6 months and a New Home

Today, July 21, 2013, we finished our move into our new apartment in the same apartment complex.  Leo was a sport most of the time... since Evan and I were on a deadline to get everything out and cleaned before 5:00 (when we had to turn in our keys) Leo spent a lot of time by himself on the floor.  It was our third day of moving too so I think Leo was feeling a little attention deprived.  In between his naps I'll have to find some fun stuff for us to do this week to make up for it.  We had a lot of help this weekend from my sister Emily, my brother-in-law Steve, and our friends Toby & Joe, and Doris & Greg.  Saturday was the big moving day and in addition to those mentioned above we had Leo, Melody (Doris and Greg's baby), and my nieces Sara and Rebecca.  For the most part Evan, Steve, Joe, Greg, and Toby were moving stuff from the 3rd story apt to the trailer then bringing the stuff to our porch.  From there, Emily, Doris, and I were trying to find moments to bring stuff into the house but that was very hard in between dealing with diapers, fussiness, feedings, and naps.  At one point, we had Rebecca sleeping on our bed, Leo sleeping in his room. and Melody sleeping in a bouncer in the living room!  I was impressed that they were all asleep at once...  I know the other group had a much rougher job of hauling, packing, and ALL those stairs so I am grateful that I didn't have to do much of that but we kept busy too.  At times it felt like we had more than 4 kids in the house!  So with the efforts of many fine people we are moved in and now on the first floor!  YAY!  

I have been very ready to move out of our apartment as one bedroom and such a small space was becoming more and more difficult to live in, (see picture for proof!)

Leo amidst the chaos.

but just the same...  I felt pangs of sadness at leaving the place that I experienced my first pregnancy and that was Leo's first home.  It was the home I became a mother in and while I know I am taking with me everything that made that home special, I also know apt. 209 will always hold a special place in my heart.

Update... For anybody who read the bird nest/ power washing scare of last summer... they are back!  They have built their nest in the exact same spot and the dad (I think) stands guard on the porch light.  I am planning on walking back by there to take a picture soon, hopefully of  the new babies! :)

The past month we have stayed busy packing, going to Mom's group (We have to graduate soon!), and going to playgroups with some of the other moms and babies from Mom's group.  We have lots of fun and although I always forget to take pictures when everybody is there at the beginning I got a few cute ones at the end. Enjoy!

Liam is about 2 weeks older than Leo and is starting to crawl (or hop depending on how you look at it) and Leo was quite disturbed by all his moving : /  

I love how serious Leo looks...

Just a couple of guys hanging out :)

Carver, Liam, and Leo

Leo turned six months today...
Here are some pictures from the past month and a few from this week

I love books...to eat!

Fun with the cat :-)

Go Gators!

Just like Daddy!

Don't be jealous of my shirt....

We even made it to the pool!

Someone wants food...

It's hot!

Dearest Leo,

              Your half-birthday is here... almost gone really.  You are asleep in your new room, but only for another hour.  You'll end up with me and your dad in our bed by midnight most likely.  We have to work on that...

Cleaning is exhausting work... Good-bye Apt. 209!

               We have had a busy weekend... so many changes that you won't remember.  I am sad to leave behind my nest that I made especially for you but I haven't left the memories behind.  I will never forget the joy I felt when I found out I was pregnant or telling your dad about you as he stood in the kitchen on his break.  I will most certainly remember walking up those stairs while pregnant (not fun!) and bringing you home for the first time.  I can still feel the feather like weight of your body on my chest during those long days and even longer nights in the blue chair.  You've grown so much but you still have a lot of growing to do.  *sigh* I know that this change will be good for all of us.  We've made many memories in that apartment and we'll make even more in this one.  You will very likely take your first steps here, say your first words here, celebrate your first birthday here, and so many more firsts...     Can we slow this down just a bit?
                I best be off to bed to get in a couple of winks before you wake.  I love you my little big 6 month old!
                   Love,

                                Mamamama 

Dear Leo

Where do I start, little man?  We've had some hard times these past five months! Some good times too but... you are not easy on me, but most good things in life aren't easy so there is always that. ; )   

I never thought I would give up all dairy for anybody (Milk, Ice cream, CHEESE!)...but I have, for you... and I will remind you of that as you get older when you claim I never did anything for you. : )

Right now, you are very curious about the world around you and you want to be a part of everything you see.  You don't even want to sleep you are so excited about your new discoveries.  I hope this fighting sleep thing is just a phase.  I even daydream of your teenage years when I won't be able to get you out of bed all day...

  You watch my food very intently when I am eating and have started practicing by smacking your lips and working on your hand to mouth coordination.  You only started that a few days ago and for the first 2 days you would just do it over and over again but with very little control, essentially punching yourself in the mouth, lol.  You move slower now though with more precision and purpose.  You have even made the pincher grasp while doing it.  Cheerios are in your near future...  

