Happy 5 Weeks

Happy Monday, everyone! We're suffering from a dreary, rainy day here in Georgia, but this girl has enough sunny smiles to make the day bright. Which is good, because these same eyes were open for quite a while last night, making for a sleepy mama. I am making it my mission to see that Annelise gets more awake time today, hoping she'll sleep a little longer tonight. Although really, we're spoiled. The night before, Annie slept from 10 p.m. to 3:45 a.m. and then again until almost 8 in the morning. So we're actually getting a good amount of shut eye with only one feeding to interrupt the night.

Friday's well check went well! I took both girls with me so Violet could get a flu shot and her hearing/vision screening done. I'm starting the process to get her screened for speech services, and the amount of paperwork required is ridiculous. But at least the pediatrician's forms are collected.

Both girls did a great job at the doctor. Violet listened and paid attention and didn't balk at the flu mist vaccine. Annie didn't cry until the mean nurse gave her a shot. She weighed in at 9 lbs 15 oz (75-90th percentile) and she is 23 inches long. Verdict? The boobs are working (she gained 14 ounces in 17 days, after all!), despite the fact Annie still isn't digging her nightly bottle that much. The most we can get her to drink is around two ounces, which just doesn't seem like that much. It's such a difference from Violet, who gulped down a bottle with gusto. However, I'm purposely not looking back to compare the two when Violet was this age - I'd rather let Annie be her own little person and get to know her without comparison to anyone else, even her sister.

The Sip and Sleep See

Saturday my sweet grade level gathered at the neighbor's home for a Sip and See. I loved showing off little Miss Annie! She was so good, she slept the whole time and let everyone get plenty of cuddles in. I also raked in quite a few boxes of diapers and wipes, yay! Although really the best present was getting to see all my school friends. While I don't miss the work, I do miss seeing this great group of ladies every day.

Sip and See Selfie

Months of the Year

She is awesome.

Is It Obvious We're Related?

Annelise - one month

Violet - one month

Smile

Smile

Annelise One Month

Well look who is one month old!

She looks pretty darn pleased with herself. Is this the first elusive smile captured on camera?

She is totally psyched to be wearing one of those fancy stickers that mark the months. Violet never got those - score one for the little sis!

Annie's one month well check is on Friday, so any new stats will have to wait. What else can I report?

• Totally loving bath time
• Can stay awake a good hour to an hour and a half between feedings
• Tends to be a bit fussy at night
• Enjoys going for walks around the neighborhood and sleeping in her swing
• Growing out of her newborn clothes 
• Up to a size 1 diaper
• Still indifferent about paci - more likely to spit it out with an indignant "I can't believe you tried to fool me with this crap!"
• Working on taking a bottle - we're trying various combinations of breast milk and formula - but still prefers the boobies (who wouldn't?!)
• Has been to church, the pumpkin patch, the neighbors' for dinner, small group, a fall festival, lots of walks outside, Target and Publix multiple times, and even dropped by Mommy's school (shh, don't tell!)

I love you, little girl! I can't wait to see your personality develop and grow! Gimme some more smiles!

Baby Love

Rub-a-Dub

Full disclaimer, I cared more about the photo opp than getting her clean, but it was a win-win all around!

I felt bad that I didn't capture pictures of Annie's first bath, so for the sake of documenting it forever, I decided to finally bathe her again. I'm not one for constantly dunking babies in the tub. A, it's a lot of work. Get out the tub, the soap and towels, dry clothes and diaper at the ready, deal with all the dressing and undressing, etc. And B, how dirty can one baby get? Other than her butt, which gets wiped every hour anyway. Still, I suppose it's a good habit to get into, the whole washing thing.

It was pj day. Perhaps I should have considered giving myself a bath before I bathed Annie!

This time I managed to bathe her single-handedly (not easy when the object you're trying to clean and simultaneously not drown is a nine-pound floppy sack of potatoes). Fortunately, my brother was on hand to wield the camera for me. And even better, this child continues to love bath time. She was so calm and happy in the water. The only time she complained was when it was time to get out and dry off.

Sweet, clean Annelise.

It's the Great Pumpkin Patch!

This Friday everyone had the day off from school/work, and we celebrated by hitting up a local pumpkin patch with our favorite partners in crime.

Her adoring fans.

We're huntin' pumpkins!

We found the best pumpkin in the entire patch.

Just kidding, THIS is the best pumpkin in the patch!

Mr. Matt and the littlest lady.

Feeding the animals.

The original pumpkin.

I'd call this day a success!

My favorite village people.

Awake!

Notice something different about these pictures? Yep, eyeballs. My friend is officially awake. Hibernation is over, as are the endless naps. It took three weeks, but this child is ready to meet the world.

Unfortunately, she wants to meet the world between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. And while this is totally normal, it is also exhausting.

