I'm so happy with the way the pictures turned out and I can't wait for Lauren (my sis) to have her own photography business one day (yes, Lauren-- it will happen).
Monday, October 29, 2012
It's Picture Time!
I'm seriously so lucky to have a sister who's also a fantastic photographer. Looking at these photos, you'd never know that we were: a) crammed into Macey's tiny nursery b) dealing with a toddler who wasn't in the mood for picture taking c) having to take breaks to nurse a fussy baby d) sweating our butts off due to all of the above.
I'm so happy with the way the pictures turned out and I can't wait for Lauren (my sis) to have her own photography business one day (yes, Lauren-- it will happen).
I'm so happy with the way the pictures turned out and I can't wait for Lauren (my sis) to have her own photography business one day (yes, Lauren-- it will happen).
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
On having a routine.
When Camden was born, I figured I'd just bring him home from the hospital and figuring out how to organize our days would come naturally to me. And maybe it does work like that for some moms, but for me-- well, it just didn't. I had no idea what I was doing, other than loving this tiny little being that dictated my days and nights.
When Camden was around 4 months old, I called my mom in tears of frustration one day. "I can't do this anymore," I declared, "I need some kind of schedule or routine for him." I had reached my breaking point because Camden would only take 30 minute catnaps all day long-- and each short nap had to be while sleeping on me. I felt like I couldn't accomplish anything around the house; I felt like I couldn't ever even leave the house to do something simple like run an errand. When he fussed, I had no idea what he needed. Could he be hungry? Did he need another catnap? Was he just bored? I was totally clueless.
Enter: The Baby Whisperer. I ordered this book after reading promising reviews online from other parents who were in the same situation I was in before implementing the Baby Whisperer's routine. I think I read it cover to cover the very day it arrived on my doorstep and started Camden on the Whisperer's routine the next day. (That's an entirely different story. Starting a catnapping 4 month old on a routine isn't an easy feat. But I did it, and I'd never want to do it again!)
When I was pregnant this time around, I knew I wanted to do things differently from the beginning. I knew a lot of moms swore by the "Babywise" method and so I decided to see what the hype was all about. You guys? I'm going to be honest here: I wasn't a fan of the book. I was surprised to find that the Babywise schedule was similar to the Baby Whisperer one that I used with Camden: it's suggested in both books that you follow an Eat/Play/Sleep routine for your baby. That, I had no problem with. My issue with Babywise was the entire chapter devoted to what to do when your baby cries. And I just wasn't comfortable with the amount of crying that the author suggests is okay for a very young baby. Let me be clear: I know there are many staunch opposers of Babywise and I'm not one of them. It's just not something I personally felt was a good match for me as a parent. (Also? I think Babywise might be a better match for formula feeding moms. I say that because formula feeding moms have the luxury of getting to see exactly how much their child is taking in at each feeding, so they don't have that nagging doubt that breastfeeding moms often have about whether or not their baby is getting enough to eat.)
So, I decided to go with old faithful: the Baby Whisperer. This time around, though, I attempted to implement the BW principles from day one. Granted, in the first few weeks, the Eat/Play/Sleep routine didn't work more often than it did (because newborns? They're gonna sleep when they want to sleep, and don't you try to convince them otherwise). But, gradually, the routine started to kick in and a couple of things surprised me: while getting baby to follow a routine does initially require some hard work and dedication on mom's part, once you get there, the days actually become a lot easier than when you sort of wander through them aimlessly. Also? Baby is happier when following a routine. I've mentioned Macey's happy, laid back personality in previous posts. And while I will certainly credit some of that to her natural temperament, I also think it has a great deal to do with her routine. She doesn't get overtired because I always know when it's nap time. She doesn't get fussy from hunger because I know when it's time to eat. Predictability is a good thing.
