Yesterday was probably about as good as a day with a newborn can get. Perrin woke up in a good mood, and while I took a shower, he sat in the bathroom in his car seat and grinned at Trey's towel. (On a side note, we'd tried all morning to get him to smile at us before Trey left for work, but he just stared at us, wide-eyed. It's kind of sad that a towel was the clear winner, but oh well.) After I fed him, we went for a stroll around the block. It was a gorgeous day, and Perrin enjoyed looking around at the trees and at various parts of the stroller. (Again, I'm not sure what the appeal is there, but hey, as long as it keeps him occupied...)
He took a nice, long nap around noon so I was able to eat lunch and get a few things done around the house. When he woke up, I took him on the deck and read a book while he sat in his seat in the shade and watched Molly. Then I took him inside and laid down with him on a blanket on the floor and made funny faces at him. He made funny faces back and even smiled at me a few times.
Around dinner time, I put him in his swing, and he didn't put up a fight about it at all. Once again, I got to eat a meal without him screaming! Then it was time for a bath. Perrin LOVES bath time. He wasn't so fond of sponge baths, but stick him down in a tub full of warm water and he's as happy as can be! I climbed in with him and scrubbed him up really good.
I fed him one last time around 8:30, and Trey rocked him to sleep and put him down in his crib. He fell asleep fairly quickly and slept for six and a half glorious hours before waking up hungry. Not too shabby for a six-week-old. Now if only he'd have days like this more often...
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Scary times
When I was pregnant, a lot of people told me what it would be like to have a baby. They said it would be hard; they said it would be fun. They'd said I'd be sleep deprived, that I'd change more diapers than I could imagine, and that it would all be so worth it. One thing nobody told me was how absolutely terrifying it is to be a parent. You have this tiny, helpless person who is so dependent on you that you worry constantly for his safety. Then when something bad actually does happen, even if it's minor, it's really scary!
Example: Last night, Perrin got stung by a wasp. Trey and I absolutely freaked out. We felt like the worst parents ever that we would allow our little 5-week-old baby to get stung by a wasp. And we were truly worried for him. He screamed like a banshee while Trey dialed the after-hours number to get in touch with the nurse on call. I guess that number is technically supposed to be for emergencies, and while a wasp sting is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, we really just felt like we needed some assurance that it didn't mean instant death.
The nurse assured us that from our description, it didn't sound as if he was having an allergic reaction. And we managed to get him calmed down within about 20 minutes. Wonder of wonders, he even fell asleep soon afterwards.
When I think about the next 18 years and how many times I'm going to freak out about Perrin's well-being, I get really tired. I was totally flipping out, even though a wasp sting isn't really a big deal. Even so, if you see a wasp today, smash him for me. Smash him hard.
Example: Last night, Perrin got stung by a wasp. Trey and I absolutely freaked out. We felt like the worst parents ever that we would allow our little 5-week-old baby to get stung by a wasp. And we were truly worried for him. He screamed like a banshee while Trey dialed the after-hours number to get in touch with the nurse on call. I guess that number is technically supposed to be for emergencies, and while a wasp sting is not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things, we really just felt like we needed some assurance that it didn't mean instant death.
The nurse assured us that from our description, it didn't sound as if he was having an allergic reaction. And we managed to get him calmed down within about 20 minutes. Wonder of wonders, he even fell asleep soon afterwards.
When I think about the next 18 years and how many times I'm going to freak out about Perrin's well-being, I get really tired. I was totally flipping out, even though a wasp sting isn't really a big deal. Even so, if you see a wasp today, smash him for me. Smash him hard.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Where's the mute button?!
Our sweet baby has given us quite a challenging week. For one thing, I think he might be going through a growth spurt, because he suddenly wants to nurse constantly. Pretty much every hour when he's awake. It's exhausting! (I'm actually typing this one-handed as I feed him. Impressed with my multi-tasking abilities? I am.) For another thing, he's been awake a lot more this week, and when he hasn't been nursing, he's been crying. I can usually get him to settle down for a while, but as soon as I put him down, he starts up again. Trey and I have tried all kinds of tactics to keep from losing our sanity:
1. Bribery. "Perrin, what do you want? I'll give you anything you want. Do you want a pony? I'll buy you a pony if you'll just stop crying and go to sleep!" (I really did say this to Perrin, but he didn't keep up his end of the bargain on that particular night, so no pony).
