Showing posts with label milestone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milestone. Show all posts
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Dear Isabella - trying to catch up!
Dear Isabella,
Oh my dear. I keep falling further and further behind in my posts. Guess what, sweetie! You're turning over (and over and over and over) like a pro now! And you can swim yourself in circles on your blanket on the floor too. Daddy and I got a new entertainment center (actually a dresser) so you can't get into the DVDs and electronics when you start to crawl.
You still haven't sprouted your first tooth but you're sure working on it. I can tell some days your gums are just so, so itchy. You want to put everything in your mouth all the time!
You're much more aware and interested in things lately - if that was even possible. You've always been an alert little Curious George. Your personality shows more and more each day, and once you've made up your mind about something you're pretty hard to convince otherwise - if you're hungry, you're HUNGRY and if you want a particular toy a substitute will only distract for a few seconds.
You keep going through different sleep stages. This week you've been a great sleeper, waking up only once or not at all, and even then only for your pacifier. But I know that won't last long - you keep tricking us into thinking you've learned to sleep through the night only to start waking up several times a night for a week or two!
I have to bathe you in the big person tub now (even though we put your baby tub inside the big person tub and use that), because you're such a daredevil. You can't quite sit up by yourself yet but you can get yourself into the sitting position from semi-reclined (like you are in the baby tub) and then all bets are off as to what direction you'll launch yourself. Bathing you up high in the kitchen sink was getting too risky. And now you love your bath so much! You could kick kick kick in the water all night if I let you.
In fact your feet and legs are always on the go! You are going to be a soccer player or kick boxer or just a really good hopscotch-er or something, I think. And you twirl your feet in the air in circles. When you're excited or upset you kick kick kick! I bet you're going to have pretty dramatic tantrums!
When I hold you before I put you in bed at night I look down and think how amazing you are. It is just mind-blowing that you are growing so fast! You're very tall. Your cute little hands with the dimples where your knuckles should be, resting on my hand or arm, I want to capture that forever. Your contented sigh as you fall into dreamland makes me feel so good. That and your cute little laugh.
You're 5 months old, my girl. You are still such a happy baby. I love you so much. I don't know if you'll ever really know how much I love you - maybe if you have a little girl of your own one day, you'll understand what I really mean.
Love always,
Mommy
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
FOUR months?!
Dear Isabella,
I don't think I can keep up! I only wrote you one letter in July. It's much harder now that I'm back at work. I want to spend all my time off enjoying you (or enjoying sleep, if you're at Grandma's house...) and making memories. But I do have to remind myself to stop in here a little more often so I can remember those memories later. :)
You are growing so fast. I know I say that all the time. But it's just too true. You have your FOUR month check up this coming Saturday. All through July when people ask me how old my baby is, I told them, "Oh about three months old." Now BAM! you're already four months old.
You're much bigger. Even Auntie Gladys said when I picked you up today that you grew so much in the two weeks she was on vacation. When we have you in the swing or bouncer we have to make sure you're buckled in very securely - or you'll pull yourself up trying to sit forward! You've been practicing rolling over, and today Auntie Gladys said you rolled over from your back to your tummy all by yourself. I think you've done that at Grandma and Grandpa's house a couple times too - but not at home yet.
Daddy has been teaching you how to pick up your pacifier and put it in your own mouth - you're slowly getting it. But you're having trouble aiming it so the right part goes in your mouth! It's so fun to watch you get better day by day though.
Speaking of getting better...you were sick for a couple weeks recently. Out of nowhere you suddenly had the runs! And at first Daddy and I weren't too worried - little kids and babies have that all the time. Also, it really didn't seem to bother you at all. But after a week, it didn't get better by itself, and we took you to the doctor. When we saw that the pediatrician was worried, that's when we got worried. They ran some tests and everything came back negative! Nobody knew what was wrong. We switched your formula (again!) and it seemed to get better but by then it had already been almost two weeks so we weren't sure if it was just coincidence and timing. Plus, you seemed to have a little bit of a sore tummy on the soy formula, and you weren't sleeping as well. So just to see, we switched back and it turns out it must have just been timing. You're much better now and back to normal.
Except for your bedtime. It took a little while longer to get you back on a regular eating schedule - when you were having the runs you also got your eating all messed up. And because your eating was all funny, you kept waking up in the night hungry - you haven't done that in at least a month! (Just when I was telling everyone how amazing it was that you sleep from 8pm to 6am...) So Daddy and I asked Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie Gladys to help us keep you on a new eating and napping schedule to try and get your back on track. We are making slow progress with your night time sleep.
You also started laughing! Your laugh is so cute! We have a couple videos of you giggling at Daddy and I watch them over and over. Hearing you laugh makes a bad day not matter. Just like seeing your big, big smile in the morning makes it easier to wake up no matter how tired I am.
You really are growing and learning so fast, my girl. You reach for things and grab them like a pro. You're starting to learn your own name. It's amazing how fast time has passed - it feels like just yesterday you were this tiny little wiggle worm sleeping next to me in your bassinet, but at the same time it feels like two lifetimes ago that we just brought you home. You're only four months old but I already sometimes miss when you were littler - like when you slept next to me. Please don't grow too quickly my little Bean. I need to slow time down. I want to never forget how precious it is when your teeny tiny little hand rests on my arm as you fall asleep, or how strong your grip is when you clasp your hand around my finger when you have your bottle. I always want to remember the sound of your little voice around a big yawn, and the funny little gasp with raised eyebrows when I pour warm water over you to rinse you at the end of the bath. I try to memorize the silly way you put your feet together like praying hands and the way you grab at your toes, and how if I put my finger in your hand at night it calms you down.
I love you so much and I am excited to see you grow and get to know what kind of person you are going to be, but don't be in any kind of rush, okay? Let's enjoy the ride together. You'll always be my baby girl.
Love you too much,
Mommy
I don't think I can keep up! I only wrote you one letter in July. It's much harder now that I'm back at work. I want to spend all my time off enjoying you (or enjoying sleep, if you're at Grandma's house...) and making memories. But I do have to remind myself to stop in here a little more often so I can remember those memories later. :)
You are growing so fast. I know I say that all the time. But it's just too true. You have your FOUR month check up this coming Saturday. All through July when people ask me how old my baby is, I told them, "Oh about three months old." Now BAM! you're already four months old.
You're much bigger. Even Auntie Gladys said when I picked you up today that you grew so much in the two weeks she was on vacation. When we have you in the swing or bouncer we have to make sure you're buckled in very securely - or you'll pull yourself up trying to sit forward! You've been practicing rolling over, and today Auntie Gladys said you rolled over from your back to your tummy all by yourself. I think you've done that at Grandma and Grandpa's house a couple times too - but not at home yet.
Daddy has been teaching you how to pick up your pacifier and put it in your own mouth - you're slowly getting it. But you're having trouble aiming it so the right part goes in your mouth! It's so fun to watch you get better day by day though.
Speaking of getting better...you were sick for a couple weeks recently. Out of nowhere you suddenly had the runs! And at first Daddy and I weren't too worried - little kids and babies have that all the time. Also, it really didn't seem to bother you at all. But after a week, it didn't get better by itself, and we took you to the doctor. When we saw that the pediatrician was worried, that's when we got worried. They ran some tests and everything came back negative! Nobody knew what was wrong. We switched your formula (again!) and it seemed to get better but by then it had already been almost two weeks so we weren't sure if it was just coincidence and timing. Plus, you seemed to have a little bit of a sore tummy on the soy formula, and you weren't sleeping as well. So just to see, we switched back and it turns out it must have just been timing. You're much better now and back to normal.
Except for your bedtime. It took a little while longer to get you back on a regular eating schedule - when you were having the runs you also got your eating all messed up. And because your eating was all funny, you kept waking up in the night hungry - you haven't done that in at least a month! (Just when I was telling everyone how amazing it was that you sleep from 8pm to 6am...) So Daddy and I asked Grandpa and Grandma and Auntie Gladys to help us keep you on a new eating and napping schedule to try and get your back on track. We are making slow progress with your night time sleep.
You also started laughing! Your laugh is so cute! We have a couple videos of you giggling at Daddy and I watch them over and over. Hearing you laugh makes a bad day not matter. Just like seeing your big, big smile in the morning makes it easier to wake up no matter how tired I am.
You really are growing and learning so fast, my girl. You reach for things and grab them like a pro. You're starting to learn your own name. It's amazing how fast time has passed - it feels like just yesterday you were this tiny little wiggle worm sleeping next to me in your bassinet, but at the same time it feels like two lifetimes ago that we just brought you home. You're only four months old but I already sometimes miss when you were littler - like when you slept next to me. Please don't grow too quickly my little Bean. I need to slow time down. I want to never forget how precious it is when your teeny tiny little hand rests on my arm as you fall asleep, or how strong your grip is when you clasp your hand around my finger when you have your bottle. I always want to remember the sound of your little voice around a big yawn, and the funny little gasp with raised eyebrows when I pour warm water over you to rinse you at the end of the bath. I try to memorize the silly way you put your feet together like praying hands and the way you grab at your toes, and how if I put my finger in your hand at night it calms you down.
I love you so much and I am excited to see you grow and get to know what kind of person you are going to be, but don't be in any kind of rush, okay? Let's enjoy the ride together. You'll always be my baby girl.
Love you too much,
Mommy
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Growing so fast!
Dear Isabella,
I owe you so many letters! Oh boy, baby, life has been moving at such a fast pace - and so has your growth and development!
You became three months old recently - on July 7th! THREE months old! Where did time go? When you were just weeks old and I was struggling not to lose my mind from the lack of sleep and not knowing at all what I was doing, everyone told me, it gets better, she's going to grow up too fast, time flies! I thought they were nuts. But they were more than right. It seems like a lifetime ago that you were sleeping in the bassinet wherever we put you - next to our bed, in the living room, you name it. Back then you drank your bottles in such a hurry, and now you usually take your time and sometimes it's even hard to get you to focus and finish your meal!
You had your second set of shots too. Those were not nearly as hard for you as the first set. We gave you Tylenol right away, for one thing, and also the ones you had this time tend to have less difficult reactions. Whew!
In just the past couple of weeks you've hit some milestones that for us, are amazingly significant! Now you're able to grab things on purpose, with both hands - and you sure do it a lot. You love sitting in your bouncer because the toys that hang above you are in reaching distance. This is also why your swing has become your second favorite (as opposed to your very very favorite like before) place to play. The toys that hang from that you only can look at. But your most favorite toy of all is the little ball Daddy and I bought for you from Thinker Toys! It looks like this except it's blue and pink:
This ball helped you really really learn to grab and hold, grab and let go, grab and lift, and lately you have been just completely determined to find a way to fit that whole ball in your mouth. Never mind that it is the size of your head! In fact you are getting so good at grabbing things and picking them up on purpose that yesterday you actually picked up your own pacifier and tried to put it back in your mouth! Daddy and I took you to Zippy's so we could have some lunch, and you spit out your pacifier into your lap. You looked at it, picked it up, and kept trying to put it in your mouth. Well you couldn't quite aim it and kept ending up with your fist in your mouth instead (another favorite) but it was still fun to watch you start trying this new trick!
You're really good at sitting up! We still have to hold you up but your neck is so strong and your balance is really good too. You also love when we hold you up in a standing position. You are such a strong girl!
You have also discovered that your hands and feet actually belong to YOU! You absolutely love pulling on your own toes. And sometimes I see you holding your hand in front of your face, watching it wiggle and move like you're figuring out all the stuff your hands can do. My favorite thing you do with your hands is still when you hold my fingers, though. When you're having your bottle, you usually grip my finger or thumb, or one with each hand - and you hang on super tight! I love it. Sometimes you're tired at the end of the day but you aren't quite ready for bed. So you just like to hang out, sitting on my lap or lying in your crib, holding my finger.
Yup, I said lying in your crib. We moved you into your own room, big girl! First we moved your bassinet in there, and you still slept in the bassinet. But after a couple nights we put you to bed in your crib and you never once complained! It's so great that you are making these transitions so easily - I think it was harder for me than for you! The first couple of nights, I felt lonely when I went to bed. But Daddy moved your rocking chair into your room, and an old comfortable chair I had from when I lived by myself. So now you have all kinds of comfy things in your room! And we feed you in the rocking chair and we have your bed time routine completely figured out.
Around 7:30 (sometimes earlier or later depending on how tired you are), I start your bath. After your bath you have your last bottle for the night. At the end of the bottle you are sleepy but not asleep yet, so I swaddle you (still) and sometimes I rock you, if you need it. But sometimes I just put you in the crib and you drift off on your own. Usually by the time 8:30 rolls around you are sound asleep. Speaking of swaddling, usually by the time you wake up in the morning, you've managed to get at least one if not both of your arms out, and usually your right leg is also out. It's pretty funny actually. And you're getting better about not knocking out your own pacifier. But without swaddling you still wake yourself up every hour or so, so we're going to keep doing it till you don't need it and you don't want it. That's what the doctor said - you will let us know when to stop. With the swaddle you sleep till about 5:30 every morning - that's NINE hours straight! Sometimes you wake up around 3 or 4, but you just want your pacifier and you're back asleep before I'm even outside your room. I don't mind waking up to do that once or twice a night, especially since it's not every night.
