The Musings are back! I figured since I'm back to a semi-regular schedule, I should return to this weekly installment on my blog. If nothing else, the Musings jog my brain into gear when I'm having a slow day...and as a new mom, those days seem to be more commonplace than I would like.
I do not like hockey, but I was glued to the USA-Canada gold medal game yesterday. Riveting television. Also, effing Canadians.
My new haircut is nice. It's basically what it was before I got pregnant, but it's nice to have it back to normal and not so long and annoying. I hate having long hair.
St. Paddy's Day is just around the corner! Black and Tans...goooood.
I'm very curious to see how The Office's JAM baby episode will turn out...and what the name of Baby Halpert will be.
The husband and I decided to try giving Ellie a lactose-free (yet still milk-based) formula once her regular stuff is gone. We need to see if a simple change like that will help reduce her gassy/spitupy/fussy problems. I hope so.
Mmm...Diet Dr Pepper. The fountain mix here at work is exceptionally good, too.
I need to order Ellie's ear protectors for Blazer games today. I don't want her to go deaf before the age of 1, after all.
The gym has been kicking my butt since I went back last week, but that's good. I still have 8lbs of pregnancy weight to lose...and to re-tone my body too.
The new work schedule started today. For the month of March, I'm working Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. In April, I add Friday, and by May I'll be back full-time. I'm lucky to work for a company that has such a program in place for new moms and a supportive manager who okayed the schedule.
Right now, the Blazers are the #8 seed for the NBA playoffs, which means they get the Lakers in the first round. Which means they wouldn't get OUT of the first round, but the games at the Rose Garden would be certifiably NUTS.
The babe will be 12 weeks old on Wednesday, which marks the end of the '4th trimester' (aka the newborn phase). I'm very excited about this.
March 1, 2010
February 24, 2010
First Days
Today marks a couple of momentous Firsts for the ladies of the household: Ellie's First Official Day at Daycare and Mommy's First Official Day Back at Work.
Dropping Ellie off this morning was bittersweet. She was sleepy and a little unsure of where she was, but after getting her baby Zantac down her hatch, she woke up and started looking around at her new surroundings. And as I was leaving, I saw her playing and smiling with Miss Tanya, the infant 'teacher', so that helped me feel better about getting back into the car and heading off to work. I know she'll have a great day, but it's still tough not being with her. I'm her mama after all!
As for work, I'm already in my first meeting and wading through emails...so pretty much like a typical day. :) I need to reinstall some job-specific apps and get myself back into the swing of things, but luckily today there is a two hour 'fun event' for my group after lunch so that should help my first day be less stressful. After work, I'm heading to the gym for the first time in um, FOREVER, and the husband will get Ellie from daycare and get her settled back in at home.
Dropping Ellie off this morning was bittersweet. She was sleepy and a little unsure of where she was, but after getting her baby Zantac down her hatch, she woke up and started looking around at her new surroundings. And as I was leaving, I saw her playing and smiling with Miss Tanya, the infant 'teacher', so that helped me feel better about getting back into the car and heading off to work. I know she'll have a great day, but it's still tough not being with her. I'm her mama after all!
As for work, I'm already in my first meeting and wading through emails...so pretty much like a typical day. :) I need to reinstall some job-specific apps and get myself back into the swing of things, but luckily today there is a two hour 'fun event' for my group after lunch so that should help my first day be less stressful. After work, I'm heading to the gym for the first time in um, FOREVER, and the husband will get Ellie from daycare and get her settled back in at home.
February 18, 2010
It's About That Time...
For this momma to go back to work. My leave is officially over next week and I start back to work on Wednesday. It'll definitely be strange (not just leaving Ellie at daycare and getting into a regular routine again, but my group was recently "re-orged" so I have THAT to look forward to...or not) and I'm on the fence about how I feel. I do look forward to grownup conversations and a scheduled day but of course, I will miss my lazy mornings with Ellie and spending my days playing with her. Thankfully, the little lady's daycare is a 10 minute walk from my office, so I can head over there during lunch or between meetings and visit her during the day. Also, she had a great time at her trial run on Tuesday - I took her there for a 7-hour day - so that helps me feel more confident about our choice.