2. Humor. Sometimes I really just have to try not to take the situation too seriously, or I'll want to pull my hair out. I'll say something like, "Perrin, I'm going to put you to bed now, and I don't want your evil twin taking over and waking me up in an hour. Okay? Okay." (Of course, it's not so funny when the "evil twin" really does wake up screaming an hour later.)
3. Prayer: Along the lines of "Dear Lord, HEEEEEEEEELP!"
4. Going down "the list": Feed him. Change him. Burp him. Swaddle him. Carry him. Jiggle him. Sing to him. Rock him. By the end of the night, he may not be ready for bed, but we sure are!
Good thing he's so cute... it's impossible to stay irritated with him for long.
1. Bribery. "Perrin, what do you want? I'll give you anything you want. Do you want a pony? I'll buy you a pony if you'll just stop crying and go to sleep!" (I really did say this to Perrin, but he didn't keep up his end of the bargain on that particular night, so no pony).
2. Humor. Sometimes I really just have to try not to take the situation too seriously, or I'll want to pull my hair out. I'll say something like, "Perrin, I'm going to put you to bed now, and I don't want your evil twin taking over and waking me up in an hour. Okay? Okay." (Of course, it's not so funny when the "evil twin" really does wake up screaming an hour later.)
3. Prayer: Along the lines of "Dear Lord, HEEEEEEEEELP!"
4. Going down "the list": Feed him. Change him. Burp him. Swaddle him. Carry him. Jiggle him. Sing to him. Rock him. By the end of the night, he may not be ready for bed, but we sure are!
Good thing he's so cute... it's impossible to stay irritated with him for long.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Hello, my name is Food
Sometimes I wonder if Perrin has any idea that I'm his mom. Does he distinguish me from all the other people who pick him up and cuddle him? Maybe not. One thing I'm pretty sure about--he does recognize that I'm his source of food. But I hope he thinks of me as more than just food.
Trey doesn't help with this much... sometimes when he gets Perrin out of his crib in the morning, he'll carry him to me and say, "Look, Perrin! There's Breakfast! Let's go say hi to Breakfast!"
It's weird but true. I am breakfast. And lunch and dinner and about 8 other meals in between. To tell the truth, it's quite amazing the way a woman's body is designed to be able to provide the most perfect, nutritious, beneficial meal possible to her baby. But it's also a thankless, time-consuming, and sometimes painful job.
Someday Perrin will recognize me as his mom. Someday he'll love me for more than just the food I provide him. Until then, just call me Breakfast.
Trey doesn't help with this much... sometimes when he gets Perrin out of his crib in the morning, he'll carry him to me and say, "Look, Perrin! There's Breakfast! Let's go say hi to Breakfast!"
It's weird but true. I am breakfast. And lunch and dinner and about 8 other meals in between. To tell the truth, it's quite amazing the way a woman's body is designed to be able to provide the most perfect, nutritious, beneficial meal possible to her baby. But it's also a thankless, time-consuming, and sometimes painful job.
Someday Perrin will recognize me as his mom. Someday he'll love me for more than just the food I provide him. Until then, just call me Breakfast.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
A day with a newborn
I always wondered what exactly it would be like to take care of a baby day in and day out. For all my childless friends out there who wonder the same thing, here's how my day usually goes:
12 AM:Change and feed Perrin and attempt to go back to sleep.
3 AM: Change and feed Perrin and attempt to go back to sleep.
6 AM: Change and feed Perrin and attempt to go back to sleep.
7 AM-9 AM: Perrin usually sleeps pretty well through the morning, so I sleep in too. I've always been a morning person and generally never slept past 7 or 7:30. Those days are gone. If Perrin is sleeping in, I'm sleeping in.
9 AM: Time to get out of bed. Hopefully Perrin is still sleeping, which gives me a little time to take a shower before he wakes up ready to eat again.
9:15 AM: It's inevitable: halfway through the shower, Perrin wakes up crying. I rinse off, jump out of the shower, speed dry, and rush into the nursery. He's in desperate need of a diaper change and acts like he hasn't eaten in ages. Oh, and he's managed to leak through his diaper, so I change his clothes too. And his sheets.