I love watching you sleep. Your long, long eyelashes rested on your soft skin, with your chubby cheeks and sweet little mouth. When I look at you sleeping I wish I could gather you up and sleep with you like you were my teddy bear, that's how cute you are.
You're also smiling and talking so much now! Sometimes you squeal and shriek like you're experimenting with what kind of sounds you can make. You also have been making this weird growling-grunting noise lately. At first we thought you were trying to poop! But I think you're just loving that you can make all kinds of noises.
You get so much attention when we go out. Maybe I'm just being a big-headed mommy, but I think people tell us how pretty and cute (and the phrase "perfect looking" has been used by multiple strangers) more than with other babies! People really think you are so charming! They also tell us how good you are, if they spend any time with us at all. You are so mellow when we go out and people are amazed at how you'll just sit there and be totally happy watching everything. We had a meeting with our photographers for our wedding yesterday, and it was over an hour long! We were at Starbucks and you were totally happy just sitting there the whole time - some of the time in your carrier, and some time on Daddy's lap, and finally you ended up on my lap - where you fell asleep. You really are such an easy-going kid in a lot of ways. You still get overstimulated sort of easily but at three months that's normal. Also you get overheated a little more easily than other babies, but not like when you were a newborn!
I'm so proud of you, my little angel. My favorite time of day is bath and bed time. It's like our private, sweet, together time. I love watching you go from excited and playful to calm, content, and relaxed. It makes me feel good to be able to help you feel good.
More changes are coming to our lives, my baby! You'll have Daddy around more - he is leaving Senor Frogs to work for Atlantis as the cruise manager on the Navatek I. That's where I used to work. Daddy's new job will be much less hours than at Senor Frog's. But hopefully he can still keep in touch and keep hanging out with his friends from Frogs because those uncles sure do love you! Especially Uncle Anwar and Uncle Chavo. Mommy will have a new job soon too! I'm leaving Atlantis Submarines to work at UHA Health. Hopefully this will be a place Mommy can stay at for a long time and make a good regular daily and weekly routine for you. That way also I'll be off on the weekends which is important when you start school.
School seems like a loooooong way off, but at the rate time is passing, it will feel like no time at all! Don't grow up too fast my sweet pea. I want to savor each and every moment of your baby-hood. Each little change and milestone and development of your personality. That's part of why I haven't been blogging as much - I'm too busy making sure I am in the moment with you whenever we are together, so I can remember all the little details and all the wonderful feelings you give me. But I should get better about it again - I have to write everything down so I can remember forever!
I love you, Isabella. More than anything in the world and everything in the world all put together.
Love love love,
Mommy
I owe you so many letters! Oh boy, baby, life has been moving at such a fast pace - and so has your growth and development!
You became three months old recently - on July 7th! THREE months old! Where did time go? When you were just weeks old and I was struggling not to lose my mind from the lack of sleep and not knowing at all what I was doing, everyone told me, it gets better, she's going to grow up too fast, time flies! I thought they were nuts. But they were more than right. It seems like a lifetime ago that you were sleeping in the bassinet wherever we put you - next to our bed, in the living room, you name it. Back then you drank your bottles in such a hurry, and now you usually take your time and sometimes it's even hard to get you to focus and finish your meal!
You had your second set of shots too. Those were not nearly as hard for you as the first set. We gave you Tylenol right away, for one thing, and also the ones you had this time tend to have less difficult reactions. Whew!
In just the past couple of weeks you've hit some milestones that for us, are amazingly significant! Now you're able to grab things on purpose, with both hands - and you sure do it a lot. You love sitting in your bouncer because the toys that hang above you are in reaching distance. This is also why your swing has become your second favorite (as opposed to your very very favorite like before) place to play. The toys that hang from that you only can look at. But your most favorite toy of all is the little ball Daddy and I bought for you from Thinker Toys! It looks like this except it's blue and pink:
This ball helped you really really learn to grab and hold, grab and let go, grab and lift, and lately you have been just completely determined to find a way to fit that whole ball in your mouth. Never mind that it is the size of your head! In fact you are getting so good at grabbing things and picking them up on purpose that yesterday you actually picked up your own pacifier and tried to put it back in your mouth! Daddy and I took you to Zippy's so we could have some lunch, and you spit out your pacifier into your lap. You looked at it, picked it up, and kept trying to put it in your mouth. Well you couldn't quite aim it and kept ending up with your fist in your mouth instead (another favorite) but it was still fun to watch you start trying this new trick!
You're really good at sitting up! We still have to hold you up but your neck is so strong and your balance is really good too. You also love when we hold you up in a standing position. You are such a strong girl!
You have also discovered that your hands and feet actually belong to YOU! You absolutely love pulling on your own toes. And sometimes I see you holding your hand in front of your face, watching it wiggle and move like you're figuring out all the stuff your hands can do. My favorite thing you do with your hands is still when you hold my fingers, though. When you're having your bottle, you usually grip my finger or thumb, or one with each hand - and you hang on super tight! I love it. Sometimes you're tired at the end of the day but you aren't quite ready for bed. So you just like to hang out, sitting on my lap or lying in your crib, holding my finger.
Yup, I said lying in your crib. We moved you into your own room, big girl! First we moved your bassinet in there, and you still slept in the bassinet. But after a couple nights we put you to bed in your crib and you never once complained! It's so great that you are making these transitions so easily - I think it was harder for me than for you! The first couple of nights, I felt lonely when I went to bed. But Daddy moved your rocking chair into your room, and an old comfortable chair I had from when I lived by myself. So now you have all kinds of comfy things in your room! And we feed you in the rocking chair and we have your bed time routine completely figured out.
Around 7:30 (sometimes earlier or later depending on how tired you are), I start your bath. After your bath you have your last bottle for the night. At the end of the bottle you are sleepy but not asleep yet, so I swaddle you (still) and sometimes I rock you, if you need it. But sometimes I just put you in the crib and you drift off on your own. Usually by the time 8:30 rolls around you are sound asleep. Speaking of swaddling, usually by the time you wake up in the morning, you've managed to get at least one if not both of your arms out, and usually your right leg is also out. It's pretty funny actually. And you're getting better about not knocking out your own pacifier. But without swaddling you still wake yourself up every hour or so, so we're going to keep doing it till you don't need it and you don't want it. That's what the doctor said - you will let us know when to stop. With the swaddle you sleep till about 5:30 every morning - that's NINE hours straight! Sometimes you wake up around 3 or 4, but you just want your pacifier and you're back asleep before I'm even outside your room. I don't mind waking up to do that once or twice a night, especially since it's not every night.
I love watching you sleep. Your long, long eyelashes rested on your soft skin, with your chubby cheeks and sweet little mouth. When I look at you sleeping I wish I could gather you up and sleep with you like you were my teddy bear, that's how cute you are.
You're also smiling and talking so much now! Sometimes you squeal and shriek like you're experimenting with what kind of sounds you can make. You also have been making this weird growling-grunting noise lately. At first we thought you were trying to poop! But I think you're just loving that you can make all kinds of noises.
You get so much attention when we go out. Maybe I'm just being a big-headed mommy, but I think people tell us how pretty and cute (and the phrase "perfect looking" has been used by multiple strangers) more than with other babies! People really think you are so charming! They also tell us how good you are, if they spend any time with us at all. You are so mellow when we go out and people are amazed at how you'll just sit there and be totally happy watching everything. We had a meeting with our photographers for our wedding yesterday, and it was over an hour long! We were at Starbucks and you were totally happy just sitting there the whole time - some of the time in your carrier, and some time on Daddy's lap, and finally you ended up on my lap - where you fell asleep. You really are such an easy-going kid in a lot of ways. You still get overstimulated sort of easily but at three months that's normal. Also you get overheated a little more easily than other babies, but not like when you were a newborn!
I'm so proud of you, my little angel. My favorite time of day is bath and bed time. It's like our private, sweet, together time. I love watching you go from excited and playful to calm, content, and relaxed. It makes me feel good to be able to help you feel good.
More changes are coming to our lives, my baby! You'll have Daddy around more - he is leaving Senor Frogs to work for Atlantis as the cruise manager on the Navatek I. That's where I used to work. Daddy's new job will be much less hours than at Senor Frog's. But hopefully he can still keep in touch and keep hanging out with his friends from Frogs because those uncles sure do love you! Especially Uncle Anwar and Uncle Chavo. Mommy will have a new job soon too! I'm leaving Atlantis Submarines to work at UHA Health. Hopefully this will be a place Mommy can stay at for a long time and make a good regular daily and weekly routine for you. That way also I'll be off on the weekends which is important when you start school.
School seems like a loooooong way off, but at the rate time is passing, it will feel like no time at all! Don't grow up too fast my sweet pea. I want to savor each and every moment of your baby-hood. Each little change and milestone and development of your personality. That's part of why I haven't been blogging as much - I'm too busy making sure I am in the moment with you whenever we are together, so I can remember all the little details and all the wonderful feelings you give me. But I should get better about it again - I have to write everything down so I can remember forever!
I love you, Isabella. More than anything in the world and everything in the world all put together.
Love love love,
Mommy
Monday, June 6, 2011
TWO months old already?!
Dear Isabella,
Tomorrow you'll be two months old! Can you believe it? Neither can I. You are growing up so fast! There are little changes even day to day.
You sleep for longer, you're eating FIVE ounces at each bottle, and you are SO much more aware of your surroundings! Little milestones are so exciting for your Daddy and me. You can see farther and focus longer, so you watch as we move around the room. You coo and talk to people - and to the animals on your swing! You reach out to bat at the toys hanging from your bouncer. You love tummy time on the boppy - sometimes that's your favorite place to take a nap. Yesterday your Daddy SWORE that while we were in the car you actually picked up your own pacifier out of your lap. I bet it was by mistake, but it's still the first time you actually grabbed something and held on long enough to pick it up. And you've been finding your own fist to suck on lately too. It will be nice when you're able to pick up your pacifier and put it in your own mouth - I think we do that about a hundred times a day for you!
Every morning when I unwrap you from your swaddle, first your right arm gets unwrapped and it goes right up over your head like it was springloaded! Then I unwrap your left arm and that one goes flying up too! Then you arch your back and scrunch your face and moan a little as you streeeeeettttchhh... And then you rub your face a little and squirm around stretching some more. No matter how tired I am it makes me smile. It's one of my favorite parts of our day together.
You've had a lot of visitors this month! In fact, it's like we should have called it Grandparent's Month. First, we finally got everything hooked up for you to talk to your grandma in Mexico - and Abuela was so happy to see you! You also got to see her new puppy, Perlita. Hopefully one day we can get a puppy for you too. We also want you to video chat with Abuela a lot so she can talk to you in Spanish. A lot of the dresses you've been wearing are dresses she sent you. They are all so cute! Abuela has really great baby fashion sense!
Also, Great Grandma - my mom's mom - came all the way to Hawaii from Wisconsin to meet you! You gave her a whole lot of smiles while she was here. She even stayed over at our house to see a little of our "normal" evening life (admittedly not so exciting - bottle, nap, bath, bottle, swaddle, and goodnight!).
Finally, you got to meet some of your Hilo family. Grandpa and Lola and Aunty Cayla came for the weekend to see you. You smiled at Grandpa A LOT and on Sunday you were talking and talking and talking - more than I'd ever heard you talk in one "session" before!
Your Aunty Sari is in town for our 10 year high school reunion next week, so you met her on Saturday too. She said you're so precious, she might just want a baby of her own! Wow!
You sure had fun meeting everyone but I think it was an overwhelming weekend for you. You also have your first cold right now so those two things have made you over-tired and just sort of uncomfortable. Your little eyes are all red and watery, and I can hear the congestion in your chest when you breathe, poor little girl. But you're such a trooper. You'll be better in no time!
Oh Bella. I'm so in love with you. When I look at you I still can't believe how perfect you are. Your Daddy and I are so blessed. Now that life is sort of getting into a rhythm it's easier to really savor the little moments with you. And I'm trying to savor each little one as much as possible! I really have to video tape your morning stretch. I kept meaning to record video of you having your bottle because your little gulping, sucking, contented sighing noises, with your expressive eyes and eyebrows were so cute! But now you're focusing on your environment so much that you hardly do that anymore. When we're trying to capture your little habits, we can't procrastinate even one week.
Your two month check-ups are on Thursday. I can't wait to see how tall you got and how much you weigh. You're also going to get your first set of shots. I hope I don't cry!
I love you, Sweet Pea, and I'm so proud of you.
Love always,
Mommy
Tomorrow you'll be two months old! Can you believe it? Neither can I. You are growing up so fast! There are little changes even day to day.
