Weight Watchers starts today...

Because if I don't lose 10 lbs, my wardrobe is going to be very limited when I go back to work in exactly four weeks.  And I would rather not be wearing maternity clothes!  They gave me a ton of points because I am breastfeeding, and under the new program I can eat as much fruit as I want.  I feel motivated and ready to go, let's hope I see some results!

Hannah is 2 months!

The last month has been a busy one, and I haven't blogged as much as I would have like because Hannah likes to be held ALL day.  I put her in her bassinet or vibrating chair so I can get something to eat or drink or go to the bathroom, but mostly I just hold her.  When Steve comes home he takes over except when she is eating, which is frequently in the evening.  Some of the things that have happened in the last month:

-We got rid of the apnea monitor last week.  Yay!

-Hannah started wearing cloth diapers, and I love it.  She also helped set a world record by participating in The Great Cloth Diaper Change yesterday.

-We took our first longer car trip to see Uncle John and Aunt Angela and cousin Sara.  It went pretty well, just a little screaming on the way back.  Hannah does not care for red lights.

-Hannah was examined by a pediatric cardiologist and was declared to have an "innocent heart murmur" - no big deal.  She was such a good girl during the appointment.  She had an EKG and an ultrasound done.  Holding still was the hardest part!

-Hannah met her mormor (my mom) and Aunt Caroline for the first time.  They came all the way from Sweden to see her!

-We ditched the nipple shield.

-She started wearing 0-3 month clothes and actually outgrew some of the newborn items.  I think she is just under 9 lbs.

-Last but not least, we found our nanny!  She seems truly wonderful and we think she will take excellent care of Hannah when I return to work in (gulp!) a month.

Today is my due date...

And my little girl seems to be waking up a bit!  Her awake times are longer, and she's a bit crankier.  Today I wore or held her all day.  Nighttime sleep is hit or miss, she will do OK one night and keep us up all night the next.  I'm starting to worry a bit about sleep once I go back to work - she will be 6 weeks adjusted age and could very well be up every few hours.  On the other hand, nights might be the only time I see her - I will be out of the house 7:30 AM to at least 7:30 PM every day except Friday, when I will work from home.  I hope we can make it work.

It's odd that my leave is just supposed to be starting but it's half over!  I'm trying to focus on the weeks I have left rather than those that have passed.  I still have mixed feelings about the birth - I am hoping my due date passing will help me feel like things are how they are supposed to be.

Solved - the case of the missing cord stump

Hannah lost her cord stump in the NICU. And by lost, I mean that we opened up her swaddle one day and it was gone. We searched the blanket and the crib all over but it was just gone. Steve was disappointed but I was partially relieved because I thought it was kind of gross and I wasn't sure I wanted to keep it.

Fast forward about 4 weeks to yesterday. I'm getting in the car to go to the chiropractor (my hip is killing me) and what do I see on the passenger seat? Yup, the cord stump. How or got there I have no idea. Presumably it hitched a ride on our clothes or my purse. Steve is now determined to keep it, and I can't really argue. It seemed motivated to come home with us.

Hannah is one month!

And she is still pretty sleepy!

She is eating well and seems to be getting a little bigger.  The newborn clothes are not quite as enormous on her!  I spoke to the nurse at the infant apnea clinic today and it looks like we have three more weeks on the monitor.  It's a pain but also reassuring.  Since she is not supposed to be out and about yet I am trying to focus on just being with her every day and soaking it in.  I know that this time will be over soon and I won't have it back.  It's not how I planned to spend my maternity leave but I'm trying to make the most of it.

One thing I would like to have is a solid chunk of sleep.  Hannah eats around midnight, 3 AM, 6 AM, and 9 AM.  We are not on a formal schedule but she seems to wake up around those times, give or take 20 minutes.  Sometimes it takes her 45 minutes to eat.  Even though I go to bed at 9 or 10 and don't up until her 9 AM feeding I'm pretty tired in the morning.  So on Saturday I'm going to pump and Steve is going to handle the midnight feeding (he is usually up anyway) while I try to sleep for 5-6 hours in a row.  I am really looking forward to it!  I am finally feeling OK with the occasional bottle since nursing is going so well.

I think that is all the Hannah news for now!

Maternitique review

Just a few short weeks ago, I was complaining about my feet.  The kind folks at Maternitique saw my desperation and offered to send me some products to review.  Of course, I accepted.  The products arrived quickly and a few days later, Hannah did too.  I forgot all about Maternitique, but my feet stayed swollen and itchy for a week or so.  We got home, and I saw those lovely foot products and knew there was still time to give them a try!

Maternitique's mission is Maternity Evolved, Naturally™.  They "choose products designed for modern women that combine the best of science and traditional wellness" and avoid toxins like phthalates.  I think this is great because I have a secret penchant for high-end beauty products, and during pregnancy and now breastfeeding I am trying extra hard to keep toxins out of my body.  Not only does Maternitique use eco-friendly packaging and office supplies, their office is wind-powered!  The other thing I love about Maternitique is that they are charitably inclined and support the midwifery model of care, a matter close to my own heart.


I was sent the Belli Foot Relief Cream and The Spoiled Mama Soothing Aloe Leg Gel.  Both would make a great treat for yourself or any pregnant woman you know. 

The Belli Foot Relief Cream has three ingredients I already know and love: peppermint to cool and refresh,  tea tree oil to prevent fungal infections and shea butter, which is probably the best moisturizer in the world.
The cream is rich and silky, and absorbs well.  It left my feet feeling nice and fresh and very moisturized, but not greasy. This would be a great cream to use for a foot massage!  The tube is a generous 6.7 oz and is going to last a long time.

The Soothing Aloe Leg Gel smells fantastic immediately on opening the bottle - it has peppermint oil and spearmint leaf.  Maternitique recommends chilling in for use in the summer, which sounds heavenly.  It goes on really light, not sticky at all.  And the smell wakes you up a bit, too!  I will use this in the summer, pregnant or not - it would be great for bringing along to the beach.  I was sent the 4 oz bottle, it is also available in an 8 oz size.

So far I really like what I have seen from Maternitique - great products to pamper yourself with, and you can feel good about shopping there, too!

Disclaimer: I was sent the products mentioned free of charge.  I was not paid to write this review and all opinions are my own.

Brief Hannah update

I haven't been blogging because there isn't too much to say, for which I am grateful!  Hannah is getting into a little routine and I am starting to identify her trends.  This week is my first home alone with her and it's going well.  We usually have little bit of a rough night followed by a slow start in the morning.  She eats at noon and two and then sleeps until six.  Not a bad schedule!

We went to the pediatrician today and she weighs 5 lbs 14 oz.  That is up 6 oz from a week ago and 3 oz from her birth weight.  The pediatrician was very pleased and doesn't need to see her again for a month!  I am proud of myself for taking her all by myself, monitor and all.  (Although when I was leaving there was a triplet mom in the waiting room, she was pushing a double stroller plus a single and I have no idea how she was doing it!)  She handled it well except for a screaming fit on the way home.  I have one pack of preemie diapers left and then she should be big enough for the newborn size.  The next milestone is 8 lbs at which point she will be able to fit into her cloth diapers, finally.

Hannah is very popular and is getting presents almost daily.  She has received everything from dresses and books to a diaper cake and handmade sweaters.  I am busy keeping up with the thank-you notes.  People have been so generous.  We have also been well-fed the last couple of weeks - friends, family, and neighbors have been bringing us all kinds of goodies.

This picture is already outdated but I really like it:

On my to-do list: taking some pictures suitable for a formal birth announcement and doing some infant massage per my midwife's recommendation.