Pregnancy & Text Buddy - July 2011 - Seattle, US Area? Between 19 and 25 years

[krys]

I just read your post!! Hi!! I feel like its been soo long lol how have you been?!

Madison's umbilical cord fell off on the 17th, it had been barely on for days and then it finally came off :] I bathe Madison every few days. She has had 6 or 7 baths. She'll probably get another today or tomorrow. I like to give her baths before bedtime because she has some nighttime baby soap and lotion and it is supposed to help her sleep better.
How are Elsie's sleeping habits? Madison doesn't really have any daytime pattern yet, but she usually only wakes up once through the night around 3:30.
Madison has reflux, thats why she was getting fussy and frustrated. We have to lay her at an angle rather than flat at night and we have to keep her upright for 20-30 minutes after she eats. Her pediatrician said if it didn't get any better we would first try to thicken her milk so it couldn't come back up. I would have to pump and add rice cereal, and if that doesn't work she'll need medicine :[ It isn't getting much better though so we're probably going to have to try the rice cereal.
It's been a few days, have you figured anything out about Elsie's blood draw?
We gave Madison a pacifier as well, its good to give to babies with reflux once they're done eating because it keeps them sucking and can help keep the milk down. She won't take the orthodontic Tommee Tippee ones, she gags when we try to give them to her. She takes The First Years gumdrop pacifiers. It's more like a nipple, rather than the wide orthodontic ones. We'll probably let her have it until her first birthday, if she even wants it that long.

I hope you two are doing well!!! I would write more, but Madison is eating (like always haha) and I'm like straining to reach my arms out past her to type this.

 

[airbear]

It has been a while! We've all been doing pretty well, actually! How about you and your little family?

I think Elsie's umbilical cord fell off on the 17th as well, or maybe the 18th. I'm not completely sure, I wrote it on her baby calendar though! Today will be her first bath since it's come off. She doesn't really like her baths though, she cries and cries. Then last time once she was done in her bath and I was drying her off she peed on the towel and it soaked through and right onto me!

Elsie is still sleeping fairly well. I wouldn't say she has a solid sleeping pattern yet but it is somewhat consistant. During the night she'll wake around twice to be fed but she never cries, I just hear her wake up when she starts wiggling and making sounds so I feed her and then we go right back to sleep. So it's been nice because we both get quite a bit of sleep at night. Usually I feed her right before bed averagely around midnight, feed her twice during the night and I sleep until 9 or 10am. During the day she still sleeps quite a bit and doesn't really have a schedule or routine but I notice around 9 or 10pm she's more dead asleep than napping asleep so she usually gets ready for bed before we do.

I'm sorry to hear about Madison's reflux but at least you know what the problem is. I usually have Elsie a bit proped up when she sleeps so hopefully it will help Madison! Sometimes Elsie gets fussy with what position she is in after eating so it probably depends on how her tummy is feeling. If that doesn't work for Madison hopefully adding the rice cereal will make a difference!

Well the hospital lost the results but billed me anyway! But she got a second PKU at her doctor's appointment and they said everything looked fine. I think I may go to the hospital tomorrow and talk to them because they sent me a bill in the mail even though my insurance should cover it. So I'll try and get the real results as well as deal with the medical bill.

I'm glad you found a pacifier that works well for Madison. Elsie has her orthodonic Dr. Brown's pacifiers, sometimes she acts like she gags on them so I don't put it all the way in when I'm giving it to her so that she can position it in her mouth that works best but after that she goes to town on it! I have one of the pacifiers you are describing that I got from the hospital but we haven't used it with her. I don't know how long we'll let her have her pacifier for, depends on how she takes to it from now on. She's too young to be 'addicted' to it yet. I was obsessed with a pacifier when I was young and had one up until I was 3 years old. Which is definitely too long. I think I'll let her keep it up until we start potty training her because that will be the time for when she becomes a 'big girl'. She can give up her pacifier and gets to use the big girl potty. I'll probably use the 'pacifier fairy' technique to transition from getting rid of her pacifier.

