laying it down

After a long and exhausting day, I'm throwing up my hands.

For the past couple of days, we've had a fussy, out of sorts babe, the poor thing. So I've been an out-of-sorts, crabby Mama. Last night we had a near trip to the E.R. instead of an anniversary dinner outing (I opened the sliding van door on Jack's head). Iris threw up after breakfast and cried her whiny cry 75% of her wakeful hours. To top it all off-- after pumping this evening to try to boost my milk supply, I was taking some bags from the upstairs freezer down to our basement freezer to store. And I had a sickening feeling when I reached in, and everything was wet. And not that cold. We had to throw out 91.75 fl oz of breast milk. Liquid gold. For our girl who is an awful nurser, that as a supplement would have have kept her in good supply for quite some time.

So, even in this, I will try not to be anxious. Even this I will lay at the foot of the cross. Along with my guilt over failings of the day, my shortness with kids being kids (one blocking the light source of a siblings' shadow puppets, one peeling the jewels off of dress-up costumes, one hiding in the basement in the dark because I said no Wild Kratts today...), my tears tonight over silly things...

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

~Philippians 4:6-8

In case you were curious, Saint Giles is the patron saint of breastfeeding and nursing mothers (Saint Giles, pray for me) I think something's going on in that there mouth. She's still the smiliest, even when she's a fuss-Buggins.

our little dolphin

Opal and I met with a lactation consultant (LC) at the Midwife Center this morning, and while it was reassuring to hear that I'm not crazy-- she does indeed have nursing "issues"-- there's not really anything we can do about her inefficacious latch but be patient. She gulps in air like that's the whole point of the task, which makes for very frustrating and sporadic nursing. The LC seemed mystified by it all- how poor her form was, yet how she didn't show any of the normal warning signs that come with subpar nursing (tongue-tie, weak palate, reflux, gasping, blue color, low weight, etc., though she does make a whistle-grunt noise right after eating and some other times that we may get the pediatrician to check). The fact that she wasn't thriving was never my concern. The child has multiple chins. She weighed 11 lbs, 7 oz.- up 4 lbs, 5 oz. from birth. We think she's merely lazy when it comes to eating. She'll probably just have to get better at it with time and practice. If I ever nurse her in your presence, just try to excuse what sounds like an ailing dolphin. Really. At least breastmilk is good for skin, 'cause it's all over the place.

From December 20, 2012

What, this doesn't look like a child who is wanting for food to you?

From December 20, 2012

From December 20, 2012

From December 20, 2012

At least she's such a sweet, happy baby.

9 months

She doesn't technically have a "9-month day," but we pretended it was today.

This past month has been such a roller coaster for this little girl. She just wasn't herself until almost a week ago. Maybe because that little egg tooth that had been itching her gums finally broke the surface, or because she just recovered from the sickness that circulated through our whole family. Perhaps it's that we've finally gotten into a feeding schedule that works for her or that she's now able to move freely where she likes on the floor with ease. Whatever the reason, we're so glad she's back to her contagiously bubbly self. We knew she'd come around.

From 02/28/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

From 02/28/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

She gets where she wants to go on the floor, more by pulling herself along than by crawling. And if one of us says, "Hi Iris." to her while she's playing, she looks up and starts rocking her whole body to and fro on her hands and knees excitedly. She loves waving, wherein she pumps her whole arm up and down vigorously while grinning widely and sometimes saying "Haaaaah!" (Hi). She's gotten to where she does this during the sign of peace at Mass, and the old women (and men) eat it up.

From 02/27/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

From 02/27/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

And starting four days ago, I started giving her almost entirely formula (we tried whole milk, but that didn't seem to be treating her tummy well), but her resistance to nursing was totally self-initiated, and I feel I have done everything in my power to get her to go the other way (to nurse), so I've stopped beating myself up over it. She made it to nine months. I pumped almost exclusively since she was one month old, which was no easy or stress-free task, let me assure you. The whole feeding process has been such a uphill battle for the both of us, and to not have to pump anymore lifts loads off of my shoulders. And she doesn't have to fight me not to nurse. Besides health benefits, it wasn't doing either of us any good to continue doing what we were doing. So, while I'm not loving having to mix that stinky stuff up for her, she seems to do better with it than anything. And she won't have to have it for too much longer, as she's been having more and more solids. She finally does wonderfully with all variety of solids.

