Baby: 4 Weeks

Sweet, little baby Mary Tucker is 4 weeks old in about 12 hours. I can't believe I delivered her 4 weeks ago...that she's been in my little family for 4 weeks now. MT, just in case I forget how you looked in your first 4 weeks (as if I haven't taken enough photos), let's recap:

You have a little bit of light brown hair all over that's wispy at the nape of your neck. Though your sister's was much thicker and lighter than yours when born, yours is looking like its getting lighter by the day. Your sweet little face is porcelain white and you've definitely got Momma's nose (from the Foggo side). We know your pretty little eyes will be blue and right now they are a mysterious shade of thunderstorm blue. You've just gotten to the point where you can focus on my face and your little mouth opens and makes a circular "o" shape as you concentrate on this thing that holds you and feeds you all.day.long. I hope you are enjoying your view as much as I am enjoying mine:)

Your skin is getting lighter and less red each week and you look more like a baby and less like a newborn, softening around the edges as you get plumper. Our little nursing problem (AKA your heavy sleeping problem) is now resolved and you've gained weight enough to where your checks are squishy and you've developed those yummy rolls in your arms and thighs. I'll be the first to admit...you looked a bit tree-frogish there at 6lbs 12 oz, a full pound lighter than your birth weight at just a week after delivery. But I knew we'd work out our problem - we got this:)

You've got your Daddy's crazy long toes and your feet are just as big as they seemed on the ultrasound. Per old wives tales, you're set to have a controlling personality in relationships - your second toe is by far longer than the rest:) Both your Mommy and your Daddy have longer second toes...go figure:) You've even got long, skinny fingers to match:)

I spend my days feeding you, changing your little newborn -sized Pampers Swaddlers, wearing you in my Moby wrap or swaddling you tightly and laying you on the Boppy safely out of reach of sissy when she needs Mommy time. You've got a calm disposition and rarely cry...however, you are a fan of grunting, which Daddy and I find especially amusing at 2am (not). You nap during the day and so far have been an excellent sleeper - so much so that in the first two weeks of your life we had to wake you on a schedule through the night to make sure you nursed every few hours. In a sleep-deprived haze, Daddy (twice) mistook the alarm clock for a crying baby (you) and tried to gently but firmly "shhh" it rather than turning it off. Needless to say, it didn't work. One night, he also spent a good solid minute fumbling with the diaper wipe warmer trying to turn off the alarm clock. Note to self...keep wipe warmer and clock a good distance away from each other. We were both so confused at that point, we started unplugging all electronics on the nightstand in hopes that eventually we'd get to the right gadget and shut the alarm clock up.

During this unusually warm Louisiana January, I haven't gotten to bundle you up much in cute hats and long rompers, though there was a chilly day that you got to wear a winter hat/bonnet:) I usually put you in day gowns or a soft, sweet Kissy Kissy gowns and onesies - nothing beats Peruvian cotton - and you've already brought out the matching bows and bonnets. Lets face it...you like to accessorize...

and have since day one...

I Think All "Baby-wearing, Breastfeeding, Cloth-diapering, Co-sleeping" Mommas Would Hate Me

...but I'm one of those on-the-fence mommies about lots of things "baby". If you are a new mommy or a repeat mommy or an older mommy, you are probably aware of the 2 types of mommies of our generation. In one corner, you've got the aforementioned "Natural Mommy" who believes only in things like cloth-diapering, natural child-birthing, baby-wearing, co-sleeping, recycling, breastfeeding, all things "organic" for her children/family. In the other corner, you've got "those other people"...mothers of Pampers-wearing, crib-sleeping, bottle-feeding, day-caring babies. Who else feels like you may be shot if these "Natural Mommies" see one of us "other people" feeding our baby from a bottle? I do. I'm hugely obsessed with blogging (more so reading other blogs, but whatevs)  because I like to learn by seeing people in action in their everyday lives and some of these Natural Mommy bloggers intimidate me...alot. Not because I'm uneducated in the ways of their lifestyle...on the contrary, I've researched everything about being a "Natural Mommy". But it's their (ok, not all of them, but just some of them) stance on "other people" that intimidates me. Anyone out there feel the same way? I like to adopt some of the lifestyles from the "Natural Mommy" world, but not all of them. Sometimes I feel like they hate us "on-the-fence" mommies more than "those other people" because we can't stick it out all the way and live 100% naturally!

