Cooper squealed, unmistakeably, this morning.
Matt was playing with him upstairs while I got some work done and I heard this loud "Yeeeee!!!!" that was sort of like a cry but different. Matt reported later that it was a squeal of glee. Awesome!
Cooper is so expressive with his sounds. We love it! His new sound vocabulary such an amazing improvement over the incredibly loud crying that he used as a catch-all for the first month. Now he's got all these funny noises and different sounds and cries that mean different things. Sad/lonely cry, hungry/impatient cry, really upset cry, exhausted and crabby cry, happy coos, excited vowel sounds, and now super excited squeals. I gotta say it is much, much easier to keep him happy (and us happy) now that he can communicate his basic state through sounds.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Updates
Here are some updates to burning questions...
How is Cooper's hair doing?
Good! His infant pattern baldness has stabilized (he still has a very nice, fluffy, and pretty thick head of hair for a little baby) and some of the newer hair has an auburn tint. We are still crossing our fingers for a redhead.
What color are his eyes?
They are getting clearer and bluer.
How is your belly-button recovery?
Slow. I still kind of have an "outie" right now, which is annoying.
How is the introduction of a bottle going?
Mediocre. The boob pump and I are good friends- that part is easy. The bigger problem is that Cooper is too smart, and he rejects the bottle after 1 or 2 ounces in favor of screaming until I give him a boob. Progress on this is slow.
Are you back at work?
Yes, part-time, from home. This is going well. Matt watches Cooper while I work, so that is convenient and simple.
Is he still huge?
Yes. He has outgrown much of his first month's wardrobe, including his Super Cooper outfit, his cute green striped jumpsuit, and many of his waterproof diaper covers. He wears some 0-3, some 3-6, and some 6+ clothing, depending on how the brand fits.
How is Cooper's hair doing?
Good! His infant pattern baldness has stabilized (he still has a very nice, fluffy, and pretty thick head of hair for a little baby) and some of the newer hair has an auburn tint. We are still crossing our fingers for a redhead.
What color are his eyes?
They are getting clearer and bluer.
How is your belly-button recovery?
Slow. I still kind of have an "outie" right now, which is annoying.
How is the introduction of a bottle going?
Mediocre. The boob pump and I are good friends- that part is easy. The bigger problem is that Cooper is too smart, and he rejects the bottle after 1 or 2 ounces in favor of screaming until I give him a boob. Progress on this is slow.
Are you back at work?
Yes, part-time, from home. This is going well. Matt watches Cooper while I work, so that is convenient and simple.
Is he still huge?
Yes. He has outgrown much of his first month's wardrobe, including his Super Cooper outfit, his cute green striped jumpsuit, and many of his waterproof diaper covers. He wears some 0-3, some 3-6, and some 6+ clothing, depending on how the brand fits.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Cooper giggles!
Ok, not really giggles. He does this silent smiley giggly looking thing when Matt tickles him that is totally adorable. Our digital camera does not take sound with the videos but because this cute little giggly thing is silent, it is not yet a big loss.
Note that Cooper has a huge vocabulary of cute baby noises- cooing, humming, "goo", "meow" (my favorite! and we don't have a cat!), eeeeee, and then of course screeching and crying. He simply chooses not to use them when Matt is tickling him.
Enjoy the video. If you can figure it out, the very best part of the video is the very last 3 seconds- try to move the little video controller to just show those in freeze-frame to see his big goofy smile in action once the video is done loading.
Note that Cooper has a huge vocabulary of cute baby noises- cooing, humming, "goo", "meow" (my favorite! and we don't have a cat!), eeeeee, and then of course screeching and crying. He simply chooses not to use them when Matt is tickling him.
Enjoy the video. If you can figure it out, the very best part of the video is the very last 3 seconds- try to move the little video controller to just show those in freeze-frame to see his big goofy smile in action once the video is done loading.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Normalcy
I know that things will never be the same again now that we have a baby, and that is a good thing. Matt and I are working hard to create a "new normal" that maintains the things we enjoy and mixes them with our little guy.
One thing that Matt and I both have placed a high priority on is maintaining the sports and activities we like. For me right now, that is cross country skiing and ultimate frisbee. After our super fun x-c adventure last weekend, I was ready to take on my return to frisbee as well. With Cooper tucked neatly into the sling on Dad's chest at the sidelines, I put on my cleats and gave it a go.
Needless to say, a fast team sport is different from cruisin' the snow at your own pace, but it proved enjoyable anyway. It felt good to be on the field, laugh and play with friends, and do quite a bit of jogging. Normally you sprint in ultimate, not jog, but between being grossly out of shape and still having hormonally loosened hip ligaments, all my running was slow and steady.
I made some good passes, a few quality defensive plays, and generally had a great time. But I was really stunned at how poor my lung capacity has become, and the feeling of running on a set of childbirth modified hips was bizarre. Almost like being drunk. I'm sure they will improve with time... right?
One of my friends with two kids was excited to see me- she said she had started back up playing around 6 or 7 weeks after her first son. We commiserated about the hip thing (she said hers got better quite rapidly) and then revealed, "With (her first son) every time I changed directions on the field or jumped, I peed myself. It was a mess!"