From 02/28/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

She went through a couple of hellish weeks of sleep (any steps backward from a child who normally sleeps 12-hour stretches seem miserable at the time), but that's been improving too, thank God. She still takes two decent naps every day and has even taken a few morning naps away from home, which works out well when we'd like to go out occasionally. She has her well check-up on Thursday morning, so we'll find out her stats then.

From 02/27/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

rom 02/27/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

I just cannot describe how sweet this baby is. She just makes us want to grab her and squeeze her and gobble up her rosy little cheeks. She brings so much happiness even to her brother and sister, who never miss an opportunity to give her hugs and kisses before naps or bedtime. And Iris' little face lights up every time she sees the two of them. We are so incredibly blessed to have her in our lives.

Get me away from here, I'm dying

Not really. It's just a Belle and Sebastian song I listened to today that seemed sort of appropriate. At least maybe yesterday it would have been. The past week and a half has been so sleep-depriving and emotionally draining. It's kind of unbelievable all that has contributed to my state in that relatively short period. And no, none of it was because of our house-guests. For the sake of my remembering, here goes... (I suggest just skipping on to your other blog-reads for the day because this is bound to be long and uninspiring).

Poor, out-of-sorts Iris did a number on my sleep last week, in the midst of our company being here. She was fussy in the daytime (still managing to be pretty pleasant, but you could tell she wasn't feeling well) and completely unlike herself in the nighttime, up for an hour or two every night belting out loud and desperate howls. In the evenings, she'd act hungry, opening her mouth wide and then spit it out down her chin. She was giving totally mixed signals. But there was a lot going on, so there really could have been multiple reasons for her distress.

First of all, on Saturday (when her mood really took a turn for the worse), both Mike and I fell down the stairs while holding her (two separate occasions). She seemed to be fine after my spill with her. I took the brunt of the blow in trying to shield her. But she cried the rest of the evening after her fall with Mike (which was my fault, for leaving some vacuum parts on the steps to the basement)- and on into the night. She acquired a pretty nasty bruise on her left knee and winced and wailed any time it was touched or moved during a change- or when she rolled over, etc. So, so sad.

Secondly, because of stress and Iris' refusal to nurse except at night, my milk supply has been way down, and up until last week, I'd been zipping through the freezer supply. I've been trying and trying to encourage her to nurse on top of pumping a lot to get my supply up, but when it's not coming, it's not coming. I'd started adding a little homogenized milk to my milk to stretch it out, but she kept throwing up and acting really restless after each feeding, so I attributed her agitation to the whole milk (though dr. H seemed to think whole milk would be just fine when I started her on it). After calling the dr. again, I was advised by his assistant to discontinue the whole milk for a day or so to see if there was any change. Looking back, maybe there was a little change, but I think she may have had the flu. Anyway, who can tell? Babies. I finally depleted the back-ups the same evening that I ceased adding any whole milk (last Thursday evening) after spilling a 4 oz. bottle I'd been working on all afternoon. I think that was the first time I've actually cried over spilled milk (I always cry at endings). I didn't have any more for her usual bedtime feeding and worried I'd have nothing for her if she awoke hungry in the night (or that I'd have enough for the next day), so I made a disheartening trip to CVS to purchase some formula. She wouldn't come close to the stuff. I was glad. Kaethe suggested that she might prefer chocolate. I must admit, I was glad to have my friend here during that emotional time- for moral support- and a sense of humor.