As for Miss Thing, she's growing every day I think. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I can't believe how expressive her face is and how her eyes light up with recognition when she sees me, or her daddy, or a favorite object. She's stopped trying to flip over from tummy to back and is now practicing 'creeping' skills on her tummy. Is it possible for a three-month-old to crawl? Because this one just might be there soon...when she's actually three months old. At 10 weeks, I don't think she'll figure out how to really move just yet. Her smiles and giggles and coos are heart-meltingly adorable and I love our little 'conversations' we have throughout the day. Ellie still loves bathtime and continues to do well sleeping in her crib (last night's issues notwithstanding, of course).
That's about all the updates from here...oh, she also survived her first big roadtrip last weekend to Spokane to see her grandparents and other relatives. It wasn't always easy with her being in a new place, with new people, but she did pretty well considering all that change.
As for Miss Thing, she's growing every day I think. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I can't believe how expressive her face is and how her eyes light up with recognition when she sees me, or her daddy, or a favorite object. She's stopped trying to flip over from tummy to back and is now practicing 'creeping' skills on her tummy. Is it possible for a three-month-old to crawl? Because this one just might be there soon...when she's actually three months old. At 10 weeks, I don't think she'll figure out how to really move just yet. Her smiles and giggles and coos are heart-meltingly adorable and I love our little 'conversations' we have throughout the day. Ellie still loves bathtime and continues to do well sleeping in her crib (last night's issues notwithstanding, of course).
That's about all the updates from here...oh, she also survived her first big roadtrip last weekend to Spokane to see her grandparents and other relatives. It wasn't always easy with her being in a new place, with new people, but she did pretty well considering all that change.
February 10, 2010
I have a two month old baby??
Yep, as of yesterday Ellie was officially two months old (she's officially 9 weeks old today, but I digress). She had her checkup and all is well...she's still on the small side, but growing per her curve, so the doctor is pleased with that. We still have to fight the spitup demons for a while longer, but we're hopeful that as she ages and her tummy is stronger, that will get better. Even her pooing has improved in recent days (4 BMs in 5 days, pretty good for her), which is nice - albeit quite smelly and messy.
She amazed the doctor and nurse with how strong she is. Her body control is also 'a rarity' per her doc, so we're pretty proud of her. Maybe she'll be a wee gymnast or something. She's cooing and laughing and smiling so much more and it just melts my heart when she does. I love her dearly, despite all of the tummy challenges, and I'm excited to watch her grow and change even more.
She amazed the doctor and nurse with how strong she is. Her body control is also 'a rarity' per her doc, so we're pretty proud of her. Maybe she'll be a wee gymnast or something. She's cooing and laughing and smiling so much more and it just melts my heart when she does. I love her dearly, despite all of the tummy challenges, and I'm excited to watch her grow and change even more.
February 3, 2010
Eight weeks in
Today Ellie is 8 weeks old - I can't say much has changed since last week. She's still having tummy issues (mostly of the 'only pooing every few days' variety), and we're plodding along until she outgrows it, per the doctor. I am giving her white grape juice to help her move things out of her belly, but it's not a perfect solution - plus the combo of formula and WHG makes for some pretty gnarly spit up. Blech.
But the little lady is definitely growing up - she's less inclined to sleep during the day (or at night, I don't know where she gets this energy) because she'd rather play or take in her surroundings. She's smiling and laughing and chattering more and more often, which is adorable, except that she's very good at overstimulating herself when she plays and will go from happy baby to crying "I've had enough!" baby in the blink of an eye. Luckily, I've gotten good at calming her down - most of the time.
Of course, being a mom isn't easy...and Ellie's not the easiest baby in the world either. She's almost TOO interested in the world around her and can get quite frustrated at her lack of ability to fully engage with it. I think once she's got more control of her body, she'll be a lot happier and enjoy playtime more. I also struggle with sleep deprivation and the First Time Mommy Worries, which combine to stress me out quite a bit. Plus, I'm not nearly as much of a 'natural' as most women seem to be when it comes to motherhood...or maybe it just seems that way to me.
I watched Lost over lunch today and am still trying to get my brain unwound from that. Holy cow...just when they answer one question, they raise 10 more in its place. But that's why I'm hooked on it - I love the mysteries and the speculation about what is really going on with that show.
But the little lady is definitely growing up - she's less inclined to sleep during the day (or at night, I don't know where she gets this energy) because she'd rather play or take in her surroundings. She's smiling and laughing and chattering more and more often, which is adorable, except that she's very good at overstimulating herself when she plays and will go from happy baby to crying "I've had enough!" baby in the blink of an eye. Luckily, I've gotten good at calming her down - most of the time.