Too funny, Elsie is eating as I write this too! Though it's sometimes a bit more difficult on the laptop I'm currently using my phone which is actually easier for when I'm feeding her. She's asleep though and not exactly eating.. haha

 

[krys]

So this is kind of a weird question...but what do you do all day? Someone asked me this today and I had the dumbest answer... I don't do anything. Madison and I just lay/sit around all day. I can't really even clean, because when I'm downstairs there isn't really anywhere to put Madison unless I bring her bouncer down. It made me think, when will we start doing things? I don't plan on going back to work for a while. I was going to go back in October so I could pay off my student loan, but my mom told me she is going to pay it off. I probably won't go back to work until next summer after I turn 21. That means for the next year I'll be home with Madi. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE staying home with her! I love spending time with her and I know I am so lucky to be able to be a stay at home mom. I just don't know what we're supposed to do all day. Eventually we'll be able to play, and she will enjoy things like walks and going to the park... I just feel lazy right now, I guess. I wanna be a good mom, and a good partner for Eric. I wish it was easier to cook and clean, but it seems so hard with a baby.

 

[airbear]

I'm exactly the same way. I feel terrible because Travis is working so much to support our family and I sit at home all day and do nothing. Sometimes I get together with my mom, for example we went to Babies R Us to return and exchange things after church on Sunday. Plus when Travis get's home he usually makes dinner, I also get stressed when I see the house is messy because I pick up after myself but Travis isn't so good at it. I suppose I do keep up on laundry and dishes. Not as quickly as I had before but I don't really let them pile up, either. But most of my days are spent doing nothing! Today Travis and I went to a pottery store and we painted a plate, mug, and a picture frame with Elsie's feet and hand prints. I didn't finish my mug and Travis works 7am-10pm tomorrow so I might go back and finish my mug and I am so excited! I think it's okay that we aren't doing much right now anyway. We're learning how to function with having to care for our daughter's 24/7 and our bodies are still exhausted and healing from giving birth to them. My mom told me the less you do and the more you relax the sooner you will heal and stop bleeding. I think plenty of women are like us the first few weeks/during maternity leave. Since you think you might not go back to work for some time it's understandable you worry you'll be doing nothing for a whole year of your life. But Madison will grow and you'll have much more to do with her and she'll be easier to put down so you can clean up. Plus our bodies are still exhausted from 9 months of hard baby making and then a huge finale at the end, you still have to get your energy back. Once you do you'll probably work out/walk and such since you said you wanted your pre-pregnancy body back, you'll clean more and learn the role of SAHM and wifey But just know you're definitely not alone! I pretty much watch TV, sleep, and go online. I'd like to read books and go for walks more but I think I'm still adjusting to mommy-hood.

Also you mentioned working and I applied for a nanny position for a baby girl born July 10th and they are open to a nanny bringing their children. I had two interviews with this family earlier this week. Well they called and left a message today saying they want to offer me the job! I was at the pottery place so I didn't get their call so I have to call back and they'll probably let me know how much they are willing to pay since we all hadn't decided yet but it starts officially October 3rd but she want's a transition week where I work a couple of days just to get use to it and mostly since she's slwly transitioning back to work and only taking a couple of shifts the week before. So if they pay is reasonable I will no longer be unemployed! Plus they've already met Elsie so I am so excited to find a job where I can bring her! Especially with another baby close in age and since they are both young that means the job can last a few years unlike the last family where their children both are now in full time school so they don't need me anymore. I just wanted to share my excitement!

 

[krys]

Omg congratulations on your new job!! That's amazing, I'm so happy for you :]

I never click on user cp to see if you write back, I just got straight to teen pregnancy I feel like I never talk to you anymore! You post the cutest pictures of Elsie on Facebook, she is seriously adorable!!!

Madison now has to take medicine for her reflux, poor baby :[ She is getting soooo big! Isn't it crazy that they're almost a month old?! Soon they'll be in kindergarten!!!

 

[airbear]

Thank you! I am so excited! I'm glad I don't have to worry about finding a position anymore. My mom was saying Elsie and the little girl I will be watching will feel like they are sisters. It's weird thinking if the job lasts longer than a year that they'll be growing up with each other!

