Feeding Frenzy

Last night baby D hit her second feeding frenzy.

At 24 hours, 3 weeks and 6 months old, babies have growth spurts preceded by 24-hours of insatiable nursing.

During these nights I set the bed up so she can eat and we can both sleep as much as possible. I love holding her all night and waking up to find her cradled in my atrophied arms. She is so cute and cuddly and smells so good!

Let's talk about baby carriers.

When I was a kid, my parents had a blue kid carrier that looked like a hiking pack. My dad would put one of his 3 kids in and off we'd go.

I was hell bent on getting the Baby Bjorn. It seemed versatile (kid can sit in front or back), it came pretty colors (I'm always a sucker for aesthetics) and the models on the box looked so sleek and European. After much discussion with my husband ("I'm not wearing a GD Baby Bjorn! he said), I decided parting with $120 for a carrier I liked only superficially was not cool.

I investigated every other option I could, which mostly included cloth wraps. Some have clasps, some come in unattractive prints and some are just plain confusing.

I stalked other new moms with carriers (seriously, I followed a chick into an elevator) and asked them how they liked what they were using and where I could get one if they recommended it.

We ended up buying a "Moby Wrap" for $40, in a beautiful chocolaty brown color. I was intimidated by all the crazy wrapping that had to take place to hold my kid, but the babies in the wraps looked so cozy, I couldn't resist. The price was a bit more friendly as well.

"I'm not a kangaroo!"

I just went to www.mobywrap.com to snag the photo above and noticed their news flash. "Did you see Brad Pitt wearing baby Shiloh in a black wrap in People Magazine, Life & Style, In Touch and on the cover of US Magazine?" Well hell, if Brad can wear one, B can wear one, but that's what they want us to think... maybe if Becks wore one...

Right now baby Dahl is sleeping snugly in her Moby on my belly. She's flashing a baby gang sign with her tiny little hands. She's quite the gesticulater.

Other fun baby news:

I was interested to learn that infants have something called a walking reflex. When you put a kids feet up to a hard surface, she will push off of it. Baby D keeps kicking me away and I was sure I smelled bad until I learned about her walking reflex!

Okay, that's enough education for now. It's time for a nap!

Oh, and I'm not posting pix of her b/c she has baby zits and they're unattractive.

Baby Stuff

I thought I'd be gung-ho writing about baby and post-partum stuff, but it turns out that it's a little messy, so here are some of my general thoughts.

Learning to breast feed is a bitch. However, once it's established, it's not so bad.
Maternal ta-tas leak.
Around two weeks after giving birth, one tends to sweat profusely during the night and it's gross.
Additional leaky bodily fluids are no fun.

Wow, that wasn't so hard. I'm tryingto be vague, but girls, this is what you have to look forward to.

Things I've learned being a parent for 3 whole weeks:

• Doing things with one hand will become commonplace. While feeding the baby I have eaten a bowl of cereal lying down, with one hand- an acrobatic feat.
• During 1 am and 4 am feedings, crazy things seems perfectly logical.
• Baby's poo color becomes a point of interest and acceptable discussion topic.
• Our laundry is optional. Baby's laundry is not optional.
• Swaddling baby makes her feel secure and shuts her up.

Baby's schedule:
sleep
cry
diaper
eat
make funny faces
digest food & cry
burp
hiccup
stare off into space
pass out
diaper

When I don't sleep when the baby sleeps, I get close to having a meltdown.

That's all for now. Time to feed the kid.

Yes, Deer

It's pretty cool, but sad that we've seen deer all over the area surrounding our new house.

Tic-Tac-Toe

They are being pushed out of the forest that was here for so long. Several new "cookie cutter" housing developments are springing up leaving the deer less and less habitat. I hate seeing deer hit by cars. I hate hearing that people don't like deer eating their landscaping.

Whenever we see deer we tell them they can come eat our grass anytime. We apologize for being evil humans and taking their land.

Spring Has Sprung!

Finally! It's the first day of spring!

My clematis at the old house is blooming like crazy and my little Japanese Maples, in the Japanese garden are growing leaves! Thanks to my many landscaping projects, there are daffodils sprouting directly out of the lawn. Classy.

Here at the new house, the trees are all in bloom and thanks to moss, the grass is practically fluorescent green. The yard here is extensively landscaped, so it will be interesting to see what pops up season to season.

Note to self: remember to plant sunflowers and pumpkins

Three months until summer!

Baby Photos

There's nothing like the smell of a newborn while you snuggle in bed.

Despite this photo, she loves her car seat and falls asleep every time she's strapped in.

Uncle Brody & Auntie Em

Birth & Baby Vocabulary

Cesarean- an operation by which a fetus is taken from the uterus by cutting through the walls of the abdomen and uterus. The doctor continued to threaten a cesarean during my delivery which prompted me to PUSH harder. No C-section required!

Perineum- the area in front of the anus extending to the fourchette of the vulva in the female. Riiiip! Owwww!!

Vacuum Extraction- used in labors where the baby is not progressing down the birth canal as quickly or as well as your doctor or midwife would like. This can be done to prevent a cesarean section. Baby had a bump on her head after birth due to the vacuum. The vacuum also caused the baby to chomp down while breast feeding.

Sitz Bath- a chair like bathtub in which the thighs and hips are immersed in warm water, usually as part of a therapeutic treatment. See “Riiiip! Owwww!!” after Perineum.

Breast Shield- made of thin, flexible silicone and is used to cover a mother's nipple and areola while the baby is nursing. This is handy when your kid is a biter.