I've never been an all or nothing kind of girl because I change my mind. I like to change it a lot. So I can't commit to one form of Mommyism. Sure, I like the idea of baby wearing - I wore Stella in slings for a while just to gain use of my arms again. I loved breastfeeding Stella for 7 months. But then we switched to formula. In theory, I like the idea of co-sleeping UP TO A POINT. I make all my baby food at home. Right now, I'm blessed to stay at home with Stella instead of sending her to daycare...so I'm sort of a Natural Mommy, right? WRONG.

I couldn't have a natural childbirth, or even a tradition, medicated one, for that matter, because of gestational diabetes and my petite frame...not to mention Stella's head was "off the charts" big, so says my ultrasound tech. So I already started this whole thing with a strike against me. However, I loved breastfeeding and continued nursing Stella for 7 months...that's sort of "Natural Mother"-ing, isn't it?? WRONG...American Academy of Pediatrics suggests you breastfeed for at least one year, and many of these "Natural Mommies" are breastfeeding up until their children can master their multiplication tables. So maybe Stella stayed in a co-sleeper for a few month after she was born, but big deal - she is nice and cozy in her big, beautiful crib right down the hall in her very own nursery. She likes it there. We like her there. End of story.

I hate the idea of cloth diapering. I mean, really hate it. I don't care how well you wash that diaper out, it's NOT going back on my daughter's tush. I tried to like the idea...even talked to my husband about what he thought about cloth diapering...but in the end, it's just not right for us. And when it comes down to it, how much extra energy and water will those extra loads of laundry add on to your daily/weekly regimen all in the name of trying to be more eco-friendly? What do you do when you travel and don't have access to a washing machine? Keep the dirty diaper in your bag until you return home? Throw it away? I don't think so...cloth diapers ain't cheap...it's estimated that a start up set is anywhere between $250-$700. I wouldn't be throwing ANYTHING from that diaper set away! I've read that if you do travel and use cloth diapers, it's wise to buy disposable diapers while away from home, but doesn't that defeat the purpose?

I'm ranting, I know...and I do NOT want to offend any natural mothers out there, because I do admire the commitment to your cause. Heck, I even tried to join your people. It just doesn't work for us. And, as I stated, this group of soldiering "natural mommies" that criticize us "other people" and "on -the-fencers" is just a small, small portion of the real "Natural Mommies". I'm trying not to stereotype here:) I just wish us "on the fence" mommies could choose to bottle feed our baby or throw a Pampers on her without the judgment:) I get an "A" for effort, right?

7 Month Sassafras Stella

On January 1st, Stella turned 7 months old!!!!! I cannot believe she's on the upward side of one year old. She currently:

• sleeps from 7-7...yes, we are in love. Sometimes this varies from 8-6 or 8-8...it all depends on when she goes down. But overall, this girl is sleeping soundly through the night
• has transitioned from nursing to formula - no judging, peeps...it was just the right TIME...we are happy with our decision and are happy that SHE is happy - the main goal, right?!
• hasn't rolled over yet, but sits up by herself most times (for a few strong seconds, at least) and still masters tummy time for about 5 minutes before she goes bananas
• LOVES chatting...she's now saying "mamamama" occasionally, but it's usually in mid-cry, so I don't know how I feel about that. She loves saying "dadadada" and "babababababa" and "gagagagaga" and "aaaaaaaaa"...of COURSE she said "dadadada" first, but what can I say...he is pretty cute to look at. Also, right now she is SQUEALING in delight in her crib...I mean SQUEALING! She gets really loud and surprises herself by how loud she gets, and then does it again because it sounds so cool. It's hilarious to watch and listen to, especially when she doesn't know you are lurking:)
• She's just discovered her feet and grabs them every chance she gets. I am hoping this will strengthen her core so she can start rolling over, then scooting and maybe even crawling. I try not to compare, but I know other babies are crawling at her age and I don't want her to be too far behind. The doctor said it is not a concern that she hasn't rolled over yet, because she isn't skipping any other milestones. She said it's probably because she has no desire to move yet...and I know exactly why. Why struggle for the toy across the room or try to reach the puppies when they will just come to me if I wait long enough? Can we say lazy bones?! At least it's precious at this age! I'll be the first to admit that I'd like to keep her a baby as long as possible...I can still lay her in a position and pretty much bank on the fact that she'll be there after I run to get that cup of coffee I left in the kitchen. Don't worry, folks, I've already had nightmares that she's rolled under the couch or out the front door, so I'm never far away.
• She is getting BIGGER every day, and by BIGGER, I mean she's one fat cookie.

This girlfriend weighed 16lbs 15oz on December 1st and when we went to get the second round of her flu shot  (btw, peeps, GET the flu vaccination for your babies age 6mo+...having a tiny one with the flu is not fun...ask my cousin who had to nurse and sick 10mo old back to good health with NO medication...little ones are too small for Tamiflu and the like) on January 8th she weighed over 19lbs!!!!! My girl is clearly not being starved, even though I just realized that babies between the ages of 5 and 9 months should be eating 7-8oz of formula. Oopsies...Stella's been on 5ish ounces of formula...but let me explain. We just switched to formula after nursing for 7 months and I may or may not have read how many ounces she needed before I just started giving her a 5oz bottle. (Interject great reason for nursing...you never have to measure ANYTHING, thus mistakes like how much to feed your baby are not an issue)

The good thing is, this girl has been growing FINE with her mini bottles and baby food...speaking of baby food, let's see all the things Stella likes to eat!

• rice cereal
• oatmeal cereal
• both cereals mixed with bananas
• both cereals mixed with apples
• peas
• carrots
• sweet potatoes
• green beans
• squash

She's got such a sophisticated palate already! She LOVES her breakfast cereal with apples and cinnamon! Now, the sippy cup is another story...she isn't really a fan, so I've resorted to giving her the occasional bottle of juice....gasp....I know...it's not something I plan on continuing, but the poor thing gets dehydrated with only 4 bottles a day and only a few drops of juice from the sippy cup. For those of you who know what happens when babies don't get enough fluids, its enough to break your heart. Matt and I had to "assist" our sweet girl one night during an intense BM (hey, I never said this blog was PG) so I'd like to avoid ever having to do that again.

In other, more appealing news, I think we may have found another house! We signed the contract on a big ole subdivision house (something we never thought we'd do) and will hopefully close in less than a month. It is fascinating how much your housing specs change once you have a baby. SPACE is a huge factor...as is safe location...not to mention a home that is either on a slab foundation or has sub flooring...the house we are in right now has no sub-flooring and let me tell ya....even Matt is wearing slippers around our house for fear of getting frost bite on his toes! So maybe in a month or so, we'll be moving! Fingers crossed!!!

Weaning and Homemade Baby Food

...so Stella likes carrots...its official. She ate them with her peas like a champ tonight. Matt successfully made homemade baby food tonight, too! We now have 2 ice trays full of carrots in the freezer for Stella Badella!

In other news, I am still weaning Stella and tonight (for the first time) I am a bit sad. It will pass and I know she has not a clue as to what is going on - I mean, really, at this point, she just wants to be fed....but it's the end of an era and I'm not so good with endings, especially when it comes to our all-too-fast-growing daughter. It's for the best, I tell myself...it's for the best. I'll go back to my list of pros in my head:)

Stella is 6 Months Old!!??

