February 14 & 15, 2012

Olivia & I had a roller coaster Valentine's Day. It started out very nicely, by Skyping with Nana. She got to see Olivia's morning calisthenics routine in the pack 'n play. I tried out my pajama-gram onesie from Adam. It is very warm. I couldn't wear it for a long time, but that means it will definitely keep me warm on those really cold nights. The pajamas that came for Olivia are much to big for her right now. When Adam asked me "What size should someone get for Olivia if they wanted to get her something?" I didn't catch that he meant from him and right now. But at the rate that she's growing, it won't be long until they do fit!

Olivia had definitely outgrown her size one diapers. I knew it was going to happen soon. I only bought a small package when we were at the store last time and I'm glad I did. I got in touch with my friend Tiffany, who had her baby Roger ('Dodge') in January, to see if she could use them. Luckily he had just grown into size ones, so we packed the extras up to drop off at her house. Thank goodness so many people gave us diapers, we already have a little stash of size twos.

I put Olivia in a cute Valentine outfit - a Strawberry Shortcake onesie and some sweet red pants with a heart on the leg.  She promptly threw up all over it and me. Poor baby, I don't think she felt well all day. We changed into a onesie with hearts and pink pants with a ruffly butt. Her diaper exploded all over her outfit, down her leg, and all over me - while we were at Tiffany's delivering the diapers. On to outfit number three! Thank goodness I had already restocked our diaper bag with larger diapers and another 'emergency' outfit.

From there we went to the health food store to pick up some Mother's Milk tea. I've been getting a little worried/nervous about my milk supply. Since our new routine puts Olivia to bed by around 10, she really wants to cluster feed between about 7pm and 9pm. I find that I don't have a lot of milk in the evenings. (Or maybe the feeding preceded the new bedtime - the chicken & the egg?) She cries and cries. I don't know if it's just her crying to settle down, or if she's upset because she's not getting the milk she wants. She certainly sleeps well, so she must be getting something but I'm worried anyway. I don't feel as full as usual. I want to give this tea a try. It was recommended by the Maternity Unit nurses and by several others, so we'll see!

Since I was covered in milk, drool, poop & vomit...I decided I deserved a treat and got myself some Wendy's for lunch. Then we went home. I fed my crying baby, and got online. I found some sad news waiting there. A friend's younger brother, who was an Iraqi war veteran, died unexpectedly. It made me so sad for my friend and struck close to home. I didn't feel much like writing after that. Fortunately, Top Hat was on television. There's nothing like a little lighthearted Fred & Ginger to cheer you. Later in the evening, Olivia & I went over to the Abels' house to exchange Valentines. It was very nice.

Olivia & I came home and cuddled and went to bed early. There were amazing Northern Lights outside (and they were out until 5:30am!) to give us sweet dreams, but the best antidote to a heavy heart was to hold Olivia close.

Wednesday was a good day. It had a rocky start - poor Olivia seemed to still be feeling some of whatever had bothered her the day before & I wasn't quite as cheerful - but it soon got better. Olivia seems to be at a point where she wants to be entertained more. It's so wonderful to see her looking around and wanting to interact with her environment. However, it means she wants to be held & carried around and presented with things...which means less opportunities for cleaning. Today I really felt like the house was 'getting away from me' and I'm sure part of that is because Natalie will be arriving on Friday and I want it to be nice for her.

Just as I was starting to feel a little frustrated - and I know that's not fair to Olivia - Jessica Abel came over to bring me Sarah's car seat and some lunch. She helped play with Olivia for a little bit and I got to eat something and the company cheered me up. We gave Olivia a bath and she made such lovely cooing noises and played with her ducky. I tried to dress her in some of her leggings from Nana, but they were too tight! Olivia looked like an overstuffed sausage. Two more pieces for the too-small box.


