Week 14: Week of Thanks

Week 14: 11/18/12 - 11/24/12

I try *really hard* to be thankful in all things.

It really is something I work on often.

So the week of Thanksgiving, I spent reflecting and focusing on those things I am most thankful for. 

My extremely supportive hubs.

Parents.

In Laws.

A little something I like to call Chunkin.

Our house.

Amazing friends in multiple continents.

My health.

Freedom.

*Gasp* My job. 

Having 5 days off with my family.

The list goes on of course.

But the week of Thanksgiving was exactly what I needed. 

A little reminder of how blessed I am. 

We spent Thanksgiving day at Gabe's dad's family's farm. (Say that 5 times fast). 

Then we spent the weekend relaxing.

And decorating for Christmas.

The holidays perk me right on up. 

The house is so warm and cozy. 

And festive.

Just what I need to get me through the work weeks.

Week 14 was a good one. 

Oh. And someone finally found her thumb!!!

Week 13: A new kind of weekly update

Week 13: 11/11/12 - 11/17/12

Hi. My name is Angela.
And I'm a working mom.

There.

I said it.

I've been back at work for 2 weeks now.
Well, a week and a half if you want to get all technical.
With Thanksgiving and all.

I feel that I can do this post now that I've gotten my crazy out.
I mean.
I swear it's like the psycho fairy took over my body.

My first two days back at work were pure torture.

For the obvious reason that I missed my baby girl so much.
But mostly because I felt like I was starting over.

Learning a new job.
Remediating behaviors.
Implementing new routines...because there were none.
Completely reorganizing my disaster of a classroom.
Sorting through months of paperwork.
Catching up on common core standards.
Figuring out how to pump in my classroom when there is no time.
Getting into the routine of laundering diapers, washing bottles, freezing milk, packing a lunch, packing a baby bag, and somehow getting dinner on the table every night.

My first day back was one of the worst days I've had in as long as I can remember.
And it surprisingly wasn't for the fact that I missed Lyla so much.
The opposite in fact.
I was so busy, I didn't even think about her one single time.
I even forgot to eat lunch that day.
And I peed once in eight hours.
ONCE.

The moment I got in my car I started sobbing.
What kind of mother goes the entire day without thinking of her baby?
A really busy one, that's who.
I cried the entire way to my in-laws.

When I arrived, all I wanted to do was snuggle my baby and get home.
But the already worst-day-ever-saga continued.

My sweet mother in law had some news for me.

The frozen milk I gave her to feed Lyla was...sour.
I burst into tears again.
What did she mean sour?
We taste-tested (Yep. We're that close.) a couple more frozen bags.

Sure enough.
Sour.
And disgusting.

I panicked.
Was all of my milk sour?
How did this happen?
How was I going to feed my baby?
Was all my hard work of stocking up milk for nothing?

I wasn't prepared to give up breastfeeding so soon.
It's one of the things I have left to keep our strong little bond.

I called the pediatrician.
Waited over an hour.
Panicked some more.
Left messages with the local La Leche League.
Called back 3 more times.
Finally got ahold of a lactation consultant.

Long story short,
I have a rare case of producing an excess of lipase.
Lipase is an enzyme in human milk that breaks down fat, and an excess of this enzyme causes milk fat to decompose shortly after the milk has been expressed. Thus causing pumped milk to sour. Yuck!

Luckily, after talking to the lactation consultant for over an hour (and then the pediatrician just to confirm), there is absolutely nothing wrong with this expressed milk.
In other words, it can't harm baby at all.
It does however taste disgusting, and most babies refuse it.
Chunkin, however?
She guzzles it down.
Loves the stuff.
Go figure.

So. As long as she keeps taking it, I can keep pumping it.
So we can happily continue our morning and night time feedings together.

Thank the Lord.

Needless to say, every day after that got a little bit better.

Still miss her like crazy all day.
But I'm getting into a routine.
And it I am so thankful she's at GiGi's.
Makes it all a teensy bit better.

Plus, Fridays are better than EVER.
I do not put her down all weekend long.

Makes you really cherish the weekends.

Week 13 was a tough one.
But hoping things continue to get better.

Thankful

Blessed.

And incredibly thankful.

So happy to be spending every waking moment with my little turkey for the next 5 days.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Three Months

Happy Three Months, 
Baby Girl!

Milestones

Raises head and chest while on tummy

"Standing" - pushes down on legs while being held

Chews on hands

Grasps and shakes toys for short time

Turns head toward direction of sound

Watches people as they walk across room

Babbling

Laughing

Not a fan of:

Staying up past bedtime

Tummy aches

Cold morning hands
A camera in your face 24/7

Mommy going back to work ;)

Loves:
Waking up
Stuffed animals
Rattles
Songs
Nursery Rhymes
Being read to
Being tickled
Peek-a-Boo
Bath time
Attention

This month was definitely the most significant in terms of change. You're sleeping so well - naps and night time, you are happily awake for much longer periods of time, you love to play, and you've gotten so much better at nursing. And you smile all.the.time. This of course makes me smile all.the.time.

Loving this stage!

Week-12-In-Review: Week of Progress

Week 12: 11/04/12 - 11/10/12

Our last week was the perfect week. 

It's just cruel I had to go back to work right when things were getting so routine.

So perfect.

You've made so much progress in every area. 

Nursing.

Sleeping.

Playing.

Talking.

Tummy timing.

I swear you grew up overnight. 

It's like I woke up, and you were no longer a newborn. 

You're such a big girl. 

And so incredibly happy. 

Which makes me so happy. 

I'm one proud mama. You've made so much progress, sweet Chunkin. 

You are actually sleeping. I can't believe how much progress we've made in this area. You are only waking once a night. Some may think that's one time too many, but I consider it a huge victory. Plus, I don't mind our time together. So precious. And you've started actually napping. All this sleep makes you one happy baby. You rarely fuss now. All that hard work of trying to get you on a schedule has paid off. I'm still pinching myself. We've come so far!

You're a champion nurser. Ok. So we all know you've been quite the eater from the beginning. I mean, you had to live up to your nickname, right? But, I realized the other day that nursing no longer hurts. And you find yourself perfectly positioned. It's like you finally really got the hang of it. I'm not even sure when that happened. Feeding you is all of a suddenly incredibly easier. 

You keep getting stronger. Living up to your second nickname of Popeye. I mentioned before. You rolled for the first time at three and half weeks. Then made me nervous when you suddenly stopped a few weeks ago. But you're rolling again and practically doing a backbend on the Boppy. You actually love tummy time. And I try to make it more fun with your stuffed animals. 

You love to play. I mean, you practically beg me to play. You particularly like when I sing the ABC's while pumping your legs, make silly faces, put you in front of the mirror, play "This Little Piggy", tickle you, read nursery rhymes, give you your rattle, and make your stuffed animals dance. Your entire body wiggles around and you just light up with smiles...and so many giggles. Gives me butterflies. 

You are so social. You smile all.the.time. You love people. And you really enjoy getting out. I was especially happy you were able to let Mommy and Daddy get out and hang with friends for the K-State game on Saturday. For the first time, we put you in your pack-n-play to go to bed at our friends'. You went right to sleep and when we got home, you slept the rest of the night. Good job!

What a fabulous week. My most favorite yet. :)