Thankful Thursday

1.  That my nephew is okay!  After a playground fall and some teeth/mouth trauma, it looks like the Little Tornado is going to be fine.  Prayers for healing and his parents' heart rates to return to normal would be appreciated.


2.  The first date sans-kiddos since Luke.  David and I went to brunch on Sunday (nights are oh-so-hard at this stage, so we'll have to hang with the senior crowd on our dates for awhile) and then took a short stroll the park.  It was fantastic.  All 90 minutes of it.  Hey, we'll take whatever we can get right now!


3.  Healthy livin'.  This week I've begun to cut back (as in, not eating multiple desserts each night), eat healthier, and start exercising.  I was going to wait until my 6 week post-partum check-up, but this weather is making it impossible to be patient.  So far I'm just walking, but man does it feel good.  I've set some very realistic weight loss goals and, after two days of serious sugar withdrawal, am already feeling better.  Let's just hope I can keep the motivation and momentum up because I have a looooong way to go!


4.  A great pediatrician.  As I posted below, we had Luke's check-up this week.  We love, love, love our pediatrician.  He truly listens to us and takes time with our kids.  Every bit of advice he's ever given us has been dead-on and in line with our parenting philosophies.  I'm so grateful for him and that practice!


5.  Pacifiers.  And as a matter of fact, I hear a little boy who could use one now....sweet dreams, all.  Ours are extremely short, but very happy these days. :)

Luke's Check-Up

We had Luke's one month check up today and wanted to give you an update.  Everything looks great except he has what the doctor believes is GER or gastroesophageal reflux.  He has always spit up a lot more than AJ did, but the last several days have been exceptionally rough.  He was losing entire feedings and becoming colicky.  If he was awake, he was crying.  Since his first week we've tried multiple methods of relief including nursing at an incline, keeping him inclined after a feeding, burping more often, burping less often, smaller more frequent feedings, and tummy sleeping.  Nothing has provided long term relief and after what we've experienced the last few days, we knew it had to be either an allergy or reflux.  SO, we talked it over with the doc today and he believes it's GER that is getting progressively worse.  He prescribed the lowest dose of Zantac and we should know within 2-7 days (depending on how inflamed and irritated his esophagus is) whether that's the issue.

We are not wild about having a 5 week old on a prescription, but this is not normal and we all need relief.  And while he's gaining very well (a whopping 11 lbs 12 oz! Nearly 2 lbs in three weeks!) if he continues to lose the amount of milk he has lately, I know his weight is going to suffer.  Plus, I can't stand the thought that the little Booger is in pain.

So, please pray that this is the right call, that the medicine helps, and that he doesn't have to be on it for long (most babies are off it by 4-6 months).  We'll keep you posted, for sure.  

Luke is One Month!

Luke is one month old today!  As most parents of newborns, part of me feels like it's been every bit of a month and the other part feels like 30 days can't have possibly passed already.  Part of me is happy we're through those really tough first few weeks and the other part is aching that I'll never have them back.  I actually lied to a lady yesterday (in the church parking lot, no less) and told her that he was three weeks old.  Granted, he was three weeks and six days, but I knew as I was saying it that I should've said a month.  I just couldn't bring myself to speak the truth because it sounded so old!


We have been doing really well.  Really, really well, all things considered.  At the beginning of the week I decided it was time to at least begin thinking about a schedule.  My philosophy this time around has been to hold off trying until it becomes more convenient to be on one than not on one.  As I'm starting back to Bible study and we'll be picking up with our small group next week, I decided it was a good time to at least head in that direction.  


Though we're nowhere near predictable yet, he's beginning to be more awake and show patterns (at least in daytime eating) that I'm working with.  My goal is to get him on the following feeding schedule:  7:30am, 9:45am, 12:45pm, 3:15pm, 6:00pm, 8:30pm daytime and then on demand at night.  For the last few days we've actually been pretty close to that.  He likes his lunch a bit earlier than 12:45, but we'll get there.  Once we have his check-up on Tuesday and I know he's gaining weight okay, I'll feel better about making him wait and stretching him a bit here and there.  


Sleep-wise, I have three main goals right now: keep him awake for at least a little while after each daytime feeding, get him on the same afternoon nap schedule as Audrey, and stretch out those nighttime feedings.  We're slowly making progress in each area.  He even went four hours on Tuesday night (from start of feeding to start of feeding, remember, so he slept for a little over three after I fed him, changed him, and got him settled).  Unfortunately between the neighbor's loud music and his noisy sleep habits, I still only got about two hours straight that shift.  And then last night he was back to eating every 2.5 and I was only getting 1.5 hour shifts, so who knows.  Still, I don't feel completely exhausted.  Just half-way exhausted.  Which is livable. 


