November 22, 2009
Newborn photos
We had some photographs taken when Cam was just 9 days old. It's amazing to see how much he's changed since then!
November 20, 2009
Week 6
We had Cam's 6-week checkup today. He's growing so fast! He now weighs 11 pounds 2 ounces, which means that he gained almost 3 pounds this past month.
And his stats...woo baby! He's measuring in the 75th percentile for length, the 85th percentile for weight, and get this...the 90th percentile for head size! The pedi saw those numbers on the computer screen and immediately said, "okay, so which one of you has a big head?" I raised my hand; I know all-too-well that that trait comes from my side of the family! ;)
He also got 2 vaccine shots today, which rendered him a pretty unhappy camper. It's so hard to watch him dissolve from a happy little man to a screaming, red-faced mess. :( He's napping at the moment though, so hopefully he'll feel a little better when he wakes up. Hopefully!
I had my 6-week checkup yesterday, and I'm happy to report that I'm doing well too. I've been cleared to exercise now, my doc says that I can do pretty much anything I'm comfortable with. Yippee! I have some work to do on my abs, as there's been some separation of the muscles. It's all totally normal and par for the course, but it's pretty weird to feel a big ol' divot where there wasn't one before! I also got my H1N1 shot (as did Chris), so hopefully this will be a healthy winter in our household. Again, hopefully!
And his stats...woo baby! He's measuring in the 75th percentile for length, the 85th percentile for weight, and get this...the 90th percentile for head size! The pedi saw those numbers on the computer screen and immediately said, "okay, so which one of you has a big head?" I raised my hand; I know all-too-well that that trait comes from my side of the family! ;)
He also got 2 vaccine shots today, which rendered him a pretty unhappy camper. It's so hard to watch him dissolve from a happy little man to a screaming, red-faced mess. :( He's napping at the moment though, so hopefully he'll feel a little better when he wakes up. Hopefully!
I had my 6-week checkup yesterday, and I'm happy to report that I'm doing well too. I've been cleared to exercise now, my doc says that I can do pretty much anything I'm comfortable with. Yippee! I have some work to do on my abs, as there's been some separation of the muscles. It's all totally normal and par for the course, but it's pretty weird to feel a big ol' divot where there wasn't one before! I also got my H1N1 shot (as did Chris), so hopefully this will be a healthy winter in our household. Again, hopefully!
November 13, 2009
Week 5
So I started pumping this week, and Chris has been giving Cam his bottle each night. I'm pleased to report that all is going well! He seems to be having no issues bouncing back and forth between the boob, the bottle, and the pacifier. :)
Cam is smiling more lately, and we've even heard a few laughs. One occurred while he was sleeping. It was adorable; his little belly started shaking, he had a big grin on his face, and he made a "huh huh huh" sound. I wish we had been able to catch that on video!
In other news, he's losing more hair from the top of his head. The back of his head, however, still looks the same. Pretty soon he's going to look just like my grandpa. Oh, and he's graduated from newborn size clothing to 0-3 month clothing. He's already taller and putting on some weight!
Cam is smiling more lately, and we've even heard a few laughs. One occurred while he was sleeping. It was adorable; his little belly started shaking, he had a big grin on his face, and he made a "huh huh huh" sound. I wish we had been able to catch that on video!
In other news, he's losing more hair from the top of his head. The back of his head, however, still looks the same. Pretty soon he's going to look just like my grandpa. Oh, and he's graduated from newborn size clothing to 0-3 month clothing. He's already taller and putting on some weight!
November 6, 2009
Week 4
We introduced a pacifier for the first time a few days ago. It was weird and not very tasty at first, but eventually, it was accepted. Score!
I plan to start pumping this weekend, and we'll introduce the bottle for the first time. The pedi says to start with one bottle a day, and to be consistent about offering it each day, as the window for getting babes to accept the pacifier/bottle is small (from 4 to 6 weeks), and once it's closed, it's CLOSED. Wish us luck that it doesn't interfere at all with his other feedings!
Cam is more alert during the days and seems to be more responsive to our faces. We've gotten a few smiles, and they are just the most precious thing I've ever seen. I have yet to capture one on the camera though, they're fleeting!
I plan to start pumping this weekend, and we'll introduce the bottle for the first time. The pedi says to start with one bottle a day, and to be consistent about offering it each day, as the window for getting babes to accept the pacifier/bottle is small (from 4 to 6 weeks), and once it's closed, it's CLOSED. Wish us luck that it doesn't interfere at all with his other feedings!