This doesn't mean that all of our days are neat and orderly now. Not at all. Babies aren't robots and there are certainly days when Macey decides she's only going to nap for 45 minutes or she'll start giving me hunger cues an hour and a half after she's last eaten. On those days, I follow her lead. I'm not going to let my desire to follow a routine trump what Macey communicates to me, ever.
One last point I want to make: I think my initial hesitation to put Camden on a routine had a lot to do with my strong feelings of connection towards the Attachment Parenting movement. I think there's this misconception that to be an "attached" parent, you must never, ever consider putting your child on any sort of schedule. As a first time mom, that AP mantra kind of got in my head and gave me a guilt trip. Now, I know better. I breastfeed. We sometimes co-sleep. I babywear Macey for at least an hour every day. But I also follow a routine. And you know what? I couldn't possibly feel more attached to either of my children.
When Camden was around 4 months old, I called my mom in tears of frustration one day. "I can't do this anymore," I declared, "I need some kind of schedule or routine for him." I had reached my breaking point because Camden would only take 30 minute catnaps all day long-- and each short nap had to be while sleeping on me. I felt like I couldn't accomplish anything around the house; I felt like I couldn't ever even leave the house to do something simple like run an errand. When he fussed, I had no idea what he needed. Could he be hungry? Did he need another catnap? Was he just bored? I was totally clueless.
Enter: The Baby Whisperer. I ordered this book after reading promising reviews online from other parents who were in the same situation I was in before implementing the Baby Whisperer's routine. I think I read it cover to cover the very day it arrived on my doorstep and started Camden on the Whisperer's routine the next day. (That's an entirely different story. Starting a catnapping 4 month old on a routine isn't an easy feat. But I did it, and I'd never want to do it again!)
When I was pregnant this time around, I knew I wanted to do things differently from the beginning. I knew a lot of moms swore by the "Babywise" method and so I decided to see what the hype was all about. You guys? I'm going to be honest here: I wasn't a fan of the book. I was surprised to find that the Babywise schedule was similar to the Baby Whisperer one that I used with Camden: it's suggested in both books that you follow an Eat/Play/Sleep routine for your baby. That, I had no problem with. My issue with Babywise was the entire chapter devoted to what to do when your baby cries. And I just wasn't comfortable with the amount of crying that the author suggests is okay for a very young baby. Let me be clear: I know there are many staunch opposers of Babywise and I'm not one of them. It's just not something I personally felt was a good match for me as a parent. (Also? I think Babywise might be a better match for formula feeding moms. I say that because formula feeding moms have the luxury of getting to see exactly how much their child is taking in at each feeding, so they don't have that nagging doubt that breastfeeding moms often have about whether or not their baby is getting enough to eat.)
So, I decided to go with old faithful: the Baby Whisperer. This time around, though, I attempted to implement the BW principles from day one. Granted, in the first few weeks, the Eat/Play/Sleep routine didn't work more often than it did (because newborns? They're gonna sleep when they want to sleep, and don't you try to convince them otherwise). But, gradually, the routine started to kick in and a couple of things surprised me: while getting baby to follow a routine does initially require some hard work and dedication on mom's part, once you get there, the days actually become a lot easier than when you sort of wander through them aimlessly. Also? Baby is happier when following a routine. I've mentioned Macey's happy, laid back personality in previous posts. And while I will certainly credit some of that to her natural temperament, I also think it has a great deal to do with her routine. She doesn't get overtired because I always know when it's nap time. She doesn't get fussy from hunger because I know when it's time to eat. Predictability is a good thing.
This doesn't mean that all of our days are neat and orderly now. Not at all. Babies aren't robots and there are certainly days when Macey decides she's only going to nap for 45 minutes or she'll start giving me hunger cues an hour and a half after she's last eaten. On those days, I follow her lead. I'm not going to let my desire to follow a routine trump what Macey communicates to me, ever.
