Secondly, Violet is peeking at me from under her eyelashes as I type, so this might not last long. She likes to do the drunken sailor - one eye open, one still shut - as she snoozes in her vibrating bouncy seat. We had a pretty good night and a rather decent day. Day two of hanging by ourselves all day. The shower didn't go quite as well this time. She caught on that I was gone in between the conditioner and the face wash. But thanks to everyone's reassurance that it's okay if she cried for a few minutes while I finished up. My hair might look like crap but at least I'm clean and everyone survived.
Daddy got a chance to feed Violet last night with the first of my pumped breast milk (sorry if that's too much info!) She had no problem guzzling from the bottle.
Which bring me to my third item. So many people have written to me in response to this blog. Many of you have offered advice gleaned from years of your own experience. Never fear about giving me unsolicited advice, I'm all ears! I really appreciate everything that is said. And all of you have been so kind and encouraging, full of reassurance that I'm doing okay. (Mike and Sabine even sent me a verbal/mental hug, and all of you know how much I love hugs!) I can't tell you how much it means to me. Even when I'm not quite up to believing in myself 100 percent, it's nice to know you all do.I think one of the biggest problems I've had is trusting my own instincts (probably the number one piece of advice I've gotten. That and putting the bouncy seat in the bathroom while I shower). But I'm constantly second-guessing myself, leaving my instincts in a tangled mess worse than the extension cords hiding behind our tv. On my best days without child I was horrible at making decisions (ask Matt how long it took me to pick out a backseat mirror for the carseat. He likes to tell that story). But I'm feeling rather buoyed by all the sweet encouragement I've gotten and I've decided to make a renewed effort. I'm throwing out the baby books for a while and I'm just going to listen to Violet, to myself, and perhaps to my husband. Not that the books aren't full of useful advice (hello, swaddling!). But I'm driving myself nuts trying to follow them all to the letter, marrying what they dictate with what the pediatrician has recommended, what the grandmas suggest, what that tiny voice in the back of my head is whispering. So we'll see how it goes.
Also (wow, I have a lot of points today. Didn't mean for this to turn into an essay!), did anyone watch House this week? I watched about 80 percent of it - it was about a blogger (Donna from That 70's Show) who chronicled her life in minute detail for her devoted blog followers. Now, I don't want to get that extreme. But I do want to thank you for letting me use this blog as a way to be honest about what's happening in our new lives, whether it be good, bad, messy or hilarious. I promise to tell it like it is if you promise to keep sending me that unsolicited advice and those verbal hugs!
Violet's first piece of mail! And let me tell you, it is a head trip to see something addressed to your child in the mailbox! She got her social security card - she exists!
nice street smarts covering up the address. i think throwing out the book is the way to go. we made it as a species years before the printing press churned out the first "what to expect" edition. my best pieces of advice: no baby has ever died from crying and, buy velcro swaddlers and graduate to the miracle swaddler as soon as she'll fit. youre doing awesome. hug.
ReplyDeleteTrue that. She's already squirming out of the receiving blankets I swaddle her in, and we only managed to steal one of the larger blankets from the hospital.
ReplyDeletePS Thanks for the hug!