That is one thing I am glad of; I have not developed any stress incontinence. I know several friends that have, and I hear it is big problem. Peeing yourself is not dignified, among other things.
One thing that Matt and I both have placed a high priority on is maintaining the sports and activities we like. For me right now, that is cross country skiing and ultimate frisbee. After our super fun x-c adventure last weekend, I was ready to take on my return to frisbee as well. With Cooper tucked neatly into the sling on Dad's chest at the sidelines, I put on my cleats and gave it a go.
Needless to say, a fast team sport is different from cruisin' the snow at your own pace, but it proved enjoyable anyway. It felt good to be on the field, laugh and play with friends, and do quite a bit of jogging. Normally you sprint in ultimate, not jog, but between being grossly out of shape and still having hormonally loosened hip ligaments, all my running was slow and steady.
I made some good passes, a few quality defensive plays, and generally had a great time. But I was really stunned at how poor my lung capacity has become, and the feeling of running on a set of childbirth modified hips was bizarre. Almost like being drunk. I'm sure they will improve with time... right?
One of my friends with two kids was excited to see me- she said she had started back up playing around 6 or 7 weeks after her first son. We commiserated about the hip thing (she said hers got better quite rapidly) and then revealed, "With (her first son) every time I changed directions on the field or jumped, I peed myself. It was a mess!"
That is one thing I am glad of; I have not developed any stress incontinence. I know several friends that have, and I hear it is big problem. Peeing yourself is not dignified, among other things.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Growth spurt?
At 6 weeks, babies often go through a growth spurt. Sometimes this means they will be more fussy, hungry, or sleepy.
Since last night, Cooper has been on a nearly flawless schedule of 4 hours of sleeping, 30 minutes of eating, 10 minutes of staring at stuff and smiling, and then repeat. Virtually nothing else- no crying, fussing, squirming, nothing. I would almost be worried that something is wrong except that he seems so darn happy in those 10 minutes so I don't think he is sick or anything.
Oh yeah, and somewhere in there we change his diapers. Whatever.
My boobs are not a big fan of this schedule. They are much more used to an every two hour eating schedule during the daylight hours, so I am sore and kinda bloated. Thank god for the pump.
Matt and I are practically useless with all this spare non-baby time. What do we do? You mean I don't have to put away the dishes with a squirmy baby in one arm? You mean I can read the WHOLE thing without disruption? Crazy! My world is upside down!
Since last night, Cooper has been on a nearly flawless schedule of 4 hours of sleeping, 30 minutes of eating, 10 minutes of staring at stuff and smiling, and then repeat. Virtually nothing else- no crying, fussing, squirming, nothing. I would almost be worried that something is wrong except that he seems so darn happy in those 10 minutes so I don't think he is sick or anything.
Oh yeah, and somewhere in there we change his diapers. Whatever.
My boobs are not a big fan of this schedule. They are much more used to an every two hour eating schedule during the daylight hours, so I am sore and kinda bloated. Thank god for the pump.
Matt and I are practically useless with all this spare non-baby time. What do we do? You mean I don't have to put away the dishes with a squirmy baby in one arm? You mean I can read the WHOLE thing without disruption? Crazy! My world is upside down!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Our big boy!
Goodness me is he a big kid!
Cooper got his infant hearing screening today (his hearing checked out perfectly) and for kicks, I weighed him while we were there.
Wearing a clean disposable diaper and a thin long sleeved onesie, he weighed 12 lbs, 13oz.
That is exactly FOUR pounds more then when he was born. OK, so the diaper and onesie probably weighed maybe 3- 4 ounces, so it is realistically about 3 3/4 lbs more then when he was born. But still! He is gaining weight like crazy!
I am so proud of him. And of my boobs.
The nurse warned me that with such a big baby, sometimes he'll falsely appear to be behind in developmental milestones because people will think he is older. And my sister confirmed that when baby E was quite big, at one point she almost got scheduled for the wrong vaccinations due to the assumption that baby E was older then she was. So I'll keep a close eye on this potential confusion.
Cooper got his infant hearing screening today (his hearing checked out perfectly) and for kicks, I weighed him while we were there.
Wearing a clean disposable diaper and a thin long sleeved onesie, he weighed 12 lbs, 13oz.
That is exactly FOUR pounds more then when he was born. OK, so the diaper and onesie probably weighed maybe 3- 4 ounces, so it is realistically about 3 3/4 lbs more then when he was born. But still! He is gaining weight like crazy!
I am so proud of him. And of my boobs.
The nurse warned me that with such a big baby, sometimes he'll falsely appear to be behind in developmental milestones because people will think he is older. And my sister confirmed that when baby E was quite big, at one point she almost got scheduled for the wrong vaccinations due to the assumption that baby E was older then she was. So I'll keep a close eye on this potential confusion.
Friday, April 18, 2008
New vocabulary
Sleeper= footed long sleeve, full legged bodysuit. Matt and I call these "PJs" or "jumpsuits."