You sleep for longer, you're eating FIVE ounces at each bottle, and you are SO much more aware of your surroundings! Little milestones are so exciting for your Daddy and me. You can see farther and focus longer, so you watch as we move around the room. You coo and talk to people - and to the animals on your swing! You reach out to bat at the toys hanging from your bouncer. You love tummy time on the boppy - sometimes that's your favorite place to take a nap. Yesterday your Daddy SWORE that while we were in the car you actually picked up your own pacifier out of your lap. I bet it was by mistake, but it's still the first time you actually grabbed something and held on long enough to pick it up. And you've been finding your own fist to suck on lately too. It will be nice when you're able to pick up your pacifier and put it in your own mouth - I think we do that about a hundred times a day for you!
Every morning when I unwrap you from your swaddle, first your right arm gets unwrapped and it goes right up over your head like it was springloaded! Then I unwrap your left arm and that one goes flying up too! Then you arch your back and scrunch your face and moan a little as you streeeeeettttchhh... And then you rub your face a little and squirm around stretching some more. No matter how tired I am it makes me smile. It's one of my favorite parts of our day together.
You've had a lot of visitors this month! In fact, it's like we should have called it Grandparent's Month. First, we finally got everything hooked up for you to talk to your grandma in Mexico - and Abuela was so happy to see you! You also got to see her new puppy, Perlita. Hopefully one day we can get a puppy for you too. We also want you to video chat with Abuela a lot so she can talk to you in Spanish. A lot of the dresses you've been wearing are dresses she sent you. They are all so cute! Abuela has really great baby fashion sense!
Also, Great Grandma - my mom's mom - came all the way to Hawaii from Wisconsin to meet you! You gave her a whole lot of smiles while she was here. She even stayed over at our house to see a little of our "normal" evening life (admittedly not so exciting - bottle, nap, bath, bottle, swaddle, and goodnight!).
Finally, you got to meet some of your Hilo family. Grandpa and Lola and Aunty Cayla came for the weekend to see you. You smiled at Grandpa A LOT and on Sunday you were talking and talking and talking - more than I'd ever heard you talk in one "session" before!
Your Aunty Sari is in town for our 10 year high school reunion next week, so you met her on Saturday too. She said you're so precious, she might just want a baby of her own! Wow!
You sure had fun meeting everyone but I think it was an overwhelming weekend for you. You also have your first cold right now so those two things have made you over-tired and just sort of uncomfortable. Your little eyes are all red and watery, and I can hear the congestion in your chest when you breathe, poor little girl. But you're such a trooper. You'll be better in no time!
Oh Bella. I'm so in love with you. When I look at you I still can't believe how perfect you are. Your Daddy and I are so blessed. Now that life is sort of getting into a rhythm it's easier to really savor the little moments with you. And I'm trying to savor each little one as much as possible! I really have to video tape your morning stretch. I kept meaning to record video of you having your bottle because your little gulping, sucking, contented sighing noises, with your expressive eyes and eyebrows were so cute! But now you're focusing on your environment so much that you hardly do that anymore. When we're trying to capture your little habits, we can't procrastinate even one week.
Your two month check-ups are on Thursday. I can't wait to see how tall you got and how much you weigh. You're also going to get your first set of shots. I hope I don't cry!
I love you, Sweet Pea, and I'm so proud of you.
Love always,
Mommy
Friday, May 6, 2011
Graduations!
Dear Isabella,
As I write this, you are sleeping next to me in your bassinet, swaddled (but of course your right arm has managed to wiggle out) and beautiful. I can't believe that tomorrow you will be one month old! You are graduating from "newborn" to "infant."
In fact you've had a lot of milestones this week. The final bit of your umbilical cord stump (finally!) fell off this morning. So tonight we gave you your first real bath - before this we couldn't get that stump wet (more on that in a bit). You also graduated from diaper size "N" to "1." And in the past two weeks you went from eating 2.5 ounces per feeding every two hours, to eating 4 ounces per feeding every three-ish hours. I think you had a growth spurt in the past few days because you look and feel a lot bigger (and heavier!), and you were certainly extra hungry! Oh, and with all those changes you also have outgrown all your "Newborn" sized onesies - on to the "0-3 Month" size. You're getting big so fast!
And finally, we are getting into an eat-change-sleep routine that more or less works and is fairly predictable. In fact, this week we started a pretty good all-day routine of waking hours, going out hours (even if it's just to visit Daddy at work - it's good for us to get out of the house a little every day), and night time sleep schedule. Life is getting a little easier with this routine and predictability - even if Daddy and I are still very tired all the time!
The only thing that has sort of been a challenge this week is that you're having trouble going "number two" lately. Last week Thursday you hadn't pooped all day until at night you suddenly had a diaper overflowing (literally)! And Friday was the same thing. Saturday we caught it before it got all over you, but that was just by chance. And then on Sunday you had nothing! So I called the doctor on Monday and they told us how to "help" you go. Poor little thing. This whole week we've had to help you. At first it felt so weird to do that to you, but like your Daddy said, we're just helping you feel better. We have a pediatrician appointment on Tuesday so hopefully they'll give us a new solution. Though I hope they don't advise us to change your formula - finally it seems like your gas/spitting up problems have settled down.
Because of those diaper blow outs we had to bathe you even though you still had a little bit of an umbilical stump. They weren't "full" baths with a tub of water, but we had to use running water to get you clean - a sponge bath would not have done the trick! You still aren't sure about how you like the bath. You seem to relax when the water runs over you, but you certainly don't like your head getting wet! Tonight when I washed your hair you cried so hard, and real tears were actually running. I could tell it stressed your Daddy out to see you so unhappy. But you're so cute in your hooded towel afterwards!
We also saw Aunty Maki this week, and baby Mana and Uncle Jin. We walked to meet them in Waikiki to give them some formula that we had that you can't use. It was so cute to see you and Mana "meet" each other - even though both of you weren't really aware of it. Oh gosh, sweetie, Mana was born in January so she's three months older than you, but you two are almost the same size! Mana was born at just over five pounds though, so you had a 3 pound head start! Haha.
Yesterday we also visited other people in Waikiki. We stopped by P.F. Chang's and saw Uncle Adam and Uncle Shane. They both said you are super cute! Uncle Adam has a little baby too, Cole, and I still remember the day he came into Starbucks and told us his wife was pregnant! He was so happy and already proud. Just like your Daddy was when he told his friends. Uncle Shane doesn't have any babies for you to play with, but he said he's going to teach you all about life. (I'm not really sure what that means!)
Finally, we also walked all the way to the Hilton to visit some people at my work. You met your Aunty Yukari who was so excited to meet you! She made one of your diaper cakes for our baby shower (in fact it's her size "1" diapers we're using now). While I was pregnant with you she used to talk to you a lot. She loved you from the start! You also met Uncle Bobby, Uncle Tim, and Aunty Lori. When we got there, Aunty Yukari carried you for a little while and then Aunty Lori carried you the rest of the time. They both said you're so pretty. Aunty Lori kept joking that she wanted to take you home with her. She has a teenage daughter, a little boy, and another little baby boy who is turning one year old soon. We had to go after a little while because you were starting to get too hot - and hungry.
You're starting to pay more attention to what's going on around you - probably partly because you're starting to be able to see a little farther. You love your swing at home and at Grandma and Grandpa's house. You have a book there that's called "How Do I Feel" and it has pictures of kids with different emotions - you like to look at that too. You still love to sleep on top of me or Daddy - and most afternoons that's how you have one of your naps. Now that you're able to sleep in your bassinet and you aren't so insistent on sleeping on top of us, it's really nice to have you do that for a little while every day. It feels nice to see you so relaxed and content - and to know that it's because you're close to us and feel safe with us.
You're growing so fast, Bean! Pretty soon you'll be too big for your bassinet and you'll have to sleep in your own room. I can't believe how much you've already grown and matured - when I look at pictures of you when you were just days old, I am so amazed! You are prettier and prettier every day, even though every day I don't think you can get any prettier than you already are! Sometimes I look at you and I am still blown away that you're ours. That we made you. You're my daughter. I don't know if I'll ever stop being in awe of that.
What will the next couple of weeks bring us? More milestones, more growing, maybe some new challenges (I don't think that will ever change! It's part of being a parent!) and definitely some more great experiences.
Congratulations on your One Month Birthday, my Isabella. I am so proud of you every moment, and I love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
As I write this, you are sleeping next to me in your bassinet, swaddled (but of course your right arm has managed to wiggle out) and beautiful. I can't believe that tomorrow you will be one month old! You are graduating from "newborn" to "infant."
In fact you've had a lot of milestones this week. The final bit of your umbilical cord stump (finally!) fell off this morning. So tonight we gave you your first real bath - before this we couldn't get that stump wet (more on that in a bit). You also graduated from diaper size "N" to "1." And in the past two weeks you went from eating 2.5 ounces per feeding every two hours, to eating 4 ounces per feeding every three-ish hours. I think you had a growth spurt in the past few days because you look and feel a lot bigger (and heavier!), and you were certainly extra hungry! Oh, and with all those changes you also have outgrown all your "Newborn" sized onesies - on to the "0-3 Month" size. You're getting big so fast!
And finally, we are getting into an eat-change-sleep routine that more or less works and is fairly predictable. In fact, this week we started a pretty good all-day routine of waking hours, going out hours (even if it's just to visit Daddy at work - it's good for us to get out of the house a little every day), and night time sleep schedule. Life is getting a little easier with this routine and predictability - even if Daddy and I are still very tired all the time!
The only thing that has sort of been a challenge this week is that you're having trouble going "number two" lately. Last week Thursday you hadn't pooped all day until at night you suddenly had a diaper overflowing (literally)! And Friday was the same thing. Saturday we caught it before it got all over you, but that was just by chance. And then on Sunday you had nothing! So I called the doctor on Monday and they told us how to "help" you go. Poor little thing. This whole week we've had to help you. At first it felt so weird to do that to you, but like your Daddy said, we're just helping you feel better. We have a pediatrician appointment on Tuesday so hopefully they'll give us a new solution. Though I hope they don't advise us to change your formula - finally it seems like your gas/spitting up problems have settled down.
Because of those diaper blow outs we had to bathe you even though you still had a little bit of an umbilical stump. They weren't "full" baths with a tub of water, but we had to use running water to get you clean - a sponge bath would not have done the trick! You still aren't sure about how you like the bath. You seem to relax when the water runs over you, but you certainly don't like your head getting wet! Tonight when I washed your hair you cried so hard, and real tears were actually running. I could tell it stressed your Daddy out to see you so unhappy. But you're so cute in your hooded towel afterwards!
We also saw Aunty Maki this week, and baby Mana and Uncle Jin. We walked to meet them in Waikiki to give them some formula that we had that you can't use. It was so cute to see you and Mana "meet" each other - even though both of you weren't really aware of it. Oh gosh, sweetie, Mana was born in January so she's three months older than you, but you two are almost the same size! Mana was born at just over five pounds though, so you had a 3 pound head start! Haha.
Yesterday we also visited other people in Waikiki. We stopped by P.F. Chang's and saw Uncle Adam and Uncle Shane. They both said you are super cute! Uncle Adam has a little baby too, Cole, and I still remember the day he came into Starbucks and told us his wife was pregnant! He was so happy and already proud. Just like your Daddy was when he told his friends. Uncle Shane doesn't have any babies for you to play with, but he said he's going to teach you all about life. (I'm not really sure what that means!)
Finally, we also walked all the way to the Hilton to visit some people at my work. You met your Aunty Yukari who was so excited to meet you! She made one of your diaper cakes for our baby shower (in fact it's her size "1" diapers we're using now). While I was pregnant with you she used to talk to you a lot. She loved you from the start! You also met Uncle Bobby, Uncle Tim, and Aunty Lori. When we got there, Aunty Yukari carried you for a little while and then Aunty Lori carried you the rest of the time. They both said you're so pretty. Aunty Lori kept joking that she wanted to take you home with her. She has a teenage daughter, a little boy, and another little baby boy who is turning one year old soon. We had to go after a little while because you were starting to get too hot - and hungry.
You're starting to pay more attention to what's going on around you - probably partly because you're starting to be able to see a little farther. You love your swing at home and at Grandma and Grandpa's house. You have a book there that's called "How Do I Feel" and it has pictures of kids with different emotions - you like to look at that too. You still love to sleep on top of me or Daddy - and most afternoons that's how you have one of your naps. Now that you're able to sleep in your bassinet and you aren't so insistent on sleeping on top of us, it's really nice to have you do that for a little while every day. It feels nice to see you so relaxed and content - and to know that it's because you're close to us and feel safe with us.
You're growing so fast, Bean! Pretty soon you'll be too big for your bassinet and you'll have to sleep in your own room. I can't believe how much you've already grown and matured - when I look at pictures of you when you were just days old, I am so amazed! You are prettier and prettier every day, even though every day I don't think you can get any prettier than you already are! Sometimes I look at you and I am still blown away that you're ours. That we made you. You're my daughter. I don't know if I'll ever stop being in awe of that.
What will the next couple of weeks bring us? More milestones, more growing, maybe some new challenges (I don't think that will ever change! It's part of being a parent!) and definitely some more great experiences.
Congratulations on your One Month Birthday, my Isabella. I am so proud of you every moment, and I love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
Friday, April 22, 2011
First Field Trip!
