Week 3: 7/14/09 - 7/20/09

We are getting to know Lauren more and more with each new day. Most days, she has the same schedule (eat, soil a diaper or two (in less than 5 minutes), sleep), but some days she seems to not want to sleep as long or eat as long. We experienced our first growth spurt during week 3. Our pediatrician described what to look out for and, like clock work, she started to have cluster feeding and more crying. This was a little harder on me than on Eric but we all got through it just fine and are back to our normal routine. She eats every 3-4 hours during the day and has at least one 5-6 1/2 hour stretch at night. She does seem to be a little irritable at night and want to fight going to sleep. I have tried to be a little more active this week and let her sleep or eat away from home, letting her work around our schedule rather than us working around her schedule. It's not perfect yet, but we're doing pretty good!

I have started driving again as I have a lot more energy and feel safe to get out a little more. We made our first trip to Eric's office this week to visit. I'm sure the Pack n Play will make its way to the office at some point because we have kinda taken over Eric's desk (changing table) and private office. It felt so good to be out of the house and more independent, even if it's only 2 miles down the road. No major errands with baby and I yet; I'm going to take that slower!

Gigi came on Friday (this is becoming routine on Friday's!) and we went on an extended errand-run. This was the first time we used the stroller (recommended by the Koagel's...I love it!) and Lauren loved riding in it. We went to eat at Tropical Smoothie and guess what! Another diaper blow-out! I went to the bathroom and ... NO kangaroo to change diapers!! I have never really paid attention to things like that until now! (BTW, Eric's office doesn't have one because I thought it would be an eyesore in a very pretty bathroom, but NOW he really needs one for all of the mom's that will come to his office! Another example of how being a new mommy will change you!) So, Gigi and I maneuvered the diaper change in my lap...thank goodness for grandmothers! This was also the first time that we attempted to take a bottle for Lauren to use. She gulped it down like a pro! I'm glad to know that this will be an option; it makes me feel better about getting around town.

Aunt Kay spent the night with us Friday night. She has been really busy with her first college semester and new part-time job, so we were really glad that she could sqeeze us into her busy schedule! She and Eric babysat Lauren with a bottle so that I could sleep in and get more rested sleep...it felt so good! Thank you, Aunt Kay for coming to stay.

This weekend was the Bay Point Billfish Tournament. We had never been before and wanted to take Lauren to see how we would do out and about a little more. She loved riding in her stroller along the pier planks (jiggling all the way) and the cooler night air. We watched the fish come in and be weighed and looked at a lot of boats. She was a perfect little baby girl. Eric and I had future visions of him fishing off the back the boat and Lauren and I sunning off the front of the boat. We can't wait to start doing things like that with Lauren!

Lauren is meeting more and more of her family. Aunt Sybil stopped by the house today to visit. She was in a great mood and just studied Aunt Sybil's face and listened to her talk for almost 30 minutes.

As for milestones, she is smiling more and more. We, of course, are so happy about that and are very proud!

Week 2: 7/7/09 - 7/12/09

This week has been another week of "firsts" for the mommy, daddy, and baby! I'm sure this will be the case for the next, oh, let's say many months and years.

On Thursday 7/9, we had another pediatrician appointment with Dr. Rachesky. Lauren weighed in at 8 lb 15 oz (5 oz over her birth weight) and 21.5 inches (1 entire inch longer). She is in the 75th percentile for both height and weight. When I stop and think about how much she has grown in the past 17 days, I am absolutely amazed! I can only imagine how much she will weigh when we return at the 8 weeks appointment. When we checked out and made the next appointment, the receptionist said "she will have 5 immunizations at the next visit, so make sure and bring your Tylenol with you". And I said, "is that 5 INJECTIONS?" Now, when I have dealt with patients and their families in the past, I have often thought to myself that certain things needed to be done, whether it causes a little bit of pain or not, as long as it (like an immunization) would bring about change for the better. BUT, now that I'm dealing with MY little baby, I wanted to say..."are you serious! FIVE INJECTIONS!" Needless to say, I made the appointment on a day when Eric could come with us two girls! But I'm not going to deal with that for another 6 weeks. Also, on this 2 week visit, Lauren had her eyes dilated and checked for newborn cataracts. All was good there. This week, we started the use of Vitamin D oral drops for breastfed babies. She will start to have them once in the morning. We are learning a lot about babies and what needs to be done. I really like our pediatrician and am glad that we found her.

The afternoon of our doctor's appointment, Lauren and I had our first lunch date with Aunt Val, Holly and Jackson. Jackson is 9 days older than Lauren. They came by our house and picked us up since I'm still moving a little slowly and not driving yet and off we went to Chef Imondi's in downtown Panama City. We had not gotten 1 mile away from our house, when little Lauren's belly decides to have projectile vomiting through her mouth and both nostrils! This was also the FIRST time she had EVER thrown up! After a quick clean-up and change of clothes with the help of Valerie and Holly, we had a great lunch. Mommy was exhausted by the time we got back home and needed a long nap. I'm sure this will be the first of many more "dates" with cousin Jackson.

On Friday, Gigi helped me go to my doctor's appointment and then run a few errands. Or at least TRY to get some errands done. We left Dr. Ramie's office and went to Target. It was time for Lauren to nurse, so we sat in the car and let her eat. After about 25 minutes, I noticed that I smelled her dirty diaper getting stronger and stronger. I picked up one leg and saw the yellow poopie stains all over my white capri pants, my belly, her adorable white crocheted booties and pink dress! I couldn't believe that we had had a major blow-out right there in the Target parking lot after sitting there for 25 minutes! So, went back to my house for both of us to change clothes. Gigi encouraged us to "try it again", so off we went for Round 2. I guess I'm going to have to start packing a change of clothes for me in the diaper bag! Our next stop for errands (we didn't go back to Target again) was Our New Baby so I could buy Aunt Mary and Uncle Markie baby gifts... 2 gator booties and 2 gator caps to be exact!

We are so excited that Mark and Mary are pregnant...and even more excited that they are having TWINS!! They came to Panama City for one entire week to be with Mary's family and to meet Lauren. Kayla, Kourtney, and Kaitlyn played in the National Softball Tournament at PC Beach. Kourtney and Kaitlyn's team placed 5th in their division. There were 244 teams in the entire tournament and Mark and Mary were able to spend a lot of time with their nieces. We got to spend time with them during the week in-between Eric's work schedule and my "rest schedule". We took Lauren on her first of many walks on the beach and went to Bone Fish and Panera to eat. (It should be noted that Lauren had another diaper blow-out in the bathroom at Panera requiring a miniature bath and clean up by mommy and Mary. Definitely a two person job!) We loved seeing Mark and Mary here but it's never long enough. We can't wait to see them again.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell of my major disappointment in diaper companies. If you are going to have an international corporation with the chief goal of making diapers, please make them so that the poopie stays IN the diaper. Please. I've lost count of the number of outfits and diapers we have had a blow-up, I mean blow-out in! As David, Mary's brother-in-law suggested, maybe I should start re-inforcing the diaper with duck tape!

This week, Grandma and I gave Lauren a bath in her real bath tub. She loved it! And I love bath time pictures.

As for milestones, Lauren started to give genuine smiles. Her first real smile was laying on the floor in her room looking at her daddy. He said "hello pretty girl" and she looked right at him and smiled. It totally melted our hearts! She is also starting to look at her musical giraffe and stay focused on it for a short period of time.

Until next week!