Author: Brand_New_World_Betsy

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Checkup

Eliza now weighs 7 pounds, 7 ounces! She has gained more than a pound since birth. We’re thrilled with this, even though she is only in the 25th percentile for length (still 21 inches) and 50th percentile for weight. She is also in the 25th percentile for head size. She’s still tiny but the doctor says she is doing well. Her little belly button is slightly herniated, which is apparently no big deal and should go away by the time she is 2 years old. All in all, a good report from the pediatrician today, and we’re relieved!

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Socks are cool

Today Eliza is wearing her first outfit that doesn’t have feet. That’s because she can finally wear socks without them falling off! She was so tiny when we brought her home (at one point, she weighed 5 pounds 7 ounces). It’s great to see her growing and her cheeks getting so chubby. And her feet getting big enough for socks. đŸ™‚

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Eliza is three weeks old



IMG_0761.JPG, originally uploaded by griffey.

Three weeks ago today, I was in the hospital recovering. Seems hard to believe. In some ways, it feels like she has always been here. In other ways, it still feels really new.

Milestones so far: she has outgrown her first outfit! She had not one but TWO dirty diapers today already. She is now drinking 3 ounces at a time instead of two. So many exciting milestones to come. I can’t wait until she smiles.

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Brand_New_World Equipment Work

The sling rules

So I started “wearing” Eliza yesterday in a sling and she really loved it. She fell asleep in there, all snug, while I took the ornaments off the Christmas tree. It looks uncomfortable to see her all squished up in there, but I guess it feels like being in the womb. I’m going to try and use it for a little while very day to get her used to it. That way, hopefully I can take her with me to some meetings and such, and she’ll be content to lie against my tummy. I’m lucky I have a job and work in a department where bringing my baby is okay (at least, once in a while). My department chair has even joked about getting a pack n’ play for her office. đŸ™‚

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Brand_New_World Work

Back to work soon

I’m a bit worried about what will happen when Jason has to go back to work (Monday). He’s much better at calming Eliza down than I am. He also gets her to sleep at night, even though it takes a couple of hours and doesn’t happen until 1:00 a.m. or later. He won’t be able to do that once he has to get up at 6 a.m. to get to work on time. We’ve settled into a routine, but that routine will have to get altered in just a few days. Luckily, I don’t have to go back to work until the 15th, so we have a little bit of transition time. It’ll all work out, I’m sure. Time is seriously flying, and Eliza is now 18 days old.

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Baby gas

Poor Eliza had a rough night. Every time she would fall asleep, we would put her in the crib and she would wake up 10 minutes later. We’re pretty sure she has gas. And to be a baby, she produces very few dirty diapers (only one a day). Maybe I should be happy about that, but it makes for a very unhappy Eliza tummy. To be honest, though, belly issues are the only thing that seems to make her fussy, so I guess we’re lucky.

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What day is it?

The days are all running together. Fridays used to have meaning. Now, it’s just a day like any other. Weekends are no different from weekdays. We’re measuring our days in 2-3 hour blocks that are marked by wet diapers and empty bottles. It also doesn’t help that it’s 9:30 in the morning but still dark outside, rainy and dreary. When we go back to work in a few weeks, maybe we’ll have more a sense of routine/schedule. Right now, I feel somewhat bewildered. Eliza is 13 days old today. That’s all I know for sure.

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Brand_New_World Equipment

Learning

We’re quickly learning what the essentials are for little Eliza: burp cloths (cloth diapers work best), size NB diapers (we like Pampers Swaddlers), lots of wipes, formula, bottles, sleep sacks, and a hat that fits. We’ve already gone through one of the gigantic packs of diapers and two boxes of wipes, and this is only day 11. She also seems to like white noise, and we’ve been using a fan for this. Jason quickly got sick of the “nature sounds” of one of her crib toys coming through the monitor at night! And she’s so tiny, only Newborn size clothes fit her right now, and even they are a little big on her. Pacifiers seem not to interest her, because she prefers her fingers. She doesn’t like to be swaddled, because she likes to have her arms and hands out.

This is such an interesting process. . . every day we learn a little more about our little girl.

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Best Christmas Ever

Spent Christmas Eve at Jason’s folks’ new house in Georgia. Eliza and Parker were the star attractions, of course, and got way more presents than anyone else! đŸ™‚ All in all, it was a fantastic day. Jason is posting pictures of the festivities right now. Sorry for the volume…these are the first grandkids, so everyone went a little camera happy.

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My body doesn’t want to cooperate

I’m slowly finding out that my body just doesn’t work the way that it “should.” It seems that I won’t be able to nurse Eliza, at least not without major help from formula. It is day 8, and my milk hasn’t “come in,” even though I am on some meds that are supposed to help. At first I was pretty depressed about this, since we had decided to nurse her due to all the well-known benefits (and because we have a rather pushy pediatrician who is convinced this problem is all in my head and that I must not be doing something correctly). But after finding out that there are others who have this problem, working with a lactation consultant who swears I’m doing everything “right,” following all the directions/advice, reading all the books…I’m starting to be at peace with this bump in the road. I am coming to terms with the fact that I gave it my best shot, and my body simply isn’t cooperating. It’s not the first time my body has been at war with my mind! At this point, though, we’ve decided that the most important thing is that Eliza thrives and grows, no matter how that has to happen. So formula it is.