He's still sleeping in our room and will be until he consistently drops two of his FOUR nighttime feedings.  Though Audrey moved out on or near her one month mark, I don't feel the need to rush him.  With her I was so much more by the book and afraid if I didn't do something by a certain point, she'd miss the window (i.e. be sleeping in our room until she was nine.)  As I mentioned in my previous post, this time around is more relaxed.  I don't feel like getting up and feeding him 3-4 times a night in his room, so we'll wait another couple of weeks.  David can sleep anytime, anywhere, and be back asleep within 90 seconds after waking, so he's fine with it too.


We have also made the decision to let him sleep on his tummy like we did with Audrey.  (What?! Gasp! Shock!  *Dialing DFCS*)  You can read more about all that came with that decision on Audrey's One Month blog post here.  We came to the same conclusion for the same reasons and are trusting the same God that protected Audrey to watch over Luke as he sleeps.  


He is slowly becoming more awake and alert and I love seeing those pretty eyes when they lock on mine for just a moment.  He is looking more and more like his sister and, therefore, like his Daddy.  Guess I'm out of luck for a baby that looks like me.  Don't get me wrong, I think David is an incredibly good looking fella.  I just wanted to see some of myself manifested in these kiddos...and in ways other than Audrey's OCD and organizational tendencies. :)  She is starting to favor me a bit more, I think, so maybe down the road they'll turn into a good balance of the two of us.  I'm so very glad they both have David's adorable dimples, though.  That'll make for three irresistible smiles I cannot say no to in this house!  


Hmmm...what else?  No bottle yet, but I plan on starting to pump this weekend so he can have the occasional one while I'm out.  He's in size one diapers and has outgrown all of his newborn clothes.  In fact, several of his 0-3 month outfits are starting to fit a little snug!  I won't know his weight/length until after his check-up next week, but I'm guessing and hoping he'll be just at 10 lbs.  


As for his gassy tummy, it's a lot better, despite the reintroduction of chocolate into my diet (yeah, I lasted about 3 1/2 days with that one.)  I think sleeping on his belly helped with it.  He is spitting up more now, but I'm not alarmed because it doesn't appear to be a whole lot.  I'm trying to nurse him at an incline, burp him often, and keep him elevated for awhile after each feeding.  I'm sure we'll address it with the doctor next week, but his protruding gut and developing rolls seem to speak for themselves.  


Here are some other factoids/Luke's first month in numbers (again, click here to compare with Audrey's first month):

• Approx. 270 nursing sessions (more than with AJ because it's easier to just feed on demand than stretch out the second kid)

• Approx. 275 diaper changes (less than with AJ because you let the second one sit in it longer!)

• Who knows how many visitors, but definitely less this go-round.  Sorry, kid.  You're the second.

• 16 home-cooked meals delivered so far (more than with AJ because I'm in two small groups...and because people are generous and know we need it more this time around!)

• 12 sponge baths (more than with AJ because, well, I don't know!  Boys are stinkier?!)

• Approx. 15 outings including his first trips to Chick-fil-A, Publix, Target (several), Hobby Lobby, Wolf Camera, Kohl's, Gymboree, Moe's, Babies R Us, Five Spot yogurt, Buy Buy Baby, my Bible Study at church, and at least half a dozen trips to the park.  (Waaaay more than with Audrey.  He's gonna have to learn to keep up with the two of us on-the-go girls!)

• Not nearly enough hours of sleep.

• Not nearly enough kisses, hugs, and cuddles...gotta work on that!

SO, that's what's been going on in his/our world.  I'll update more in the March recap at the end of the month.  Until then, check out the gallery for an album of his professional newborn pictures.


Happy One Month, Luke!  We love you and are so very, very glad you're here!  
  

Surprises

Several things have taken me by surprise these last few weeks and I wanted to journal them.  It's a completely random list and didn't seem to fit in a TT or any other post, so forgive the crude bullet points and lack of cohesion.  This post will probably fall into the category of "more-for-me-than-you."


Things I didn't expect:

• The amount of laundry.  It is insane.  I do at least two loads a day.  How can such tiny clothes make our laundry load increase by so much?!

