Thursday, November 20, 2014

To my baby kangaroo - Week 10

This week was another part time week at work. Thank goodness, because I need those breaks between work days! Partly because working physically and mentally wears me down differently than being home with a baby, but also because I need those baby snuggles! 

Your two month appointment was last Friday. You were right at 12 pounds, and 23.5 inches long. 90th percentile for both! You had some vaccinations and were not happy about the shots. You cried; there were three syringes full. You spent the day with your dad and grandma and slept all day, and slept all night too. No other side effects, thankfully!
You went to the sitter twice so far this week, and you have a little friend there. He is a couple months older than you and bald, and the sitter puts you on the playmat together. You talk and smile at each other, and she even caught you holding hands! Lol, your first boyfriend (your daddy is not happy about that!). You may go to the sitters on Friday, but it depends on if your dad wants to hunt again or not. He took off work today to hunt because this is the last weekend of deer season and he didn't get anything last weekend. He already got two deer this morning but they were both small. I am convinced we could survive if we were pioneers. Between his hunting and fishing, and my gardening, we would have enough food, I think. 


You are between sizes of 0-3 and 3-6 month onesies. The small ones fit you OK except the arms are a little short and they are not quite large enough to fit over the cloth diapers. 

We ran some errands this week. I had to get my faculty ID card, parking pass and some more information about the class I am teaching this spring. We spent 6 hours in town on Tuesday and you were worn out! (So was I! Carting you around, whether in my arms, or in the carseat, is hard work!)


I am pumping at work, three times during the day. So far I have gotten more than you need to eat at the sitter's house, so I am freezing the excess. You take 12 ounces at the sitter's house (the rule of thumb for breastmilk is a 1 to 1.5 oz per hour), and you are there for 10 hours. I pump 14 to 19 oz between the three sessions. I know if I wasn't taking care of myself my milk production would be less, but I eat lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and drink upwards of a gallon of water a day (not including 1-2 cups of coffee and other liquids). I am definitely hungrier than when I was pregnant. And the weight keeps falling off. I am now down 40 pounds from the day I went into the hospital. I don't mind! My pants are starting to fall off though, and I'm concerned that I am losing muscle mass since I haven't lifted weights in 3 months. 
Once this week you slept from 9pm to 5am. The other nights you slept from 8 to midnight, ate, then slept until 430, ate, and then slept until it was time to get up for the day. If you are sleeping when I wake up I let you keep sleeping so I can eat breakfast and get partially ready for work before I get you up. (I wait to change shirts until you are finished eating because you like to drool on my shoulder...)

Thursday, November 13, 2014

To My Baby Kangaroo - Week 9


This week we put you in the high chair for the first time. It is a little big for you still, and after I snapped this photo I wedged a small blanket on each side of you to keep you more upright. I thought you might like sitting in the high chair since it sits higher than the swing. Then you're able to watch me better when I'm making dinner. But your swing has a mobile on it, with a toucan and frog, that you like to watch. 

Here you are in the swing, with the mobile moved out of the way. You've started grasping items, like this small stuffed bear that Grandma Wilma made. You like to chew on it, and sometimes I look over at you and you're chewing on the arm but aren't holding on to the bear otherwise... 
We're still doing a little tummy time each day. But you have been stubborn this last week and just lay there with your head down instead of picking it up and working on your neck and shoulder muscles. 
I found a brand of cloth diapers, Rumparooz, that makes diapers with baby kangaroos on them. We now have three of those diapers. They are the cutest diapers in our stash so far. 
You've drooled a lot the last couple weeks, and chew on your hands a lot more than usual. I don't know if you are teething or just finding your hands. I felt around in your mouth for teeth but I don't feel anything. But maybe I don't know what I'm feeling for!
You smile without being prompted. And you sometimes make a laugh, but not a deep belly laugh, more like a giggle as you are inhaling. 
I try to read a story to you each day, too, with you sitting on my lap. This day we were reading from a Curious George collection. 
This was my last day at home with you before I went back to work part time. I'm getting better at taking selfies with you, but definitely took several shots before both of us were in the photo.. lol
I got us a different Ergo carrier. Turns out the other one we had was counterfeit. Craziness. I returned it to the ebay seller and got a full refund, and then got this one. The quality is so much better than the other one! This week I strapped you in it while I vacuumed. 
Showing off some baby leg warmers! They are easier than pants since you are in cloth diapers. Pants aren't typically big enough in the tushy unless we go up a size, and then they are huge everywhere. 

I started back part time at work yesterday. I'm working tomorrow (Friday), and then three days a week for the next three weeks. I start back full time the second week of December. Yesterday wasn't bad, because I had software training the whole day (that I had forgotten about), so I was distracted. I have so many emails to get through, and two code books to read before the Board of Appeals meeting in December. We are adopting the new building codes and I need to review them and make recommendations to the Board before we adopt them...

Your two month appointment is tomorrow and you get some vaccines!

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

to my baby kangaroo - Week 8

This is my last full week at home with you.  I am simultaneously sad and excited to go back to work. Also a little anxious to be a working mom.  Well, I don't have much of a choice...

You can entertain yourself on your playmat.  I can lay you on it and go shower or work on dinner and you wave your arms around and coo. We are also looking for a bouncer seat for you. At dinner you sit in your swing and watch us. Today at lunch I put you in your highchair and I think you liked sitting higher. 

Last month I picked up this onesie for you. Yes, that is camo with ruffles.  There is a butt ruffle, too. Your dad is getting ready for deer season. 

Yesterday was election day.  You went with me to vote.  It was your second experience voting.  Last time,  for the primaries,  you were still in the womb.  The old folks manning the polls thought you were very cute,  and even gave you an "I voted" sticker. 

We are two weeks into our cloth diaper experience. I love it.  I love that I don't feel like I am wasting a diaper when there is barely anything in it.  I love that our trashcan for the burn barrel isn't full of stinky diapers.  I love the cute fabrics.  I have been washing about twice a week, and have about 35 diapers. I was trying to get into a routine before going back to work.  I know going back to work will present some changes in my routine.  I'll have different prep work in the evenings.  Instead of packing a gym bag and my lunch,  I have to get your milk and diapers ready,  and my lunch and pumping bag.  I don't think I will go to the gym until I stop pumping.  I need to pump at lunch (in addition to two other times), and since I have to pick you up from the sitter by 5:30, I don't have time to go work out. Eventually,  your grandma may pick you up a couple nights a week so I can workout. 

We hit a milestone in nursing.  Yesterday you finally stopped using the nipple shield.  We went all day yesterday and today without it. Finally!  One less thing to think about when I leave the house.  I hope this doesn't change once you start taking a bottle everyday at the sitters.  

The time change messed with your sleep schedule.  Now you go to sleep around 9/930 and wake up around 230/3. Which works better for me.  I am much better rested and not so exhausted by the time I finally get to bed. 
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