Happy Days.....

Summer is down for another nap.... 

I start back to school today.  I am taking my 2nd to last class before I graduate with my Master's degree.  I was going to finish this semester, but in order to get insurance for another year, I have to go to school next semester.  I am sad to be leaving her 2 nights a week, but I am sure Clint will do a great job taking care of her.  Hopefully, she will get a good nap in and wake up rested and ready to play with him. 

Let's see.......where to start.  I really don't have Summer on a schedule yet, but I am starting to work on it.  Right now it is more like she has me on a schedule....HERS.  I started feeding her cereal in a bottle with my breast milk before she goes to bed hoping that she will sleep longer (hopefully all night...keep your fingers crossed for me :)  ) and then finishing the feeding on my breast.  This was my mom's suggestion so I hope it works.  Today will be my 3rd day of this.  She went 5 hours the first night and 6 last night.  So, I only had to get up at 2:00 last night to feed her.  Then I fed her again around 6:45 and just stayed up since I was going to have to get up at 8:00 anyway.  I have been feeding her the bottle with cereal around 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. which is earlier than I would like.  Tonight I will try to do it later if possible.  She doesn't have a regular eating schedule at all.  Sometimes it is 2 hours; sometimes it is three or four.  I am really enjoying breastfeeding though.  I feel like we really bond during this time. 

My dad came in for a visit this past weekend.  It was the first time he has seen Summer.  She was 7 weeks old on Saturday, and we spent part of the day with family at my Aunt Sandra's house and the rest at home.  We had a good visit, but it went by way too fast.  Summer and I dropped him off at the shuttle yesterday around 5:15 p.m.  He got to feed her part of a bottle while we were waiting for the shuttle to leave.  I was sad to see him go, but he will be back for a longer visit in September.    The baby is up and again and itis time for me to leave.........

What a Mess!!!

Everything has been going pretty good lately.  Summer has been keeping me busy so I have not posted as often as I would like.  She is taking a nap right now, so I thought I better update this while I have a chance.  She was pretty gassy last week which made her fussy at times.  Thank God for gas drops!!!  She has had some "explosions" in her diapers.  I guess that is what it supposed to be like right now...at least according to my friend Selena.  Her baby was the same way when she was Summer's age.  So, when I start hearing "squirts" (as I like to call them) I start heading for the changing table.  Otherwise, I could have a real mess on my hands.  On Father's Day, I was feeding her and talking on the phone when I heard a "squirt"....then another.  I started getting worried because these tend to end up on her clothes (she was only in a diaper that day).  I was already dressed to go to my Aunt Leisa's house for Sunday dinner (in white shorts) so I was worried it might leak onto them.  So, I stood up to make sure I didn't get dirty.  Well.........it started leaking out all over the floor and the barstool and was running down my leg.  Thankfully, my white shorts were spared, but I can't say the same for the kitchen floor!  I didn't know what to do first...clean her or the kitchen or myself.  Okay, the baby just woke up so I need to finish this fast!  I laid Summer down in the floor and went over and cut the water in the sink on so I could rinse her off.  After I rinsed her off and got her diapered, I cleaned everything else.  Needless to say, now I am very scared anytime I hear a "squirt."  It is funny because when I was pregnant Clint told me how he used to rinse Amanda off in the shower when she had a dirty diaper and I thought he was crazy.  Now, I understand why!

I will try to write more later.  I have lots to share...just not enough time to do it now.  Enjoy the pics.  The first one is my favorite picture of Summer.

Miss Piggy

Summer is doing good; she is growing so fast.  She really likes to eat...about every 2-3 hours (closer to 2).  That is why I call her Miss Piggy.  I wish she would go a little longer in between feedings because I've heard she should be eating about every 4 hours, but I guess it is fine the way it is.  I don't mind feeding her.  I actually enjoy that time to just look at her and hold her in my arms.  But, I don't want to her to be eating too much and gaining too much weight.  I know it doesn't really matter because I'll love her any way.  I just want her to be healthy.  She has been spitting up a little lately.  I'm not sure if it is because she is eating too much at once or because she is not burping enough. 

