2 Months Old!

This sweet cuddle bug is 2 months old today! How did that happen?!

What's new this month?

• I am still wearing size one diapers, but am almost ready for size two!
• I am wearing 6 month sleepers and almost ready for 3 - 6 months clothing! 
• I am 23 1/4 inches long
• I weigh 11.35 lbs
• I am smiling and laughing! 
• I follow mommy and daddy with my eyes and look for them when I hear their voice
• I love music and my activity mats
• I have reflux, but I am now on medication and I'm feeling SO much better
• I recognize my doggy and she licks my head and toes (it tickles)
• I am sleeping 4 and 5 hour stretches at night ( most of the time - unless I have bad gas - sorry mom and dad)
• I like to try to stand up and love moving my arms and legs
• I can roll from my tummy to my back 
• I roll from my back to my side
• I hold my head up pretty well 
• I love holding on to blankets now

Lactation Cookies ... Oh boy they do work

In a lot of my mommy groups there is always talk about lactation cookies and how they help to increase your milk supply. I was skeptical, so I decided to make some (see recipe and pictures below). It wasn't hype, they really made a difference. Between the oatmeal and the brewer's yeast I was pumping an extra two or three bottles a day. I ate about two cookies a day. Now, I only have them a couple times a week. They aren't the yummiest cookie in the world, but they do the trick.

My husband loves to eat the dough and says it is better than the actual cookie, but it does have raw egg. I would rather have the cookie. It has become my dessert, which isn't too bad!

There are a LOT of ingredients . . . . 

• 

ü  1 Cup butter

ü  1 cup sugar

ü  1 cup brown sugar

ü  4 tablespoons water

ü  2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

ü  2 large eggs

ü  1 teaspoon vanilla

ü  2 cups plain flour

ü  1 teaspoon baking soda

ü  1 teaspoon salt

ü  3 cups oats

ü  1 cup chocolate chips (I may add a few more sometimes)

ü  2 - 3 tablespoons of brewer's yeast (most health food stores have this - I find mine at GNC or the Vitamin Shop)

    What to do . . . 

 

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees *

1. Mix together flaxseed meal and water, then set it aside for about 3 - 5 minutes (it will form a light paste)

2. Cream together butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time mixing well

3. Stir in flaxseed mixture

4. Mix in vanilla and butter - beat until well blended

5. Sift together all of the dry ingredients except for the oats and chocolate chips

6. Add sifted mixture to wet mixture.

7. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. 




8. Use a cookie scoop and put onto a greased or lined cookie sheet

9. Bake for 12 minutes 

 

One Month!

How is my little peanut one month old today? Time is FLYING by.

• I am now 8 1/2 pounds (and can finally use the swing, although I'm not sure if I like it or not)
• I love my snugapuppy bouncer and sometimes take naps in it 
• I use my activity mat everyday now and like to wave my arms around and kick my legs 
• I am interested in all sounds 
• I make a lot of funny faces and am starting to smile and coo
• I have a firm grasp when I'm feeding and I think these hands might be able to help me get my lion on my activity mat, but I'm still not sure 
• I love cuddling with mommy and daddy
• I normally have a couple 3 or 4 hour stretches of sleep at night, but once in a while I'm super sweet and give mom and dad 5 whole hours (then mom feels like she has won the lottery)
• I have some baby acne, but it should go away soon
• I wear 0 - 3 month clothes
• I wear size 1 diapers 

Just Born VS One Month Old

Cookie dough and Wine...

That's how I ended my day. How did it start? Well, first of all it was Jeff's first full week back at work. It had some rocky moments... I didn't shower one day and Jeff came home and I had spit up all over me and all over the baby. He was handed the baby as soon as he walked in the door (sorry dear) and I showered (oh, it was also my birthday).

The next day I had to take my little man to work for a meeting, which made me nervous because elementary schools are far from germ free. We didn't get much sleep the night before, so (for the first time in 10 months) I went to Dunkin Donuts to get coffee (they have a drive through which makes life far less complicated these days). The sweet man thought I needed extra apparently (bags and dark circles - you don't say) and filled my cup to the rim. What do you think happened when I went to drink it? Yes, it spilled all over me and the car. It hit the flashers button and they wouldn't turn off. It was a mess. A man in a truck next to me was staring like I had three heads. Note to this man - I see no child in your back seat and you look like you had a good eight plus hours of sleep - don't judge when my flashers are going crazy. You probably should be warned ... maybe that Dunkin Donuts guy did him a favor.