Creeper= non footed long sleeve, full legged bodysuit. Matt and I call these "jumpsuits without feeties." Two of my favorite things that he wears are creepers.
Onesie= tee shirt with a snap crotch. Matt and I call these "shirts."
Cardigan= a cardigan (duh.) Matt and I call these his "jackets."
Sleep sacks= a warm long sleeved dress that is closed at the bottom, giving the appearance of being a sleeping bag with arms attached. Cooper does not like these right now, so we don't use them much.
Bunting= A very warm full body outfit for going outside in the cold. Matt and I call these "starfish outfits." Cooper only had one of these, and he already outgrew it, but it was great for one nice walk in the cold spring weather. Thank goodness it was bought second hand!
Little dude= Cooper
Nugget= overly cutesy term for Cooper when he is swaddled and asleep, i.e. "Can I hold the wittle Nugget?"
Creeper= non footed long sleeve, full legged bodysuit. Matt and I call these "jumpsuits without feeties." Two of my favorite things that he wears are creepers.
Onesie= tee shirt with a snap crotch. Matt and I call these "shirts."
Cardigan= a cardigan (duh.) Matt and I call these his "jackets."
Sleep sacks= a warm long sleeved dress that is closed at the bottom, giving the appearance of being a sleeping bag with arms attached. Cooper does not like these right now, so we don't use them much.
Bunting= A very warm full body outfit for going outside in the cold. Matt and I call these "starfish outfits." Cooper only had one of these, and he already outgrew it, but it was great for one nice walk in the cold spring weather. Thank goodness it was bought second hand!
Little dude= Cooper
Nugget= overly cutesy term for Cooper when he is swaddled and asleep, i.e. "Can I hold the wittle Nugget?"
Cradle cap?
Cooper has developed a small amount of yucky dandruffy stuff. I think he may be getting a mild case of cradle cap, which is when the baby's scalp overproduces oils and skin cells and makes yucky looking dandruff.
Gross! I think the treatment is to gentle scrub it off. No big deal, really. This is on top of his mild, but persistent, face and chest based baby acne.
Luckily, none of this shows up in photos (OK, a little, but not too much and good lighting typically eliminates the issue) and I know that pretty much only Matt and I notice both the zits and the flakes. In contrast, our friend's baby Owen has a "stork kiss" (bright red baby birthmark that will like fade to nothing with time) on his eyelid that extends up onto the bridge of his nose. It looks a little like a healing black eye. That is a much harder skin mark to reconcile- "Who punched your baby?"
Yikes! Although I bet no one says that. Or at least I hope so.
My sister's baby had a stork kiss on the nape of her neck. Much less visible! And my father has a pigmented/capillary birthmark on the back of his head, hidden by his thick hair, that looks similar but of course is invisible to everyone. And my sister herself has a really cool birthmark on the back of her knee. Matt and I have nothin'.
Still, I'm slightly surprised that my little guy has no birthmarks at all. Although he does have one small freckle on his scalp- cute!
OH and I win the bad mommy award of the week. I took Cooper for a long walk WITH THE SUNSHADE completely shading him, and long sleeves, and a cap, but he STILL got a very mild sunburn on his forehead. Gotta get out the summer hats. Mild sunburns are still unacceptable.
Gross! I think the treatment is to gentle scrub it off. No big deal, really. This is on top of his mild, but persistent, face and chest based baby acne.
Luckily, none of this shows up in photos (OK, a little, but not too much and good lighting typically eliminates the issue) and I know that pretty much only Matt and I notice both the zits and the flakes. In contrast, our friend's baby Owen has a "stork kiss" (bright red baby birthmark that will like fade to nothing with time) on his eyelid that extends up onto the bridge of his nose. It looks a little like a healing black eye. That is a much harder skin mark to reconcile- "Who punched your baby?"
Yikes! Although I bet no one says that. Or at least I hope so.
My sister's baby had a stork kiss on the nape of her neck. Much less visible! And my father has a pigmented/capillary birthmark on the back of his head, hidden by his thick hair, that looks similar but of course is invisible to everyone. And my sister herself has a really cool birthmark on the back of her knee. Matt and I have nothin'.
Still, I'm slightly surprised that my little guy has no birthmarks at all. Although he does have one small freckle on his scalp- cute!
OH and I win the bad mommy award of the week. I took Cooper for a long walk WITH THE SUNSHADE completely shading him, and long sleeves, and a cap, but he STILL got a very mild sunburn on his forehead. Gotta get out the summer hats. Mild sunburns are still unacceptable.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The beauty of the US medical system
Me: "Hi, I need to make an appointment with Dr. K."
Her: "Have you seen him before?"
Me: "Yes, about three weeks ago."
Her: "OK, the next available appointment is June 25th."
Me: "Oh no, I need it sooner. Do you have anything sooner then that?"
Her: "Well the earliest I can get you in with his physician's assistant on May 3rd."