From 02/16/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Good news is, Iris has been doing miles better. She's back to sleeping the best of anyone in the house and is again her happy-doll self. And she hasn't had to have anymore than two ounces of formula (met with great protest), which we relied on to get her home from Cici's (we had dinner there on Friday with the Wards and Carters) last week without wailing. I've been adding about an ounce of whole milk to every three ounces of breast milk, and she's been doing just fine with that. I ordered some Fenugreek, which should be here tomorrow. Hopefully that will help because while I've produced around 14 oz the past few days, I can't manage a drop more. Fortunately, Iris hasn't been drinking nearly as much these days anyway. She's all 'bout da green beans.

From 02/14/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Iris' issues aside, the night after our company left, Abigail was up hours in the night vomiting. I think I got maybe four hours of very interrupted sleep that night, Mike less (he often goes to bed after 2). The next night, all kids rang out requests over the monitor at some point, but my lack of sleep was mostly due to insomnia. Monday night, starting around 12:30, Jack started vomiting and was up seven times after that. Abigail a few times of her own. And then Mike. After removing piles of soiled sheets and blankets and pajamas, I started feeling sick myself around 4. It was an exasperating night of two+ hours of very poor quality sleep for me. Tuesday night was only a bit better for me and the kids, but Mike was up a lot throwing up. And he had it bad, up until this afternoon, when things started looking a bit better for him (he was keeping down liquids).

From 02/14/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Sick little Abigail. Though I think that was the longest she's ever just sat quietly by herself and played.

The kids and I were feeling pretty well recovered today. I went to the store this morning with the girls and to the library with all the kids this evening. The warmer weather (only in the 50's, but it was sunny) did my spirits a lot of good.

Whew. I'm exhausted just reliving all of that (though that's probably real exhaustion enticing me, here on my own now after hours, to my bed). Thanks to those of you who knew of our trials and infirmities who have offered support and prayers. We're on the mend! Stay well.

LLL

Iris and I checked out the La Leche League meeting of the South Hills this morning. I was pleasantly surprised to see my friend April and her son Dominic there as well. I must say, I feel encouraged after meeting with that group of women and just hearing others' trials and successes with breastfeeding. They were able to offer me some assurance on the issue of Iris'- let's call it independent- style of eating. They suggested that maybe she's getting more than I think the few times she does nurse. Who knows? She's happy and clearly not underfed, by any means.

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

She'll nurse a few times throughout the day, but frequently, she gives up, frustrated because it takes forever for my milk to let down these days. The nursing is at its best when she's best when she first wakes up in the morning for a feeding- anywhere from 5- 7:30- and then she'll nurse for a few minutes (I think she does get a few ounces during that short time though). I'm just happy that she's back at it at all. She's only 8 months, and I wasn't ready for her to wean herself yet.

8 months

Eight months already! And it's hard to believe how much that little chunk is doing these days. She's so much fun.

Her milk consumption has improved a lot-- I think she must have just been on a strike, of sorts-- though her nursing leaves a lot to be desired. We're trying. And pureed baby food? She's likely to just keep spitting it out once it goes in (though she generally does well with sweet potatoes and carrots and tomatoes-- the orangy-red vegs). We're hoping that Mali and Brinnly will be able to coax some food into her when they're our house guests in a little more than a week. Other than that, Cheerios are our fall-back. She lunges for them when they're placed on her tray and stuffs her craw. Too bad she doesn't have any teeth yet, but she does just fine with them, gumming them 'til they slide on down, as easily as you could wish.

From 01/24/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

From 01/24/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

She has sputtered out a few intelligible words, mostly repeated after me when we're reading a book or looking at a photo album- notably "Dada" and "Jaah" (Jack) and "Ahh-duh" ("all done"- usually said after eating). And she's taken to yelling "Bahbababababah!" very loudly as a protest when she's in her highchair and not wanting to eat, or in her crib and not wanting to nap. But usually, it means she really does need whatever it is she's objecting to.

From 01/24/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Our girl is becoming a lot more active, and while she's not quite crawling, she's able to get something she wants halfway across the room if she really wants it. She makes an effort to get her huge bumper in the air, which is endearing and all, but it's not doing her forward motion any favors. The army-drag, wherein she pulls the rest of her stiff body along the floor behind her with her arms, is her best bet right now. As is rolling, which she's finally conquered. A funny thing-- when she's attempting to scoot while on her stomach, more often than not she kind of gives up and just "rests" on her belly, with her arms and legs waving 'round in the air.



