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It's not where you start
May. 22nd, 2012 09:31 amWe've all survived the weekend of dance recitals! The theater we've had the show in over the last couple of years is too small for one, so it was expanded to two shows (Saturday afternoon and Sunday night). I was away from Mina for the most time over a weekend, and Brian spent the most 1x1 time with her. I think we all did well with it. It was great to see my studio friends and I was glad that Brian was able to have special daddy/daughter time. Seeing them together just makes my heart swell. I pumped in my car with a lighter adapter for the first time during the 2nd half of both shows (I was only in the finale). It was an adventure, but I did well with it. We also walked 5 miles along the Riverwalk on the Charles on Sunday morning, so I was sore come Sunday night, oof!
Her sleeping just seemed to be getting better (she had 2 great naps yesterday) but then we went to the Pedi and she got 2 shots. The last time we did this she was Miss Crankypants for 2 nights. Ah well. She went down after some challenges (took me an hour to do it) and slept for 5.5 hours. Once she got up from there it was into the bed with us. We just didn't expect her to sleep for long after eating and putting her back down again, so feeding her in bed is just easier.
She's 15.6 pounds now, woah! That puts her in the 88th percentile (she was born in the 8th). Developmentally she's doing great - at or above the standard for 4 months old. The Pedi (and the OT that runs her Monday playgroup) both think that her restlessness at night is due to her new motor skills. She gets up because her body wants to practice her new fun things! We asked about food, and they said in no way start this until the 6 month mark. All it will do is pack on more unnecessary pounds. She suggested that we only feed her 1x over the night (after that first big sleep). She said that she isn't hungry upon subsequent wakings - that eating to sleep is probably just a soothing habit of hers. It is surely one we created, knowing it would be an issue to break out of later. It is comforting both to she and I. They gave us a couple of days before starting though - to get her through the crankiness that results from having 2 shots. After that first waking last night when we brought her into bed, she was up and looking for the boob every hour or so. She'd start eating, fall asleep, fall off and then realize an hour or so later, and fuss for the boob again. I don't think she ate too much during that routine, but it does explain how she got so chunky so fast. This should be interesting!
Though she was 2 pounds smaller than me at birth, at 4 months she's the same size I was. I remember being hung up on my weight at a young age (at Kindergarden I was aware that I was the fattest girl in the class). I don't want this to be a hangup for her. We'll do what we can to set good examples and make her surroundings healthy and active.
She's active though - rolled over back to front and front to back! Is super chatty, and moves her right arm up and down like one of those good luck gold cats at the Chinese restaurant. Blowing raspberries, sticking out her tongue and chewing/drooling on her hand (she's found and is using her mouth). She's also looking at her fingers all like "woah dude, what are those things?!". It is just fascinating to see her grow.
I did ask about weaning so that I don't have to pump come August. They suggest I drop 1 feeding (or pumping) a day for a week, then drop another, and another to gradually scale down my production. I'm starting this week, dropping my mid-day pump. This is so hard for me! I've almost started this process for a few weeks now, but 11:00 comes and I just pump anyway. I like breastfeeding her, but I would be lying if I didn't say it is a PITA sometimes. I love the connection, but it is hard, hard work. I don't want to have to bring a pump with me to FL in August when I'm away from her for 4 days. I know that I've given her (literally) of myself and that I didn't want to BF for forever. Still, it is difficult. I keep reminding myself of the liberation I'll have not having to lug pumps and pump stuff with me. Having my lunch hour back to go to the gym. Not having to worry about what I'm eating or drinking or where I can sit to leisurely feed her. I am mourning, but I think it is time to start working on it. Bear with me please on this. :)
I booked a cabin in the White Mountains in July for the three of us to have a little mini weekend vacation. We stayed there before, right on the banks of the Pemiquasset River. This time I booked one with a little kitchenette so that we can make our own food and take care of her food/bottles. Traveling with a baby: this should be interesting! We'll bring her pack and play. She's too young to really appreciate all of the things we'll enjoy when she gets older, but I know she'll love the scenery. It is so much fun to daydream about the things to come.
Her sleeping just seemed to be getting better (she had 2 great naps yesterday) but then we went to the Pedi and she got 2 shots. The last time we did this she was Miss Crankypants for 2 nights. Ah well. She went down after some challenges (took me an hour to do it) and slept for 5.5 hours. Once she got up from there it was into the bed with us. We just didn't expect her to sleep for long after eating and putting her back down again, so feeding her in bed is just easier.
She's 15.6 pounds now, woah! That puts her in the 88th percentile (she was born in the 8th). Developmentally she's doing great - at or above the standard for 4 months old. The Pedi (and the OT that runs her Monday playgroup) both think that her restlessness at night is due to her new motor skills. She gets up because her body wants to practice her new fun things! We asked about food, and they said in no way start this until the 6 month mark. All it will do is pack on more unnecessary pounds. She suggested that we only feed her 1x over the night (after that first big sleep). She said that she isn't hungry upon subsequent wakings - that eating to sleep is probably just a soothing habit of hers. It is surely one we created, knowing it would be an issue to break out of later. It is comforting both to she and I. They gave us a couple of days before starting though - to get her through the crankiness that results from having 2 shots. After that first waking last night when we brought her into bed, she was up and looking for the boob every hour or so. She'd start eating, fall asleep, fall off and then realize an hour or so later, and fuss for the boob again. I don't think she ate too much during that routine, but it does explain how she got so chunky so fast. This should be interesting!
Though she was 2 pounds smaller than me at birth, at 4 months she's the same size I was. I remember being hung up on my weight at a young age (at Kindergarden I was aware that I was the fattest girl in the class). I don't want this to be a hangup for her. We'll do what we can to set good examples and make her surroundings healthy and active.
She's active though - rolled over back to front and front to back! Is super chatty, and moves her right arm up and down like one of those good luck gold cats at the Chinese restaurant. Blowing raspberries, sticking out her tongue and chewing/drooling on her hand (she's found and is using her mouth). She's also looking at her fingers all like "woah dude, what are those things?!". It is just fascinating to see her grow.
I did ask about weaning so that I don't have to pump come August. They suggest I drop 1 feeding (or pumping) a day for a week, then drop another, and another to gradually scale down my production. I'm starting this week, dropping my mid-day pump. This is so hard for me! I've almost started this process for a few weeks now, but 11:00 comes and I just pump anyway. I like breastfeeding her, but I would be lying if I didn't say it is a PITA sometimes. I love the connection, but it is hard, hard work. I don't want to have to bring a pump with me to FL in August when I'm away from her for 4 days. I know that I've given her (literally) of myself and that I didn't want to BF for forever. Still, it is difficult. I keep reminding myself of the liberation I'll have not having to lug pumps and pump stuff with me. Having my lunch hour back to go to the gym. Not having to worry about what I'm eating or drinking or where I can sit to leisurely feed her. I am mourning, but I think it is time to start working on it. Bear with me please on this. :)
I booked a cabin in the White Mountains in July for the three of us to have a little mini weekend vacation. We stayed there before, right on the banks of the Pemiquasset River. This time I booked one with a little kitchenette so that we can make our own food and take care of her food/bottles. Traveling with a baby: this should be interesting! We'll bring her pack and play. She's too young to really appreciate all of the things we'll enjoy when she gets older, but I know she'll love the scenery. It is so much fun to daydream about the things to come.