Me: "I don't want to be difficult, but I have a horrific rash all over my arms, legs, and butt. Three weeks ago I took a 10 day course of steroids that Dr. K prescribed to get rid of this rash, which worked temporarily, but now it is back and it is taking every ounce of my being not to physically tear my skin off. Yesterday I cut off all my nails and then filed them down to stubs so that I don't draw blood from scratching in my sleep. I truly cannot wait until the 3rd."
Her: "Oh now look! There is an opening, tomorrow!"
Me: "Thank you."
Her: "Have you seen him before?"
Me: "Yes, about three weeks ago."
Her: "OK, the next available appointment is June 25th."
Me: "Oh no, I need it sooner. Do you have anything sooner then that?"
Her: "Well the earliest I can get you in with his physician's assistant on May 3rd."
Me: "I don't want to be difficult, but I have a horrific rash all over my arms, legs, and butt. Three weeks ago I took a 10 day course of steroids that Dr. K prescribed to get rid of this rash, which worked temporarily, but now it is back and it is taking every ounce of my being not to physically tear my skin off. Yesterday I cut off all my nails and then filed them down to stubs so that I don't draw blood from scratching in my sleep. I truly cannot wait until the 3rd."
Her: "Oh now look! There is an opening, tomorrow!"
Me: "Thank you."
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Scary list
I made a list of all the pregnancy related complaints I had, in no particular order.
Matt then said it was very scary. So READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Seriously.
Don't read this unless you want to.
I'm not joking.
Ready.
Aim.
(wasting space here so that you don't see the list on the first part of the post)
Still wasting space.
Almost there.
Don't let this list scare you, it was not as bad as it sounds.
Ok, here goes...
FIRE!
My physical/emotional pregnancy complaints, compiled;
indigestion
heartburn
nausea
weepiness
crabbiness
fluid retention
peeing constantly
weird rashes
abscesses
constipation
diarrhea
feet hurting
back hurting
belly button hurting
hips hurting
groin hurting
stretch marks on boobs/belly/thighs
insomnia
bizarre food aversions
enhanced (and obnoxious) sense of smell
frustration over not eating sushi or goat cheese
random new freckles
itchy skin
fat ankles
chipmunk cheeks from facial water retention
being tired constantly
being wired at inappropriate times
being rather pissed off at "still" being pregnant when it is almost baby time
Lastly, everyone's favorite;
hemorrhoids.
I am intentionally leaving out the things that annoyed me that were externally based, like inappropriate comments from strangers and so forth. That stuff was different, somehow.
It was all worth it, of course. Cooper is asleep in his "Super Cooper" jumpsuit in the sling, and thus all is well in the world.
Matt then said it was very scary. So READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Seriously.
Don't read this unless you want to.
I'm not joking.
Ready.
Aim.
(wasting space here so that you don't see the list on the first part of the post)
Still wasting space.
Almost there.
Don't let this list scare you, it was not as bad as it sounds.
Ok, here goes...
FIRE!
My physical/emotional pregnancy complaints, compiled;
indigestion
heartburn
nausea
weepiness
crabbiness
fluid retention
peeing constantly
weird rashes
abscesses
constipation
diarrhea
feet hurting
back hurting
belly button hurting
hips hurting
groin hurting
stretch marks on boobs/belly/thighs
insomnia
bizarre food aversions
enhanced (and obnoxious) sense of smell
frustration over not eating sushi or goat cheese
random new freckles
itchy skin
fat ankles
chipmunk cheeks from facial water retention
being tired constantly
being wired at inappropriate times
being rather pissed off at "still" being pregnant when it is almost baby time
Lastly, everyone's favorite;
hemorrhoids.
I am intentionally leaving out the things that annoyed me that were externally based, like inappropriate comments from strangers and so forth. That stuff was different, somehow.
It was all worth it, of course. Cooper is asleep in his "Super Cooper" jumpsuit in the sling, and thus all is well in the world.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Big news for friend!
A friend is pregnant! Woooooo!
She is at 15 weeks, which means that the due date is in September sometime. I don't recall when specifically.
So exciting!
In a demented way, I miss being pregnant. I know that is CRAZY but it was such an incredible experience to be "expecting." I know I am selectively ignoring all the hardships of pregnancy, but it is my perogative to do so. Besides, it is probably sound evolution for me to ignore that stuff.
I am thrilled for my friend- couldn't have happened to a better couple! Yay!
She is at 15 weeks, which means that the due date is in September sometime. I don't recall when specifically.
So exciting!
In a demented way, I miss being pregnant. I know that is CRAZY but it was such an incredible experience to be "expecting." I know I am selectively ignoring all the hardships of pregnancy, but it is my perogative to do so. Besides, it is probably sound evolution for me to ignore that stuff.
I am thrilled for my friend- couldn't have happened to a better couple! Yay!
A big first!
Cooper tried out a bottle yesterday. He drank a full 2 oz before deciding it was weird and not as cool as the boob.
Still, he sucked on it like a champ and didn't choke or freak out. We are trying to do one bottle per day right now to ease him into the whole bottle thing.
On a related note, I am learning to pump. It is funny to milk yourself. Matt and I keep quoting "Meet the Parents..."
