The First Six Months with the Little Monster

(pictured above: master manipulator)

It has been six months since I gave birth to the little monster. Yes, he is a little monster but a friendly sesame street monster. A cross between Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch. The dynamic of our household has changed and adjustments have been made to accommodate the little guy. One thing I realized is that even with all the birthing classes and advice, it never prepares you for the real thing. Sure it helps to be informed, but what better way to learn something new than to dive right in. Plus the nurse informed us it would take a lot to break him, so no worries. Here is an overview of the last six months:

1.) Nursing
It took awhile to get use to the engorgement and the let downs. But in time, I developed a rhythm. I'm still nursing and will continue until he is two years of age. It hasn't been the easiest journey. It takes a lot of dedication to stick with nursing and it's not for everyone. There have been times where I just wanted to give up during my 3am pump session and go solely with formula. Here is a blog I stumbled upon that keeps me focused: Give in to the "F" word

Whatever you do, get to know your nurses and thank them every time. They sure did help and gave great advice on nursing. Oh, and be careful about being consulted by a "lactation nazi" as my pediatrician referred to her. She wanted us to restrict our sons feeding to only 1oz. But he was taking in 3oz. of milk. If the advice seems too strict for you and your baby, go with whatever works for you.

2.) Weight
Two months after the birth, I lost 30lbs. I went from 185lbs to 155lbs which isn't quite a good thing or a bad thing. Breastfeeding and daily walks have helped or it could be the sleep deprivation & lack of eating. Gradually within the next year or so, my goal is to lose 20lbs with healthy eating and exercise. I came to the realization that my body has gone through a dramatic change and I should cut myself some slack. It took me nine months to put on the weight and it's going to take another nine or so to lose it.

3.) My Feline friend is not a killer!
Chester, my cat, had been staying at my folks for about 3 months when we finally decided it was time to bring him home Christmas eve. Of course, my mother was worried that Chester would try to suffocate the baby or see the baby as a threat. The news is Chester has adapted well to Calvin. No problems there.

4.) Sleep
The first day we brought our bundle of joy home, he already had a routine down: Sleep for 4 hours, wake up, diaper change, breastfeed, sleep, wake up in another 4 hours. Of course, the sleep deprivation took some time to get use to. We were forewarned by our doctor, friends, family and co-workers. And at times, we would stay awake for long periods of time to make sure the little guy was still breathing. One thing my husband and I agreed upon was that co-sleeping wasn't for us. Calvin transitioned from the bassinet to the crib with ease.

At around 3 months, he began to sleep through the night waking up once in the middle of night to feed. Now we are in the process of training him to sleep on his own with the Ferber method. So far it takes him 10 minutes to sleep on his own. Let's hope by next week it takes him less.

5.) A 10 minute shower is like a day at the spa
Sometimes I went two to three days without taking a bath/shower. Okay really, more like a week. Well I was a parnoid first time mom, who couldn't let her son out of her site for just a minute. Just remember, a 10 minute shower is like a day at the spa...enough said.

6.) Growing up way too fast
In a blink of an eye he went from being a motionless sack of potatoes and transitioned into an individual, a little person. I couldn't wait till he got to the age where he reciprocated with a smile, a laugh or babbled. When he cracked his first smile at three months, my heart just melted. Since then, I can't stop making him laugh or smile.

At six months, he is trying to figure out how to sit up. He has toppled over so many times yet the little guy is determined to sit up on his own. It's amazing how his mind works. All trial and error for him.

Diaper Cake for Lucas

Diaper Cake for Lucas, originally uploaded by casa azul.

Where: in the dining room making a diaper cake
Two Ups: Back into my creative mood & saw my sis and BIL in this weekend
Two Downs: Miss my sis & the little guy is teething :o(
Mood: Indecisive
Inspired by: my sisters diaper cake for my son and U.R. Beautiful

Well, I created my first diaper cake. What do you think? It's for a friend of mine. She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Lucas. He is so adorable! They just grow up so fast ;o(

So what went into this diaper cake you ask. Well I'll tell you:
**70 Diapers - Mixture of Pampers Swaddler & Pampers Baby Dry (sizes Newborn, 1 & 2)
**4 Huge rubber bands (many of which decided to snap...ouch!)
**70 Clear Elastic Bands
**Flowers & Ribbon from JoAnns
**Carter's Newborn Boy's 2 Piece Pantset, Little Wonders Newborn Boy's 2-Pack Rompers With Bib - Dinosaurs, Just One Year Newborn Boys' Romper - Dino Yellow/Gray (you can't see them because they are rolled up in the center)

Here are a few great videos and blogs I found helpful:
How to Make A Diaper Cake and Susie Stamp A Lot

love

Where: At home relaxing

Mood: Playful

My husband had just finished feeding little monster 6 ounces of breastmilk. The little guy had been tired for quite some time. As my husband walked around the house, the little guy began to doze off. It had been awhile since I took any father-son photos. So I took the opportunity to capture some of those pure simple moments. These are the moments that are real and where love can be found.

