mama's girl

For the past little while Alex has been "making strange" with most everyone but me and her daddy. I'm not sure what "making strange" really means but she cries when other people hold her and she only really calms down when mommy takes her. Sometimes if I'm in her sight she will be OK but other times that doesn't even work.
I know that other parents have "forced" their babies to stop "making strange" by just letting them cry, but I refuse to do that. I don't want to upset my Alex, I will avoid upsetting her at all costs. I love her too much. If she is going to be a mama's girl than so be it.

This weekend was a long one. The trip to Toronto was VERY long but Alex tolerated it for the most part. She was slightly cranky, especially when everyone wanted to hold her. Besides my mom and my nephew, this was the first time a lot of my family had seen Alex. We visited two homes and as soon as we were in reach they grabbed her in her car seat and started to play with her. They got stumped when they tried to take her out of the seat, it's quite complex to get her out.
She fussed when others held her and she was tired a lot. But we made it there and back without any major complaints.
Yesterday we had Alex baptized and that went much better than I expected. You often hear about babies crying at their baptism, especially during the water on the forehead part. Not my Alex :)
She really only started to cry when it was all over, during all the photos at the end. Then she fell asleep in my arms. What a doll!

Heading into a busy weekend

We're going to brave another day trip tomorrow, I hope Alex doesn't hate it. She's a lot better in the car, I think she is finally used to it. I think the key is her slowly getting used to things.
So we are heading to Toronto for the day to see some family and friends and to drop my husband off at a baseball game. We have a full day that I hope Alex can tolerate. She tolerates a lot now that she's past the 3-month mark.
Sunday she is being baptized, I hope she doesn't hate us for it. You can only do what you think is right for your baby and learn as you go.
Wish me luck.

When to keep track

Alex has had a stomach virus the last few days, I took her to the doctor because she had diarrhea for quite a while and I began to worry about her getting dehydrated.
I bought some pediatric electrolyte liquid, as per doctor's orders, and gave it to her over 48 hours. Things seem to be improving but I'm still worried.
So today I began charting her day; naps, poops, pees, feedings. I will do this for a few days to see how she's doing, hopefully I don't become obsessively worried again like I was at the beginning.
There are times when you really need to keep track of things, especially when they are sick. My poor little girl.

Rollin' for tummy time

Alex rolled over for the first time a couple of days ago, now she can't stop!
Alex used to fight tummy time before she started rolling, she wouldn't last more than a minute on her belly. Now that she can roll she spends a lot more time on her tummy. It strengthens her upper body muscles and helps her digestive system.
Today I was lying beside her and with my encouragement she rolled over twice to get to me. It was the cutest thing ever!
I love her so much.

to pierce or not to pierce

I never thought I would consider piercing my baby girl's ears, I have always thought it would be cruel to put her through pain for something cosmetic. I always said that I would postpone the piercing until my child is mature enough to want them and to take care of them herself. Some other reasons not to; infection - younger infants have immature immune systems, choking hazard, allergic reactions, or embedded earring.
But I have given it some more thought after talking to a kind lady at a jewelery store. My mom pierced my ears at three months old at a doctor's office. They are the best pierced holes I've ever had. As a teenager/adult I have had several more piercings and they all became infected and eventually closed up.
Alex's doctor said there is no more chance of infection if I wait. Hmm.
They say that parents should wait until the baby is at least two or three months old, which is when she should be old enough to handle mild infections and will have gotten at least one round of vaccines. It is also suggested that parents get earrings with locks or screw-on backs made of surgical steel (to reduce allergic reactions), which may help decrease swallowing or choking. And to choose a facility that uses sterile equipment and has experience piercing baby ears, such as your pediatrician's office. Unfortunately Alex's doctor does not pierce ears.

Upgraded from swaddle

After reading my blog about our struggles with the swaddle, a reader suggested I try something new; a Peke Moe sleep sac. We ordered one online and it arrived a couple of days ago. I used it for the first time last night.
Honestly, in the last little while Alex has become a great sleeper at night, I probably could have done without the sleep sac. But it has a purpose and its benefits. I was concerned about her flailing arms, but that's not too much of a concern anymore. It has only been in the last week or so (after we ordered the sac) that she stopped flailing to wake herself up. She still moves her arms a lot but not so much when she sleeps; she has much more control over her arms now.
The Peke Moe does work as a great blanket; no worries of baby being smothered or kicking off the blanket and getting cold in the night.
Alex didn't mind the sleep sac, she slept quite well. But she wasn't pleased with the tight-fitting neck going over her head (she doesn't like clothes going over her head in general) or in the morning when she wanted to suck her hands. Overall I think it was a good investment, especially for winter.

scrap the cradle

Last night I had the scare of my life; I thought Alex broke her little leg.
I woke her up around midnight to feed her and when she was asleep I placed her back in her cradle on my side of the bed. Seconds after she woke up screaming and I instantly knew she was in pain, it was definitely a pain cry.
I quickly looked her over and realized her leg was caught between the bars of the wooden cradle. I had to maneuver her leg out between the bars, I lifted her out and held her tight. I walked her around the house and then I checked her leg to see if it was broken. It seemed OK but I worried about it all night.
We put her playpen in our room and she slept there for the night. She didn't sleep well at all and she woke up in a miserable mood that lasted all day. I continued to check her leg for bruises, swelling or signs of a broken bone. Everything seems fine but what a scare.

