January 21, 2012

We got another late start today, mostly because we were up until the wee hours again. After I posted yesterday's entry, Olivia decided she was hungry...again...so I fed her and then she fell asleep for four minutes and decided she was hungry again. I was certain this time was an automatic/comfort response. So I tried the pacifier again. With a combination of pacifier and me holding her hands, all while rocking her in her 'nest', she finally fell asleep. I, however, did not sleep well because I kept waking up unsure as to where I had last put Olivia. Was she on the couch with me? Had I smooshed her? Did I put her in the 'nest'? Was she under the blanket? Of course she was sound asleep each time I checked on her, but that did not seem to make it easier for me to sleep.

Fortunately, Olivia spent most of today asleep - allowing me to catch up on some (light) chores and get plenty of naps myself. Don't worry, I didn't do any real lifting because I am being mindful of my stitches. Olivia slept so much, in fact, that I had to wake her up and remind her to eat! Where was my nursing monster from last night?! Since she was clearly very satisfied and sleepy this meant I could pump again and not worry about 'robbing' her of any food today. She didn't even seem to notice.

In the afternoon we tried a new method for bathing. Since I had just run the dishwasher, the kitchen counter was nice and warm - perfect for laying a semi-naked baby on (on top of a towel of course). She's getting more and more used to bathing and soon I think she will enjoy being in her little tub. For now, this method seems to be working just fine.

Once she was all clean, I put her in another cute 'newborn' outfit and topped it all off with a bow in her hair. There's just enough on the top to slip some together. It makes her mohawk a little more girly, that's for sure. We both took our vitamins and then both ate some dinner. Olivia slept while we chatted with Kari and then Skyped with Mimi & Pop.




I was finally able to capture some of Olivia's smiles today. I'm sure that these are 'real' smiles, not just 'gas'. (We were playing the kissing game again.)

 

Since today Olivia is officially four weeks old, I decided that we should try out the pack 'n play again. She really is stretching out more and more and I think she will prefer it to the more confined sleeping area of her 'nest'. We've been camped out in the family room for almost this whole month, and it's probably time for me to try out my bed, too. I do love sleeping on the couch (it's super comfy) and I had been a little reluctant to be upstairs without Adam. It's time for all three of us, Sophie included, to get into a new routine; one that we will keep when Daddy comes home. So far, so good. We nursed in the bed and snuggled together under the pink blanket that Mimi made. Once Olivia was soundly asleep I transferred her to the pack 'n play. Sophie is snoring at the end of my bed, and I'm comfortably watching Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix. All is well.

Here are some funny pictures of Olivia posing in her sleep.

"Babies of the world...hearken unto me."

"Hmmm...I wonder..."