Samuel's 4th birthday was on New Year's Eve. Colin and I can't believe 1) that we have a four year old; and 2) that we have three kids. When did that happen?! At any rate, due to Juliet's early delivery, we have yet to buy some Christmas presents and we didn't have a moment to plan a party for Samuel. So, it was intimate - just family and he still had fun. One of these years we will have to plan a wonderful party for him.
He specifically requested this cake - chocolate with half black and half white frosting.
Here's Juliet during a diaper change - look at her little tummy!
Ok, so she had a bit of a goopy eye that I couldn't Photoshop out, but she was getting ready to go to her first doctor appointment here. She's doing great - gaining weight like a champ (even without the formula added to my breast milk!).
Here's her first bath at home - it was like thirty seconds long because she was cold and screaming. I'm not sure she even got all that clean, but the nurses in the NICU claim that babies this age don't get that dirty. I'm not sure I believe them.
This is how she spends the bulk of every day downstairs - in the Pack N Play surrounded and swaddled in layers of blankets with an arm covering her face.
She always tries to block out the world with her hands. She has very long fingers and we are not sure where they came from.
She also discovered her lungs last night -so if you see me and I have bags under my eyes (which I always do these days), you will know why. I find myself stumbling downstairs at about 7 a.m. making a beeline for the coffee each morning. I think caffeine is the only thing getting me through right now. So tell me, if you have dealt with the newborn stage, what was your vice to get through the sleepless nights? I remember my friend Wisa told me she would drink a cup of coffee at 10 p.m. and not think twice about it. Brilliant. I may have to try that. One of my friends from church said she read her Bible during the late night nursings, making the most of the quiet nighttime hours.
6 comments:
Okay seriously, that picture of her getting her diaper changed-is that a mullet I see? Only your kids would actually be born with a mullet!!
Sleepless nights, hmmmm...trade off with your hubby since she is bottle feeding, have a chick flick going, write in a journal. Well, those are ideas for when you are actually up. Not much advice as far as making it through the day being sleepy!! She is looking like you Kami! And she looks like a little girl, I love it!! Sorry, this is a long comment. I can tell it has been a couple days since we talked!! :O)
During the wee hours, I pray for all the other new moms I know (who are probably up and nursing or comforting too.) It helps me to get my mind off of my own misery! (of course, keeping a list of names by the rocker helps when the brain refuses to function...) :o)
Hey Kami! As usual great pictures of the kids. My lifesavers when DG was this young....mega doses of Vitamin B and B 12 and B 6 ....every morning along with coffee.......I couldn't cope without them. Funny....I am still addicted to them. LOL!
The thing that worked for me was to nurse in bed so I could still kind of sleep. We had a little co-sleeper that worked really well to keep the baby safe but close by. Even after they were too big for that I would still nurse in bed and then put them back in the crib. Laying in my cozy bed just seemed to make it easier. Although with her being so little it might be hard to teach her to nurse lying down. Anyway... Congratulations!! She is beautiful and I am so glad she is home and healthy!
All I can say is that it passes oh so quickly. My "baby" is now 3!! What got me through the 3rd time was nursing in bed. I know that everyone thinks they'll be in your bed forever...but at some point it ends. She still comes into our room often and "stays the night". I know that when she's 12 and doesn't want to do that anymore...I will fondly remember these days. Remember that old saying the longest days and shortest years of your life!! ;)
Oh, it's hurting me to even really think about the tiresome newborn stage, but I will be at it again come July so...ready or not. I do remember napping for about an hour solid each evening when my husband would get home. I would hand him the fed baby and go to bed. We were in survival mode. I really tried to make sure that he got good undisturbed sleep at night so that I wouldn't feel guilty doing that to him...whenever possible.
Oh, and anyone who offers you help-USE THEM!
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