Fast becoming the most played track on my itunes...

10 minutes of vacuum sounds by Pediasleep. So far, it is up to 63. Of course, as of today, I decided to keep it in constant play, but I have the sound turned down on my speakers until there is an actual spazz attack. It really is too difficult to move the cursor to hit play when you have a screaming baby in your arms.

BTW, breastfeeding is...maybe a little better? Went to the breastfeeding center on Friday and that was helpful. At least I feel like I am not messing up my kid's life/making him hate me b/c of our problems.

In other news, I, like AK, am back to work this week. I took 6 weeks - federal government standard leave. Of course, I only managed to work 1.25 hours yesterday. So far today, .75. It sucks!

In much better news, Eli had his first (non-gas-induced) smiles on Friday! They are awesome. They also have renewed my energy towards breastfeeding/soothing his screaming/etc. Pix when I have more time.

Not sure I can take breastfeeding anymore

So, I've had breastfeeding problems from the beginning. I've seen various lactation consultants, talked to the pediatrician multiple times, and yet still, it sucks. It has sucked for different reasons over the past (almost) six weeks. The latest (and this has been happening for the last few weeks) is that the kid eats on one boob and then screams his head off. Sometimes he screams at the end of the first boob. Other times he screams if I try to reintroduce the first boob or introduce the second boob. Either way, every single feeding session is incredibly unpleasant. The pediatrician said he has reflux. We have him on some medicine that is kind of a pain to give to him - b/c of the cutting the pill into quarters/dispensing it correctly from the stupid syringe thing (he actually seems to like the taste once we give it to him). Anyway, he's only been on it for a couple of days, and it's supposed to take two weeks to reach full effect. So far I am noticing NOTHING. No improvement whatsoever. And it sucks so bad that, every time I feed this kid, he screams and screams at some point like I am hurting him/there is nothing more in the world that he hates than my boobs. I just don't get it. I thought breastfeeding was supposed to (at least at some point) be a beautiful experience. It has just been torture. But I can't give up now b/c what if that stupid medicine actually works? That would be a fricking miracle.

GIANT

We had our one-month pediatrician appointment yesterday. We learned what we already knew (for the most part, though the actual numbers make it even more dramatic): we have a giant on our hands. Eli weighed THIRTEEN POUNDS AND SEVEN OUNCES. His weight, height, and head circumference were all in the NINETY-SEVENTH PERCENTILE. Dear Lord. The pediatrician and nurse were in awe of his colossal glory.

He is also a crazy pants. He screams during many a breastfeeding session like someone is trying to kill him* but he barely made a peep when he got another Hep B shot yesterday. Seriously. He was so quiet that I didn't even know that it had happened. Cuckoo!

Here's our little giant in one of our fave outfits all ready for bed...



*We had a GLORIOUS feeding session, however, at 3:15am today. Maybe he is getting better at it/I am getting better at it and things will continue to get better...I hope!

Happy Birthday, Baby Eli!

Eli is now one month old. Here is a picture of him in his birthday suit (almost). Notice what a chubster he is (he is on Joshie's lap, so you understand the scale better).


I am utterly exhausted. We have a new breastfeeding problem every day/week (though he certainly does not seem to be starving. See picture above). This week's problem: I seem to be overproducing milk. I think I could feed all the babies in the world. I find myself spraying milk out of me like a maniac. I have accidentally squirted Eli in the face several times during feedings. He is NOT a fan of that. I am giving him just one side at each feeding to fix the situation - and have been doing that for several days. So far, it's not helping yet, but I read it could take a week or more for it to effect milk production.

Yesterday was my first Mother's Day ever. I got a card from Joshie/Eli. It was sweet. Then we all went to CVS (a drugstore) to celebrate and bought a lot of candy. CVS is, sadly, my most common outing with baby. What I really wanted for Mother's Day was a nice breastfeeding session. I didn't get it. Maybe that will be a birthday present he gives himself today? I did, however, give myself the gift of putting Eli in a ridiculously cute hat for our outing (see pic below). I also had two lovely visitors on that Special Day. Adam brought flowers and baklava (yum!) and Monica brought us dinner (delicious Indian food!). (So far, Eli has seemed to handle the food I have eaten...So far...) Our awesome friends and family have made it so that I haven't yet had to cook anything since Eli was born. That has rocked!



We did manage a real outing with Eli this weekend. On Saturday we went to the National Sculpture Garden for a little picnic. Joshie fed Eli with a bottle (see pic below). He seems to be getting better at bottles, which is sort of sad for my poor boobs but also means that I will be able to be away from him for more than 2-3 hours at some point in the near future.


In other news, I think that I look rough enough lately that I officially should be nominated to be on What Not to Wear. Seriously. You should see my roots, the ridiculous thing my bangs are always doing, the bags under my eyes, the one pair of pants that fit me, etc. Or maybe you should be glad that you can't see all these things. But as an example, witness the first family picture we have ever taken, which, for some reason, didn't happen until just last week.


Why was I wearing that shirt? I do love Montreal (and poutine!), but come on!

He can hear!

Eli failed his hearing tests on both ears when we were in the hospital. We were told that it wasn't anything to worry about b/c babies (especially those born by c-section) get crap in their ears in utero (that doesn't get squeezed out during the birthing process when one has a c-section). We had to have him re-tested. Today was the day, and he passed!

Other big news...His umbilical stump fell off (it took much longer for our Eli than for Aldo!). And Eli LOVES baths (or at least doesn't hate them and then passes out for hours afterwards - note made so that in the future we plan our own bedtime accordingly).

Here are pictures (including bathtime) so you can remember how cute he is and how big he's getting...