Breast Pump- A breast pump is a mechanical device (powered manually or by electricity) that from the breasts of a woman who is lactating. Again, these are handy when your kid is a biter. At 2 am, mom can bottle feed rather than endure baby jaws.

Meconium- baby’s first bowel movement, thick, dark green or black. Normal digestion cannot take place until meconium is eliminated. After the meconium has cleared the baby’s system, the baby’s poo is light mustard with seed-like particles. Hooray for healthy poo!

Layette- kit consisting of a complete outfit (clothing and accessories) for a new baby.

Onesie- A onesie (pronounced “one-zee) is a kind of T-shirt designed to conceal a diaper when worn. The shirt extends past the waist and has snaps or buttons that allow it to be closed over the crotch, with enough extra room to accommodate a diaper; Worn commonly by very small children.

Bilirubin- Bilirubin is a chemical breakdown product of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a substance in red blood cells that grabs onto oxygen in the lungs and carries it to the tissues in the body where it releases it. When red blood cells wear out they are trapped in the spleen and destroyed, releasing bilirubin into the blood. Excess bilirubin is associated with jaundice. Baby D had a high “bili” score due to the vacuum used to pull her out. After a few days of yummy breast milk, her score lowered and she was in the clear. No more bili baby and no more jaundice.

Jaundice- A somewhat common condition in newborn babies, marked by a yellowing of the skin and caused by the immature liver's inability to process excess red blood cells. Treatment for mild cases will include allowing your baby to spend time in sunlight, though in more severe cases, the baby will be admitted to the hospital and placed under lights which synthesize the sun's rays (minus harmful UV radiation). My kid did not have to be treated for her jaundice. After a few days, our yellow-bellied baby was fine- no lights needed.

Behold! An Internet Connexion!

It took a few days, but we’re in our new house and back on the internet!

That’s correct, if you didn’t know already, we have deserted our adorable bungalow in Kirkland for a house with actual bedrooms and square footage. Despite the many attributes of our new palace, I’m already homesick. It will take a while for this place to feel like home. Right now, I feel like I’m on vacation, or living in someone else’s house.

It will help when we remove the “grapevine” wallpaper and paint the blinding, white walls. I’d also like to create another Japanese garden. We have some space and I’m making a ten year plan. In ten years, I’d like to have a mature Japanese garden including the “hide and reveal” element which means that at any given place, you cannot see the whole garden.

Since I’m not feeling 100% post-partum, I haven’t been able to fully move in. The house wasn’t spotlessly clean, so I’m waiting until I can sanitize everything before putting stuff like dishes and bedding in their places.

B has done a ton of work already; prepping, building and calling cable and repairmen. We’re both zonked since we’re up twice every night for feeding and diaper changes.

That’s the update. Now for the blog news (cue the Headline News ditty).

I was determined to keep Wonderland as non baby-centric as possible thinking that you, the reader, didn’t want to hear about every (adorable) hiccup and (hilarious) burp. However, based on the following three points, I have had a change of heart.

1. As the first of my friends and immediate family to have a baby, I feel it is my responsibility to educate you (my friends & family) as to the trials and experiences of parenthood.
2. I have been asked by you (my friends & family) to write about being a mom, including all the dirty details. “We have to learn it sometime.” Thanks. I'll be the guinea pig.
3. I forget details and need to record the milestones for myself.

I didn’t write about pregnancy a lot (or so I felt) because there was so much weirdness I was just in shock. Naturally, I wasn’t used to being humongous, but I tried not to complain and go with the flow. The last month was very uncomfortable. That’s the polite way to say it.

Poor Muppet was inconveniently sidelined during this whole baby, move life experience. She had to spend some time at Grandma’s house so we could deal with the insanity that was last week.

Oh yes, I must thank my friends (you know who you are) for helping us move. We would still be at the old house if it weren’t for you. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I hated not being able to help pack up more and direct traffic at the new house. You are all wonderful!!

Back to the breaking news; I will write about baby and as usual, I will also continue writing about whatever else pops into my head.

Priceless

Grandma is holding D, so I have a few minutes to post some pix.

Happy Birthday!

Grandma Candy

Grandpa Jeff

Who's Your Daddy?

Going Home! 2.5.07

Newborn Baby!

After 13 hours of labor, baby Dahlia popped into the world on Sunday, March 4th 2007. She is 7 pounds, 10 ounces with dark blond hair and amazing, ice blue eyes.

Baby's hobbies include sleeping.

She has long fingernails, hates being without clothing and loves being swaddled.

She smells terrific and is perfectly healthy.

I too am doing well and thank baby Jesus for modern day medicine, of which I heartily partook during labor.

Thanks to everyone for your support in the last few months!

Party!

Who knows how to throw a party?

I think my water broke at 11:20 pm. It's an hour later now and I've had my Chex cereal which makes me happy because the minute I hit the hospital doors, I'm on a strict diet of ice chips... not that I'll care, but it sounds horrific.

I'm getting stronger contractions, but they're not regular. But they're darn achy.

I don't want another false alarm, so I'm going to wait until the kid is halfway out, just to be sure.

So much of health care is hurry up and wait that I want to stay home as long as possible.

Breathing... in through the nose, pause a few seconds, out through the mouth... ouuuchh...

My doc said this would all happen in the middle of the night. I don't think she's on call tonight which means our 9-month relationship is all for nothing.

Owwwww!!! Pain.

My ginormous uterus is hard as a rock. And the baby is kicking around in there. She must be uncomfortable.

Husband is coming to check on me. "What are you doing?" "I'm reading the news. Charter bus plunges off overpass."

It's been an hour since the dam broke... I hope to baby Jesus things are progressing. I have things to do this week. Get this baby out!

Breath. Breath. Breath.