After Jessica left, Olivia sat in her vibrating chair and looked at the Christmas tree until she fell asleep. I was able to get a lot of chores finished. It was as though Olivia knew exactly what I had been worried about and she obliged me by sleeping. I woke her to eat around 1:30pm and then she napped for about another five hours! I was almost worried. She slept through being put in the car seat, picking up Sarah from daycare, going to the gas station, coming home, Sarah & I playing and then all of us (Jessica too) eating dinner. Such a sleepy baby!

She nursed and then we played a little before going upstairs around 9pm. We were in bed by 10!

February 12 & 13, 2012

Sunday morning Olivia & I had a nice start. We went to bed a little bit late the night before and so we took our time getting up - but not too long. Olivia spent a lot of time amusing herself in the pack 'n play. I took some videos - there are a few giggles in there! Look here & here. I got a lot of our morning chores done while Olivia happily swung in the swing. We're getting into some really pleasant routines. Olivia & I come downstairs by 10 at the latest and take care of all the animals, and tidy the downstairs. I was even able to run the vacuum without really waking her up - it started her a mite, but she didn't even blink. It feels nice to be able to keep up with 'the house'. With Adam home it should be even easier...unless his being helpful is counteracted by him creating more mess. Hmmm... I was even able to get yesterday's mail, which had two lovely Valentine's - a special hat & booties from Uncle Grant and some goodies from Mimi. Thank you!

I spent the morning uploading videos of Olivia to YouTube, but didn't get a chance to blog. It was too nice out to stay in so we decided to take a trip to the bookstore again. Olivia wore a Valentine's Day outfit, because we have a few and need to wear them all of course! It was so beautiful I didn't even need to wear my coat. (Don't worry I had it in the car, just in case.) We met Morgan at Barnes & Noble and did a little more shopping for our Valentines. Thank goodness that people are flexible & forgiving about receiving things late. Olivia made a little friend, but the friend really wanted to keep the new bear that Olivia got from Mimi. I can't blame her, it's very sweet, but it was a signal to her mommy that it was time to go. Sorry friend! We got Olivia a chunky board book of the Very Hungry Caterpillar and then left to get some lunch.

After lunch we went back to our house to watch some Downton Abbey. This was Morgan's introduction to the series and she was hooked! After Morgan left, Olivia & I let the pups out one more time and then went to bed. Our bedtime 'experiment' - of going upstairs by about 9pm and trying to be in bed by 10pm - seems to be working. I've been taking those extra hours of sleep for myself too, which is why I'm so behind in our blog - no more late nights of typing for me. Part of the reason is because I've been very tired, and very anemic. Hopefully this new regimen of iron supplements three times a day will start to put me on a peppier path!

Olivia slept from about 10pm until after 3:30am! I woke up, because of my 'alarm clock breasts', and saw the Northern Lights. How beautiful! They were shining in through the 'sunburst' at the top of our large bedroom window. I opened the blinds so that I could see them better. What a magical place - they really are such an amazing sight. The last time we saw them was the night Olivia began her entrance into the world. Adam said they were a sign, letting us know she would be coming, and she did!

Soon after I was up, Olivia got up too - thank goodness. I still had to pump after she ate though. We went back to sleep and were up again by 8 or so.

Our Monday morning went about the same as Sunday - with fewer chores. Yet another gorgeous day!! Jessica Abel came over this morning and we looked at baby pictures and visited for a little before going out for lunch. Olivia got to wear some Valentine pants again! We also hooked some toys to the handle of her car seat, to keep her more entertained. She spends a lot of time looking around, especially in the mornings. I think she's getting used to taking trips during the day. I know Sophie is getting used to it because as soon as I put Olivia in the car seat, Sophie goes to her kennel! Smart dog!

After lunch, we ran a couple of errands - the post office & the commissary - and came back home. Jessica stayed with Olivia in the car while I ran inside. She's so good! She was changing Olivia in the back seat when I came back out. Thank goodness I have such helpful friends.

I managed to shovel - which really means chop through the 4 inches of compacted snow - the driveway...well about a third of it. Olivia is so toasty, that she snuggled in her car seat with a blankie & a hat and snoozed. She was happy to be in the fresh air, and so was I. After about an hour, it was time to head inside and feed Olivia.

