Growing bigger every day

Today I picked up the cat and realized with a start that the baby weighs more than the kitty. When did that happen!? She's getting big and strong and older every day. I'm a bit amazed that I've made her. And really, I have. She's completely composed of me plus air and whatever water she can suck off a washcloth during her bath. It's odd, really, to realize that you've not only created someone but are also continuing to help her grow. It'll be strange to start the transition to food in another few weeks.

The New York Times has a story about a study out that shows that fewer than 75% of women start out breastfeeding their babies and only about 40 percent were still breastfeeding at 6 months. Just about 21% were still breastfeeding at one year. You can find the link to the CDC publication here it's the second article in the publication). And those rates are not for exclusive breastfeeding but for moms doing at least some breastfeeding. I'm for some reason surprised at these numbers. On the one hand, 75% seems fairly high given the lack of moms I know who breastfeed around here. But I think it's particularly interesting how quickly the numbers drop. I'd suspect that work plays a big part of this. I'm fortunate that not only is my schedule amazingly flexible but that there are a few other nursing moms in my program. A retiring professor has loaned us her office to use for pumping which is nice. FarmU has lactation rooms across campus, but it's much easier to haul my stuff up one flight of stairs instead of to a different building. Continuing to pump without this support would be much more difficult.

We got permission from the pediatrician to start Froglette on solids at her four month check up, but he also said that there was no need to start her at that age. The AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximating six months and then a slow introduction of food at that time. She got a pea sized amount of avocado Monday night - and made the most ew-yuck face I have ever seen. She kept smacking her lips (not in a good way) trying to figure out what was this thing in her mouth. She did swallow it so it seems that she's lost her tongue thrust reflex which is useful. We don't have a clear plan for how we're going to start food at this point. There are a lot of useful websites that provide information about different approaches to introducing solid foods. Based on my reading, I think that we'll play with introducing avocado again in another week or so after the semester ends and then go from there. I'm not expecting her to all of a sudden love avocados (although seriously, why wouldn't you! yum yum) but to figure out how the whole eating thing works. I'm in no rush to get her eating more and more food and I'm happy to read that foods should be complementary to breastfeeding rather than replacing it. So - our next adventure is FOOD!

Enjoying the sunshine

We sat outside for a while in the shade Tuesday night. As you can see, Froglette had a great time. Our neighbor and his dog joined us for a while which gave Froglette plenty of things to look at. This girl likes being outside! We've been lucky and the weather's been nice enough to get a good walk in almost every day. They've even played outside at daycare and yesterday they took all the kids on a walk through the "forest".

I got this new wrap to wear her in while walking.

It's a woven wrap so it has less stretch than the Moby (the orange one). Our next thing to try is to wear her on my back!! She's getting a little less squirmy, so I'm hoping to give it a try in the next few weeks.

Peter wore her in it during our trip to Minneapolis over Spring Break. She slept a lot in it and we were able to walk and explore the area near our hotel.

We also have a mei tai. Here's PEter testing it out with the help of Cole.

I've worn her in it a few times, but keep reaching for the wrap first. We'll have to keep trying it out. It also allows you to wear the little one on your back too.

So much fun! We haven't used our stroller much yet, but I love going for walks this way.

We have a roller!

This was her second roll of the night. We turned the light on overhead and Peter filmed this

Roll #3!!

And then she rolled for a fourth time! She rolled from right to left and from left to right. She seemed pretty pleased with herself!

by the numbers

1 Baby

4 months

14 pounds 7 ounces

24 inches

61 children's books

4 baby carriers (wraps)

50 kagillion loads of laundry

+6 hours of consecutive sleep

So corny...

(Little Froglette in her corn on the cob outfit from L at Winter in the Cities)

giggle, giggle, snort, hahahah

So, the baby is laughing! She's been giggling for a few weeks now, but over the weekend those giggles became full on belly laughs! I haven't had this much fun in years, if not ever. We spent an inordinate amount of time trying to make her laugh! Weeeeeeeeee!

Giggles-McGee is getting older and bigger these days. She's definitely showing sides of her personality, likes and dislikes, and has strong preferences for how she likes things. I'd expect nothing less from my daughter, but I'm surprised at how clearly (read: loudly) she expresses her opinions about things.

