I figure I'd better get something posted or LJ might lose his following!
The Js had a very nice Christmas! LJ traveled well and was a sweet boy for his grandparents, aunt, and uncles. We returned to spend the day with them on Sunday and he was happy once again. He is all smiles many times throughout the day...and is starting to be smiley in the late afternoon as well. He is being so pleasant that we are able to watch some movies lately. RJ's brother had my name for Christmas this year and he got me a 2 month subscription to Blockbuster online movies...they deliver 3 movies to my house and I can keep them as long as I want...then I mail them back and get more movies delivered. It is a monthly fee, so the more quickly I watch the movies, the better deal it is!
Today, we went to Houston to visit my friend and her baby...her baby girl is almost 5 months and is a little (actually, she's big!) cutie. She laughs and smiles a lot. Sometimes she squeals with delight and that is so cute! LJ was a sleepy head most of the visit, but that was probably good! I think they are coming with some other friends to visit here on Monday.
Now I will share our most recent ideas...
As LJ gets bigger and more active, he is escaping from his swaddles! So, RJ came up with a new technique (this will be no surprise to those of you who know RJ...he thinks of improvements for most things!) . I'll try my best to explain how to do it and then I'll tell you about our wonderful night of sleep last night!
You'll need:
1. a big enough swaddling blanket. Chances are, any receiving blankets you have are not big enough. I went to the fabric store and bought 2 yards of thin flannel. 1 yard was big enough, so now we have 2 "blankets".
2. a cloth dish towel. I have several of those white, thin, big, cloth dish towels...I've always called them flour sack cloth towels. I bought them at Target I'm sure.
3. a precious baby!
Swaddle System 2 (our name for it ;-) )
1. Lay the swaddling blanket down as with a normal swaddle
2. Lay the dish towel down on top of the swaddling blanket so that the longest part of the dish towel is horizontal.
3. Put baby in the middle of the dishtowel so that the top of the dish towel is at arm pit level.
4. Pull one end of dish towel between baby's arm and body and then wrap around so that the towel is covering the baby's arm and the baby is laying on the end.
5. Repeat with other side.
Now you should only be able to see the dish towel around each arm because the baby is laying on the rest of it.
6. Now swaddle with the other blanket as you normally swaddle.
The swaddle blanket holds the dish towel ends (which are pinning the baby's arms to his sides) firmly in place behind the baby's back. This makes the swaddle impossible to escape AND eliminates your need to be concerned with holding the swaddle blanket so tight. And you don't have to be so concerned with the "perfect" swaddle...you need to be concerned with the "perfect" dish towel placement...as it is THE KEY to the Swaddle System 2.
Now, we have swaddled LJ at night since birth and have been getting 4-7 hour stretches (mostly closer to 4) at night. We used the Swaddle System 2 for the first time two nights ago and he went 7 hours the first night and 6 hours the next!
Tonight we are going to try the "waking him up to feed one last time before WE go to bed" idea. This way, maybe we can maximize OUR sleep time during that long stretch.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Friday, December 24, 2004
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to everyone! We are enjoying have RJ home all day today (and all next week). This morning we had an LJ photo session and then went to HEB to get some pictures printed (and to buy some groceries). Now, RJ is wrapping some presents in LJ's room and I am to find something else to do (this must mean the presents are for me ;-) ) So, I am bouncing the bouncy seat with my foot, checking e-mail and updating you all. I must say, I am impressed with my ability to bounce the bouncy seat with my foot AND type an e-mail. This feat has taken several weeks of practice, but I am getting it down.
LJ hasn't quite been himself these last 2 days. He hasn't been sleeping as much as usual AND his awake time has been a bit fussier. But, he doesn't show signs of sickness, so who knows? He is napping now...which negates what I just said! Maybe I'm the one who isn't herself?!
Tomorrow we are going to RJ's brother's house (about an hour away) and all of RJ's family will be there. We are only going for the day though. So, we'll wake up and have Christmas morning at our house before we head up there. This will be the first time RJ and I have had Christmas morning all to ourselves! I don't imagine LJ will care too much about Christmas this year, but we'll document his first Christmas just the same.
I think Mawmaw and my sister and her family will come over one day next week and we plan to go to Houston one day next week. My friend from Florida and her baby girl will be at my friend's house and I'm dying to see her and her baby! Other than that, we have no plans and we are happy about that.
Ok, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!! Hope you've had a GREAT year and are looking forward to another one!
LJ hasn't quite been himself these last 2 days. He hasn't been sleeping as much as usual AND his awake time has been a bit fussier. But, he doesn't show signs of sickness, so who knows? He is napping now...which negates what I just said! Maybe I'm the one who isn't herself?!