The meeting at work went well and I got to see some of my amazing friends and colleagues. I do miss them and sometimes I miss work too... Like, when I got home. Our oh so adorable golden retriever decided going "number two" all over the basement and in Baby B's room was a grand idea (Note - she was mad when I left with the baby for the first time on Tuesday, so she ate three muffins, two brownies, and a bag full of trash - yay). Guess what? Baby B was hungry and my boobs were going to explode, so the "number two" clean-up duty was going to have to wait (yuck).

It was a long day.. a long week. There really isn't a set schedule yet and some nights are awesome, while others are a battle. It is cold out and it is flu season, so I feel limited on where we can go and what we can do.

BUT...

I learned something last week (and I needed to - thank you Lord). . . This is short lived. When Baby B wasn't feeling well last night and wanted to snuggle, I didn't complain. I embraced him. In a few short months he won't be small enough to hold in my arms quite so snug. In a few short years he won't let me dress him and carry him around. So, there were a couple tiresome and what felt like unproductive days. I realized though, I am being productive. I am nurturing our sweet Baby B. He needs cuddles, activity mat time, songs and dances, books read, diapers changed, and spit up cleaned up. It isn't always glamorous, but he depends solely on me. He lets me do everything for him. I know there will come a day in which my Baby B will no longer need me for everything and will no longer cuddle in the middle of the night, so for now I am embracing it. Some days my house will look like something out of Good House Keeping magazine and others, like Horders. I'm okay with it now. God gave me this blessing and my focus is on nurturing him to become a well developed and Godly young man.

So, today ended in cookie dough for dinner and a small glass of wine and that's okay too.

3 weeks down! :)

Our little man is three weeks old already! How'd that happen? Time is flying!

Some highlights from this past week.  . .

Beckett has regained his birth weight, plus a couple ounces! WOO HOO! 

Beckett is really starting to hold his head up more now and is extremely alert and curious when he is awake.

He also likes to use his activity mat for tummy time and for time to explore the world above him. . .

Bella makes sure she is close by at all times . . .

He loves to fall asleep in funny positions and to stretch out his arms (swaddling and this guy don't really go together) . . .

We experienced baby wearing for the first time this week, as Jeff went back to work ...

I love this thing . . it is just like the Moby Wrap, but I found it on Etsy

View of Beckett from Mommy's angle while in his wrap

 My friend Andrea told us about the Wubbanub . . . it is a stuffed animal attached to the pacifier. It helps him hold on to it and helps us not lose it.  . . IN LOVE

Just hanging out wide awake :)

Quick Advice for New Moms

FOOD

Use www.takethemameal.com (have a friend set it up - Thanks Christi) to set up meals for 3 - 4 weeks it is a freaking lifesaver! It has helped with stress and not eating junk. Thank you to all of the thoughtful people who have been feeding us. We set up meals for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. It is hard enough to pick up around the house and shower, let alone cook real food. I'm already scared for when they stop coming (ha!).

TIME-OUT

• Change your clothes everyday even if you aren't going anywhere - you will feel more productive and like a human being
• Take quiet time each day - for me it is with a Bible verse and some tea. It keeps me centered and gives me patience
• Take a break - I felt guilty about Jeff and I going out and then me going out, but it was good for my mental health 

 FOLLOW ORDERS

Follow your doctor's orders about rest, driving, lifting, etc - they aren't joking, they know what they are talking about. I ended up being in a lot of pain one day because I overdid it. . . whoops

LOVE 

Love your spouse - try to not take things out on them during this time. Jeff is my rock and when I am overwhelmed he is amazing, so I try not to take my overwhelmed feelings out on him - he is learning too 

Check out my "All you really need is ..." post for a few more tips!

All you really need is . . .

Baby registries can be SO overwhelming and the pressure to have everything ready before baby arrives can be quite maddening. In reality, you only need a few things the first three weeks (or longer). Here are a few of my favorite things for the first three weeks.

FOR MOM

If you are breastfeeding . . . 

• Nursing tanks - I have about 6, so I don't have to wash them all the time. Helpful, as babies do dribble and spit up. I also love leggings and yoga pants right now and of course cardigans for over the nursing tanks

• Lanolin - save the nipples!