Grandma and Aunt K are arriving Thursday for a quick visit during Spring Break and my birthday. They've suggested that they might babysit for a night and Peter and I could go have dinner on our own, by ourselves. That's such an amazing idea I don't even know how to contemplate it! We'll have the schedule this early on, before they realize what they're signing themselves up for!

I'm busy working on my three concurrent projects and Peter's working hard at finding us a neat place to go for the summer (anybody know anybody with leads for an internship for him?). Of course, we're also up to our ears in laundry, house stuff, and a lonely cat. It's busy these days.

More pictures when I get some time.

3 month snow bunny

3 months (already?) - no longer a fetus!*

Happy 3 month birthday Froglette!

To mark the occasion, yesterday she discovered that she has feet! She spent an inordinate amount of time contemplating her little feet with very serious expressions on her face. It's apparently hard and important work to study one's feet. She can reliably get her hands to her mouth and her little fists are slowly starting to open up. She's grabbed things a few times, but I think it's been more accidental than purposeful.

In last month, she flew on her first plane (a trip out east to visit Nonnina (her east coast grandma) and her cousins M & M. She's a great flyer and made friends with all of the people on the plane and in the airport. Probably helped that I was wearing her in the Moby - people thought we were a strange looking sight! We discovered that we don't need quite as many clothes for her as we had packed, but we did need all the diapers!

She's also apparently developing some skin sensitivities. There are several diaper brands that we can't put her in any longer due to the bright red rash she gets. Boo. Just like her mom unfortunately. I'm hoping she grows out of this, cuz it's a pain to have skin allergies. Not life threatening or anything - but the itching... ouch.

In loud news, she's discovering her voice. She lets us all know right away if something isn't to her liking. Yesterday she was distressed for so long that Cole came to see what the fuss was about. This is the first time he seems to have noticed that we had a baby! Grandma's cat heard her over skype and came over to the computer to check her out too!

I can't believe my little baby is getting so big so fast. We pulled out all of her newborn and much of her 0-3 month clothes yesterday, some to set aside for the future (maybe?) and some to resell. The 3 month stuff is a teeny bit big (except for the carter's 3 month, their stuff runs long and she's a short girl) but she's going to be wearing it all very soon.

We're all having a bit of cabin fever here. I'm hoping for some decent weather soon so we can go for a walk. We used the stroller twice right after she was born, but then the snow came and we haven't been out since. Unfortunately, the weather people just said that we'll be having more record lows (but no more snow) for the rest of the week. Sigh. Maybe we need a vacation in Aruba?

Grandma and Aunt K will be out in a little less than 3 weeks to visit for spring break/my birthday. I can't wait to show off our little girl!

And finally, I can wear my wedding rings again! Only 6 months after I had to take them off! Hooray!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Some argue that the first three months of life for baby are really its fourth trimester and that it's also the fourth trimester of pregnancy for mom. Baby is figuring out what it's like to be out in the world and mom's body is slowly changing away from its pregnant state.

BFF

they make a cute pair, don't they?

Flower Dress

Sorry for the light posting. We're all recovering from a cold (sniffles and congestion mostly). Little Froglette is doing well - she's discovered that she loves the bath. Her Aunt and Grandma made her curtains for her room and she's fascinated by the way that the light shines through them, turning the room orange and red.

Here's a new picture.

Smiles

look how you've grown

A quick series showing Froglette's rapid weight gain!

With Grandma at the hospital 3 days old

With Grandma 13 days old

You can see how in just 10 days, her face filled out! This was the day we went to the pediatrician too. She weighed 6 12 at birth and was 8 pounds even 13 days later.

my new best friend

My friend Kari loaned me the most amazing baby device when we went back west in August. I was talking on the phone with her a few weeks ago, lamenting that little Froglette wouldn't let me put her down for hours at a time. Kari reminded me of the Moby wrap and told me that it saved her sanity at the beginning. Boy was she right! We love the Moby!

It's a million miles (I guess 20 feet?) of stretchy fabric that you wrap and tie around you before slipping in baby. The first few times I used it were a little confusing, but thanks to the helpful videos While Froglette loves it when she sleeps, we haven't yet mastered using it when she's awake. But, you can see by the smiles on my face how happy I am to use my hands again.