Dear Isabella,
Today was the first day I took you out all by myself! Not counting going to the doctor, or driving to Grandma's house. You and I went to visit Daddy at work, and you got to see TÃo Chavo and TÃo Julio again, and you got to meet Uncle Brian and Uncle Felipe and TÃo Paco. We also went downstairs to Starbucks and you got to see Aunty Jess again!
You even started crying when we were at Daddy's office because we were there long enough that it was time for you to eat again. But once you got your bottle you were a happy camper. You were alert and awake for everyone to see your pretty eyes! Uncle Brian said he thought your hair was pretty.
Daddy took us to eat pho for lunch after he finished in the office and you slept right through lunch.
It was quite an exciting day, my girl. Right now you're sleeping in Grandma's arms - today really wiped you out!
I love you! I can't wait to take you walking in the park and visiting more people soon.
Love you forever,
Mommy
Today was the first day I took you out all by myself! Not counting going to the doctor, or driving to Grandma's house. You and I went to visit Daddy at work, and you got to see TÃo Chavo and TÃo Julio again, and you got to meet Uncle Brian and Uncle Felipe and TÃo Paco. We also went downstairs to Starbucks and you got to see Aunty Jess again!
You even started crying when we were at Daddy's office because we were there long enough that it was time for you to eat again. But once you got your bottle you were a happy camper. You were alert and awake for everyone to see your pretty eyes! Uncle Brian said he thought your hair was pretty.
Daddy took us to eat pho for lunch after he finished in the office and you slept right through lunch.
It was quite an exciting day, my girl. Right now you're sleeping in Grandma's arms - today really wiped you out!
I love you! I can't wait to take you walking in the park and visiting more people soon.
Love you forever,
Mommy
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Two Weeks Old!
Dear Isabella,
You're two weeks old today! We are learning more and more about how to take care of you as best as possible and make you happy as much as possible every day. Having a newborn sure is like being a detective. Or a lab scientist. Hypothesize, experiment, evaluate... It's been another roller coaster week, my little Bean, let me tell you. Just when we think we have something figured out, you change your mind or something else comes up.
You had your two week check up a couple days early because of Daddy's work schedule, on Tuesday, and the doctor said even though you have so much trouble staying asleep, you are doing perfectly. You weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces, just half an ounce less than your birth weight, which is great. In fact your weight, length, and head measurements are all at exactly the 50th percentile mark. You, my dear, are literally exactly "normal."
We discovered you really like co-sleeping - but don't tell any of the doctors, they say it's too dangerous. Grandma also discovered you like the mobile in your crib, and the vibration in your swings and bouncer and playpen. You also get really interested in music.
You make funny faces when you're making a diaper - usually you get really still and make a tiny "O" with your mouth and your eyes get a little wide and round.
You are already very opinionated! When you don't want something we offer (like your pacifier) you make the most sour, irritated face. And once you decide you do want something (like your pacifier) you want it NOW! You seem to have a bit of a temper also - once you decide you're hungry or want to be carried (so, always) you get angry so fast. Crying and squirming and so red!
Mommy wasn't doing so good this week, angel. On Sunday I was on the phone with your Grandma, and suddenly became very cold. I was shivering and had goosebumps and I could tell my skin was cold because you didn't like it when I touched you. I asked Grandma, "Isn't it supposed to be Kona winds or really hot or something?" she said yes, the weather hadn't changed. I didn't really pay much attention, just turned off the fan. When you got too hot we moved into our bedroom, turned on the AC and I hid under the covers. But all day Monday I was hot and cold and had sweats and chills. I called the doctor and she said to call Tuesday if I was still feverish and to just watch the fever to make sure it didn't rise. Well, Monday night it started rising really fast. I had you by myself and the body aches and weakness was starting to scare me. When my fever got to be 103.5 I asked your Daddy to come home from work so we could go to the hospital, and your Grandma came all the way from Kaneohe to babysit you at 10pm. In the ER, they took me right away, and when they took my temperature it was 104.2! Your body can start to cook itself after 104 degrees or you could go into shock! They gave me Tylenol and IV fluids, and took a LOT of blood for blood tests. After a couple hours they still didn't know what it was - they didn't even know if it was a virus or bacterial infection. They did say it wasn't the flu, and we were glad - we were so worried if I had given YOU the flu. My fever came down a little and they told us to follow up with our doctor the next day. Finally on Tuesday, the doctor diagnosed me with mastitis - with also a possible uterine infection! Double whammy! They prescribed antibiotics and to follow up again today. Turns out the infection actually got worse instead of better, and now I'm on TWO different antibiotics - and one of them isn't safe for breast milk.
This whole week the amount I've been able to pump for you has gotten less and less, and now it looks like we have to supplement with formula. Before this started I was pumping enough to have extra to store for later but now I'm hardly making any, and on top of that with the medicine I have to dump it anyway. We're still not sure your tummy can handle the formula we have. If not we'll have to go through several days of experimenting with different formulas, and that means your tummy might hurt more than usual.
Isabella, honey, I'm so, so sorry. I feel like this is my fault, and I've already failed you somehow. Mastitis usually starts with a blocked milk duct, which usually happens if you stop or reduce pumping or nursing too abruptly. This past weekend I started skipping pumping sessions instead of pumping EVERY time you eat, so I could sleep more. Then my duct got blocked and then infected, and for a couple days I could hardly take care of you - Daddy and Grandma did pretty much everything because I was so feverish and weak (Thank goodness we have them!). And now my milk is going away AND now I have to stop giving it to you anyway (temporarily, but it keeps getting less and less, even in the uninfected breast)! All because I got lazy and selfish about how inconvenient pumping is! I know there are lots of really healthy kids whose mommies never gave them breastmilk at all, or whose mommies also had to stop for a lot of other reasons, and they are just fine, and I know it doesn't mean I don't love you enough. But I also know breastmilk is the BEST thing for you and I feel like if I could help it I should give as much as possible. And I feel like I totally could have prevented this. I know it doesn't make sense to feel so guilty and sad about it but I do. I'm sorry, Baby Bean. I hope my milk comes back for you when I get rid of this infection.
You're growing so much every day, little girl. When I show you outside you look interested, and I keep promising you we can go explore more soon. Things keep coming up. Maybe in this next week I'll be able to bring you out and you can see what things look like outside of home and doctor's offices. I hope so.
I love you so much, and your Daddy and I still tell each other every day how lucky we both feel to have been blessed with you. Even on the toughest days, you hold my heart in your beautiful eyes.
Love always,
Your Mommy
You're two weeks old today! We are learning more and more about how to take care of you as best as possible and make you happy as much as possible every day. Having a newborn sure is like being a detective. Or a lab scientist. Hypothesize, experiment, evaluate... It's been another roller coaster week, my little Bean, let me tell you. Just when we think we have something figured out, you change your mind or something else comes up.
You had your two week check up a couple days early because of Daddy's work schedule, on Tuesday, and the doctor said even though you have so much trouble staying asleep, you are doing perfectly. You weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces, just half an ounce less than your birth weight, which is great. In fact your weight, length, and head measurements are all at exactly the 50th percentile mark. You, my dear, are literally exactly "normal."
We discovered you really like co-sleeping - but don't tell any of the doctors, they say it's too dangerous. Grandma also discovered you like the mobile in your crib, and the vibration in your swings and bouncer and playpen. You also get really interested in music.
You make funny faces when you're making a diaper - usually you get really still and make a tiny "O" with your mouth and your eyes get a little wide and round.
You are already very opinionated! When you don't want something we offer (like your pacifier) you make the most sour, irritated face. And once you decide you do want something (like your pacifier) you want it NOW! You seem to have a bit of a temper also - once you decide you're hungry or want to be carried (so, always) you get angry so fast. Crying and squirming and so red!
Mommy wasn't doing so good this week, angel. On Sunday I was on the phone with your Grandma, and suddenly became very cold. I was shivering and had goosebumps and I could tell my skin was cold because you didn't like it when I touched you. I asked Grandma, "Isn't it supposed to be Kona winds or really hot or something?" she said yes, the weather hadn't changed. I didn't really pay much attention, just turned off the fan. When you got too hot we moved into our bedroom, turned on the AC and I hid under the covers. But all day Monday I was hot and cold and had sweats and chills. I called the doctor and she said to call Tuesday if I was still feverish and to just watch the fever to make sure it didn't rise. Well, Monday night it started rising really fast. I had you by myself and the body aches and weakness was starting to scare me. When my fever got to be 103.5 I asked your Daddy to come home from work so we could go to the hospital, and your Grandma came all the way from Kaneohe to babysit you at 10pm. In the ER, they took me right away, and when they took my temperature it was 104.2! Your body can start to cook itself after 104 degrees or you could go into shock! They gave me Tylenol and IV fluids, and took a LOT of blood for blood tests. After a couple hours they still didn't know what it was - they didn't even know if it was a virus or bacterial infection. They did say it wasn't the flu, and we were glad - we were so worried if I had given YOU the flu. My fever came down a little and they told us to follow up with our doctor the next day. Finally on Tuesday, the doctor diagnosed me with mastitis - with also a possible uterine infection! Double whammy! They prescribed antibiotics and to follow up again today. Turns out the infection actually got worse instead of better, and now I'm on TWO different antibiotics - and one of them isn't safe for breast milk.
This whole week the amount I've been able to pump for you has gotten less and less, and now it looks like we have to supplement with formula. Before this started I was pumping enough to have extra to store for later but now I'm hardly making any, and on top of that with the medicine I have to dump it anyway. We're still not sure your tummy can handle the formula we have. If not we'll have to go through several days of experimenting with different formulas, and that means your tummy might hurt more than usual.
Isabella, honey, I'm so, so sorry. I feel like this is my fault, and I've already failed you somehow. Mastitis usually starts with a blocked milk duct, which usually happens if you stop or reduce pumping or nursing too abruptly. This past weekend I started skipping pumping sessions instead of pumping EVERY time you eat, so I could sleep more. Then my duct got blocked and then infected, and for a couple days I could hardly take care of you - Daddy and Grandma did pretty much everything because I was so feverish and weak (Thank goodness we have them!). And now my milk is going away AND now I have to stop giving it to you anyway (temporarily, but it keeps getting less and less, even in the uninfected breast)! All because I got lazy and selfish about how inconvenient pumping is! I know there are lots of really healthy kids whose mommies never gave them breastmilk at all, or whose mommies also had to stop for a lot of other reasons, and they are just fine, and I know it doesn't mean I don't love you enough. But I also know breastmilk is the BEST thing for you and I feel like if I could help it I should give as much as possible. And I feel like I totally could have prevented this. I know it doesn't make sense to feel so guilty and sad about it but I do. I'm sorry, Baby Bean. I hope my milk comes back for you when I get rid of this infection.
You're growing so much every day, little girl. When I show you outside you look interested, and I keep promising you we can go explore more soon. Things keep coming up. Maybe in this next week I'll be able to bring you out and you can see what things look like outside of home and doctor's offices. I hope so.
I love you so much, and your Daddy and I still tell each other every day how lucky we both feel to have been blessed with you. Even on the toughest days, you hold my heart in your beautiful eyes.
Love always,
Your Mommy
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Happy One Week Birthday!
Dear Isabella,
Today you are one week old! What a week it has been! Getting to know you in the hospital was a nice adventure. I was still healing - oh boy that delivery really took it out of me. I was sore in all kinds of places, my hip hurt from pushing (or falling, we're not sure) so much that they sent a physical therapist to help me, and I felt so frustrated being so helpless - your Daddy had to help me to do everything, even just sitting up in bed! We had lots of visitors. So many people had been so anxious to meet you after all these months! You had quite the fan club. Uncle Jeremy was so happy that you came early! He had to go to Afghanistan on the 10th and he's going to be gone one whole year, so he was really hoping to be able to meet you before he left.
We were excited to bring you home - I was nervous too. And that first day and night was really, really hard. In the hospital you had been nursing really well, but when we brought you home you did not want to have anything to do with it! And you were so hungry and upset! You cried and cried and cried and we didn't know what to do. We called Grandma and Grandpa Nick and they came to help us, and we also called your pediatrician. You cried almost with no stopping for hours! All afternoon! And I could tell by how you were acting that you were so hungry! But you wouldn't nurse. I cried a lot that day - I didn't know how to make you feel better. Finally around 5pm the pediatrician told us to just give you one ounce of formula to tide you over and make sure you didn't get dehydrated. I was devastated! But she assured us that giving you just this little bit of formula from a bottle wouldn't make you never want to nurse again. Daddy went and got formula and also got a pump for me so I could still simulate nursing. He was really worried too.
Finally we got you to calm down and you finally got some rest. The next couple of days were definitely all about learning. Learning how to feed you the way you wanted, learning how to get you to sleep (we're actually still learning that...), learning how to change your diaper quickly, and learning your schedule (just when we figure it out we realize you don't really have one). Boy oh boy me and Daddy have been so tired. The days just blend together. Thank goodness for your Grandma though - she has been staying with us a lot of nights because Daddy had to go back to work on Sunday. My doctor gave us strict orders that I must get more sleep, so Grandma has been helping at night so much so that I can sleep in between your feedings.