Cam is more alert during the days and seems to be more responsive to our faces. We've gotten a few smiles, and they are just the most precious thing I've ever seen. I have yet to capture one on the camera though, they're fleeting!
November 1, 2009
Birthday recap
Two years ago, if you asked me what I would be doing on my 30th birthday (which, incidentally, was also my golden birthday: 30 years old on the 30th of the month), I probably would have said that I would be out with a big group of friends, drinking and living it up.
And though my birthday was actually nothing like this, it was great in a totally different way. Chris made me breakfast as I fed Cameron his breakfast. I came downstairs to find a present from each of my guys. Chris got me a box of dark chocolate truffles from this little shop in Berkeley (totally yummy!) and Cameron, that little sweetheart, got me a gift certificate to the spa. You know, in case he stresses me out sometimes, he wants me to be able to relax a little bit. :)
We went out and about for a little while, hit the farmers' market, and came back home to chill for a little while. We took a walk downtown to pick up dinner from a new restaurant. Sushi, oh how I've missed you!
I also had a bit of wine with dinner, maybe about a third of a glass. I'm such a lightweight now!
And though my birthday was actually nothing like this, it was great in a totally different way. Chris made me breakfast as I fed Cameron his breakfast. I came downstairs to find a present from each of my guys. Chris got me a box of dark chocolate truffles from this little shop in Berkeley (totally yummy!) and Cameron, that little sweetheart, got me a gift certificate to the spa. You know, in case he stresses me out sometimes, he wants me to be able to relax a little bit. :)
We went out and about for a little while, hit the farmers' market, and came back home to chill for a little while. We took a walk downtown to pick up dinner from a new restaurant. Sushi, oh how I've missed you!
I also had a bit of wine with dinner, maybe about a third of a glass. I'm such a lightweight now!
October 30, 2009
Week 3
This week was much smoother than last. We're getting into the groove. Cam's blog has a picture of him wearing a onesie that says "Eat Sleep Poop Cry", and that pretty much sums up the groove! Hah.
His eye is much better; we continue to clean it periodically and it looks great. Which is good, because I was afraid that it would be all goopy for months, and that we wouldn't be able to get any cute photos!
One of my biggest obstacles is still sleep, but for a different reason. I wake up in the middle of the night with the light off and a cat asleep on me, and freak out because I think that I've fallen asleep mid-feeding session and forgotten to put Cam back in his bassinet. He has a full head of hair...the cats are furry...see where I could get confused in my just-awoken state? Yeah. I hope this passes soon!
His eye is much better; we continue to clean it periodically and it looks great. Which is good, because I was afraid that it would be all goopy for months, and that we wouldn't be able to get any cute photos!
One of my biggest obstacles is still sleep, but for a different reason. I wake up in the middle of the night with the light off and a cat asleep on me, and freak out because I think that I've fallen asleep mid-feeding session and forgotten to put Cam back in his bassinet. He has a full head of hair...the cats are furry...see where I could get confused in my just-awoken state? Yeah. I hope this passes soon!
October 19, 2009
Week 2
Cameron woke up with a crusty, goopy left eye on Monday. I tried cleaning it, but it persisted, so off to the doctor we went. (Why is it that the days we need to venture out are the days that it is pouring down rain?) Fortunately, it's not an infection. It's a clogged tear duct, which is apparently pretty common in young babies. With a few rounds of a warm washcloth compress and a little duct massage, it's now looking much better. But it could be a recurring issue that we'll deal with for several months.
We then went back to the pedi on Friday for Cam's 2-week checkup. He has gained weight like a champ (he's up 15 ounces in 10 days, and now weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces). This is great news because now that he has surpassed his birth weight, we no longer have to wake him up to eat every 2-3 hours at night. (!!!) We can let him decide when to wake up and eat. He's a good sleeper so far, and even a 4-hour stretch at night is soooooo welcome. I'm just trying to make sure he eats well and often during the days so that he might be more likely to sleep more at night.
Chris went back to school this week, so Cam and I got our first few days alone together. I'm pleased to report that things are going very well. I don't always get a lot done (okay, I don't really get anything done), but the little man is happy. I'm trying to nap when he naps, but that's much easier said than done!
We then went back to the pedi on Friday for Cam's 2-week checkup. He has gained weight like a champ (he's up 15 ounces in 10 days, and now weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces). This is great news because now that he has surpassed his birth weight, we no longer have to wake him up to eat every 2-3 hours at night. (!!!) We can let him decide when to wake up and eat. He's a good sleeper so far, and even a 4-hour stretch at night is soooooo welcome. I'm just trying to make sure he eats well and often during the days so that he might be more likely to sleep more at night.