Good movie.
Still, he sucked on it like a champ and didn't choke or freak out. We are trying to do one bottle per day right now to ease him into the whole bottle thing.
On a related note, I am learning to pump. It is funny to milk yourself. Matt and I keep quoting "Meet the Parents..."
I've got nipples, Greg. Can you milk me?
Good movie.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
They grow so fast
I know, it is a cliche.
Whatever.
Cooper has outgrown all but a very select few pieces of newborn size clothing (namely, two pairs of pants are somehow still fitting him). He has also outgrown quite a few of the more conservatively sized 0-3 clothing. Gerber brand, in particular, is TINY and the 0-3 clothing in that brand fit him only during his weight-loss period in the first week. It probably would not have fit him at birth when he was all birth-plumped-up.
Therefore, he wears the larger 0-3 and the smaller 3-6 outfits. In particular, I am enamoured of the most unlikely set of three matching onesies. They were a gift from Matt's cousin. The snaps are placed in a particularly convenient manner, the fabric is softer and feels warmer then average, the pattern is very cute and they fit him a bit generously, which means these onesies will be on him for quite some time and yet still look perfectly nice right now. Oh yeah, and they are organic cotton.
Why, you ask, is this an "unlikely set" of three matching onesies that I like so much?
They are from WalMart.
I have not stepped foot into WalMart in four years. I dislike many, many parts of WalMart's practices and won't even bother ranting about them because it is just unnecessary.
So I am really sad to see that one of their suppliers makes arguably one of the nicest onesies on the market. Perhaps they also sell their product at other retailers? I will hope.
Whatever.
Cooper has outgrown all but a very select few pieces of newborn size clothing (namely, two pairs of pants are somehow still fitting him). He has also outgrown quite a few of the more conservatively sized 0-3 clothing. Gerber brand, in particular, is TINY and the 0-3 clothing in that brand fit him only during his weight-loss period in the first week. It probably would not have fit him at birth when he was all birth-plumped-up.
Therefore, he wears the larger 0-3 and the smaller 3-6 outfits. In particular, I am enamoured of the most unlikely set of three matching onesies. They were a gift from Matt's cousin. The snaps are placed in a particularly convenient manner, the fabric is softer and feels warmer then average, the pattern is very cute and they fit him a bit generously, which means these onesies will be on him for quite some time and yet still look perfectly nice right now. Oh yeah, and they are organic cotton.
Why, you ask, is this an "unlikely set" of three matching onesies that I like so much?
They are from WalMart.
I have not stepped foot into WalMart in four years. I dislike many, many parts of WalMart's practices and won't even bother ranting about them because it is just unnecessary.
So I am really sad to see that one of their suppliers makes arguably one of the nicest onesies on the market. Perhaps they also sell their product at other retailers? I will hope.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
HAPPY ONE MONTH!
Cooper is one month old today, no matter how you slice and dice it!
Yeah!
According to the baby literature, at one month Cooper is a high achiever in 4 out of 5 measures. He can lift his head to 90 degrees from level when on his belly, he can coo and also makes this funny sound that sounds like "meow," he smiles in response to being smiled at, and can hold his head steady and upright for short periods when he is held in a sitting or standing position.
The only thing he is not advanced at is hand coordination. He definitely cannot bring his hands together on purpose. He can intentionally work his hands out of a tight swaddle, but he isn't good at controlling them beyond that. So that means his hand control is merely average. That is OK by us.
To celebrate, Matt and I sang him a Happy Birthday song and ate waffles for breakfast. So Cooper had waffles, sort of.
Yeah!
According to the baby literature, at one month Cooper is a high achiever in 4 out of 5 measures. He can lift his head to 90 degrees from level when on his belly, he can coo and also makes this funny sound that sounds like "meow," he smiles in response to being smiled at, and can hold his head steady and upright for short periods when he is held in a sitting or standing position.
The only thing he is not advanced at is hand coordination. He definitely cannot bring his hands together on purpose. He can intentionally work his hands out of a tight swaddle, but he isn't good at controlling them beyond that. So that means his hand control is merely average. That is OK by us.
To celebrate, Matt and I sang him a Happy Birthday song and ate waffles for breakfast. So Cooper had waffles, sort of.
Baby transport devices
Cooper loves the "Moby Wrap" more than he loves the sling. I think he prefers the wrap's smooshed-into-chest position over the sling's pea-in-pod position, and in the wrap he can slowly work his feet free and then flail them, which he evidently enjoys. And then I tuck his feet back in and he can repeat the process.
The sling has certain advantages- it is more portable and fairly stylish. The wrap is more parental dorky looking, and bulkier. So when I go out to shop downtown or something, the sling works better. In the house, though, I've decided that the wrap is the way to go. And for long term wear (i.e. hikes) the wrap is hugely preferable. It distributes Cooper's weight much like a real backpack. That increases the comfort level tremendously.
I've also been using a baby jogger that a friend lent to me for the last week. Cooper is far too young for a baby jogger (floppy head and all) so I've had to ensconce him in an impressive arrangement of blankets and such to create a safe and comfortable nest. Once in his nest, he loves the baby jogger and so do I. But getting him situated is very involved.
