4 weeks!

Our kitties adore our baby girl!

4 weeks old today!

This past week was my first week of being home on a semi-normal schedule, mostly with no help. It was good to start getting used to what it's going to really be like, but was certainly tiring, as well. I mentioned on Tuesday that I had a few rough patches, and I guess some of that continued through the week.

I have been trying to encourage Abigail to learn to breastfeed more now that she is getting older. She has previously been nursing twice a day using a nipple shield, then having expressed milk in a bottle supplemented with a little Neosure for preemies. This week, I tried to get her to latch without the nipple shield a little more often. I don't remember which day, but she did finally have a successful latch on my right side and fed there for a good 20 minutes. I was so excited that I called Tony at work (he was less enthused... I don't think we share the same emotional connection on this subject... no biggie). However, I had no success getting her to latch on the left side.

Unfortunately, each time I tried breastfeeding, Abigail would have enormous amounts of spit-up afterwards, sometimes delayed 30-60 minutes after feeding. I started getting nervous about it and did some research that led me to believe she might be having reflux issues. Anyways, it was stressful enough that by Friday night, I decided (temporarily) that I don't want to keep trying until I get some professional advice.

On Thursday, we took Abigail to see a pediatric specialist at Duke Children's Hopsital. We were referred by the neonatologist at Durham Regional during Abbie's extended stay after birth. She was concerned about the shape of her skull, thinking that it might indicate a possibility that some of the bones had fused together, which would inhibit brain growth later on. I remained optimistic that this shaping was related to the other molding issues Abbie had due to her position in the uterus (head down for over 15 weeks, ready to go!). And on Thursday, my hopes were reassured by the doctor, who checked her out and said he's positive there is no reason for concern. Her skull is just fine, and the molding should work itself out over time!

Since I had sounded so tired by Thursday midday when I talked to my mom on the phone (it was a long week!), she decided to come over on Friday to give me a little help. It was fabulous. I took a nice nap with Abbie on my chest, and my mom helped me finish the laundry and she vacuumed the whole house! She also helped with a few feedings, which gave me time to pump, causing the whole process to take only 30 minutes as opposed to the usual hour/hour and a half it can sometimes take to feed and pump. So, by Friday night I was feeling much more relaxed and rested, thanks to Mom.

On Saturday, Laura B came for a visit, and we enjoyed some time going out to lunch at the Olive Garden with Grandma's Christmas gift certificate (I had intended to go as soon as I got off bedrest), shopping for/returning baby stuff, and going to the outdoor movie theater in Chapel Hill to see Monsters vs. Aliens. It was fabulous to get out for so much of the day, and Abigial handled it wonderfully. I definitely think that having one extra person made the whole ordeal much easier. Laura also helped with feedings and stuff throughout the weekend, which made me feel like there was quite a bit more time in the day, and kept me feeling relaxed.

Laura brought some awesome gifts, including adorable blankets and a snuggly elephant, plus the most amazing gift of all... a quilt from her mom. Pattie makes the most beautiful quilts (I already have a lap quilt from college and another one on our bed). You can see that Abigail loves it, too!



We also enjoyed visits on Sunday from DeAnna and Shayfer, followed by Martha Shackelford. We had great discussions about raising kids with DeAnna (Shayfer is 12 now!). The new debate in our house seems to be whether or not it is best to have kids close together or more like 5 years apart. Plus, we discussed parenting styles and all that goes along with having a kid.

Since Martha's visit, Abigial is now an official Tarheel with UNC outfits to boot! She also brought us a lovely chicken casserole, bread, and brownies (we already devoured the brownies).

I have been amazed at how many days I find myself past 4pm having not even thought about what could be made for dinner, so it is still a welcome gift to receive food! I'm also thankful that we still have a lasagna from Tony's mom and a few other dishes in the freezer that I can pull out on those crazy days.

So, today we celebrate 4 weeks of Abigail's life, and almost 3 weeks of having her home. The experience has been awesome so far, regardless of the roller-coaster rides, and I'm so excited to continue this adventure with our adorable daughter. Yes, I said it - she's adorable. I'm not going to hold back and pretend I don't think she's the most beautiful thing that's ever walked into my life! I can't stop kissing her, and I could just eat up her cheeks every time I gaze at her. Can't wait to see how much she has progressed when we got to the pediatrician tomorrow!