I know, it's funny how now we have our daughter's we don't talk as much! I've surprisingly been on BnB slightly more. I check out teen parenting a lot and haven't been in teen pregnancy in a while. But I do like to go in once in a while and see how everyone is doing. Teen pregnancy seems to be more active than teen parenting. It has been a while since we've talked a lot. I'm glad you like Elsie's pictures! I love Madison's pictures too. My favorite is her 'beach bum' picture, just too cute!

Aw, poor Madi. Hopefully her reflux goes away quickly! They definitely are getting big! It's crazy how much they grow each day and I feel like day by day you can see just a little more personality. I definitely can't believe they are almost a month old! I let my mom watch Elsie for a few hours last night so Travis and I could go to a movie (we had tickets that expired come September) and it was so hard leaving her and I thought about her the whole time! Kindergarten is going to be so difficult!

I absoultely love being a mom. I can't believe our daughter's are almost a month old. It seem's like just yesterday I was in the hospital giving birth to her. It really is amazing how life changes once you have a baby. It's not like you can't go out and party if you wanted to, it's more that you don't want to! It's amazing how you view life and love completely differently now! I love Travis but the love I have for Elsie is just completely different, it's a different type of love. I added this quote to my about me on facebook: 'I never believed in love at first sight, until I met you'. I love it because it is so true about Elsie. I also was reading on this other forum people writing how life is different and someone was saying how it's amazing how you can love a complete stranger. It's true because we have the strongest love for this little person the minute that we meet them! Being a mom is something you can never understand until it happens to you.

 

[krys]

I agree with everything you said about being a mom! I love Madison more than I even knew was possible. I can not imagine life without her, she is my world! I haven't gone out and left her yet. This morning Eric took her downstairs and let me sleep a little because she was up from 3-7! She slept alllllll day yesterday and just wasn't tired. Anyway, when I got up at 9 I just wanted to hold her, I missed her soooo much. Being a mom is seriously amazing, I love it!!! And I love my daughter!

We are soooooooo lucky. We have amazing men and beautiful, perfect little girls

 

[airbear]

Befoe Elsie was born I thought I knew what it was going to be like to be a mom and I thought I understood what the love would be like, but I definitely underestimated it! It's a truely amazing feeling to be a mom! That was nice of Eric to let you sleep in, she was awake for quite some time! Elsie usuall sleeps well during the night and has a period of time during the morning where she is awake light that. Around 10am or so we wake up for the day and she'll be alert. I think I always miss her, I defintiely hog holding her!

We are so so lucky! We have perfect little families. All we need is a son in a couple of years I decided Elsie definitely needs a little brother some day and I need a son!

 

[krys]

I want Madi to have a brother too I miss being pregnant so much already, I wanna get pregnant like NOW. Haha. Eric changed his mind, he wanted to wait till Madi was like 5 and now he said he wants to try when she's 2!
Soooo Eric is applying to jobs in the Seattle area!! Wouldn't that be cool if we moved there and Elsie and Madison could be friends!!!! I really hope he gets a job there because I've been kind of depressed here without my family :/

 

[airbear]

I'm the same way, I was thinking that it takes 9 months to have a baby so when Elsie is 3 months old and we get pregnant then they would be a year apart! But I really don't want my kids that close in age, so I'll wait! That's so cute that Eric changed his mind on the age gap! Travis and I have always wanted our children 2-3 years apart. Wouldn't it be funny if we were pregnant at the same time again?! Travis said the next time we're pregnant will be fun/weird because we'll be trying to get pregnant instead of accidentally!

That would be awesome if Eric got a job here in Seattle! Elsie and Madi could have play dates! I think I read somewhere that you were wanting out of Vegas, so hopefully you can move and be with family. I can only imagine how hard it is being all alone!

 

[krys]

Yeah, it's so hard without them. Especially bc Eric's mom has been really mean to me lately :/ it's hard enough without her making it worse!

Madison has a sleeping schedule! It sucks, but at least she has one lol. We go to bed usually around 10-11, then she wakes up around 3 (every single night) she stays up until like 6!! Then she'll go back to sleep for a few hours. I can never go back to sleep when she does though, so I get like 4-5 hours of sleep a night. Surprisingly, I'm not even a
Zombie! I've gotten used to it!

 

[airbear]

Oh no! Why/how is she being mean?!