You are still being stubborn about turning over.  You turned from belly to back one time in Florida while trying to see the TV behind you but have yet to show your Daddy what you can do.  You would much rather pretend to be Superman flying though the sky or (as your cousin Sara has observed) you often look like you are trying to swim when you are on you belly.  

You are very strong and can hold your head, arms, and legs off the ground for a good 10 minutes (pretty sure you have me beat there).  You love, love, LOVE to stand.  You look so proud of yourself when you stand up... I think you would run off to play if you could figure out how to make it happen.

We are working on sitting up right now and you get better and better at it every day.  You are still a weeble wobble but can usually sit unsupported for at least a few seconds before you topple over.

Your smile lights up the room and your cries are especially pitiful, I feel horrible when you are hurt and I love when you giggle.  Hearing you giggle makes me want more, I feel very greedy and try to get more out of you but right now it is still very fleeting so I have to take what I can get.  You are growing up so quickly I can hardly believe you are going to have your half-birthday soon!      

I am still waiting for an "easier" stage... do you know when that might be?  I bet you would tell me if you could talk... sometimes I feel like what you are thinking is so very obvious, (you have a very expressive face) I don't actually need to hear it aloud.

Well this is all the letter I have energy for right now.  I need to get to bed so that you can wake up five minutes after I lay down and every couple of hours from midnight until dawn.  Good-night my sweet baby love, sleep tight (and soundly for a full 8 hours after mommy goes to sleep!)

Love, Mamamamama        

The 4th Trimester

Being a new mommy is hard...

Everything from recovery to breastfeeding to just basic needs (yours and baby's) become monumental tasks.  For me, at least, the three items listed above still encompass the majority of my thoughts and time.

Let's start with recovery...  I know vaginal birth recoveries have their own special problems which I hope I will have to deal with someday, (I HOPE to have a vaginal birth the next time around), but for now let's focus on this c-section business. So on top of all the wonders of new mommyhood, I had to have major abdominal surgery.  I have read what they do to you (basically take your insides to the outside then put them all back in!) YUCK! Then you have this wonderful scar that you have to watch very carefully to make sure it doesn't get infected.  By the way... keep it clean (it was hard to get a shower between the trying to breastfeed and the narcotics that made me extremely sleepy), keep it dry (yeah that's easy to do when the wonderful extra pregnancy skin is hanging right over it and your hormones are making you sweat like crazy... oh and pile the little baby heater on top of all that. Sure, I'll keep it dry!) and let your Drs know if you notice anything "abnormal" about it (because I see these scars everyday...I'm sure I'll know exactly what "abnormal" looks like).  UGH! I took at least one extra trip to the Dr's office during the first 6 weeks and called multiple times and my incision really didn't heal until the 2 month mark.

"Breastfeeding was so easy right from the start", said no "sane" woman ever.  It was hard and even painful for awhile, which all the nursing books said was impossible and that basically if it hurt you were doing it wrong.  So apparently I was doing it VERY wrong.

Nice pillow after the exhausting work of feeding.

    Unless you've been having your nipples sucked on for the majority of a 24 hour period, it is going to take some getting used to!  My little one thought (and still does think) that it was his job to be attached to me... even while he slept.  But I guess it is his job so I'm not blaming him. There were definitely times when I felt like I'd rather run out the door then have him latch on again but I would sit down, hold him close, and use all my laboring methods of pain management to get through the feeding (Yes it hurt that bad, my toes would curl.)  I don't blame women who don't get through it and even more kudos to the women who have the pain plus other issues...  it is NOT easy at first but has gotten better.  I think before having a baby I took that statement to mean it was hard until your milk came in (3-5 days?) but unfortunately it will more likely suck (literally) for AT LEAST the first 6 weeks.  In the end, do what works best for you and your baby!

The last and the most all encompassing of the three (because there is no way to ignore them)
 basic needs...
First of all, your baby's needs will supersede your own 99.9% of the time.  Feedings, burping, diaper changes, sleep, bathing, feedings, burping, diaper changes, sleep, bathing, feedings... you get the idea.  Somewhere in there you will try desparately to feed, change, and bath yourself.  Hahaha, I forgot to add sleep into that list...subliminal slip?  Your favorite (or most frequent) topic becomes all bodily functions... gas, pee, poop, spit-up, acid reflux, muscle development, brain development, did I say poop?  Yeah, poop is often at the top of the list... how often, how much, what color, etc.

I am including some early pictures of the whirlwind that was the first 5 weeks here. A lot of it seems very hazy...probably my most clear memories are of the middle of the night when it was just Leo and I snuggling together.  He was, and still is, a snuggler which I hope will stay for awhile longer (even if I would like him to sleep in his own bed sometimes).
I am not quite done with this trimester and from what I've heard the whole first year is hard and everything after that is easy peesy *wink wink* ; )

1 week old- On the way back from a lactation consult Leo was very upset and we were sitting in traffic, I gave him my hand and was singing to him and he grabbed my finger and held it right next to his face then promptly passed out.  Oh my heart just melted. <3>