This Girls Journey

what's going on?

Absolutely nothing. Nola is getting huge. As of 8 days ago, she weighed 10lbs 10 oz., and is 22 1/4 inches long. Which may not sound that big to some people, but to me, it's a lot considering she was down to 5lbs 11oz during her first week of life. So she has officially doubled in weight without me having to supplement. She has not had a bottle since... she had one at my friends wedding 2 weeks ago, and before that it had been about 2 oe 3 weeks. So she is gaining and growing very well.

In the past few weeks we have branched out of the house a little more and more. We have started attending La Leche League meetings. Which we have found to be very helpful and supportive for those people who decide that they want to breastfeed. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with other breastfeeding moms to discuss the challenges and benefits of breastfeeding. It was very helpful for me to see that I am not the only person out there who may be struggling with nursing. I highly recommend LLL to anyone breastfeeding, or even considering breastfeeding. The age range of babies is varied, so you do not have to have a newborn to attend.

bumGenius 3.0 all in one

So these are the cloth diapers that we have decided that we were going to use. We started out using several different kind, and these made the cut. Since Nola has been growing like a little weed, we had to make an order for new diapers.

What I love about these diapers...

• the fit
• the color
• the overall price
• easy to clean
• hybrid-they can be used with or without a doubler which is great for overnight use, and prevents leakage
• they don't leak
• they won't be sitting in landfills when my grandchildren are graduating from college
  

I will soon post a picture of Nola in her diapers, because it is sooo cute. Gotta love that diaper booty. I purchased these diapers from Cotton Babies which is a great website, and has a lot of information on the care and use of cloth diapers for those who may be a little weary of trying it out. It's soooo much easier than people think. Either way you will always have to deal with poop. Poop gets on clothes no matter what babies are wearing.

look what they gone done to birth

I stumbled across this video today. I thought I would share.

anxiety

My baby's nursing causes me a LOT of anxiety. Is she getting enough? Do I have enough? Is she gaining enough? Should I wake her to eat? As I'm writing this, I'm debating on whether or not I should wake her up to eat. I generally do not like waking up sleeping babies. She will be 5 weeks old on Saturday, and I thought I would have had it all figured out by now, and would feel pretty good about nursing by now, but I don't.

One clue that she be good enough for me until our next Dr's appointment on whether or not she's eating enough are the amount of dirty diapers she has in a day. Nola has MANY dirty diapers a day. Which is kind of funny, because we had to stay in the hospital a few hours longer than I would have liked because they didn't think she was having enough wet diapers, and now her diaper is ALWAYS wet, and I'm always changing it. I thought diaper duty would bother me, but because of the hospital, and nursing ordeals I look forward to seeing a dirty diaper. It reassures me that my baby is getting something, and with the amount of poop and pee diapers she has in a day, my guess would be that she is getting a good amount of food (boobie milk) throughout the course of the day.

  

a month old

I can't believe that my baby girl is already a month old. A couple of weeks... sure. But an entire month has already come and gone. I feel like it was just yesterday that we were sitting in the hospital loosing sleep because we couldn't stop staring at her. Now an entire month has flown by with me loosing sleep because I can't stop staring at her. Before I know it she will be 5 then 18. Scary thoughts.

What have we been doing for the past month?
Nursing. Nola is the slowest eater in the human baby world. I'm convinced. I refuse to believe there is a baby that eats slower than her. It takes about an hour to feed her, and considering she's still an infant and is supposed to eat quite often, most of our days, and past 4 weeks have been spent attached to my boob.
Sleeping. She sleeps a lot, but not long enough to get much done. She falls asleep, and most times if you put her down she wakes and starts to cry. A sweet, I'm a sleepy baby cry. So I have purchased a sling that is now making my life easier. Whether she is awake or sleeping (not nursing. We haven't figured that out) I have full use of both of my hands, and she gets the mommy cuddle time that she craves. One thing I must say is that Nola is a fabulous night time sleeper. Most nights, she'll sleep for a solid 4 hours, wake up, nurse, and fall back asleep for another 2.
Pooping. I'm convinced that Nola has the best digestive tract of any baby. If she is not eating or sleeping, her diaper is being changed. I would say if she's not eating of sleeping, then she's pooping. But she tends to poop while she's doing both. Also, we decided a while ago to use cloth diapers, and so far so good. We are using Happy Heinys pocket diapers at night, and I use Indian Cotton prefold diapers with Thirsties diaper covers during the day. While we are out and about we will probably use disposable diapers. We are still tweaking our system.

new mommy confessions part I

I smell her breath when she's sleeping.
I love the sound of her cry.
I wake up many many many times every night just to make sure she's still there and it all hasn't been a dream.
I nibble on her hands, feet, and ears.

10 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days

The past 10 1/2 months have flown by. It seems like it was just yesterday when hubby and I checked into the hospital for our egg retrieval, and shortly after that our embryo transfer. Two embryo's were put into my uterus, and 1 survived, and the result is wonderful. Two weeks have flown by since Nola's arrival, and I hate to think of what the next 18 years have in store for me. They have been the most difficult, and yet the most rewarding and best two weeks of my life. I can't believe that I am a mother. I knew that I would love my baby, but I never realized that I would be totally and completely in love with him or her and I am.

From this:

To This:

It's amazing to me what a couple of cells from two different people can create. Life is truly a miracle. Last week Nola had her first photo shoot. We do not have all of the pics yet, but here is a sneak peak. Nola Pics

I may be completely biased, but I think she's gorgeous, and no longer looks like a funky cell hanging out in a petri dish.

she's here!

Welcome to the world baby girl. She's perfect in every way. However, my opinion may not count since I may be a tad biased.

Nola Ann (6lbs 8oz, 19 1/2 inches long) was welcomed to the world on Saturday, March 21st @ 7:20pm in a beautiful unmedicated birth. Everything from start to finish was perfect. My water broke at 1:30am, and contractions started immediately.I labored mostly at home, and decided at around 5:30 pm that it may be time to go to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30pm at which point I was already 9cm dialated. I have to give many thanks to my husband, doula, and OB for making the birth of my first child a beautiful and memorable experience. For my OB for letting me labor at home for as long as possible, and allowing my husband to catch the baby. For my doula for coming to my house and making me get up out of my comfy chair that may have been delaying the progress of my contractions. As soon as she made me get up they pretty much got to the point where they would not stop. EVER. For my husband for giving me space to breath, hit, scream, rubbing my back in the perfect spot, and telling him to shut up when he would decide against better judgement to ask me questions in the middle of a contraction. Bad idea Melvin!!!

I have much more to write about my birth which I will definately do once I've gotten more than 45 minutes of sleep.

 

Evicted!!

GESTATIONAL EVICTION NOTICE:

To:  My baby girl.

        Placenta.

        Amniotic Sac.

       [list each tenant who will be affected by this notice]

The purpose of this letter is to ask you to LEAVE the premises now in your possession, situated in Massachusetts, and known as my uterus together with the lot of land on which these premises are located.  You are being asked to leave for the following reason:    

I am tired, and achy. I want to hold you. I want to kiss you. I want to see you. [state reasons for eviction].

Your compliance with this notice within [24] hours after its service will prevent any further eviction action against you.

YOU ARE BEING ASKED TO LEAVE THE PREMISES.  IF YOU DO NOT LEAVE, AN EVICTION ACTION MAY BE INITIATED AGAINST YOU.  IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT REGARDING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AS A TENANT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SEEK LEGAL ASSISTANCE.

 

                                                                                    Yours respectfully,

                                                                                    Mommy

                                                                                    My uterus, MA
                                                                                    Dated this 20 day of March, 20 09