I can't wait until she starts playing with things and interacting with me more.  Now when I lay her down in one of her activity gyms she will lay there for a few minutes and then start crying.  Sometimes she will go a little longer if I lay her on her tummy.  Last night I played with her for about 30 or 45 minutes in one of the activity gyms.  I'm not sure she was actually playing, but she seemed content which made me happy.  Sometimes when you put her on her tummy, she falls asleep.  I think she really likes to sleep on her belly.  My mom told me when I was a baby, the doctors would not let babies sleep on their backs.  Now, it is the opposite.  It is funny how their opinions have changed over the years...not just on this, but many things.  I looked in my baby book and when I was one month old, my mom was allowed to feed me cereals and fruit.  At 2 months, he added veggies.  At 4 months, he added meats.  By 6 months, I could eat all food, drink 2% milk, and take vitamins.  Now, they recommend that you wait 6 months to feed them anything other than breast milk or formula (maybe cereal, but I'm not sure about that). 

Well, Summer is being quiet so I am going to check on her.  Hopefully, she is asleep.  Clint, Summer and I already took a 2 hour nap together earlier today, but lucky for me she takes more than one a day right now!

Our Last Visit with the Specialist

We went back to see Dr. Kelly today.  He looked at Summer's belly button and said it is healed up...YEAH!!!  So, we don't have to go back and see him anymore unless it starts oozing again which it should not.  We had the nurse weigh Summer and she weighed 9 lb. 8 oz.  She has gained almost 2 pounds since she has been born.  You can really tell how much she has grown by looking at her and holding her.  I feel like I need to be taking pictures of her everyday (which I pretty much am) so I can remember how little she is forever.  I know she is going to grow up so fast and there is nothing I can do about it.

My sister, niece and nephew came up to visit us today.  They helped me give Summer a bath which I think they enjoyed.  My sister took care of Summer most of the day which gave me a chance to do a few things around the house that I probably wouldn't have gotten done without someone entertaining Summer for me.  I also got to spend some time with Leah and Jonathon.  They love playing in the hot tub when they come up.  So, we did that for a while before and after lunch. 

Summer is laying beside me right now sleeping.  I wish she would get up for a couple of hours so I know she would sleep tonight, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen.  Hopefully, she will still sleep tonight.  Last night she went to bed around 10:30 and didn't get up until 3:45 to eat.  I was so surprised that she went 5 hours without getting up and eating.  I can only hope this becomes a pattern, but I will have to wait and see.  Of course, she got up 2.5 hours later to eat after that feeding and then 2 hours after that.  So, it is all still a guessing game right now.  She usually goes 3-4 hours at a time, but every night is a little different.  Well, she just woke up...I gotta go!

Hold me Mommy!

Today has been one of those days where Summer just wanted to be held and eat all day.  She also spat up a few times and I'm not sure if it is because of eating so often (but not much) or if she just doesn't feel good.  Right now she is in her bed crying, but I have got to get her to sleep at some point.  If I wait until we are in the bed trying to sleep, I know Clint or I will end up picking her up.  She has been awake most of the day which surprises me.  She is usually up for 3 to 5 hours a day.  Every time I would get her to sleep, she would wake up shortly after I laid her down.  It is so hard  not to pick her up...I try to let her cry it out, but a lot of the time I end up picking her up.  Hopefully, right now will not be one of those times, but we'll have to wait and see.  She is so precious that myself and her daddy have a hard time just letting her lay there and cry.  I guess we are spoiling her which is going to end up being hard on us...if it isn't already!  I did get to take a short nap today with her laying beside me.  She didn't sleep, but she didn't fuss either because I was right there beside her.  It is funny how she just wants/needs to be close to you to be fine.  But, once you step away, she starts getting upset.  Yeah, I guess she is spoiled already.  I am going to have to work on that.......I am worried that she will be up every two hours tonight because she has eaten at least that often today...maybe even more frequently.  She usually goes 3-4 hours at night so hopefully tonight will not be any different. 

