The Last Shower

Today we go to DH's work for our last baby shower. They wanted to wait until after DS (or DD) was born, plus the timing didn't work out before hand. It will be interesting to see what presents we get since we have all of the "gotta get it before the baby arrives" stuff, and we have many blankets and such. We did go back to the registry and add a few things. I suppose we will get boy clothes, which will be fine as long as they are 3-6 mo size or bigger; DS is outgrowning the 0-3 mo sizes in most brands (at 2 mo). I think most of the "outgrowing" is because 1) he is tall, and 2) we use cloth diapers which are bulkier than disposables.

Big Day!

Not only was today DH's first Father's Day, but DS was baptised this morning during worship and stayed with a babysitter for the first time.

EEG was normal!

DS's EEG was normal this afternoon, so we get to wean him off the medicine. We cut the dose in half for 5 days, then in half again for 5 more days, then no more. Yippee!

He was so good at the Dr.'s office! He had been crying at home because I wouldn't feed him (which was so hard for me), so I put him in the carseat and we left for the Dr. about 30 minutes early. He fell right asleep in the car, which I pretty much expected. He stayed asleep when I sat in the parking lot filling out the "new patient" paperwork, and he stayed asleep in the waiting room, too. When the EEG Tech started putting the electrodes on his head he woke up but stayed very quiet and still. I was so surprised that he did not cry! I let him suck on my finger until he fell back asleep. The Tech did the test, and he slept through it all, including the strobe light. He was quiet while getting a shampoo to get the sticky stuff off his head, and then I fed him and changed his diaper. He was even alert and happy during the Dr.'s visit about an hour and a half later. We go back in 3 months for a followup on his general neurological development, but no more EEGs or seizure medicine.

DS had a diaper blowout in the bassinette, so I cleaned him up and put on a new diaper, but just wrapped him in a towel because he needed a clean head & scalp for the EEG and I would be giving him a bath soon. I got the bath water ready and tried to plan the logistics because this is my first solo bath for him -- DH & I have been teaming up in the past. I took DS's diaper off and wrapped him back in the towel. On the way to the kitchen from his room (maybe 15 feet), he deposited quite a load in the towel. I cleaned him up again, got another towel, and hoped that he didn't have a 3rd wave! The bath went okay, but it is a bit harder than with 2 adults managing a wiggly wee one. So now I have a clean baby, 2 wet/dirty towels, a dirty sheet, and it's definitely laundry time. The clean baby isn't a happy baby though, he's hungry and tired. I calmed him enough to sleep, and I was able to put a clean sheet on the bassinette. Only 2 more hours to go.

Today DS has an EEG. Since he will have to be asleep through the test, he is supposed to be sleep deprived. If he will not sleep, he will need to be sedated. The sedation medicine needs to be taken on an empty stomach, so I am not supposed to feed him within 4 hours of the appointment. I was going to try to keep him awake because I figured that would be easier than not feeding him when he was hungry, but since he just fell asleep in my arms and I can't get him to wake up, I guess he'll have to be sedated and be hungry for several more hours. This is not going to be a fun afternoon.

First overnight trip

DS went on his first overnight trip last weekend. We left on Thursday, were on the road about 4 hours (driving about 3) and stayed with relatives Thursday night. DS met more relatives Friday morning before we hit the road, then we were off again from about 8 more hours. DS travelled pretty well. He only got fussy a couple of times, about 10 minutes before when we were planning to stop anyway.

Once at the hotel, DS did fine, and he actually slept in the Pack 'n Play's bassinet most of the time that we put him in it. We did have one little incident when I accidently cut his lip with my name badge. I felt so bad about it! I had forgotten that I was wearing a name badge in a plastic holder near my shoulder. I held DS up on my shoulder (sort of in the burping position) and he let out a LOUD YELL and started crying like I have never heard him cry before. It definitely was a "hurt" cry instead of a "give me attention" or "feed me" cry. His lip even bled a little. I opened up my shirt and let him BF both for comfort and to get a little milk on his lip. (I've heard that breastmilk has slight anti-biotic qualities.) Fortunately the cut was minor and DS appeared to be quick to forgive when offered warm milk direct from mommy.