• How desperate I am to get my body back in shape.  Post-pregnancy with Audrey, I don't recall being in a huge hurry to get back in shape.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I didn't do very much in the way of watching what I ate until she was nearly six months old.  I walked a bit here and there, but serious exercise didn't come until later too.  Now, however, I am chomping at the bit to run.  Maybe it's the weather?  Maybe it's knowing I'm done with pregnancies and am on my way back to my body being mine again?  Maybe it's the overwhelming amount of weight I still need to lose and feeling the need to get started?  Whatever it is, I have already cleared out my closet of all borrowed maternity clothes and only left a few personal ones.  Which is unfortunate, because I am so, so far from fitting into anything else I own.  It's motivating, to be sure...even if I'm not curtailing the eating all that much just yet.  

• Having to start thinking about bedtime at 10am.  No joke.  Most days I have pjs laid out before lunch.  It's the only way we can all be guaranteed lights out before daybreak.  

• Feeling like a rock star the first week David went back to work.  I got out several times with both kids by myself and we all lived to tell about it.  I remember one particular moment where I sat Audrey on the Potette in the van, changed Luke's diaper in the back, got everyone's bums wiped and hands washed, and then had a fantastic time eating lunch outside and going to the park.  Of course, Luke slept through the whole thing, but the point is I was actually doing it.  More than that, I was succeeding! 

• The amount of diaper changes.  Okay, so this shouldn't surprise me, but I'd completely forgotten. I'd also forgotten about newborns' uncanny propensity to poop in a brand new clean diaper that you've barely gotten the tabs fastened onto.

•  The lack of TV Audrey has watched since Luke has been home.  I am not a big proponent of her watching a lot of TV for multiple reasons, which is kind of an unexpected philosophy itself, but that's another post.  She only watches three to four 30 minutes shows a week, which from what I hear, is way below average.  I was concerned that I was going to have to rely on it a lot once Luke arrived, but am really glad that hasn't been the case.  I don't think we turned the thing on at all while David was on paternity leave and we haven't increased her viewing time since he went back to work. I think it's mainly because Luke is a fast eater and also because since she would be content to sit and listen to books all day long, I've been able to entertain her by reading.  It may seem silly to some, but to me, it's a small victory.

• Our more relaxed style this go-round.  I'm sure that, like us, you've heard it a million times, but it's true:  You're just more relaxed with the second kid.  You're more confident, for one thing, and you realize very early and very quickly that someone is going to have to wait and you (and them) are going to have to be okay with that.  Sometimes I wish it were different, like when Luke is screaming to be fed and I'm trying to coax poop out of Audrey.  Other times, it's perfectly okay with me that he fusses for five minutes so I can grab a snack or finish up a load of laundry.  I know it won't hurt him.  I've also wised-up and am not attempting any sort of schedule yet, I'm getting out of the house way more and earlier this time than I did with Audrey, and I'm more open about nursing when and where I/he needs to.  I worry a little less and pray a little more.  The guilt and anxiety are lower (albeit slightly) and I don't second guess myself as much as I did.  There just isn't time!  Plus, I know that if I screw him up too badly, we know some great counselors and therapists.  

• My love for this boy.  You knew I had to sneak in an ultra-sappy one, so here goes:  No amount of me feels like my love and affection has been divided or lessened towards either kid.  Time and resources - definitely.  But any silent fears I had about not having the capacity to love two children have completely dissipated.  He's awesome, hands down, and he's already got my unconditional love and devotion for life, just like his big sister.

I asked David what has surprised him about number two. After a crude middle-school humor bathroom joke, he said not much.  It's all going about how he expected.  Which is another thing that surprises me, but I guess I'm glad about it!

Thankful Thursday

Luke was three weeks old yesterday.  He's definitely awake more now, though not enough for me to even attempt putting him on a schedule yet.  I'm nursing him about every 2.5-3 hours during the day, attempting cluster feedings every 2 hours in the evening, and then letting him go however long he'll go at night, which for the last week has only been 2 hours most shifts.  Which means I'm getting 1.5 hour shifts at most.  Which means I'm a tired momma.  I knew it would get more difficult before it got easier, but I kinda thought that would be due to his daytime wakefulness.  I never really considered we'd be going backwards on nighttime sleep.  I've also cut chocolate out of my diet to see if it helps his gassy tummy.  So far no difference, but then again, it's only been four days and we had enchiladas twice this week so who knows.


