Peanut Tracker: 7 Week Update- Smiling, Santa, and Sad Events

Sleepy girl

The 7 week mark was full of exciting moments for our (not so little) peanut. Eric weighed her and she was already over 13 lbs!

She loves her daddy!

On Sunday night she rolled over for the first time! The three of us were in the bedroom and Eric put her on the bed with me. After lying on her belly for a couple minutes, she decided to roll over. We were both shocked! Babies aren't expected to do that until 4 or 5 months! She has had good head control since she was born and has been able to push up her head to a 90 degree angle for a couple weeks. She can also sit up with support. She's been rolling over at almost every tummy time since. Sometimes she just rolls right over, and other times she slows down midway and uses her leg to kick the rest of the way over. When she does that it reminds me of how I got out of bed when I was pregnant. She has also been smiling a lot more and will even smile just from the sound of my voice or seeing my face! I love that smile and could stare at her smiling all day! She mimics my facial expressions and is cooing and trying to laugh too. It's the absolute cutest!

Meeting Santa

On Tuesday we took her to meet Santa for the first time! As most parents are, I was a little nervous that she would be scared of a strange man in a red suit and a long beard. However, she slept through the whole thing. We dressed her up, took her to the mall, took her out of the car seat, fussed with her hair, waited in line, and put her in Santa's arms without a peep. If only next year could be that easy! Tuesday night we also took our family photo for our Christmas cards. Charlee was less cooperative for those pictures and we had to take what we could get. But I'm still glad we took them. You only get one first Christmas as a family.

First family Christmas

Charlee's clingy phase continued into week 7 and it was making things really difficult to get done. I finally went up to the nursery and found the Moby wrap. After struggling with how to tie it on (I lost the instruction manual), I put Charlee in the wrap and walked around the house a little. She went from screaming and crying to sleeping in seconds. She absolutely LOVES the wrap! And I love that I have both hands free and can walk around. I've used it almost every day since. Now I'm looking forward to trying other holds and slings as time goes on.

Outfit my step mom made

I would like to mention the unfortunate and terrifying school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut on December 14. I was at the Post Office mailing our Christmas cards when my mother called and asked if I had heard the news. After turning on CNN I learned of the details of the tragedy. 20 children lost. Their short lives ended way too soon. It's every parents worst nightmare and it happened in a place that both children and parents should feel safe. We may never understand the gunman's motives, but we will always remember the impact these events had on the country. My heart breaks for the victims families and friends. That night I held Charlee a little tighter and said a prayer that we find a solution to violence in our schools.

My smiley baby girl

 On a lighter note, Charlee peed on me this week. She's pooped and peed on me during changings before. That's explainable. But on Sunday night I had changed her and nursed her. When I stood up again, my leg felt wet. I looked down and, sure enough, there was a big warm wet spot there! After laughing it off, I ran to take a shower as quickly as possible. I have officially been initiated into the circle of mom's!

Peanut Tracker: 6 Week Update- Sleepless Nights and Smiley Mornings

I know, I know. The blog is late again. And, honestly, it will probably be a long time before I get it out in a timely manner in the future. It turns out that taking care of a tiny human is time consuming!

My clingy baby 

The 6 week mark was a great time for us. Although we still have a few hurdles to jump, I think Charlee and I are finally getting more comfortable with each other. I can recognize her cries and anticipate her needs, and I'm less terrified that I will break her or to leave her alone in her pack-n-play when I go shower (as long as I have a monitor on). We have been able to get out of the house and do our grocery and Christmas shopping without any real problems. The biggest problem I have during outings is strangers asking me to take the cover off of the car seat so they can stare at her. Sure, it's innocent enough if you aren't a parent, but I have that cover over her to keep germs out and to help her sleep. However, I will usually oblige and let them stare at her...from a distance. Luckily everyone seems to agree that we have an adorable little girl, which helps me get over the initial annoyance when someone asks me to disturb her.

Good morning mommy!

Like I said, we still have some hurdles to jump. Charlee has a pretty serious case of baby acne and a small case of cradle cap. Both are caused by hormones at the end of the pregnancy and there wasn't anything we could do to prevent them. So, I have to find the perfect balance of bathing her to keep her scalp clean and brushed to help with the cradle cap, but not bathing her too much and causing her skin to dry out. She is also going through a very clingy phase. If she's awake, I better be holding her. If I put her down once she falls asleep, she will usually wake up within 10 minutes screaming for me to pick her up. The other night I had to sleep on the couch with her in the rocker and my hand in the rocker on her belly. It was the only compromise I could make. The pediatrician says a lot of babies go through a clingy phase at this age and she should grow out of it by 3 months. So, yeah, no big deal, just another 6 weeks of this...Let's hope she grows out of it sooner!

Another issue that Charlee has right now is a hind milk imbalance. Basically my body is producing way too much breast milk. I have always had an oversupply and a fast let down, which has caused other issues throughout our breastfeeding experience (including her rapid weight gain), but the imbalance just became an issue. And for those of you wondering how I know that she has an imbalance, the evidence was in her poops. That's something us new parents have to do: log, track, and analyze poops and pees. I wish someone would have sat me down and explained just how frustrating breastfeeding would be. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but it's a job. From the pain and frustrations of her learning to latch, and having to syringe feed her because she refused to nurse, to working with a lactation consultant, to pumping because of my over supply, to a fussy baby because of over supply, and now trying to decrease my supply and block feed so she gets hind milk. One side is always engorged and I am constantly in pain. But, the consultant said it should regulate by 3 months, so I'm going to stick with it. I know that I can make it through this!

Daddy daughter nap time!