Of course, being a mom isn't easy...and Ellie's not the easiest baby in the world either. She's almost TOO interested in the world around her and can get quite frustrated at her lack of ability to fully engage with it. I think once she's got more control of her body, she'll be a lot happier and enjoy playtime more. I also struggle with sleep deprivation and the First Time Mommy Worries, which combine to stress me out quite a bit. Plus, I'm not nearly as much of a 'natural' as most women seem to be when it comes to motherhood...or maybe it just seems that way to me.
I watched Lost over lunch today and am still trying to get my brain unwound from that. Holy cow...just when they answer one question, they raise 10 more in its place. But that's why I'm hooked on it - I love the mysteries and the speculation about what is really going on with that show.
January 26, 2010
Updates heading into Week 7
Ellie hits the 7-week mark tomorrow...and I only have three weeks left of my leave from work. I can hardly believe that we have gotten to this point already. A few short updates since last week:
The bambina is on a new formula AGAIN...now we are a Similac Advance household. Constipation doesn't make for a happy baby OR happy parents, so when the doc told us yesterday to switch to this new stuff, we did so gladly (even though 'name-brand' formula is soooo expensive...dang kiddo). Ellie rewarded our efforts with a nice normal poo this morning so I'm happy about that. Of course, with our track record, we'll may have to switch formulas again next week so stay tuned...
According to the home scale this morning, the little miss is a whopping 8.8 pounds. I don't know much 0.8 of a pound is exactly (I guess around 12oz?) but even so, she's showing more good growth. I have a feeling her newborn clothes will be a thing of the past soon enough...she's already graduating from her newborn diapers to the size 1s!
As for life in general, it's pretty good. I continue to get interrupted sleep at night, but I'm dealing with it. For someone who loooooooves her some sleep, that's definitely been a hard transition, but I'm handling it okay I think. Just in time for Ellie to reach that phase where she's able to sleep through the night, of course :) So far, her longest stretch is 5.5 hours, so we're making progress on that front, but it's almost time to transition her to her crib so I think a little backsliding will be in order.
We have a busy February and March planned - heading to Spokane over Valentines/Presidents' Day weekend for a family visit and one the first weekend of March to my hometown to see the fam there. I hope Ellie does well...she's a great car baby, but we haven't had to drive more than an hour at a stretch with her yet. I'm sure a few stops for food and snuggles will be in order, but that's okay by me.
For those of you that are my FB buddies or who have access to our Shutterfly site, I know there haven't been new photos posted in over a week, but we'll get there. We got a Nikon D3000 DSLR a week and a half ago and are working on the file sizes for uploading. Also, I've been lazy about doing it :)
The bambina is on a new formula AGAIN...now we are a Similac Advance household. Constipation doesn't make for a happy baby OR happy parents, so when the doc told us yesterday to switch to this new stuff, we did so gladly (even though 'name-brand' formula is soooo expensive...dang kiddo). Ellie rewarded our efforts with a nice normal poo this morning so I'm happy about that. Of course, with our track record, we'll may have to switch formulas again next week so stay tuned...
According to the home scale this morning, the little miss is a whopping 8.8 pounds. I don't know much 0.8 of a pound is exactly (I guess around 12oz?) but even so, she's showing more good growth. I have a feeling her newborn clothes will be a thing of the past soon enough...she's already graduating from her newborn diapers to the size 1s!
As for life in general, it's pretty good. I continue to get interrupted sleep at night, but I'm dealing with it. For someone who loooooooves her some sleep, that's definitely been a hard transition, but I'm handling it okay I think. Just in time for Ellie to reach that phase where she's able to sleep through the night, of course :) So far, her longest stretch is 5.5 hours, so we're making progress on that front, but it's almost time to transition her to her crib so I think a little backsliding will be in order.
We have a busy February and March planned - heading to Spokane over Valentines/Presidents' Day weekend for a family visit and one the first weekend of March to my hometown to see the fam there. I hope Ellie does well...she's a great car baby, but we haven't had to drive more than an hour at a stretch with her yet. I'm sure a few stops for food and snuggles will be in order, but that's okay by me.
For those of you that are my FB buddies or who have access to our Shutterfly site, I know there haven't been new photos posted in over a week, but we'll get there. We got a Nikon D3000 DSLR a week and a half ago and are working on the file sizes for uploading. Also, I've been lazy about doing it :)
January 20, 2010
Six weeks down, many more to go!