One last point I want to make: I think my initial hesitation to put Camden on a routine had a lot to do with my strong feelings of connection towards the Attachment Parenting movement. I think there's this misconception that to be an "attached" parent, you must never, ever consider putting your child on any sort of schedule. As a first time mom, that AP mantra kind of got in my head and gave me a guilt trip. Now, I know better. I breastfeed. We sometimes co-sleep. I babywear Macey for at least an hour every day. But I also follow a routine. And you know what? I couldn't possibly feel more attached to either of my children.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Sleep is for the weak
My Facebook status update this morning read something like "You know it was a long night when you pour your cereal into your coffee cup."
That sounds like an attempt at a bad joke, but I promise that actually happened.
You guys, I am tired. Not exactly an earth shattering statement coming from the mom of an infant, I know. But the thing is, I just can't figure Macey out at night. The way I explained it to my mom and sister is like this: Macey is an awesome baby. Pretty darn near perfect in the temperament department. After we got past that two week Witching Hour phase, she became the most laid back baby ever. She doesn't need to be held; she's content just to sit and observe and smile. And the smiles! Oh my goodness, are they ever adorable. She's also started to coo and the "Ah goos" melt my heart. And nap time? She's a pretty darn good napper most of the time. She can put herself to sleep and she takes at least two 2-3 hour naps most days. She's one of those babies I've heard other moms talk about in passing and I don't know whether to congratulate them on their good fortune or punch them in the face.
And then night time comes. You would think (okay, I thought), that since I have her on a consistent, good routine during the day, night time would be a breeze. Or at least predictable. That's what all the books say, right? Ha. Macey proves the experts wrong. This girl hates being laid to sleep on her back. Her arms startle her awake often, so I thought swaddling her would take care of that little problem. I even invested in the much hyped Miracle Blanket. Guess what? Macey hates being swaddled too. She will grunt, squirm, fuss, and eventually cry out until she is freed from her swaddle imprisonment. So, my mom was kind enough to purchase a Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper for her. I've heard great things about this little contraption; it keeps the baby elevated so they're not flat on their back, it's nice and deep so there's the feeling of being swaddled without the actual act of swaddling. And you know what? Macey does okay in this. She will sleep in it for 3-4 hours at a stretch sometimes if I rock her completely and totally to sleep before I place her in it. If I put her in it awake and drowsy with a paci? Forget about it. She's not having any of that.
In my desperation in the wee hours of the morning, I have tried lying with Macey on a mattress on her bedroom floor. That was always my answer with Camden: if he was having a bad night and nothing else worked, I'd stick him in our bed and he was out like a light (after nursing, of course). Macey, however, has no interest in co-sleeping like her brother did. I realize that's probably a blessing in disguise, but man-- at 4am, I often wish she had her brother's affection for our old sleeping arrangements. If it's possible, she's even more restless when sleeping with me.
So our nights go something like this: Macey does an initial stretch (anywhere from 3-4 hours most often) in her Rock and Play Sleeper. Then the rest of the night is filled with me trying different approaches to get her back to sleep with varying levels of success: rocking her, nursing her, putting her in her crib, swaddling, unswaddling, co-sleeping. Hence, the reason for my exhaustion.
You might be wondering why she naps so well and soothes herself to sleep during the day. It's because I break the cardinal rule of infant sleep and let her sleep on her tummy at naptime. She loves it. She's comfortable and she sleeps well. But I'm a nervous wreck about it, and so I'm not comfortable letting her sleep this way at night time. During the day, I have her ceiling fan set on high, her paci in her mouth (all SIDS risk reducers), and the video monitor turned on so I can constantly check her chest for motion. Obviously, I wouldn't get any sleep stalking a video monitor this way at night.
So, that's where I'm at. Great routine during the day, and all over the place at night. I think this would stress me out a lot more if I were a first time mom again. Now, I just power through the nights the best I can and know this too shall pass.
That sounds like an attempt at a bad joke, but I promise that actually happened.
