friends and fun

this morning Chloë must have known we had places to be and needed our rest because after nursing at 5:45am she went back to bed until 9:15am! She's never slept much past 8am so it was a sweet surprise when I looked at the clock and realized it was 9am and she was still asleep. We got ready to go to Jess' house to see all our friends, and Chloë insisted on getting all decked out. So we put on her pink Ralph Lauren shirt dress, white tights and her furry boots. We had a great time talking, eating, and playing, and it was wonderful to see everyone. All the babies look so much bigger, and are much more interactive, and all the mothers looked beautiful! I really had a fantastic time, and Chloë enjoyed herself too, despite the fact she screamed when Allison touched her face. Not sure what the big deal was, but it happened twice, and both times Chloë was NOT amused. However, she did feel entitled to touch Allison's face. After a fun morning with babies, I went to Sweet Life with Bridgie for ice cream and some gossiping while Josh stayed at home on daddy duty. I made it home just in time for a nice walk with the two of them.

All in all, it was a WONDERFUL Saturday! More, please!

Chloë with Allison's giraffe

Allison and Chloë

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she's the queen of the castle

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snow angel

Chloë making a snow angel!

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chloë looooves prunes!

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a pat on the back (my back!) and to many more!

so, 6 months came and went..and I forgot to congratulate myself on making it to month 6 of breastfeeding! Everything about BFing was such a challenge to me in the beginning, I kept saying "If I can only make it one more day" and each day would come and I'd be in a state of mixed joy and dread. Joy that I was able to stick it out one more day, and dread because of the huge drama BFing was for a preemie who didn't like to suck properly and preferred her bottles. I set little goals for myself, and they kept getting loftier, and loftier, until there were no more goals, and just enjoyment. After she started getting more awake, Chloë became better at the breast, and after we were happier with her weight, we ditched the bottle (of expressed breast milk she was getting after each nursing section) figuring it was becoming more of a clutch, and actually preventing her from purely enjoying the breast. That took about a week, and she finally stopped wanting the bottle, and actually taking more from the breast. We had many ups and downs in the beginning, everything from low milk supply as a result of BC pill to being sick and not being able to take anything in case it led to MORE low supply..Chloë also had a nursing strike for 3 days which drove me to the brink of depression. With the help of her wonderful nanny we got back on track. So now we're almost at 7 months, and for about 2-3 months I've finally got to the point where I truly, TRULY, really do LOVE nursing my babe. And here are the top 10 reasons why breast is best for me:

1. I always know when she's hungry I can give her food that *I* make, from my OWN body--how amazing is that?
2. When she is a little tired, she likes to suckle for a comfort after she eats and she'll fall asleep while still holding on
3. When she gets pleasantly full, she'll look up at me, while still attached to my breast, and smile, and as she does, milk will dribble from the side of her mouth
4. She likes to put one hand behind my back and the other on my chest
5. Sometimes with the hand that's on my chest she'll play with my mouth and if I kiss her little hands she smiles and wants more
6. Other times with the hand that's behind my back, she'll inch it closer to the breast and just sort of tickle me
7. And at other times still, she'll play with my necklace, the necklace that holds a Leo pendant that once belonged to my father
8. When all else fails, and she's being super Ms. Cranky pants, I'll put her to the breast and she'll immediately calm down
9. Similarly, when we have to go for the torturous visits at the ped. when they have to give her shots, I put her to the breast right after and she immediately forgets the horrible experience she just had
10. And lastly...I just ADORE spending those quiet moments staring at her, while she stares at me, those moments when I could just about burst with so much love for my little babe, my little pumpkin girl.

And here's what I wish daddy could do for those times in the middle of the night when I can barely stay awake

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prunes, prunes, prunes!

Chloë started solids today! We decided to go with prunes since she has a problem pooping..hopefully this will help. She was very excited, and demanded to be fed quite quickly--definitely did not enjoy when daddy took his time. She got very messy and always opened her mouth wide, without any prompting and she finished all of it. I've been trying to figure out whether it's best to give her the food before or after nursing, and though various pro-breastfeeding studies indicate it is best to nurse before the food, to Chloë it made no difference. She likes her food!

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no more sleeping ever?

