Three Months

Really?  Three months?!?  I would describe the past three months as the most exhausting wonderful work ever!  As hard as some days can be, I know we're going to look back on this time and smile and talk about how much we miss it!  We love every minute of being Mac & PC & Baby Makes 3:]  Hmm... maybe that should be our new blog title!  

Three Months Old!  No time to write on the picture yet!

Things to remember:

You have really started finding your hands.  Actually, you have started sucking on your fists a lot!
You have started to drool and "make bubbles" a lot.  Not quite like Charlie (our Newfie), but we are constantly looking for a burp cloth or bib now!

You spend at least an hour throughout the day on the piano gym.  It is the only place where you will not fuss with a wet diaper!  You love it, thank you Grandma!

You are smiling all the time!  Except when we get the camera out to take your picture... you get very serious.

You want your paci less... really only if you are really tired, riding in the car or at night when we put you to bed.
You had a birthmark to develop at about 12 days old (we first thought it was a scratch).  It is called a hemangioma, a collection of blood vessels close to the skin,  and the doctors say it will grow and then go away in your first few years of life.  You like to keep your birth story interesting!  It is also called an angel bite and that seems fitting!  

You are still loving a bath!

Tried some new lotion on you and you had an allergic reaction.  Oops.  A bath and some diaper rash cream made you feel all better again.  Until you had allergic reaction number 2 & 3!  More baths and diaper rash cream!  Please forgive us, we're working on it... now we think it may be fabric softener.  So we're washing all your clothes again to be safe.    
Grandma taught you how to reach up for her after a diaper change and now you reach out for someone to pick you up all the time.  Everywhere!  It is precious.  (Well, except for when we put you to bed!)

You love staring at people and hearing them talk.  
There have been some warm days where we have gone for a stroll or played on the back porch.  You seem to really like outdoors, but not the sun glaring in your eyes.  Of course we have bought some sun glasses!

You are holding your head up so much better but are not quite ready for the bumbo seat or Jumperoo.
You rolled over from belly to back on March 7th... you did it several times!
You still are very alert, taking in everything about the world around you.

We are totally in love with you, always and forever, sweet baby boy!

Blog friends:  please say a prayer for me tomorrow as the dreaded return to work day will become a reality!

Work. Weight. Cloth Diapers. Allergic Reactions.

Today marks just one week left with my sweet little miracle baby boy before returning to the working world.  My rational self says that he will be left in very capable hands and that having two incomes will help us to enjoy things that otherwise we would not.  My irrational self says to sell our house and everything in it, find a cheap rental and just live on baby love!  Good grief, I am a workaholic that has been detoxed!  I will need prayers next Monday to get through the day!  The time has went by too fast and he has changed so much already.  I am going to miss him like crazy, end of story.

In other news, our little guy went for the weight follow-up appointment and (as we guessed) he is just lower on the charts for weight but is gaining almost an ounce a day like a champ!  I should note we added 2-4 ounces of formula for the last feed to stretch out his sleeping and then I pump shortly after he is asleep.

Attn. cloth diaper peeps:  Our LO is 12 weeks, 10 lbs. 12 oz. and 24" long... does anyone have a baby around that size that you could recommend an AIO cloth diaper that is fitted?  I would like to try it out on the weekends.  PC is not totally convinced (probably because he does the laundry) but I think it would save some money, give the little tush a break from disposables, and save a diaper change through the night.  So sad that my main reason is not helping the environment... that will just be an added bonus.  I've been researching when I can and I need someone to fill in the gaps for me, please.  If I use AIO's- the whole thing just goes in the wash on cold, then in the regular wash with a hot/cold cycle, right?  If I go with a different kind with pre-folds, the pre-folds come out and are put in a diaper pail (versus a wet bag?) for the same kind of wash cycle?  Poop can go in the toilet or on a special liner that goes in the toilet, right?  Why do I need a special spray bottle and what goes in it?  We use D.reft detergent and free/clear fabric softener... would that be good enough for the wash?

New mom note to self- try out any new lotion on an area of the baby before using it and remove clothing if baby is fussy and nothing else soothes him.  We have had two... TWO... allergic reactions this past week.  The first one we traced back to a new lotion (so much for fragrance free & hyperallergenic) and the second one we (think) happened from rubbing a little olive oil on his head to help with cradle cap (ha, ha I just corrected myself from typing "cradle crap" which is true as well) and using the same wash cloth for the rest of the bath.  Both times he broke out in little red bumps all over his chest and back.  These things have made me feel like the worst parent ever!  I was just trying to remedy a little eczema and cradle cap.  Sorry, please forgive me sweet boy!

B.eautiful D.isasters

I have no idea what the song is about.  

But it is a fitting title of life since bringing home a baby. 

You already know about the G.enetian Violet and the built-ins.  Oops!

Then there was moving the rock-n-play across the hardwood floor.  Oops!!