You guys, I am tired. Not exactly an earth shattering statement coming from the mom of an infant, I know. But the thing is, I just can't figure Macey out at night. The way I explained it to my mom and sister is like this: Macey is an awesome baby. Pretty darn near perfect in the temperament department. After we got past that two week Witching Hour phase, she became the most laid back baby ever. She doesn't need to be held; she's content just to sit and observe and smile. And the smiles! Oh my goodness, are they ever adorable. She's also started to coo and the "Ah goos" melt my heart. And nap time? She's a pretty darn good napper most of the time. She can put herself to sleep and she takes at least two 2-3 hour naps most days. She's one of those babies I've heard other moms talk about in passing and I don't know whether to congratulate them on their good fortune or punch them in the face.
And then night time comes. You would think (okay, I thought), that since I have her on a consistent, good routine during the day, night time would be a breeze. Or at least predictable. That's what all the books say, right? Ha. Macey proves the experts wrong. This girl hates being laid to sleep on her back. Her arms startle her awake often, so I thought swaddling her would take care of that little problem. I even invested in the much hyped Miracle Blanket. Guess what? Macey hates being swaddled too. She will grunt, squirm, fuss, and eventually cry out until she is freed from her swaddle imprisonment. So, my mom was kind enough to purchase a Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper for her. I've heard great things about this little contraption; it keeps the baby elevated so they're not flat on their back, it's nice and deep so there's the feeling of being swaddled without the actual act of swaddling. And you know what? Macey does okay in this. She will sleep in it for 3-4 hours at a stretch sometimes if I rock her completely and totally to sleep before I place her in it. If I put her in it awake and drowsy with a paci? Forget about it. She's not having any of that.
In my desperation in the wee hours of the morning, I have tried lying with Macey on a mattress on her bedroom floor. That was always my answer with Camden: if he was having a bad night and nothing else worked, I'd stick him in our bed and he was out like a light (after nursing, of course). Macey, however, has no interest in co-sleeping like her brother did. I realize that's probably a blessing in disguise, but man-- at 4am, I often wish she had her brother's affection for our old sleeping arrangements. If it's possible, she's even more restless when sleeping with me.
So our nights go something like this: Macey does an initial stretch (anywhere from 3-4 hours most often) in her Rock and Play Sleeper. Then the rest of the night is filled with me trying different approaches to get her back to sleep with varying levels of success: rocking her, nursing her, putting her in her crib, swaddling, unswaddling, co-sleeping. Hence, the reason for my exhaustion.
You might be wondering why she naps so well and soothes herself to sleep during the day. It's because I break the cardinal rule of infant sleep and let her sleep on her tummy at naptime. She loves it. She's comfortable and she sleeps well. But I'm a nervous wreck about it, and so I'm not comfortable letting her sleep this way at night time. During the day, I have her ceiling fan set on high, her paci in her mouth (all SIDS risk reducers), and the video monitor turned on so I can constantly check her chest for motion. Obviously, I wouldn't get any sleep stalking a video monitor this way at night.
So, that's where I'm at. Great routine during the day, and all over the place at night. I think this would stress me out a lot more if I were a first time mom again. Now, I just power through the nights the best I can and know this too shall pass.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Updates all around
My big boy has been a busy guy lately. With his third birthday only about a month away, Camden has taken the leap from "toddler" to "preschooler". Not that he's actually in preschool yet-- we made the decision to start him next year. But he's definitely a preschooler in his language abilities, his social interactions, and his interests.
Camden is a technology master. I'm amazed at the ease with which he manipulates my Kindle and my mom's iPad. He'll turn it on, adjust the volume, open and close screens, and find games he wants to play. His favorite game is Angry Birds, which has led to the decision to be an Angry Bird for Halloween (the yellow one) and to have an Angry Birds birthday party.
Another favorite past time of Camden's that has developed since bringing Macey home from the hospital is pretending like he is pregnant. Most of the time, he's pregnant with some stuffed Angry Bird toys, but he's also gestated everything from a puzzle piece to a Matchbox car.