Remembering childhood

I'm resting on the couch at the moment, enjoying a quiet moment with Froglette and letting my mind wander. I'm struck by the unbidden memories that float to the top.

When I was little, we lived in the country in Idaho for a while. My parents bought a house with some acreage and we farmed alfalfa while my dad was a computer engineer for HP. I have the mostly hazy memories of a young child, but one of my favorites is of the pheasants. They loved to nest in our field, and our dog Tinker would go out and bring home their eggs. Pheasant eggs are beautiful things, large (maybe the size of duck eggs?) and lovely shades of greenish brown. Tinker could bring home the eggs completely unblemished in her mouth - an impressive feat it always seemed. I brought them to kindergarten at least once to share with the teacher. I wonder know what Mrs Heart must have thought of that. Was she appreciative? Was it a strange act?

We have pheasants here in the Middle as well. I saw many of them last spring while driving back and forth to the SLAC I taught at. They were so beautiful with their white ringed necks and shiny green heads. They must like nesting in the corn and soy fields as well.

I wonder what stories and half formed memories Froglette will have of this time in the Middle? What stories we'll tell seven bajillion times until Froglette can repeat them without having experienced them first hand? I'm sure that stories of Miles will figure prominently. I can tell stories of at least 2 cats that were around before my time as if they are my own memories. And I know stories of my parents' dating and college days, building houses, and traveling on the motorcycle. I love how these stories and memories come floating to the surface unbidden, triggered by random thoughts and associations.

The baby and cat series

So Cole has been excellent with the baby, mostly by being indifferent to her presence. He hasn't licked her yet, nor is he interested in snuggling up against her in her bassinet. But, he does get jealous when she sleeps on our chests - as that location used to be reserved for him alone.

Cole getting close

Who's bigger?

Mom with cat and baby

Cole trying to fit - no room!

We of course keep an eye out, in case he decides that he's tired of this little creature, but he's given us no evidence that he dislikes her at all, not even responding when she grabs a tuft of his fur (accidentally, he was in arms reach when she flailed about and managed to grasp something).

Happy Birthday!

Today is little Froglette's 1 month birthday. She's celebrating by joining her mom and dad out at a coffee shop so they can use the internet!

4 weeks!

Today is four weeks since little Froglette was born. We were even up this morning at 2 am (although not celebrating her birth!). It's been an amazing four weeks and I'm overwhelmed by how much she has grown and changed in just four weeks.

She started out at just 6 pounds 12 ounces, but now is clearly over 8 pounds (she was 8 at her doctor's appointment 2 weeks ago). She not only weighs more, but her little body has filled out. She doesn't look as lean and skinny now. Mom bought some newborn sized clothes while we were in the hospital (she was just too small for the 0-3 month clothes) and now they are all very tight. Once we get settled into the new place today and tomorrow, we'll start transitioning her into the 0-3 clothes. She'll have many more options for clothes too, so that means less laundry! Hopefully I'll be able to start wearing some of my old clothes too - so less laundry for me too!

Her voice has changed as well - she's added some new sounds to her happy repertoire. She's not cooing yet (see here for a description of verbal stages in babies) but she is making little squeaks and chirps. Peter says that she almost sounds like a video game! Her cries have changed as well. They're a little less "small" sounding. I know, what does that mean? I had no idea that I would be able to hear the differences in cries - but apparently that comes with parenthood.

So, what have we been up to for the last month? Well, Froglette has figured out how to nurse (she's a pro) and we've spent roughly 9/10 of every waking hour breastfeeding. She's also an excellent pooper - none of this 5 poopy diapers a day that the breastfeeding book recommends. She's so good that we might go through 15 diapers a day - at least. Froglette is also an excellent burper and farter. Sometimes I think I'm living with a frat boy or truck driver - these noises are so loud you can hear her across the room! Froglette also seems to be getting some control over her eyes - they generally track in the same direction these days (they started out kinda wandering independently of each other). She's also expanded her facial expressions - she's smiling more (not in the poopy way - but also not a sincere happy face- I think she's just figuring out how to move her face in a smile). She's also able to make these wonderful little bird faces when she's hungry - you can almost hear her going "cheep, cheep feed me".