Daddy comes home from a long night at work and feeds you and changes you too, if Grandma's not here. And when he comes home in the afternoon he takes over so I can rest a little (but there's always so many chores!). We take turns. He's just such a good Daddy. Everyone loves you so much, so even though it's hard and tiring work, we all feel so good when you're happy and content. You've been having tummy troubles, and I'm trying to figure out if it's something I'm eating that is making you have so much trouble, but I feel so sad when you're so unhappy. We have figured out that when your tummy hurts it feels good for you to sleep face down on our chest. We can't put you in the crib or bassinet that way because you might suffocate. So some nights, Daddy and I take turns sleeping with you on our chests - even if we can sleep when you sleep, it gets pretty uncomfortable to not be able to move or turn on our sides! But it's worth it, if that's the only way your tummy can feel okay enough for you to sleep. Also, you overheat really easily. So we have you in our bedroom a lot, where there's air conditioning, especially in the late afternoon when it's the hottest.
We also discovered you love sleeping in your car seat. So there are lots of pictures of you in there. It feels kind of silly to have you in there so much, but if it makes you happy then that's what we'll do!
Another thing that works is swaddling you. We all just can't get it right in terms of swaddling you with a blanket, but luckily Grandma brought a swaddling cloth that Aunty Debbie and Uncle Kevin gave us that Nya used to use, and we use that a lot. You hate it at first when we wrap you up (like a little Bean burrito!) because you love to have your hands free, but once we finish wrapping you, you're much happier. But you are so stubborn, because like Houdini, you manage to wriggle your hands up to your face eventually and we have to start all over.
You also make the funniest faces when you're just falling asleep. I love just watching you. I could stare at you for hours - if there wasn't so much other stuff to do! And you make the funniest noises. You randomly make this little squeak, and make the cutest cooing noises, and just recently you started sort of snorting like a tiny horse when you are lying on my chest - you'll breathe in deeply and then snort out the air. You sneeze a lot too but the doctor said it's nothing.
To celebrate your one week birthday Daddy took us to Zippy's for lunch. We used to go to the same Zippy's after almost every doctor's appointment while I was pregnant. It's like a tradition now. Lucky us, Daddy worked from home today - hopefully he can do that as often as possible for the day-times. At Zippy's all the waitresses said how cute you are. You really are so adorable, my little girl, and so pretty. I'm so proud of you.
The past week has been probably one of the hardest weeks I've ever had, Isabella, but also one full of the happiest little moments. Every time I start to feel overwhelmed or like I'm doing a terrible job, I look at you, and touch you, and I know that if I can be strong for you, I have been given the best gift in the whole entire history of the world - YOU! I always believed other mommies when they said that the love you feel for your child is indescribable, unbelievably deep, and like nothing you've ever felt or experienced in your life. But now I know it, really really know it - I love you so much it hurts! In a good way though. It's the most joyful feeling and the most scary feeling in the world. I'm so scared of how much I love you - and even though it's not even possible to love you more, I do love you more every day! We have many, many weeks ahead of us to keep getting to know each other and I know that as I get more and more familiar with your little (but strong!) personality, I will keep loving you more and more. I can't wait!
Love you always and forever,
Mommy
Today you are one week old! What a week it has been! Getting to know you in the hospital was a nice adventure. I was still healing - oh boy that delivery really took it out of me. I was sore in all kinds of places, my hip hurt from pushing (or falling, we're not sure) so much that they sent a physical therapist to help me, and I felt so frustrated being so helpless - your Daddy had to help me to do everything, even just sitting up in bed! We had lots of visitors. So many people had been so anxious to meet you after all these months! You had quite the fan club. Uncle Jeremy was so happy that you came early! He had to go to Afghanistan on the 10th and he's going to be gone one whole year, so he was really hoping to be able to meet you before he left.
We were excited to bring you home - I was nervous too. And that first day and night was really, really hard. In the hospital you had been nursing really well, but when we brought you home you did not want to have anything to do with it! And you were so hungry and upset! You cried and cried and cried and we didn't know what to do. We called Grandma and Grandpa Nick and they came to help us, and we also called your pediatrician. You cried almost with no stopping for hours! All afternoon! And I could tell by how you were acting that you were so hungry! But you wouldn't nurse. I cried a lot that day - I didn't know how to make you feel better. Finally around 5pm the pediatrician told us to just give you one ounce of formula to tide you over and make sure you didn't get dehydrated. I was devastated! But she assured us that giving you just this little bit of formula from a bottle wouldn't make you never want to nurse again. Daddy went and got formula and also got a pump for me so I could still simulate nursing. He was really worried too.
Finally we got you to calm down and you finally got some rest. The next couple of days were definitely all about learning. Learning how to feed you the way you wanted, learning how to get you to sleep (we're actually still learning that...), learning how to change your diaper quickly, and learning your schedule (just when we figure it out we realize you don't really have one). Boy oh boy me and Daddy have been so tired. The days just blend together. Thank goodness for your Grandma though - she has been staying with us a lot of nights because Daddy had to go back to work on Sunday. My doctor gave us strict orders that I must get more sleep, so Grandma has been helping at night so much so that I can sleep in between your feedings.
Daddy comes home from a long night at work and feeds you and changes you too, if Grandma's not here. And when he comes home in the afternoon he takes over so I can rest a little (but there's always so many chores!). We take turns. He's just such a good Daddy. Everyone loves you so much, so even though it's hard and tiring work, we all feel so good when you're happy and content. You've been having tummy troubles, and I'm trying to figure out if it's something I'm eating that is making you have so much trouble, but I feel so sad when you're so unhappy. We have figured out that when your tummy hurts it feels good for you to sleep face down on our chest. We can't put you in the crib or bassinet that way because you might suffocate. So some nights, Daddy and I take turns sleeping with you on our chests - even if we can sleep when you sleep, it gets pretty uncomfortable to not be able to move or turn on our sides! But it's worth it, if that's the only way your tummy can feel okay enough for you to sleep. Also, you overheat really easily. So we have you in our bedroom a lot, where there's air conditioning, especially in the late afternoon when it's the hottest.
We also discovered you love sleeping in your car seat. So there are lots of pictures of you in there. It feels kind of silly to have you in there so much, but if it makes you happy then that's what we'll do!
Another thing that works is swaddling you. We all just can't get it right in terms of swaddling you with a blanket, but luckily Grandma brought a swaddling cloth that Aunty Debbie and Uncle Kevin gave us that Nya used to use, and we use that a lot. You hate it at first when we wrap you up (like a little Bean burrito!) because you love to have your hands free, but once we finish wrapping you, you're much happier. But you are so stubborn, because like Houdini, you manage to wriggle your hands up to your face eventually and we have to start all over.
You also make the funniest faces when you're just falling asleep. I love just watching you. I could stare at you for hours - if there wasn't so much other stuff to do! And you make the funniest noises. You randomly make this little squeak, and make the cutest cooing noises, and just recently you started sort of snorting like a tiny horse when you are lying on my chest - you'll breathe in deeply and then snort out the air. You sneeze a lot too but the doctor said it's nothing.
To celebrate your one week birthday Daddy took us to Zippy's for lunch. We used to go to the same Zippy's after almost every doctor's appointment while I was pregnant. It's like a tradition now. Lucky us, Daddy worked from home today - hopefully he can do that as often as possible for the day-times. At Zippy's all the waitresses said how cute you are. You really are so adorable, my little girl, and so pretty. I'm so proud of you.
The past week has been probably one of the hardest weeks I've ever had, Isabella, but also one full of the happiest little moments. Every time I start to feel overwhelmed or like I'm doing a terrible job, I look at you, and touch you, and I know that if I can be strong for you, I have been given the best gift in the whole entire history of the world - YOU! I always believed other mommies when they said that the love you feel for your child is indescribable, unbelievably deep, and like nothing you've ever felt or experienced in your life. But now I know it, really really know it - I love you so much it hurts! In a good way though. It's the most joyful feeling and the most scary feeling in the world. I'm so scared of how much I love you - and even though it's not even possible to love you more, I do love you more every day! We have many, many weeks ahead of us to keep getting to know each other and I know that as I get more and more familiar with your little (but strong!) personality, I will keep loving you more and more. I can't wait!
Love you always and forever,
Mommy
Sunday, April 10, 2011
What a journey!
Dear Isabella,
April 14th was your due date but you came into this world exactly one week early. And what a blessing you are.
Your final journey into the world was quite a struggle. It began on Tuesday, April 5th, actually. Tuesday was the last day off together alone that your Daddy and I would have and we didn't even know it. We had a check up appointment that morning and I was so uncomfortable with you growing in my belly that I joked with the doctor that we'd see her that night if I had any control over it. Little did we know...
After the appointment Daddy and I went to have lunch at Panda Express. I ate lots of vegetables! Then we went to the zoo to see the tigers. Oh boy, walking around the zoo was soooo hard! I had to walk so slow, and take lots of breaks. I felt like people stared at me like I was one of the exhibits. But the tigers were pretty cool! We got some really good pictures. I'll show you later. After the zoo we came home to rest a little, and then we went to Ruby Tuesday's for an early dinner - super early, because you were taking up so much room in my belly that I couldn't eat anything past 5pm! After Ruby Tuesday's, Daddy and I went to see Grandma and Grandpa Nick and pick up a few things that I had left at their house. Grandma took some photos of me and your Daddy and you in my belly because I had gotten so big! I'll show you those later too. I was having some contractions but nothing different than what I had been feeling all week. We sat around watching you move around in my belly - you were stretching out your legs and squirming around so much and making my belly into some pretty funny shapes!
Daddy and I came home and went to bed after watching a little T.V. It was a really nice day for us (I felt a little guilty that Orange was home alone all day and all night). Then at 12:28am (Daddy noticed the time and remembered it for the doctors just like we were taught - what a good Dad, huh?), my water broke in bed! At first I wasn't sure that's what it was - they had told us it could be a gush, or a trickle, but it was a little in between. I woke up your Daddy and told him what I thought and while I went to the bathroom to check, he started running around the house like a crazy person getting things together and getting ready to go to the hospital. He was so excited!
We got to the hospital and after they checked us out and made sure it really was the amniotic sac that had ruptured, we got into our labor and delivery room - Room 310. I wasn't really having regular contractions so they put me on a Pitocin drip to induce labor. They told us you had to be born within 48 hours to minimize the risk of infection.
When labor started, it wasn't too bad. But the contractions quickly became stronger and closer together, and I contemplated when I was going to have my epidural. The nurse told us that if we were for sure going to have one, I should be aware that at 7am is when they have all the scheduled C-sections, so the anesthesiologists would be busy between 7 and 8. At the time it was about 4:30am. I decided, why wait. They came in and put the drip in for the epidural, and suddenly the contractions didn't hurt anymore. In fact, Grandma, your Daddy, and I all took naps and I slept right through the contractions for a couple hours.
When I woke up I couldn't move my legs - definitely a weird sensation! The contractions were getting stronger, but manageable because of the epidural. The classes your Daddy and I took helped, because I knew how to breathe through the contractions and your Daddy was really helpful. I thought about our instructor, Therese, and imagined what she would suggest we try and tried to remember all the exercises we did in class. But the whole day passed and I was hardly dilating! At one point, your heart rate started to drop a little more than the doctors were comfortable with, and they had to stop the Pitocin - which stopped the dilating too! Oh man, this was taking forever! People kept calling and texting me and your Daddy to see what was going on. Abuela Balladyna was really worried and called Daddy a lot to check - it's hard for her to be so far away!
Then in the evening after they had stabilized your heart rate and restarted the Pitocin drip, the contractions started getting really, really strong! I felt like I didn't even have an epidural! The nurse would ask me on a scale of 1-10 how bad the pain was and I told her every time that it was a 10. I was dilating more but definitely not enough to push. Why didn't you want to come out??
I got to a point where I was in so much pain I was saying some pretty silly things. Like, "I can't do this, someone else has to do it for me!" and "I want to go home!" I was crying a lot. Poor Grandma and Daddy didn't know what to do to make me feel better. They just held my hands and whispered words of encouragement and that was exactly what I needed. Daddy even brushed my hair for me which felt good. What would we do without them?
Finally at about 10:30pm the doctor said that even though I wasn't dilated to 10cm (I was at 9.5), we could start pushing. I think they were worried about the stress on you because of my pain. The nurse and doctor warned me that for first time births, sometimes mommies have to push for 3 hours! But they said it probably wouldn't be that long for us.
Well, we started pushing just before 11pm on Wednesday night, and you weren't born till 1:46am on Thursday! Turns out we did push for about 3 hours!