Our replacement infant video monitor arrived today. So far, it's working fine! Thank goodness - it's here in the nick of time.

Morgan joined us for some more Downton in the evening. We're now up to episode six of season two. We're almost caught up! I'm so glad they're doing a third season! Olivia really enjoyed Downton too, as you can see here...


Since Morgan has to work Tuesday, she left around 9pm, which worked for our bedtime too. Up we went, and after a quick shower and some snuggling we were both sleeping happily.

February 11, 2012

Olivia and I almost overslept this morning! We had early adventures planned and a full day of fun after that! This morning we picked up Morgan and Natty, the Alaskan husky pup destined for Morgan's mother, and took a trip to the airport. We had to drop Natty off at the cargo area for Alaska Airlines so she could begin her multi-stop journey on her way to Wisconsin. What a complicated process it is to 'ship' a dog from Alaska. There will be dog couriers and doggie hotel services - sounds really fancy to me!

We left the airport and went right to breakfast. Only Olivia had eaten anything this morning, so we needed some sustenance. We went to The Bakery and ordered, what seems to be, our usual...banana pancakes for me and corned beef hash for Morgan. Olivia was very funny during breakfast and spent a lot of time 'talking' to us and looking at her little board book. I may be able to upload some videos to YouTube later. On the way home, Olivia started to cry & I discovered that when you don't have a Sleep Sheep or a shower handy, tuning the radio to a non-station & listening to static is a perfectly acceptable substitute. Phew!


Olivia & I went home and did some chores. Then Olivia got a bath and I took a shower. Olivia wanted to look her best - she even tried on her new sunglasses! She enjoyed looking at her reflection in the bathroom mirror and she discovered a new friend in the tub - a rubber ducky! Once we were both clean, we got ourselves ready for the next big event...our first time apart. Olivia put on a nice outfit and I found some clean yoga-worthy clothes. Then we packed Olivia's bag and spent some quality time on the couch. We let the dogs in and out a couple of times, since the would be locked up again soon. We left for the Abel house around 3. Olivia seemed to settle in nicely. Kimber & Remi, the dogs, were only momentarily interested in her but Sarah was excited to take care of Olivia. After a few minutes visiting, I left for Infinite Yoga and the lavender restorative workshop. It was fantastic. Since we were all focusing on positive energy, I thought of how Olivia brings people so much joy with her silliness; how by wearing funny glasses or simply by smiling she can brighten my day. So I imagined us on an international adventure where Olivia was bringing happiness to lots of other children. It was a good thing to think about.

Olivia was alright for Jessica & Sarah. Jessica got some cute pictures of their babysitting adventures. Sarah told me that Olivia cried a lot, but Jessica assured me that she was great for our first time apart. She apparently ate like a fiend and kept them busy changing diapers - she made them work! Silly Olivia didn't really appreciate the bottle at first, so it appears we need to practice that some more.

It warmed my heart when I walked in and said, "hello" and her head popped right up. I think she missed me!

Tonight we finished watching The Dancing Princesses with Morgan. When Olivia was fussy I reenacted the entire operetta, The Pirates of Penzance. I'm not sure who was more entertained, Olivia or Morgan. Then Morgan took a turn being silly and read Olivia her new Richard Scarry board book. Thoroughly amusing! Olivia settled in for the feature film of the night, which happened to be all about a couple having a baby. If you haven't seen Away We Go, I highly recommend it. Now it's time to get this baby to bed...and me too!

February 10, 2012

Olivia & I had another nice night and woke up to another beautiful sunny day! I could really get used to all this nice weather we've been having. We got up and took care of the lovely dogs, who are so patient and quiet. I sometimes forget how good they are - I'm quiet spoiled! Then we had a little breakfast and spent some more time snuggling on the couch.We wrote some Valentine's cards and thought about doing some bills, but then Morgan called and we thought it would be much more fun to meet her in town.

