My Little Piggy

Sorry for such a long gap between posts. I never knew staying at home with a baby could be so time consuming. In reality we haven't just been at home. We try to get out of the house at least once a day. One, so Gracelynn can get used to being on the go and two, so mommy doesn't go insane sitting in the house all day. I have been so used to my go, go, go lifestyle that after a few days of just sitting around the house, I had to change it up a little. We have gone and had lunch with Gran at work and we have gone on walks. We even went and visited my work yesterday and went to lunch with one of my co-workers. It is fun, but afterwards we are BOTH exhausted!

It is teaching me a lot about timing too! I have to figure when she will be hungry next and where I will be to feed her. I also have to try and time getting her a fresh diaper before we head out, just in case. Packing the diaper bag and getting her loaded are just a couple of extra steps to getting out the door.

Funny story about the last minute diaper changes. On Tuesday we had her 2 week appointment with the pediatrician (actually she was 12 days). A few minutes before we needed to pack up to leave I went to change her diaper. She was just wet, and as I was putting her new diaper under her....PFFT! She pooped EVERYWHERE. It was on her outfit, her shoes and socks, her hair! I mean everywhere. So I stripped her down and took her into the bathroom and gave her an impromptu bath in the bathroom sink. She was NOT happy with this and screamed the entire time and then afterwards while I got her dressed again. I seriously didn't think she was going to stop screaming and I didn't want to put her into her car seat like that. Fortunately she calmed down enough to go.

At the pediatrician we found out she has gained a pound. 1 pound in 1 week! The pediatrician was stunned. He said they hope for babies to hit their birth weight by the 2 week mark...but that she had left that in the dust. I knew she had been eating like a little piggy, but I didn't realize it was THAT much. I am proud of her, but I can already feel the pangs of wanting her to stay little forever. I love my cuddle time with her, and I know I have many more months and years of that, but this morning I looked down at her and couldn't help fast-forwarding into the future. Someday she will be a young woman and will most likely have children of her own. I know...I am getting ahead of myself, but it is amazing to think that we all start out this small.

Gracelynn lost her cord this week too. It freaked Ben and I out when it happened. I don't know what I expected it to look like, but it still looked kind of goopy when it came off. So we called the on-call doctor. Yes, I made my first "I'm-a-first-time-mom-and-I-freak-out-at-everything" call. It my defense...Ben was freaked out too. Better safe then sorry. It already looks 100% better and soon will be a cute little belly button.

We are getting into some kind of a routine...but it doesn't always work. She has been sleeping a little between feedings but also staying awake more and more. Then at night, she would go down at about 11:30 and then sleep until 4 or so. Then wake up STARVING, go back to sleep and stay down until 7 or 7:30. Not too shabby! However, some nights (like last night) she didn't. She was up to eat every 2 hours, but wouldn't ever really zonk out. So it was a rough night for both mommy and baby. I am finding that I survive on less and less sleep and don't need my nap. It is amazing how quickly your body adapts.

Speaking of body adapting...my body is starting to resemble what it used to look like. I still have a long way to go...and I doubt it will ever be back to "pre-Gracelynn", but I don't look 5 months pregnant anymore. I am hoping before long I will be able to fit into regular pants again. :)

Well, you survived my gabbing...so here are the much deserved pictures.

Her favorite place...the Baby Papasan. She was smiling in her sleep here. I LOVE the dimples.
Sleeping soundly in mommy's arms.
Hangin' with daddy...already the gamer.
Visiting Gran at work. Gran loves her baby girl!


More to come...

Amber