Yep, I made it to that 'magical' six-week mark of new parentness without losing my mind completely. Partially, yes, but that's to be expected. The husband and I have definitely had our shares of parenting ups and downs but overall, we have been very fortunate to have such a bright, happy, strong, and beautiful baby girl.
The last week has been quite eventful with respect to Ellie's development. She is taking so much more of an interest in her surroundings and even has some 'favorite' objects she delights in looking at - namely, the ceiling fan in the living room and the wooden letters that spell out "Elliot" on the wall above her changing table. She will stare and babble at them forever if I'd let her, I swear. It's adorable...she even smiles at the letters. Maybe she's a budding narcissist?
Ellie has also grown a lot. According to our home scale, as of yesterday, she's over 8lbs already. And I can tell she's getting longer too because her newborn sleepers are starting to get a little short on her. It's so gratifying to see her thriving now after all the weight issues we had early on...it makes me even more glad that we gave up nursing for formula when we did. While nursing was MY ideal feeding option, it wasn't working for HER and thankfully, we made a decision based on what was best for our baby and it's been a good one. We do deal with a fair amount of gassiness and poo-passing issues, but we switched to the generic version of Enfamil Gentlease formula today to help with that, and it seems to be working already. (Along with occasional doses of Mylicon, despite my misgivings about it...it works!)
I have 4 more weeks left of my leave, which is bittersweet. Yes, it'll be nice to get back to 'grownup land' and a routine of sorts, but I will miss spending so much time with Ellie, especially now that she's become so much more interactive and interesting.
The last week has been quite eventful with respect to Ellie's development. She is taking so much more of an interest in her surroundings and even has some 'favorite' objects she delights in looking at - namely, the ceiling fan in the living room and the wooden letters that spell out "Elliot" on the wall above her changing table. She will stare and babble at them forever if I'd let her, I swear. It's adorable...she even smiles at the letters. Maybe she's a budding narcissist?
Ellie has also grown a lot. According to our home scale, as of yesterday, she's over 8lbs already. And I can tell she's getting longer too because her newborn sleepers are starting to get a little short on her. It's so gratifying to see her thriving now after all the weight issues we had early on...it makes me even more glad that we gave up nursing for formula when we did. While nursing was MY ideal feeding option, it wasn't working for HER and thankfully, we made a decision based on what was best for our baby and it's been a good one. We do deal with a fair amount of gassiness and poo-passing issues, but we switched to the generic version of Enfamil Gentlease formula today to help with that, and it seems to be working already. (Along with occasional doses of Mylicon, despite my misgivings about it...it works!)
I have 4 more weeks left of my leave, which is bittersweet. Yes, it'll be nice to get back to 'grownup land' and a routine of sorts, but I will miss spending so much time with Ellie, especially now that she's become so much more interactive and interesting.
January 14, 2010
What a week!
We are now in Week 5 of the Great Parenting Adventure. Ellie's growing like a little weed - she was 7lbs 2.8oz at her appointment last Friday and I'm sure she's at least a half-pound heavier already - and is changing so much! She's definitely gotten more interactive and is learning more about herself and the world around her every day. Her new trick is blowing spit bubbles...pretty cute, even if a bit messy.
It's been a busy week around here. This past weekend we had my brother-in-law and his wife, my mother, and my sister here for Ellie's baptism. Sunday morning, 8am service...I was sure it would be a mess, but it went off without a hitch and Ellie slept through the whole production! My uncle and aunt were able to drive up from Salem for the festivities, and my best friend woke up early to be a part of it too (but she lives about 5 minutes from us, so she didn't have to drive too far!). It was very special and we are so blessed to have Ellie and we are so glad we committed her as Christ's own forever.
Yesterday marked another seminal event in Ellie's young life - her first Blazer game! (Oh and she turned 5 weeks old too...haha) We had a pregame event for season ticket holders and two retired Blazer greats were there - Jerome Kersey and Terry Porter. They did a Q&A with fans, which I missed because Ellie needed some dinner, and then a trivia contest. The husband cleaned up - he got a Brandon Roy autographed team yearbook, $15 in food vouchers AND upgraded seats for the game (from our usual 300-level seats to 6 rows back at midcourt...not bad)! Also, we got this awesome photo of Terry holding Ellie - he was a big fan of hers, I must say. :)
All in all, life is good. I'd like to get more sleep, but I know it'll come in time. Once Ellie gets bigger and can hold more food in that darling belly of hers, she can sleep longer at night - and so can I! I also have my official 'back-to-work date' set for Feb 24, which seems far away, but time has flown by so fast with Ellie, that I know it'll be here before I know it.