There were some pretty scary moments during those three hours, my little girl. You had your head turned the wrong way, so you were getting stuck. My doctor had to turn your head with her hands, but she said you were so stubborn you kept turning your head back. Finally we got you turned the right way and got you to stay there. But you still didn't want to come out. They brought out the forceps and let me tell you - those things are SCARY looking. From where I was, they looked like a cross between the ice cream scoops they use at Cold Stone and giant (GIANT!) salad spoons. Daddy said he was so scared when they put those inside me to grab your head. He was scared they were going to hurt you. Every time I pushed, the doctors (they called a second one in to help, because you were taking so long to come out and it was getting a little risky) pulled and pulled with all their might. It took soooo long and so much strength from everyone in the room to get your head out. Two doctors pulling and digging around to maneuver you, Grandma and Daddy helping me push, and the nurse monitoring all our vital signs and getting things ready for when you finally came out.
Right before you came, the nurse asked the doctor if she should call the Pediatric Team. It's a team of doctors and nurses specially trained to take care of a baby right after delivery that might need some extra help. My doctor said yes right away. Grandma was scared - she and I have watched a silly amount of Discovery Health and read a lot of books on medical things and we both know it's not standard to call in that many people - in a matter of minutes, there were like 5 or 6 extra people standing there in surgical scrubs waiting to take care of you right away. Daddy was scared too, because even though he had confidence in the two doctors working on us, they were talking so quietly to each other, and the nurse had a really scared look on her face.
When you came out, you didn't cry right away and Daddy was scared. It was sort of strange - after everyone coaching me through the pushes and talking to get things ready, the room got so quiet for a couple of seconds. You were purple. But then your strong little lungs kicked in and you let out your first wail. Daddy got to cut your umbilical cord - he told me through my whole pregnancy that he didn't want to, but in the moment he was so overcome with love for you and he wanted to do everything that the experience offered. They took you away from me, and from across the room I watched them check you and make sure you were doing okay. I hated that I was so far away from you! Daddy went over with you and as soon as he started stroking your little belly you quieted down. In fact after the first couple of cries, you hardly cried at all.
Oh my goodness Isabella, you were so swollen. You weighed in at 8 pounds and 6.5 ounces and even though they thought you might need help when you first came out, you scored really high on your APGAR readings - those are scores they give when they evaluate important markers for your immediate health, like breathing, alertness, skin coloring. Finally they brought you to me and I couldn't say or think anything except I kept repeating, "Hi Baby. You're so beautiful." I was surprised at myself that I didn't cry right away but I think I was just so in awe of you, like I think I felt so much love and so much wonder that I couldn't express it in any way at all. I tried to get you to nurse because I'd heard how beneficial that is, but you were too tired. It was exhausting for everyone, especially you! Holding you to my chest that first time was one of the most wondrous moments of my life. I cried later, after they took you away to do more tests and stuff, and Daddy and I had a moment to congratulate each other.
I love your Daddy so much, and I am so grateful we have such an amazing man to take care of us. In a split second I thought about the true beginning of your journey into this world - from the days he would come into Starbucks and see me, to our first months together, to living in our first apartment, and all our friends, to last summer when we found out we were having you, to moving to our first "family" apartment where we live now, and the last couple of months. We've come a really long way in a super short amount of time and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.
I didn't want to let you go but they had to take you from me again to take you to the nursery and get you all clean and warm and do some tests. While they were doing that, they took me and Daddy and Grandma to our recovery room. A much, much smaller room! When I was trying to get out of bed to go in the wheelchair to go to our room, I fell. My legs still didn't work! I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and all I had to do was stand up and turn around and sit down in the wheelchair. But as soon as I tried to stand up, even though my left leg could support me, my right leg was still completely paralyzed from the epidural and BOOM! Down I went. Daddy and Grandma rushed over to help the nurse pick me up. It certainly felt weird - it wasn't like I felt myself falling - it was like I had stepped into a hole in the floor.
When we got to the room and they got you cleaned up and tested, they brought you in to us. While we were in the hospital you stayed with us in the room most of the time. And that's how our next journey of getting to know each other began.
This path that we've found ourselves on, I'm so grateful for every step of the way, even the tough ones. You're perfect the way you are. In such a short time you've already brought such love and joy into our lives. I love you, Isabella, and I want you never to forget that
Love,
Mommy
April 14th was your due date but you came into this world exactly one week early. And what a blessing you are.
Your final journey into the world was quite a struggle. It began on Tuesday, April 5th, actually. Tuesday was the last day off together alone that your Daddy and I would have and we didn't even know it. We had a check up appointment that morning and I was so uncomfortable with you growing in my belly that I joked with the doctor that we'd see her that night if I had any control over it. Little did we know...
After the appointment Daddy and I went to have lunch at Panda Express. I ate lots of vegetables! Then we went to the zoo to see the tigers. Oh boy, walking around the zoo was soooo hard! I had to walk so slow, and take lots of breaks. I felt like people stared at me like I was one of the exhibits. But the tigers were pretty cool! We got some really good pictures. I'll show you later. After the zoo we came home to rest a little, and then we went to Ruby Tuesday's for an early dinner - super early, because you were taking up so much room in my belly that I couldn't eat anything past 5pm! After Ruby Tuesday's, Daddy and I went to see Grandma and Grandpa Nick and pick up a few things that I had left at their house. Grandma took some photos of me and your Daddy and you in my belly because I had gotten so big! I'll show you those later too. I was having some contractions but nothing different than what I had been feeling all week. We sat around watching you move around in my belly - you were stretching out your legs and squirming around so much and making my belly into some pretty funny shapes!
Daddy and I came home and went to bed after watching a little T.V. It was a really nice day for us (I felt a little guilty that Orange was home alone all day and all night). Then at 12:28am (Daddy noticed the time and remembered it for the doctors just like we were taught - what a good Dad, huh?), my water broke in bed! At first I wasn't sure that's what it was - they had told us it could be a gush, or a trickle, but it was a little in between. I woke up your Daddy and told him what I thought and while I went to the bathroom to check, he started running around the house like a crazy person getting things together and getting ready to go to the hospital. He was so excited!
We got to the hospital and after they checked us out and made sure it really was the amniotic sac that had ruptured, we got into our labor and delivery room - Room 310. I wasn't really having regular contractions so they put me on a Pitocin drip to induce labor. They told us you had to be born within 48 hours to minimize the risk of infection.
When labor started, it wasn't too bad. But the contractions quickly became stronger and closer together, and I contemplated when I was going to have my epidural. The nurse told us that if we were for sure going to have one, I should be aware that at 7am is when they have all the scheduled C-sections, so the anesthesiologists would be busy between 7 and 8. At the time it was about 4:30am. I decided, why wait. They came in and put the drip in for the epidural, and suddenly the contractions didn't hurt anymore. In fact, Grandma, your Daddy, and I all took naps and I slept right through the contractions for a couple hours.
When I woke up I couldn't move my legs - definitely a weird sensation! The contractions were getting stronger, but manageable because of the epidural. The classes your Daddy and I took helped, because I knew how to breathe through the contractions and your Daddy was really helpful. I thought about our instructor, Therese, and imagined what she would suggest we try and tried to remember all the exercises we did in class. But the whole day passed and I was hardly dilating! At one point, your heart rate started to drop a little more than the doctors were comfortable with, and they had to stop the Pitocin - which stopped the dilating too! Oh man, this was taking forever! People kept calling and texting me and your Daddy to see what was going on. Abuela Balladyna was really worried and called Daddy a lot to check - it's hard for her to be so far away!
Then in the evening after they had stabilized your heart rate and restarted the Pitocin drip, the contractions started getting really, really strong! I felt like I didn't even have an epidural! The nurse would ask me on a scale of 1-10 how bad the pain was and I told her every time that it was a 10. I was dilating more but definitely not enough to push. Why didn't you want to come out??
I got to a point where I was in so much pain I was saying some pretty silly things. Like, "I can't do this, someone else has to do it for me!" and "I want to go home!" I was crying a lot. Poor Grandma and Daddy didn't know what to do to make me feel better. They just held my hands and whispered words of encouragement and that was exactly what I needed. Daddy even brushed my hair for me which felt good. What would we do without them?
Finally at about 10:30pm the doctor said that even though I wasn't dilated to 10cm (I was at 9.5), we could start pushing. I think they were worried about the stress on you because of my pain. The nurse and doctor warned me that for first time births, sometimes mommies have to push for 3 hours! But they said it probably wouldn't be that long for us.
Well, we started pushing just before 11pm on Wednesday night, and you weren't born till 1:46am on Thursday! Turns out we did push for about 3 hours!
There were some pretty scary moments during those three hours, my little girl. You had your head turned the wrong way, so you were getting stuck. My doctor had to turn your head with her hands, but she said you were so stubborn you kept turning your head back. Finally we got you turned the right way and got you to stay there. But you still didn't want to come out. They brought out the forceps and let me tell you - those things are SCARY looking. From where I was, they looked like a cross between the ice cream scoops they use at Cold Stone and giant (GIANT!) salad spoons. Daddy said he was so scared when they put those inside me to grab your head. He was scared they were going to hurt you. Every time I pushed, the doctors (they called a second one in to help, because you were taking so long to come out and it was getting a little risky) pulled and pulled with all their might. It took soooo long and so much strength from everyone in the room to get your head out. Two doctors pulling and digging around to maneuver you, Grandma and Daddy helping me push, and the nurse monitoring all our vital signs and getting things ready for when you finally came out.
Right before you came, the nurse asked the doctor if she should call the Pediatric Team. It's a team of doctors and nurses specially trained to take care of a baby right after delivery that might need some extra help. My doctor said yes right away. Grandma was scared - she and I have watched a silly amount of Discovery Health and read a lot of books on medical things and we both know it's not standard to call in that many people - in a matter of minutes, there were like 5 or 6 extra people standing there in surgical scrubs waiting to take care of you right away. Daddy was scared too, because even though he had confidence in the two doctors working on us, they were talking so quietly to each other, and the nurse had a really scared look on her face.
When you came out, you didn't cry right away and Daddy was scared. It was sort of strange - after everyone coaching me through the pushes and talking to get things ready, the room got so quiet for a couple of seconds. You were purple. But then your strong little lungs kicked in and you let out your first wail. Daddy got to cut your umbilical cord - he told me through my whole pregnancy that he didn't want to, but in the moment he was so overcome with love for you and he wanted to do everything that the experience offered. They took you away from me, and from across the room I watched them check you and make sure you were doing okay. I hated that I was so far away from you! Daddy went over with you and as soon as he started stroking your little belly you quieted down. In fact after the first couple of cries, you hardly cried at all.
Oh my goodness Isabella, you were so swollen. You weighed in at 8 pounds and 6.5 ounces and even though they thought you might need help when you first came out, you scored really high on your APGAR readings - those are scores they give when they evaluate important markers for your immediate health, like breathing, alertness, skin coloring. Finally they brought you to me and I couldn't say or think anything except I kept repeating, "Hi Baby. You're so beautiful." I was surprised at myself that I didn't cry right away but I think I was just so in awe of you, like I think I felt so much love and so much wonder that I couldn't express it in any way at all. I tried to get you to nurse because I'd heard how beneficial that is, but you were too tired. It was exhausting for everyone, especially you! Holding you to my chest that first time was one of the most wondrous moments of my life. I cried later, after they took you away to do more tests and stuff, and Daddy and I had a moment to congratulate each other.
I love your Daddy so much, and I am so grateful we have such an amazing man to take care of us. In a split second I thought about the true beginning of your journey into this world - from the days he would come into Starbucks and see me, to our first months together, to living in our first apartment, and all our friends, to last summer when we found out we were having you, to moving to our first "family" apartment where we live now, and the last couple of months. We've come a really long way in a super short amount of time and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.
I didn't want to let you go but they had to take you from me again to take you to the nursery and get you all clean and warm and do some tests. While they were doing that, they took me and Daddy and Grandma to our recovery room. A much, much smaller room! When I was trying to get out of bed to go in the wheelchair to go to our room, I fell. My legs still didn't work! I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and all I had to do was stand up and turn around and sit down in the wheelchair. But as soon as I tried to stand up, even though my left leg could support me, my right leg was still completely paralyzed from the epidural and BOOM! Down I went. Daddy and Grandma rushed over to help the nurse pick me up. It certainly felt weird - it wasn't like I felt myself falling - it was like I had stepped into a hole in the floor.
When we got to the room and they got you cleaned up and tested, they brought you in to us. While we were in the hospital you stayed with us in the room most of the time. And that's how our next journey of getting to know each other began.
This path that we've found ourselves on, I'm so grateful for every step of the way, even the tough ones. You're perfect the way you are. In such a short time you've already brought such love and joy into our lives. I love you, Isabella, and I want you never to forget that
Love,
Mommy
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
A lot to catch up on!
Quick notes:
I have become somewhat of a pro at sleeping sitting up, and my spot on the couch makes for a great nap spot. Isabella seems to have her own favorite positions for various times of day, and as she runs out of room in there, I'm more and more confident I can tell the difference between her feet and knees and elbows wiggling around in there. She still finds room for little punches and sort of really strong kicks.
Braxton-Hicks contractions have become so common for me now that I don't get excited or even try to time them to make sure they're not real labor. I even considered suggesting the name Braxton to Alex when we were trying to find our just-in-case boy name. But I do feel Isabella descending - maybe. If it's possible to simultaneously descend and not turn - she seems to still be more or less transverse rather than coming around to head-down. I didn't think this was possible but my belly button has poked out even further. I'm pretty sure if I don't give birth soon my belly will just rip open from being stretched so much.