One of the dearest things I've seen is Iris playing "Beep-boo!" (Abigial's version of 'Peek-a-boo'). Iris has caught on now though, and whenever we say "Where's Iris?" she puts her hands, or washcloth or toy, or whatever it is that she has in her hands, in front of her face for a few seconds and then takes it down, to which we shout "Beep- BOO!" And she smiles or laughs and gets very excited. And repeats it all again and again. Very sweet, that one.

She's been showing a few more bouts of strong-will, but we're all too familiar with this game. She's just testing her limits. She's still so pleasant and and smiley and doesn't seem to want to rock the boat at all. It's like she can sense when we're tied up with the other two, and when she's tired or hungry, her little thumb goes into her mouth, which she sucks vigorously until we get to her. We call it her "service light." She is as pleasant as can be.

ten on tuesday

1. Tonight, Mike and I indulged in our monthly outing (aside from Teams) sans les enfants. Mike's been a bit under the weather the past couple of days with a bad cold and sore throat and wasn't up for conversing much, so we opted for a movie on the big screen-- an exciting avenue for us. There was nothing that really struck us playing at the dollar theater, so we splurged and saw True Grit- I really liked it. So did Mike, who says, "What's not to like?" (about a Western).

2. I'm reading three books at once, which is a rarity for me, but I've been trying to get more reading in this year- I really do enjoy it, as much as I thought otherwise when I was younger. The books are: Catholic Education: Homeward Bound by Kimberly Hahn and Mary Hasson (a good, practical read that really inspires me), Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life by Keri Wyatt Kent (this woman is speaking to ME), and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (a sad memoir, but a simple and to the point read by a great writer).

3. With Jack about to turn four(!) in two months, we've been starting to incorporate more structured education into the daily schedule, and we've all been having a lot of fun with it. I can't really gauge how a real school day would go with Iris and Gail in the mix too, but it seems like they would be easily occupied with the same or other activities. I've been keeping a journal of ideas. And I'm learning that I'm not as organized of a person as I thought.

4. Iris is nursing again, more or less. She'd be nursing great if she didn't refuse to drink milk in any form (breastmilk or bottle) unless completely tired and unable to hold out any longer. Only then, when she's hungry enough to pop her thumb in her mouth, will she nurse. I plan on attending the monthly La Leche League in Bethel Park next Wednesday morning while the older kids are at MDO. Maybe they can solve all of our problems (or at least offer some helpful advice).

5. Mike won a dual membership to the Carnegie Museums through his work (a $100 value). It's either two adults or an adult and a child, but I'd probably be taking the kids by myself anyway, and kids under three are free. So until Gail turns three, we probably wouldn't have to pay a dime for a trip to the museum. Awesome!

6. I really, really like our new van. And this winter has already made it filthy. But that's okay.

7. Le pain! I'd like to try some good old-fashioned, kneaded bread too, as this artisan stuff isn't nearly as aromatic (though it's still yummy, and the ease and convenience of it makes it mostly worth it). It's pretty, eh?

From 01/24/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

8. I'm now locked in to running the Pittsburgh half-marathon. I know that 13 miles is going to seem like a pretty big deal when I'm running it in May, but I've sort of been waving it off as wee beans, after running 26.2 two years ago. Heather is running the full, and it will be her third (first outside of Baltimore). Props to her- I just don't have the time to train and am trying to cut back on my activities as it is (I know- why did I register to run a half-marathon, right?).

9. A few weeks ago, I finally dived into a knitting project that I got yarn for more than a year ago. It's coming along at a crippled snail's pace. But the therapeutic act of knitting will be worth it even if I just have to unravel the whole mess in the end (I'm living with the few mistakes I've made thus far).

From 01/25/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

(The baby sweater will use five skeins and I haven't even finished the first one)

10. I'm thinking about taking a class at the Annual Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival. I'd love to learn how to needle felt. And crochet. Anyone want to join me?

milk? me no likey.