Froglette has spent the last four weeks mostly at home, but she's made a few trips out into the world. Of course, she has slept through most of the outside forays, which has been good for us! She got to take a few walks when we first got home and before the snow started falling. Unfortunately, the weather has turned pretty cold so no more walks in the stroller any time soon.

Today, for her four week "birthday", we will be moving into our new home. This will be the fifth place that Froglette has slept in since her birth. We just couldn't move back to the old place, and we found a great duplex to call our own. Pictures coming soon as we get settled in. It's been rough, moving a few weeks postpartum, but it'll be worth it in the end. The new place has more room and a yard - and Froglette will get her own room when we move her out of our room in a few months.

That's the news around here. I hear some little grunting noises, so I think I'm being summonded!

.

This is a Strange Place

Hello? can you hear me?

I'm going to keep this short, since my little hands don't work so well on this keyboard. In fact, i don't really know what a keyboard is. Or a computer. Or an internet. Or a blogspot.















I mean, I'm not even 4 weeks old yet.

Anyways, I just wanted to come out here and say, damn, I'm cute. I mean really. Look how cute I am.

































OK, that's all. I need to go eat. Then sleep for a while. Then eat, a little more sleeping, eat, cry, eat, and sleep. It's surprising the cat and I don't get along better. Oh well.















Til next time.

The weather outside is frightful

written Tuesday, Dec 8th

So, little Froglet and I are snowed in. I sent the Moms back to their B and B after lunch today so that I didn't have to worry about them driving in the snow. We're forecasted to get somewhere between 8 and 17 inches of snow tonight! It's been snowing now since the morning - but we're nice and toasty inside. All I'm missing is a cup of cocoa!

Well, and all of my own furnishings and comforts of home. Because, well, we're stuck in temporary housing. We haven't spent the night in our own house since the Friday after Thanksgiving and it looks like we'll never sleep there again.

Most of the way through our Thanksgiving dinner (which MomK and Sissy were here for), our carbon monoxide detector went off. We followed the procedures and called security and the fire department. They found high readings in the apartment and aired it out for a while. Then, on Friday they brought us a new stove (as they thought it was something with the stove) and a new carbon monoxide detector. Then, on Saturday, the carbon monoxide detector went off again! This time, I really freaked out. Froglet and I went out to the car to keep warm and away from the gas. Then PEter brought out the cat, and Sis went back on forth getting us blankets and the diaper bag. Eventually, we decided to take Froglet to the ER to get her checked out.

We were seen quickly at the ER - helps to live in a quiet town - but it was a traumatic experience. They needed to take her blood to test her CO levels, but they were unable to get a vein in her arm. Eventually they had to get the blood from her heel, one drop at a time. It was terrible watching them hold her down as she screamed. The ER doc decided to give her oxygen as a precaution since there's little research about safe CO levels for infants. Sis did a bunch of research from her cell phone in the room and also coordinated with Mom to get us a place to spend the night - since I was NOT going back to that house again. Peter and Sis managed to get Froglet and I safely ensconced in the B and B and then went back to the house for provisions and to drop Cole off at the Veterinary Hospital for his overnight stay.

so, now we're in temp housing. The university has been trying to figure out the cause of the CO levels, with little success. We aren't willing to move back without an identified cause of the problem - so that we could have some reassurance that it won't reoccur. And thus, we've been camping out for 10 days now. Hopefully we'll have a resolution soon.

Grandmama

Grandmama died last Saturday. With all of the events of Froglet's birth and our current living fiasco (more updates on that in a few days), we've barely had time to process her death.

My grandma was 93. She lived a full life and always talked about how lucky she was to have wonderful children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We always told her it was her "fault" - she must have done something right to end up with a great family!

Grandma was the matriarch of the family and held us tightly together. I hope that we can remain close without her presence to tie us together.

Little Froglet will never get to meet her great grandma - but Grandmama got to meet her. The last time I visited in August, I held Grandmama's hand to my belly and watched her face light up as Froglet kicked her hard! So, we'll get to tell Froglet the story of how she kicked her great-grandma and how excited she was to hear about Froglet's impending arrival. Of course we'll have tons of other stories to tell about great-grandma - picking blueberries and huckleberries at her house, making hotcakes, and working in the garden, and how much fun stacking wood can be.