The Lavenders

I officially feel like when I hear people say, "the Lavenders",  I recognize I really have my own homegrown family!

It's still surprising to me that I'm somebody's mama, but I'm taking the role with stride and pride!  Whoever said that being a woman and being excellent at everything is impossible was right.  I've adjusted what my 100% looks like these days.  Like what does a 100% clean kitchen look like? And do I really always have to cook a 3-course dinner 4 - 5 times a week?  And ponytails don't look "that" bad do they?

Well, while we were at a shower for a friend last weekend, I took advantage of having a fourth person around to take pics of, "the Lavenders".

8 Weeks Today!

Little Miss J is 8 weeks today and the time is going SO fast!  She's moving out of her Newborn clothes and now onto 0 - 3 months!  Today, we took her to her 2-month shots appointment where I convinced D.L. to come to support me her, as I knew several tears would be involved in this visit.  (which they were)

I planned to take my camera to capture the moment, but once I thought about it, I wanted to be there for baby girl and not exploit her pain...as I can typically do.

Today's update!

• Weight:  A whopping 10lbs!  :-)  As I said, "2 whole bags of sugar!"  (in my Louisiana girl voice) ~ 25th percentile
• Head circumference:  36cm ~ 50th percentile
• Length:  22in ~ 75th percentile

S.I.D.S - She.Isn't.Dead.Stupid

There's so much information out there for a new mom from breastfeeding tips, best baby gear bargains, how to get your baby to sleep through the night and the list goes on and on!  But the piece of information I continue to worry about most is how to prevent SIDS!  I'm not sure when this feeling goes away or if it ever goes away, but Nervous Nellie is my name!

I say to myself, She.Isn't.Dead.Stupid (S.I.D.S.) because this neurotic feeling of "is my child breathing" can counter all of the productive lessons I've learned on how to get my baby to sleep through the night.  Though JSL is on a 3-hour schedule, she's now at the point where she wakes up only once or twice at night.  However, I wake up about 6 times throughout the night..."just to check on her"!  So, I look at her, I check to see if I see her breathing, then I gently touch her "just to make sure"!  Then I tell myself, She Isn't Dead Stupid!  And then I look to my left and Daddy Lav is knocked out snoring.  Okay, is it just me or is it  a mom-thing??

One thing I know is that these hyper-alert feelings don't just show their face at bedtime!

When we're in the car, I want to get one of those Baby On Board signs to tell the evil drivers of the world, that I'm carrying precious cargo.  I won't get one because I think it's a little over the top and I never wanted to be "that mom", but I certainly see why some parents have them!

I also find myself carrying JSL in whichever arm is opposite of the staircase, just to make sure I don't accidentally toss her over!  Being a mother absolutely increases all of these "be extra cautious and careful" senses that used to lay dormant in my child-free life.

These hyperalert senses reminds me of one of my girlfriends who breaks her almost 18-month old daughter's puff snacks into small pieces so that she won't choke.  It sounds rational, but the snacks are specifically made to melt in the child's mouth, so that they don't choke!  So, in essence, I know it's not just me, just another burden that a mother bears!

Lifesavers

As I planned for motherhood, I really had NO idea what was most useful or what's useful at all, and I even didn't know what  JSL would like.  Now that I'm 6-weeks into all things baby, I figured I'd list a few things that have been most useful while I experience this journey.

As I've said before, she doesn't have many needs at this point. All of her needs center around sleeping, feeding, playing, bathing and diaper changing!

For help sleeping ~

Over the weekend, the controversy began when 5-year old Suri Cruise was spotted with a pacifier.  Honestly, I think 5 is way too old; however, I am a believer in the pacifier!

5-years old!

My choice of pacifier is the Philips Avent Orthodontic style.  

This position in the pic looks odd, but holding her pacifier and leaning her to the side puts her to sleep everytime!  The books that I've read say not to use a sleep prop such as this, but when you're tired of wailing cries, it's now time to pull out the ole faithful sleep technique!

This Eddie Bauer sleep bouncer has been a lifesaver when I need to do my thing and allow her to sit by herself!  This bouncer has a motion and natural sound feature that helps to keep her occupied.

Believe it or not, this Max Daniel blanket has helped to put her to sleep many nights!  It really is the softest blanket around!  She likes to be wrapped in the blanket, rocked with her pacifer and she's out like a light.  It's also been a great photo prop for me when I take pics of her.

This Britax Infant Car seat has not only been stylish (to me, not DL), but it ALWAYS helps put her to sleep.  Really, it's been a combination of the car/stroller motion, but the way the seat contours her, I have to imagine that she feels snug, safe and secure.

For Playing ~

During her activity time, this activity center has been especially helpful for sensory and stimulation for the 10 - 15 minutes that she allows us to keep her on it.  She looks at the mirror and the lights and it will only be a matter of time before I get some tummy time use out of it also!