Tomorrow we are going to RJ's brother's house (about an hour away) and all of RJ's family will be there. We are only going for the day though. So, we'll wake up and have Christmas morning at our house before we head up there. This will be the first time RJ and I have had Christmas morning all to ourselves! I don't imagine LJ will care too much about Christmas this year, but we'll document his first Christmas just the same.
I think Mawmaw and my sister and her family will come over one day next week and we plan to go to Houston one day next week. My friend from Florida and her baby girl will be at my friend's house and I'm dying to see her and her baby! Other than that, we have no plans and we are happy about that.
Ok, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!! Hope you've had a GREAT year and are looking forward to another one!
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Back in the Groove
LJ is back to a more "normal" sleep schedule...which means he is getting to sleep pretty easily at night and going somewhere between 4 - 7 hours between feeding. I just got to add the 7 this morning because he went from 8:15 pm - 3:25 am last night! Then he wanted to eat again at 5:15! RJ held him off until 6:00 and I've pretty much been up ever since, but hey - I had 5 good hours, followed by almost 2 more.
RJ had off from work yesterday, so we finished up some Christmas shopping. We ran into LJ's uncle and ate lunch with him...that was an unexpected treat! I took a walk with LJ and we stopped at the neighborhood grocery store for a few items...LJ decided to howl and would not be pacified by the pacifier. But, you know what? I've come to understand a few things being on this side of parenthood. First, parents don't instantly remove their screaming child from public places because they have learned to tune out their child's cries until they hit a certain level. I always thought these parents were just insensitive to the fact that the general public doesn't want to hear their child cry. Second, I now know why parents of infants walk around with spit-up on their shirts. First, they probably don't know it is there and second, they probably don't really care and third, if they knew and cared they forgot about it before they had time to change clothes!
The following involves breastfeeding and bowel (LJ's, not mine) talk, so don't read if you don't want:
Remember the green diapers? Well, it is a good thing I have gotten over being worried about that because he still has them...probably one a day. Almost all of the diapers have some green, but we probably have one totally green one a day. He doesn't appear to be bothered by it and is gaining plenty o' weight.
I started experimenting with a new hold and latch on technique because I figure that after 5 weeks, my breasts really shouldn't be hurting so much. I have been doing this for about a day and a half and my breasts feel MUCH better. I was dreading feeding him! I have also been pumping a bit almost every day. At first, I'd get about 2-3 ounces total...now I'm up to 5 - 6. This is good and allows me to take a bottle out with me...and I don't have to limit all my outings to 1-2 hours. But, here is the million dollar question...how do I know how much to put in the bottle????? I don't want to thaw too much and waste precious milk, but I don't want him to be starving and fussy. How do you make this decision?
End of breastfeeding and bowel talk
That's all for today...gotta change a diaper (oops...I guess that is bowel talk!) ;-)
RJ had off from work yesterday, so we finished up some Christmas shopping. We ran into LJ's uncle and ate lunch with him...that was an unexpected treat! I took a walk with LJ and we stopped at the neighborhood grocery store for a few items...LJ decided to howl and would not be pacified by the pacifier. But, you know what? I've come to understand a few things being on this side of parenthood. First, parents don't instantly remove their screaming child from public places because they have learned to tune out their child's cries until they hit a certain level. I always thought these parents were just insensitive to the fact that the general public doesn't want to hear their child cry. Second, I now know why parents of infants walk around with spit-up on their shirts. First, they probably don't know it is there and second, they probably don't really care and third, if they knew and cared they forgot about it before they had time to change clothes!
The following involves breastfeeding and bowel (LJ's, not mine) talk, so don't read if you don't want:
Remember the green diapers? Well, it is a good thing I have gotten over being worried about that because he still has them...probably one a day. Almost all of the diapers have some green, but we probably have one totally green one a day. He doesn't appear to be bothered by it and is gaining plenty o' weight.
I started experimenting with a new hold and latch on technique because I figure that after 5 weeks, my breasts really shouldn't be hurting so much. I have been doing this for about a day and a half and my breasts feel MUCH better. I was dreading feeding him! I have also been pumping a bit almost every day. At first, I'd get about 2-3 ounces total...now I'm up to 5 - 6. This is good and allows me to take a bottle out with me...and I don't have to limit all my outings to 1-2 hours. But, here is the million dollar question...how do I know how much to put in the bottle????? I don't want to thaw too much and waste precious milk, but I don't want him to be starving and fussy. How do you make this decision?