For the past two days, our dollbear just hasn't been herself. I wonder if it's teething or if she's sick. But she's taken to not drinking at all- whether nursing or taking a bottle or cup and gets all bothered if she senses there's a nipple closing in on her lips. So we've been forced to turn her solids into milky soups in order to keep her hydrated and well-nourished.

Worried about her state of hydration yesterday morning (she'd refused to drink anything for more than 15 hours and showed no signs of relenting- seems serious, maybe? For a seven-month-old whose diet consists almost entirely of breastmilk?), I called Dr. H. He always manages to lessen the sounding-severity of anything, somehow making our situation seem like the norm for all babies. So I came away contented that she was at least still consuming plenty of solids, which we'd been diluting with pumped milk. He said as long as she sustained three wet diapers a day, she was in good shape. And she's had quite a bit more than that.

She resisted feedings Thursday and Friday too, but the turning point of it all seemed to be early Saturday morning, when she awoke shortly after 2:20 with cries of distress. She hardly ever wakes in the night at all before 6 am anymore, let alone all-out wails, but that's what it turned into, especially when I tried to nurse her. She'd at first act like she wanted to nurse, opening her mouth wide, but then, as if remembering an unpleasant outcome, she'd arch away. She screamed and screamed for a total of 2 1/2 hours that morning. During that time, Mike and I took turns trying to comfort her in any way we could wrap our brains around to do so. I thought teething may be the culprit, since she was so put off by anything coming close to her mouth- even her own thumb, which she usually sucks to save the band. I tried Humphries teething tablets. Her howls continued. We changed a fairly dry diaper. Her stools were particularly firm, and it was apparent that she'd not gotten the usual amount of fluids in the past day(s)- something we already knew. We kept offering breast and bottle- to both she'd arch her back and wail, squirming to try to get away. When I'd stroke her face to try comforting her, she'd take my hand and push it away in annoyance. It was heartbreaking, the whole ordeal. I was certain she must be hungry, as and hadn't eaten well before going to bed (or really at all the proceeding day), and she kept acting relieved whenever milk was offered, until just before she'd latch. So I took her downstairs to try to feed her solids. She quieted down right away and kept opening her beak for all 4 oz of the orchard fruit in the jar. She looked dazed and pallid, with purple circles around her tired eyes after crying for 2 hours already, but this definitely seemed to be what she needed. She cried a while longer after I put her down and still ended up waking earlier than usual. Thank heavens it was Saturday.

Now it's Sunday, and all day today she still flat out refused to drink straight milk- unless it was the tiniest bit from a cup, and even then it was like we were using chopsticks. We've been mixing as much as we can into her pureed foods, but I've had to freeze most of what I pump. In one day, she went from drinking around 28 ounces of milk (plus almost 6 oz or so of solids) a day to eating diluted-with milk solids almost exclusively-- a huge adjustment and new routine that we're trying to learn (like just how much she should be eating- solids are not equivalent to milk). I'm keeping up my supply in case she changes her mind. I don't know, it just doesn't seem to me like she's going to. She's plowing full speed ahead with solids without looking back. I'm sad that she doesn't currently care to nurse anymore, and in fact appears to be downright repulsed by it. I love that bond, even if it was pretty much secluded to nighttime feedings. Plus, it's a nice, natural child-spacer, you know?

Her sleep (as well as ours) has been suffering the past couple of days, and she hasn't yet recovered from that first night of howling for hours on end. But we're confident that her pleasant disposition will emerge once again at its fullest. Don't get me wrong, she's still a happy little thing, babbling all sorts of sounds, despite all of this. She's just clearly a little exhausted.

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

This morning, still a bit gray in color with purple around her eyes.

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

Following her afternoon nap today, she'd already regained a lot of pink-in-the-cheeks and playfulness.

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

From 01/09/2011 (by Eye-Fi)

blowing raspberries

two months

From 07/28/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

Two months seems unbelievable to me, but the dates do check out.

