I haven't had a post in a while so I figured I should log on and give an update or two. We've just been really busy so I haven't had much time to write.
I'm home early from work today because our office is in the midst of moving...all of my stuff is packed up, so there wasn't a whole lot I could do at work. Marissa is playing in her exersaucer right now so I had a minute to post.
I guess one major update is that I have officially stopped breastfeeding. This was a gradual process and this week we finally eliminated our last nursing session of the day...and went to all bottles. I am pretty sad about it, actually (which I am surprised about). Nursing was a special bond that we shared, and it was amazing to know that for a while every ounce of nourishment that she got came straight from me. At times breastfeeding was absolutely exhausting...especially in the beginning when she basically ate 'round the clock. But it got so much easier and felt like second nature. When I went back to work, we still were able to keep it up for a while, which I'm really happy about. We nursed when we were together and I pumped once per day in a storage closet at work (this wasn't exactly a dream setup but I thought I'd give it a try and see how things went) so I could give her breastmilk in the bottle while she was at daycare. Gradually we supplemented with more bottles of formula while we were apart, working in more bottles and fewer nursing sessions. This week Marissa dropped her 5th feeding and is now down to 4 feedings per day. I kept trying to shove in that 5th feeding but she wouldn't take it (at bedtime) and would actually get pretty upset when you tried. So, we took the leap and just started bedtime after her "dinner" feeding. Her dinner feeding is at about 6:30 and then she's in bed around 7:30 (after eating, bath, book, rocking). Seems to be good so far...she's still sleeping 11-12 hours at night. The only thing that I can't figure out now is if Matt and I will ever be able to go out to dinner again? Before, we would feed her maybe at 6:00, go to dinner, come back and feed her again and put her in bed around 8:30 or so. Now we've lost that hour for dinner. Hmm...we'll figure it out. She can flex her schedule at some point...but since we're just getting used to the new set up we'll give it a day or two.
The rice cereal feeding is an amusing process. I'm still not 100% convinced that she's actually swallowing any of it. She definitely loves putting the spoon in her mouth and sucking the cereal off of it and then playing with it with her tongue...but not sure any gets in her belly. We'll keep it going, though...eventually she'll figure this "eating" thing out.
In the interest of getting some "God" and perhaps a little "faith" in her life, I have joined a church and have scheduled a baptism. At the baptism class they asked if it was anyone's first return to church since they got married. I was the only one who raised my hand. I'm convinced everyone else was lying.
I had to pause working on this post because someone got hungry and needed to eat. She just killed her whole bottle and then an additional ounce. Boy, someone is eating lots these days. She is now in a food coma...kind of has that glassy look in her eye that Matt gets after Thanksgiving dinner or a stack of hot wings.
We now don't poop every feeding. In fact, we were down to once a day until yesterday, when she didn't poop at all. She still hasn't pooped today, either. Hmm. She has had some truly nauseating farts, though...so I know there's something rotting in her butt...it's only a matter of time until that comes out in full force. I am sure it will be a blow out. Twice this week she came home in a different outfit than she was sent to school in. Atta girl!!
We're getting really good at tummy time...she is SO CLOSE to rolling over, but not quite yet. We'll get there soon. But who knows..."close" could last another day or another month. It's very unpredictable.
Gotta go play with Marissa...she's getting a little restless. Maybe she's working on that doo doo...
Friday, June 27, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Fathers Day 2008
This was Matt's first Fathers Day. It was a fun day...we had Matt's dad over and grilled out lunch. Very low key, which was nice.As I ponder Fathers Day, I think about what a lucky girl Marissa is to have a daddy like Matt. He'll be lots of fun, supportive but firm at the same time. She'll definitely learn a lot from him and I look forward to seeing their relationship blossom. I think she'll look up to him as much as I look up to my own father.
As I take this wonderful journey through parenthood, there's no one I'd rather have by my side. And I couldn't do it without him!
Friday, June 13, 2008
4 Month Doctor Appointment
Marissa had her 4 month old checkup today. She got an A+ again! Hooray!
We had our 5 shots and 1 oral vaccine...today she only cried for about a minute. She was sort of "talking" to me during her crying and it seemed like her feelings were hurt more than anything...it was sort of cute and sad at the same time. But she rebounded quickly, thankfully!!
She now weighs 13 lbs 6 oz and her length is 24.5. She has been following the growth curve perfectly...Dr. Fleming said she is "textbook" as far as the growth curve is concerned. She's 50th percentile for both height and weight, and 75th for her head measurement (I guess she has a big head in proportion to the rest of her...hehehehe).
We can start introducing "solids" at any point, whenever we're ready. And I put "solids" in quotation marks because there's nothing solid about it...it's more "liquidy mush" than "solid."First comes rice cereal, then oatmeal/barley, then yellow/orange veggies, etc...Doc advised that I introduce fruits later so she doesn't develop a preference for the sweet stuff right off the bat.
None of this food at this point is actually supposed to fill in as a meal (she'll still nurse/drink formula like she was before); the point is actually to get her used to different textures, tastes, swallowing, etc.
As soon as I told Matt about this development he immediately turned his thoughts to how much grosser her diapers are going to get.