End of breastfeeding and bowel talk
That's all for today...gotta change a diaper (oops...I guess that is bowel talk!) ;-)
Monday, December 20, 2004
Weekend Report
Well, here we are on the other side of our first weekend with overnight visitors. All-in-all, LJ was a pretty good boy and had a great time meeting his aunt, uncle, and cousins. He didn't fuss any more than normal and everyone (except one cousin who was a little sick earlier in the week) got to hold LJ while he was in good spirits. We had a very nice visit.
LJ slept in our room for the first time in 3 weeks. RJ and I did not sleep too well as 1) we are not as sleep deprived as we were 3 weeks ago or 2) LJ is a much more noisy sleeper than he was 3 weeks ago...or 3) both 1 and 2. He was grunting, snorting, groaning, and flailing most of the night and I think RJ and I heard every one of his noises! But, last night we were back to our routine and LJ slept in his room. He went 4 hours once, 5 hours once, and then 3 hours. If he was making all those noises, we couldn't hear him and RJ and I had a good night of sleep (well, as good as they get with a 5 week old!)
Yesterday, RJ and I took advantage of having our niece (who will stay with LJ on Fridays this spring semester) still in town...she babysat while we went to a movie. We were going to see National Treasure at 12:40, but decided we would rather go out to lunch with our family visitors...spend a little more time with them before they left. Plus, BigBro was paying ;-) So, we went to the 2:00 Ocean's 12 instead. We really didn't care what we saw...we were just excited to be going to the movies! If you've seen Ocean's 12 we'd like you to e-mail us as we want to know what YOU thought of it. (Don't post anything to the blog that might anger those who haven't seen it yet, but who plan to see it.) Anyway, I didn't see all the parts as I found myself waking up 4 different times...unaware that I had fallen asleep, but obviously I had. I asked RJ and I hadn't missed any crucial parts! Refer to paragraph 2 if you can't understand why I would fall asleep in a darkened room.
So, here we are, the week before Christmas. Many of you are starting your Christmas journeys this week or family members are making their way to your house. We pray for safe travels for all!
LJ slept in our room for the first time in 3 weeks. RJ and I did not sleep too well as 1) we are not as sleep deprived as we were 3 weeks ago or 2) LJ is a much more noisy sleeper than he was 3 weeks ago...or 3) both 1 and 2. He was grunting, snorting, groaning, and flailing most of the night and I think RJ and I heard every one of his noises! But, last night we were back to our routine and LJ slept in his room. He went 4 hours once, 5 hours once, and then 3 hours. If he was making all those noises, we couldn't hear him and RJ and I had a good night of sleep (well, as good as they get with a 5 week old!)
Yesterday, RJ and I took advantage of having our niece (who will stay with LJ on Fridays this spring semester) still in town...she babysat while we went to a movie. We were going to see National Treasure at 12:40, but decided we would rather go out to lunch with our family visitors...spend a little more time with them before they left. Plus, BigBro was paying ;-) So, we went to the 2:00 Ocean's 12 instead. We really didn't care what we saw...we were just excited to be going to the movies! If you've seen Ocean's 12 we'd like you to e-mail us as we want to know what YOU thought of it. (Don't post anything to the blog that might anger those who haven't seen it yet, but who plan to see it.) Anyway, I didn't see all the parts as I found myself waking up 4 different times...unaware that I had fallen asleep, but obviously I had. I asked RJ and I hadn't missed any crucial parts! Refer to paragraph 2 if you can't understand why I would fall asleep in a darkened room.
So, here we are, the week before Christmas. Many of you are starting your Christmas journeys this week or family members are making their way to your house. We pray for safe travels for all!
Friday, December 17, 2004
Top 10 Things that Calm LJ
Nothing much news worthy going on here...just eating, awake time, and sleeping - punctuated with a trip to run some errand or another. We are in somewhat of a rhythm and I like that! Today we have a grandmother, an aunt, an uncle, and several cousins coming to visit. One of LJ's cousins is graduating from college today! So, we get to venture out to the NEW HEB which just opened this week...very close to us. I am excited about it...it is bigger than the one in our neighboring city. It will probably be very crowded and I'll get frustrated, but for now I am excited.
The nights of 5 -7 hours between feedings seem to have vanished. These days the best we do is 3 1/2 - 4 1/2. I knew it was too good to be true. Of course, maybe he's just going through a growth spurt right now and he needs to eat more...ha! That is what the book suggests. I've decided the book posits all these possibilities just to keep you hopeful that, whatever your circumstance that has you consulting the book will soon pass and a more tolerable and pleasant circumstance might replace it!