...I can't believe it. Stella is 6 months old, well, actually, today she's like 6 1/2 months old, but I'm late blogging:)

...back to what I was saying...I can't believe it...as in, really can't believe it...here's Stella's past 6 months:

 Stella, just born...

"Word" on her one month birthday, 7.1.2010

"I'm judging you" on her 2 month birthday, 8.1.2010

"I can't stand how funny you are, Mommy!" on her 3 month birthday 9.1.2010

 "Mom, the sun's in my eyes" on her 4 month birthday 10.1.2010

 "Woah, to the flash on that camera!" on her 5 month birthday, 11.1.2010

 "I'm the cutest ballerina ever" on her 6 month birthday, 12.1.2010

...we just had her in the hospital, yesterday, right??

Here are her stats at 6 months:

• 16lbs, 15oz...chunk monk!!!
• 26 1/4 inches tall
• currently sleeps from 7 or 8 to somewhere between 5 and 7, nurses, then goes down for another hour or 2!
• started baby food and loves apples, bananas and peas...this week we are working on carrots, though Matt is convinced she isn't a fan...I promptly informed him it takes a baby 15 attempts at one food to determine whether or not she actually likes or dislikes it...we've got a few more rounds to go! I am also making Stella's baby food, which is very cool. It's super easy, cheap and you can make enough food in one day for like 2 months if you have enough storage space! Did I mention how cheap this was?

We've been exclusively breastfeeding Stella since day one, with an occasional formula bottle here and there when we run out of milk and I'm not available, and I've THOROUGHLY enjoyed it. I wouldn't have it any other way and if God permits, I'll breastfeed all of my babies. I can't say enough good things about breastfeeding. However, we've decided to start weaning Stella to formula. The pediatrician said I no longer had to nurse her every 4 hours (what a difference that makes!) and could cut out one feeding so she was instead nursing 4 times a day with 2 baby food meals. It was a very tough decision, one that I have been on the fence about for a while now, but once we reached the 6 month mark, which was my minimum goal, we decided it was what was best for our entire family to stop nursing. I've already begun to replace one nursing period with a bottle and she's doing really well. I feel certain this is because we introduced the bottle to her early - she has never had trouble taking the bottle, so weaning her shouldn't be difficult. It will probably be more difficult for me than her! Hopefully by the end of next week she'll be officially weaned.

Things I'll miss about nursing:

• the special bonding time only Stella and I experience...the look on her face is priceless!
• the way she relies on ONLY me for nursing...it's a proud and rewarding feeling knowing that I am an integral part of her day, everyday
• the time I get to "slow down" during the day when I have to nurse her...it gives me a break to just stop and enjoy my life for a while
• this is a double-edge sword, but the ease in which we can "get up and go"...I still have to get her ready and pack her diaper bag, but I never have to worry about a bottle or formula...her meal is always ready and available!
• putting her to bed...our ritual is dinner, bathtime, and nursing, then to bed. I am almost always the last one to hold her before she goes to sleep, and that is a sweet, calming time for us both
• I'm not too proud to admit that nursing is a great way to keep the weight off...I don't know exactly how much, but I think a mother burns like 300 calories each time she breastfeeds, so its like your working out while sitting down and relaxing!

I will miss breastfeeding very much, but I am excited about all the great things that come with this welcomed change. For one, Matt will get the joy of feeding her now (along with other family members), which for the majority of the time was only my responsibility.  I don't know what it is, but there is something so sweet about feeding a baby! Secondly, and lastly (for I do not want to appear to "bash" breastfeeding, as I feel it is the best way to feed newborns), I will not miss having to wear nursing-appropriate attire. I can't tell you how many times my ADHD brain has forgotten to wear something I can nurse easily in, especially when going out for the day or going to a function. In which case, I have to undress to nurse. Not fun. I've learned there are many dresses you cannot nurse in and cannot take one strap off, which requires you to fully undress.

Like I said, I love breastfeeding and will breastfeed all of my babies, and maybe in the future I'll even breastfeed them up until their first birthday, like the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests...but for now, we are closing this chapter on a happy note:)