I have been trying to look back and find comparable stats from Jack and Abigail, but apparently, I took sparse notes. For my own benefit, and because I have so much more time now-- Hahh!-- I'm going to be more thorough.

At this morning's two-month check-up, she weighed 12 lbs. 15 oz (right before she downed a 4-oz. bottle) and was 22 1/2". Jack was 14 lbs, 2 oz, and Abigail was 12 lbs, 14 oz, but they each also had more than a pound head-start on her from the get-go.

I've been mostly pumping for her during the days as she's been summarily turning up her nose at nursing, except for at night when she's half-asleep-- This has been the case since I pumped for her when we had company a few weeks ago (she's a total mess under a cover), and she just got used to it. I took the lactation consultant's number at the Midwife Center to hopefully help me get her back into nursing primarily. But with what a nibbler she is, bottles have been working out pretty well for now-- I can just pump a bunch at once, and she doesn't have to get frustrated that there's not much flow because of her frequent snacking.

Four evenings ago, she was being a fussball, as she has been that time of the evening for a couple of weeks now-- nothing too bad, just crazy-tense and a bit of inconsolable wailing, but the all-out screaming only lasted for 10-15 minutes or so. She'd seem excited as soon as we'd put the bottle close to her mouth, but when that milk started coming out, she acted like she was going to gag. So I searched for the one Soothie that I knew I had around here somewhere-- we tried before, and any other pacifier would not do. And voila! The past few nights, she's passed on the wailing. She sucks that Soothie like her living and breathing depend on it and even pushes it back in with her chubby little hand when it starts to slip. We've never had a baby use a pacifier until Abigail was weaned at 16 months, but Iris sure seems fond of it.

From 07/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

She usually goes out for good around 9:30. The past three nights, she's gone 7 1/4, 8 and 7 hours of sleep, which I'm thrilled with (Jack finally slept 7 1/2 hours at four months, when we were in an Iowa hotel, and Abigail only got to 7 1/2 hours, until she was weaned). She usually goes right back to sleep once she's nursed a little and sleeps for a few more hours. And she naps throughout the afternoon and evening. We'll keep her.

From 07/27/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

Other than her evening spells-- and a half-hour of screaming this afternoon so intense that by the end of it no sound came out (I went temporarily deaf?), and finally a monumental belch erupted-- she's been an easy-going little gal, and very full of smiles. She seems super eager to please. Lately, she's enjoyed studying and mimicking my facial expressions when she's alert as well as experimenting with her sweet voice, twisting her mouth all around-- Oooooohing and Ohhhhhhing.

We love her so much, but we wish she would stop growing up before our eyes. I like the stage she's at now.

From 07/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

From 07/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

From 07/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

See her poor little band-aids from her shots this morning? Seriously, I think those inch-long needles are worse for the mother than the child, but we've looked into vaccinations and stick firmly by our choice to get them.

From 07/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

On the verge of laughing at her mirror toy.

From 07/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

Put to sleep by her mirror toy.

one month

Quickest month I've experienced to date, I think.

From 06/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

From 06/29/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

From 06/28/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

Our wee Iris is not so wee anymore. I weighed her a few days ago, and she was already 10 lbs. She was the same first thing this morning (though our scale only measures every half pound), right before eating quite a bit. Speaking of eating, she's been a real sloppy Joe lately. Mike has taken her on with a bottle a couple of nights for the past two weeks while I go to church meetings and such since that's her most demanding time of day. I've tried the nursing cover in public with her, but she's just a gulpy, slurpy mess under there, so I've been pumping when we venture out, though I much prefer to nurse. Maybe she'll get a better hang of it as she gets older- and spit up less (last night, in the 4 am hour, I changed her sleeper SIX times. Whew.). She doesn't spit up nearly as much as Jack did- and may not as much as Gail, but it's frequent enough. They've all still managed to get plenty of calories. We can definitely tell she's plumping out nicely, like a soaked raisin. She's already outgrown many of her clothes.
Her sleep habits haven't changed much since she was born-- sometimes she sleeps all but a couple of hours in a day, it seems. She wakes 3-4 times in the night to nurse but usually goes quickly back to sleep (right after I change her multiple times), until 9:30 or 10 am.. Her longest stretch of sleep is only a little more than four hours. Just like Abigail, she's had little bouts of tummy pain, but she's been doing a lot better for the past week or so. And she's smiling more and more now, socially. So far, Iris has been a wonderful baby.