Tuesday night was the worst. Not only was she awake, she was awake and fussy. Sometimes flat-out yelling at us. Matt and I passed her back and forth, we walked, we bounced, we "shushed", we swaddled, we unswaddled. She would fall asleep for a few minutes, we would dare breath a sigh of relief, and then she'd start up again. Upset tummy? Colic? Just being a baby? Who knows. All we knew was, we needed sleep and it wasn't happening. To add stress to the mix, we attempted a bottle for the first time, which Annie wanted nothing to do with. After Violet, who never turned down food in whatever form is came in, we were not prepared for this rejection. Babies are so confusing and seem made just to make their mamas worry. She finally passed out around 6:15, just in time for Violet to wake up at 6:20. Fun times.

Needless to say, there were two grumpy parents yesterday.

Fortunately, we had small group last night. It's always a good thing to be surrounded by loving, supportive friends when your life line is fraying in your fingertips. They sent us home refreshed and hopeful for a good night, which we had. This time Annie took a bottle and while she spazed out between 10 and 11:30, she was out for the count after that, except for her feedings.

Something I remember distinctly with Violet is how unpredictable infants are. As soon as I'd think we were on to something, she would switch up her schedule again or do something that freaked me out and I'd be back at square one on the confidence scale. I'm trying to take things more in stride this time around, but as always babies are intent on keeping you on your toes. I still have concerns and questions, I still wonder if I'm doing things right, if she's okay. I guess that's just all part of parenting. What a mind job.

Single Mom of Two

Matt was out of town this entire weekend at his nephew's bar mitzvah (congrats Will!). He left early Saturday morning and came home after bedtime on Sunday.

Originally this was not going to be a problem. My mom had planned to come up and stay with me the weekend, helping me juggle two kids and keeping Violet occupied while I hosted book club at the house. But my dad called just as Matt was walking out the door (literally, his hand was on the door knob) to tell me that my mom was sick in bed and wouldn't be coming to my rescue.

I almost cried. Annie did cry.

I spent the weekend sending Matt pictures like this.

But what to do, other than accept the fact I'm a mother of two and get over it, right? So the girls and I hung out until my book club friends arrived to provide a bit of distraction. (Reality - Violet watched a LOT of tv the entire day while consuming copious amounts of food, most of it junk.)

It was awesome to see my friends and introduce them to Snoozy Annie. There was an appropriate amount of oohing and ahhing before we actual got down the the business of discussing the book we read, which was following by more oohing and ahhing and passing of the baby.

Once they left, one of my parents from school showed up with her daughter and a lovely dinner. Yay for not having to cook! (I actually saved the food to share with my neighbors the next day - double yay for serving dinner I didn't have to make!) Then Violet finally got to run around and play with the neighbors, who helped me deal with my super whiny, non-napping, snack-begging oldest child until it was bedtime. Violet appeared to be trying for the world record for fastest time to reach total meltdown status and longest sustained whine. I wouldn't be surprised if she hit both goals. They actually sent me home with the baby for some quiet time and kept Violet entertained until it was time to wrestle her into pjs and bed. Best. Village. Ever. I needed a few moments alone after that day.

Two freshly clean girls.

On Sunday I got the best gift of all - my neighbor took Violet to church and lunch while I stayed home with Annie and did the grocery shopping. I even convinced my other neighbor (seriously, how would I survive without them?) to help me give Annie her first tub bath (which she loved, by the way, unlike Violet's first tub time). In return, I served them up a delicious dinner I didn't have to cook, managed to give Violet her first bath in a good three or four days (don't judge) and got everyone to bed, including myself, before Matt came home.

All in all, it was a successful solo weekend. But oh, we were happy to see Daddy again! I've said it before, but it bears repeating with a voice of awe and respect, I don't know how single parents do it. And I hope I don't have to do it again any time soon!

The Oldest

I am loving my quiet days home with my youngest. But every now and then I miss the loud, crazy energy of my oldest. Last night she regaled us with a musical number, complete with macarena-like dance moves, as she sang us the months of the year song. July made an appearance an extra time or two, but for the most part, she has the year nailed down pat.

Weekends are the sweetest, because Matt is home and we have all day to hang out and play. We can be lazy, and trade the baby back and forth, and indulge Violet in one extra episode of Sofia the First. School mornings are hard because everyone is tired and trying to get ready (or actively procrastinating). School afternoons can be tough as well, because no matter how soon dinner is, Violet insists on a snack. And then another, better snack. Every day I promise I'm going to start breaking that habit, and every afternoon at 5:30 I just need her to be quiet and still for a few minutes. So we're still trying to figure that one out.

But there's always a moment that makes me smile, or cracks Matt up, or makes us look at one another with the amused disbelief that we actually created the wild, wonderful creature in front of us.

Hands Free Baby

I'm not traditionally a baby-wearer. First off, I really dislike the term "baby wearing". It's not like my infant in a fashion accessory or an article of clothing! But beyond the term, it's just not something I did a lot with Violet. We were loaned a Baby Bjorn at some point, but it was late enough that Violet never really got into it and neither did I. I seemed to just bump her into things if I ever tried to use it to help get things done. (Nothing like attempting to unload the dishwasher and banging your child's head into the granite countertop!) And honestly, it took more time to put on and configure than it would have to just pick her up and go. On top of that, we never really went places that weren't stroller accessible, and given the choice between the two, I'm going to pick stroller versus strapping on and lugging about.

