Mark is one-month-old. Yesterday was his checkup and he is 10 lbs and 7 oz and is 22 1/4 inches long (Katelynn was 10 lbs 11oz and I didn't write down her height). He is in size one diapers and wearing 0-3 month clothes. I can't quite tell if he is a more or less cranky baby, maybe I just know that newborns like to cry and root alot and so I handle it better. Ben thinks he is more cranky. We did find out that his milk protein allergy is worsening so we had to switch to soy formula and I an weaning from nursing. I just can't keep up with his demand. Hopefully with switching formulas he will be happier. He is starting to smile at us more. A few days ago he farted (which, he can put Ben to shame) and I swear I heard him giggle. Katelynn, likes to give him a toy and I tell her that was nice to share. he loves to be held by someone. If you put him down in the swing or on the boppy he usually gets upset in a few minutes, but we keep putting him down so he might see that playing is okay too.
I really do love this little man of mine. He does make me happy.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Loving, EVERY Moment
I need to remember that. Katelynn has become more difficult. I know that she feels the stress and the change that came with Mark and so she tries to relieve that stress by causing more stress on Ben and I. We try to keep a handle on her but man does she keep us running all the time. She has to be monitored constantly or who knows what she will get into. Yes, we have things as baby proofed as possible but she still manages to get to things that she can't and she knows she can't have or shouldn't be doing.
Ben goes back to work tomorrow and I am trying to tell myself that no matter what happens during the day as long as we are all fed and clothed we are doing good. I just REALLY have to change my go Go GO attitude to just an enjoy attitude. Things aren't going to get done and I have to realize that. I am not the first mother to want a clean house and not have one. I have to look at the moment and realize that the most important things are what is taken care of. Katelynn and Mark are my number one priorities. Their clothes are clean, they are fed, and for the most part they are happy. Dishes are still in the sink, mega blocks are all over the floor and I am sitting here blogging because I have to have me time too. I do know that if I don't take the time to do things that make me happy, no one will be happy.
Even with the stress of taking care of two kids I really do think that I am still emotionally better off this time than I was after having Katelynn. I have my prescription for zoloft on the top of the fridge ready to go if things turn for the worst. I still have moments but NOTHING like with Katelynn. I am enjoying Mark as a newborn so much more. I can already see him changing and getting bigger, the most important thing is that his cheeks are filling out.
Nursing is going so much better but still not perfect. I know that this won't last for a year. I don't know why my sisters and I have such a hard time with nursing but getting and keeping a good supply takes so much work. Nursing is definitely a stress since it takes 30 min at least for him to get an adequate feeding but then he can be hungry again in less than an hour. So, me being occupied with nursing so much causes me to not be able to do things and since he loves to be held which occupies me again. I just get torn between wanting time to do things with Katelynn like we used to and just being "stuck" nursing. I know I will miss this time when it is gone though. I just need to love every moment and be happy with what those moments are.
I did take Katelynn and Mark to the park and Costco today by myself. This was my first trip with them both to a store. Everything went fine until checkout. Which is always the case, but we made it out with what we needed. I did leave my debit card at Costco and had to go back to get it, thankfully someone turned it in.
Lastly, yesterday when I was sitting on the bed sorting some laundry with Mark, Katelynn sat next to him and started playing peek-a-boo with him and he was just staring at her and then he started smiling at her. It was so cute. It made me so happy to see a connection forming between them. Katelynn then started softly tickling him on his forehead, which was funny to see. She hasn't quite learned the ticklish spots yet.
Ben goes back to work tomorrow and I am trying to tell myself that no matter what happens during the day as long as we are all fed and clothed we are doing good. I just REALLY have to change my go Go GO attitude to just an enjoy attitude. Things aren't going to get done and I have to realize that. I am not the first mother to want a clean house and not have one. I have to look at the moment and realize that the most important things are what is taken care of. Katelynn and Mark are my number one priorities. Their clothes are clean, they are fed, and for the most part they are happy. Dishes are still in the sink, mega blocks are all over the floor and I am sitting here blogging because I have to have me time too. I do know that if I don't take the time to do things that make me happy, no one will be happy.
Even with the stress of taking care of two kids I really do think that I am still emotionally better off this time than I was after having Katelynn. I have my prescription for zoloft on the top of the fridge ready to go if things turn for the worst. I still have moments but NOTHING like with Katelynn. I am enjoying Mark as a newborn so much more. I can already see him changing and getting bigger, the most important thing is that his cheeks are filling out.