On Friday we noticed that DS hadn't had a BM (bowel movement, aka poopy diaper) all day in the car. At first we thought that was a nice treat, then we started to get concerned and kept expecting a big blow-out. It was 20 hours before he had a BM and it wasn't all that big. Then on Saturday he also just had one, and it was a little bigger, but still "normal". We were a bit worried, but not too much because DS didn't seem bothered or uncomfortable. We were happy to see the big blow-out and then discover that it was just a warm up for the REALLY big blow-out about 20 minutes later on Sunday afternoon when we had been home about 12 hours. He seems almost back to his regular pattern now.

6 Weeks Old

DS is 6 weeks old today. Right now he is sleeping in the sling that is around my shoulder. I had my 6 week post-partum check on Monday and everything is fine with me.

We had our first babysitting adventure yesterday. I watched my 19 month old niece while her parents went to a funeral. We went to her house, because my sister recommended that it would be easier to travel with DS to her house than to bring a toddler into my house. It worked out fine. Sesame Street was on TV for an hour, and we sort of watched that part of the time. We read books and played with toys, too. DS slept about 1/2 of the time. I changed 3 diapers, 2 on DS & 1 on niece. I fed DS twice & niece once (didn't breastfeed her, but I wondered what she was thinking when I did BF DS).

DH & I finally had some intimate time last night after DS went to sleep. Fatigue has been the bigger factor (not Dr.'s orders) that has kept us from doing more than sharing a good-night kiss and cuddling a little, but it's good to get the "okay" from the Dr., too. He said it's all up to me now. ;-) ;-)

I usually try to do my surfing and check my email when DS is sleeping, but he often wakes up and needs attention. I'm getting pretty good at typing one-handed.

5 weeks old (plus a day)

DS has now been home longer than he was in the hospital. We are starting to have a pattern in the morning: DH wakes up and gets ready for work; if he washed a load of diapers the night before, then he puts the covers on the drying rack and puts the rest in the dryer; DS keeps sleeping (I hope), then when he wakes up and wants to eat I get his medicine ready, give him that, then feed him in the recliner; then we both nap a couple of hours. That covers most of the morning. It's amazing how much time feeding & changing a baby takes!

He's one month old

DS is one month old today! This morning I saw him sucking his thumb. I think it was an accident, because he roots and sucks on his fist when he wants to eat or is trying to calm himself, but he definitely had just his right thumb in his mouth.

Last night DH took care of DS for about 3 hours when I needed to be gone to a meeting. Dh now has a greater appreciation for why I seldom "get anything else done" during the day, and I appreciate how much he misses DS when being at work. I was gone just under 3 hours, but didn't want to take an extra 5 minutes to stop at the grocery store because I wanted to get back to them both.

Mothering Magazine -- It Won't Hurt Forever: Guiding Your Child Through Trauma is an article of interest because of my son's emergency c-section birth and subsequent resuscitation and medical treatment in NICU.

DS's umbilical cord stump fell off yesterday. He is sleeping almost 4 hours at a time at night, and he seemed to like the bouncy seat this morning. I bought an Over the Shoulder Baby Holder sling yesterday and love it already! I'm still getting used to getting DS into it, though.

I think we're alone now

Totday is my first day to have DS all too myself. MIL & FIL have gone home, and DH is back to work today. We're doing okay so far... I'm using DS's sleep time to eat, make phone calls and read email. He should wake up in less than an hour wanting to eat and needing a diaper change. Then he probably sleep again, and I think I may nap with his next nap time.

Home a week

DS has been home a week now, and his first "regular" doctor's appointment went fine yesterday. He has gained almost a pound from his birth weight (which was 8 lb 9.3 oz). I have lost 33 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight (I only gained 5 lbs, being quite overweight to start with).

After the Dr. appt, we went by a lingerie shop and got me another nursing bra (with a smaller chest size!). Then we went out to eat at a restaurant. It was only about 4:30pm, so it was not crowded at all. We expected DS to need to eat while there, but he slept through dinner and the car ride, so I fed him when we got home.

Baby Is Home Now

I got to bring my baby home from the hospital today! DS is doing fine now. We "roomed in" the past 2 nights & 1 day, like a well mom & baby, and he gained enough weight that the doctors decided that we could bring him home. What a wonderful Mother's Day it will be tomorrow to have wake up with my baby at home!