So let's see...what else is going on with Marissa?
1. She has found her thumb. A couple days ago she figured out how to get her thumb into her mouth and since then she LOVES it and will suck on it frequently throughout the day...mainly when she's tired -- it helps her go to sleep so that's awesome.
2. She's sleeping 11 hours at night now...I'm thinking she could almost do 12 because I have to wake her up in the morning. We might try an earlier bedtime soon. Doc said she should be sleeping 10 - 12 hours at night so she's right on target here.
3. I heard a real live laugh last weekend. She hasn't really done it since...of course she still smiles a TON and does some small laugh-ish type sounds, but this laugh last Sunday was a true belly laugh, giggle. It was so fun to hear...hopefully she'll start doing this more.
4. She's trying to flip over...still working on it, but hasn't done it yet. Doc said this usually happens between 4-6 months. She is definitely getting noticeably stronger, it's so incredible how quickly they change. She now frequently pulls her legs up and rolls to her side. She also grabs her feet when she's on her back. And she has mastered grabbing things (and putting them in her mouth). Mommy had to stop wearing necklaces...she also likes to grab my hair...
5. They LOVE her at daycare (of course they do!). They can't get over what a good baby she is...RARELY fusses. I can't help but be proud even though I know this has nothing to do with me...it's just her demeanor. We got lucky! :-)
6. Colds, nasal congestion: The kid always has crap in her nose...however, the doctor examined her and said her ears look great, and her chest sounds great...so it's just the infamous "infant nasal congestion." It's too early for allergies...the doctor said that her cellular structure is too immature at this point to really have that type of allergy.
Anyway, clean bill of health and exciting stuff going on with her development. She'll be fun to watch over the next several months!
Matt's first Father's Day is this weekend...really cool. I'll do a post in celebration of that...but in the meantime, it's a cool memory for me because last year we found out we were pregnant on Father's Day weekend. So one year ago we found out we were being blessed with Marissa...it's weird to think of how much has happened in just one year!!
We had our 5 shots and 1 oral vaccine...today she only cried for about a minute. She was sort of "talking" to me during her crying and it seemed like her feelings were hurt more than anything...it was sort of cute and sad at the same time. But she rebounded quickly, thankfully!!
She now weighs 13 lbs 6 oz and her length is 24.5. She has been following the growth curve perfectly...Dr. Fleming said she is "textbook" as far as the growth curve is concerned. She's 50th percentile for both height and weight, and 75th for her head measurement (I guess she has a big head in proportion to the rest of her...hehehehe).
We can start introducing "solids" at any point, whenever we're ready. And I put "solids" in quotation marks because there's nothing solid about it...it's more "liquidy mush" than "solid."First comes rice cereal, then oatmeal/barley, then yellow/orange veggies, etc...Doc advised that I introduce fruits later so she doesn't develop a preference for the sweet stuff right off the bat.
None of this food at this point is actually supposed to fill in as a meal (she'll still nurse/drink formula like she was before); the point is actually to get her used to different textures, tastes, swallowing, etc.
As soon as I told Matt about this development he immediately turned his thoughts to how much grosser her diapers are going to get.
So let's see...what else is going on with Marissa?
1. She has found her thumb. A couple days ago she figured out how to get her thumb into her mouth and since then she LOVES it and will suck on it frequently throughout the day...mainly when she's tired -- it helps her go to sleep so that's awesome.
2. She's sleeping 11 hours at night now...I'm thinking she could almost do 12 because I have to wake her up in the morning. We might try an earlier bedtime soon. Doc said she should be sleeping 10 - 12 hours at night so she's right on target here.
3. I heard a real live laugh last weekend. She hasn't really done it since...of course she still smiles a TON and does some small laugh-ish type sounds, but this laugh last Sunday was a true belly laugh, giggle. It was so fun to hear...hopefully she'll start doing this more.
4. She's trying to flip over...still working on it, but hasn't done it yet. Doc said this usually happens between 4-6 months. She is definitely getting noticeably stronger, it's so incredible how quickly they change. She now frequently pulls her legs up and rolls to her side. She also grabs her feet when she's on her back. And she has mastered grabbing things (and putting them in her mouth). Mommy had to stop wearing necklaces...she also likes to grab my hair...
5. They LOVE her at daycare (of course they do!). They can't get over what a good baby she is...RARELY fusses. I can't help but be proud even though I know this has nothing to do with me...it's just her demeanor. We got lucky! :-)
6. Colds, nasal congestion: The kid always has crap in her nose...however, the doctor examined her and said her ears look great, and her chest sounds great...so it's just the infamous "infant nasal congestion." It's too early for allergies...the doctor said that her cellular structure is too immature at this point to really have that type of allergy.
Anyway, clean bill of health and exciting stuff going on with her development. She'll be fun to watch over the next several months!
Matt's first Father's Day is this weekend...really cool. I'll do a post in celebration of that...but in the meantime, it's a cool memory for me because last year we found out we were pregnant on Father's Day weekend. So one year ago we found out we were being blessed with Marissa...it's weird to think of how much has happened in just one year!!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Teaching a new kid old tricks...or something like that...
