6 Weeks: Asleep and Smiling

When Maxine sleeps I have seen her arms and legs pop up over the bassinet edge and just hang out there. When I go to see if she is awake she isn't... her legs and arms are just straight up in the air. Here are some photos of her sleeping... she looks like she is bring held up!

Maxine also has started smiling at us - she was smiling before but it was in her sleep or when she poo'd. Now she actually smiles AT US. It is adorable because she goes crossed eyed and gets this huge grin on her face. So cute.

I went back to work today. The worst part was the build up to going back to work. All this past weekend I was like, "I am not ready." I was getting worked up in the preparation with going back. This morning was tough because I didn't want to leave her and Ben. I pumped milk so Ben would have some fresh on top of the frozen milk I have stocked up. I breastfed and then I took off. Once I was in the car and making the familiar drive to work I was fine. Plus, there is so much going on that I didn't have much time to sit around and worry. Pumping and work was not too bad... helps that I have a lock on my office door. I called Ben and, of course, they were fine. I made it home for lunch and to breast feed - I want to breast feed as much as possible to avoid having to supplement with formula too early. I am not really planning to supplement but every working mom I have spoken with had to supplement after a while because they just didn't produce enough through pumping. So, I want to prolong having to do that... I informed the staff that I would be working from home more often than I normally would for the next 6 weeks (she will be 3 months then). I hope I am lucky and am able to provide only breastmilk for a very long time but I understand that I may have to do a combination in a few months... we will deal with that when it comes.

Hopefully, Maxine will continue to be such a good sleeper... she gets me up anywhere from 1 to 4 times night which is better than every hour! I am tired and have to think harder about what comes out of my mouth - sentence structure, etc - but today was doable and I think I had to get through today to understand that I can do it! Yep, we have moved on to a new phase - "Post-Maternity Leave." Stay tuned for stories on Ben being Mr. Mom...

5 Weeks Old!

Maxine is 5 weeks today! We left 10 days ago for our "Baby Moon". We rented a house in Truth or Consequences New Mexico... the house was right on the Rio Grande with a private hot spring overlooking it. What better way to learn to take care of baby?? We still get little sleep but being someplace we can relax and enjoy our surroundings has been wonderful. Truth or Consequences is an unfortunate town with a lot of potential... luckily we had our little oasis and lacked the energy to really venture out. Our time was spent there taking care of baby, reading, fishing and soaking. So nice.
Now we are in the White Mountains in Arizona. Ben's mom just purchased this cabin. It is fantastic - not furnished yet - but fantastic! We have been sitting by the fire, watching the geese in the pond and the elk cross the valley... it is great. Tomorrow we return to Tucson and I will post more often. I have so much to write about and so little time to write in... in fact, I can hear Maxine waking and filling her diaper as I write... enjoy the photos (Ben and I were trying to teach Maxine to roll on to her belly and back...)

Memoirs of a Factory Cow

So, I breastfed today and last night and yesterday and the night before... it's what I do. Last night was actually pretty awesome because she slept from 8:30 pm to 3:30 am - that is SIX hours! Of course, I was awake because my breasts had filled and were heavy and leaking and I was worried about why Maxine hadn't woken up to eat yet! Really, I breast feed and then if I want to work out or run an errand I have to leave immediately after the feeding and get my a** back to the house in an hour and a half or we run the risk of a serious hunger problem. I actually have started trying to pump in between feedings so there is milk stored for Ben to feed her if I don't make it back in time. Days I pump are all about the boobs... they are either in her mouth or hooked up to the machine. It has taken me a while (and several conversations with my lactation consultant sister) to understand that I won't run out of breast milk - I was worried if I pumped that i would be taking away from the next feeding. My sister has informed me that breasts produce based on demand. If they are asked to produce by baby or machine they produce (jeanne, did I get it right?). Yesterday she had a marathon feed - like 4 hours - and everyone says it was probably a "growth spurt"... my boobs were so sore. I have never been so aware of my breasts until now...
The pictures above of Maxine in the green diaper are her doing her morning exercises and interpretive dancing. These pictures were actually taken the Friday after she was born and I was so impressed with how active and happy she was - she was very focused on her moves. Little did I know she was working up her first Poo! It was memorable and LOUD! Nice job Maxine... good to know the pipes work. Since the first poo there have been many... I have seen them all.

34B to 36D (Booyakasha!)

So, I have tried to sit down and update the blog with all of the photos we have been taking. I have learned, however, that parenthood means that you are lucky to get even 60% of what you intend completed in a day. The blog has suffered... I will be better.

Since Maxine was born we have had some pretty LARGE changes... my milk came in and I am now a 36D (whoop! whoop!), Maxine had her first bath - which she just LOVED, as you can see, we visited the Pediatrician and she gained 1 lb since milk started flowing, her sleep schedule bogglesthe mind and we just pray for her to continue with the 4 to 5 hour sleeps at night (last night was wonderful), Maxine has been out to three restaurants (yum!), her head and neck control are great, we have tummy time daily, and she already aced her SATs (Suckas!). Okay, she hasn't taken the SATs but she is absolutely adorable... she kicks and does exercises every morning (signature move: windmill arm). Her first poo was incredible... I mean, when the milk comes in and the newborn has its first milk poo it makes sure it is memorable. I had it on my arms and belly and side. It seems that anytime Maxine has a "Poo-splosion" I am the one on duty (or "Dooty" - hah). How has Ben so cleverly avoided the leaky poos?

I have also learned that I cannot dress my child... I was in tears I was laughing so hard at the "warm" outfit I threw on her for an evening walk... Blue Zoot pants, Canada hat and onesie - nice job, Mom.

Until I can figure out how to post pictures in between the text all of my entries will be this long list of photos. I will call my blog-genius friend Kelly to help me through this...