Ok, here it is...
Top 10 Things that Calm LJ
10. Sitting in the swing, but only on high - low just won't do
9. Sitting in his bouncy seat
8. Going outside...even just for a second or for a walk
7. Listening to water running (this is how I get my shower in the morning)
6. Listening to the hair dryer (this is how I get my hair dry in the morning)
5. Looking out any window or at any light
4. Sitting in his bouncy seat while someone bounces him - with vigor
3. Being held by RJ
2. Sucking his pacifier
and the #1 thing that calms LJ...
1. Eating!
And, it is time for that right now...!
The nights of 5 -7 hours between feedings seem to have vanished. These days the best we do is 3 1/2 - 4 1/2. I knew it was too good to be true. Of course, maybe he's just going through a growth spurt right now and he needs to eat more...ha! That is what the book suggests. I've decided the book posits all these possibilities just to keep you hopeful that, whatever your circumstance that has you consulting the book will soon pass and a more tolerable and pleasant circumstance might replace it!
Ok, here it is...
Top 10 Things that Calm LJ
10. Sitting in the swing, but only on high - low just won't do
9. Sitting in his bouncy seat
8. Going outside...even just for a second or for a walk
7. Listening to water running (this is how I get my shower in the morning)
6. Listening to the hair dryer (this is how I get my hair dry in the morning)
5. Looking out any window or at any light
4. Sitting in his bouncy seat while someone bounces him - with vigor
3. Being held by RJ
2. Sucking his pacifier
and the #1 thing that calms LJ...
1. Eating!
And, it is time for that right now...!
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Random Thoughts
Today has been pretty good...LJ has slept most of the day. He didn't have a lack of sleep last night, so I'm not really sure why he is so zonked today? It has made today very pleasant, but you can guess what I'm going to say next...I'm worried he won't sleep tonight! RJ says not to worry about it...and I'm not terribly worried...but at 2:00 am, if I've gotten little sleep...I'll be tired and cranky!
Nothing really note worthy to write about today, so I think I'll do a random thoughts...
It is very odd to think of the day in terms of how many feedings there are until RJ gets home from work. Seriously, my day passes in 2 1/2 - 3 hour increments...and it goes by pretty quickly.
This isn't a new thought, but...what do babies think about? I look at LJ and he seems to be thinking about something, but what could it be? He doesn't have much of a concept for anything at 4 1/2 weeks old, so how can he really think about anything?
I have noticed that he seems to be focusing on things...and faces a lot more. AND...he is smiling now. Not just that little "I have bubbles in my tummy" grin, but a full-faced, open-mouth grin. Mostly in the morning...I think he is a morning person...that is when he is the happiest. Just like his Mommy...and the opposite of his Daddy!
LJ has developed a slight case of cradle cap...it slightly mars his handsome visage. So, we read the book and it says to use mineral oil (baby oil) and massage it in with a brush...then shampoo out. We do this and the "shampoo out" didn't work too well. It has taken about 4 washes to get MOST of the oil out. This made his beautiful hair not-so-soft for a day or so. The cradle cap has relented a bit, but we still have some work to do.
RJ thinks LJ's legs are strong enough to stand if he could only find his balance. I guess the balance thing is what takes so many months to master.
All right, I'll let you know how the night goes...
Nothing really note worthy to write about today, so I think I'll do a random thoughts...
It is very odd to think of the day in terms of how many feedings there are until RJ gets home from work. Seriously, my day passes in 2 1/2 - 3 hour increments...and it goes by pretty quickly.
This isn't a new thought, but...what do babies think about? I look at LJ and he seems to be thinking about something, but what could it be? He doesn't have much of a concept for anything at 4 1/2 weeks old, so how can he really think about anything?
I have noticed that he seems to be focusing on things...and faces a lot more. AND...he is smiling now. Not just that little "I have bubbles in my tummy" grin, but a full-faced, open-mouth grin. Mostly in the morning...I think he is a morning person...that is when he is the happiest. Just like his Mommy...and the opposite of his Daddy!
LJ has developed a slight case of cradle cap...it slightly mars his handsome visage. So, we read the book and it says to use mineral oil (baby oil) and massage it in with a brush...then shampoo out. We do this and the "shampoo out" didn't work too well. It has taken about 4 washes to get MOST of the oil out. This made his beautiful hair not-so-soft for a day or so. The cradle cap has relented a bit, but we still have some work to do.
RJ thinks LJ's legs are strong enough to stand if he could only find his balance. I guess the balance thing is what takes so many months to master.
All right, I'll let you know how the night goes...