We hopped into the car seat with no trouble. I think Olivia's getting used to the idea that we go out during the day. She was wearing pajamas with legs, so we didn't even need to change her outfit. We did some brief errands at Wal-Mart and then went over to play at Barnes & Noble. We sat in the kid's section, in the Hundred Acre Wood no less, and looked at fun books. Olivia had a great time looking around, and of course she liked reading some of the books!

 

When we got home, we opened our 'One Month'ery present from the triplets! Time has been flying, so we're a little late. But Olivia laughed right away when I gave her the present. It was a board book with Lowly Worm about cars & trucks. So much fun!

 

As we got into the evening it became Olivia's fussy time. She didn't want to be put down and she wanted me to sing. I'm glad about that part because I was beginning to think she hated my singing; she would make such a terrible face. Tonight we sang our favorite A.A. Milne songs. "At the Zoo" was the biggest hit. When she finally slept soundly enough to put in the nest, I ate a little dinner. She soon woke up, so I decided it was time to head upstairs. It's good for us to make the bedtime routine start a little earlier than midnight! We were both in bed by ten! A great day!

February 9, 2012

Olivia slept in her car seat for a little while last night, until I finally got up the courage to move her. I waited until it was close to time to nurse, so that if she woke up it wasn't a 'wasted' opportunity. Fortunately, she did not wake up. I put her in the pack 'n play and she continued to sleep. I turned on the Sleep Sheep, and I think it knocked me out too. Olivia woke up at normal intervals, ate, and then went right back to sleep; each time in the pack 'n play. No fussing. I was so glad. It meant I got a lot of sleep, too. We stayed in bed until ten when Olivia joined me for some cuddling, and we snuggled for about an hour.

It was incredibly warm today! 37 degrees...positive! I really wanted to get some work done outdoors - the driveway needs to be shoveled - but couldn't decide what to do with Olivia. I got some great suggestions from friends, but I was still a nervous Nelly. I didn't want to bring her outside, even though it seemed warm to me, to just sit in the car seat. Had our replacement video monitor been here, I probably would have settled her & let her sleep. Instead, I shoveled the deck & part of the backyard because I'm able to see her in her swing through the window. I even left the back door open a crack so that I could hear her if she cried.

After shoveling, I did a lot of chores inside. I discovered that Olivia likes the sound of the vacuum. She became drowsy while I was vacuuming and when I turned it off, she started to fuss. So, I left it on while I did some other chores. She really does like those white noises!

Since we'd had such a busy couple of days, and since she had seemed a little fussier than usual the past couple nights, we decided to stay in and have a quiet day. So other than chores, I didn't really do anything except focus on Olivia. We got a visit from Jessica Abel, who played & snuggled with Olivia and made her laugh. (One of these days I'll catch another laugh on video!) Jessica brought a very sweet St. Patrick's Day outfit for Olivia, with shamrocks leggings. Too cute! We also got a Pajama Gram today. Two pairs of footie pajamas, one for me & one for Olivia. There was no note, or packing slip so I was left to wonder who our mystery admirer was...until Adam fessed up. What a nice Valentine's Day present! We also got dinner from Tamara - thank you! So even though we stayed in, the adventures seemed to come to us today!

Olivia got dressed up for our Skype date with Daddy. She wore a dress that had been Kari's Valentine's Day dress, once upon a time. She looked very sweet. And, happily, the outfit lasted all the way through the date and through some facetime with Mimi...but not much longer. Apparently we are in the explosive diaper phase. That's okay. I put it to soak and it was time for us to start getting ready for bed anyway.

We moved upstairs to the nursery and nursed & rocked for a while (an hour plus) until it seemed like we were getting closer to real sleep. Then we moved to the bedroom. We only had to wait until around 11 o'clock until Olivia was ready for bed. By that time so was I and I didn't want to risk disturbing her by going downstairs to fetch the laptop. (Hence the lateness of this post.) A very restorative day for both of us!

