Finley, this has been another great week at home. I love being home with you kissing on your squishy cheeks any chance I can get!! A couple days were much harder than others because I don't think the new formula was settling to you, your reflux may have been bothering you, and we certainly were not on any kind of schedule until the last couple days.
HEALTH
You had your 1 month checkup on Tuesday August 25th and our favorite doctor in the whole world said you were perfect!
You weighed in at 9 lbs 13 oz (50-75%), you grew another 1/2 inch so you are 21 1/2 inches long (75%), and your head circumference is 14 3/4 (25%).
Despite that your sleep time was interrupted you did so good! Even when you got your shot you only cried out for just a little bit. It was so pitiful!! I mean you REALLY screamed and lost your breath. It was the first time I've heard you cry out like that.
I wondered when we got in the room if you would be getting any shots and sure enough you did. And you filled UP your diaper too. The last time you peed on the table and this time you had an extra special gift for Dr Setia.. a super duper poopy! I had already changed you one time and had to again before we left.
You have a dry spot in between your eyes on your forehead and sometimes you get sleep in your left eye.
SLEEP
On Saturday, August 22 when in a frenzy about you not being settled, I texted Danielle and she gave me a couple of great pages from a blog about BabyWise and info on Moms on Call. Even tho it was late in the afternoon, that evening I started swaddling you again, oh my goodness you did NOT like this, and we somewhat started the 'schedule'.
Monday when you got up, we tried to start from the very beginning and by the late afternoon/evening, we were starting to get the hang of things. At your 7ish feeding, I swaddled you, tried to rock you a little bit, you were not interested in settling down, I put you in your crib and as heartbreaking as it was, I let you have your little cry fest. I would soothe you for 5 minutes at a time and we did this until you finally fell asleep. I REALLY think you try and fight sleep.
You slept in your crib the whole time until you woke up to eat again around 10:30ish, we kept it 'boring' for you, swaddled you, and put you right back to bed in our bedroom in your bassinet and you slept for 4 hours!! WHOO HOO!!! I wish I would have been able to sleep this whole time but I think insomnia has crept in on me again, I'm always listening for you, and I've started having dreams about you climbing out of your crib.. although you are no where near being able to do that yet!
You stirred the next time at the 2 hour mark and your Daddy got you settled back down and then we woke up again around 6:45/7 to eat and this 'started' our day. After this feeding, we had some Mommy/Daughter time, I swaddled you again, tried to rock you a bit but you wouldn't close your eyes, so I just laid you back in the bassinet and you soothed yourself to sleep. You and I both woke up hours later and I cannot tell you how HAPPY this made me!
I hate we had a doctor's appt because I didn't want it to interfere with your day but I think I got you back on track last night. In the early evening you woke up 2 hours early before you were supposed to eat, I gave you 2 ounces and you settled back down. I don't know if I should have but I woke you up for your evening feeding 2 hours later and fed you again. You did great, only fussed a little bit when I tried to rock you, I laid you down, you stirred a little while later to burp again, and then you were back settled. I've been praying this continues to do well and get even better!
Thank you so much Danielle! And after we do this for a few more weeks, I hope to have a post of my own about our Baby Wise schedule/experience.
You are starting to use your hands more and more!
I will say, I've gotten so used to holding you whenever that it's extremely hard for me to put you down. I seriously could just sit and hold you forever. BUT, I know that you need a routine and just like your Daddy said, in the long run it will be better for all of us. I may or may not have had a cry fest over this.
La La came to visit you this week and brought you a couple of gifts! Gorgeous headbands and crochet diaper cover. Soooo cute! Your Daddy is NOT going to like the headband for you to wear in a couple of months.. It. Is. Massive. But oh my I LOVE it!
EATING
Still eating 4 oz every 4 hours and every now and then you will eat 2 more ounces in between. The Wonder Weeks app says you are going thru your first official leap and seeing your growth I can see why you are wanting more at times.