Oh wow that is a crazy sleeping schedule, does she have a sleeping schedule during the day? For night time Elsie usually falls asleep around 9/10 then I usually go to bed closer to 1am and feed her. Then she wakes up around 3am and I feed her, again around 5:30am, and usually we'll sleep until about 9am. During her two night feedings I just feed her on my side and usually fall asleep! When she's done she falls asleep and later I wake up realizing my boob is hanging out! During the day she'll usually take a nap around 10am or so and is awake for sometime around 11am but she's still sleeping a lot during the day. Hopefully when I start that nanny job for the slightly older baby she'll get more of a set schedule.

I never asked but back when you were pregnant and your mom was in Vegas and you two got in a fight did she ever go home or did she stay?

 

[krys]

She stayed, thank god We actually get along a million times better now that Madison is here! I'm usually sick of her by the time she has to go home, but I did NOT want her to leave. We talk so much more now, our relationship is so much better!

His mom is just being so rude for no reason. She keeps giving me dirty looks, being hateful towards my dog, ignoring me, etc. Its ridiculous! She always gets mad for no reason and just storms off. Yesterday she was holding Madison and she started crying, well she hadn't eaten in like 2 hours so I was like "I'll take her, she's hungry" and she just got so mad and stormed off to her room! It really bothered me. I just looked at Eric and said "Is she seriously mad because I want to feed my kid?" and he just apologized. He usually thinks I'm crazy and sticks up for her, but he can even see that she's being mean.

Madison's sleeping schedule is CRAZY! She sleeps a lot during the day though. She just woke up from a two and a half hour nap! Now she's hanging out in her swing

 

[airbear]

Oh that is good to hear! I'm glad she stayed and that you two are getting along much better! How long did she get to stay after Madison was born? I think it would be so hard to let her go home!

I cannot believe Eric's mom did that! I would be so upset. I was reading somewhere that we should trust our instincts when we think something is best for our baby. So when they are upset and we think they are hungry, need a diaper change, tired, etc. to go with our instincts. I think it's so frustrating when people get in the way of you and your baby, or when they try to tell you how to parent. I would have been upset. Not to mention she's just adding tention to the house by all her dirty looks!

Travis' mom is frustrating but probably not as bad as Eric's mom. She always wants to see Elsie and holds her the entire time she does see her. Travis' parents are both alcoholic's though they still function well and don't admit their problem (such as they own their own company and work fine but drink everyday and get drunk often). Anyway so his mom is drunk/drinking while holding Elsie. It's so frustrating and I feel awkward saying anything (because she would never get a chance to hold Elsie if I told her she couldn't if she was drinking because she always is). Then she always says things like oh she looks hot you should take some of her clothes off (like her jacket, blanket) and it makes me so upset because I know what is best for my daugher. So I always have to tell her oh she's fine she can't regulate her heat yet so we have to keep her warm. Or she'll stick her knuckle in Elsie's mouth whenever she starts crying. Luckily we started her on a binky so when I see her doing that I find her binky fast! She also constantly tries to guess what Elsie is going to look like. She thinks Elsie is going to have Travis' grandpa's eyes (her dad) or her eyes. I'm sitting there thinking.. or she could have my eyes?! She'll do the same thing about her hair and height. I want to go crazy because she never shuts up. I did tell Travis that if she ever gets to babysit (her and my mom both are baby crazy and would love to babysit) that one of them (travis' mom/dad) cannot be drinking while caring for our daughter. We haven't told them yet because we haven't asked them to babysit but Travis and I both think it is reasonable since what happens if there is an accident and they need to go to the hospital? One of them will need to be sober to drive. Of course they're use to driving after drinking so to them it wouldn't be a big deal, but what if they were drinking and did have to drive Elsie and then got in an accident?! It's just so frustrating that we even have to ask them not to drink while watching her! Travis is also going to tell them we want to trust them to obey what we ask but if we have to we'll get a breathalizer. Sadly we both can honestly see them agreeing with our request and when we leave still having a drink or too. Ugh. Sorry for the rant!