The hardest part of my exhaustion is how it plays out in my interaction with Audrey and the accompanying guilt.  I have a shorter fuse and less imagination - two big cons when it comes to dealing with a toddler.  I obviously can't get upset at Luke for being hungry or crying, but I can snap at Audrey for taking to long to eat, to potty, etc.  And then I feel like official crud for it.  It seems like we'll have one good day followed by a rough day, but I guess you have to have the good to get you through the bad and the bad to make you appreciate the good.  There is certainly a direct correlation between how much one-on-one time I spend with her and her attitude/how things are going.  Unfortunately, moms of two just don't have a lot of one-on-one time to offer.  She's had several play dates and plenty of Daddy and grandparent time, and those are a huge help, but they can't replace her time with me.  I'm also very worried about her becoming resentful of Luke.  So, please pray for my patience (and hers) and that I can squeeze in an extra few minutes with her here and there.  


Other prayer requests:  

• My grandfather, who is awaiting results from a brain scan after a fall and subsequent headaches.  
• A settled tummy for Luke and more sleep for us.  

And here is this week's TT list:


1.  An empty dryer.  There are few things that thrill me more these days then to open the dryer door to toss in wet clothes and discover that it's already empty.  It's a rare find, but boy does it make me happy.


2.  A family cry and a good word.  After a rough night, I sleepily started fixing us breakfast the other morning through one squinty eye.  I was starving, Luke was crying, and then Audrey pinched her finger in a clothes pin and started bawling.  I scooped her up, sat down, and joined them in a good cry.  Exhaustion, hormones, and two wailing kids were just too much for me.  At that moment, Mercy Me's "Move" came on the  radio and I heard the lyrics "there's gonna be brighter days".  It was perfectly timed.


3.  This weather!  Love, love, love the warm temperatures.  It is so nice to get to the park to burn off some of Audrey's energy.  


4.  Meals from friends.  Man, we have been blessed with some delicious food lately!  The last three weeks we've had 3-4 meals brought to us each week and are covered with at least three per week until the end of March.  This is such a big help right now and we greatly appreciate it!  


5.  This week's song is a lullaby called Godspeed.  When I first heard this song years ago, I dreamed of having a son to sing it to.  God is good. 

Already...

Luke is two weeks old today.  TWO weeks.  These past fourteen days have been a flurry of doctor's appointments, visitors, nursing sessions, and diaper changes.  It has flown.  Last night after I fed him, I took a moment.  Instead of rushing to swaddle him and lay him in his nap nanny (lifesaver on loan from my brother) so we could get to sleep quickly, I just held him close on my chest and smelled his head.  "HOW are you already two weeks?" I wondered.  He grunted.  I cried.


Unless God has other plans (that include me in an insane asylum), never again will I feel a baby move inside of me.  Never again will I watch myself morph into a house and then give birth.  I won't have to shop in the maternity section any more (praise Jesus.)  I won't grasp David's hand and pray as we witness the first ultrasound, hear a speeding heartbeat, or get to share the news and gender with friends and family.  There will be no more whirlwind hospital stays or fanfare homecomings.  Lest you think I'm suggesting we're not through, let me clarify:  We are.  But that only makes it more sobering.


Already he's lost his umbilical cord stump.  Already he's growing out of his newborn clothes.  Already he's had his first sponge bath, his first outing, and his first professional photo session.  


I know there's a lot left ahead of us.  A LOT.  Obviously.  But if it's anything like the last two weeks have been, it's gonna fly.  And it's gonna be harder to cope with each passing milestone this time around.  Each one of Audrey's was so special because it was all of our firsts.  Each one of Luke's will be special because it's all of our lasts.  And so far, that stings a little bit more.


I'm praying that in the middle of these hectic, crazy days where one hand is holding a book for my toddler and the other is busy nursing a newborn that I can take a moment and soak it up.  These are some of the greatest and toughest and short-lived days of our lives.  In my rush to return to full nights of sleep and life outside of these four walls, I don't want to miss the war stories that make me appreciate earning those stripes.  May the sweet moments linger a little bit longer and be the ones on which we build our memories.