Nursing is going so much better but still not perfect. I know that this won't last for a year. I don't know why my sisters and I have such a hard time with nursing but getting and keeping a good supply takes so much work. Nursing is definitely a stress since it takes 30 min at least for him to get an adequate feeding but then he can be hungry again in less than an hour. So, me being occupied with nursing so much causes me to not be able to do things and since he loves to be held which occupies me again. I just get torn between wanting time to do things with Katelynn like we used to and just being "stuck" nursing. I know I will miss this time when it is gone though. I just need to love every moment and be happy with what those moments are.
I did take Katelynn and Mark to the park and Costco today by myself. This was my first trip with them both to a store. Everything went fine until checkout. Which is always the case, but we made it out with what we needed. I did leave my debit card at Costco and had to go back to get it, thankfully someone turned it in.
Lastly, yesterday when I was sitting on the bed sorting some laundry with Mark, Katelynn sat next to him and started playing peek-a-boo with him and he was just staring at her and then he started smiling at her. It was so cute. It made me so happy to see a connection forming between them. Katelynn then started softly tickling him on his forehead, which was funny to see. She hasn't quite learned the ticklish spots yet.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
How are we doing
I must say we are doing a whole lot better than with Katelynn. I was talking to my sister Sarah earlier today and when we compared all the stressors that I had going on when Katelynn was born there was no wonder why I was a nut case. Of course I still have moments but this week has been amazingly different and better emotionally for me. Physically, I didn't have any stitches so that makes a world of difference too for healing. My back, though has been killing me even since before I had him and it might take months for it to recover. I can't pick up Katelynn because that puts way too much pressure on my back and at points Mark is too much to be carrying. I got a moby wrap and we are still practicing with it, but he seems to like it.
I found this article about newborns and read it on his second day and it was so true that he became a needy baby that second day.
Bre astfeeding is going a whole lot better. I really do think that the time that you have to wait for your milk to come in is such a cruel joke to a new mom. I really do wonder why it is like that. We made it through and he is doing well with only a couple ounces a day of formula.
I have learned that he has MAJOR gas and has to release it with each feeding which means he has to poop with each feeding so his poor bum is getting raw from all the poop and wiping.
Ben has been a huge help with Katelynn. Doing stuff with her and chasing her around isn't something I can do yet and alot of the time I am feeding Mark. Ben goes back to work in a week and I know that will be interesting for me to be wrangling them both but we will just do what we can, I can't stress about everything or else nothing will get done.
How is Katelynn doing? She is getting more and more used to the idea of Mark always being around. She has became more whinny especially when she doesn't get her way. Time outs have become more regular. We haven't let her hold him yet because we don't want her to get the idea that she can pick him up with out us. In time we will let her do that. We are just watching her like a hawk around him for now trying to teach her how to behave with him. She doesn't hover around him too much during the day. She will mainly notice him when he is crying. She has been good about being quiet when he is sleeping, she will tip toe around him sshhhing us. For the most part she has been gentle, we are just watching her like crazy.
I found this article about newborns and read it on his second day and it was so true that he became a needy baby that second day.
Bre astfeeding is going a whole lot better. I really do think that the time that you have to wait for your milk to come in is such a cruel joke to a new mom. I really do wonder why it is like that. We made it through and he is doing well with only a couple ounces a day of formula.
I have learned that he has MAJOR gas and has to release it with each feeding which means he has to poop with each feeding so his poor bum is getting raw from all the poop and wiping.
Ben has been a huge help with Katelynn. Doing stuff with her and chasing her around isn't something I can do yet and alot of the time I am feeding Mark. Ben goes back to work in a week and I know that will be interesting for me to be wrangling them both but we will just do what we can, I can't stress about everything or else nothing will get done.
How is Katelynn doing? She is getting more and more used to the idea of Mark always being around. She has became more whinny especially when she doesn't get her way. Time outs have become more regular. We haven't let her hold him yet because we don't want her to get the idea that she can pick him up with out us. In time we will let her do that. We are just watching her like a hawk around him for now trying to teach her how to behave with him. She doesn't hover around him too much during the day. She will mainly notice him when he is crying. She has been good about being quiet when he is sleeping, she will tip toe around him sshhhing us. For the most part she has been gentle, we are just watching her like crazy.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Mark Andrew's Birth Story
Mark Andrew was born on Monday August 29th at 2:04am, four hours before the scheduled induction was supposed to start. Sunday evening I was going around the house getting things cleaned up so that in the morning when we left it would be nice and clean for a few days. I vacuumed the front room, swept the kitchen, got the dishes done, and all the laundry folded. It was time for Katelynn to go to bed so we did her bedtime routine and then it was my time to relax and enjoy one last nights sleep. I went from Katelynn's room to the bathroom and knew at that moment that my water had broke. It was eight o'clock and my chances of having a good-nights sleep were now over.