...well, for another 3-4 months? Seriously? Hmm...that's what Dr. S. said could happen. Today we had our 6 month well check up (a couple of weeks late..) and I brought up the fact that Chloë has decided sleep is overrated. Dr. S. said some babies who seemed to be such good sleepers will go through a phase, from, oh..say, 5-6 months till about 9 or so months where they're just sucky sleepers..then they get back on track. She said..no worries, it's just temporary, just a phase. She was really trying to be really reassuring..saying something I've read/heard countless times "Remember, it's all just temporary..it's a phase and it'll pass." But..seriously? Another 3 months of potentially not sleeping? I have permanent bags under my eyes as it is...Let's keep hoping when Dr. S. said another 3 months, she meant another 3 days, or 3 weeks. But please, not 3 months!

PS. On a side note, Chloë is doing well, and she's growing nicely, meeting all expected milestones, and has been given the green light for solids. Yay, more to come on that I'm sure, though dad has already said matter of factly: "Solids scare me."

The look of a sleepy babe

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we were part of history today

...from the comfort of our living room.  While Chloë sat in her bumbo, Josh and I sat on the couch and enjoyed the endless coverage of the inauguration.  Chloë was limited to only watching a few minutes of Obama's speech (we don't want to encourage TV watching) and while Josh and I watched for most of the afternoon we were surprised at 6:30pm when the parade was STILL going on.  

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daddy's getting old

For daddy's big 3-0, Chloë went all out and decided to put on her trendy sweater dress and boots!

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sleeping is for sissies

Once upon a time, Chloë had a beautiful schedule...she would wake up at around 5-5:30am to eat, and then go right back to sleep, and her day would start at around 8-8:30am. She would have some regular naps, in the morning, and two in the afternoon, and come 7pm we would happily get her ready for bed. Not so much anymore. She wakes up countless times in the night, and as a result, her schedule is no more. Her naps are all over the place, she's cranky, and screams when she gets tired enough. She barely makes it to her bedtime, and even when we get her ready for bed earlier, she's still a mess during the night. I'm hoping this is a phase..the so called 4 month sleep regression? I know she's 6 and half months, but if you consider she was 6 weeks early, it would make sense for this to be the 4 month sleep regression, right? Here's to hoping it'll get better...

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brazil=bad sleeping habits?

It seems that since we've returned from Brazil Chloë decided she will no longer follow any kind of good sleeping habits..she was having some small issues before, waking up a few more times than usual a little hungrier, but nothing I couldn't handle. But last night I was just so exhausted, I actually thought--meh..let's start ferberizing the kid right now, 3am, bring it on! For those of you not familiar with Dr. Ferber, do google the man...you'll either love him or hate him. I hate that I don't love him..

Chloë's night:

Bed at 7:45pm

Wakes up crying, shrieking, screaming at 12:58am

After trying to console her in every other way other than nursing, I finally give in and offer her the boob--she happily eats and falls asleep at 1:45am

More crying, more of a whimpering cry at 3:08am

Wait it out until 3:15am when it becomes a definite shriek like cry

Nurse her and she falls asleep at 4:15am at which point I go to bed thinking, ohhh goodie, she'll sleep in now.

Wrong.

6am, she's up again. I nurse her, she falls back asleep at 6:30am.

By 7:20am when she wakes up again, I decide we're now up for the day...

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time flies

Today Chloë is 6 months old...I can't believe it's been half a year. I'm constantly amazed at how she changes..and today I am reminded of the little babe that she was back in July 2008 when she decided to make her debut 6 weeks earlier. From a tiny little 4 lbs bundle of joy, she's become what I like to lovingly refer to as a fattie--she's got big fluffy cheeks, and rolls on her legs and arms. She's got a beautiful double chin, and I'm always happy when my arm gets tired from holding her. It just means she is getting bigger and bigger every day. While my memories of her stay at the NICU are still here, the pain and sadness it caused me is entirely enveloped by all the happiness she's brought us since then. I guess you could say I'm slightly emotional today...

Chloë moments after birth

Chloë on Christmas eve

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our christmas vacation--the abridged version

left for Brazil 3 days late because of Chloë's ear infection. enjoyed 4 good days before I got sick. Fever and everything. Chloë decides not to be left out and gets my cold. On the night of 12/27 her temperature spikes to 104.6. Two days after Christmas we make a trip to the emergency room. Countless sleepless nights followed as Chloë proceeded to have a temperature for 6 days--always in the middle of the night. A mere 6 days after she finished her dose of antibiotics for her ear infection, Chloë gets some more antibiotics. Two days after starting the antibiotics she has her first good night--sleeps through the night without a temperature. Following day we leave to come home. Immediately after landing we make a visit to Dr. S. for a myriad of tests. Results pending. On a good note, Chloë is happy to be home and hasn't had a temperature since January 2nd.

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