwiches. Jason went to bed, but I stayed up because I was supposed to feed Cordelia every 2 or 3 hours or something like that. But she would not wake up for boob at all--she just kept sleeping! My parents tried to tell me it was pointless, and that sleeping babies should be left to do just that--sleep! But I was frustrated because she wasn't doing what she was "supposed to" and I was worried that she wouldn't be getting enough to eat. She had also slept through the night her first night in the hospital, so I also "missed" the 2-3 hour feedings and Cordelia had gone down 7% of her birth weight or something---basically close to bottom of the normal birth weight loss that Kaiser allows. I was worried she would lose more! But eventually she woke up (around the time I decided to try and sleep, naturally) and I don't think we got much sleep that night.
Breastfeeding took a while to learn, as neither Cordelia nor myself had done it before! Fortunately, I had no problems with my milk supply. It was pretty neat to wake up one morning and see the colostrum has turned white: Hey! I made milk! The main thing was trying to master a "correct" latch so that there wouldn't be any discomfort. She was able to latch, but my nipples are on the flat side and took a long time to come out more. Cordelia often wanted to "cluster feed" not just within the first two days, but within the first two weeks! She would often want to eat every hour and I would just have to feed her on demand! Also, I got "mommy wrist" for the first weeks from holding my boob all the time, but with time, it went away. Another thing about breastfeeding that nothing can really prepare you for: it completely immobilizes you. If you thought it was getting difficult to get around when pregnant, managing that cumbersome belly, that is nothing until you have an infant suctioned to your boob. Things that you want/need, that are mere feet away from you, sometimes just beyond your very fingertips... are suddenly unreachable. Things like water bottles, tv remote controls, kleenex boxes, blankets, cell phones... you can't get to it. Or you'll be trying to pick up stuff you dropped off the couch with your feet.
During the first week, my parents and Rebecca stayed in town; it was nice having them visit every day. One of the best parts was that my mom and Rebecca cooked amazing dishes for us. It was so good to have elaborate home-cooked food, especially after hospital fare. They made a pasta salad, soups, a vegetable stew, and Rebecca's Moroccan mushroom and rice recipe.... They also made us banana chocolate chip and blue berry muffins, which made not only great breakfasts, but also excellent midnight snacks. The first few weeks of breastfeeding made me ravenous. It was funny, after being pregnant when your stomach is so squished it gets full really fast!
It was also nice having someone to hold Cordelia while we could try and catch a few naps. I had to convince Jason to nap because he would want to hold out at as long as possible without one. But it was a relief to have a few moments for just the two of us to relax and actually sleep. I remember snuggling down in bed and looking at him and saying, "I didn't think it was possible, but these last few days I love you even more than ever before." It was a great feeling.
Another favorite memory I have of those days is when the cooks in the kitchen had something they were preparing get a little smokey. Nothing serious, our range and oven have been known to do that if they get anything on them. But it was enough to make the smoke detector go off. Rebecca was quite offended, but my dad started singing "Burning Down the House" to Cordelia. Jason and I were in the bedroom, but we could hear him. Jason said to me, "Your dad is so cute."
When Cordelia was a week old, my family returned to Socal. I was very sad indeed to see them go; it was so special to see my parents holding with my baby. With them so far away, they will miss seeing how she grows and changes and all of her cuteness in person. Fortunately, we have phones and photos and the internet... maybe we will even video chat sometime. Jason takes 1 photo a day which he posts on Facebook. He dubbed it the #dailybaby and takes it very seriously. I thought I would be able to blog on at least a pretty regular basis during my maternity leave--- ha ha, she laughs as she types this over several days, currently one handed due to nursing baby. So the #dailybaby photos will be an incredible record of Cordelia's activities and a way to track her growth and development! This blog will be here......when I have time!
Home from the hospital, in my purrfect onesie.
Trying to eat Grandpa's shirt.
Skin to skin time with Daddy.
LBC visits while Mom figures out breastfeeding
Three generations of Turtledove women
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