Dr Setia did put you on Enfamil AR but I took you off Sunday and went back to Gentlease because you acted like your stomach was killing you. After the whole first day being back on it, you seemed SO much better! I wondered what Dr Setia would think of that at your appt but he said that was fine. As your Mother, I just made the executive decision to do so and I think it was a good one.
Your Zantac is still helping you with reflux and we can really tell a difference in your spit up. With you sleeping longer on your back I'd say its a success!
3AMIGAS
The 3 Amigas are still loving you! Kyli kissed you on the face yesterday, which she got in trouble for.. Mara has been giving you more kisses too on the back of the head.. and Sox really has kept to herself. After Kyli bowed up on her last week, I'm wondering if she's nervous to come around you. They have really been enjoying the new deck too!
When I am rocking you, Kyli and Mara will walk into the nursery, stare at us, and turn around and walk back out. Guess they need to check on both of us! Sometimes, Mara will follow us and lay down in front of your rug.. I think she knows already she is not allowed on it.
WHAT FINLEY IS UP TO
This picture just cracks me up. We were having a rough day and you and Kyli just piled up cracks me up. And, as you can see, you have lost some of you hair on the top and it's just cracking me up because you still have all of it on the sides and back.
We were all 3 sitting on the porch Sunday afternoon, I was wiping your face with a damp washcloth and wet your hair too.. after it dried it really does have texture to it like it could be curly! The back looks like it's getting longer and in certain light it looks like a strawberry color.
You are starting to grab onto my hair and not let go.. now I understand the mommy chop??
I was wondering when this was going to happen! You found your thumb on August 20th. I wish the picture wasn't so blurry but I had to be quick! It didn't last long and you haven't found it since but your hands do make it to your mouth somewhat often. That's why it's so important for everyone to wash their hands and they have all done a great job of that.. #newmomprobs.
Your Daddy loves doing 'stretches' with you and I think you enjoy it!
We had some play time on your mat for the first time this week. You got really fussy after this so it didn't last long but you were very zoned in while it lasted.
On the way to your checkup.. love your cheeks! You are changing so much already.
You are so loved little girl! We got this in the mail this week from the head baseball coach at Georgia Tech and his family. Absolutely LOVE this! I cannot wait to get my maternity and your newborn session pictures so I can hang some on here!
And, you got your first official bath in your bath tub!
I'll have to download those pictures later.
The tub is a little too big and you kept sliding down. You were really calm and didn't get fussy until the end.
POSTPARTUM
Emotions and hormones are still all over the place. I woke up a couple times this week with night sweats.. that hasn't happened in awhile. I'm soooo ready to be back in ALL of my clothes. I haven't lost anymore weight and the scale is still hanging around 145/146. Gym pants are so comfortable around the house but if I go out, I'd really like to be able to wear my favorite jeans.
Yesterday, I did a speed walk across the road to check the mail.. On my way back, I had to pick up my uterus off the double yellow line.. O. M. G. PUH-leeze tell me this feeling goes back to normal too. Needless to say, I'm just ready to have my pre-baby body back... but does that really happen?!
Thursday, I started feeling faint period like cramps.. this could have held off a little longer but I knew it would come sooner or later. For some reason, insomnia has totally started and it takes me forever to fall asleep. Which is really annoying especially now that Finley is starting to sleep for 4 hours at a time. I'd love to get some deep sleep during then!
My hair is AWFUL! It is so tangly and these roots are horrible. Thankfully, I get it done this Friday and I'm so excited to see my Sassafreaks! Now to figure out what I'm going to do to it...
THOUGHTS
When I burp you, I love feeling your little, soft fingers on my arm.. its just the sweetest! You have still been focusing on us more when we talk to you and I absolutely love it! I still don't want to go back to work and I will not be going back full time.. I know you growing up will fly by and I want to enjoy and soak up all these precious moments!