3 months old today

Well today Alex is 3 months old and we spent part of the afternoon at the doctor's, yet again. Man, I wonder what they think when we walk in there. Some of the nurses know us well. No doubt they're talking about us behind our backs, "Man, I know they're first time parents but they are truly far too paranoid."
Alex's eye has been watering goopy stuff since Friday and by Day 3 we got a bit worried. At times throughout the three days we talked ourselves out of going, hoping it would clear up. Plus we didn't want to look like idiots if it WAS something minor....
Well it turns out it is something minor; she has a blocked tearduct. We are to apply warm compresses for 15 minutes (good luck) three times a day and clean it constantly. There is a 10 percent chance it could require surgery to clear it up...maybe not so minor.
On the bright side, we got out of a parking ticket because the bylaw officer fell for Alex.

Alex's routine, yes routine

I'm not one to be strict about routine, I always thought I would just let my baby do whatever she wanted; whatever made her feel comfortable. Well I found that a routine is what makes her feel comfortable and makes life that much easier for both of us.
The most important part of the routine is nighttime, we pretty much do whatever we want during the day. Every night between 8 and 9 p.m. I give Alex a bath, followed by a massage, feed her and she goes to bed for the night. It's wonderful!

transition to the crib

They say that everything changes at 3 months, including sleeping arrangements. Well I don't think I'm quite ready for Alex to leave our bedroom. I love having her beside me in her cradle. I can sit and watch her sleep for hours. Mostly though it's easy to feed her in the middle of the night and I can keep my eyes and ears on her. All the information on SIDS can scare a parent into sleeping with their child until they're a teenager.
Alex has many naps in her crib and she quite like them. She loves to stare at her mobile and her battery operated aquarium. We don't even know she's awake because she lies there quiet as a mouse and content as can be.
I have a monitor but that doesn't make me feel better about leaving her in her crib all night. Most people think she should be in her crib, they ask, "Is she sleeping in her crib yet?" A few women have told me not to worry about it and to do whatever makes me feel better. These women had their children sleep with them until both parent and child felt comfortable with the transition to their own room. If Alex's crib could fit in our room, believe me it would be in there.

Watching daddy figure it out

Lately, Alex has been fussy when others hold her, now she seems to be starting the strange behaviour with her daddy. It saddens me when he says, "She hates me," especially considering today is his birthday.
She doesn't hate him, he just has to figure it out. My husband is on vacation and caring for Alex is a whole new experience for him. As I've had to do for the first couple of months, he has to figure out what's wrong. He gets slightly frantic and worried that he can't help her as she screams in his arms. I tell him that he has to find out why she's crying; is it gas, tired, hungry?
This morning it was a combination of slight hunger and really tired...he persevered and together we figured it out.

Daddy saves the day

My husband is on vacation this week and today, the first day, he has been a lifesaver. I have been able to get so much more done, I've actually had a bit of time to myself.
He has taken over a feeding or two, he has put her to sleep several times and even more helpful is that he has played with Alex, occupied her awake-time and kept her busy. Most important is that they are taking the time to bond even more. Daddies are special.
I wish we could both be on maternity leave.

Home bound for 40 days?

My husband calls me paranoid and sometimes says, "You can't have Alex live in a bubble." But I think he's a bit too much the other way, a little paranoia would do him good.
For example, I'm a little worried about the dog and Alex because I've heard horror stories of dogs biting new babies. My husband would be OK with the dog licking Alex and I wouldn't.
When Alex was first born my mom tried to insist that I stay home for the first 40 days of her new life, as the Greek culture believes. I thought, "no one can tell me to stay home for 40 days! That traditional way of thinking is just crazy."
They also believe that there should be no visitors during the 40 days. The main thought process behind it is so that the baby stays as healthy as possible and takes the time to get used to her surroundings and parents.
Having far passed 40 days I tend to think it's not so crazy. Alex has already had a cold in her first few weeks of life and now she is not keen on being away from home (as you are all well aware). Besides maybe feeling a bit isolated, I now think the 40-day ritual is a good idea.
See mom, I eventually get it...sometimes.

Losing my weight

It's not just a myth that if you breast feed you'll lose weight quicker. I gained a total of 50 lbs. during my pregnancy and I lost 40 of it almost instantly. I've been struggling with the last 10 lbs. but I recently noticed my weight is going down again since Alex started eating from the breast again.
When she wasn't eating from the breast and I was pumping 90 percent of the time, the last 10 pounds just hung around. I can actually hear my stomach grumbling when Alex eats! It has something to do with my uterus contracting...all I know is that I'm slowly shedding the last 10 lbs.

No formula for Alex, breast it is

To date, I (well daddy and grandma) have tried to feed Alex three different brands of formula and she absolutely refuses. She cries and screams like never before and it breaks my heart. Today I even tried to mix in a bit of breast milk with the formula and she wanted nothing to do with it. Is breast milk that good? I guess so.
It looks like I'll be persevering through all the trials and tribulations to keep on breastfeeding. But on the bright side, Alex has started to eat directly from the breast again (although she refuses the left one) and my milk seems to be increasing!

Not a happy Canada Day

Alex's grandparents decided they wanted to take Alex and I to a couple of Canada Day celebrations in the area. The crying started as soon as we put her in her car seat and continued practically the whole day.
Of course she had her reasons; being squished into her seat, gas, hunger, poopy diaper, tired, hot. You name it. And this was only a 4 hour outing down the road!
Alex really prefers surroundings she's familiar with, mainly her home. So home is where we'll be for the next while.
When we told people we were heading to NS this weekend they looked at us as if we were insane. Needless to say we have cancelled our trip, we will go when Alex is a bit older. It's too bad because I really miss my uncle G and aunt D and I really wanted them to meet Alex! I'm sure our vacation will be much better if we postpone it.