Family altogether on New Year's Eve
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
2 week old Schedule
The first week our schedule was sleep for 3 hours, eat then back to sleep. Maybe an hour to two hours of alert wake time.
At two weeks this has changed quite a bit. Right now our daily schedule with the baby consists of the baby waking up around 7-8 a.m. and being up for 4 hours then sleeping about an hour to two hours only to wake up again for another 4 hours. For those 4 hours that he is awake he is generally fussy and hungry so he nurses for at least 2 of those hours and does not sleep...even though it is entirely clear that he is exhausted. When he does fall asleep it is always when being carried around and will wake up as soon as you put him down. Come 5/6 o'clock he is down for a few hours and then up again around 9/10 and then sleeps and eats every 2-3 hours until 7-8 a.m. Rinse and repeat.
As he grows a bit bigger I am sure he will eat more in one feeding and sleep more in turn.
He is healthy, growing and putting back on the weight he lost in the hospital. Couldn't ask for more.
At two weeks this has changed quite a bit. Right now our daily schedule with the baby consists of the baby waking up around 7-8 a.m. and being up for 4 hours then sleeping about an hour to two hours only to wake up again for another 4 hours. For those 4 hours that he is awake he is generally fussy and hungry so he nurses for at least 2 of those hours and does not sleep...even though it is entirely clear that he is exhausted. When he does fall asleep it is always when being carried around and will wake up as soon as you put him down. Come 5/6 o'clock he is down for a few hours and then up again around 9/10 and then sleeps and eats every 2-3 hours until 7-8 a.m. Rinse and repeat.
As he grows a bit bigger I am sure he will eat more in one feeding and sleep more in turn.
He is healthy, growing and putting back on the weight he lost in the hospital. Couldn't ask for more.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Nana's handmade clothing
Leah's Nana continues to make wonderful hand knit clothing for our kids. Here are the baby's firsts.
Friday, December 25, 2009
First Christmas
Louis's first Christmas...what did he do? He slept right through the morning.
Here he is wearing Leah's first Christmas one piece from Christmas 2004.
Leah Christmas 2004
Here he is wearing Leah's first Christmas one piece from Christmas 2004.
Leah Christmas 2004
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
First Milestone
Louis umbilical cord stump came off tonight. A bit too soon so we have to keep his belly button disinfected until it fully heals. In my family we save the stump. This is something that is common in Hispanic households. Some women bury them, sometimes with their placenta and plant trees or bushes on the spot. All connected through nature and so forth. In my family the stumps make their way into our baby books.
I've had people have some astounded reactions to the latter. Thinking it is disgusting and should just be thrown away. To each her own I say. For me it is a reminder of the connection we shared while he was in the womb. It is how I provided him with nourishment. It is also his last connection to the womb so it coming off is meaningful to me.
I've had people have some astounded reactions to the latter. Thinking it is disgusting and should just be thrown away. To each her own I say. For me it is a reminder of the connection we shared while he was in the womb. It is how I provided him with nourishment. It is also his last connection to the womb so it coming off is meaningful to me.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Go Giants!
Matt is a Giants fan. First thing Matt bought the baby while I was pregnant were Giants onesies. In these pics he is wearing a sleeper that Ruth bought him. Who knew dads play dress up with their sons just how moms play dress up with their daughters? heh...Matt even added the football as a prop. He is so into having a son.
Rare moment, baby is wide awake & alert.
Rare moment, baby is wide awake & alert.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Happy 1 Week Birthday!
Louis is a week old today. I was looking back trying to see differences between him and Leah at this age. He definitely sleeps for longer stretches than she did, we have to wake him up to eat. He is also a much more voracious nurser than she was...probably because he sleeps for longer periods of time.
During the hour or two that he is actually awake and alert I've found them to be about the same in terms of how active they are. He loves to look at the shadows and lights in the room. He will also spends a lot of time staring at your face, right around the contrast of your forehead and hairline. He has excellent hearing and is already turning his head towards different voices.
He isn't much of a crier yet, doesn't really fuss unless he has the usual baby qualms like wanting to eat (though he is usually fed long before any hunger cries begin) or needing to be changed. The one thing we've noticed is that he is definitely a gassy baby. If he isn't burped well he will immediately get the hiccups and then subsequently what I expect is a tummy ache from the gas in his tummy.
We've been able to get him to stay asleep in his bassinet and he enjoys laying on the Boppy. He isn't a fan of the swing yet but I suspect that in time as he gets a little bigger he will enjoy being in it.
During the hour or two that he is actually awake and alert I've found them to be about the same in terms of how active they are. He loves to look at the shadows and lights in the room. He will also spends a lot of time staring at your face, right around the contrast of your forehead and hairline. He has excellent hearing and is already turning his head towards different voices.
He isn't much of a crier yet, doesn't really fuss unless he has the usual baby qualms like wanting to eat (though he is usually fed long before any hunger cries begin) or needing to be changed. The one thing we've noticed is that he is definitely a gassy baby. If he isn't burped well he will immediately get the hiccups and then subsequently what I expect is a tummy ache from the gas in his tummy.
We've been able to get him to stay asleep in his bassinet and he enjoys laying on the Boppy. He isn't a fan of the swing yet but I suspect that in time as he gets a little bigger he will enjoy being in it.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
What does a newborn do best?
Sleeps!
He loves to sleep. He has a difficult time waking up and staying awake. Good life he has.
He loves to sleep. He has a difficult time waking up and staying awake. Good life he has.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sisterly Love
Lucky boy has a great big sister. She loves him and loves to show him just how much she loves him.
Comfy in Daddy's arms
Comfy in Daddy's arms
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Homecoming
We came home today to two very curious cats. They knew something was different as soon as we walked through the door.
Mom and baby trying to get some much needed rest.
Mom, baby and Leah
Mom and baby trying to get some much needed rest.
Mom, baby and Leah
Monday, December 14, 2009
Birth Story
I was in the first stage of labor FOREVER it seemed. At least a month. Sunday was noticeably more uncomfortable. I was having regular contractions every 6-7 minutes lasting about a minute long and as the day went on the peak became more uncomfortable. At my last appointment I was 3 centimeters and about 80% effaced. I wasn't able to relieve the pain as easily using the tub (which honestly is my miracle cure for labor pains) and walking around was making it worse. We went to Matt's parents house for lunch and to decorate their tree. Yearly tradition. Matt and his sister and my brother Ernie were all heading to the Giants game later that night. As the afternoon went on I could feel that things were going to be moving along a bit more. Not enough to tell Matt he should stay home. I was pretty confident that we had time.
That evening he took me home, Matt's parents kept Leah until 7 or so and I laid down and tried to rest. Leah came home and went to sleep. I dealt with the labor pains for the night. I called my doctor around 7. We discussed where I would prefer to labor and I chose to stay home. I told him I wouldn't be surprised if I would be seeing him at the hospital Monday versus his office for my appointment. I dealt with the contractions for the rest of the night and tried to get some rest. Around midnight I became very nauseous and got sick a few times. Around 1 my doc called to see how I was doing. He asked that I call him back in the early morning with an update. At 2 Matt got home from the game and I told him that I was pretty sure we would be going to the hospital in the morning. I sent him to bed for some sleep. He'd been up the night before with me, out all day. He would need the few hours.
At 2:30 I lost my mucus plug and had bloody show. The contractions intensified but they didn't come any closer. Around 4 I felt my stomach change and the contractions got a little closer. I checked the hospital bag, my checklist and got Leah's stuff ready for the next couple of days. Set her clothing out for school and various activities. At 5 I woke Matt up and told him it was time. We woke Leah up and got her ready for his parents' house. We decided not to send her to school. She was exhausted and overly excited. No way to send a kid to school.
I called my OB and let him know we were on our way to the hospital. We dropped Leah off and headed to the hospital. My contractions were still pretty tolerable but I was sure I was at least 5 centimeters. We got to labor/delivery. Changed into my gown and into the triage bed to be checked. My doc was already there. I asked that he check me. I was 5/6 centimeters and 100% effaced. The baby was still up high station wise and had a bit to go. He gave me an hour or so to labor to see how the contractions would go and see if my water would break on its own. The contractions weren't increasing much so I asked that he break my water to see if it would help get things moving a bit more. I would say within a minute of that the contractions jumped from tolerable to incredibly painful. (Looking back I'm not sure I really needed to do this.)
I was moved to the labor delivery postpartum room. It was an unexpected surprise. I was told I wouldn't be allowed to deliver in there because of being high risk and so forth. These rooms are located on the other side of the ward away from the OR. So far the experience at the hospital was not anything like it had been with Leah 5 years earlier. I was happy. My labor/delivery nurse was Esther. Old school West Indian woman with a no nonsense attitude. Perfect for me. So we walked over to LDPR 4 and up into the bed I went.
At this point it was about 7 a.m. The contractions were no longer tolerable and were coming closer together. The baby was handling it well. Heart rate was good. At 8 a.m. I was feeling exhausted and there was some concern that the contractions I was having were actually making it more difficult for the baby to make his way down. My heartrate was up, along with my blood pressure and the baby's heart rate was worrying the doctor. Talk of surgery began. I moved around in the bed and with the help of the nurse everything went back to normal. Within ten minutes the baby had moved down to almost where he needed to be and I was at almost 9 centimeters. At 9 am I was ready to push. I thought I would be pushing forever. At least through a few contractions. First contractions, 4 pushes later, only 5 minutes and viola! baby boy was born.
What was completely unexpected by everyone, especially my doctor *but not the nurse midwife*, was the size of the baby. He was estimated at 8 lbs. It was obvious he wasn't 8 lbs.
I got to help pull him out and put him on my lap. His cord was left to stop pulsing and Matt cut it. I put him to the breast not long after birth. He was taken to the get cleaned up, done right in the room with us. In the meantime the OB took care of the after birth stuff. For the next hour my doc and the nurses watched my bleeding. There was more than usual.
The whole time I was being taken care of Matt had the baby in the room. This was also different from Leah's delivery. Leah was early so she was taken immediately to NICU after being born.
Pictures were taken and the baby went off to the nursery for his bath and so forth. Matt followed.
In the meantime I was stitched and cleaned up. The room was cleaned up. Matt made the necessary phone calls, first one to our wonderful little girl. Leah was so sweet, so excited to come see her brother. We promised her she'd be the first one to see him and hold him.
We spent the next two hours, just Matt, me and the baby together. It was wonderful. A little after noon Leah came with Matt's parents. I will never forget those first moments when Leah saw her brother and held him.
I am blessed. I truly am.
That evening he took me home, Matt's parents kept Leah until 7 or so and I laid down and tried to rest. Leah came home and went to sleep. I dealt with the labor pains for the night. I called my doctor around 7. We discussed where I would prefer to labor and I chose to stay home. I told him I wouldn't be surprised if I would be seeing him at the hospital Monday versus his office for my appointment. I dealt with the contractions for the rest of the night and tried to get some rest. Around midnight I became very nauseous and got sick a few times. Around 1 my doc called to see how I was doing. He asked that I call him back in the early morning with an update. At 2 Matt got home from the game and I told him that I was pretty sure we would be going to the hospital in the morning. I sent him to bed for some sleep. He'd been up the night before with me, out all day. He would need the few hours.
At 2:30 I lost my mucus plug and had bloody show. The contractions intensified but they didn't come any closer. Around 4 I felt my stomach change and the contractions got a little closer. I checked the hospital bag, my checklist and got Leah's stuff ready for the next couple of days. Set her clothing out for school and various activities. At 5 I woke Matt up and told him it was time. We woke Leah up and got her ready for his parents' house. We decided not to send her to school. She was exhausted and overly excited. No way to send a kid to school.
I called my OB and let him know we were on our way to the hospital. We dropped Leah off and headed to the hospital. My contractions were still pretty tolerable but I was sure I was at least 5 centimeters. We got to labor/delivery. Changed into my gown and into the triage bed to be checked. My doc was already there. I asked that he check me. I was 5/6 centimeters and 100% effaced. The baby was still up high station wise and had a bit to go. He gave me an hour or so to labor to see how the contractions would go and see if my water would break on its own. The contractions weren't increasing much so I asked that he break my water to see if it would help get things moving a bit more. I would say within a minute of that the contractions jumped from tolerable to incredibly painful. (Looking back I'm not sure I really needed to do this.)
I was moved to the labor delivery postpartum room. It was an unexpected surprise. I was told I wouldn't be allowed to deliver in there because of being high risk and so forth. These rooms are located on the other side of the ward away from the OR. So far the experience at the hospital was not anything like it had been with Leah 5 years earlier. I was happy. My labor/delivery nurse was Esther. Old school West Indian woman with a no nonsense attitude. Perfect for me. So we walked over to LDPR 4 and up into the bed I went.
At this point it was about 7 a.m. The contractions were no longer tolerable and were coming closer together. The baby was handling it well. Heart rate was good. At 8 a.m. I was feeling exhausted and there was some concern that the contractions I was having were actually making it more difficult for the baby to make his way down. My heartrate was up, along with my blood pressure and the baby's heart rate was worrying the doctor. Talk of surgery began. I moved around in the bed and with the help of the nurse everything went back to normal. Within ten minutes the baby had moved down to almost where he needed to be and I was at almost 9 centimeters. At 9 am I was ready to push. I thought I would be pushing forever. At least through a few contractions. First contractions, 4 pushes later, only 5 minutes and viola! baby boy was born.
What was completely unexpected by everyone, especially my doctor *but not the nurse midwife*, was the size of the baby. He was estimated at 8 lbs. It was obvious he wasn't 8 lbs.
I got to help pull him out and put him on my lap. His cord was left to stop pulsing and Matt cut it. I put him to the breast not long after birth. He was taken to the get cleaned up, done right in the room with us. In the meantime the OB took care of the after birth stuff. For the next hour my doc and the nurses watched my bleeding. There was more than usual.
The whole time I was being taken care of Matt had the baby in the room. This was also different from Leah's delivery. Leah was early so she was taken immediately to NICU after being born.
Pictures were taken and the baby went off to the nursery for his bath and so forth. Matt followed.
In the meantime I was stitched and cleaned up. The room was cleaned up. Matt made the necessary phone calls, first one to our wonderful little girl. Leah was so sweet, so excited to come see her brother. We promised her she'd be the first one to see him and hold him.
We spent the next two hours, just Matt, me and the baby together. It was wonderful. A little after noon Leah came with Matt's parents. I will never forget those first moments when Leah saw her brother and held him.
I am blessed. I truly am.
Introducing Baby Louis Alexander
I present:
Louis Alexander
Born Monday, December 14th at 9:05 a.m.
Weight: 9lbs 11oz
Length: 21 1/2 inches
He has a wonderful big sister Leah who already loves him a bunch.
Louis Alexander
Born Monday, December 14th at 9:05 a.m.
Weight: 9lbs 11oz
Length: 21 1/2 inches
He has a wonderful big sister Leah who already loves him a bunch.
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