• Breast pump and set of bottles (check with your insurance, as they will probably pay for it!)

• Breast cooling pads - nice and soothing - http://www.target.com/p/lansinoh-soothies-gel-pads/-/A-12729475#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink

• Heat compresses .. I use these:  http://www.target.com/p/lansinoh-therapearl-3-in-1-breast-therapy/-/A-14386190#prodSlot=medium_1_4&term=lansinoh  - They are great to use before pumping, helps your milk let down 
  
• Pads for your tanks and bras . .. I like the washable ones, they are much softer :)

• 2 nursing bras (I am not large chested even now, so I can get away without one when wearing most nursing tanks)

• Water bottle with straw and lid - I get so thirsty while breastfeeding! Here is my favorite one to carry around: http://www.target.com/p/aladdin-double-walled-plastic-mason-jar/-/A-14272159#prodSlot=medium_1_22&term=mason+jar  - They also sell them at Wegman's right now

If you had a vaginal delivery . . . 

• Tucks witch hazel pads 
• Light and heavy pads (when you pump and nurse you may bleed more heavily)
• Dermoplast spray (They give you this at the hospital, but I wanted some upstairs and downstairs - really helps with pain)
• Larger, comfortable, cotton underwear - it isn't sexy time and you will want to be comfortable that first week especially

FOR BABY

 

SleepSack

Bundle Me

Rock N' Play by Fisher Price

• More burp cloths  and bibs then you think you will use (seriously - who wants to do laundry every other day for this purpose?!)

 

• If you have a boy who will be circumcised . . . gauze pads and Vaseline

 

• Aquaphor for dry skin (love this - it is gentle and really helps with their chapped skin - it is a little greasy though)

• Diaper change necessities (wipes, diapers, hand sanitizer) ... A&D is our friend for routine diaper changes  - We also loved our diaper caddy from Babies R' Us (we have one for each level and stock it with bibs, burp cloths, wipes, diapers, A&D, lotion, Aquaphor, pacifier, extra outfit, and it came with the changing pad) http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12326945&cp=&parentPage=search

  

  Sara Bear Diaper Caddy from Babies R' Us

 

• Hat for cold weather and the Bundle Me from J.J. Cole http://www.target.com/p/jj-cole-original-bundle-me-0-12-months-graphite/-/A-13054014#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=bundle+me

 

• Swaddle blankets and/or Halo SleepSacks - our baby breaks out of a swaddle, so the sleep sacks are better for us 

 

• Rock N' Play - this is such a snug sleeper, it helps babies feel they are in the womb. We love that it rocks and that it is washable! It vibrates too, but we don't really need that feature at the moment. http://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-rock-n-play-star/-/A-14583529#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=rock+n+play

• Snugapuppy bouncer - this is wear my little guy takes naps. It is snug and nice and upright for his little bit of reflux and washable (yay) http://www.target.com/p/fisher-price-deluxe-bouncer-my-little-snugapuppy/-/A-14588566#prodSlot=medium_1_4&term=SNUGAPUPPY

 

• Bath supplies: shampoo, wash cloths, bath seat/tub, lotion - I love my bath seat, as it is compact and soft! http://www.target.com/p/summer-infant-deluxe-baby-bather-blue/-/A-13933368#prodSlot=medium_1_2

  

  Bath Seat

•  Sleepers with zippers (so much easier in the middle of the night) - The first two weeks we went through two a day and then week three I decided to dress the poor kid in "real clothes."
   
  
  
   

 We have it, but . . . 

• We have a swing, but he still doesn't weight enough for it (he may fly to Mars if we aren't careful) - we could have waited
• I have a Boppy and the first week I loved it. . . Now, it is kind of a pain. I keep it upstairs for the middle of the night, but never even use it during the day 
• Playmat - we are starting to use it more in week 3, but the first couple weeks you don't use it much and could always use a blanket
• Baby monitor . . we didn't need this until week 3 (I do love my video monitor though, now that we are settled enough to use it)
• His entire room - seriously. I am so glad it is set up, but we don't quite need it yet. 

 I might be forgetting a few things and will edit if I have.. but that's about it for now :)

All I wanted to do my first week was eat, snuggle, and shower at some point!