Love,
Keagan
December 2, 2009
November 29, 2009
Week 3 Update
I can't believe Keagan will soon be a month old. Time flies! One day kind of just turns into the next. There isn't really much of a today or tomorrow right now. Many times I just love to watch him sleep. You would think with all the sleeping he does that I'd be getting more sleep! Well, he sleeps a lot, but it's only for 2 to 3 hour increments each time. Sometimes Nate gives him a bottle and lets me sleep so I can get closer to a 4 hour nap but it doesn't happen much. My mother-in-law has been a godsend coming over during the week and helping out. I don't know what I'd do without her. I'm so grateful for her help and so happy Lucian has such a great relationship with his grandmother. It reminds me of my relationship with my own Grandmom.
Right now both Nate and I have head colds. I've since lost my voice and I squeak when I talk. It sounds funny. It's not so funny when I'm trying to give a distracted 3 year old instructions however. We're trying to recover but it's extra hard when we're both sick at the same time on top of having a new baby to care for on top of keeping a 3 year old from feeling left out. Lucian has a sore throat and runny nose but he doesn't act like he's sick. We're debating keeping him home from school on Monday. Keagan is stuffy and has a severe diaper rash from yeast. We went to an urgent care on Friday and got prescription Nystatin for it. I hope it helps because he is really uncomfortable and fussy because of the diaper rash. I would go to sleep but he keeps fussing and then falling back to sleep and I fear the moment I pass out he'll really wake up.
Yesterday, Lucian started playing with a little baby Cabbage Patch Kid doll (it's mine from childhood — a little boy infant named Ian) and it's been so adorable watching him interact with "his baby" and all the pretending and mimicking he's been doing. Today we gave the babies a bath. He puts his baby doll in Keagan's car seat and drags him all around the house taking him "places" like the "kleenex" — which in Lucian Language means "clinic" as in doctor or hospital. He also has one of those Fisher Price doctor kits he likes to play with. It's all so cute. Lucian is a really great big brother and he loves Keagan, but he also likes to pester the baby which can get annoying. I know it's hard for him to contain his excitement and it's even harder to be patient waiting for his little brother to get big enough for him to play with. He's doing a little bit of regressing when it comes to potty training which we were told by many to expect. It's not so bad and we're dealing with it. We try our best to make sure Lucian doesn't feel left out. I try to spend time with just him whenever I can. I keep reminding him how he is the little boy of my dreams.
Nursing is getting a little better except for the yeast diaper rash on Keagan now. He doesn't have thrush luckily. I'm still experiencing some soreness but it's mostly manageable now. Sometimes the pain really curls my toes but I know it won't last forever. The engorgement is better under control now too. Now comes the fun part of trying to figure out what's best for me to eat and what to avoid so it doesn't irritate him. Dairy is going to be hard to cut down, but that's the first culprit I suspect. I've been through this all before but it's amazing what you have to relearn 3 years later. Also there is new information so I'll be doing some research! I've also gone to a breast feeding support group twice now and I really like it and hope I can keep going. It's hard taking Lucian but we'll see how it goes. Even a "seasoned breastfeeder" like myself has much to learn and I've gotten a lot of helpful tips and information. It also feels so good to share my experiences with others in hopes I can help another mom out.
Here are some recent snapshots and notes. I LOVE using my iPhone to snap pics of Keagan. I also love making little movie clips. I wish I had more time to post what I've accumulated. They say the second-born doesn't get much in the way of photos or documentation compared to the first-born. I'm trying to not go overboard, but I also don't want Keagan to feel left out later on. Doing pretty good about that so far. I wish the movies were better quality though. I'm in the process of researching digital cameras. We got a new one we really like but there are just a few things that make me want to take it back and get an upgraded model.
Anyhow....just wanted this to be a quickie update...here are the latest snapshots!
Chillin on my Boppy. It's so luxurious and comfy with this 2-sided cover. Each side is a different fabric and this brown fabric is soooo soft! Mommy and I just love it! It helps make nursing more comfy and snuggly. (Thanks Najeeb! This is something we got with your gift certificate. You're the best!)
ahhhh. so snuggly on my boppy. Mommy just loves to watch me sleep.
Dooood! Wassup?
I just work here.
I'm getting so big! 10 lbs. 2 oz now :) woohoo!
mmmmmm booooobeeee juice. peeing on everyone who dares change my diaper. he he he he
yawn
stretch!
Got milk? I had some issues with plugged ducts the first 2 weeks my milk came in and so I had to pump often to keep the engorgement down otherwise Keagan couldn't latch on and it was next to impossible to sleep with these milk jugs!
Pretty proud of my stash, but I really didn't expect to end up with this surplus. There is close to a half gallon of milk in our freezer now. Luckily I'm doing better and not having to pump much any more. I probably over-stimulated myself in the process but I was terrified of getting mastitis from being backed up so I kept pumping. Things have calmed down a little more now. Moooooooo!!!
P.S.
Please don't tell Ben & Jerry about this!
November 23, 2009
My Boys
Just got the boys' photos back from processing this past Friday. The first school portrait and newborn hospital photo are quite a reality check — but it's a welcomed one. I'm a proud Mama!
