2 Week Observations of Miss C

• Small skin tag on her right ear. Her mom has one on her left ear.
• Stork bite/birth mark on the base of her head.
• Very long toes.
• Grunts very loudly when she's pooping which makes her Papa Albert very proud.
• Farts equally as loud.
• Half smiles out of the side of her mouth when she's sleeping and sometimes full on grins. I am confident that smile will steal hearts because it's already stolen mine.
• Has bright blue eyes that stare intently at me while I am holding her.
• Those eyes make me think she's a wise old soul.
• Does not mind having her face cleaned and only moderately fusses when bathed.
• Is starting to get more head/neck strength which I am attributing to her desire to see what in the heck is going on around her.
• Likes to pee when her diaper is off and subsequently gets it all over her clothes.
• Looks wonderful in pink much to my dismay. Of course, I am a girl who wore black most of her teenage years so pink is sorta the anti-black for me. I am adjusting.
• She sleeps with both arms up by her head and her legs bend out to the side in a "surrendering to sleep" position.
• Has a set of lungs on her that could wake the dead.

White Death

Currently, I am standing in my nursery with Miss C in her sling and me wearing fleece and snow boots. I was going to venture out today, but White Death is upon us.

For those of you who don't know, when I first moved here to Cincinnati it was Winter and there was a "big" snow. Some radio announcer kept calling it White Death in jest and it stuck with me. I figured being a tad more North they might have it together here, but alas, people still freak out over the snow. So, while I am not afraid of the snow, I am afraid of idiot drivers so we decided to stay in.

A couple random photos:

Arrival home from the hospital.

Meeting Miss Mia and swapping babies with Dawn.

Learning

It's been quite an eye opener these last few months being first pregnant and now a new mom. I learned pregnancy isn't always as beautiful and glamorous as we are lead to believe. Some of us just don't take to the experience no matter how much we want to.

I learned that getting an epidural and pitocin do not always slow down your labor and ruin your delivery. In fact, for me, the epidural allowed me to enjoy the birth of Miss C instead of focusing on the hellish pain that was the 8 hours of labor up to the epidural.

I learned that breastfeeding is one hell of a painful experience both physically to your breast and emotionally. For some reason so much pressure is put on us to breastfeed...either self imposed or externally imposed or both. It can break a persons spirit to put so much of their value and self worth into something that doesn't always work out.

I learned that opinions are like assholes and everyone has one about just about everything. People are more inclined to give you their opinion whether you want it or not, especially when you are a) pregnant or b) a new mom. Even those people who don't have kids of their own like to weigh in on things. I am sure not everyone is malicious in their intent but damn, my baby is two weeks old and not sleeping so I am not sleeping...be a little sensitive to that, eh?

I learned that I MUST take time for myself. Like today when I bundled up a screaming baby and took a drive to a local bagel shop for lunch. She eventually stopped crying and I ate a bagel and read a book that has nothing to do with babies or breastfeeding or the like.

I learned that there is nothing sweeter than kissing the soles of Miss C's soft feet and feel her toes curl around my lips. Even screaming she is the most precious thing around and I am learning new things about her (and me) daily.

The Exorcist

Took Miss C to the doctor today. She's been vomiting/spitting up with every feeding and sometimes in between. She's also been showing us her vocal skills by screaming morning, noon and night. After two + days of this and our inability to calm her or sleep, I called the doctor.

I must first thank Allyson and Jeff for picking such a great doctor since we just went with who they picked. I really like them and they didn't make me feel like an idiot when I called today.

It seems Miss C may have reflux and due to the fact that she's lost a few ounces they put her on some meds to help her out a bit. Cross your fingers that it works. Currently we are doing that and I hold her upright for 30 minutes after feeding to allow "gravity" to help with her digestion.

Poor little thing. She looked so exhausted from all the screaming and lack of sleeping. It's been a rough few days. I pray that she starts feeling better because I really am starting to stink of sour milk.

Home Alone

You know those scenes in movies where the new mom is crying along with her new baby? That was me at about 2 AM this morning. Miss C must have known her dad was out of town because once 12 hit she was on a crying roll.

Up to this point she had been doing pretty well. I had been doing pretty well. Only minor hiccups. But last night, damn, it was rough.

She'd scream. I'd calm her down and put her to bed. 5 seconds later she'd wake up and scream some more. I'd feed her, change her diaper, whatever I thought she needed and put her back to bed. 5 seconds later she'd wake up and scream some more. This went on from 12 until 3. The girl can scream.

I seriously don't know what in the hell was wrong with her. She didn't want food. She didn't want her diaper changed. She didn't want to be held or put to bed. She just wanted to scream and cry. So I cried with her.

Today hasn't been much better. I am wondering if something I am eating is upsetting her stomach. Or if I am holding her too much and now she is dependent upon me always holding her for comfort. Who in the heck knows.

Finally, she is asleep and I hope this helps. I am exhausted but did manage to finally take a shower. I can't wait until SP gets home.

Picture pages

So many firsts

It's hard to believe that Miss C is over a week old now. We have had our good days, and our not so good days. All 3 of us are adjusting and each day getting a little more used to each other. Here's a glimpse at what we've been doing.

• Had our visiting nurse visit and got more pointers on feeding. Ended up with a n*pple shield which has worked wonders.
• Took our first sponge bath without incident.
• Lost our cord.
• Went to the pediatrician and about lost our minds listening to the hepatitis vaccination speech. I am totally reminded that I need to research that.
• They must have measured Miss C's length incorrectly at the hospital...or these ta-ta's are feeding my girl good because she has grown 2 inches.
• Nana and Papa came to visit and I woke up from a nap to find them cuddled on the sofa with Miss C snuggling between them.
• I managed to take a shower and brush my teeth every single day since I have been home. Small personal goal...one of those times it was when I was home by myself.
• Took our first outing to Target for supplies without incident. Also went to dinner in an actual restaurant.
• Drove to Louisv*lle with SP and J. Breastfed in the parking lot of a gas station/McD*onalds.
• Visited cousin Mia, Aunt Dawn, Uncle Mike and Granny and Grampy.
• Showed just how fully developed our lungs were with a few nights of high pitched screaming and very little sleep.
• Peed A LOT and at times on our clothes and everything else cloth in sight.
• Pooped A LOT and at times also on our clothes and everything else cloth. Once even squirted a good wet poo right at Mom.
• Took our first stroller ride/walk with Copper.
• Learned the value of gas relief drops.
• Made Mom cry over sheer perfectness and sheer exhaustion.
• Met Aunt Tracy and cousins Sam and Emie.
• Started doing our end of day feeding via bottle with Dad requiring Mom to pump at least once a day. This is not really what was recommended to us but it works for us so we are continuing to do it.
• I am going to write more on feeding in another post...got lots to say there.
• Totally neglecting everything else, including my beloved friends and family, due to utter consumption by motherhood.

Today I feel: good from our walk and visit from family.