Then there was moving the Jumperoo to another room and scratching the door.  Oops!!! 

Then there was moving furniture around to make way for baby furniture and causing marks on the paint.  Oops!!!!  

Then there was sleep deprived PC who missed his mouth with a morning E.spresso. Oops!!!!! 

  

These are just a few of what I am sure will be many b.eautiful d.isasters in our home.  This chapter of our lives is filling up with so many wonderful memories that all the scratches and stains are telling our stories.  They are truly turning our house into a home, even if we don't quite see it that way right when it happens.  I wouldn't want it any other way.  

Breastfeeding... I thought we were friends!

Something is going wrong with breastfeeding.  It feels like I'm on a downward spiral and I only have two more weeks until returning to work.  I think there are some good formulas on the market and I supplement about 2 oz each evening before his bedtime.  However, I have worked so hard these first 10 weeks to breastfeed that I would like to continue as long as I can. 
In a nutshell, if I pump, there is not enough for the next feeding... so I started supplementing that feeding with pumped breastmilk... which totally defeats the purpose.  Now I pump between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. since that is such a long stretch between feedings but it's not going to be enough for that first day I return to work.  It's weird because he has pulled off and acted irritated like he wants more, but then the times between feedings have grown longer recently.
I have sought out so much information about breastfeeding and have tried suggestions through the LC, blogs and reading materials.  I am eating oatmeal, drinking more water, doing the massage techniques to help during pumping, etc.  I will say I am not eating like I should... eating a late breakfast and usually I either have a good lunch or supper but not both.
I read somewhere that once you start supplementing or pulling from the fridge/freezer stash you are telling your body to "make 2 oz less" but why should that be the case if I pump when he gets that extra 2 oz during a long stretch until the next feeding?  Also, does anyone have a baby that sleeps a long stretch like 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. who maintains their supply?  This has only happened once or twice but the baby is my alarm clock through the night... if he hits snooze, so do I!  

Last week breastfeeding/pumping schedule (although I feed on demand so times are not exact)-
8:30 a.m.- BF
9:00 a.m.- P
11:30 a.m.-BF
1:30 p.m. -BF
4:00 p.m.- BF
4:30 p.m.- P
6:30 p.m.- BF & Supplement- 2 oz
8:00 p.m.- "top off" BF
between 12:00-1:30 a.m.- BF
4:30 a.m.- BF
6:30 a.m.- BF


This week breastfeeding/pumping schedule-
9:00 a.m.- BF (today I had to pull out a little more from fridge to satisfy him)
(No more pumping here because my supply was so low for the next feeding.)
12:00 p.m.- BF
2:00 p.m.- BF
4:30 p.m.- BF
6:30 p.m.- BF
8:00 p.m.- BF & supplement
9:00 p.m.- P
1:00 a.m.- BF
6:00 a.m.- BF

I can't figure out if this is just a another bump in the road...perhaps another growth spurt... or if we are going to have to take a whole new path.  I want our baby to be as healthy as possible and I know breastmilk helps with that, but I also want him to get a full tummy and be happy!  Don't tell me "it gets easier" lol.  It's true that some things are getting easier, but breastfeeding remains on the "always a work in progress" list!!!          

Not a SAHM

Update:  We went to a new pediatric office today.  Guess what?  They did not kick us out!  We told the nurse practitioner we think modern medicine is great (hence the IVF baby) but that we just wanted to wait a little longer and spread the vaccines out.  She listened and treated us like... the parents!  Yay!

In other news, I have three weeks left with our little man before returning to a 40+ hour work week.  I have cherished every minute of this time with our little guy.  I am going to soak in every snuggle, smile, coo, cry and poop... yes, I will miss those moments too!  Not going back to work has never been an option for me.  This maternity leave has also taught me that I'm not cut out to be a stay at home mom.  Hats off to those who take care of the baby AND the home... cooking, cleaning, going to the grocery store... for real?  During the two hours that our little guy takes a routine nap my time is filled with- pumping, washing pump parts, finish getting dressed, eating something, cleaning pacifiers... sometimes I skip the finish getting dressed part to write a blog post!  Then he's awake for the rest of the day with the exception of a couple of quick afternoon naps and we eat, play, change diapers and repeat.  I don't feel like I can do anymore than just survive the day and wait anxiously on PC to pull in the driveway.  Somehow I think going back to work will force me to accomplish more in less time and that I will just feel better- physically & emotionally.  However, my heart is going to be very heavy those first days back in that world.  When I think about that day approaching so quickly, I choke back tears.  Although my baby will be in good hands and will be at home for three days of the week, no one will take care of him in the same way as his mama.  I will miss him...terribly.  I will not be returning as the worker I was before.  I will not be the last one to leave.  In fact, I will be counting down to the minute that I can get out the door and home to nurse this sweet boy.

Well.  Sh*t.  Now I'm wishing I had the option to change my mind!