10 AM: Perrin is clean and fed. I'd really like to finish getting dressed, brush my teeth, and grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast... or at least a glass of juice if breakfast is out of the question. Perrin is wide awake and not interested in staying in his crib. I attempt to put him in his swing, but he's been alone all night and is ready to be held and cuddled... and what the boss wants, the boss gets.
10 AM-12 PM: I check a few emails, catch up with friends on Facebook,and read the news online. I mostly do it one-handed so I can hold Perrin. This will be easier once he can hold his head up on his own. I take breaks from the computer to change him and feed him again. If he gets fussy, I'll walk around the house with him. That seems to calm him down.
12:30 PM: He's asleep! Praise the Lord! I may or may not have had time for breakfast, but either way, I'm hungry. I grab a quick bite to eat, and since Perrin is still asleep, I also throw together a load of laundry and run the dishwasher. If he's still asleep after all that, I just might sit down to do something mundane and enjoyable, like reading or updating my blog.
2 PM: Perrin wakes up and needs to be changed and fed again.
3 PM: Tummy time! I place Perrin on a blanket on the floor and let him squirm around on his belly. It's good exercise for him and will help him develop the muscles he needs to crawl. He really looks like he's trying to go somewhere. Maybe he'll be an early crawler.
4 PM: Time to feed and change him again.
4:30 PM: Trey is home! Time for some father-son snuggle time while I sort through the mail and do some light housework. If Trey's lucky, I might consider making something for dinner.
6 PM: We try to coax Perrin to sleep so that we can have a quiet dinner together. No such luck. I end up holding him with one hand (awkwardly) and eating with the other (also awkwardly... and trying my hardest not to drop food particles on Perrin's head). Some days he'll let us put him in his swing while we eat. Strange how much I enjoy just being able to savor my food and talk to Trey during dinner time--something I really took for granted before!
6:30 PM: Time to feed and change him again.
7:30 PM: Bath time! Perrin hates baths, but I love when he smells all clean and fresh. Plus he looks super cute bundled up in his hooded towel.
8:30 PM: We try to get Perrin to go to sleep for the night, but he's crying. We swaddle him, carry him around, feed him again, then let him snuggle in our bed with us while we read for a bit. If we're lucky, he'll get nice and sleepy and we can put him down for the night. If we're not lucky, we might end up carrying him around for quite awhile until he's cried enough to wear himself out. At some point, he does fall asleep.
That's my day in a nutshell. Taking care of a newborn is definitely a full-time job!
12 AM:Change and feed Perrin and attempt to go back to sleep.
3 AM: Change and feed Perrin and attempt to go back to sleep.
6 AM: Change and feed Perrin and attempt to go back to sleep.
7 AM-9 AM: Perrin usually sleeps pretty well through the morning, so I sleep in too. I've always been a morning person and generally never slept past 7 or 7:30. Those days are gone. If Perrin is sleeping in, I'm sleeping in.
9 AM: Time to get out of bed. Hopefully Perrin is still sleeping, which gives me a little time to take a shower before he wakes up ready to eat again.
9:15 AM: It's inevitable: halfway through the shower, Perrin wakes up crying. I rinse off, jump out of the shower, speed dry, and rush into the nursery. He's in desperate need of a diaper change and acts like he hasn't eaten in ages. Oh, and he's managed to leak through his diaper, so I change his clothes too. And his sheets.
10 AM: Perrin is clean and fed. I'd really like to finish getting dressed, brush my teeth, and grab a quick bite to eat for breakfast... or at least a glass of juice if breakfast is out of the question. Perrin is wide awake and not interested in staying in his crib. I attempt to put him in his swing, but he's been alone all night and is ready to be held and cuddled... and what the boss wants, the boss gets.
10 AM-12 PM: I check a few emails, catch up with friends on Facebook,and read the news online. I mostly do it one-handed so I can hold Perrin. This will be easier once he can hold his head up on his own. I take breaks from the computer to change him and feed him again. If he gets fussy, I'll walk around the house with him. That seems to calm him down.