Chris went back to school this week, so Cam and I got our first few days alone together. I'm pleased to report that things are going very well. I don't always get a lot done (okay, I don't really get anything done), but the little man is happy. I'm trying to nap when he naps, but that's much easier said than done!
1.5 months later...
and my rings fit again. They're snug, but I can get them over my knuckle! :)
I'm still too scared to try on some of my favorite shoes, though. I'll be pretty sad if they don't fit.
I'm still too scared to try on some of my favorite shoes, though. I'll be pretty sad if they don't fit.
October 16, 2009
Week 1
Whew. What a week it has been! I'm actually marveling at the fact that it's been a week already...time has definitely become more fluid and hard to track. I find myself unable to remember when events occurred. Tuesday? Wednesday? I just don't know. I'm happy to report though that all is well.
We were discharged from the hospital on Sunday morning, and have been taking care of Cameron at home since. When we left the hospital, Cam was down 6% from his birth weight. (Some weight loss is normal, as babies are born with excess fluid to tide them over until mom's milk comes in.) We had an appointment with his pediatrician on Monday to check for jaundice and weight loss. The jaundice was not too bad, but he had slipped down to a 9% weight loss. This was of concern because the pedi has a cutoff of 10% before they want to intervene and supplement with formula. We were sent home with an appointment to return the next day for another jaundice and weight check.
Fortunately, feeding has been going very well. It put a bit of pressure on me knowing that I had to make him eat enough and gain weight overnight, but he came through with flying colors. He had gained 5 ounces by the next visit, and the pedi was thrilled. Now, we just have to make it back up to his birth weight by his 2 week appointment. And the pedi thought that jaundice wasn't going to be a big issue for us. The slight yellow tinge to his skin will likely subside on its own in the coming days.
Sleep (or lack of it) is proving to be the biggest hurdle so far. We're making do. But it's hard when we have to wake him up to eat every 2-3 hours. Feeding takes 30-40 minutes, plus the time for a diaper change, burping, and soothing back to sleep. All that adds up to about an hour. And the 2-3 hour window starts from the beginning of the feeding, so even if he wants to eat only every 3 hours, that's only 2 hours of sleep (max) for us in between. But I wouldn't change it for the world. :)
We were discharged from the hospital on Sunday morning, and have been taking care of Cameron at home since. When we left the hospital, Cam was down 6% from his birth weight. (Some weight loss is normal, as babies are born with excess fluid to tide them over until mom's milk comes in.) We had an appointment with his pediatrician on Monday to check for jaundice and weight loss. The jaundice was not too bad, but he had slipped down to a 9% weight loss. This was of concern because the pedi has a cutoff of 10% before they want to intervene and supplement with formula. We were sent home with an appointment to return the next day for another jaundice and weight check.
Fortunately, feeding has been going very well. It put a bit of pressure on me knowing that I had to make him eat enough and gain weight overnight, but he came through with flying colors. He had gained 5 ounces by the next visit, and the pedi was thrilled. Now, we just have to make it back up to his birth weight by his 2 week appointment. And the pedi thought that jaundice wasn't going to be a big issue for us. The slight yellow tinge to his skin will likely subside on its own in the coming days.
Sleep (or lack of it) is proving to be the biggest hurdle so far. We're making do. But it's hard when we have to wake him up to eat every 2-3 hours. Feeding takes 30-40 minutes, plus the time for a diaper change, burping, and soothing back to sleep. All that adds up to about an hour. And the 2-3 hour window starts from the beginning of the feeding, so even if he wants to eat only every 3 hours, that's only 2 hours of sleep (max) for us in between. But I wouldn't change it for the world. :)
October 10, 2009
Announcing...
Mr. Cameron Joseph Baker, born Friday 10/9/09 at 12:10 a.m. He weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces, and measured 21 inches long.
It was quite the labor and delivery journey to get here (feel free to ask me about it if you want the details), but we are just in love with this little man! He's very alert for a newborn, and thus far he has been a pleasure to be around.
We'll be leaving the hospital mid-day on Sunday. If you're local and you'd like to come by to meet him, please give Chris or me a call and we'll try to find a time that works for everyone. :)
We'll be leaving the hospital mid-day on Sunday. If you're local and you'd like to come by to meet him, please give Chris or me a call and we'll try to find a time that works for everyone. :)
October 6, 2009
Cookie's getting evicted!