People keep asking how I'm feeling - nervous, excited, anxious... To be honest, after our classes, I'm not nervous at all about the labor experience. I'm beyond excited to meet our baby; it's an incredible feeling to know there's a baby in there and it's coming soon and she's going to be a person with all that goes with personhood. I'm not really nervous about taking care of her after - not that I think I'll know everything or that I won't have questions or self-doubt about things or that I won't have days that I'm going, "I don't know what else to DO!" But I'm not nervous about those obstacles - everyone has them, I have Alex and we have my mom and my stepdad ready to help at a moment's notice (and really, a huge support system from afar including Alex's mom, my dad and stepmom, my grandma, my Uncle Bill, all our friends). I'm not nervous at all about how the relationship between me and Alex will change - everyone talks about how much a baby changes things. I feel so confident in our relationship, our love, our friendship that I know it will only bring us even closer together and add another rich dimension to our life together.
What I am nervous about is the physical things that happen after birth. I've spent the past however many weeks and months in discomfort at varying levels for various reasons - the swelling, the reflux, the pelvic aching and popping (which is getting even worse of course, as my body makes way), on and on - and wishing for The Big Day to just get here, that I didn't even bother to learn what happens to me, my body, right after. I was nervous about how I'd look - I didn't think about how I'd feel. Apparently it's not all fun and games either. The inversion of the uterus is supposedly totally uncomfortable. You apparently bleed like a period for up to SIX weeks - pads only, no tampons! The list is long.
Alex told me last night, "No matter what, it won't be as bad as you're feeling now." I told him, "That's the thing! What if it is?! This whole time I've been saying, this sucks I just want to have her already. What if we have her and my body is so uncooperative that I end up saying, 'THIS sucks too!!' There's NO way to know."
I suppose that's the scariest part of pregnancy, postpartum and parenting in general though, right? It's not so much the things you know are going to be tough, like labor pains or sleepless nights. It's the stuff you don't even know that you don't know. The big black hole of what ifs, what nows, and what do I dos. Man, I hope she's an easy kid...
- Sixteen days till the due date! Arrival predictions from friends: Christina - April 8, Mrs. O - April 15 (grrr), JD - April 13. We are still accepting predictions. :)
- We picked a pediatrician!
- We picked a just-in-case boy's name! (Ethan Alexander - and dibs on this name for the future if we don't use it for this baby!)
- Other than a few little items (that we're getting today), we packed our hospital bag!
- We wrote our In Case of Emergency contact cards for the door and fridge!
- We wrote our "Birth Wish" (the more realistic name for a "Birth Plan")
- We finished both our Infant Care class series and Prepared Childbirth class series - both totally worth the time and money, and we had the best instructor - Therese was awesome!
I have become somewhat of a pro at sleeping sitting up, and my spot on the couch makes for a great nap spot. Isabella seems to have her own favorite positions for various times of day, and as she runs out of room in there, I'm more and more confident I can tell the difference between her feet and knees and elbows wiggling around in there. She still finds room for little punches and sort of really strong kicks.
Braxton-Hicks contractions have become so common for me now that I don't get excited or even try to time them to make sure they're not real labor. I even considered suggesting the name Braxton to Alex when we were trying to find our just-in-case boy name. But I do feel Isabella descending - maybe. If it's possible to simultaneously descend and not turn - she seems to still be more or less transverse rather than coming around to head-down. I didn't think this was possible but my belly button has poked out even further. I'm pretty sure if I don't give birth soon my belly will just rip open from being stretched so much.
People keep asking how I'm feeling - nervous, excited, anxious... To be honest, after our classes, I'm not nervous at all about the labor experience. I'm beyond excited to meet our baby; it's an incredible feeling to know there's a baby in there and it's coming soon and she's going to be a person with all that goes with personhood. I'm not really nervous about taking care of her after - not that I think I'll know everything or that I won't have questions or self-doubt about things or that I won't have days that I'm going, "I don't know what else to DO!" But I'm not nervous about those obstacles - everyone has them, I have Alex and we have my mom and my stepdad ready to help at a moment's notice (and really, a huge support system from afar including Alex's mom, my dad and stepmom, my grandma, my Uncle Bill, all our friends). I'm not nervous at all about how the relationship between me and Alex will change - everyone talks about how much a baby changes things. I feel so confident in our relationship, our love, our friendship that I know it will only bring us even closer together and add another rich dimension to our life together.
What I am nervous about is the physical things that happen after birth. I've spent the past however many weeks and months in discomfort at varying levels for various reasons - the swelling, the reflux, the pelvic aching and popping (which is getting even worse of course, as my body makes way), on and on - and wishing for The Big Day to just get here, that I didn't even bother to learn what happens to me, my body, right after. I was nervous about how I'd look - I didn't think about how I'd feel. Apparently it's not all fun and games either. The inversion of the uterus is supposedly totally uncomfortable. You apparently bleed like a period for up to SIX weeks - pads only, no tampons! The list is long.
Alex told me last night, "No matter what, it won't be as bad as you're feeling now." I told him, "That's the thing! What if it is?! This whole time I've been saying, this sucks I just want to have her already. What if we have her and my body is so uncooperative that I end up saying, 'THIS sucks too!!' There's NO way to know."
I suppose that's the scariest part of pregnancy, postpartum and parenting in general though, right? It's not so much the things you know are going to be tough, like labor pains or sleepless nights. It's the stuff you don't even know that you don't know. The big black hole of what ifs, what nows, and what do I dos. Man, I hope she's an easy kid...
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Photos of the new place!
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| The living room |
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| More living room |
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| Living room/Dining area from the other end |
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| Kitchen (tiny!) |
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| "Master" bedroom |
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| Isabella's (mostly unfurnished) bedroom |
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| More of Isabella's room |
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| The lanai from our end of the unit |
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| Lanai from Isabella's end of the unit |
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| Sunset view from our lanai. |
New apartment, Christmas, Getting Bigger - so many changes!
Oh goodness it's been a while since I've posted. We've been so busy moving and getting ready for Christmas that time has flown by. The quickest recap of December that I can manage: We started off the month moving apartments - what an adventure! As soon as we got moved in we started decorating for Christmas - my favorite time of year! I'm becoming the size of a small car - one that is increasingly difficult to maneuver! First trimester nausea is long gone, but just as I was learning to enjoy second trimester return of energy and appetite, a whole host of new "symptoms" has surfaced - one of them sending me to the E.R. (don't worry, Isabella and I were completely fine)! Because there was so much going on, I'll be spliting up this update into a few different posts.
Moving to a bigger place was in the plans from the moment we found out we were pregnant, but it was supposed to happen in January when our lease was up. After looking on Craigslist out of curiosity, we found a newly renovated, two bedroom apartment in a secured building more or less in our price range - and after looking at it we knew that even though it was early, we had to apply. A week after contacting the property manager to take a look, we had a new lease! Life in general is moving so quickly for us. Luckily, our landlord at the old place was ultra supportive and happy for us, and since we found him a tenant to take over the unit, Alex didn't lose any of his deposit for terminating early. Moving is stressful to begin with - add to it that one person in the equation is fairly useless when it comes to reaching the top shelves to pack, lifting boxes and furniture, and getting into tight spaces to deep clean, and the stress multiplies. Alex was wonderful - I would come home from work and find several new boxes packed each day. This in itself caused a bit of an emotional struggle for me - I was happy that he was being so considerate and trying to leave nothing for me to do (i.e. worry about), but I already felt like I was contributing so little, so packing the little things was all I had left to bolster my sense of usefulness. That, and I'd go to use something of ours (spatula, book, oh maybe the T.V.) and find it packed. The last several nights in our old apartment were certainly boring. Alex was a saint, dealing with my crabbiness.
The move itself was pretty quick. Poor Orange was completely freaked out. The first several nights, he would walk around the new apartment in the dark, meowing to the walls. "Where am I?" he seemed to be lamenting, "When are we going home?" It didn't help that the weather was a little stormy and a lot cold, and his little paws weren't used to cold tile. We also didn't have a rug for the living room yet, and his old hiding places (closet, under the bed) were also cold and tiled. Like a mommy worries about her babies, I worried about my little kitten and thought, "Oh I've made him so unhappy - AGAIN!" (This is his third move in two years.) But once we got the rug for the living room, he seemed to find pleasure in looking out our giant sliding doors onto the lanai, or curling up on the back of the much-fluffier new (used) couch we bought. He has returned to the habit he developed at my old apartment of hiding or sleeping in our bed under the covers when we're not home. Weirdo. But he's happy now, so that's good.
It was surprisingly hard for Alex and I to say goodbye to the old place. I cried - I had the excuse of hormones. But I think a part of Alex wanted to cry too as we drove away for the last time - Orange's crazy sad meows from his hated carrying cage vocalized I think part of what we were both feeling. That apartment was the first that Alex had all by himself; prior to that he'd always had roommates. We found that apartment for him right at the beginning of our relationship, as we were learning about each other, the way each other lived in the most private moments of daily life. We had our first huge, relationship-changing argument there. It was the first place we lived together (and learned even more about intimate details of daily life). That was where we began our journey, basically, of learning how to work not only as a couple but as a true team. A lot of firsts in that apartment.
Of course, we're totally excited about the future and the direction we're going, and all that the new place represents for us. We almost doubled our living space, and this apartment isn't so big for us that it's absurd, but it's big enough that we can stay here for years as Isabella grows - we won't be moving again in another year saying, "God, we are bursting at the seams here!" Everyone who came to our old place and also came here (well, just my Mom, Nick, and three of my closest friends) say this place feels much more like a home. Alex and I agree. It already looks like a family lives here. (I told him, if it was that hard to leave the first apartment, it's going to be even more difficult to leave this one - imagine all the "firsts" that we'll have here! I said, I don't want to move again until we are buying our "forever house." Dream big...)
We're proud of our new place and we both know that as a family, we'll be really happy here.
Moving to a bigger place was in the plans from the moment we found out we were pregnant, but it was supposed to happen in January when our lease was up. After looking on Craigslist out of curiosity, we found a newly renovated, two bedroom apartment in a secured building more or less in our price range - and after looking at it we knew that even though it was early, we had to apply. A week after contacting the property manager to take a look, we had a new lease! Life in general is moving so quickly for us. Luckily, our landlord at the old place was ultra supportive and happy for us, and since we found him a tenant to take over the unit, Alex didn't lose any of his deposit for terminating early. Moving is stressful to begin with - add to it that one person in the equation is fairly useless when it comes to reaching the top shelves to pack, lifting boxes and furniture, and getting into tight spaces to deep clean, and the stress multiplies. Alex was wonderful - I would come home from work and find several new boxes packed each day. This in itself caused a bit of an emotional struggle for me - I was happy that he was being so considerate and trying to leave nothing for me to do (i.e. worry about), but I already felt like I was contributing so little, so packing the little things was all I had left to bolster my sense of usefulness. That, and I'd go to use something of ours (spatula, book, oh maybe the T.V.) and find it packed. The last several nights in our old apartment were certainly boring. Alex was a saint, dealing with my crabbiness.
The move itself was pretty quick. Poor Orange was completely freaked out. The first several nights, he would walk around the new apartment in the dark, meowing to the walls. "Where am I?" he seemed to be lamenting, "When are we going home?" It didn't help that the weather was a little stormy and a lot cold, and his little paws weren't used to cold tile. We also didn't have a rug for the living room yet, and his old hiding places (closet, under the bed) were also cold and tiled. Like a mommy worries about her babies, I worried about my little kitten and thought, "Oh I've made him so unhappy - AGAIN!" (This is his third move in two years.) But once we got the rug for the living room, he seemed to find pleasure in looking out our giant sliding doors onto the lanai, or curling up on the back of the much-fluffier new (used) couch we bought. He has returned to the habit he developed at my old apartment of hiding or sleeping in our bed under the covers when we're not home. Weirdo. But he's happy now, so that's good.
It was surprisingly hard for Alex and I to say goodbye to the old place. I cried - I had the excuse of hormones. But I think a part of Alex wanted to cry too as we drove away for the last time - Orange's crazy sad meows from his hated carrying cage vocalized I think part of what we were both feeling. That apartment was the first that Alex had all by himself; prior to that he'd always had roommates. We found that apartment for him right at the beginning of our relationship, as we were learning about each other, the way each other lived in the most private moments of daily life. We had our first huge, relationship-changing argument there. It was the first place we lived together (and learned even more about intimate details of daily life). That was where we began our journey, basically, of learning how to work not only as a couple but as a true team. A lot of firsts in that apartment.
Of course, we're totally excited about the future and the direction we're going, and all that the new place represents for us. We almost doubled our living space, and this apartment isn't so big for us that it's absurd, but it's big enough that we can stay here for years as Isabella grows - we won't be moving again in another year saying, "God, we are bursting at the seams here!" Everyone who came to our old place and also came here (well, just my Mom, Nick, and three of my closest friends) say this place feels much more like a home. Alex and I agree. It already looks like a family lives here. (I told him, if it was that hard to leave the first apartment, it's going to be even more difficult to leave this one - imagine all the "firsts" that we'll have here! I said, I don't want to move again until we are buying our "forever house." Dream big...)