January 6, 2010
Running on Fumes
Today is a tough day. The husband has been gone since Tuesday morning for work, and he returns tonight around 7ish. That isn't a terribly long time for him to be away but it feels like an eternity now that we are new parents and it's been just me in charge of Ellie for the last two days. Plus, it's weird being at home alone all day with her - newborns aren't the most interactive creatures in the world, so you find yourself talking to a little person who can only respond with a grunt or a cry - maybe a smile, if you're lucky. And since most of my friends work, I have no one to really hang out with during the daytime hours. So Ellie and I watch a lot of random TV, we eat every few hours (well, she does...I try to squeeze in a meal whenever she's quiet and/or napping), and I dink around on the interwebs. My house could use some vaccuming but I'm too tired to attempt it right now...maybe tomorrow after the husband has come home and taken part of Ellie's night shift for me.
As for the little lady, she's drinking approx 3oz of formula every three hours, sometimes more often, and doing well. She's becoming increasingly gassy, so we might have to look into getting some bottles that are angled to cut down on her air intake while she's eating. I'm open to suggestions and recommendations...I didn't do a lot of research on bottles while I was pregnant, because the plan was to breastfeed, but we know that didn't work out so yeah. Right now we just feed her from the 5oz Medela bottles that we got with my pump and as shower gifts...they aren't very fancy and I suspect they aren't designed for exclusively formula feeding.
We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Ellie is getting baptized so my brother in law and his wife, my sister, and my mother are all coming into town for the festivities. Add to that a weight check for the baby on Friday afternoon and it's going to be a doozy. But I'm excited to see everyone and for them to meet Ellie...she'll be a whole month old on Saturday! (She's officially 4 weeks old today)
As for the little lady, she's drinking approx 3oz of formula every three hours, sometimes more often, and doing well. She's becoming increasingly gassy, so we might have to look into getting some bottles that are angled to cut down on her air intake while she's eating. I'm open to suggestions and recommendations...I didn't do a lot of research on bottles while I was pregnant, because the plan was to breastfeed, but we know that didn't work out so yeah. Right now we just feed her from the 5oz Medela bottles that we got with my pump and as shower gifts...they aren't very fancy and I suspect they aren't designed for exclusively formula feeding.
We have a busy weekend ahead of us. Ellie is getting baptized so my brother in law and his wife, my sister, and my mother are all coming into town for the festivities. Add to that a weight check for the baby on Friday afternoon and it's going to be a doozy. But I'm excited to see everyone and for them to meet Ellie...she'll be a whole month old on Saturday! (She's officially 4 weeks old today)
January 2, 2010
The Lactation Diaries - FIN
There is no more lactation to be had here at this house. Part of me is sad to stop so soon but part of me is very relieved....the milk supply wasn't increasing and Ellie wasn't getting any more enthused about working so hard for so little of Mommy's milk. So we are now exclusively on formula, and it's been much easier already. We make up several bottles at a time, especially before heading to bed, and we have them ready to go for each feeding.
I know that 'breast is best' but in this case, it just didn't work out...we gave it a good try though. It's very hard to nurse and supplement, especially when you have a kidlet who isn't terribly interested in nursing and is so small and just needs FOOD. So food she shall have, even if it isn't from my body. We feed her super-fortified formula (Enfamil Premium Lipil) and it's about as close to breastmilk as there is on the market today. She likes it well enough and eats well from her bottles...so that makes me happy. Happy baby, happy mommy. And happy daddy too :)
So that's it for the Lactation Diaries...but I'm sure I'll find another topic to 'diary' about as we continue along our parenting adventures with Miss Ellie D.
I know that 'breast is best' but in this case, it just didn't work out...we gave it a good try though. It's very hard to nurse and supplement, especially when you have a kidlet who isn't terribly interested in nursing and is so small and just needs FOOD. So food she shall have, even if it isn't from my body. We feed her super-fortified formula (Enfamil Premium Lipil) and it's about as close to breastmilk as there is on the market today. She likes it well enough and eats well from her bottles...so that makes me happy. Happy baby, happy mommy. And happy daddy too :)
So that's it for the Lactation Diaries...but I'm sure I'll find another topic to 'diary' about as we continue along our parenting adventures with Miss Ellie D.
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