41w1d
At my checkup today I got hooked up to a fetal monitor for about 30 minutes. At first Cookie wasn't very active (he's more of a night owl like his daddy), but after I changed positions and drank a really gross Capri Sun (wild cherry flavor, BLECH), he started moving around.
Cookie exhibited enough movement to pass the non-stress test, and my levels of amniotic fluid were good, so my doc determined there's no immediate need for me to go to the hospital. But, he also scheduled my induction for tomorrow night. Eeep!
At my checkup today I got hooked up to a fetal monitor for about 30 minutes. At first Cookie wasn't very active (he's more of a night owl like his daddy), but after I changed positions and drank a really gross Capri Sun (wild cherry flavor, BLECH), he started moving around.
Cookie exhibited enough movement to pass the non-stress test, and my levels of amniotic fluid were good, so my doc determined there's no immediate need for me to go to the hospital. But, he also scheduled my induction for tomorrow night. Eeep!
There's still the chance that labor could start on its own before then, but I'm not holding my breath. If nothing happens tonight or tomorrow morning, I go in at 5pm tomorrow and get some medication to help my cervix along. I then spend the night and hope that labor gets going. If it doesn't, there's talk of starting pitocin on Thursday morning.
It definitely isn't how I pictured or planned, but such is life, right? It's so crazy to think that in two days I'll no longer be pregnant!
October 5, 2009
41 weeks
41w0d
Well, according to my doctor I'm actually 40w4d today. But changing my dating system now seems too confusing. So there you go. Either way, this Cookie is overdue!
I feel like a broken record these days. "I'm still here, nothing new to report." I have spells of time where I'm more uncomfortable, but then I also have spells of time where I feel just fine. So, we continue to wait...
Well, according to my doctor I'm actually 40w4d today. But changing my dating system now seems too confusing. So there you go. Either way, this Cookie is overdue!
I feel like a broken record these days. "I'm still here, nothing new to report." I have spells of time where I'm more uncomfortable, but then I also have spells of time where I feel just fine. So, we continue to wait...
October 2, 2009
Diapers
40w4d
Cloth diapering is something that I've been interested in for awhile, and I found this company that offers a very cool trial of several popular brands of cloth diapers. In case you aren't up to speed, there are TONS of brands with lots of different features these days, and it makes it very hard to choose what to buy.
I've spent a lot of time reading user reviews of many different brands, but it really boils down to the fact that what is great for one baby might not be great for the next. So, this trial seemed like the perfect thing: I can use all the different brands for 21 days, and at the end of it, even if I don't like any of them, I pay only $10. Or I can keep what I do like, and they'll just deduct that from my refund. Pretty neat!
Now, off to do more laundry to prep everything...
Cloth diapering is something that I've been interested in for awhile, and I found this company that offers a very cool trial of several popular brands of cloth diapers. In case you aren't up to speed, there are TONS of brands with lots of different features these days, and it makes it very hard to choose what to buy.
I've spent a lot of time reading user reviews of many different brands, but it really boils down to the fact that what is great for one baby might not be great for the next. So, this trial seemed like the perfect thing: I can use all the different brands for 21 days, and at the end of it, even if I don't like any of them, I pay only $10. Or I can keep what I do like, and they'll just deduct that from my refund. Pretty neat!
Now, off to do more laundry to prep everything...
October 1, 2009
Update, 40 weeks
40w3d
Woohoo! We have progress!
I just returned from my 40 week appointment with my doctor. I'm still about 50% effaced, but I'm now beginning to dilate too, which is great news. We scheduled my next follow-up for Tuesday, but hopefully things will get moving before then. His heartbeat is still strong, and though I didn't gain any weight this week, the belly grew another 2 cm. I'm catching up to where I "should" be...I'm now measuring only 1 cm behind instead of 2 cm.
The good news is that if Cookie does decide to get moving this weekend, my doctor happens to be the on-call doctor. Yay for that!
His parting words as I left the office today were "Go and have a baby, already!" I'm working on it doc, I'm working on it!
Woohoo! We have progress!
I just returned from my 40 week appointment with my doctor. I'm still about 50% effaced, but I'm now beginning to dilate too, which is great news. We scheduled my next follow-up for Tuesday, but hopefully things will get moving before then. His heartbeat is still strong, and though I didn't gain any weight this week, the belly grew another 2 cm. I'm catching up to where I "should" be...I'm now measuring only 1 cm behind instead of 2 cm.
The good news is that if Cookie does decide to get moving this weekend, my doctor happens to be the on-call doctor. Yay for that!
His parting words as I left the office today were "Go and have a baby, already!" I'm working on it doc, I'm working on it!
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