February 2012 Recap

Obviously the biggest news of the month was the arrival of our precious Luke on the 22nd.  Things are going very well and, up until two nights ago, we were still amazed at how much sleep we were getting considering we have a newborn in the house.  6-7 hours a night (in shifts, of course) and a 45 minute nap each day were pretty good to me, especially considering I've been suffering from insomnia for the past 9 months.  However, Luke is starting to wake himself a bit more at night plus we had terrible storms on Friday that kept Audrey awake, so the past two nights have been as exhausting as I recall the early days can be.  Still, we're in better shape than we were with Audrey.  I think a lot of that is due to the fact that we got more rest in the hospital this time around and Luke didn't have his days and nights switched like Audrey did.  So far, at least.  Also, experience tells you to rest, rest, rest every second you get, so we have been.  


In other February news:


On top of a million OB appointments and final to-dos, this month also seemed to be full of last-minute socialization efforts.  As if we knew we were going to be stuck indoors for quite some time, we lined up play dates and meals with friends like crazy.  We went to Catch Air and INK Children's Museum, both of which I highly recommend.  I had two lunch dates with two sweet women, we had two double-date dinners with two of our favorite couples, and we had a family lunch with some of our oldest and closest friends.  One of the most special meals was David and Audrey's Daddy-Daughter Date Night at the beginning of the month.  It's an event sponsored by Chick-fil-A in an effort to encourage strong father-daughter relationships.  We talked it up big time and Audrey felt so special getting dressed up and taking pictures with Daddy.  I gave her my deep motherly advice before they left:  use your manners, engage him in good conversation, and eat as much as you want.  They both came back excited about what a great time they'd had, with a pink carnation and two chocolate chip cookies to prove it.  I hope we can be intentional about continuing to plan those sweet and important times for the two of them.


Another special event for her this month was a Saturday that we deemed "Audrey's Special Day."  I honestly can't remember whether I've posted about this yet or not, so forgive me if it's old news.  We wanted to soak up some last "family of three" time and really make her feel doted on before she had to share the spotlight.  So we headed to Build A Bear Workshop and let her build two bears - one for her and one to take Luke in the hospital when he was born.  She had such a blast doing that and still talks about giving the bears, Teddy and Barry, "baths" in the store.  After that, we let her ride the merry-go-round, ate Chick-fil-A (her favorite) for lunch, tossed pennies in the fountain, and got a cookie for dessert.  She loved every minute of it and we did too.  

Here are some other quips, quotes, and stories from this month:

• AJ loves talking on the phone to people now.  Every time I'm about to call David she wants to do it herself and actually holds a pretty decent conversation!  

• She also loves mazes these days and I am aMAZEd (ha - get it?) at how well she can do them by tracing with her finger.  

• There is a song I sing to Audrey called "Oh Be Careful" and it fills in parts of the body ("little eyes what you see", "little ears what you hear" etc.)  One line says "...little heart whom you trust."  She asked what that meant and I explained that God can help us tell the difference between someone that could be a good friend and someone who may not be so nice.  She immediately said, "Like Gowieff? (Goliath)  Gowieff would not be a good friend."  True.

• Her prayers are becoming increasingly personal and hilarious.  Just some examples of things she has prayed about lately:  the planets that no one lives on, the number four, that her cousin Annelise gets to watch a show on the long drive up to visit us, learning her letters, and that Luke won't cry.

• New things Audrey is learning:  the planets, the color wheel (which primary color combinations make what colors), and coins/money.  We're also continuing to work with her on sight words and have about 10 things labeled downstairs (clock, lamp, chair, window, etc.) but I must admit that's not getting a whole lot of reinforcement right now.  Hopefully just having them out is doing some good. 

• I have NO idea where she picked it up, but twice this week alone she's said "Nobody cares about me..."  It honestly makes me feel more angry than guilty because she's said it with such blatant intent of manipulation.  We try not to show too much of a reaction so we don't reinforce it.  

• Funny vocabulary words she's picked up:  Cooperating ("Mommy help!  This blanket is not cooperating!"), nocturnal, instructions, directions, and transportation.  For several months she's also been calling binoculars "noculars", which I find adorable.  

• Another cute phrase we've taught her is "cut a rug".  Now she'll exclaim as she's dancing, "Come cut a rug with me, Daddy!"  He never can resist an invitation like that.

I have to admit I don't have a lot of Luke stories just yet.  He's stinkin adorable, yes, but not incredibly active thus far.  I hope to write a separate post very soon, so check back.

February pictures have already been posted in the Picasa gallery, but feel free to revisit them for a guaranteed pick-me-up. :)

Happy March, Everyone!  I am so excited about the warmer temps and the fun Spring days ahead.  

Tea Party

I accidentally left this picture out of the Picasa album I uploaded last night.  Thought it was cute enough to warrant an entire post by itself: