Life as we know it ... now
I realized a second ago how long it's been since I last blogged. Sylvan is now 3 1/2 weeks old, and I can't believe how quickly time is flying by! Actually, time has been going by slowly AND quickly, if that makes sense.
We've been having very VERY long nights. Sylvan seems to think he should be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed from midnight until sometime around 4 am to 6 am, and fast asleep all day. This wouldn't be so hard to deal with except for the fact that he likes to scream his head off while he's awake. Not easy to deal with in the middle of the night. We've heard it said, "sleep when the baby sleeps!" but that is easier said than done when there are things to do during the day and it's bright outside. I am not a good nap person as I always feel like it's impossible to sleep during the day. I've been able to get a few naps in here and there so I don't feel too over-tired, but this has still been quite the ordeal. If Sylvan is colicky we're hoping he grows out of it. If he's not colicky, we're hoping we figure out why he likes to scream all night. Sigh!
Things have gotten a lot better for me since the beginning. At first I was really weak physically as I had lost so much blood. I looked pale all the time and felt shaky and light-headed just getting up from the couch. I have tons more energy now, and I feel a lot better too since my stitches have had a chance to heal. It's amazing how much difference feeling physically well can make on your general outlook.
We had a few feeding issues as well and I am now mostly bottle-feeding Sylvan with expressed breast milk. I had a really hard time accepting this but I'm thankful he is at least getting breast milk and not formula. I'm choosing to pick my battles... one of the things I'll have to get used to doing a lot more now that I'm a parent!
We have really enjoyed using cloth diapers and the diaper service has really made life a lot easier. I occasionally use disposable diapers when I have to go out during the day but we almost always use cloth. I can't imagine having to wash them myself though!
Now that Luke is back to work after taking several weeks off we are trying to get into a routine. We had my dad and his partner Val staying with us for a week over the holidays, so Sylvan wasn't born at the greatest time for a routine to be set, as fun as the holidays were! It feels a little like a let-down for me now that the holidays have come and gone and the party is over. But a routine will be good for us.
Speaking of 'let-down', breastfeeding has sure change my perspective on the lyrics of a few songs... I can't help but giggle now when I hear certain songs like "Pump it" by the Blackeyed Peas, for example... or "Beautiful Letdown" by Switchfoot. Heh heh heh.
4 comments:
You just have to keep reminding yourself that all the hard things are only temporary. (Which I know is hard to do at 3 in the morning when you're beyond exhausted.) Sounds like you and Luke have a pretty good handle on being new parents though.
Choosing battles. I hate that! Why can't we just win them all?! ;)
Sounds like you're doing ok, let me know if you need to talk any crappy details. Us moms have to stick together :)
Don't fee bad about breastfeeding, I have heard almost everyone has a hard time with it and has to switch to pumping or formula, in fact I have only heard of one person I know being able to do it. don't let the idea of tv motherhood make you feel like you are not a good mother if you need to do things differently.
Hey Annie!
Some of the best advice I got as a new mom with Samuel was that I was no longer on the rest of the world's 24hr clock, but on his. So if that means laundry at 2am and sleeping during the day, so be it! It actually helped me feel better about everything and it will pass!
Nicknames that you call him now may very well stick! Samuel was "Samulation" was he was still new and then shortened to "Laish" over the years, still to this day! I all of a sudden starting speaking French with my babes, called them "Papoose" and "bebe" Weird what lack of sleep will do!! Miss ya!
xoxoxo
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