Monday, December 13, 2004
Such a Good Boy
Little LJ was such a pleasant boy this weekend that we managed to get all the Christmas decorations up...including lights outside. AND...all the empty boxes are back up in the attic until it is time to take the decorations down. RJ and I also watched a DVD...the whole thing in one sitting...on Saturday night. It was "Timeline". I enjoyed the book (Michael Crichton...sp?), but the movie was kind of a let down. There was next-to-no character development...which was a problem. See, if you don't really know the characters, you can't really care about them...even if you are a new mother with hormones that make you care about everyone and everything. Plus, I had read the book and you know how that goes. RJ had not read the book, but he thought the movie could have been much better as well. One interesting thing that I learned from the movie...Trebuchet (the font that I use to type this blog) is a French catapult. Who knew? Not I!
I digress (which many of you may like...I mean seriously, how much can you really want to hear about the daily happenings of a 4 week old and his crazy parents?!). LJ really only seems to cry when he is a) hungry, b) hurting in some way (usually needs to pass gas, but yesterday he scratched his face with his fingernail and wailed pretty heartily), or c) is tired and can't just close his little eyes and sleep. Other than that, he just sits and looks around. He likes light a lot...so, he looks out the window or at lamps a lot of the time. He seems to be smiling these days. I think it is different from the "I'm feeling gas bubbles" grin as he uses his entire face. It is usually in the morning, right after eating, when I hold him to my face and talk to him about what we are going to do that day. It is VERY cute and confirms (in my mind) that he is the sweetest baby known to man. Of course, no one who visits with a group of people will not concur. He seems to get over stimulated by groups of people. This causes him to be fussy. This should make this weekend interesting. My brother and his family are coming to stay with us...my nephew and his fiancé are graduating from college, so LJ will get to meet his aunt and uncle and other cousins. That will be several people and hence, the over stimulation potential. But, we'll try something new. Since they will be here for a while, we can have people hold him with a delay in between...maybe then it won't seem like he is being passed around in rapid succession? This is all trial and error you know! I cannot guarantee that he will sleep through the night this weekend...he hasn't gone more than 4 hours in the last several days!
Other than the above, we are working on a Christmas card/birth announcement and I have started pumping (milk, not iron). I figure pumping is our ticket to being able to go to a movie or out to dinner alone one day in the near future. I know...this weekend! There will plenty of capable adults around to baby sit! ;-)
I digress (which many of you may like...I mean seriously, how much can you really want to hear about the daily happenings of a 4 week old and his crazy parents?!). LJ really only seems to cry when he is a) hungry, b) hurting in some way (usually needs to pass gas, but yesterday he scratched his face with his fingernail and wailed pretty heartily), or c) is tired and can't just close his little eyes and sleep. Other than that, he just sits and looks around. He likes light a lot...so, he looks out the window or at lamps a lot of the time. He seems to be smiling these days. I think it is different from the "I'm feeling gas bubbles" grin as he uses his entire face. It is usually in the morning, right after eating, when I hold him to my face and talk to him about what we are going to do that day. It is VERY cute and confirms (in my mind) that he is the sweetest baby known to man. Of course, no one who visits with a group of people will not concur. He seems to get over stimulated by groups of people. This causes him to be fussy. This should make this weekend interesting. My brother and his family are coming to stay with us...my nephew and his fiancé are graduating from college, so LJ will get to meet his aunt and uncle and other cousins. That will be several people and hence, the over stimulation potential. But, we'll try something new. Since they will be here for a while, we can have people hold him with a delay in between...maybe then it won't seem like he is being passed around in rapid succession? This is all trial and error you know! I cannot guarantee that he will sleep through the night this weekend...he hasn't gone more than 4 hours in the last several days!
Other than the above, we are working on a Christmas card/birth announcement and I have started pumping (milk, not iron). I figure pumping is our ticket to being able to go to a movie or out to dinner alone one day in the near future. I know...this weekend! There will plenty of capable adults around to baby sit! ;-)
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Tears
LJ cried tears this morning! Sure enough, the What to Expect book says tears come around the end of the first month...LJ will be 4 weeks old on Sunday (I cannot believe it has been 4 weeks). This will probably tug at our heartstrings for a couple of days.