We're proud of our new place and we both know that as a family, we'll be really happy here.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Thanksgiving Early
We have just so much to be thankful for! What a week! After I felt and saw Isabella's antics on Sunday, Monday night Alex and I got home after the club closed and we lay in bed with the TV on low, low volume. He rested his hand on my belly. She had been active all day ("Aren't you tired from being up all night??" I said to her!) and I wasn't sure if she would continue that night. But after a few minutes, bump! A little pop erupted just below Alex's fingers. My eyes got wide and I whispered, "Did you feel it?!" He nodded, concentrating. Her kicks were not as forceful as the night before but they were there and she was positioned correctly. We stayed this way for a little while, and he felt her a couple more times. Yay!! She got tired a little more quickly this time though, and retired to the back of my body to hide. She has yet to punch me hard enough at the right time for Alex to see her.
Then on Tuesday, we got news from the realtor handling the apartment we recently found and applied for: We got it! In the middle of the afternoon, while we were out registering for baby stuff, I got an email. The staff at the store told us congratulations because as we were turning in our registry form, I blurted out, "WE GOT IT!" sort of loudly as I skimmed the email message on my phone.
It's a fairly spacious two bedroom, one bath, in a secured building with a covered parking stall. The kitchen and bath are pretty small, but it does have a lanai that runs the length of the unit. It's not luxurious but it's big enough for us to grow as a family, Isabella will have her own room, it's in good shape, and it's all for a reasonable price.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and it's not as if we didn't already have a million things to be thankful for especially this year, but so many great things in one week is almost too good to be true!
Then on Tuesday, we got news from the realtor handling the apartment we recently found and applied for: We got it! In the middle of the afternoon, while we were out registering for baby stuff, I got an email. The staff at the store told us congratulations because as we were turning in our registry form, I blurted out, "WE GOT IT!" sort of loudly as I skimmed the email message on my phone.
It's a fairly spacious two bedroom, one bath, in a secured building with a covered parking stall. The kitchen and bath are pretty small, but it does have a lanai that runs the length of the unit. It's not luxurious but it's big enough for us to grow as a family, Isabella will have her own room, it's in good shape, and it's all for a reasonable price.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and it's not as if we didn't already have a million things to be thankful for especially this year, but so many great things in one week is almost too good to be true!
Monday, November 22, 2010
BOP!
So last night, I'm lying in bed watching TV, with my hand on my belly just because it happened to rest there. And suddenly, THUMP! It was a little, tiny creature bopping my hand - from under my hand! "Do it again Bella!" I whispered. BOP! I almost wanted to hold my breath, scared any movement would frighten her into stopping (or rock her back to sleep). I lifted my hand, and POP! I saw my belly jump in just one little spot just like the curtain jumps when Orange punches it with his paw. Oh my gosh! Feeling it from the outside and seeing it all in one sitting!
(She must know I'm talking about her because she's poking around right now.)
I texted Alex right away, so excited but also a little disappointed he wasn't here to feel it and see it also. I stayed there for over an hour feeling her migrate from one side to the other, holding my belly. My back started to seriously hurt from lying prone for so long, but I didn't want to move! I wanted to feel her for as long as she was awake. Finally I decided I really did have to turn over, and found that lying on my side, I could still at least feel her from the inside. I wasn't talking to her except in my head, but I still felt like we were having our first conversation. She was pretty active for about three hours, and even though I knew I had to work early the next morning, I stayed up till about 1:30am "talking" with our little girl. When Alex finally got home, she got really quiet and pretty much stopped moving. Maybe she felt his presence and felt like she could finally settle down?
So incredible. People talk about really missing this part of pregnancy once they give birth. I do feel like I've been pregnant forever and ever, and we're only half way through, but on the other hand I already know that I'm going to miss this, and I hope I get to feel it all the time until she's born. I want to savor every moment because once she's born - no more poking me from inside there!
(She must know I'm talking about her because she's poking around right now.)
I texted Alex right away, so excited but also a little disappointed he wasn't here to feel it and see it also. I stayed there for over an hour feeling her migrate from one side to the other, holding my belly. My back started to seriously hurt from lying prone for so long, but I didn't want to move! I wanted to feel her for as long as she was awake. Finally I decided I really did have to turn over, and found that lying on my side, I could still at least feel her from the inside. I wasn't talking to her except in my head, but I still felt like we were having our first conversation. She was pretty active for about three hours, and even though I knew I had to work early the next morning, I stayed up till about 1:30am "talking" with our little girl. When Alex finally got home, she got really quiet and pretty much stopped moving. Maybe she felt his presence and felt like she could finally settle down?
So incredible. People talk about really missing this part of pregnancy once they give birth. I do feel like I've been pregnant forever and ever, and we're only half way through, but on the other hand I already know that I'm going to miss this, and I hope I get to feel it all the time until she's born. I want to savor every moment because once she's born - no more poking me from inside there!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Getting a kick out of this!
At first I wasn't sure whether what I was feeling really was Isabella moving around in there.. On a drive over the mountain to my mom's house one night - October 29th to be exact - I sat at the stoplight next to Kam Shopping Center and felt something funny. The books all said it might be similar to hunger gurgles, or gas bubbles, or popcorn popping inside me. But they all also said it's actually indescribable. Whatever it was that I was feeling was almost tickle-y and sort of did feel like popcorn popping - but not exactly. The rest of the drive was a pretty distracted one! I kept feeling flutters, repeated flutters but not rhythmic or regular. At the same time, I didn't want to trick myself into wishing so hard that I could feel her that I imagined something that wasn't there. Hmmm..
Over the next couple of days I felt the same thing a couple times, and then for a couple of days, nothing. Maybe I was wrong.
But at our appointment on the 9th, I felt her and saw her move on the screen at the same time. Sure enough, those were baby twists, kicks and punches I had been feeling! How exciting!
Now it's most days that I can feel her, usually when I'm winding down in the evening or right after I've gotten up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but also sometimes when I'm driving, or when I'm working. Last Sunday, we discovered that Isabella either really likes or really hates Prince. Alex played a Prince song at work, and out of nowhere she was moving around like crazy! And as soon as the song ended, she calmed down. Sari said maybe she's going to be a dancer. Ha! That would be cool, except that is not something she would get from me, that's for sure!
Now we're just waiting for her to get big and strong enough so Alex can feel her moving from the outside. Alex asked me the other night what it feels like. Definitely not like gas. I can see where people would think it was a hunger gurgle but once you know, it's definitely different. Popcorn popping was the closest description I've read. But also it feels almost the same as when you literally can feel your heart skip a beat or palpitate, except instead of feeling it in your chest it's in your belly area - or lower, or to the side a little.
This is so exciting! Bella, we can't wait to meet you!!!
Over the next couple of days I felt the same thing a couple times, and then for a couple of days, nothing. Maybe I was wrong.
But at our appointment on the 9th, I felt her and saw her move on the screen at the same time. Sure enough, those were baby twists, kicks and punches I had been feeling! How exciting!
Now it's most days that I can feel her, usually when I'm winding down in the evening or right after I've gotten up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but also sometimes when I'm driving, or when I'm working. Last Sunday, we discovered that Isabella either really likes or really hates Prince. Alex played a Prince song at work, and out of nowhere she was moving around like crazy! And as soon as the song ended, she calmed down. Sari said maybe she's going to be a dancer. Ha! That would be cool, except that is not something she would get from me, that's for sure!
Now we're just waiting for her to get big and strong enough so Alex can feel her moving from the outside. Alex asked me the other night what it feels like. Definitely not like gas. I can see where people would think it was a hunger gurgle but once you know, it's definitely different. Popcorn popping was the closest description I've read. But also it feels almost the same as when you literally can feel your heart skip a beat or palpitate, except instead of feeling it in your chest it's in your belly area - or lower, or to the side a little.
This is so exciting! Bella, we can't wait to meet you!!!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
First Trimester Done!
Today is 12 weeks, and that means the first trimester is pretty much done! A friend of mine told me that when his wife hit twelve weeks it was like flipping a switch - her nausea was gone, fatigue was gone, all the awfulness was over! I was hoping I'd be the same. While the fatigue is still there somewhat - I fall asleep by 10pm most nights, and I used to be one of those that would gladly stay up till 2 or 3am - it's not like I'm ready to sleep for ten hours by the time lunchtime comes around anymore.
As for the nausea..I'm not sure if it's because the first trimester is finally over, or because I've cut down my dosage of calcium pills from three per day to once a day (I just drink lots of milk, like more than a gallon per week, and eat yogurt instead). I had a sneaking suspicion that the calcium supplements were what was making me sick at night, so about a week ago I cut out my morning and evening calcium pills because I drink at least a glass and a half of milk for breakfast and dinner anyway. Either way, I don't wake up at 1am with a fluttery tummy anymore. I'll still wake up in the middle of the night and be up for an hour or so most nights, but I've been like that my whole life anyway.
Our next appointment isn't for another three weeks, and while that's a good thing considering they take up time and a little bit of money (and no news is good news, at this point), it's a little disappointing that we won't get to see what Bean looks like until then. I'm not even sure if we'll get an ultrasound at that appointment, or if it's just a check-up with a heartbeat listen. Although, the heartbeat was almost more incredible than seeing Bean, so that will be exciting too.
I'm planning on making a baby play blanket with stars and a moon, once I retrieve my sewing machine from my mom's house - and now that I'm not so wiped out every day, that will be a good thing to keep me busy when Alex is at work most nights.
Maybe it's dumb, but we also started a wishlist on Amazon.com for books for the baby. It's a little silly because it's books like Dr. Seuss and Curious George and Courduroy, books I loved when I was little and want our baby to grow up with - but those are for little kids, not little babies. (And Dr. Seuss books are actually pretty long.) Still, books are expensive and we want to start the collection early! We already bought One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and Green Eggs and Ham, as well as a couple other books Alex remembers from when he was a kid. I'll be reading to Bean before birth, so I guess we'll put the books to use right away. :)
I also made two playlists of music. One is just mellow music, hopefully to help the baby sleep once it's born, and also to calm me down into a sleepy mood when I wake up in the middle of the night now. I put on the iPod and drift off. I know the baby still can't hear outside noises, but I want to get into the habit now, so when it can, I'm already playing music. Another playlist is songs that I love: bouncy happy songs, songs to sing along with, and songs I remember listening to with my parents (mostly my mom) when I was little. I figure once baby's born, and Alex is at work and I'm at home a lot of the time, I'll be able to spend musical time with the baby.
We're both so excited! I know time will pass quickly but for now we just can't wait!
As for the nausea..I'm not sure if it's because the first trimester is finally over, or because I've cut down my dosage of calcium pills from three per day to once a day (I just drink lots of milk, like more than a gallon per week, and eat yogurt instead). I had a sneaking suspicion that the calcium supplements were what was making me sick at night, so about a week ago I cut out my morning and evening calcium pills because I drink at least a glass and a half of milk for breakfast and dinner anyway. Either way, I don't wake up at 1am with a fluttery tummy anymore. I'll still wake up in the middle of the night and be up for an hour or so most nights, but I've been like that my whole life anyway.
Our next appointment isn't for another three weeks, and while that's a good thing considering they take up time and a little bit of money (and no news is good news, at this point), it's a little disappointing that we won't get to see what Bean looks like until then. I'm not even sure if we'll get an ultrasound at that appointment, or if it's just a check-up with a heartbeat listen. Although, the heartbeat was almost more incredible than seeing Bean, so that will be exciting too.
I'm planning on making a baby play blanket with stars and a moon, once I retrieve my sewing machine from my mom's house - and now that I'm not so wiped out every day, that will be a good thing to keep me busy when Alex is at work most nights.
Maybe it's dumb, but we also started a wishlist on Amazon.com for books for the baby. It's a little silly because it's books like Dr. Seuss and Curious George and Courduroy, books I loved when I was little and want our baby to grow up with - but those are for little kids, not little babies. (And Dr. Seuss books are actually pretty long.) Still, books are expensive and we want to start the collection early! We already bought One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and Green Eggs and Ham, as well as a couple other books Alex remembers from when he was a kid. I'll be reading to Bean before birth, so I guess we'll put the books to use right away. :)
I also made two playlists of music. One is just mellow music, hopefully to help the baby sleep once it's born, and also to calm me down into a sleepy mood when I wake up in the middle of the night now. I put on the iPod and drift off. I know the baby still can't hear outside noises, but I want to get into the habit now, so when it can, I'm already playing music. Another playlist is songs that I love: bouncy happy songs, songs to sing along with, and songs I remember listening to with my parents (mostly my mom) when I was little. I figure once baby's born, and Alex is at work and I'm at home a lot of the time, I'll be able to spend musical time with the baby.
We're both so excited! I know time will pass quickly but for now we just can't wait!
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