But... now that I have two children to keep up with, and both still require hands-on holding, I've decided to give the whole baby carrier thing a try. Along with the Bjorn, I've also been loaned a Moby wrap. It's essentially a super long piece of heavy-duty fabric that you have to loop and tie around yourself, making these little pockets that the baby gets slipped into. I had to consult youtube just to figure out how to get the thing on! But once it was in place, both Annie and I were surprisingly comfortable.

I can actually see myself using this one. Maybe not for hanging around the house, but certainly for the pumpkin patch or zoo. But what has really convinced me is that, thanks to my c-section, I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavy. And car seat plus baby equals heavy. I'm eager to start driving again, but what's the point in driving somewhere if I can't lug the car seat in and out of the car. Now eventually this will cease to be an issue. But for now, I can't even figure out how to go to Violet's parent appreciation breakfast at school short of holding Annie in my arms the whole time (not the safest long-term solution). But with the Moby, I could get it tied on before we leave the house, slip the baby inside once we reach our destination, and be free to grab Violet's hand before she darts across the parking lot.

We'll see if Annie ends up being fall's hottest new fashion statement. Any other baby wearing methods I should check out? Tips or tricks for getting around the car seat lifting dilemma until I'm a little further in my recovery?

Two Weeks Old

Sleeping in Mama's arms. Getting spoiled already!

It is blowing my mind that Annie turned two weeks old yesterday. Partly because it seems like she's been here forever. She is so chill and laid back, she fit right into our routine with hardly a hiccup. If you had told me after Violet was born that I needed to cook dinner for 11 people not two weeks home from the hospital, I would have laughed hysterically and then probably burst into tears. But we're right back into the swing of things here at the Loughman house, cooking for the neighbors, sharing meals at their houses, jumping right back into real life. And it's a really nice feeling.

Wide awake, waiting for the doctor.

Today was Annie's two week well check.  She's doing great! Once again she's hitting the 90th percentile in all things measured, just like her big sister did. She weighs 9 pounds 1 ounce, just a few little ounces shy of her birth weight. The pediatrician was pleased by everything she saw, and therefore so are we!

I promise she was awake for part of our walk!

After our appointment, I took Miss Annie out on a walk around the neighborhood. Except our neighborhood is full of hills that I'm not quite ready to conquer yet, so we mostly strolled up and down the street. I did make it further than I did the first day, and I'm hopeful about adding a bit more onto our journey each day. It's so nice to get out and about in the beautiful fall weather (while it lasts!), feeling like I'm finally doing something to get my body working again.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Things I'm Thankful For Today

A beautiful fall morning to take a stroll in, just Annie and me.

Starting to feel back to normal, including hands and feet back to usual size.

A sweet, healthy baby girl who is so laid back, I can enjoy a long, hot shower every day without worry.

She's awake!

The calm and stillness of the neighborhood while everyone is at work.

A forever friend who provided me with company, conversation and laughter on what might have been a lonely day.

Emily and Annie.

A refrigerator stuffed with food from friends.

Violet's fantastic playdate with her BFF yesterday - she still can't get over it! I love seeing my big girl so happy.

A hubby who is so helpful and patient, even at 3 a.m.

Things I'm Hopeful For:

Tuesday's visit to the pediatrician - all questions answered, fears put aside, confidence boosted.

Driving again! It's getting boring around here.

Reentering society - church, small group, book club, Target...

Patience as my body and I continue to make peace with each other.

Embracing the quiet new life I'm leading and getting the most out of these moments while they last.

A Glimpse at Our New Life

Melt.

Awake!

It fits again!

A quiet morning.

Big Sister

Does someone need attention?

Violet is very excited today. She gets to go home from school with her BFF, have a playdate, go to gymnastics together, and then have a dinner date before being dropped back off at home! She has not stopped talking about it all week. A million thanks to Emma's mama for making it happen.

Overall Violet is adjusting really well to having a little sister. If anything, the problems we're seeing with her are issues that have been here long before baby. Things like getting her dressed, fed and out the door in the morning without any battles, for example. Of course, adding an infant to the mix just ratchets up the stress level, but I'm hopeful that every day will get easier. 

Teaching little sister how to play.

Violet loves being helpful. Her favorite task is throwing away diapers. Because I am an evil genius, I convinced her that the diaper pail is a "magic trashcan". She loves putting the diaper in, moving the handle, and then revealing that - ta-da! - the diaper is gone! She also loves bringing Annie her little bunny or paci whenever the baby is fussing.

Silly girl!

I climbed the stairs for the first time yesterday so I could read books and tuck my big girl into bed. It was nice to get to spend some time with Violet, just the two of us. It's been an adjustment, figuring out how to parent two children, especially when both seem to need tons of attention in completely different ways. But I'm loving having my girls and watching them together. I can't wait to watch them grow up together!