Lucian
3 years old
1st School Photo
(Preschool)
Keagan Rowan Davis
Monday, November 2, 2009
6:28 am
8 lbs., 6 oz.
19 inches long
(hospital photo)
Quickie Update
Lucian is loving being a big brother and he is very proud. He's still adjusting, but he's happy for the most part. He really loves his baby brother and gets excited whenever he wakes up. Keagan, of course, still sleeps a lot. When he isn't sleeping, he's eating or making dirty diapers. There isn't a whole lot of awake time just yet, but it's coming. I'm trying so hard to savor these moments while he's so little yet because I now know just how very fast it all goes by. Sometimes it's hard to sleep because I just want to hold him, stare at him and watch him sleep and grow.
Nursing has been a challenge but I know we will make it. It was harder the first time around and we got through it. This time it's just frustrating and when I'm in pain, my patience runs thin. These last two weeks I have been exhausted and had to go to the doctor to be treated for it. I'm still not getting the ideal amount of sleep, but at least I'm getting better at trying to grab it when I can. My goal is to get at least one four-hour nap in each day. So far I've only accomplished it a couple of times, but it's better than none. I think I'm getting a little bit better at managing my milk supply which is one of the issues that has been keeping me from sleeping. Most of it is from anxiety. I have a hard time asking for help and relaxing. My joints stiffen up while I sleep and I always wake up in excruciating pain so I get anxious about waking up before I even fall asleep because I don't look forward to the pain.
When I nursed Lucian, my milk supply was average. I had just enough and was always feeling like I had to work to keep my supply up. I felt especially threatened when I went back to work full time. This time, it's completely different. I'm staying home, so I'm at least relaxed about that part, but this time, I'm actually overproducing and overwhelmed by it. I sort of got myself into a little trouble because I was pumping too much and didn't realize it. I was just doing what the lactation consultant told me to do, but I don't think she realized just how much milk I was producing! I was so paranoid about getting mastitis like I had last time so I kept pumping to drain myself. I kept getting backed up, so I kept pumping and ended up with a huge surplus of milk now stashed in the freezer. I'm not exactly complaining, but I just think back now and probably could have handled it a little differently. I guess I just went into autopilot mode and did what I knew to do from the last time which was keep pumping — keep the milk moving. I never expected to be able to produce so much and now I'm working on trying to scale it all back a bit. The tricky part is trying to do it without getting backed up so much, which is very painful and makes it hard to sleep.
Needless to say, Keagan has checked out very well with his first two pediatrician checkups. He's gained one pound and grown an inch in just one week's time! He's now 9 lbs., 10 oz, and 20 inches long.
I miss blogging and socializing, but I need to lay low for a bit longer so I can fit in time for resting and healing. I still have lots of projects and podcasting planned so I have much to look forward to. I do need to socialize from time to time and keeping in touch with friends and family through facebook and other social outlets has been really good for me. We've been out of the house a couple of times besides doctor appointments, but I realize it's easy to overdo it this early on.
I've been cleared to drive short distances, but still don't feel all that comfortable with it just yet. I still have some painkillers I take occasionally when the pain is too much, but I try to watch it. I know I shouldn't be on the road without sufficient sleep. Walking and standing for long periods is still painful, but I'm working on it.
Overall, I'm happy with the progress I'm making because it's been better compared to the first time, but it's still frustrating how long it takes to recover from a Cesarian Section at my age and for how out of shape I am. I do feel a lot more prepared this time around and have some better coping mechanisms in place.
For now though, the top priority is sleep, so good night!
November 18, 2009
November 12, 2009
Hush Little Baby
My boys. Kinda surreal to use plural form now. Feels good. :) Something tells me this might make for a good blackmail video later in life -- proof that there was a time when they didn't want to beat the snot out of each other? Saving this one for posterity!
November 9, 2009
Diaper Rash Sucks :(
Poor Keagan has some pretty nasty diaper rash so I've been letting him "air out" on a towel on the floor. Tonight we had a "picnic" in Mommy & Daddy's bedroom on a blanket on the floor so we could all hang out with Keagan while eating dinner together. (well, at least Keagan was literally hanging out!) He has been such a trooper through it all. He only cries for diaper changes, hunger and attention...the usual.
He is such a great baby! I can't get enough of kissing him and running my lips over his peach fuzz. Every time I look at Lucian, I'm reminded just how fast time goes and how quickly they grow up so I'm trying to savor this time even through the sleep deprivation, engorgement and incision pain. (Percoset is a great Mother's Little Helper right now, but it's soon time to start weaning myself off of it.)
The good thing is, it's all just temporary.
The bad thing is, it's all just temporary.
I know can't stop time, and wouldn't want to necessarily, but at least I can make memories of moments in time that will hopefully last forever :)
These are little reminders that life is tough, but we get by.
"This is so NOT the spa experience I was hoping for!"
(airing out diaper rash)
"I'd rather have a bikini wax right about now instead of this diaper rash!"
Happier Moments
I can't get enough of his peach fuzz!
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