August in Review

I hope to write a post each month highlighting what went on during that month.  This month it won’t be too exciting overall, but hopefully in the upcoming months it will be a good way to keep track of Magnolia’s month to month milestones.

So during the month of August….

I quit my job (ok, *technically* I just took leave, but I don’t plan on going back)

I scrubbed and rescrubbed the house (though you can’t tell it now. ha.)

I sat around bored almost to tears waiting on my baby to arrive.

I had a baby (and a pretty darn cute one at that!)

After 3 loooong days in the hospital we got to bring the baby HOME!

We took Magnolia on her first outing (to HEB and Rudy’s)

 

Magnolia turned a week old! (still have to get new pics off my camera!)

 

That pretty much sums up August!  Can’t wait to see what September has in store for our little family of 5! (2parents, 1 baby, 2 dogs!)

 

Where does the time go?

Magnolia turned 1 week old on Tuesday!  Its hard to believe she is already a week old.  Time is flying by so quickly.  She sleeps A LOT, but somehow I feel like I’m always busy.

The past few days have been fairly uneventful.  Monday we went and applied for WIC.  We really have no intentions of using it, but WIC has free lactation consultants which we did need to use.  So Tuesday we went back for our appointment with the lactation consultant.  I was so hopeful after meeting with her.  We got lots of advice and were able to bring a hospital grade pump home.  Despite pumping every 2 hrs around the clock, my body has failed me.  Between having the csection and not getting to even try to nurse her the first 3 days, then not getting her to latch on, by the time we got the pump my body had already thought I wouldn’t be breast feeding a baby and the milk started to dry up.  I had great hopes the pump would increase production, but it has decreased each day.  I wanted the absolute best for my baby and that is breast milk, but my body just won’t cooperate.  At least once a day I end up squalling over the fact I can’t do it.  I think its time for me to be strong enough to let this go.  Formula might not be best, but it won’t kill her.  A happy, mentally healthy mom is more important than breastmilk.  I feel I haven’t truly enjoyed this past few days because I’m so stressed about milk.  She is growing up so fast already and I don’t want to look back and regret that I didn’t enjoy this time with her.

Mikey started back to work on Wednesday.  That was a big change!  Even though he’d only been home with us a few days I’d gotten used to his help.  He loves his little girl so much and she really could not have a better daddy!  We are both so very lucky.  I survived yesterday by myself and I am surviving today too.  It helps that I’m starting to feel better.

I stopped the hydrocodone on Tuesday and am only taking the Motrin if I absolutely need it, which is only once or twice a day.  The swelling is almost gone!  I was so swollen after the surgery that even though I gave birth to a 7.5 lb baby, I weighed more than I did while she was still in my womb.  I’ve dropped almost 15 lbs the past two days, which is just insane- I’m not even sure where it all went but I’m so thankful its gone!

We started cloth diapering full time on Monday.  We finally ran out of the small pack of diapers the hospital sent home with us.  So far, so good with the cloth.  She’s only had a blowout once and then once daddy forgot to put a cover on so pee went through the diaper onto her clothes and him.  Easy mistake to make though for us newbies to cloth.  It will be much easier once she is out of newborn sizes (but i don’t want her to grow up to fast!) and we can use the diapers that have the outer lining that’s waterproof, so we don’t have to use a cover.

I haven’t uploaded any pics off my camera in a couple days but I’ll be sure to have plenty in the next post.

Our first full day home- + day 2

We woke up got up late Saturday morning.  I would love to say we woke up late, but the truth is we were up and down all night long.  We finally got up sometime between 8 and 9 am.  The first order of the day was DRUGS!!!  Late discharge from the hospital Friday night kept us from the pharmacies we would have normally used and searching out a 24 hr pharmacy just wasn’t high on our “to do” list, we were all ready to just get home and relax!  One would think that having had drugs every 4-6 hrs for 3.5 days that I would have thought at some point I might need them over night.  But I have to say, the thought never crossed my mind.  No drugs, coupled with feet that look like this-

made for a VERY long and painful night.

After daddy made the drug run, the three of us just lounged around the apartment for awhile enjoying each other.  For lunch, Daddy ran out to Chickfila and was gone almost an hour- Chickfila is a popular place on Saturdays!  A Saturday afternoon nap was in order- Daddy put the phone down shortly after this picture was taken and was snoring within minutes.

Our first day home was good.  Nice and relaxing with everything running pretty smoothly.  I wasn’t sure how the dogs were going to handle her, but Laney loves her already.  Cries are met with Laney perking up her ears and running over to the baby to see if she is okay.  Slade is still a little unsure of the new little creature we brought home!

We are both continuously amazed at every little thing she does- which at  just a few days old, isn’t much, but she’s just so darn cute while doing it!

August 28- A real Texan now!

We were not planning on taking her out so soon, but breast feeding was not coming easy to me.  Having her separated from me for 48 hrs while she was in the NICU and not given the chance to breastfeed did not get our breastfeeding relationship off to a good start.  Actually, it was a TERRIBLE start but giving her breast milk is super important to me so I’m going to do whatever I need to- even if that means taking my 5 day old baby to the grocery store to buy a breast pump.

So we dressed her up and took Magnolia on her first trip to HEB (which for those of you who aren’t Texans, is THE grocery store in Texas).  I used to work at the one next to our apartment- so it was a good opportunity to see old coworkers as well.

Yay!  We love HEB!

Hunger struck us while we were out so we took Magnolia on her first trip to Rudy’s.  Which for those of you who aren’t Texans, is a bbq restaurant.  Magnolia wasn’t able to enjoy the brisket, but she took a nice nap while Mommy and daddy chowed down.

Dearest Magnolia-

Hello My Sweet Magnolia,

I’m writing this to you while you are still in my belly.  There are only 18 days left until you are “due” to meet us outside of my womb, but the reality of it is- you could come any day now or you could decide you are nice and comfy in there and decide to stay a few extra days.

The pregnancy with you has been as easy one, without much complication- I can only pray you are as easy of a baby.  Morning sickness was never a problems, even in this excruciating Texas heat I haven’t swollen any, and even at 38+ weeks I’m still able to work standing on my feet most of the day.

This pregnancy has been enjoyable for me most of the time.  Even though it weirded me out at first, I now enjoy feeling you kicks, the little flutter of your hands, and your hiccups that seem to shake my whole belly.  Even though it seems like you should be running out of room by now, you are still quite active- switching from one side of my belly to the other at whim.  I love playing with your little feet as they sweep across my belly.  I will miss having you all to myself- having those special moments between just you and me that we don’t have to share with anyone.  I’m able to keep you safe from the world in my womb, try as I may I will never be able to protect you so well again.

I cannot wait to meet you.  Even though we have ultrasound pictures of you, I still have a hard time envisioning what you’ll look like once you arrive and start to grow- I do know you are beautiful and always will be.  Will you be petite like me and my side of the family or tall and strong like your dad’s family?  What color hair will you have (for the record your Mamaw thinks it will be red)?  What color eyes will you have? (my bet is on green).

What kind of things will you like to do?  Where will your passions lie?  Whatever they happen to be, I plan on supporting them and you to the best of my ability.  Whatever you dream, I pray I am able to help you see your dreams come true.

I love you so much already little one.  I’m looking forward to meeting you and the person you will become.

Love,

Your Mama