Mary came over and we headed to the hospital and were admitted by nine pm. As we were sitting in the hall waiting for our room we saw a Dr talking to the nurses at the nurses station and saying goodnight to them and that he hoped not to see them again that night. As he was saying that Ben and I were saying to each other that he was the Dr on call for our group. He came down the hall towards us and as he approached I asked him if he was the Dr on call for Swanson. He stopped dead in his tracks and said, "Noooo." with a huge grin on his face. We stopped and chatted and he didn't think that I would have Mark till morning and Swanson would be able to deliver. Contractions hadn't really started then and I was worried about the long night ahead. He didn't start the pitocin, he just wanted to give my body a chance to start labor on it's own. Which it did. When I was checked at about ten I was 2.5cm. My contractions really started to kick in but I was so uncomfortable on their bed that laying on my back was the only position I could handle. Mark was still moving all over the place and the nurses were having a hard time tracking him. The charge nurse came in and had me lay on my right side which is the opposite side that I had been laying on for the past 9 months. That was when my contractions really kicked in. It was 11 o'clock and I was breathing heavily through the contractions and having the nurses come in and out to find Mark. At 11:30 I was 4.5 cm and was ready for the epidural. They started doing the epidural at 12 and was finished by 12:30. The moment the drugs were being pushed, which is painful, I had a contraction and the blood pressure machine went off. I was about to snap at that moment with all the painful stimuli going on but managed to make it through it. Ben was waiting behind the curtain while I was getting the epidural and Jody our nurse was holding me. We then spent the next half an hour rolling me from side to back to try and find Mark. At one o'clock he was found, I was comfortable and I wanted to take an hour nap. I told the nurses I didn't want to see them for one hour. Thirty minutes later I felt a drop and pressure. I knew my nap was over. The nurses came running in and asking me if I felt anything different which I did. His head was there and we needed the Dr. The next twenty minutes was spent getting everything set up. I couldn't feel my legs at all. I couldn't move my legs. I couldn't do anything. When everyone was ready and three pushes later Mark Andrew was born weighing 8 lbs even and 21 inches long. mark had the cord wrapped around his neck twice and wrapped around his leg. At home at that exact moment Katelynn woke up and didn't go back to sleep for an hour with Grandma.
Mary came over and we headed to the hospital and were admitted by nine pm. As we were sitting in the hall waiting for our room we saw a Dr talking to the nurses at the nurses station and saying goodnight to them and that he hoped not to see them again that night. As he was saying that Ben and I were saying to each other that he was the Dr on call for our group. He came down the hall towards us and as he approached I asked him if he was the Dr on call for Swanson. He stopped dead in his tracks and said, "Noooo." with a huge grin on his face. We stopped and chatted and he didn't think that I would have Mark till morning and Swanson would be able to deliver. Contractions hadn't really started then and I was worried about the long night ahead. He didn't start the pitocin, he just wanted to give my body a chance to start labor on it's own. Which it did. When I was checked at about ten I was 2.5cm. My contractions really started to kick in but I was so uncomfortable on their bed that laying on my back was the only position I could handle. Mark was still moving all over the place and the nurses were having a hard time tracking him. The charge nurse came in and had me lay on my right side which is the opposite side that I had been laying on for the past 9 months. That was when my contractions really kicked in. It was 11 o'clock and I was breathing heavily through the contractions and having the nurses come in and out to find Mark. At 11:30 I was 4.5 cm and was ready for the epidural. They started doing the epidural at 12 and was finished by 12:30. The moment the drugs were being pushed, which is painful, I had a contraction and the blood pressure machine went off. I was about to snap at that moment with all the painful stimuli going on but managed to make it through it. Ben was waiting behind the curtain while I was getting the epidural and Jody our nurse was holding me. We then spent the next half an hour rolling me from side to back to try and find Mark. At one o'clock he was found, I was comfortable and I wanted to take an hour nap. I told the nurses I didn't want to see them for one hour. Thirty minutes later I felt a drop and pressure. I knew my nap was over. The nurses came running in and asking me if I felt anything different which I did. His head was there and we needed the Dr. The next twenty minutes was spent getting everything set up. I couldn't feel my legs at all. I couldn't move my legs. I couldn't do anything. When everyone was ready and three pushes later Mark Andrew was born weighing 8 lbs even and 21 inches long. mark had the cord wrapped around his neck twice and wrapped around his leg. At home at that exact moment Katelynn woke up and didn't go back to sleep for an hour with Grandma.
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