Speaking of Macey, Camden continues to be loving and kind to his little sister. He affectionately calls her "Miss Mace", "Macey Jean", and "Poop Machine" (he might've overheard that last name from his mama). He eagerly helps with diaper changes and bath time; he truly is a fantastic big brother.
My neighbor (who also happens to be my sister's sis-in-law), Tricia, has started hosting Toddler Time at her house on Friday mornings. The only toddlers present at Toddler Time are Camden and his cousin, Will, which means lots of activities and individual attention for the two of them. Tricia is a former teacher and just a creative, crafty person in general, so the boys really look forward to their time at her house. Since my ability to take Camden out of the house is a bit limited by Macey's nap schedule right now, I'm so thankful for this weekly activity.
My little girl is just over 6 weeks old now! She's packing on the pounds and actually looks a bit chubby now. I'm sure the chub phase won't last long, since Matt and I only produce tall, skinny kids, so I'll enjoy her double chins while I can.
Her sleep is kind of a mixed bag right now. I have her on the Eat/Play/Sleep schedule during the day and she can normally fall asleep without assistance for naps. However, night time continues to be tricky. She's never ready for her long stretch of sleep before 10:30 or 11, and that "long" stretch of sleep can be anywhere from 2.5 to 5 hours long. Don't get me wrong-- I'd be thrilled if she regularly had a 5 hour stretch of sleep at night, but the 2.5 hour nights are not my favorite. I'm hoping if I continue to keep her on a loose schedule during the day, her nighttime sleep will eventually straighten itself out.
Macey is a very smiley little girl. I love this stage when they first become more socially aware. It's so rewarding to get a big, gummy grin first thing in the morning-- even when you've been up most of the night.
The aforementioned Witching Hour phase seems to have passed (hallelujah!). Macey still spends her evenings catnapping, but is happy and playful in between naps instead of a screaming disaster.
On another note, I have my 6 week postpartum appointment on Tuesday (a tad late, I know). I've started running again and hope that I can drop these last pesky 7 pounds soon. So, that's where we are now. I'd say we've adjusted to life with two children. That doesn't mean every day is easy, but it feels normal now to have my time divided between my kids. But those people with 5 or 6 kids? I have absolutely no idea how they manage and stay sane. Or maybe they don't.
Camden is a technology master. I'm amazed at the ease with which he manipulates my Kindle and my mom's iPad. He'll turn it on, adjust the volume, open and close screens, and find games he wants to play. His favorite game is Angry Birds, which has led to the decision to be an Angry Bird for Halloween (the yellow one) and to have an Angry Birds birthday party.
Another favorite past time of Camden's that has developed since bringing Macey home from the hospital is pretending like he is pregnant. Most of the time, he's pregnant with some stuffed Angry Bird toys, but he's also gestated everything from a puzzle piece to a Matchbox car.
Speaking of Macey, Camden continues to be loving and kind to his little sister. He affectionately calls her "Miss Mace", "Macey Jean", and "Poop Machine" (he might've overheard that last name from his mama). He eagerly helps with diaper changes and bath time; he truly is a fantastic big brother.
My neighbor (who also happens to be my sister's sis-in-law), Tricia, has started hosting Toddler Time at her house on Friday mornings. The only toddlers present at Toddler Time are Camden and his cousin, Will, which means lots of activities and individual attention for the two of them. Tricia is a former teacher and just a creative, crafty person in general, so the boys really look forward to their time at her house. Since my ability to take Camden out of the house is a bit limited by Macey's nap schedule right now, I'm so thankful for this weekly activity.
My little girl is just over 6 weeks old now! She's packing on the pounds and actually looks a bit chubby now. I'm sure the chub phase won't last long, since Matt and I only produce tall, skinny kids, so I'll enjoy her double chins while I can.