From 06/28/2010 (by Eye-Fi)

For those who were waiting to see Sheepie, I think he's seen his last. We'll stick with merely the babes from here on out.

And I meant to put this up a while ago. It's sweet...

on weaning, and substitutions

Shortly after discovering we were pregnant, we decided to wean Abigail. I was planning to continue to nurse her at least up to 15 months, and past that, until she wanted to still and we found out we were pregnant. We discovered that when she was 15 1/2 months. She was completely weaned at 16 1/2 months, and it was a whole lot easier than I'd expected. The process was getting kind of tiresome for me, as she would ONLY nurse in her room for at most 5 minutes on only one side, and she seemed more and more frustrated with it too, maybe because my supply had gotten so low.

We substituted a pacifier, which she'd never used before, and that seemed to satisfy her. All on her own, she picked out one of the blankets in her crib and made it a favorite, affectionally calling it, "Mimeh." I need to get a video of her self-soothing process-- it is so sweet. She pops her pacifier in and finds Mimeh. Then she finds an edge of the blanket, carefully wraps it around one finger to make a nice, little point and sticks it practically up her nose or in one of her ears and rubs it all around in circles- in her ears and back to her nose, etc.. If we're holding her, she sometimes tries to stick it in our ears. Her breathing gets heavy, and her body gets completely relaxed. She does that every time I pick her up and cuddle with her and her blanket or put her in her crib for bed or nap times. Whenever she's even upset or hurt, she cries out "Mimeh!" I mangaged to steal the filthy thing away for two hours today in order to wash it. She kept asking for it, and I tried to give her other ones, but she'd just cry and throw them on the floor. As soon as it was finished drying, I handled it to her, and she spent a few minutes just lying on the floor with her face barried in it, making small sounds of relief. We need to get a back-up, but I haven't seen any like it. It was one of my siblings' or mine when we were little.

Our sqeaky-clean glutton

Yesterday was probably Jack's most thrilling day yet. I decided after his morning feeding yesterday to try pumping some milk. Immediately after I finished, he awoke from his nap ready to feed again. I thought he was a little fussy because the milk supply was low, which may very well have been the case, but then I wouldn't stop thinking of a book we had just read-- The Very Hungry Caterpillar. He ate and he ate and continued eating... well, he didn't eat salami, pickles, cupcakes and lollipops for the duration of the week, but he did eat ALL day long. You think I am exaggerating? I would have been truly concerned that my gluttonous baby had begun a permanent habit had Kaethe Ward not asked me, when she and Amalia came to visit last week, if he had had his growth spurt yet and told me that I would feel like I was feeding him all day when it came. And perhaps it's too early to be writing up this post, as he seems to be following suit with the constant eating today, but we'll take our chances and cross our fingers that this is merely a spurt. He did sleep well last night, but yesterday before 8:30 pm, he had two not-even-half-hour naps and a handful of two minute feeding-breaks, and these were all extremely frantic awake periods. He has his next doctor's appointment on Friday, so we'll see if all of his binging paid off.
We did enjoy giving Jack his first big-boy bath (what he'd prefer we call his Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn-to-Toddler Tub) during one of his calm periods in the evening. His umbilical cord finally fell off after just more than two weeks. He loved that much-needed full-body bath, maybe even as much as his sponge baths-- surprising, since he seems to delight in being dirty.
Other highlights:
He's still spitting up like Old Faithful, his record nearly 6 feet across the room (onto Dad) on Saturday night.
We started using cloth diapers, which really aren't bad at all, and since they told us in the Baby Basics class that the average newborn goes through approx. 70 diapers in the first week alone, we thought we'd try them out.