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4.22.2014

Jack | 2 Months Old

This month has been busy, busy! Lots of home improvements, many more outings with Jack, and even a visit from Grandma Carroll who flew all the way from WV to meet her chunk of a grandson! Jack actually turned 2 months on the 12th. We've seen many new developments this past month and it has been so much fun! 
 2 month old Jack likes...
bath time
bright lights
singing with mommy
his lamaze peacock
napping in mommy's arms
playing on his activity mat (or whatever you call those things)
 2 month old Jack dislikes...
tummy time, although he's pretty good at it!
napping in his bassinet
wearing anything on his head
interrupted feedings
Health: I can't believe how big Jack has gotten! At his 2 month appointment he weighed in at 14 1/2 lbs and was 23 1/2 in long. Right now he's in size 3-6 month clothes, but even some of those are getting a little tight on him. We also upgraded to size 2 diapers this month. This guy is just growing way too fast! :(

Breastfeeding: Things are getting a little better with breastfeeding every week. My naturopath has me taking a Lecithin and Echinacea supplement 2x a day to help combat the reoccurring mastitis. I've also upped my daily Vitamin C intake and am trying to drink lots of water. The biggest help though in the feeding department has come from Jack himself. Jack is a HUGE comfort sucker and for the first 6 weeks he refused to take any sort of pacifier. This left me feeding him 17+ times a day, causing my body to produce copious amounts of milk! Then out of the blue, shortly after Jack turned 6 weeks old,  he took a pacifier (he'll only take Soothies), and my breastfeeding relationship really took a turn for the better! Now instead of 17 times a day, he's only nursing 7-10 times. He's still a big eater but cutting back on about 7 feedings a day gives this momma a much needed break and is helping my milk supply regulate. Hallelujah!

Also, when Jack was born the midwives advised me to use a nipple shield because he had a small mouth and blah, blah, blah.. I wish I never would have listened to them because since then I've learned that using a shield can lead to mastitis as well. At his 2 month appointment my Naturopath told me to kick the shield. I had been trying to wean Jack from it before, but after that appointment I was more determined then ever to get rid of it. It was a bit of a frustrating adjustment for Jack, but I'm happy to say that yesterday we didn't use the shield for any of his feedings. Hallelujah again and again! I'm hoping my breastfeeding woes are now a thing of the past. :)

Sleeping: The 6 week mark for Jack brought about a lot of changes. Not only did he start taking a pacifier, but he also started sleeping longer through the night. He goes down around 7 or 7:30 and usually does a 6 hour stretch (sometimes 5). He then wakes up to feed and then sleeps for another 4-5 hours. He wakes up a second time to feed and then usually sleeps for another hour or two, waking up around 6 or 6:30. He averages about 9-11 hours a night. Before this he was waking up every 1 1/2 - 2 hours. I know the pacifier has a lot to do with his improved sleeping habits because he doesn't wake up to comfort nurse. So thank you, pacifier. You are truly a lifesaver.

Naps are hit or miss. He fights nap time even when he is getting overtired. We rock, nurse, sing soothing songs, etc. and I eventually get him down only for him to wake up about a half hour later. I know some babies are simply cat nappers, averaging 30-45 minutes a nap, while others take the glorious, regular 2 or 3, 1-3 hour naps a day. But hey, we're working on it!

New this Month: Lots of smiles and even little giggles here and there! I love hearing this little guy laugh and seeing his smile light up his face. He thinks I'm hilarious ;) This month we also had a week long visit from Grandma and ventured out of the house a lot more than usual. Jack went to the park for the first time and even had his first sit down restaurant experience. He was a champ! This month, he also took a bottle for the first time. Since I have to return to work I've been pumping and freezing my milk a lot. We finally offered him his first bottle at 8 weeks. He took it fine, but it was hard for me to see someone else feeding him :(
Saved my favorite pic for last. Apparently Jack doesn't share my love of sock monkeys.

Happy (belated) 2 Months, Jack!
Mommy and daddy love you.

4.06.2014

I'm No Super-Mom

It took an hour and and half, but I finally got Jack down for the night. I feel like I need some scotch tape to keep my eyelids open at this point but I thought it was important to let my reader's know I am still alive and kicking, albeit a little more worse for the wear...but last time I checked I still had a pulse.

I'm feeling vulnerable. Maybe it's because I'm tired or maybe it's because it's so late at night and I'm used to blogging with a pipping hot cup of coffee in the glorious AM... Either way, my vulnerability is making me feel like I need to be transparent. So here we go.

I am no Super-Mom. Not even close.  And the worst part about it is I honestly thought I could be.

I see my mommy friends on Facebook or on their blogs and I think to myself, "how the hell do they do it? How do they seem so together?" Because I, for one, am not "together." And if I'm being really pain-strickenly honest, the last few weeks I've been too ashamed to admit that. Too ashamed to get on here and say that I have a love/hate relationship with breastfeeding (and it's mostly hate), that I've struggled through 3 bouts of mastitis and 2 clogged ducts, that I've called my husband crying while he's at work and begged him to come home because my fever had risen to 103 degrees and I can no longer care for our child on my own, that I co-slept with my son for the first 6 weeks of his life (and still do most nights), that I hold him in my arms the entire time he naps because I haven't figured out how to put him down and keep him asleep, that I've obsessed over baby poop, diaper rash, and spit up, that I am tired, worn out, stressed, and in great need of a shower.

This mommy business is so much harder than I ever thought it could be and I certainly do not have it all figured out. And deep down I know that's okay and I know I shouldn't be ashamed to admit it, but it's difficult nonetheless. But maybe, just maybe, there are other moms out there who feel this way, too. And maybe me sharing my fears can bring some encouragement to them.

So yeah... you've seen very little of me on this blog as of late and I'm afraid that will continue. As I go through this journey of motherhood the one thing that I've readily learned is that time flies and Jack is growing up far too quickly. It is so important that I keep my priorities straight during this time. My family comes first and the cleaning, errand running, and pretending like I have it all together on my blog can definitely wait.

I am no super-mom, and I'm pretty sure I never will be, but goodness, I love this little boy!
The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
for children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.
 - Ruth Hamilton