First Bottle!

I am so proud! Squishy just took her first bottle from her father! She only put up minimal resistance. I didn't pump much so she was still hungry and needed some boob.

Another Day

Squishy is in her swing asleep and Husband is sleeping in because he has the day off work. I'm watching crappy daytime TV waiting for something to happen. I suppose I could get up and so more laundry, or clean the cat's litter box but I want to be lazy right now. Maybe I'll get another cup of coffee.

Squishy sleeps like her father. They both make the same noises and they both dream. I think her dreams are vivid since she is very active and vocal when she dreams. She has been sleeping very well. Last night she slept from 11 to 4:30 and was back to sleep well before 5. The night before she didn't wake at all from 11pm to 6am.

The cats are still mad at me. Rook keeps trying to get me to pay attention to him, but he does that by getting on Squishy's laundry or trying to jump in my lap when I'm breastfeeding. Luna just ignores me.

Back in NS

We are back in Nova Scotia after a lovely visit to New Brunswick. We got to introduce Squishy to Husband's family. Gramma and Grampy are wonderful with Squishy. Auntie Lizard and Aunt Fuffer got some quality time with Squishy.

I have known my MIL long enough to know that she has a very strong personality. This was the first time I have ever felt at-odds with her. She is the best mother-in-law I could imagine but I was not prepared for her assuming most of the responsibility for Squishy. I enjoyed knowing that someone else would look after her if I needed help, but MIL took that role quite seriously, once going so far as to take Squishy out of my arms. That was a strange experience. I know that the only reason she did that was because the sound of a crying baby has the same effect on her as fingernails on a chalkboard but it still made me question two things I have not yet considered;

1) Am I doing everything I can to comfort my child?
2) Does my MIL think I am a bad mother?

I think that these questions will continue to plague me for the rest of my life.

Boobs are the Center of Her Universe

Squishy has grown. She is almost 11lbs and she's not even a month old. She has gained about a pound a week since we got home from the hospital. She loves boobs. She feeds at least ever 3 hours, usually more frequently than that. Bad news though, we have thrush. My nipples have been killing me. They have been bright pink and one has had some residue on the areola. Squishy has the same white residue in her mouth. We've both got prescriptions for it and hopefully everything will clear up quickly. I have had no other problems with breastfeeding so this must be my trial.

Test Run

Yesterday was our test run for our trip home. We took a brief shopping trip to the city to see how well she would do in the car and in new situations. She did amazingly well. She slept most of the car trip so that was no problem and she only got fussy when she was hungry and she only had to be changed twice.

She let me try on and buy some new clothes. We bought her some toys for the trip to NB and a baby bed for our bed. HUsband still needs new clothes but that will wait.

Squishy is growing so fast. I can't believe she's almost 4 weeks old. We have another doctor's appointment tomorrow. Hopefully she will check out ok. She's eating well and making lots of dirty diapers for us. She has started learning to mimic funny faces. Husband sticks his tongue out at her and she can stick hers out back with a little effort! He is completely wraped around her little finger. I have never seen a man so in love with such a tiny little person. He would do absolutely anything for that little girl.

3 Weeks

Squishy is now 3 weeks old. She is getting so big! She is learning to hold her head up for longer and she recognizes voices. When we talk to Mom she looks towards the speaker when Mom is talking. I miss Mom, and I'm sort of wishing we were closer to our parents.

She has had a few sleepless nights and we've had a few scares. She fell last night and I have never been so scared in my life. I was completely petrified and inconsolable for about an hour. Husband was just as scared, but he kept his cool as usual. He is really shining at the fatherhood thing. He is amazing. He does the groceries, he wakes up to change her and comfort her at night and he snuggles her every chance he gets.

We are going for dinner tonight. Hopefully Squishy will stay asleep while we are out. It's an experiment. We might try to go to the city tomorrow to shop and as a test run for the trip to NB.

First Day Alone

Today is my first day alone with Squishy. She is doing fine. She slept most of today so far and has enjoyed her baby sling. I am managing to get some laundry done while she is sleeping.

Right now she is hiccupping and observing the world in her bouncing chair. I think she is going to start fussing soon so this will be a short post.

One major thing I am learning is that even though she is small, and even thought she sleeps most of the time she needs a lot of attention.

Squishy Update

Squishy is doing very well. She had her first doctor's appointment yesterday and she is growing nicely. She eats more than I ever imagined, and since I'm breastfeeding I often feel like I'm permanently attached to her. Breastfeeding was one of my biggest fears. I was worried that I wouldn't have the patience to sit with her for hours to feed. I thought that she might not take to breastfeeding and I thought that it might be too painful to do frequently. I have not had any of these problems. She has taken to breastfeeding, I have not suffered too horribly and we get to spend a lot of time together.

She sleeps a lot. She sleeps when she eats, when she's being burped, when she is in her sling and when she is in the car. I was told that newborns slept most of the time, but I was expecting to sleep less myself. Right now I am only waking up twice a night, once at 11pm and once somewhere between 3 and 4am. I wake up for good around 6:30 and 7am.

One thing I have been surprised about is how little home life has changed. Husband and I still have time to read, play video games and spend lots of quality time on the internet. I have not fallen behind on any of my chores. The dishes are getting done, the laundry isn't piling up as much as I had feared. I have been advised to plan some projects that can be done in fits and spurts so that I don't go insane with boredom, but I'm not occupied when I'm needed by the Squishy One.

I am now, at least temporarily, a SAHM

I am no longer "unemployed"! I am now a Stay At Home Mom. Squishy was born Jan. 30th at 5:03pm. She was 8lbs, 6oz and more work than I care to admit. I spent almost a week in the hospital waiting for her arrival. Nana is coming tomorrow to stay with us for a while since Husband goes back to work to do inventory.

The first week has been an experience. I have gone through so many emotions, all of them earth-shattering and entirely new. I am learning how to arrange everything around this new little person. Husband and I have been getting out and continuing to do stuff like going to the mall but we are both still in awe and a little shell-shocked. She has changed everything, but I'm surprised by how much still feels the same.

Sleep isn't as big of an issue as I had worried. We are getting about as much sleep as before, it's just at diffferent times. I'm a little worried about what life will be like with Husband back at work. We will see what happens.

Still no Monkey

I'm still pregnant. Today is my 25th birthday. I was expecting to have my baby by now. I am feeling odd. I am still anxious, I hurt but not in the way I think I'm supposed to hurt and I just don't feel right. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow so if nothing changes before then the ob/gyn will be able to help me figure out what's going on. I'm hopeful that things will change today and I will have a baby soon!