Week 9: Christmas so far ...

Well we decided to take a risk and travel to Wisconsin and Iowa for the holiday season despite the risk of being stuck in an airport on Christmas day. God was so faithful in getting us to Chicago Midway Airport without any delays or mishaps. In fact, we even got door to door service to our terminal by the Avis rental people at LAX on Christmas Eve. Which was a good thing, because it would have been very difficult to haul a 2 year old, a 2 month old, 6 pieces of check luggage and 4 pieces of carry-on luggage on a bus and through the airport with only 4 arms. We had a direct flight from LA to Chicago (a four hour flight) and Jackson was WONDERFUL!! Micah slept most of the way, but nursed when he was supposed and even went 9 hours between feedings that night (Merry Christmas to me from Micah ... it hasn't happened again since then).

Christmas day was pretty uneventful and was spent at my mom's house. However, we had some adventures the day after Christmas. We were on the way to my dad's house when Jackson said he didn't feel very good and "tossed his cookies" in the car. We went back and changed his outfit and cleaned the car, but decided that he perked up enough to continue on to my dad's house, but then he threw up again (this time at least we had a bucket to catch it). We turned around again, but part way back we decided that we might not get to see my dad if we didn't go that day, so we turned around AGAIN and made it to my dad's. Luckily Jackson was fine the rest of the day (he even had a little supper without getting sick).

The next day we spent time with family doing Christmas at my mom's. It was a fun day and everyone was doing well until about 12am when I was up with the stomach flu. Luckily Jackson slept through it all, but when we stay in hotels we put a pack-n-play in the bathroom with a night light (he and we seem to sleep much better, plus I'm still nursing in the middle of the night). So, that meant I had to use the hotel's public bathroom from about 12am to 4am when I was sick (I'm sure the late night custodian's imagination was running wild as to why I kept going into that bathroom every half an hour for four hours). Colin was a huge help changing and burping Micah, but unfortunately he couldn't nurse him. That was an adventure ... I'll just leave it at that.

The whole next day we stayed in the hotel and I slept when I could and focused on getting hydrated again so that my milk supply wouldn't deplete. I also had Micah nursing every 2 1/2 hours instead of 3 to bring my supply up as well. I think all of that worked, but we'll see. That being said, Micah's schedule is completely thrown off between the two hour time change, the holiday traveling and events and me getting the flu. UGH! We were doing so well before the vacation!! Oh well ... Tis the season and we'll get back to normal again when we are home in CA. I just hope the battle isn't too fierce.

I'm feeling much better today, but still a little weak. I should be back to normal by tomorrow (just in time for the flight to Omaha and the drive to Orange City). Pray that Colin is not the next victim of this family virus.

Well half of our Christmas vacation is almost over ... now we're on to the Doughan side tomorrow. Pray that our flight is not cancled or delayed and that we have good driving weather from Omaha to Orange City! I'll keep you posted on how that leg of the trip went when we're back in CA.

Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday seaon yourselves!

Weeks 6, 7 & 8

My Recovery: I'm EXHAUSTED!!! Micah has had a couple of nights where he's gone only three hours between feedings and I have come down with a cold. I'm still having some bathroom issues, mostly because it's been hard for me to remember to keep drinking lots of water. But, I had my six week check up with the midwives and everything looks good.

I'm in a very frustrating in between size right now with my clothes. I kind of feel like I need to go out and by a whole new wardrobe and then mark the tags "in between maternity and normal size" ... hmmm ... I could start a whole new fashion line and call it .... Matormal! :)

Micah: he's been doing really well at night (with the exception of one or two nights) and has even done some 7 hour stints between feedings (BUT they start at 6:45pm, so I'm not feeling the benefits in my sleep yet).

HOWEVER, nap times have been BEASTS!!!!!! I finally cleared out over half of our walk in closet and stuck his bed in there to see if the darkness would help him sleep longer. It did ...well ... sort of. After some VERY frustrating nap times this week that went something like this: good awake time from 7:30am - 8:30am and then lay in his bed from 8:30am to about 8:45 or 9am, sleep from 9am -9:30am (at least he can put himself to sleep) and wake up screaming at 9:30am. Then cry off and on until 10:30am when it's time to eat, but he's so exhausted that he falls asleep feeding and then doesn't eat enough ... yaddy, yaddy, yaddy ... starting the whole cycle all over again. I gave up cheese earlier this week because Micah was fussy during feedings. He'd nurse well for five minutes and then cry through the rest of the feeding and have tons of gas. Cutting cheese helped a little bit, but he was still having a hard time at nap times, so I finally broke down and got some anti-gas medicine last night and so far it seems to be working, I'm sure it'll take a little bit for him to break the habit of waking up in between sleep cycles.

Other than that he's doing great! Micah has been smiling and cooing more this last week and we've been enjoying it so much! It's so fun to see his personality start to develop.

Jackson: has really grown up over the last couple of weeks. He has even learned the skill of taking off and putting on his pants and underpants all by himself so that he can go to the bathroom with little help. He's getting much better at playing by himself and practicing delayed gratification ... although I must say that my midwife's advice, "Tend to the toddler first" has been very useful. As long as he has his needs met first (of course there are exceptions) he's alright with my attention going towards Micah.

Jackson has acquired some new phrases that I love, like, "Whose talkin' back there?" "Are you talkin' Micah?" "It's okay Micah, Mommy's got you."

He is such a loving brother and VERY anxious to be able to interact more with Micah as he gets older, but all in all Jackson is proud of the fact that he's the big brother and takes care of his mommy and Micah.

Top 10 Signs You Know You're a Sleep Deprived Parent

10. You're up at 3am thinking of what should make this list.

9. You forget what day it is because they all blend together into one LOOOOONG day.

8. Showering has become optional.

7. Sugar and caffeine are the only major food groups in your food pyramid.

6. You stay in your pajamas all day in hope that you will get a nap.

5. You think four hours of straight sleep is a good night's sleep.

4. You can no longer handle simple math: 1am - 3am = 4 hours?????

3. You can fall asleep to a two-year-old drumming loudly in your ear.

2. You say things like, "Honey, I know those were words coming out of your mouth, but I have no clue what you just said."

1. You wake up and remember that you have a baby in your arms.

Doughan Family: Christmas 2008

Sisters!

Week 5

Week 5: My sisters were here for Thanksgiving!

My Recovery: I LOVED being able to get out of the house WITHOUT kids and have some sister time. My sisters and I went out to eat one night and then we had a photo shoot with Jill another night (I'll post some pictures). It was SO much fun to goof around with them! I spotted all week with light bleeding and even had several days at the end of the week with no bleeding at all, but it's still not done yet.

I STILL need those naps and when I don't get them night time feedings are a bear!! On Saturday I worked out for the first time in a LONG time (I walked for about 30mins and lifted weights). It felt good, but I still have to pace myself.

I still have bathroom "issues," but I don't want to increase my stool softeners because they affect Micah's diapers. I just have to be patient and drink LOTS of water and eat lots of fiber filled foods.

Micah: GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

He's doing well at night (usually averaging between 4 and 5 hours between feedings). During the day he's eating about every 2 1/2 to 3 1/2hours. HOWEVER, daytime naps are really sporadic and unpredictable in length. I thought we were doing so well with the eat/awake/sleep cycles, but this week he has seemed to really regress. He'll skip a sleep cycle (crying off and on throughout the whole thing UNLESS I hold him the whole time) and then when I feed him he falls asleep because he's so tired and then he won't get a full feeding because he's so tired and sometimes as a result he won't make it 3 hours betwen feedings!!! He cannot put himself to sleep yet!! I've let him cry it out a couple of times,(about 10 mins - usually after 9 mins he calms down by himself for about 5 min and then starts to cry again) but it hasn't broken the cycle yet. ARGH!!! I know I just need to be patient, but it's really hard to give this the attention that it needs when I have a two-year-old demanding my attention as well.

Micah had his one month check up this week as well. He weighed 11lbs and is in the 85% for weight, 80% for height and 50% for his head. The doctor looked at his circumcision and said that the swelling I see is normal and should go away on its own. He got a follow up Hep B shot (which he handled very well) and the doctor reassured me that there shouldn't be any major differences in the immunizations he'll get here compared to what he would in Omaha (peace of mind for me).

Jackson: He had a great week with his Aunts. We made cookies, we went to the library, etc. Monday was a rough day for Jackson, he had several spankings for being disobedient, woke up in the middle of his nap and had a hard time going to bed that night. I wonder if it's because Sarah came and the last time she came to our house was when Micah was born and Colin and I had to be away from Jackson. After Jackson caught on that we weren't going anywhere he had an easy week.

Oh yeah ... I also introduced the "nursing toys" to Jackson (a basket of toys played with only while I nurse Micah). I tried to pick toys that I didn't have to help Jackson with, so it consists of a read along CD book of Finding Nemo, Pixar's Car magnet set and a View-Master (we've only got one reel right now, but I think Jackson could handle a few more). So far it's working out well, we did have to have a talk about not crying when Micah is done nursing otherwise we won't get to play with the special nursing toys. Now Jackson asks, "Momma, when is Micah going to eat?" WAY better than him misbehaving and climbing all over me while I nurse! We'll see if the novelty wears off or not.