February 8, 2012

Olivia fell asleep in bed with me last night, which meant I wasn't really able to sleep until after I fed her and transferred her to the pack 'n play. That was alright, though, because we got to sleep in a little bit. We were up & at 'em by 10am - ready to start a tightly scheduled day.

First stop was to meet Jessica Abel at Barnes & Noble. I got there first, and had a head start on my shopping when Jess arrived. We got to sit and sip some drinks and enjoy the cafe while Olivia slept in her car seat. Then we went over to Old Navy. Jessica gave me one of her coupons (thank you!) and we got some very cute things for Olivia, including a super sweet pair of pink sneakers. Irresistible!

Next we went to Infinite Yoga. We got there early, as usual, so that I'd have time to nurse Olivia and get her settled. Thank goodness we did because not only was she hungry, but she has a terrible diaper which precipitated an outfit change. Thank goodness Daddy prepared the diaper bag with a spare onesie in it. Yoga today was a challenge; Gretchen worked us hard. This was okay for me because even though other babies were crying and banging things on the floor - Olivia was quiet or slept the whole class. I found out about a Yoga Workshop this weekend which combines aromatherapy (all lavender this time) with a focus on restorative poses and massage. I decided to ask Jessica to watch Olivia for those two hours and give it a try. (It will be my first time away from Olivia.) I also bought the cd of lovely, relaxing music which was playing during class.

After class, we picked up Morgan. We did a grocery run and then went home for a few minutes before we had to go to an FRG meeting. The meeting went a little longer than expected and, although it didn't really give me any new information, it certainly is nice to talk about things like 'reunification with your spouse' and 'redeployment'. It means that things are winding down! Olivia got to be held by both Jessica & Zendy, I was "baby-less" the whole time.

The evening closed with a movie and some snacks. Olivia was very warm, once again. I tried to take her temperature (we have a thermometer which reads from her temple) but each time I would get a different number, sometimes off by as much as a whole degree! At no time was it over the 100.4 which was the 'signal' to call the doctor/go to the hospital that we were given. Still, Olivia spent most of the evening naked with Morgan & I trying to entertain her.

Now, after returning Morgan, Olivia is still sleeping in her car seat. I didn't want to disturb her, so she's up in my room in the car seat. Wish us luck for the eventual transfer! Good night!

February 7, 2012

Olivia and I made it through a night in the master bedroom. She didn't sleep very soundly and as a result neither did I. So waking up early today was a bit of a bear. The thing that made it nice was that the sky was becoming light before 8am! How wonderful!

We got to the hospital precisely on time. (I think I'm getting much better about knowing how long it takes to pack our things, and to walk places with the car seat.) Olivia slept through the whole appointment and the ensuing stops at the lab & pharmacy. The whole scenario took much longer than anticipated and by the time we were finished, Olivia was hungry and we were both ready for a nap.

After a little rest, we met Jessica & Sarah (who had been very good at the dentist!) for lunch and ice cream. Olivia slept through all of this, too! Later I stopped in at Once Upon A Child and made a mad dash through the 0-3mos aisle, grabbing little pants (and one or two other outfits that I couldn't do without). We were in and out in a matter of minutes - which is good because Olivia was ready to go home again.

We spent the rest of the day in the nursery, playing with different toys, relaxing in the crib, doing baby exercises. I tried out some jokes on Olivia. We danced around the room and she didn't even cry at my singing. We had lots of fun! Olivia seemed very warm to me today, but every time I took her temperature it was very normal. I decided she just must be overdressed - it is warm in the house - and so we had a nice naked afternoon. Well, Olivia did. In the evening she had a bath in her Hungry Caterpillar bathroom. Her hair was so soft & fluffy afterwards!

Now we're back in my room, trying to settle down for our first round of sleep. The last little nap I had was on the nursery floor and although I was willing to stay in there had she been soundly asleep - but she wasn't. So here we are, with me in our comfy 'Princess & the Pea' bed and Olivia in her pack 'n play. Dreamland is beckoning!