Liquid Gold

Angela and I had our monthly WIC appointment today to get our checks and then attend the breastfeeding group that they offer. At last month's group meeting, Linda the leader hit it off with mom pretty well because they were both experiencing being a Grandma for the first time and only days apart. Linda remembered Angela and I today when we got there and I was very impressed with that.

While your getting your checks, if you would like them to they will weigh and measure your child so that you can see that they are getting sufficient nutrition. Since I am impatient and didn't want to wait until Friday when Angela has her two month appointment, I asked to have her measured and weighed. OH....MY...GOSH. I knew that breast milk was good, but I didn't know that Angela would be in the 90% for height the 80% for weight and the 60% for head circumference because of it. She measured 23.5" for height, 12 pounds 1 oz, and her head was 15 1/4".

I am sometimes indifferent about these breastfeeding get together because they all seem a little too happy to be breastfeeding. We always start off talking about why we love to breastfeed and I sometimes find it hard to find an answer to that. I certainly enjoy being the only one to feed her sometimes ('cause it means that when someone else is holding her, I get her back for that little while) but then I want Tyler to be more involved so that he feels like he is helping out adequately. I love the fact that it's free and I don't have to pay for it....oh wait, but I have to buy nursing shirts and bra's so the money goes there instead. I like the bonding time I get with her, other than the chapped nipples that I receive and the nail marks I have from her digging into my boobs. The enhanced breast size is a perk, other than the fact that I leak milk after a good let down and I'm struggling to fit into all my old clothes. I have so many perks to breastfeeding but at the same time there are so many struggles for me that don't seem to cross the minds of these other moms. Sometimes I wonder if since I'm not that fond of breastfeeding makes me a bad mom.

After our clinic today I picked up some pictures that I got developed from some film that I didn't really know what was on them. In our old camera, that Shawna helped me figure out at our photo session last week, there was some film and we snapped a few pictures of Angela on them, so here are those pictures. It's amazing how a good camera can take amazing photos once you know how to work it.This one is courtesy of Shawna Noel

As is this.

This one was me...what a difference huh?

Two weeks...

I know it has taken me some time to keep you all updated, but this past week has been crazy. Since the fourth of July, we spent lots of time with Grandma Micki running around town getting things done. We went to a breastfeeding group that consisted of other mothers that are breastfeeding. It was really a nice group that was run by a lactation consultant, it allowed me to vent my frustrations with the feedings and also to share the joys that it brings as well. It made me realize that I have a bond with Angela that Tyler has yet to receive, and as much as I should not feel guilty about it, I do. I want Tyler to feel like he is contributing and helping out as much as possible. He is always asking if there is anything he can do to help and I know he really wants to help out, I just don't want him to feel useless in raising our daughter. I have been pumping every now and then so that when I really need to catch up on sleep or when I just don't feel like feeding every thirty minutes, he enjoys taking over.

We also went to our first doctors appointment. Angela had her two week appointment on Thursday and boy has she grown. She weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. when she was born and was 20" long, and at her appointment she weighed in at 8 lbs. 3 oz. And wow were they right when they said that all babies do is Eat, Sleep and Poop. The amount of sleep I get has gone down, the amount of diapers we go through is ridiculous and I don't think she ever stops eating.

We are still struggling with getting her to sleep on her back by herself. She loves to sleep on her tummy on our chests or on her back as long as we're snuggled with her, but to put her to sleep on the floor on a blanket or in her pack n' play or crib is impossible. Which means that trying to get things done on my own is almost impossible.

This weekend was pretty eventful for us as well, we said farewell to Grandma Micki who's stay with us was greatly appreciated as she was an enormous amount of help. While we said goodbye to one guest we said hello to two more. Lane and Averi Christensen, our good friend and his daughter from Williston came to Fargo just to see us and it was awesome. We had such a good time visiting with them and Averi was so good with Angela. She would sing her the ABC's when she would get fussy and she would gently rub her cheek while she was eating. Then while she was lying on the floor Averi would bend down and give Angela kisses on the forehead. It was precious. We did notice though that if we get together with all of our friends who have kids, we will be greatly confused as all of our daughter's names begin with A. We have Amiah (Tobi and Cammi's new addition), Addison (Chance and Ashley's girl), Ava (Kris and Amiee Oyen's girl), Averi and now we also have Angela. Talk about confusion.

Since I have been cluster feeding for the past day and a half now, I will leave you with pictures and keep you updated a little later on. I hope these past few days have been eventful for you all and that you are all doing well.

Visitors

These past few days have been somewhat of a blur for me. It seems as though the days pass quicker as they pass. Trying to get Angela ready to leave the house is the biggest challenge for me as it takes forever to feed her, then I have to dress her and pack the diaper bag and then feed again, all of this for her...then there is me who has to get ready. This first week has flown by quicker than I ever could have imagined it to. Our days consist of sleeping whenever we can, feeding baby, going for walks and visiting with friends. Mostly it's taking cat naps with our little Angela laying on chest. It seems as though that is her favorite position to sleep in as at night she refuses to sleep away from us (that might just be me worrying too much about her dying of SIDS). A little something that may come to haunt us in the future. I used tell everyone that I would never let my baby sleep with me and get attached to it, I would put her to sleep in her crib and that would be how she slept all the time...but boy do things change when you actually have her in your arms and don't want to put her down.




Since we've gotten home, we have had many visitors stop by to meet this precious little angel of ours. We appreciate all of the love and support that we have had this whole time, we just never knew that so many people could love something so little and so new. I do have to admit that when people come over to visit, I get jealous of the time they are spending with her, mainly because that is time they are taking away from me. I am so selfish in that respect.




As we continue to enjoy every minute we have with her it sometimes still is unbelievable that we have such a precious child to love every day. Breastfeeding is going much better now, she is still feeding about every 2-3 hours during the day and then marathon feeding throughout the night. It seems as though she has her nights and days a little mixed up. I might have to invest in grandma to use my Grandma Ree's technique of rolling in various ways to get her confused (that's what she did with me when I was born). I will leave you now with random other pictures that I have taken of my little girl. I don't think I take enough pictures, but I am told otherwise. I do hope you enjoy.

SuNsHiNe

Well hello to all, it's been a few days since I have had the ambition and energy to try to do anything other than hold my precious little girl and do my best to sleep while she does. I am so thankful for all of the support we have received these past few days. It's so nice to get phone calls, text messages, e-mails and gifts from all of our loved ones. These past few days have had their ups and downs but they are so worth every minute of it.

I decided that we would breast feed instead of formula but with having flat nipples, we have been needing to supplement with tiny amounts of formula from time to time. It seems lately however that she is hooked to mom's breast all the time. It's good that she is eating awesome, but at the same time...Mom would like a break. My newborn milk is coming in now and it's getting much easier to fulfill the needs of this little girl's appetite (which is just like her father's). Her billirubin has been high since her birth. On Saturday it was at 9.8 at 6 am and increased to 10.2. Then on Sunday Tyler and I took her in to get it checked again at the request of the doctor's, only to find it was 14. 2. She was asked to come in again today to get it checked at the clinic and after Mom's first experience with baby blood draw, we found that it was 15.8. So once again we will be going in to the clinic in tomorrow to test it again.

With only being three days old, she has captured our hearts completely. I will leave you today with more pictures for you to enjoy and will keep you all updated, once I get away from a latched baby or the breast pump.