This is one of her favorite books!  I especially like this book because it shows a little chocolate girl like her!  At this stage, JSL is recognizing smiles and faces and this book helps to reinforce that type of stimulation.  Right after feeding, I can read this book to her at least 3 times!

For Bathtime ~

I really like the Puj tub too for bathtime.  When I came home from the hospital, I had consistent backaches from leaning over to change her diapers, picking her up, and giving her a bath.  I found that if I could limit all the bending over as much as possible, it will help with the backaches.  This sink tub helps with that!  It also submerges her more in the tub than when I was using a regular basin, so bathtime is not such an evil task like it was!

For diaper changes ~

I am a Pampers Swaddlers user.  She is now out of Newborn diapers and on to size 1 now!  Now that she's 9lbs, she's a big girl now!  I like the absorbency of these diapers.  Even when they are wet, they feel dry on her bottom so diaper rashes have not been an issue at all yet.

For Feeding ~

For the first few weeks that I began nursing, this lanolin nipple cream was a huge lifesaver!  The success of this cream to alleviate the pain was a matter of breast or bottle feeding!  I'm happy to say that at six weeks in, nursing has become a breeze!  However, the downside for me is larger boobs.  Many women would love this problem, but I have more to say on this issue later!

The Medela Pump In-Style has been convenient, effective and efficient!  I'm pumping twice a day and nursing, so this was my pump of choice.  My girlfriend introduced me to her brand pump, Ameda Purely Yours and I plan to use that one in my office when I go back to work, so it's also a good back-up pump.

My Brest Friend!  Some people have a candle, lotion, or magazines beside the bed.  I have my Brest Friend.  It's convenient to pull out and do what I need to do for baby girl.  I admit, that I get lazy and use the lying down feeding technique, but I try to only default to that style during the middle of the night.

Gotta love this image!

My life is no longer MY life...my body is no longer, MY body!

The Gift of Nighttime Sleep

The book, Babywise, was recommended to me by several working moms and I finally got around to reading the book.  I must say, I'm in love with the structure that the book outlines and it forces me to have the discipline to execute it!  I won't give away every detail of the book, but the premise outlines a schedule of feed/activity/sleep and by 7 - 9 weeks, baby JSL should be on her way to sleeping through the night!  -- Just in time for me to soon begin going back to work!

Right now, little JSL is now on a 2.5 - 3 hour feeding schedule.  So I feed, we play and she naps.  I try to continue this type of schedule throughout the day and of course I have to throw in the continual diaper changes to give you a more accurate picture of what our days consist of.  

What this book has allowed me to do, is to have confidence when she cries that there are only a couple things wrong with her and by me keeping track of times/activities, narrowing down the problem happens pretty intuitively.  

So here's a view into our day!

FEEDING every 2.5 - 3 hours - 

Just finished nursing -- Notice the leftovers on JSL's mouth!

The unhappy diaper change!  -- Gotta LOVE the sad face!

It's ACTIVITY time! -- This is what I always say to her!

She loves the mirror! -- I'll have to manage any vanity that might rear its ugly head.

She's in her BUMBO (we just had storytime)...now she's getting sleeeppppyyy!!

Lastly....SLEEP time!

And then we start all over again for another 3 hour increment!

I won't say that all is PERFECT, because what the book hasn't given me is how to I get her to sleep through the night in HER bed!!  I usually get her out of her bassinet at 4 or 5AM and put her in our bed for her last nurse.  Putting her back in her bassinet at this point leads to 2 hours (or more) of trying to get her back to sleep!!  My default then....put her in the bed with us!  This aspect of her sleeping HAS to get better!

5 Week Check Up

I'm glad to report that little JSL is in perfect health and steadily growing!

Today we visited her pediatrician, Dr. Chyree Thomas (who I adore)! She's an African-American female at John's Hopkins Community Physicians and their office is literally 5 minutes from my house!  We definitely lucked up in this area to find EXACTLY what we wanted in a ped for her.

I don't remember if I mentioned, but since JSL was only 6lbs 3 oz when she was born, by the time she left the hospital she was 5lbs 10oz.  But by the time she had her 1st doctor's appt. she was 5lbs 6oz because my milk had not come in yet and I was exclusively breastfeeding.  So, because Dr. Thomas didn't want her to lose anymore weight, we supplemented formula for 4 days until my milk came in.

Here's the pic of her being fed at 4 days old, via a syringe, so as to not create nipple confusion for her since I wanted her to exclusively nurse.

I nursed and supplemented 30mL of Similac.  After initiating the Similac supplement, she was up to 6lbs and 7oz in only 3 days!  This is why our lovely FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, advocates breastfeeding to reduce childhood obesity...but I digress!

So on with her stats!

• Head circumference - 36cm (25th percentile)
• Weight - 8lbs 13oz (25th percentile)
• Length - 21.5in (75th percentile)

If her stats continue to follow this pattern, she'll be a tall and skinny little something!