Yesterday was a very pleasant day. LJ slept all right the night before...he went about 4 hours between each feeding, but went right to sleep each time. LJ's Aunt MJ came to spend the day with us. She came last Wednesday too and I think she plans to come each Wednesday until I go back to work. She has to get her LJ "fix"! We went to Target and I bought a Boppy. I had been getting frustrated with using a pillow to support LJ while feeding, so I broke down and bought the Boppy. I think they are a little expensive, but I am already SOOO HAPPY I bought it. Feeding him yesterday and last night was so much more comfortable with it. LJ got fussy in Target...so much so I had to take him out of his car seat. Once I did, he filled his diaper and the fussing ended...until we were in the car. But, that fussing only lasted until he finally went to sleep. He still can't just fall asleep during the day...he has to fuss it out first. We all took a walk in the afternoon...it was a nice day even though it was cloudy and looked really cold.
RJ came home early as we were celebrating my birthday last night. My niece, nephew, and niece-to-be came over and we ordered Wing's-n-More. We ate that while RJ and I took turns trying to calm fussy LJ. He was ok, he just gets fussy sometimes. At 7:30 it was time for LJ to eat and RJ and I try to go to bed as soon as we can get LJ down, so we kicked out the college kids (who told us they would baby sit while RJ and I went to a midnight movie if we want...they are still up at that time! Ha! We told them we set an alarm to wake up to watch the 10:00 pm news the other night!). LJ ate at 7:45 and we didn't hear from him until 2:15. RJ and I went to bed at 8:30 ourselves, so we got some good sleep. LJ ate again at 5:15 and then 8:45 this morning. He has sat and looked around pleasantly...except when he needed to close his eyes...then he fussed. Now he is squirming and I know he needs his diaper changed. Then he'll eat and we'll go get RJ for lunch.
Is this what we do all day! So, when are babies able to just close their eyes when they are tired?
Have a happy day!
Yesterday was a very pleasant day. LJ slept all right the night before...he went about 4 hours between each feeding, but went right to sleep each time. LJ's Aunt MJ came to spend the day with us. She came last Wednesday too and I think she plans to come each Wednesday until I go back to work. She has to get her LJ "fix"! We went to Target and I bought a Boppy. I had been getting frustrated with using a pillow to support LJ while feeding, so I broke down and bought the Boppy. I think they are a little expensive, but I am already SOOO HAPPY I bought it. Feeding him yesterday and last night was so much more comfortable with it. LJ got fussy in Target...so much so I had to take him out of his car seat. Once I did, he filled his diaper and the fussing ended...until we were in the car. But, that fussing only lasted until he finally went to sleep. He still can't just fall asleep during the day...he has to fuss it out first. We all took a walk in the afternoon...it was a nice day even though it was cloudy and looked really cold.
RJ came home early as we were celebrating my birthday last night. My niece, nephew, and niece-to-be came over and we ordered Wing's-n-More. We ate that while RJ and I took turns trying to calm fussy LJ. He was ok, he just gets fussy sometimes. At 7:30 it was time for LJ to eat and RJ and I try to go to bed as soon as we can get LJ down, so we kicked out the college kids (who told us they would baby sit while RJ and I went to a midnight movie if we want...they are still up at that time! Ha! We told them we set an alarm to wake up to watch the 10:00 pm news the other night!). LJ ate at 7:45 and we didn't hear from him until 2:15. RJ and I went to bed at 8:30 ourselves, so we got some good sleep. LJ ate again at 5:15 and then 8:45 this morning. He has sat and looked around pleasantly...except when he needed to close his eyes...then he fussed. Now he is squirming and I know he needs his diaper changed. Then he'll eat and we'll go get RJ for lunch.
Is this what we do all day! So, when are babies able to just close their eyes when they are tired?
Have a happy day!
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Do We Have a Trend Here?
4 nights of the last 7...LJ has gone 5-7 hours between feedings (sorry Chrissy). He eats somewhere between 7:30 and 9:00 and then we don't here from him again until 5-7 hours later. At first, I was worried (what's new?)...now we just roll with it and are very thankful. RJ and I go to bed between 8:30 and 9:00 if LJ is down...that way we can get several consecutive hours of sleep ourselves. So, my question is...is this a trend? I'm not going to start counting on it because it will just bother me when he doesn't go that long. I think he must have inherited RJ's love for sleep!
Speaking of worrying...it is crazy how much stuff I "worry" about these days. I was worried that LJ was gulping, gasping, and choking when he ate. He doesn't do that anymore, but the first time he didn't I worried that something was wrong. See, I worried when he started doing it, but then I got used to that. So, then I worried when he wasn't doing that anymore. CRAZY! I notice that my level of worry correlates to how tired I am.