12:30 PM: He's asleep! Praise the Lord! I may or may not have had time for breakfast, but either way, I'm hungry. I grab a quick bite to eat, and since Perrin is still asleep, I also throw together a load of laundry and run the dishwasher. If he's still asleep after all that, I just might sit down to do something mundane and enjoyable, like reading or updating my blog.
2 PM: Perrin wakes up and needs to be changed and fed again.
3 PM: Tummy time! I place Perrin on a blanket on the floor and let him squirm around on his belly. It's good exercise for him and will help him develop the muscles he needs to crawl. He really looks like he's trying to go somewhere. Maybe he'll be an early crawler.
4 PM: Time to feed and change him again.
4:30 PM: Trey is home! Time for some father-son snuggle time while I sort through the mail and do some light housework. If Trey's lucky, I might consider making something for dinner.
6 PM: We try to coax Perrin to sleep so that we can have a quiet dinner together. No such luck. I end up holding him with one hand (awkwardly) and eating with the other (also awkwardly... and trying my hardest not to drop food particles on Perrin's head). Some days he'll let us put him in his swing while we eat. Strange how much I enjoy just being able to savor my food and talk to Trey during dinner time--something I really took for granted before!
6:30 PM: Time to feed and change him again.
7:30 PM: Bath time! Perrin hates baths, but I love when he smells all clean and fresh. Plus he looks super cute bundled up in his hooded towel.
8:30 PM: We try to get Perrin to go to sleep for the night, but he's crying. We swaddle him, carry him around, feed him again, then let him snuggle in our bed with us while we read for a bit. If we're lucky, he'll get nice and sleepy and we can put him down for the night. If we're not lucky, we might end up carrying him around for quite awhile until he's cried enough to wear himself out. At some point, he does fall asleep.
That's my day in a nutshell. Taking care of a newborn is definitely a full-time job!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Epidural--my new best friend
Our sweet little Perrin is finally here!! He's cute and healthy and a lot of fun (except when he's screaming in the middle of the night, of course). And I am REALLY happy to not be pregnant anymore.
Unfortunately, I had a really long and tough labor. In a nutshell: contractions HURT! If my labor had progressed quickly, I wouldn't have had to experience much pain before getting my epidural. But that wasn't the case... I had painful contractions for about 50 hours before I finally went into active labor. The contractions weren't causing me to dilate any further, so I had no choice but to suffer through them and pray that I would finally start making progress soon.
When I finally got my epidural around 1:00 AM Saturday morning (Feb 20th), I wanted to jump up and down with joy. (Of course, I couldn't do any jumping since I wasn't able to feel anything from the waist down). It was just such a relief to not feel pain anymore! Trey and I fell asleep and stayed that way for most of the night. The nurse came in and checked me every so often to let me know how far along I was. Then, around 6:30 AM, it was time to start pushing. I'll spare the gory details... but lets just say that poor Trey wasn't quite prepared for what he saw. (I told him not to watch. Did he listen to me? No. So it's not my fault that he nearly passed out).
Anyway, we survived. And Perrin is well worth the 9 months of pregnancy and a long, tough labor. He's snuggled up on Trey's chest right now, sleeping. So cute!
Unfortunately, I had a really long and tough labor. In a nutshell: contractions HURT! If my labor had progressed quickly, I wouldn't have had to experience much pain before getting my epidural. But that wasn't the case... I had painful contractions for about 50 hours before I finally went into active labor. The contractions weren't causing me to dilate any further, so I had no choice but to suffer through them and pray that I would finally start making progress soon.
When I finally got my epidural around 1:00 AM Saturday morning (Feb 20th), I wanted to jump up and down with joy. (Of course, I couldn't do any jumping since I wasn't able to feel anything from the waist down). It was just such a relief to not feel pain anymore! Trey and I fell asleep and stayed that way for most of the night. The nurse came in and checked me every so often to let me know how far along I was. Then, around 6:30 AM, it was time to start pushing. I'll spare the gory details... but lets just say that poor Trey wasn't quite prepared for what he saw. (I told him not to watch. Did he listen to me? No. So it's not my fault that he nearly passed out).
Anyway, we survived. And Perrin is well worth the 9 months of pregnancy and a long, tough labor. He's snuggled up on Trey's chest right now, sleeping. So cute!
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