Abbie is still a fuss-budget in the evenings...now it starts even earlier. Unfortunately it's very impractical for us to put her to bed any earlier than 7, since dinner is at 6, I'm usually, cooking dinner/eating dinner and Brett is rarely home any earlier than 6:30. So, tonight (as well as a few nights this past week), we have broken down and rocked her, and rocked her, and rocked her to sleep. It's exhausting.
Bryce has the first cold of the new school year. He's not in school. I'm not sure where he encountered this cold, he's been home since Abbie was born...he's having a hard time not touching and kissing his baby, I don't think he fully understands that a sick baby would be a TERRIBLE thing right now...especially considering her nightly fussiness. I feel bad for him, he clearly feels like crap and needs lots of love and attention right now. We try so hard, but he still takes a back seat to the baby a lot of the time. He takes it in stride, he's so laid back and understanding, well beyond his years.
Brett has been particularly grumpy the last few days, as have I. By the end of the work week, sleep deprivation has sent in BIG TIME for me (I'm the only one getting up with the baby during the week, Brett and I alternate on the weekends). Worse, I think I may be getting Bryce's cold, so I'm really dreading next week. And of course, I've already loaded next week down with activities galore. Dentist appointments, swimming lessons starting for Bryce, band/choir practice at church, my 6 week post-partum visit. Good Lord.
After re-reading the above, I've decided I'm going to bed early. Just reading this is exhausting. :)
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Princess Poops-A-Lot...
Is Abbie's nickname now. For *hopefully* obvious reasons. Brett assures me he did, but I don't ever remember Bryce's bowels being so...well, active.
She's either got a ripe diaper, or she's working on a ripe diaper. For the first 3-4 weeks, I can count on one hand how many diapers I changed that did not contain solid (or mostly solid) material.
I hope you aren't eating while reading this. My humble apologies if your meal is no longer appetizing.
Abbie now has a fussy time every evening. 7 to 9-ish every night is the time that, no matter, what we do, she just cries. She acts hungry, so we feed her and she rejects her bottle. She seems gassy so we try and pound the gas out of her (we're really quite gentle, honest), nothing comes out. She acts tired, we rock, and rock, and rock her, the minute we stop, she wakes up and...cries (my mom thinks this part is hilarious, because I apparently did this to my dad as an infant, all the time). Then, like a miracle, around 9 or so, she takes her bottle, burps easily and passes out without so much as a whimper. Perplexing. Luckily, this is our second "dog and pony show," so Brett and I haven't tried to kill each other yet. We just pass her back and forth for 2-3 hours until one of us has some success.
Last night, I took a friend's advice and tried to feed and burp her, bathe her and put her down for bed before the fussiness began. And it worked! Here's hoping it works again tonight!
PRAY FOR US! :)
She's either got a ripe diaper, or she's working on a ripe diaper. For the first 3-4 weeks, I can count on one hand how many diapers I changed that did not contain solid (or mostly solid) material.
I hope you aren't eating while reading this. My humble apologies if your meal is no longer appetizing.
Abbie now has a fussy time every evening. 7 to 9-ish every night is the time that, no matter, what we do, she just cries. She acts hungry, so we feed her and she rejects her bottle. She seems gassy so we try and pound the gas out of her (we're really quite gentle, honest), nothing comes out. She acts tired, we rock, and rock, and rock her, the minute we stop, she wakes up and...cries (my mom thinks this part is hilarious, because I apparently did this to my dad as an infant, all the time). Then, like a miracle, around 9 or so, she takes her bottle, burps easily and passes out without so much as a whimper. Perplexing. Luckily, this is our second "dog and pony show," so Brett and I haven't tried to kill each other yet. We just pass her back and forth for 2-3 hours until one of us has some success.
Last night, I took a friend's advice and tried to feed and burp her, bathe her and put her down for bed before the fussiness began. And it worked! Here's hoping it works again tonight!
PRAY FOR US! :)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Life With Abbie
My baby girl is almost 4 weeks old...and just one week shy of one month old. She already looks different and bigger to me than she did at birth. She is an extremely easy baby (knock on wood), and though she wakes up very regularly to eat at night, she most always goes right back to sleep. I am able to nurse her and I just get such a rush of joy and love when I am able to cuddle my little girl and stare into her blueberry eyes.
Bryce is very protective of his baby. I've overheard him on more than one occasion telling someone who is looking at her that she is very fragile and they must use hand sanitizer before they hold her. He constantly hugs and kisses on her, and wants to know where she is if she's not right with us. People ask him what he thinks of his sister or if he's a good big brother. I think he's finally getting a little tired of that question, because his answers have gone from an emphatic "yes, I'm a great big brother!" to an almost annoyed "yeah, she's great and I'm great." I think it's becoming very taxing on him to not be the center of attention...at least for now. If I know my boy like I think I do, he'll quickly find ways to steal the limelight from his baby sister in the near future. But for now, he's a least being civil about folks oohing and aahing over his baby.
Brett has told me that Abbie already has him wrapped around her finger. He is so relaxed and natural this time around, so patient with her and still managing to find lots of things to do with Bryce so he doesn't feel left out. He went back to work last week, so I've been flying solo at night, but he's quite the champ on the weekends. Even lets me sleep in from time to time!
Balancing the two kiddos is difficult, but not as hard as I thought it would be. I've learned that as soon as Abbie's done nursing, that's the best time to make meals, take a shower or head off for errands...I have about 2 1/2 to 3 hours before she'll be ready to eat again. I probably put Bryce in front of a movie more than I should, but luckily the sun is still shining and our teachers are still striking, so the neighbor kids and bicycling have kept Bryce occupied while I learn to entertain two.
Bryce is very protective of his baby. I've overheard him on more than one occasion telling someone who is looking at her that she is very fragile and they must use hand sanitizer before they hold her. He constantly hugs and kisses on her, and wants to know where she is if she's not right with us. People ask him what he thinks of his sister or if he's a good big brother. I think he's finally getting a little tired of that question, because his answers have gone from an emphatic "yes, I'm a great big brother!" to an almost annoyed "yeah, she's great and I'm great." I think it's becoming very taxing on him to not be the center of attention...at least for now. If I know my boy like I think I do, he'll quickly find ways to steal the limelight from his baby sister in the near future. But for now, he's a least being civil about folks oohing and aahing over his baby.
Brett has told me that Abbie already has him wrapped around her finger. He is so relaxed and natural this time around, so patient with her and still managing to find lots of things to do with Bryce so he doesn't feel left out. He went back to work last week, so I've been flying solo at night, but he's quite the champ on the weekends. Even lets me sleep in from time to time!
Balancing the two kiddos is difficult, but not as hard as I thought it would be. I've learned that as soon as Abbie's done nursing, that's the best time to make meals, take a shower or head off for errands...I have about 2 1/2 to 3 hours before she'll be ready to eat again. I probably put Bryce in front of a movie more than I should, but luckily the sun is still shining and our teachers are still striking, so the neighbor kids and bicycling have kept Bryce occupied while I learn to entertain two.
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