Thankfully, Grandma R just came through with a great gift of a snap-in car seat convertible stroller base. Cool! I'm test driving it today. I know it will be enjoyable for all, and I have a new goal to go for a long walk everyday (weather permitting) so the newer, easier stroller is quite exciting.
Speaking of which, I should put him in some warm clothing and get going!
The sling has certain advantages- it is more portable and fairly stylish. The wrap is more parental dorky looking, and bulkier. So when I go out to shop downtown or something, the sling works better. In the house, though, I've decided that the wrap is the way to go. And for long term wear (i.e. hikes) the wrap is hugely preferable. It distributes Cooper's weight much like a real backpack. That increases the comfort level tremendously.
I've also been using a baby jogger that a friend lent to me for the last week. Cooper is far too young for a baby jogger (floppy head and all) so I've had to ensconce him in an impressive arrangement of blankets and such to create a safe and comfortable nest. Once in his nest, he loves the baby jogger and so do I. But getting him situated is very involved.
Thankfully, Grandma R just came through with a great gift of a snap-in car seat convertible stroller base. Cool! I'm test driving it today. I know it will be enjoyable for all, and I have a new goal to go for a long walk everyday (weather permitting) so the newer, easier stroller is quite exciting.
Speaking of which, I should put him in some warm clothing and get going!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
I didn't think of this one
Cooper is a water-loving little guy. He likes his sink baths, he likes to be in the shower with me, and he likes to take bath in the big bathtub with me. I try to do some kind of full-body cleaning at least twice a week, and I wash his hair about once a week. With the extremely dry air here in wintertime, I figure anything more than that and he'd get dry skin.
Today I decided that after running errands and generally being busy, it would be nice to unwind by taking a bath. Cooper loves baths, so naturally he was in there too. Now, you may wonder... what if he poops in there? Well, that has yet to happen, but because Cooper also likes showers, I figure it is not a crisis. Just yucky.
So there we were, warm and relaxed in the tub. For a long time, Cooper was draped over me, limp, clean and toasty warm. He was making adorable calm baby noises, and I was very happy. Cooper seemed asleep. Then, he started getting squirmy. It occurred to me that he might be squirmy because he was working on pooping, but like I said, I was prepared for that mentally and so it didn't bother me.
Instead, he squirmed a little bit more, looked up at me, and then puked an impressive amount of milk all over my chest. It was stunning how much fluid came out of him, and I watched helplessly as it cascaded out of him and into the lovely warm bath. Poor little guy had it coming out of his nose, too! Ugggg.
He rarely spits up, and he hasn't vomited in at least a week, so this was a very big surprise. Thankfully the water heater still had plenty of hot water for both of us to get cleaned up. After I drained the bathtub while holding a really ewwwy and sticky (although amazingly calm and happy) naked infant, we enjoyed a nice hot shower. And I washed his hair. So soft!
No one suspects the baby will vomit in the tub. Lesson learned.
Today I decided that after running errands and generally being busy, it would be nice to unwind by taking a bath. Cooper loves baths, so naturally he was in there too. Now, you may wonder... what if he poops in there? Well, that has yet to happen, but because Cooper also likes showers, I figure it is not a crisis. Just yucky.
So there we were, warm and relaxed in the tub. For a long time, Cooper was draped over me, limp, clean and toasty warm. He was making adorable calm baby noises, and I was very happy. Cooper seemed asleep. Then, he started getting squirmy. It occurred to me that he might be squirmy because he was working on pooping, but like I said, I was prepared for that mentally and so it didn't bother me.
Instead, he squirmed a little bit more, looked up at me, and then puked an impressive amount of milk all over my chest. It was stunning how much fluid came out of him, and I watched helplessly as it cascaded out of him and into the lovely warm bath. Poor little guy had it coming out of his nose, too! Ugggg.
He rarely spits up, and he hasn't vomited in at least a week, so this was a very big surprise. Thankfully the water heater still had plenty of hot water for both of us to get cleaned up. After I drained the bathtub while holding a really ewwwy and sticky (although amazingly calm and happy) naked infant, we enjoyed a nice hot shower. And I washed his hair. So soft!
No one suspects the baby will vomit in the tub. Lesson learned.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Infant pattern baldness
Cooper is developing mild infant pattern baldness, which is my joke term for what looks almost like male pattern baldness but is on his little baby head.
I really hope he doesn't lose all his hair. I love his hair. It is a medium brown with a reddish undertone that a few people have commented may mean he is a redhead later in life. As both Matt and I have redheads peppered throughout our families, this is a cool possibility.
I just hope the little guy doesn't lose it all. He is so cute with his soft and long baby hair!
I really hope he doesn't lose all his hair. I love his hair. It is a medium brown with a reddish undertone that a few people have commented may mean he is a redhead later in life. As both Matt and I have redheads peppered throughout our families, this is a cool possibility.
I just hope the little guy doesn't lose it all. He is so cute with his soft and long baby hair!