Everything here is going pretty well. The antibiotics have put the hurt on my mastitis, so I'm feeling much better. LJ is eating well. He is spending more time in a quiet alert state, so we are "playing" more. This = me talking to him and singing to him (he doesn't know how terrible a singer I am!). We have been picking RJ up for lunch, taking walks, going to the bank, post office, grocery store, etc. This weekend we are going to put up our Christmas decorations...I'm sure that will take much longer with little LJ "helping", but it will be nice once they are up.
Oh, and RJ and LJ did just fine while I was at the beauty shop on Saturday. Talk to you all later!
Speaking of worrying...it is crazy how much stuff I "worry" about these days. I was worried that LJ was gulping, gasping, and choking when he ate. He doesn't do that anymore, but the first time he didn't I worried that something was wrong. See, I worried when he started doing it, but then I got used to that. So, then I worried when he wasn't doing that anymore. CRAZY! I notice that my level of worry correlates to how tired I am.
Everything here is going pretty well. The antibiotics have put the hurt on my mastitis, so I'm feeling much better. LJ is eating well. He is spending more time in a quiet alert state, so we are "playing" more. This = me talking to him and singing to him (he doesn't know how terrible a singer I am!). We have been picking RJ up for lunch, taking walks, going to the bank, post office, grocery store, etc. This weekend we are going to put up our Christmas decorations...I'm sure that will take much longer with little LJ "helping", but it will be nice once they are up.
Oh, and RJ and LJ did just fine while I was at the beauty shop on Saturday. Talk to you all later!
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Happy Mastitis to Me!
Thanks to so many of you who wished me well on my birthday...let me tell you what kind of day I had. We'll start with the night before...
I fed LJ and told RJ as we were going to sleep ourselves that my right breast REALLY hurt. We went to sleep and woke up to LJ's cry about 4 hours later at which point I told RJ that I was REALLY thirsty and he had to get me something to drink...which he so kindly did. LJ ate and went back to bed quickly. In between that feeding and the next, I dreamed that I had a 99.5 degree fever. So, when LJ awoke the next time, I told RJ that I thought I had a fever, so we took my temperature...100.5. I thought it interesting how close I was in my dream. I knew I felt cruddy and that my right breast felt as though it were bruised, so I got out the What to Expect book and we decided I had mastitis (infected milk ducts...given to me by the germs in LJ's mouth entering any tiny little crack I have.) So, at 8:00am I called to make an appointment with the doctor.
We had planned to take LJ up to work yesterday...there was a holiday pot luck and we thought it would be a good time to let our co-workers meet LJ. So, we went up there right before our visit to the doctor and LJ was a perfect dream. I was feeling cruddy...Tylenol was only working for about 2 hours, so I felt bad for the other 2 before I could take some more. The doctor confirmed my mastitis and gave me some antibiotics. We took this opportunity to weigh LJ (so I could rest my mind about his green diapers...which he still has...and this whole hind milk issue). He weighed 10 pounds 9 ounces! So, he's gained over a pound in a little over a week. I'm not going to worry about this anymore. At this rate, we'll have to get a new car seat in 6 weeks!
We went back up to work...I had to grade my students' finals and get their final grades figured. LJ was passed around to be held by many people and this caused him to wail and wail after a while. So, we brought him home (without me getting my work done) and finally got him calmed down. He slept well last night (RJ and I went to bed at 8:20 pm ourselves) and this morning I have a hair appointment at 10:00 am. It is 9:10 am now and I'm about to feed little LJ. Then RJ will be home...without food for LJ...for an hour or so. I'll let you know how they survive that!
I fed LJ and told RJ as we were going to sleep ourselves that my right breast REALLY hurt. We went to sleep and woke up to LJ's cry about 4 hours later at which point I told RJ that I was REALLY thirsty and he had to get me something to drink...which he so kindly did. LJ ate and went back to bed quickly. In between that feeding and the next, I dreamed that I had a 99.5 degree fever. So, when LJ awoke the next time, I told RJ that I thought I had a fever, so we took my temperature...100.5. I thought it interesting how close I was in my dream. I knew I felt cruddy and that my right breast felt as though it were bruised, so I got out the What to Expect book and we decided I had mastitis (infected milk ducts...given to me by the germs in LJ's mouth entering any tiny little crack I have.) So, at 8:00am I called to make an appointment with the doctor.
We had planned to take LJ up to work yesterday...there was a holiday pot luck and we thought it would be a good time to let our co-workers meet LJ. So, we went up there right before our visit to the doctor and LJ was a perfect dream. I was feeling cruddy...Tylenol was only working for about 2 hours, so I felt bad for the other 2 before I could take some more. The doctor confirmed my mastitis and gave me some antibiotics. We took this opportunity to weigh LJ (so I could rest my mind about his green diapers...which he still has...and this whole hind milk issue). He weighed 10 pounds 9 ounces! So, he's gained over a pound in a little over a week. I'm not going to worry about this anymore. At this rate, we'll have to get a new car seat in 6 weeks!