It's good to know she's still getting sleep but at the worst of times! Elsie takes long naps too though. But has longer periods of alertness during the day where it seems Madison has it at night. Tonight I went to bd around midnight and fed her. When I hear her waking up I feed her on my side and sometimes I just do it while I'm half asleep so I never really know what time and I think I've done it twice already. But I think Elsie won't fall back asleep unless I actually sit up, hold her, and feed her. Which I just did and now she's asleep in my arms! But this is the first time tonight I sat up and fed her at about 4am so it hasn't beed too bad sleep wise. I should track her sleep pattern for a week to see if its actually consistant. Also just to see how much she is awake and how much she is asleep. I should do it for feedings too that way maybe I can try and alter a better schedule if I see a pattern, that can maybe be easier on both of us.

 

[krys]

Travis' parents seem a little frustrating! I don't think I'd let anyone hold Madi had they been drinking. I'm sure that's really hard for you :/ I'd have to say something about the knuckles too! I wouldn't even put my own on her mouth! Maybe if I'd washed them really really good, but probably not. I even have to wash her pacifier constantly, thank god for pacifier wipes!! Lol. I'd definitely lay down some rules when it comes to babysitting! One of them needs to be sober, but if it were me I'd say both had to be! I'm pretty protective though. Some people I make sit if they're holding her. I just don't want anything to happen to my baby.

We got professional pictures of Madi done yesterday!! They're soooooooo cute. We pick them up on the 7th, I'm so excited!! Have you got Elsie's pictures done?

 

[airbear]

I'm definitely the same way. I'm very protective and I want things done my way with Elsie. It frustrates me when people don't listen to what I ask (like washing their hands before they hold her). I'm her mom and everyone acts like they know better! It makes me go crazy and it makes me not want anyone to see her! My mom has been very good about listening because she knows how I am. She'll let me sit there and give her step by step instructions just so she can babysit. Travis told me to write an outline for anyone who would watch her alone! Haha it's actually something I considered for his family since they think everything we do is wrong. For example we told them we would probably use our Baby Bjorn a lot more than a stroller and Travis' mom thought that was just silly. But we haven't even used our stroller once and have already used the carrier multiple times. I guess I'm protective and specific when it comes to Elsie. For example the binky situation. I had wanted to wait until she was a month old but everyone had to give me their two cents. It's my daughter and I will decide, thank you very much!

I cannot wait to see Madi's professional pictures! We're getting ours done Friday! I would have gotten them much earlier but we couldn't decide where to go and I had thought my aunt would have done a better job when we did a 'photoshoot' with her. The place we're going to is a women's in home studio, she also does on site photography but I didn't think pictures we be as cute done at home and she showed me some of her posed in studio pictures which I loved. She said the in studio pictures for babies she would only do up to two weeks old since they are much sleepier, but I asked her if she would be willing to try even though Elsie is much older since I really want studio style pictures. So we'll see how everything goes! I don't mind if Elsie is awake in some of the pictures.

 

[airbear]

Oh and lately Elsie has had a weird sleeping schedule (I'm also a little sick and hope she won't catch it!). She still get's ready for bed around 10pm or so and sleeps in our arms while we watch TV until 12/1 or so. Then I feed her, and go to bed, I feed her again around 3am and once more around 5am. But now she's been sleeping until 11/12am! I do feed her once more in between 5 and 11am but before she had periods where she was alert and wide awake, usually around 9am and I would get up for the day. Yesterday Travis got home early from work around 1pm and Elsie was wide awake for a few hours though.

 

[krys]

Yeah, Madi was sleeping in some and awake in others. She did really good, she cried a couple times when she was naked and cold, but we'd pick her up for a second and she'd stop. I actually had to feed her halfway through lol, I just fed her for like two minutes and that held her over. I fed her before we went, but our appt was at 12 so we got there at 11:30. There was another couple there (that didn't have an appt) an they ended up going until 12:30. Well Madi was hungry by then! So make sure Elsie has a full belly!

 

[airbear]

Ugh, everything got deleted.. again!