What is a month?
Here is an interesting question. Is a month four weeks, or is it from date to date? Because if a month is four weeks long, then Cooper is a month old!!
If a month is instead from date to date (i.e. from the 10th of March to the 10th of April) then Cooper is still less than a month old today. Instead, his one month birthday will be on Thursday.
It doesn't really matter, of course.
Cooper has really improved his eating style in the last week. He is now regularly able to hit both boobs in one sitting, which hugely improves my comfort level and increases his sleeping and napping duration (more food = longer between feedings). I'm really happy with this, as I've patiently encouraged this behavior for a full month and it is nice to see my efforts pay off. The lactation consultant that I've chatted with on and off confirmed last week that some babies just need some time to let their stomachs expand and to get more awake while eating for longer periods. She said I was doing the right thing by encouraging him to at least try both sides and that eventually he'd take the hint. And here we are!
Nice work, little boy!
If a month is instead from date to date (i.e. from the 10th of March to the 10th of April) then Cooper is still less than a month old today. Instead, his one month birthday will be on Thursday.
It doesn't really matter, of course.
Cooper has really improved his eating style in the last week. He is now regularly able to hit both boobs in one sitting, which hugely improves my comfort level and increases his sleeping and napping duration (more food = longer between feedings). I'm really happy with this, as I've patiently encouraged this behavior for a full month and it is nice to see my efforts pay off. The lactation consultant that I've chatted with on and off confirmed last week that some babies just need some time to let their stomachs expand and to get more awake while eating for longer periods. She said I was doing the right thing by encouraging him to at least try both sides and that eventually he'd take the hint. And here we are!
Nice work, little boy!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
The sleep question
We are getting sleep. It is enough sleep to function at a pretty high level. It is not adult style sleep. I get annoyed lately when people ask me if he sleeps through the night.
Does he sleep through the night? Heck no! He has a stomach the size of a walnut! He pees and poops in his pants all night! Would YOU sleep through the night if you were constantly hungry and often lying in your own pee?
He gets hungry, wakes up, and if I feed him before he gets upset then he usually just falls right back to sleep. If I wait just a minute or three too long, he freaks out and then he agitatedly gulps air as he sucks, which leads to painful gas bubbles, which leads to a long burping session, which wakes him up more thoroughly, which in turn makes it harder for him to fall back asleep. So time is of the essence.
Thankfully, I am getting much, much better at avoiding that cascade of late-night unpleasantry and so lately all three of us have been sleeping really well. Cooper usually eats around 9pm, then we all go to bed. Then he wakes around 1 or 2, and I feed him and then Matt changes his diaper if it seems yucky. Then we all fall back asleep. Then Cooper gets up between 4 and 6 and I feed him, and then the two of us fall back asleep. Around 7 or 8 we all wake up for the day. That comes out to an 11 hour span of fractured sleep, which is equal in lucidity to roughly 7 hours by my estimation.
Cooper also likes to take a mammoth nap from about 9am to noon. This is great for getting things done around the house or running errands. I personally cannot nap, and do not want to nap, at that hour in the morning so instead I take the time to do stuff. Mostly laundry...
Does he sleep through the night? Heck no! He has a stomach the size of a walnut! He pees and poops in his pants all night! Would YOU sleep through the night if you were constantly hungry and often lying in your own pee?
He gets hungry, wakes up, and if I feed him before he gets upset then he usually just falls right back to sleep. If I wait just a minute or three too long, he freaks out and then he agitatedly gulps air as he sucks, which leads to painful gas bubbles, which leads to a long burping session, which wakes him up more thoroughly, which in turn makes it harder for him to fall back asleep. So time is of the essence.
Thankfully, I am getting much, much better at avoiding that cascade of late-night unpleasantry and so lately all three of us have been sleeping really well. Cooper usually eats around 9pm, then we all go to bed. Then he wakes around 1 or 2, and I feed him and then Matt changes his diaper if it seems yucky. Then we all fall back asleep. Then Cooper gets up between 4 and 6 and I feed him, and then the two of us fall back asleep. Around 7 or 8 we all wake up for the day. That comes out to an 11 hour span of fractured sleep, which is equal in lucidity to roughly 7 hours by my estimation.
Cooper also likes to take a mammoth nap from about 9am to noon. This is great for getting things done around the house or running errands. I personally cannot nap, and do not want to nap, at that hour in the morning so instead I take the time to do stuff. Mostly laundry...
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Tears!
Cooper actually shed tears last night. It was somewhere between cute and sad- he was busy getting upset about a gassy stomach (hours later, he puked all over me) but all Matt and I could do was say, "Awwww... look! Real tears!"
Unfortunately for Cooper, every once in a while (so far, three times in about 4 weeks of existence) he gets a gassy stomach that starts out as fussing, turns into frantic eating punctuated by loud upset crying, which then exhausts him into fitful sleeping, which in turn finally relaxes him enough to vomit all over me. This is a re-enactment of last night...
Me: "Awww... he's finally sleeping. Maybe he feels better."
Cooper: "Snore... snore.. sniffle... gurgle... SPLOOSH!"