Her sleep is kind of a mixed bag right now. I have her on the Eat/Play/Sleep schedule during the day and she can normally fall asleep without assistance for naps. However, night time continues to be tricky. She's never ready for her long stretch of sleep before 10:30 or 11, and that "long" stretch of sleep can be anywhere from 2.5 to 5 hours long. Don't get me wrong-- I'd be thrilled if she regularly had a 5 hour stretch of sleep at night, but the 2.5 hour nights are not my favorite. I'm hoping if I continue to keep her on a loose schedule during the day, her nighttime sleep will eventually straighten itself out.
Macey is a very smiley little girl. I love this stage when they first become more socially aware. It's so rewarding to get a big, gummy grin first thing in the morning-- even when you've been up most of the night.
The aforementioned Witching Hour phase seems to have passed (hallelujah!). Macey still spends her evenings catnapping, but is happy and playful in between naps instead of a screaming disaster.
On another note, I have my 6 week postpartum appointment on Tuesday (a tad late, I know). I've started running again and hope that I can drop these last pesky 7 pounds soon. So, that's where we are now. I'd say we've adjusted to life with two children. That doesn't mean every day is easy, but it feels normal now to have my time divided between my kids. But those people with 5 or 6 kids? I have absolutely no idea how they manage and stay sane. Or maybe they don't.
Toddler Time at Tricia's...
Aunt Lauren took Camden and Will to see a firetruck at their future preschool!
My sweet girl:
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
10.9.04
Happy 8th Anniversary to a wonderful husband & father.
"My friend, it'll be you until the end with me, always..." --dmb
Through the years...
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Dear Macey (one month)
Macey Jean,
You are one month old (okay, a little over a month, but your mama's busy and tired so I hope you'll forgive me for being a tad late on this one)!
We just had your one month well baby check-up a couple of days ago. I was worried how it was going to go when we walked in and I saw how crowded the waiting room was, but you were a perfect angel and slept the whole time. Not surprisingly, you're in the 85th percentile for height. You and your big brother are making it clear that I'm going to be the short one in the family. You're currently in the 50th percentile for weight (weighing in at 9 lbs, 6 oz), but I wouldn't be surprised if that changed over the months to come. Your brother started off in the 50th percentile for weight and slowly dropped down to the 10th percentile! I credit that to your tall, skinny daddy.
You're currently on a "loose" Eat/Activity/Sleep routine (I say loose because, given that you're only 5 weeks old, it's expected that we're going to have some off days or off moments during the day). I wasn't aware of this routine when your brother was your age, and while I'm not a fan of having a baby on a strict schedule, I like the predictability this easy routine has given our days together. It helps me to better understand your needs throughout the day-- an understanding I really lacked when your brother was a newborn. You live and learn, right?
Macey, you're a sweet girl with an easygoing disposition. I'm able to sit you down on your own for small intervals of time while I get things done around the house or play with your brother. You are content to just kick and smile during these times. You're also starting to give us some social smiles which are absolutely adorable. You love the sound of voices-- particularly your brother's voice-- and will freeze no matter what you're doing and your eyes will widen as you listen quietly.
What else? You're nursing like a champ-- every 2.5 hours or so. Sometimes you cluster feed a bit at night time. You typically wake up twice during the night-- once between 2-3am and once between 5-6am. You're up for the day between 7-8am. Bedtime varies right now. I like to have you down for the night around 9, but that doesn't always work out. Last night you decided to keep me up until after 11. With you, the paci is hit or miss. That's more than I can say for your big brother, who already hated the paci by this age. Sometimes you'll spit it out in disgust; other times, you suck on it vigorously for long periods of time. You just can't decide how you feel about it!