Baby's Turn to Blog

(pictured above: Ted E. Bear & baby)

Time: Nap Time 3:05pm-6:45pm
Where: Mommy & Daddies Bed
Mood: Relaxed & Dreaming of mommy and daddy
Wearing: A onesie that says "I Love Daddy"

After breastfeeding, it was time for Ted E. Bear and I to take a nap. Mommy made sure I was nice and comfortable in there bed. *giggle* I need all the room I can get. Sure beats being in the womb.

Fun Fact: Ted E. Bear's middle name is Edward

"I love you."

Where: Hospital
Procedure: C-Section
Final Pregnancy Weight: 185lbs.
Two Ups: I love the epidural & room service
Two Downs: the smell of my own burnt flesh & being awake during the whole procedure as the doctors discuss the political candidates (shouldn't they be focusing on me)
Mood: Scared & Sleepy

It became evident that after 20 hours of labor, I would need a C-section. The doctor informed me that even though with the help of pitocin, I still wasn't able to sustain the contractions on my own. The baby was either too big to deliver vaginally or I was too small to push him out. I had endured an additional 3 grueling of hours pushing and nothing, no progress.

At this point, I was exhausted, fatigued, tired and sleep deprived. I wanted him safely delivered and I didn't care by what means. What I wasn't prepared for was going into surgery. My heart was set on a vaginal birth, but the circumstances did not work in my favor. I began to feverishly shake. I was nervous and scared that I would have to be awake during this whole procedure. As I was strolled away in the gurney, my mind began to race: will the epidural wear off before they begin cutting into me, will there be complications with the delivery, is my baby safe?

It happened so fast. They began with the incision, then I felt pressure in my lower abdomen and a tug. Soon, I heard a gurgling noise like someone trying to breathe, gasp for air. The nurse began to clear my child's airway. Then I heard his cry. At that point, I was relieved and I began to cry. It was the most beautiful sound.

The nurse brought him towards me. She put his forehead to mine and I kissed him. The first thing I said to him was, "I love you." That was the last thing I remember.

The Yellow & Green Room

The Yellow & Green Room, originally uploaded by casa azul.

Where: In the dining room getting ready for the baby shower

Since I've taken the week of the baby shower off, I've gotten a bit crafty. I decided to make some tissue paper pom pom's with the help of Martha Stewart and all you crafty chica's on Flickr. The image you see above is the dining room. I think I may have gone a little over board with the amount I put up (14) and may add another big one on the other side for balance. Still debating whether to take down some. It's taken me about 3-4 days on & off to make about 35-40 of these to decorate the interior and exterior of the house.

It took about 2-3 tries to perfect the pom pom. Don't get discouraged. Just a few tid bits: don't pull too hard when separating the tissue, use metal scissors (I had scissors with the metal blades but with the plastic handles; they broke), be patient and go slow.


For instructions:
www.marthastewart.com/article/pom-poms-and-luminarias

Is it a boy or a girl?

I asked my mother a few weeks ago if she would like to join my husband and I at the "reveal." She was ecstatic.

The night before the big day, I tossed and turned half the night. I was nervous, excited and wanted to know if I was a carrying a healthy baby. So many thoughts began racing in my head: "Is there a chance that our child will be autistic?" "Are we going to be good parents?" "How will we shape the mind of this child?" "What does the future hold for us?" All I kept hearing from each doctors visit was that I was bleeding and the worst case scenario would be a miscarriage. That word was thrown around a lot. Finally my mind stopped racing and I was able to get 3 hours of sleep.

        

(pictured above: his "giblets" which look oddly similar to Atari's Asteroids)

The moment they told us I was in shock. "It's a boy!" I was so sure it was a girl. I told the doctor that we had already came up with a name, Christina Anabelle. She said,"It's going to be one funny looking girl." Brian was excited and my mother was thrilled to see the baby on the monitor. She saw the baby opening it's mouth, its heart flutter and arms moving. My mom was so excited that she was holding onto Brian tightly.