Anyway's I'm really glad Madi did so well. I can't wait to see her pictures! Elsie did really well, but the photographer is a freelance photographer and usually only does studio posed pictures for babies two weeks and under since they have such a deep sleep. I told her I still wanted studio style pictures so she said she was willing to try. Elsie I think was pretty much awake in all of them. I think we still got some cute shot's but they won't look as good as the sleeping baby posed pictures she lady usually does. Our appointment was three hours long so I fed Elsie a few times. She pooped and pee'd a lot too, all over the ladies blankets. But she was really nice about it. She has a ton of cute props! We tried to get it so Elsie would be asleep at the appointment by keeping her awake and holding off on feeding her until 11am. Which went fine but when we got there she was wide awake! Even after I fed her. So no such luck, but I think we got at least a couple cute ones. Here is her blog which has some newborn pictures only boys though: https://www.livelovelaughphotographblog.com/ this is her facebook and under 'wall photo's' you can see some of the newborn pictures for whatever reason she doesn't put a lot up to see. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Live...tographic-Essays-by-Chantelle/199602676739449

Oh I also wanted to show you a link to the picture we got our inspiration for Elsie's nursery:

https://www.nurserymuralsandmore.co...010/06/10150007-flowertheme-nursery-mural.jpg

Instead of purple we're doing a very light pale pastel pink (kind of like how winnie the pooh can be really bright or there is the more vintage winnie the pooh that everything is the same color but softer.. i want her room soft), and we're going to have a more realistic looking tree. I want it to be brown and probably have green leaves. We're also going to have the picket fence go around the whole room rather than one wall. Except the closet will look like a gate and the bedroom door will be an open arch. That way it looks like you can get out and not like you're walled in in her garden haha. We're also going to have the butterflies and bugs and such but I think I want a cute owl too. We were thinking about doing fairies as well so that it was a fairy garden. But we might just leave it as a cute garden as I think getting fairy's to match our style of garden painted/somehow put on the walls will be more difficult. What do you think? I hope we can start soon because I know Travis work's a lot and he wants us to do it together so it may take a while. I can't wait to show you pictures! This was just the inspiration I'm hoping for it to look a lot softer and sweeter than how bold this looks. We're actually using real wooden pickets for the fence and everything! Oh and we're going to have white christmas lights put up around her room as well as lantern's for lighting. I just thought instead of fairies I want to do animals instead like squirrels, bunnies, or dear or something. The only thing is I think painting them would be really hard..

Oh and I want on of these sayings on her wall:

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over.. it became a butterfly"

or

“There is a garden in every childhood, and enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.”

eek, sorry for so much. i'm just so excited for her room. i want it to look perfect! the picture in my head of what it will look like is so much different than the link i showed you so it's hard to explain what i want it to look like!

 

[krys]

OMG OMG!!!! Her room is going to be sooooo cute! I really love all your ideas My little sister actually had a white picket fence room, with real wood too! That was like eight years ago, so I can't remember it perfectly. I just remember her having it on the walls and they got (obviousky fake lol) butterflies and somehow stuck them to the wall! It was really cool. I think animals would be way cute!! I love squirrels the most hehe. I can't wait to see pictures!!!!!
Elsie looks adorable in the pictures on your fb, she has such a personality!! I never really catch smiling pictures of Madi because when she's smiling I just want to talk to her and smile back We have the cutest little girls though! I picked her pictures up yesterday, so I'm going to scan them tonight. I was really looking forward to getting them on the computer, but Eric took the laptop to work, dangit!
I can't wait to see Elsie's pictures!!! That's so funny that she pooped on the blanket! Madison has had really soft poops lately, like diarrhea. She has pooped and it gotten out of her diaper a few times! Hahahahaha and last night we were at olive garden and I don't know what happened, I had just changed he when we got there so maybe I didn't put her diaper on good. Eric was holding her with her head over his shoulder and she fell asleep so I grabbed her and when I did we realized that she had pee on the FRONT of her onesie and on Eric. I have no idea how it was only on the front by her tummy! Luckily we always have an extra onesie in the diaper bag!!!
I find myself on here so much more lately. I get on when Madi is sleeping or mostly while I feed her. I never see that you wrote back though! I need to start going to user cp and checking!
Madison is extremely clingy to me. This may be bad, but I LOVE it! She likes me best If someone is holding her and she's crying, I'll grab her and she'll stop! Or sometimes if she falls asleep on me and I put her down she gets fussy, but stops as soon as I pick her up. This will probably be a problem soon, but for now I just love being her favorite