Once Upon A New Time

over my shoulder So I feel that lately all my blogs have been about the same things... struggles with raising a baby, and well, what can I say, that is pretty much all I do these days... So here goes another one. Pack and Play Bassinet I am sitting here on the floor of Max's nursery listening to the soft ocean waves that flow through the speakers of his sound machine. I have to say it is a sound that I hear all night and lots of the day. I have tried some of the other sound options, and Max does like the "white noise" sound bite as well, but it kinda freaks me out when I am up in the middle of the night...I can always hear little background noises, like a ghost whispering...so ya waves are the best and peaceful. I am sitting in here writing my blog because I am too nervous to leave haha. I just know that if I try leave and go do something, he will wake up and start crying. Better to be here, so maybe I can sshh him back to sleep if I get there quick enough. ...

So about 10 months ago I found out I was pregnant...it was kind of a surprise and kind of not. Ever since then I began to change, both physically and emotionally. Even though the physical changes didn't become apparent until months later, my thoughts and feelings were switched into "baby mode" and I was considering baby names, baby room decor and how I could be a good parent....all things that only briefly crossed my mind before. Once there's the weight gain, every day discomfort, and physical limitations that being pregnant brings, I began to feel less an less like the person I had been for the past 26 years...In the last few months of pregnancy there is the finish line to look forward too. That ultimate goal of getting the baby ou tand feeling normal again, not like a huge unatractive incubator:) I couldnt wait to go back to normal and be myself again. So then labor arrives, and there is the grossnness and bodily discomfort that follows that for days and weeks. I th...

Since my last couple blogs have mostly been about my frustrations and hardships being a parent, I thought I should write one about the small things that Max and I have accomplished lately. ( Especially since it has just us 2 at home). 1. Max no longer screams bloody murder at bath time. There is still the occasional crying, but we've had a couple of days where he actually seemed to like it:). 2. Just now ( I'm writing this on my iphone as I finish up a 4am feeding) he had a 4 hour stretch of sleep! That has never happened before and was well appreciated by us both:). 3. He had a nap in his crib and woke up peacefully, I found him just chilling in his crib looking around, instead of screaming:). 4. He will now allow for me to put him down without screaming at times. He will play in his bouncer or chill on his nap nanny without cry...

So I have a new respecct for single parents. This past week my daily schedule has gotten a little more routine, which I am greatful for, I know things will probably change but so far this is what a day in the life of Max and I looks like. Wake up is between 6 and 7am. I usually feed him in bed and then get up to change him and head downstairs to get start the coffee and get some breakfast. Max is usually the most happy in the mornings and I can get some good smiles out of him. We play a little, and he sits in his nap nanny while I eat some breakfast. We play a little more, I drink coffee and by 8 or 8:30 he is getting fussy and ready for a morning nap. I usually have to take him to the laundry room, to hear the dryer, and rock him some before he is down. He will sleep about on hour in his nap nanny downstairs. I take this opportuntiy to get dressed, wash my face and brush my teeth. If I have extra time, I will play around on the computer (like right now) or get some things done, like ...

Wow, what a crazy past month and a half it has been! They have definitely been the most challenging weeks of my entire life! I am going to try and sum up everything that has gone on, the good and the bad:).         My mom was able to stay with us for nearly 3 weeks after Max was born, that was a huge help considering I could use all the help I could get! The first few weeks I did a lot of sleeping whenever, tried to get the hand of breastfeeding, and pretty much sat on the couch. Nothing would have gotten done around the house if it wasn't for my mom! Breastfeeding is hard and Max is just now starting to get the hang of it, it is for sure a process that both momma and baby have to learn about. It is actually a very time consuming process that I have wanted to give up on more than once. I am sticking with it as of now and taking things day by day:)  Hum what else? Max still has very unpredictable sleeping times, but has yet to sleep more tha...

Being a mother is full of ups and downs I have come to notice. Even though I have only had the Mom experience for only over 3 weeks, I can tell ya about so many things I have felt and experienced in that short time, the good and the bad:) Breastfeeding: So it appears for me that breastfeeding is wayy harder than I thought. It always seemed like the most natural thing in the world and to be perfectly honest I never knew why people didnt do it. I mean its free, and better for you baby and helps you burn extra calories... so where is the down side? That was my thought process before trying it. After trying it, and continuing to do it, I completely understand why people do not do it. I am taking it week by week at this point. It's easier now than it was at the beggining, but it's just so tiring. Being the only one that can feed the baby, and constantly worrying about if your boobs are gonna leak, or the get really hard and full and painful I might add. Not to mention, Max doesn...

What I've learned about my son... Its been a little over a week since I have had the privilege of having my little son Maximus and it's amazing how much he has taught me and I now know about him:) 1. He hates having his diaper changed, and taking a bath. 2. He makes the cutest faces and smiles after he finishes eating and is about to fall asleep. 3. He gets super squirmy if he needs to burp. 4. He likes to look around and is super curious, has really good eye and head movement. 5. He does not like to be swaddled anymore, because he likes to have his hands free. 6. He likes being in the car seat. 7. He constantly pees all over everything, we can barely keep enough clothes and blankets clean. 8. He was stubborn about breastfeeding at first, but now has gotten the hang of it (thanks to some ever amazing nipple shields)! 9. He will take a bottle too, so that makes it nice for me when I want to sleep and someone else can feed him:) 10. His hair is turning from brown to b...