Three months

Don't blink. That's what they all say. They're all right. My baby girl is three months old. It seems like such a short amount of time when you say it out loud...three.months. But when you're watching your newborn blossom into a fun little infant with so much personality, the days fly by all too quick.

 

Health: Avery doesn't have a check-up this month, but I assume she's doing great! I think she's probably about 12 pounds now. We've had some trouble with her digestion and bowel movements, specifically constipation. We're having to give her an ounce of prune juice mixed with an ounce of water once a day. I'm not sure how long we'll have to do that for but it seems if we try to skip a day or two we're right back to problems. Can I just say how thankful I am for Darrell? He really took charge of that situation when I was a panicking mess.

Personality: This little girl smiles more than any baby I've ever seen! She is so sweet and loving, funny and silly all at the same time. She keeps us laughing constantly!

 

Eating: Well, I'm sad to say our breast feeding journey has come to an end. She was exclusively breast fed for two weeks then supplemented with formula for the next nine weeks. I didn't plan on being totally on formula this soon, but I can honestly say that tried. She's fed, healthy and happy so I call that a win! 

She's up to 4oz at a time, every 2.5-4 hours, just depends on the day really. Around 10-11 weeks she was eating smaller amounts, more frequently. She seemed to get tired in the middle of a bottle and give up. Then it hit me, we were still using newborn, size 1 nipples! I think she was getting exhausted from working so hard. We went up a size...well, actually we went up two sizes to a 3. I accidentally got the ones for 3-6 months not 1-3 months (size 2). She drank the bottle so quick but it was spilling everywhere! So, size 2 it is for now. She's spilling some but I guess it will just take some getting used to it.

Sleeping: Oh sleep, I finally know what you are again. Avery has slept through the night for a whole week straight. She is usually asleep between 830-9 and up between 630-7. A few nights she went to bed early, around 7, and we just knew it would be bad. Nope, she did 12 hours those nights!! She is such a wiggle worm. She is never wakes up in the same position or spot we put her in.

Her favorites: Avery loves her Fisher Price Kick 'n Play piano play mat. Seriously, the best $50 spent on baby gear. After her morning bottle she plays on this thing for a while. Well, mostly she stares and smiles at herself in the mirror, but occasionally she acknowledges the toys. She also loves her Oball!! She is still very interested in lights and totally ignores everyone and everything if the TV is on. She also loves playing airplane and peek-a-boo with mommy! 

She has also found her thumb. I don't love it, but she does, so what can I do?

Things she could do without: The girl is starting to really hate the carseat. She gets so hot and sweaty in it so I don't blame her, but it's really miserable to drive listening to your baby scream. She did her first long road trip this month to Alabama. On the way we drove half way at night and she slept the whole time. During the day...not so much. After pulling over to change and feed her we realized she just wanted out. We had to just let her cry herself to sleep after a break. It was awful. 

And as much as she loves the bath, she hates getting out. I guess maybe because she's cold, but it clearly isn't fun for her.

Milestones: I was hoping to say that she had started rolling over, but not yet. She's so close though. She rolls to either side from her back (she sleeps like that now) but can't quite get all the way over. She's doing so much better at tummy time and has some awesome head control. When she's on her stomach, she can either get her legs or her arms ready to roll over, but not both at the same time. Her grip is getting pretty good. She's able to hold on to some things and has managed to bring some things other than her thumb to her mouth.

Big Events: I'm adding a new section. We're finally starting to do more and more with Avery. We were never ones to just sit home but it took some time to get comfortable and get into a routine when taking her with us. This month Avery went to the beach and to Alabama for the first time. She seemed to love the beach. She let us put her little toes in the sand and water and then promptly napped under the umbrella like a true beach bum. She got to meet and visit with a lot of family and friends in Alabama. She got so much lovin'!!

Mommy: I am doing pretty darn good. I'm pretty sure I made it through without any postpartum depression. Darrell might say differently because I cried a lot at first but I think that was just hormones. Sometimes I still get weepy just looking at her. The struggles with breast feeding didn't help either, but (I think) I'm at peace with that. My biggest struggle right now is finding the time to commit to getting back in shape and losing weight. 