Me: "Oh, that is gross. Matt- please help, with rags!"
Matt reported from the next room that it sounded like someone popped a water balloon. No wonder the little guy was so uncomfortable!
Now, in case you are wondering, spit-up is different. Spit-up is like milk, or sometimes funky milk, and it only comes up in small quantities. This is different- it is yucky smelling, acidic, and in a very disproportionate amount given Cooper's body size. Cooper is actually not much of a spitter, which is great because it allows us to avoid lots of bib use or outfit changes. Instead, he is a champion farter.
We all need to be good at something, right? :)
Unfortunately for Cooper, every once in a while (so far, three times in about 4 weeks of existence) he gets a gassy stomach that starts out as fussing, turns into frantic eating punctuated by loud upset crying, which then exhausts him into fitful sleeping, which in turn finally relaxes him enough to vomit all over me. This is a re-enactment of last night...
Me: "Awww... he's finally sleeping. Maybe he feels better."
Cooper: "Snore... snore.. sniffle... gurgle... SPLOOSH!"
Me: "Oh, that is gross. Matt- please help, with rags!"
Matt reported from the next room that it sounded like someone popped a water balloon. No wonder the little guy was so uncomfortable!
Now, in case you are wondering, spit-up is different. Spit-up is like milk, or sometimes funky milk, and it only comes up in small quantities. This is different- it is yucky smelling, acidic, and in a very disproportionate amount given Cooper's body size. Cooper is actually not much of a spitter, which is great because it allows us to avoid lots of bib use or outfit changes. Instead, he is a champion farter.
We all need to be good at something, right? :)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The sling rules!
I am an absolute novice at getting Cooper into the sling. It takes me forever, I inevitably upset the little guy, and then within 30 seconds of finally being shoehorned and man-handled into the sling he is the happiest little pea in a pod that you can imagine. We love the sling. We bake muffins together, unload the dishwasher, visit the neighbor's house to return the library of borrowed pregnancy books, and generally enjoy greater ability to accomplish little things. Including blog posts.
The other thing that I would term "momma's little helper" is the sound of our appliances. Washer, dryer, or dishwasher- it doesn't matter, it is heaven to Cooper. He grooves out in his bouncy chair to the loud white noise. Sometimes he is awake and just relaxing in appliance-noise bliss, and other times he is sound asleep. I have actually thought to myself, "Gee, I hope there is something to put in the dryer" once or twice when Cooper was having a bad fussy spell. I cannot bring myself to run it empty JUST to make the little guy happy and calm, but I can imagine it happening if I got really desperate.
Cooper's baby acne is not getting better, sadly. His little apple cheeks are dotted with tiny zits, and he even has one or two on his chest. I do my best to gently wash the messy spilt milk off his face after all the day-time feedings, but I also know that baby acne is hormonally driven and thus, my efforts are probably useless. I hope it clears up soon.
My sore boob recovered in less than 24 hours. I am very glad that what I self-diagnosed as a plugged duct took well to the treatments suggested for plugged ducts (hot showers, extra nursing, gentle massage) and cleared up on its own. Both my boobs have acclimated to milk production fairly well and aside from my continuing comical milk oversupply, my bust is now almost a normal looking proportion to my body and actually physically comfortable. I leak a lot. I'm learning to deal with that.
My mom told me that when she was nursing my sister, her milk let-down reflex was so easily triggered that hearing a cat meowing would make her wet her shirt.
Let's just say that while I haven't heard any cats lately, I do have some very vocal chickens, and now a damp flannel buttondown...
The other thing that I would term "momma's little helper" is the sound of our appliances. Washer, dryer, or dishwasher- it doesn't matter, it is heaven to Cooper. He grooves out in his bouncy chair to the loud white noise. Sometimes he is awake and just relaxing in appliance-noise bliss, and other times he is sound asleep. I have actually thought to myself, "Gee, I hope there is something to put in the dryer" once or twice when Cooper was having a bad fussy spell. I cannot bring myself to run it empty JUST to make the little guy happy and calm, but I can imagine it happening if I got really desperate.
Cooper's baby acne is not getting better, sadly. His little apple cheeks are dotted with tiny zits, and he even has one or two on his chest. I do my best to gently wash the messy spilt milk off his face after all the day-time feedings, but I also know that baby acne is hormonally driven and thus, my efforts are probably useless. I hope it clears up soon.
My sore boob recovered in less than 24 hours. I am very glad that what I self-diagnosed as a plugged duct took well to the treatments suggested for plugged ducts (hot showers, extra nursing, gentle massage) and cleared up on its own. Both my boobs have acclimated to milk production fairly well and aside from my continuing comical milk oversupply, my bust is now almost a normal looking proportion to my body and actually physically comfortable. I leak a lot. I'm learning to deal with that.
My mom told me that when she was nursing my sister, her milk let-down reflex was so easily triggered that hearing a cat meowing would make her wet her shirt.
Let's just say that while I haven't heard any cats lately, I do have some very vocal chickens, and now a damp flannel buttondown...
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