She is growing so much.  I can't believe how big she is getting.  It seems like yesterday she was so little and today she is so big.  I really wish I knew how much she weighed, but the doctor did not weigh her last week.  When we go back this week, we will have to make sure we weigh her.  Her belly looks almost completely healed...at least to me it does.  She is still on her antibiotics, and I can't wait until she is off of them.  They are really messing her tummy up which in turn has caused a nasty diaper rash/raw butt.  I think it may be starting to clear up since I started using petroleum jelly instead of the Desitin.  

Clint took Summer strolling around the neighborhood this evening.  I joined him after I finished a few chores.  We went strolling last night too.  When we were driving in from our trip to the park yesterday, we saw a few neighbors outside talking so Clint suggested we go see them.  We loaded Summer up in the stroller and headed down the street.  It was nice to talk to everyone and let them admire Summer.  She is so adorable and it is fun to show her off.  We really have good neighbors and that is one thing we will miss when we move. 

Tomorrow I think I am going to take Summer to get her picture made.  She will be one month old, so I want to capture her image so I won't ever forget how little she is right now.  I am going to take her picture every month because my mother in law got us a clock that holds a picture for every hour.  So, we will have Summer's 1st year on display for many years to come.  I haven't decided what outfit she is going to wear yet...it is going to be hard.  But, hopefully when I start getting her dressed tomorrow it will just come to me.

I also wanted to mention how much she enjoys bathtime.  She is so content when I am giving her a bath which makes me really happy.  Bathtime is one of the things I look forward to at the end of the day.  I don't give her a bath every day, but if I had time I probably would.  It is just a relaxing time for me because she seems to enjoy it so much.  I hope this will continue as she gets older. 

Well, I guess that is about it for now.  Enjoy the pics.  They are just a few of the MANY I have taken.

Our 2nd Trip to the Specialist

We went back to the specialist today.  Summer's belly button is looking a lot better, but he still did another silver nitrate treatment.  When he looked deep inside her belly button, there was still some raw pink flesh which needs some skin to grow over it.  We have to go back next week so he can check it again.  He wants to make sure it is fully healed before he stops seeing her.  He does not think she will have to have any surgery so that is good.  Clint was able to go with me today, so I let him stand by Summer while the doctor was treating her.  I have already an emotional day, so I didn't need to be by her for this round of tears.  Before the doctor came in, we were changing her diaper.  After I got her cleaned up and was fixing to apply the A&D ointment, she decided it was a great time to pee...and poop a little too.  It got all over the paper liner on the bed...and her clothes too.  Good thing I always have two or three extra outfits in the diaper bag!  Clint was like hurry up and get it cleaned up before the doctor comes in...this is embarrassing.  I told him there was no reason to be embarrassed because babies do stuff like this all the time...at least she does.  We had to rip off the paper a couple of times because the bed underneath the paper was soaked with pee and every time I would pull down clean paper, it would get wet.  So I grabbed some paper towels and dried it off.  I am actually getting used to her doing this, so I am not surprised anymore when it happens.  I guess Clint isn't getting enough diaper changing in...LOL. 

Other than that, I had a pretty emotional day.  The baby was crying and eating every 45 minutes to an hour.  I'm not sure if she was getting anything out of me because I pumped this morning and after that it never seemed like she was getting full or satisfied.  She wouldn't take a bottle from me and Clint did not have time to give her a bottle...so needless to say we were both a little frustrated (mommy & baby).  A few times we were both crying...this is not the easiest thing I have ever done that is for sure.  I never realized how much time it takes to take care of a baby, but it is pretty much all day and all night everyday of the week.  It is kind of like being on call 24/7.  Don't get me wrong, I do love it.  But, sometimes it just seems so hard and like it is never going to end....I guess it isn't...at least not for the next 18 years, huh?  Anyway, I'm sure I'll make it as long as my mom answers the phone every time I call her.........she defintely helps me regain my sanity when I am going crazy.  Thanks Mom!!!