Oh, wait, that's wrong. My biggest struggle is starting back to work and sending Avery to daycare. Unfortunately staying home isn't an option for one of us right now. We are still on a waiting list for our first choice center, but got a spot at our second choice. She's only gone two days so far. I don't really have any complaints. I'd like for her to sleep and eat on a more consistent schedule there, but I think that's more her getting adjusted than anything. We haven't decided if we'll move her when a spot opens up at the other center. I'm leaning toward yes, only because it's a little nicer and they follow more of a preschool curriculum in the older classrooms. We'll see.

Working Mom

I've been home for the past 13 weeks, 12 of which were spent getting to know and loving on my new baby girl. I'm slowly starting back to work this week and going back full time next week. Unfortunately we aren't in a position for one of us to stay home so Avery went to daycare for the first time yesterday. I think I feel less at ease because this is not our first choice center. We're still on a waiting list there. Depending on when a spot opens up, how well adjusted Avery is here, and how happy we are will determine if we move her or not. It's not the first time I've been away from her, but it was a rough day. 

I've worked at my PRN job a few times during my maternity leave, the first time being when Avery was a few days shy of four weeks old. She's even stayed overnight with my parents (in a hotel room right next to ours, butheyitcounts). I had no problem leaving her with Darrell or either set of grandparents because I knew, without a doubt, she would be taken care of.

Daycare is a whole other story. I'm leaving my child with strangers. I don't know them and they don't know her. Sure, they are all certified and trained, but not specifically to my child. They don't know the tricks to get her to sleep or her cues that she's hungry. They'll figure them out, I know. I hate knowing that her needs may not be met immediately but with 7 other babies, it just can't always happen. I just have to trust that they will be met.

As a professional that has worked with children in early intervention I know how beneficial daycare and preschool can be, especially a good, nurturing environment. I also know in the long run this will be great for her socialization, but at 12 weeks it really kills me. At 12 weeks, babies need to be with their mamas. And mamas need to be with their babies. The lack of support this country gives new mothers is disappointing. We get tons of care and love when we're pregnant, but once that baby is out it's time to pull yourself back together and get back in the game. The US really should take note of maternity leave in other countries. Many get six to twelve months with some portion of the salary paid. 

End rant.

Two months old

Well, my little munchkin peanut angel baby (do others combine every nickname they can think of too?) is two months old. That seems so impossible that she's been here that long, but at the same time, I don't really know how I lived 3 weeks shy of 28 years without her. She is amazing and perfect and I love everything about her.

Health: Avery is still a tiny thing, 10lbs 5oz and 21 3/4". She's up exactly 3 pounds from her birth weight. We saw the pediatrician this morning and she said everything looks good. She does have a little bit of cradle cap but I suspected she did. The small red spot in her left nostril is a hemangioma. The hospital said it was just inflammation from where they suctioned her, but it's still there so I figured it was more. Her cousin had one too and it went away. The dr said it might get darker before it fades, but that as long as it stays flat and doesn't rise from the skin (causing blockage of the nasal cavity), it's just fine. She also has a red spot on the back of her head which she said is her birth mark. It gets really red when she's pissed. 

Personality: Avery is one happy baby! I'm pretty sure smiling is her favorite thing ever. Of course she's a real baby and gets cranky about things like being hungry and having pee or poop in her diaper, but who doesn't? She has an arsenal of facial expressions that make her feelings pretty clear. 

For instance, this one clearly says "mom, just quit with the camera." I'm pretty sure she'd recognize a Vera Bradley phone case before my face. Or maybe she thinks that is my face.

She obviously thinks duck towels on her head are stupid. She also thinks I'm weird for thinking it's really cute.

She is happyhappyhappy.

Eating: oh, where to start?! Breast feeding will be the death of me, but I'm determined. I am STILL struggling with low supply, despite a herbal supplement, lactation cookies, tons of water, and pumping on a schedule. She does seem to be getting more from nursing sessions and staying satisfied longer, but I'm not getting more than 1-1.5oz when I pump. She's eating between 3-4oz, so if I pump 4xday, I have enough for one feeding. At home and when we're out together she nurses. But if I'm away, she gets the breast milk in a bottle if there's enough, or formula. 

Sleeping: It's getting better and better. We pretty much have a bedtime routine down. Around 830, she eats, usually a bottle so I can make sure she gets enough to sustain her for a while. Then we do a bath or wipe down with a washcloth, lotion and massage, jammies, swaddle and rock and cuddle until she's close to asleep. She's doing really well putting herself to sleep if she's drowsy. For a while she was waking up around 3am and again for the day around 530am.