I also had my 6 week post partum checkup. I have lost 28 lbs and have only 5 more to go to my prepregnancy weight. The incision area is healing "perfectly" (in the words of my doctor), my blood pressure is back to it's usual 110/70, my blood work came back normal, and I was cleared to start moderate excise again (walking and swimming). I had my annual pap smear to make sure I don't have any more cervical cancer issues (I've had 2 scares in the past). To all the new mom's who are reading this: that was the worst experience ever! It was so painful. Being checked for dilation while I was in labor was NOTHING in comparison!

Something that has come out in the media recently that I find interesting is that Princess Kate is pregnant and she has hyperemesis. I think it's great that the condition is finally getting some media coverage because it is so unknown. People thought I was making it up or just being a wuss while I was pregnant. But it really is a serious condition! Hopefully people will finally have some small idea of what I went through for 8 months!

Meeting Auntie Mal and cousin Mack

Charlee finally met her "cousin" Mackenzie this week. Eric and I loaded up the truck and drove to Mount Pleasant to visit my best friend for the first time since the day after she delivered. Mackenzie had grown so much and has a powerful set of lungs on her! We took a few pictures, caught up, swapped new parent and breastfeeding stories, and enjoyed spending time together again for the first time in way too long!

So, I'm basically swamped taking care of home and baby and keep thinking that if I were going back to work I would be going back next week. I can't imagine leaving my precious angel all day! I am so lucky to be able to stay home with her. And even though I spend most of my time in pj's (it's easier for nursing), I did go out and buy some real jeans this week. I was going to wait until my prepregnancy jeans fit because they ALMOST button, but my maternity jeans are starting to fall apart. So now I have a few new outfits for my new mommy body until I can lose some weight for the wedding (which Eric and I have finally started planning). And, to top off the great mood I've been in lately (when I get sleep), Charlee is starting to mimic my expressions and has started smiling more when she's awake. Every time I see that gummy smile my heart melts. I am just so incredibly, ridiculously in love with her!

Peanut Tracker: 4 & 5 Weeks Update- I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

It's been a couple weeks since I've been able to update, but it turns out that parenting takes a lot of time out of my day!

Let's start with week 4 of Charlee's life: Thanksgiving week. 

First bottle

I finally caved and let Eric give Charlee her first bottle. And it was amazing! She drank without a problem and I got to sleep! Which was wonderful considering I was very, very sick. Eric had brought some awful virus home and it took a couple days to hit me. But when it did, it was tough. I was sneezing, coughing, and burning a fever. The worst part was that all I wanted to do was really cough but I couldn't because I could tear my stitches. So, I had to hug a pillow and do this half cough/half clear my throat thing. 

First Christmas tree

The week of Thanksgiving we put up the Christmas tree and I finally had my first glass of wine since finding out I was expecting. It was delicious, but I was buzzed from 4 oz for almost 45 minutes. My tolerance is gone and I will be a cheap date until after I'm finished breastfeeding, I suppose!

With cousin Kimber

On Wednesday Eric and I packed up the truck and headed to the pond to spend Thanksgiving with his family. The backseat was so full of baby stuff that my suitcase and the stroller had to go in the truck bed. You don't really realize how much stuff a baby needs until you go out of town with one for an extended weekend. Charlee did great during the trip. She slept the whole way both times! It was great to see everyone holding her (even though I was terrified of her getting sick the whole time) and welcoming her into the family. She "played" with Kip and Kimber and we pulled her around in a wagon. It was great to sit around the fire, eat delicious food, play canasta, and just enjoy time with such a fantastic family. Friday night Charlee even slept for 7 hours and let Eric and I sleep in the bedroom AT THE SAME TIME! It was a holiday miracle! 

The Widener boys and their girls on Thanksgiving

Week 5 was the week Charlee met her Pepere (my father) and uncle Ryan for the first time:

On Sunday Charlee and I went for our first outing that wasn't to a doctor's office. It was a quick trip to Publix, but we did great (especially since it was just me and her). 

Monday was a great day! I found out I was finally paid my short term disability just in time for cyber Monday. So, I did a little shopping. I bought Eric and Charlee a couple Christmas presents and bought a couple things for myself too. It was so great and such a relief to finally have that mess behind me!

Newborn photo

On Tuesday Charlee finally made it through a bath without crying at all! She even seemed to enjoy it. Which is good because I have to bathe her more often because she has cradle cap and I have to wash her hair every other day. After bath time I was notified that her newborn photos were ready! I drove to the photographer to pick them up and create her birth annoucements. I am so happy with how the pictures turned out (especially since she was so cranky while we were taking them).  

Family portrait

Meeting her Pepere and uncle

Thursday was a great day. I went to get my hair done and met Eric and Charlee for lunch. Then I went to get a manicure. It was a MUCH needed mommy day! That night my dad and brother, Ryan, made it to Charleston from Canada. Eric, Charlee, and I met them at the hotel and then went out to dinner. We spent the weekend exploring Charleston, shopping, drinking coffee (that's what Canadians do, lol), and fawning over Charlee. Eric made steaks one night which was the first time I had a medium steak since finding out I was pregnant. It was delicious!

The past few days have been tough for Eric and I. Charlee hasn't been sleeping like before. She is awake a lot during the day, has an extended witching hour (from about 8pm- midnight), and has been really fussy while nursing AND for bottles. These are new issues and I don't know what to do for her. I called the pediatrician and they won't see her because she is gaining weight, doesn't have a fever, and her pees and poops are normal. The most difficult thing to deal with is that she won't let me put her down for more than 15 minutes. The other night I had to sleep on the couch next to her rocker with my hand on her belly so we could both sleep at the same time! People keep telling me it's a phase and I'm really hoping they're right. I think it's time to give the Moby wrap a try...