Our evenings have been a little rough. By definition, you don't fall into the colic category, since the "Rule of Threes" doesn't apply to you (crying for 3 hours, 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks). But you certainly fall victim to the newborn Witching Hour in the evenings. It starts off as fussiness, and then gradually increases to inconsolable crying. Thankfully (and I'm knocking on wood a thousand times here), the crying only lasts for 20 or 30 minutes at a time. That might not sound like much, but when there's nothing that can console you during that time period (not even a boob!), it's quite stressful for your mommy. We've invested in some Gripe Water and a Miracle Blanket over the last few days, and last night you were a perfectly happy little girl. I'm not getting my hopes up, as it could be entirely coincidental, but I sure will be glad when this phase is over! The funny thing is, even on your fussiest nights when you cry the loudest and longest, you always wake up the next morning with a big grin and your sweet demeanor back. It's like your little apology to me, and I sure do appreciate it!
Macey, you are the perfect addition to our little family. We're so glad you're here with us, and we can't wait to see what the months and years to come bring. You are so loved, little girl.
Love,
Mommy
You are one month old (okay, a little over a month, but your mama's busy and tired so I hope you'll forgive me for being a tad late on this one)!
We just had your one month well baby check-up a couple of days ago. I was worried how it was going to go when we walked in and I saw how crowded the waiting room was, but you were a perfect angel and slept the whole time. Not surprisingly, you're in the 85th percentile for height. You and your big brother are making it clear that I'm going to be the short one in the family. You're currently in the 50th percentile for weight (weighing in at 9 lbs, 6 oz), but I wouldn't be surprised if that changed over the months to come. Your brother started off in the 50th percentile for weight and slowly dropped down to the 10th percentile! I credit that to your tall, skinny daddy.
You're currently on a "loose" Eat/Activity/Sleep routine (I say loose because, given that you're only 5 weeks old, it's expected that we're going to have some off days or off moments during the day). I wasn't aware of this routine when your brother was your age, and while I'm not a fan of having a baby on a strict schedule, I like the predictability this easy routine has given our days together. It helps me to better understand your needs throughout the day-- an understanding I really lacked when your brother was a newborn. You live and learn, right?
Macey, you're a sweet girl with an easygoing disposition. I'm able to sit you down on your own for small intervals of time while I get things done around the house or play with your brother. You are content to just kick and smile during these times. You're also starting to give us some social smiles which are absolutely adorable. You love the sound of voices-- particularly your brother's voice-- and will freeze no matter what you're doing and your eyes will widen as you listen quietly.
What else? You're nursing like a champ-- every 2.5 hours or so. Sometimes you cluster feed a bit at night time. You typically wake up twice during the night-- once between 2-3am and once between 5-6am. You're up for the day between 7-8am. Bedtime varies right now. I like to have you down for the night around 9, but that doesn't always work out. Last night you decided to keep me up until after 11. With you, the paci is hit or miss. That's more than I can say for your big brother, who already hated the paci by this age. Sometimes you'll spit it out in disgust; other times, you suck on it vigorously for long periods of time. You just can't decide how you feel about it!
Our evenings have been a little rough. By definition, you don't fall into the colic category, since the "Rule of Threes" doesn't apply to you (crying for 3 hours, 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks). But you certainly fall victim to the newborn Witching Hour in the evenings. It starts off as fussiness, and then gradually increases to inconsolable crying. Thankfully (and I'm knocking on wood a thousand times here), the crying only lasts for 20 or 30 minutes at a time. That might not sound like much, but when there's nothing that can console you during that time period (not even a boob!), it's quite stressful for your mommy. We've invested in some Gripe Water and a Miracle Blanket over the last few days, and last night you were a perfectly happy little girl. I'm not getting my hopes up, as it could be entirely coincidental, but I sure will be glad when this phase is over! The funny thing is, even on your fussiest nights when you cry the loudest and longest, you always wake up the next morning with a big grin and your sweet demeanor back. It's like your little apology to me, and I sure do appreciate it!
Macey, you are the perfect addition to our little family. We're so glad you're here with us, and we can't wait to see what the months and years to come bring. You are so loved, little girl.
Love,
Mommy
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