I don't have a lot of updates this week. Marissa is still a little congested, but otherwise is doing better. Lately she's been sleeping a lot during the day but still maintaining her good sleep at night, so go figure. She likes to sleep.
Part of it, I think, is that she's going through a real "growth" phase right now. Not just in terms of height or weight, but also in physical capabilities. She is working on rolling over...she doesn't quite have it yet, but it's really cute to watch her try (she gets pretty darn frustrated...no patience! Hmm...that sounds familiar...). Anyway, on her back she will pull up her legs like she's working her lower abs, and then she'll roll to the side. She can get her legs over so that she's laying on the front of them, but can't quite get her upper body all the way over (she has to figure out what to do with her arms so that she can pick her head up and move it over). She has actually rolled from her front to her back two times (both were today)...that is usually the direction that they roll first. So, she's getting there! Sometimes I say "roll over" to her and I feel like I'm talking to a dog. Oh well...training a dog and a kid are amazingly similar, I guess. However, she won't get a treat when she rolls over...just lots of crazy cheering, smiling and lots of kisses!! LOL.
When I went in to get her this morning she was completely flipped around...not from back to front, but rather her feet were up where I normally put her head and vice versa. She had done a 180 degree turn in the crib. Lots of squirming going on at night!!
She also is eating a ton lately. She has gone from eating 3-4 oz per feeding to eating 4-6 ounces, normally closer to 6. This is good because she's sleeping through feedings sometimes, so some days she only gets 5 feedings instead of the usual 6. She was supposed to drop a feeding sometime between 3 and 5 months, so I guess this is OK. There just aren't enough hours some days to squeeze in the 6th feeding since she's spacing out her meals more now.
When will I stop worrying about her eating and sleeping? I swear, one day I'm worried that she isn't getting enough sleep, and the very next day I'm worried that she's sleeping too much and something might be wrong. I need to relax. At least I've stopped worrying about her pooping and analyzing her diaper contents. She poops far less frequently (only once or twice a day now) so there's not as much to examine.
As for me, I'm really tired all the time these days. I sleep OK at night...thank goodness Marissa sleeps well...but I am just drained. Part of it is just having a newborn...working or not, I would probably feel this way. They are just very demanding little people!! But I'm still getting adjusted to going full-throttle at work and then rushing to get her and going full throttle with her until I put her down between 8:30 - 9:00.
I'm still holding out some hope that one day I can cut back and work part time, but it's just not in the cards right now. But maybe someday!
Next Friday we have her 4 month well visit at the doctor...which means more vaccines. Yuck. I'm dreading it. I am taking PTO (Paid Time Off) that day to take her and then stay with her to monitor any reactions. Will not be fun.
Part of it, I think, is that she's going through a real "growth" phase right now. Not just in terms of height or weight, but also in physical capabilities. She is working on rolling over...she doesn't quite have it yet, but it's really cute to watch her try (she gets pretty darn frustrated...no patience! Hmm...that sounds familiar...). Anyway, on her back she will pull up her legs like she's working her lower abs, and then she'll roll to the side. She can get her legs over so that she's laying on the front of them, but can't quite get her upper body all the way over (she has to figure out what to do with her arms so that she can pick her head up and move it over). She has actually rolled from her front to her back two times (both were today)...that is usually the direction that they roll first. So, she's getting there! Sometimes I say "roll over" to her and I feel like I'm talking to a dog. Oh well...training a dog and a kid are amazingly similar, I guess. However, she won't get a treat when she rolls over...just lots of crazy cheering, smiling and lots of kisses!! LOL.
When I went in to get her this morning she was completely flipped around...not from back to front, but rather her feet were up where I normally put her head and vice versa. She had done a 180 degree turn in the crib. Lots of squirming going on at night!!
She also is eating a ton lately. She has gone from eating 3-4 oz per feeding to eating 4-6 ounces, normally closer to 6. This is good because she's sleeping through feedings sometimes, so some days she only gets 5 feedings instead of the usual 6. She was supposed to drop a feeding sometime between 3 and 5 months, so I guess this is OK. There just aren't enough hours some days to squeeze in the 6th feeding since she's spacing out her meals more now.
When will I stop worrying about her eating and sleeping? I swear, one day I'm worried that she isn't getting enough sleep, and the very next day I'm worried that she's sleeping too much and something might be wrong. I need to relax. At least I've stopped worrying about her pooping and analyzing her diaper contents. She poops far less frequently (only once or twice a day now) so there's not as much to examine.
As for me, I'm really tired all the time these days. I sleep OK at night...thank goodness Marissa sleeps well...but I am just drained. Part of it is just having a newborn...working or not, I would probably feel this way. They are just very demanding little people!! But I'm still getting adjusted to going full-throttle at work and then rushing to get her and going full throttle with her until I put her down between 8:30 - 9:00.
I'm still holding out some hope that one day I can cut back and work part time, but it's just not in the cards right now. But maybe someday!
Next Friday we have her 4 month well visit at the doctor...which means more vaccines. Yuck. I'm dreading it. I am taking PTO (Paid Time Off) that day to take her and then stay with her to monitor any reactions. Will not be fun.
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