She had a regression around the 6 week growth sleep where she was getting up at midnight, 4am and up at 530. There was one night she was up every 2 hours. 

Last night she slept all night and didn't wake up until 7am!! She's only slept through the night once before, around 5 weeks, but was up at 5am.  The night before last, she stayed with my parents and slept until 730am and only got up once. I'd be fine with her still getting up once or twice if she starts sleeping til 7. 

She usually takes a long nap in the morning after she's been up about two hours. She has short snoozes during the day and another good nap in the late afternoon/early evening. 

Her favorites: She/we love her Cloud B sound giraffe. She goes to sleep with the white noise every night and it stays on about 30 minutes. It also has some other fun noises for play time. She likes looking at herself. She catches herself in the mirror on her mobile and her playmat and grins and grins.

Things she can do without: Avery is still not a fan of getting dressed, especially things that have to go over her head. She also hates being in the car if its not moving. Do not stop at a red light if she's awake. You'd think she's being tortured. 

Milestones: She is doing really well holding her head up. She is very alert; her eyes are always looking around. She has started staring at lights too! And poor thing is trying so hard to get her thumb. She can get her fingers in her mouth and keep them there for a longer, but the thumb is so tricky! She's come close to laughing a few times but it just comes out as loud shrieks and she ends up scaring herself. 

I'm starting to be able to distinguish cries. I know when she's hungry and when she's so tired that she just needs some help getting to sleep. I heard her pain cry this morning during shots :(

Mommy: I am loving being a mom. It's the best thing I've ever done. I still don't do well hearing her cry and feel like I need to make it better right away. I'm trying to give her time to self sooth, especially at night. 

I'm getting anxious about going back to work next month. It looks like I'm just going back part time for now. That wasn't the plan, but we're still on a waiting list for the daycare we want. I don't really hate it. 

It's time to get serious about working out again and getting in shape. I was back to my weight 9 days after I had her and I can wear my clothes, but my body doesnt look the same. I was cleared to resume to normal activities at my 7 week checkup, but I've only ran and worked out a few times. We're buying a treadmill so hopefully that will help. I can't run with Avery in the stroller yet until her head control is better so this way I can run while she is taking her naps. 

And now just a few cute pictures.

One whole month

I can't believe my baby girl is a whole month old. It has flown by! I'm going to try to keep with her exciting changes just like I did with my pregnancy.

Health: We haven't seen the pediatrician since her follow up for weight concerns at two weeks, three days old and won't again until her two month checkup. At that appointment she was back up to one ounce shy of her birth weight, 7lb 4oz. I weighed her last week at my breast feeding group and we were just up to 8lbs and that's pretty good. She's still a little peanut for one month considering I was a whole pound bigger when I was born.

Personality: Avery is getting so smiley, especially in the morning. She also loves her hands! They're always by her face and doing something crazy when she sleeps.
                                                  

                                                  

                                                   

Eating: The plan was to exclusively breast feed until I went back to work, but it didn't quite work out due to low supply. We started supplementing with formula when she was 2 weeks old and I was trying to pump as much as I could, but it wasn't a lot. She was getting mostly formula but I'm starting to make more milk so we're back to nursing more.

Sleeping: Avery is sleeping in her crib now and has been for about a week.  She had been in our room in a Rock n Play (love that thing!) until then.  I had no intention of moving her this early but she's doing great. She usually goes to bed between 930-1030 and sleeps 3-4 hours, then does a 2 hour and 1 hour stretch. She typically takes along morning nap and a few short afternoon snoozes. She does the funniest poses when she sleeps too, it cracks me up.

                                                       

                                                    
                                                       

                                                        

Her favorites: Avery loves skin on skin and tummy time with mommy & daddy.  She also loves her sungabunny swing, being worn in the Moby, car rides and baths.

Things she can do without: Avery didn't love lying flat on her back for any reason but is getting better since she's been sleeping in her crib.  She still isn't a fan of diaper changes, getting dressed, or getting out of the bath.

Mommy: I'm doing pretty good. The first two weeks were really hard with her nursing pretty much 24-7 but once we knew the reason and had a solution I was doing much better! The emotions were crazy there for a while. I'd cry just looking at her, but they're starting to level out these days.  I was back to my pre baby weight 9 days post partum and am even a few pounds less now...BUT my body is totally different now. My stomach is still a little jiggly and my hips are slightly wider (I can tell in my pants).