We went back up to work...I had to grade my students' finals and get their final grades figured. LJ was passed around to be held by many people and this caused him to wail and wail after a while. So, we brought him home (without me getting my work done) and finally got him calmed down. He slept well last night (RJ and I went to bed at 8:20 pm ourselves) and this morning I have a hair appointment at 10:00 am. It is 9:10 am now and I'm about to feed little LJ. Then RJ will be home...without food for LJ...for an hour or so. I'll let you know how they survive that!
Thursday, December 02, 2004
6 HOURS!
Yesterday was a very nice day...even though it was the day that RJ had work and then class until 10:00 pm. LJ's Aunt came to spend the day with us and we ran errands and shopped a bit. LJ was a good boy and finally his Aunt got to hold him without him being fussy...thanks to LJ's general good mood during the day AND the passy. Once LJ's Aunt left, we went for our walk. We walk 2 miles and it takes us about 40 minutes. I'm still get a little tired from it, but it is good for both of us. LJ sleeps mostly. After our walk, we packed up and took RJ some dinner before he had to leave work for his class. This is when the fussing began...
I had decided not to be concerned about his drowning and his green diapers. Seriously, I just said, "hey, he's eating and he is making diapers...who cares what color they are?" Well, last night between 5-9 LJ wanted to eat EVERY HOUR. And, when he's eat...he'd act like he hadn't eaten in a week. He wouldn't calm down for long and he had ZERO interest in the passy. The book calls this cluster feeding and says it lasts a day or two and usually precedes a growth spurt (which are common weeks 3 and 6...LJ is in his 3rd week so we'll believe this is what is happening...not that the previous issues have caused him to starve up until last night). I was exhausted and at my wit's end. He calmed down for 5 minutes once and I fell asleep...you would not believe how much better I felt after a 5 minute nap! Anyway, RJ got home right as he was calmed down. We put him to bed and he woke up 6 HOURS LATER! WOW! That was great...we needed that sleep. He was not a good nurser at that 3:45 am feeding and it took him a while to get to sleep...the whole feeding took us 45 minutes instead of the usual 20 or so. But, he slept 4 hours that time...until 7:45 am. That was great too. It is 9:20 am now and he is still napping from that feeding.
Today is the last day of RJ's extreme busy-ness. He'll be home at 8:00 tonight. LJ's cousin and cousin-to-be are coming over this afternoon...I hope he'll be a good boy for them. Tomorrow, we are going up to the office to introduce him to all my c0-workers. There is holiday pot luck tomorrow, so that is our excuse to go up there. Plus, I need to run my classes' finals through the scantron machine and post their final grades.
Hope all is well with you and we're wishing you many nights of 8+ hours of consecutive sleep!
I had decided not to be concerned about his drowning and his green diapers. Seriously, I just said, "hey, he's eating and he is making diapers...who cares what color they are?" Well, last night between 5-9 LJ wanted to eat EVERY HOUR. And, when he's eat...he'd act like he hadn't eaten in a week. He wouldn't calm down for long and he had ZERO interest in the passy. The book calls this cluster feeding and says it lasts a day or two and usually precedes a growth spurt (which are common weeks 3 and 6...LJ is in his 3rd week so we'll believe this is what is happening...not that the previous issues have caused him to starve up until last night). I was exhausted and at my wit's end. He calmed down for 5 minutes once and I fell asleep...you would not believe how much better I felt after a 5 minute nap! Anyway, RJ got home right as he was calmed down. We put him to bed and he woke up 6 HOURS LATER! WOW! That was great...we needed that sleep. He was not a good nurser at that 3:45 am feeding and it took him a while to get to sleep...the whole feeding took us 45 minutes instead of the usual 20 or so. But, he slept 4 hours that time...until 7:45 am. That was great too. It is 9:20 am now and he is still napping from that feeding.
Today is the last day of RJ's extreme busy-ness. He'll be home at 8:00 tonight. LJ's cousin and cousin-to-be are coming over this afternoon...I hope he'll be a good boy for them. Tomorrow, we are going up to the office to introduce him to all my c0-workers. There is holiday pot luck tomorrow, so that is our excuse to go up there. Plus, I need to run my classes' finals through the scantron machine and post their final grades.
Hope all is well with you and we're wishing you many nights of 8+ hours of consecutive sleep!
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